Today is day FOUR of our Mentor Session Giveaway Week!  We have had some amazing guest bloggers and these same photographers are giving away such a valuable prize each day…one 1-hour mentor session with that day’s guest blogger!  

Yesterday we had Lisa Carpenter share the importance of portfolio building and give away a one-hour mentor session.  The winner of that mentor session is…Alyssa Chappell!  Congratulations Alyssa!!

Today’s Guest Blogger is Brittney Kluse of Brittney Kluse Photography.  Brittney is also teaching a Seniorologie Study Hall Class called Color Pop – Shooting and Editing with Brittney Kluse.  There are a few spots left for this class and you can find out more information and register by clicking here.

Brittney shares below her tips for getting your clients to dress for posing success.  Brittney is also part of Mentor Session Giveaway Week, which means she is donating one 1-hour mentor session!!  To enter, make sure read this entire post and see the giveaway information at the end.  You ONLY have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time today to enter!!  The winner will be announced tomorrow!

Teaching your clients to dress for posing success | Brittney Kluse 

After my first few years in business, there were two main things that could send a chill down my spine upon arriving at a photo shoot; namely:

  1. a client showing up in an outfit that was … errrr, let’s just say less than figure-flattering, and
  2. a client showing up in a full-on matchy-matchy outfit from head-to-toe. Yes, one time I had a senior step out of her car in a zebra fedora, zebra vest, zebra belt, and zebra heels. Y-I-K-E-S.

What so many people don’t realize is that CLOTHING and POSING go hand-in-hand. How am I supposed to put you in figure-flattering poses if your bra is fully exposed on the side cut-outs of your shirt?  Or your shirt is so low-cut, that every time I have you lean forward I’m worried about what your Dad will think when he sees that photo? Or the two-sizes-too-small corset dress is cutting off circulation to the bottom half of your body?

The best way to get candid, genuine, and beautiful photographs is to start with a client who looks comfortable and natural in her clothing. Then, posing can strictly focus on enhancing that client’s best features.

Since breaking out in cold-sweats wasn’t a good look for me as a professional photographer, I decided I needed to make a change. Here are three business changes I instituted:

  1. In-person, pre-session consultations. These 20-minute face-to-face meetings gave me a chance to get a look at my client before the day of the photo shoot. I could help suggest clothing that I knew would photograph well based on their body type and could suggest colors that would best compliment their skin, hair, and eyes.
  2. Recruited a clothing stylist for hire-on work. I extended a business opportunity to one of my “best dressed” repeat clients who always has people complimenting her style. She came up with a price structure that fit her needs and agreed to be hired on as-needed for clients that needed/wanted a little extra help in the clothing department. She offers several different price structures ranging from sending links to online outfits, extending all the way to going shopping WITH the client!
  3. Developed a do’s and don’ts for clothing list. In case I couldn’t meet face-to-face with the client prior to the session due to travel distance or schedules, I developed a list of do’s and don’ts to help guide them on their pinafore-picking-pursuit!

Here’s a few of my favorite tips that YOU can pass on to your clients!

Call in reinforcements: the 2Ps. Turn to Pinterest and Polyvore! In Pinterest you can use  search terms like “what to wear” or “senior photo inspiration” and come up with great ideas of  what other people have put together! Polyvore lets you browse entire outfit collections to see  what will look best on you from head-to-toe!

Scrap the uniforms. How do you coordinate without matching? Start by choosing a color  group or category. Adobe Kuler is a GREAT resource I use for working with clients to give them  some color inspiration. Examples color groups to search for include: pastels, neutrals, vivids,  neons, etc.

Avoid loud patterns and graphics. I do love using patterns when they are used in the right way!  A trendy chevron pattern on a headband, or a mod clover pattern on a senior girl’s skirt. A giant  FUBU logo across the chest of their clothing? Thanks, but NO thanks.

Accessoriessss?? Yes, pleaseeee! There’s a fine line between adding a splash of color to your  outfit and drawing attention to it. For example, if a senior chooses a long, sleek, black sundress  – then a wide, red belt is great. A diamond encrusted Buddha-face belt, not so much! For  up-close face shots, I like funky, big earrings that add a lot of texture and really add  dimension the bokeh of the photo for a tight face shot!

