How to Shoot the Perfect Senior Portrait

Encourage the student to wear solid, natural colors. Advise against anything that is very bright or neon in color or adorned with busy patterns. Colors such as burgundy, plum, hunter green and deep blue help complement all skin tones and add neutrality to the resulting image.

Conceal oily skin with a few touches of cosmetic powder to avoid shine in the resulting portrait. Avoid applying too much, as this can cause the student's face to look flat and without definition.

Select a suitable backdrop. A thick patch of greenery, an open field or a seashore at sunset all make pleasing and complementary backgrounds. Be sure to choose a background which complements the student's skin tone and clothing choice. If you decide on an urban backdrop, it should not be so busy as to detract attention from the student.

Switch your digital camera to aperture priority mode, represented as "Av" on most mode dials. This allows you to select the size of your lens's opening and control how much of the image is sharply focused. Select an aperture from f/2.8 to f/4 to blur the background for artistic effect.

Position reflector panels outside your camera's field of view to brighten up any shadowed areas on the student's face. For best results, place the panels low and point them up toward the student.

Avoid using flash if possible. If necessary, use an external light source such as a UV lamp to brighten up your shooting location. Pick a time of day which offers ample, but not overpowering, light, such as late afternoon or early in the morning.

Take more pictures than you think you'll need. Having many images to choose from will guarantee that you end up with a keeper.