Elements of a Great Senior Portrait

Let’s face it, as far as senior year memories go, few are as precious, or as long-lasting as the senior portrait.  For that reason, you want to make sure that it’s done professionally and as perfectly as possible.  There are a few things that, if done all together, will help to make sure that your senior portrait experience is one that will be sure to please. 

The first element of senior portrait success is the clothing that you wear.  As anyone who tunes in to the latest fashion show on Bravo could tell you, what you wear can make or break your pictures.  Make sure that the clothes you wear fit well and don’t hang off of your body.  Also, don’t wear anything that will detract from your face.  After all, the face is the most important part of the portrait.  That being said, feel free to bring articles of clothing or props that mean something to you.  Many students like to wear their letter jackets in one of the poses, or use musical instruments or sports paraphernalia to illustrate their interests and hobbies.

Another important element is a comfortable atmosphere.  You need to feel comfortable and relaxed with the photographer and the atmosphere.  Shop around for photographers that are willing to work with you and what you are looking for in your senior portraits.  If you want some outdoor poses, don’t settle for a photographer that will only work within their studio.  Go into the photo shoot knowing that your photographer will do everything they can to give you what you want. 

Taking the time to get it right is the third element of successful senior portraits.  I know that everyone has a busy schedule, especially a high school senior.  But perfection takes time and you should settle for nothing less when it comes to your lasting memories.  Make sure that you block off enough time for the photo shoot.  Don’t short change yourself and be forced to settle with pictures that you’re not completely content with.  It’s better to have extra time at the end of the shoot than to rush through and pray for something useable.  Besides, a good photographer will fill the time and will most likely get a gem of a shot in the process. 

The fourth and final element of great senior portraits has to do with the photographer you choose.  As you screen photographers—take the time and interview them as if for a job.  After all, these pictures will last a lifetime and the person taking them needs to be right for the job.—look for those who are excited about the shoot.  If the photographer isn’t excited, then they are just treating it like any other job.  That simply won’t do. 

In the end, the photographer has the power to make or break your photo shoot.  Make sure that you pick a good one that will enhance the experience and deliver to you the best portraits possible.   

Give Andrae Michaels a call today for your 2013 senior picture session.

Our Colorado Springs Studio:

621 West Colorado Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80905
(719) 434-6534

Our Denver Studio:

110011 E. Hampden Ave.
Denver, CO 80231
(303) 368-4458

Who’s That Senior Portrait Really For?

It’s that time of year: time to consider what will be done for senior portraits.  But the question that gets asked, year after year, is, “What’s the big deal about senior portraits?”  This question can be asked by parent or student, but the answer is still the same: a senior portrait will preserve and immortalize one of the most significant transitions in a young person’s life.  Marking this occasion with a stylish and personal portrait will hold incredible significance and sentimentality for all involved, whether you know it at that time or not.  

Senior portraits by Andrae Michaels.

Importance for the Student

It might go without saying, but the senior portrait is an essential part of the high school experience.  Many students spend months, or even years, planning the shots they want.  In their eyes, the senior portrait is more than just another picture to put in the yearbook.  It’s more than something to add to the Christmas cards and graduation announcements.  It’s their chance be in the spotlight.  Even if it’s only in their heads, they get fame and notoriety thanks to that stylish full-color photo. 

This is their chance to shine.  They get to use props and wardrobe changes to highlight their personality.  This picture is all about them.  For the rest of their lives they will look back with fondness at the memories encapsulated within that one little picture.  They will see the ambition and potential in their eyes.  Their minds will be drawn back to everything they loved and hoped to achieve in the following years.  In a way, a senior portrait is like a time capsule, holding the hopes and dreams of an ambitious student.  In years to come, your child can look back at that picture and be reminded of a time when the world held nothing but amazing possibilities.

Importance for the Parent

As parents, we tend to minimize the things that our kids deem important.  After all, with all of the pressures and commitments we have in life, it’s understandable how we can look at something like senior portraits and see only another expense.  But, whether you know it or not, that little picture is something that you will cherish for many years to come. 

A senior portrait symbolizes an important time in your child’s life.  It’s a time when your little baby will be getting ready to leave home, to venture out into the world, alone.  But it’s also a pivotal moment for you as a parent.  This is the time when you have to come to grips with the fact that your child no longer needs you.  Although this is a good thing, it can be difficult.  You’ve spent eighteen years nurturing and growing this child into a responsible and capable adult.  The senior portrait will symbolize the final moments of your child’s reliance on you. 

Take the time to invest in your child’s senior portrait.  It will inspire your child to press on and work towards the goals they’ve set for themselves.  And it will allow you to hold on and keep your little one little, immortalizing their youth in a beautiful, one-of-a-kind photo.  

If you're in need of senior pictures for your 2013 class, please contact us today.