Dress for your body, not what the mannequin was wearing! Be comfortable, and when I say  “comfortable” I am most definitely not referring to sweat pants!  I mean don’t wear something  that you will constantly be adjusting (such as a shirt that shows bra straps if not perfectly  placed) or doesn’t fit well (like the pair of pants that almost fits perfectly, sans the fact they  have to be adjusted after each step to avoid a wedgie). Portrait time is the time to break out the  Spanx and iron that shirt! Whatever it might be that you want to “enhance” or smooth out,  definitely try to do that with your clothing and your posture. Don’t rely on Photoshop to do it for  you.

Ahhhh. Do we all feel better now? Great. Clothing is half the battle. Now on to posing. I think it’s important to have a “framework” of how the photo shoot will play out. Almost like a mini template helping to guide you through the hour+ long session. That being said, I don’t believe photo shoots should be carbon copies of each other. I find that even if I photograph two clients at the same location, I can get widely different shots because of individually inspiring things that occur at the session. A spunky, short-haired senior with a leather vest and high-waist shorts can inspire me to shoot very differently than a flowy-haired soft-spoken girl in a lacy dress.

The first piece of posing, is to have a rough idea of the number of different poses I will guide the client through for each outfit change. I’m a numbers girl, so everything gets broken down by simple math. My contract says that I will deliver ~30 final images and the number of outfit changes I suggest is three. After three outfits, I find that we spend too much time changing and not enough time shooting in the last hour and a half of the day’s light.

30 images / 3 outfits = 10 images per outfit.

Because I like to have a variety of “looks” with each outfit, the first piece of my mental checklist is to know these 10 ideal poses, and then work with the client, the location, the light, and other factors to influence each specific pose.

Here’s my mental checklist of the 10 poses:

  1. Crouching down
  2. Head tilt, face shot
  3. Full body shot
  4. Side shot, looking back at me
  5. Looking away/down
  6. Sitting down
  7. Laughing
  8. Hair flip
  9. Over shoulder gaze
  10. Candid

Depending on the client, her body type, her outfit, and other factors, I guide each girl through these poses. It’s very important to me that girls feel AND LOOK comfortable head-to-toe in a pose. If I feel like it looks too awkward or just doesn’t suit her well, I’ll be honest and say “that doesn’t look like I’d like it to, let’s try and switch this up a bit!”

I also mimic the pose BEFORE I have the client try it. I explain that often I exaggerate leaning or arm tilts, or hair flowing for effect in camera. Sometimes I use the “if it feels a little awkward, it will look super great in-camera!” so they can trust when I’m telling them to keep leaning. I also like to show the client a few of the best back-of-the-camera shots so they can see for themselves that what may feel awkward looks amazeballs!

I’m a stickler for details, so when I am looking at a pose through the lens, here are a few things my eyes are quickly searching for:

  1. Tight jawline (HINT: this may mean asking them to gently lean forward and tilt their chin softly down)
  2. Hair out out of eyes and in place (HINT: use your fingers to gently sweep hair away from face before taking the shot)
  3. Bra straps peeking out from top, sides, or back (HINT: If bra straps are a nuisance, unstrap from shoulders and tuck into sides of bra).
  4. Any extra skin pertruding from any place we wouldn’t want it to (HINT: if client is self-conscious about a body part, do your best to discretely hide it and not bare it!)
  5. Clothing laying softly and correctly (HINT: no bent collars, buttons undone, pant leg hiked up, etc)
  6. All limbs look natural (HINT: be careful on bending at the knee…if bent too much it can look like a stump of a leg or a “hidden” hand can make it look like there is no second hand!)
  7. Accessories hanging correctly (HINT: no turned around earrings or a necklace clasp hanging down)
  8. Natural smile (HINT: if not natural, have the client close their eyes until you are done checking details)

When it comes to posing, practice really does make perfect! If you feel a little nervous in that department, take your best friend, sister, or favorite client to a location that has great light and practice moving their body around like a skit from ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway’!

The more comfortable YOU are the more comfortable your CLIENT is going to be. And I always say, a natural, happy, and relaxed client is what sells photos … NOT the most unique pose you can think of!

Happy shooting and CHEERS!

-Brittney Kluse

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Mentor Giveaway Week Day 4 – {Brittney Kluse}

  1. Dawn Hobbs says:

    Love Brittany and all these great tips!!

  2. Caroline says:

    There are so many things I would ask Brittney if I won but first I would tell her how awesome I think she is!

  3. Rebecca Williams says:

    I would love to win a mentor session with Brittney! She has such a beautiful style.

  4. Rania t says:

    What a great giveaway!

