Westcott University — Maximize Your Senior Portrait Session

As part of Summit Online‘s team of photography instructors, Westcott Top Pro Matt Hernandez takes a senior portrait session outdoors to offer tips on capturing professional images for your clients.

A key to a successful senior portrait session is to maximize your time in each location. By taking a variety of images in each spot, you can impress your client with an array of portraits from just a shot period of time.

There are many ways to change up your images and best maximize each location…

Vary your position and camera angle
Vary your clients poses – while being sure that they are comfortable
Use a 70-200mm zoom lens – capture tight, middle, and wide frames
Switch between vertical and horizontal frames
Vary your clients facial expressions
If possible, have a second camera and lens ready-to-go
Vary the position of your light(s)

For this senior portrait session, Matt is using a strobe with the Rapid Box XXL. This umbrella-style modifier is perfect for on-location portraiture. The Rapid Box XL and XXL setup instantly and feature a built-in speedring, eliminating the need for excess adapters or brackets. These modifiers also come standard with an inner and outer diffusion cloth, allowing photographers to vary the specularity of their light.