Our Colorado Springs Studio:

621 West Colorado Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80905
(719) 434-6534

Our Denver Studio:

110011 E. Hampden Ave.
Denver, CO 80231
(303) 368-4458

Press Release: Local Photography Studio Helps Victims and Firefighters Make New Memories

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO HELPS VICTIMS AND FIREFIGHTERS MAKE NEW MEMORIES

Andrae Michaels Portrait Studio, located at 621 W. Colorado Avenue, wants to give back to those who have lost so much in this year’s Black Forest Fire by giving away free photo sessions and print packages.  Their giving doesn’t just stop with the victims, but also extends to those who risked their lives to protect the city.  

The Black Forest Fire destroyed over five hundred homes this past June, taking with it the lifelong memories of thousands of people.  With so little time to evacuate, many people had to leave behind photos and portraits of the ones they love to the mercy of the fire.  

 

Saddened by the fact that so many memories were lost, Kim Broadfoot, Manager of Andrae Michaels in Colorado Springs, wants to help people regain their precious memories.  Or, if not regain them, at least give them the chance to make new ones.  

“You always hear that the first thing people save from their homes in times of a fire are their photos. Those that were lost cannot be replaced. That's why we want to do our part by helping those families get new portraits. It’s the least we can do to try to help those rebuild all that they've lost,” says Kim Broadfoot.  So her studio is offering a free portrait session to anyone affected by the wildfire or anyone who had fought the fire.  

This package includes a free indoor portrait session in their Colorado Springs studio as well as the following free prints:

• One 10x13
• Two 5x7s
• Sixteen mini-wallets

Kim loves this community wants to do everything possible to help out those in need.  As this is a busy and trying time for those affected by the fire, she is offering this special package through the end of the year.  Appointments are necessary, but Andrae Michaels will be accepting them through January 1, 2014.  

As a way of expressing their gratitude to those who have risked so much to save the Black Forest community, Kim wants to extend this generous offer out to any of the firefighters who spent so much time away from their family fighting to save others.  

For more information on how you and your family can begin rebuilding memories, please contact Kim Broadfoot at (719) 434-6534.  Andrae Michaels Portrait Studio is proud to be a member of this community and excited about the opportunity to give back in any way that they can. 

Andrae Michaels’ professional staff has over twenty-six years combined portrait photography excellence.  They specialize in portraits of families, children, senior pictures, and pet photography.

Our Colorado Springs Studio:

621 West Colorado Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80905
(719) 434-6534

Celebrate Mom with Mother's Day Portraits

If you’re thinking of what to get your mom for Mother’s Day, or if you simply want to give her that something special, which will commemorate what a wonderful mom she truly is, then why not get her a Mother’s Day portrait? It would make a perfect gift that’s sure to be adored, as what could be more sentimental than you, your mum or the both of you together? Or maybe even the whole family together, all showing how much they love their mom. 

A Mother’s Day portrait could quite possibly be the best gift any mother will ever receive. There are so many different ways to make a portrait unique and personalized, so as to all but guarantee that this Mother’s Day will be a memorable one for her. 

Photo by Andrae Michaels Portrait Studio

Mom will cherish your portrait!

Studio Session

How about making a day out of it and taking your mother to Andrae Michaels Portrait Studio? You can even go with her and have some wonderful photos taken that you’ll both treasure for years to come. Your day will be sure to end with a collection of stunning photos of you and your mom. You can then choose the one you both like most, either of just your mom or of the two of you together. This is a gift that will last forever and will always be cherished.

Other Gift Ideas

An Old Photo

Maybe there’s an old family photo that you all love, hidden away in one of your old photo albums. Maybe it’s a photo of her with you when you were little that she treasures? Either of these would be a great photo to get enlarged and framed, turning that small pocket-sized photo into a portrait that could be hung on a wall. This way, you can be assured your mom will love the picture as well as the fact that you’ve made it into something she can see every day.

Scrap Book 

If you have lots of family photos and want to make something special with them, then why not make a scrapbook? You can buy these in any stationary store or even make your own. Group together photos with other memorabilia, plus you can even add in quotes and personal messages. This is a great way to collect all sorts of things that your mom will love and give her a Mother’s Day present that will be cherished for years.

Make a Collage

Rather than a scrapbook, you could make a collage instead. Get copies of all of your mom’s favorite photos and then cut them out and arrange them all inside one frame. This Mother’s Day gift will mean your mom can see all her favorite photos in one place and will be sure to bring up fond memories from the past.

Make a Portrait 

A great Mother’s Day portrait idea is to have your kids make their own paintings of their mom. Using crayons, paints, stickers and even household things such as pasta and rice. This is a great way for kids to get creative while making their mom a celebrative present that she’s sure to love.

Handmade Frame

No matter what type of photo you choose, it can be customized with a handmade frame around the portrait. You can either use an existing frame and decorate it or make your own. When you decorate the frame, use your mum’s favorite colors and designs. If you go into any craft store you’ll find all sorts of ideas to inspire you and all the equipment you’ll need, from paints, stickers, glitter, fabrics and glue. 

We hope that you’ve found some of these tips for using a Mother’s Day portrait as a way to show how much you care about and love that special woman in your life.

Our Colorado Springs Studio:

621 West Colorado Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80905
(719) 434-6534

Our Denver Studio:

110011 E. Hampden Ave.
Denver, CO 80231
(303) 368-4458