  5. Yvette says:

    I would love to speak with Brittney about so many thing, but maybe the consultation and how she delivers all the pre-shooting info. Thanks!

  6. These are super great tips! Thanks for being so thorough.

  7. Ashley says:

    How do you handle bad lighting situations, i.e overcast skies, rain clouds, etc.?

  8. Such great advice! If I won, I would ask Brittney how she manages her time with each outfit (sometimes I end up spending too much time with one) and how she works with each client to get them relaxed and posing naturally. Her photos are so gorgeous!

  9. Terah Lake says:

    I’d love to ask her suggestions on breaking into the senior market and what are some affordable marketing techniques.

  10. Ernie E says:

    I would ask Brittney, “How would you incorporate those 10 ideal poses with bringing out each senior’s individual personality?”

  11. Alyssa says:

    Yay Can’t believe I won yesterday!!! Good Luck today everyone! I also love Brittany’s fun, stylish, modern spin on her sessions!!!

  12. Love Brittney’s work! I would love to know how to get such stylized, put together shoots. How do I help my clients get the right outfit without overwhelming them or me?

  13. Lorie Hall says:

    I would like to know who Brittney’s biggest inspiration has been and where she learned her photography skills.

  14. mckenzie sacry says:

    what a great giveaway! i’d love to ask brittney about marketing and pricing. 🙂

  15. Tiffany Hatch says:

    What an awesome opportunity this would be. I am moving to a new state and hope to do a lot more seniors.

  16. Jessica says:

    I just need any advice to be given!!! I would ask so many questions or just go blank and let you tell me anything and everything!!

  17. Sue Senseney says:

    This is fabulous information! Thanks so much for sharing! I LOVE Brittney’s work!

  18. The list of 10 shots per outfit is brilliant! Why did I never think of having a specific list like that???? Duh! Awesome article.

  19. Jeannie Deno says:

    I’m so excited to take my pictures to the next level with Brittneys color class!

  20. Cindy O'Neil says:

    I would probably start with wanting a good understanding of the exposure triangle so I can progress from there.

  21. Betsy says:

    Ohhhhh the questions I would ask!!

  22. Brittany S says:

    Brittney is awesome! I would love to talk to her about how she uses light and how she edits her images so beautifully. I’ve been struggling with that lately.

  23. Lori Shirley says:

    Oh my goodness! Brittney is my FAVORITE photographer! I’d die if I won this opportunity. Thanks for the posing tips!

  24. Lori Shirley says:

    I would die if I won!!! I don’t know how I would fit all my questions into one hour! But I’d mostly ask q’s about how to get perfect skin and color like she always does!

  25. Lindsey R says:

    I love Brittney! Her work is so inspiring, it would be amazing to peek into her head and learn a few tips and tricks!

  26. Nikki says:

    I would love to sit down and pick your brain about your process. Your photos always turn out beautifully!

  27. Melissa says:

    Um I would be soooo thrilled if I won this!! Fingers crossed!!

  28. Sarah Wamuhiu says:

    These tips are amazing. I would love to learn tons more right along these lines

  29. Callie Black says:

    I would love to know how she goes through an entire session, Start to finish. From meeting the client, to taking the photos at the session and then delivering or showing the photos to the client. 🙂 Love your work Brittney!!

  30. I’d as a mix of technical questions and marketing!

  31. great tips! love this post!!

  32. Such great tips and tricks, also a great opportunity to win some mentoring! Thanks for the chance to win.

  33. ginny d says:

    I would ask how to refine my workflow. I am booking up and need to work smarter not harder 🙂

  34. Jodi says:

    I would want tips on client interaction – prior to the shoot, during the shoot, and the in-person sales consultation (espcially the last one. I want to learn how to make the sales session less awkward and increase my sales.

  35. Kathleen says:

    I would ask Brittney how to find the clients you WANT, and how to market to them!

  36. Lacy says:

    I don’t think I would know where to start if I won this! As a photographer just starting out, any advice is welcome!

  37. Tammi Meade says:

    Once again Brittney shares her pearls of wisdom! I always learn from her and love her style. Loved her last class and cannot wait to learn more! Thanks for sharing, Brittney!

  38. Susanna Merkulov says:

    I LOVE your work!! Amazing job! I really enjoy taking photos and just experiencing new techniques. I would be so excited and happy to have one-one with you!!

  39. Kayse says:

    I have literally 4 pages of questions I could ask her!! I’m wanting to get into shooting Seniors, I would love to shoot seniors more often than not! I would love to know how she markets to he seniors?!?!?!

