General Tips
Remember, your portraits will be only as good as the weakest link.  You and I must each perform well for the final outcome to be outstanding.  With that in mind, here are some tips for the best portraits:
•  Simplicity is the key to a successful portrait.
•  Long sleeve dresses and shirts are recommended.
•  Coordinate your outfit from head to toe.
•  Darker clothes minimize body size.
•  Keep the tonal range of clothing in the same group, don't mix lights & darks in the same outfit.
•  To assure a successful portrait, it is best to bring along several additional clothing choices and let the photographer help you choose.
•  Don't forget to bring your jewelry, especially your class ring.
• If you wear glasses, you may want to borrow frames without lenses from your eye doctor.
•  You should wear your hair in your regular style. Guys should NOT have a fresh haircut. If you need a trim, have it done several days before your session.
•  Get a good night's rest, relax, and be ready for a great portrait session! 

Clothing (General) 
Proper clothing allows your face to dominate the portrait, with everything else being secondary. When photographed against a medium or dark background, colors that photograph best for your close-up poses are medium to dark tones of green, brown, rust, wine, or blue. Also, darker shades are more slimming. Avoid colors that approximate your flesh tones. (These might be whites, beige, tan, or very pale peach, pink, and gray). Against dark backgrounds these colors will become the focus of your portrait and against light backgrounds they drain the color from your face (making you appear pale and washed-out).

Clothing (Ladies)
So you have a closet full of clothes, but nothing to wear. Here are a few ideas that will help you choose the BEST clothes to wear in your Senior Portraits.

•  Choose a VARIETY of outfits. It's a good idea to include both casual and more formal outfits in your senior portraits. You choose a couple and let Mom choose one or two, that way everyone is happy.
•  Your face should be the focal point of your portraits. Long sleeve solids or very subtle prints are usually the most flattering in portraits.
•  Medium to dark clothes look the best on dark backgrounds.
•  Medium to light colors look the best on lighter colored backgrounds.
•  Earth tones are best for outdoor portraits.
•  Traditional styles will stand the test of time and keep your portrait looking fresh for years to come.
•  Some poses will show your shoes so don't forget to bring shoes & socks for each outfit that you plan to wear.
•  Busy patterns and loud colors can be very distracting in your portraits. Avoid large & bold patterns that might tend to draw attention away from your face. 

Style File (Men)

A dress suit with a tie has been the standard for years and we still recommend it. If you decide not to, an alternative would be a dress shirt and a sweater that is a solid color or has a slight pattern. If you want to wear only a dress shirt and tie, wear a colored shirt. White shirts look best under a jacket.

Casual portraits give you much more variety in clothing, color and style. We can also be much more creative with our digital imaging.

You can choose your jeans, casual or sports wear, letter jacket. You may want to bring your sports uniform and equipment.

Bring an outfit that blends with the outdoors be it the park or the beach. If you are the outdoors sports kind of person, let's create something special with your gear.

Wear blue jeans or khaki pants unless you want a dressier look Certain colors look best for different seasons outdoors.  For spring and summer - sky blue, khaki, pale green, pink, watermelon, dark peach.  In the fall red, gold, deep orange, emerald green, and dark green all work well with nature's kaliedoscope of color.

Props
Props can help to show your personality and record the types of activities you are involved in. Be sure to bring some of your own props to your portrait session. Here are some ideas:

•  Musical Instrument
•  Leather Jacket
•  Uniform
•  Hats
•  Sports Equipment
•  Stuffed Animals
•  Sunglasses
•  Pets (check with the studio ahead of time)

Senior Model Information & Application (for class of 2009)
Our year begins with the selection of about 50 senior models from schools across the East Texas area.  The models will be the faces you will see in our marketing materials and website.  The models are selected based upon personality, participation in school activities, and recommendations from teachers.  Each model receives a FREE session and great discounts from our regular pricing.  More than anything, though, our models feel the adrenaline rush of being seen by people throughout the Ark-La-Tex in our printed, video,  and web-based marketing materials.  They ARE the face of PhotoUnique for the upcoming year.  Hear what previous sr. models have to say about their experience here.

Senior Representative Information & Application (for class of 2009)
PhotoUnique is represented on campuses throughout the Ark-La-Tex by our senior representatives.  Our sr. reps. are selected for their outgoing personality and their involvement in athletic, academic, and other extra-curricular activities. We are looking for  a cross-section of the student population.  Each student must have a record clear of disciplinary and criminal infractions and must have two recommendations from teachers.  Sr. Reps. receive a FREE senior session, discounts on prints, and have the chance to earn extra stuff (like their own personal posters, composite prints, coffee table books of their session, cool slide shows, extra sessions ,etc.)  In the past, some sr. reps have earned up to $1500 in FREE items.

The TOP TEN MYTHS about senior portraits at PhotoUnique.
Take a look at this page for the lowdown about some misconceptions.

Surprise!
This link is a surprise bonus for everyone who actually reads this far.  Take a look and see what is available to you just for clicking.