  40. It is so nice to have these tips on hand and written out. It slows the “rush”, I guess you could call it, of taking the photos and not forgetting any important details. Thank you for sharing this awesome advice!

  41. Amy Andersen says:

    Thanks for these great tips!

  42. Chelsea says:

    I love seeing all of Brittneys photos! Thanks for the great tips!

  43. Kaycee says:

    I would ask Brittney how she connects with her Seniors during the pre-consultation & in-person sales!

  44. Donna says:

    Brittney’s pics are always so beautiful!! I would really like to pick her brain about her onsite shooting flow, about how long a session lasts, do you use music, how to get get the seniors to relax and work with you….ok that was way more than one question but Brittney is awesome!

  45. Oh my goodness….soooo many things I would want to ask Brittney. I think I am mostly wondering how to GET clients?? I was pretty busy last year and this summer, not so much. I LOVE seniors and have a lot that “want” to book, but can’t seem to get them to commit to a booking. Yes, that’s what I would ask 🙂

  46. Jennifer says:

    I WOULD DIE! (Like “HE IS SO FLUFFY I COULD DIE” kinda die! I simply love your work!

  47. arlene olson says:

    Yayyyy! Love Brittneys work!
    WA girls represent! 🙂

  48. THANK YOU for this! I love Brittney Kluse and would LOVE LOVE a mentor session with her (not to mention all these amazing tips are wonderful).

  49. Nicky Rogers says:

    I am a huge fan of Brittney’s!! Love her style and how put together everything is! I’m pretty new to photography, and it would be a huge help to get some time to talk with her now!! Thanks!!

  50. Kindahl says:

    I would ask… how do you get those beautiful vibrant colors and super sharp images?

  51. Sheila g says:

    I would love to know how Brittney gets all of her photos to glow with that amazing lighting and colors! So consistent and pleasing. Perfection!

  52. Lorie Hall says:

    I would like to ask Brittney how she gets her colors dead on. They are absolutely beautiful!!

  53. tosha says:

    Great article!

  54. Heather says:

    LOVE all of these great tips! I can’t believe how much useful information was written on this post! Appreciate all your tips & inspiration Brittney!

  55. Mistie says:

    I have been following Brittney’s work for a while and love her work. It would be exciting to get some one on one time with her 🙂

  56. I would ask about senior reps!

  57. Erin says:

    Brittney is amazing! I would adore to have one on one time with her! I would ask her what she loves about photography and what are her dreams/aspirations. 😉

  58. Angel says:

    Thank you so much for the wonderful tips. I am pretty new to this and very excited tot are the color POP class!

  59. Jenna B says:

    I would take this opportunity, if given, to great extents! I am new and slowly progressing myself and would love some professional tips and inputs on how to improve my work along with how to be more comfortable with clients! Along with the lighting and colors of photos. I love the pre-meeting; I do that myself and it works great to be able to get to know what you will be working with!

  60. Brandi says:

    I am just getting started in photography and I am so glad I came across Brittany Kluse because I am a BIG fan. I would LOVE a chance to mentor under Brittany! My husband and I did over 16 years of youth ministry so seniors are my FAVORITE! Love hanging out with teens and being able to focus on just the one person and their “style”. I would have a lot of questions for Brittany. One I would ask is how to keep it simple with seniors yet be creative and original at the same time.

  61. Great article! I wouldn’t even know where to begin with what questions I would ask Brittney… EVERYTHING! To start, how the heck she gets her models to look so relaxed and put together in front of the camera! Your work is just all so awesome!!

  62. Thanks for the giveaway! Pricing, marketing and light!

  63. Melissa Davis says:

    I love her style! It would be awesome to learn techniques that go into sessions! I’d also love to learn how she targets seniors.

  64. I would loovvveee to win this!

  65. Katie says:

    Such great information. Thanks

  66. i think I would ask Britteny either how she chooses her shooting areas and or how she gets the kids look so put together.

  67. Great tips! Thanks for a great article and giveaway!!

  68. Catherine R. says:

    Thanks for the opportunity! I think I’d ask Brittney about how session flow and processing.

  69. There is so much I would ask, but I would probably start with workflow. Or pricing. Or how to get clients. or — so much!

  70. Mistie says:

    I have followed Brittney’s work for a while and would love to spend one on one time with her learning new techniques!

heck, yes i do!

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