11 Mistakes to avoid with your senior pictures.

by Jeff Comella Photography

11 Mistakes to avoid with your senior pictures.

  1. Picking the wrong photographer.
  2. Wearing the wrong clothes.
  3. Choosing the wrong season.
  4. Lacking confidence during their session.
  5. Don’t know what you want.
  6. Seniors that are unprepared.
  7. Under estimating the importance of good make up and good retouching.
  8. Getting your hair cut or a new hair style right before your session.
  9. Realize your cell phone camera is not good enough for senior pictures.
  10. Getting tanned before your session.
  11. Forgetting to relax and have fun.

1. Picking the wrong photographer.

Compare photographers by checking out their website. You are shopping for a photographer’s style. While budget is a consideration, you will have these photos for a lifetime so choose based upon what like and can afford. Call and ask questions before choosing. Do they have a studio, do they use lighting, and can they provide you with a yearbook photo?

2. Wearing the wrong clothes.

Sometimes clothes you like do not flatter you in photographs. Many times clothes can add extra weight in a photograph. Consult with your photographer before your shoot date to discuss clothing.

3. Choosing the wrong season

While you can shoot all year around, weather, wind and direct sun can be a major factor in planning your photo session. Most seniors are photographed between their junior and senior year during the summer break.

4. Lacking confidence during their session.

Don’t be shy, bring your energy and be confident. It will show in your photos.

5. Don’t know what you want.

Many seniors simply don’t know what they want…Plan ahead with your parents where you plan to place the main portrait and which wall. Get a sense of what size would look good for the space.

6. Seniors that are unprepared.

Think entire outfits…don’t forget your belt, jewelry, ear rings, uniforms, sports gear and accessories. Make sure your clothes are wrinkle free.

7. Under estimating the importance of good make up and good retouching.

A professional makeup artist makes a huge difference in your photos. There is no need to worry about blemishes as they will be covered with makeup or removed with retouching.

8. Getting your hair cut or a new hair style right before your session.

Girls, trying out a new hair style is not the time for senior pictures. Guys, getting your hair cut 2 weeks before your session is a good amount of time to look great. You want your hair not be too short or too long.

9. Realize your cell phone’s camera is not good enough for senior pictures.

Cell phone cameras are great, but they are not a replacement for high quality senior pictures. Natural light can be okay for candid photos, but high quality senior photos rely on good lighting indoors and outdoors.

10. Getting tanned before your session.

Getting a tan before your session is ill advised. Tan 1-2 weeks before your session if you want, but it is often not necessary.

11. Forgetting to relax and have fun!

Getting great senior pictures takes planning and preparation but don’t forget it is part of your senior year experience and should be fun and a great memory to add to your bucket list.

©2017 Jeff Comella

 

Senior Pictures on Location…

Sometimes senior clients desire something very different, custom, and unique for their senior pictures. So we offer to photograph their senior pictures on location. The parents wanted a senior picture of their daughter on their boat at sunset. That is a tall order, considering Pittsburgh is known for its cloudy days. I knew we needed to light our subject and balance our lighting with the background. Technically, this is something of a challenge as the light is changing very quickly and so is the sky. With some post production enhancements and the weather cooperating, we got the shoot in…as we were packing up the rains came. Here is a recent Pittsburgh senior portrait of Sarah Prins of Vincentian Academy.  What a great idea for a unique and beautiful senior picture. Cheers!

custom senior pictures on location

Custom senior pictures on location

So, where should I go to get senior pictures in Pittburgh?

Duh, c’mon you know the answer to that…Jeff Comella Photography near Wexford.  lol

Here is a quick take from yesterday’s session with Rachel Brunner of Pine Richland.  We got some great shots! We love black and white photos here at the studio, but we call this Vintage, which is both color and black and white combined together for a unique look. We vary it so that every photo is different and special. Here is another from our archives of a guy on our barn wood.  Enjoy! 🙂

 

Senior Pictures – A montage of recent seniors

Wow, students are back in school and what another great senior season for senior pictures! We had a blast working with the students and their parents.  We will be posting new photos over several months. Here is a montage of seniors from our current brochure spread. Enjoy!

 

Raves from our High School Senior Clients

Here are some kind comments from our senior students and parents from our recent brochure about their senior portrait experience by selecting our studio. Sorry for the long post.

Jane Gwaltney We were extremely happy with the photo session, prices, and professional touch; but the quality of the finished product was by far the best we have seen!   We have three other children, and it is nice to know that one decision has already been made for their senior year!

Grace Smith

“There was never any doubt that we would ask Jeff to work with Andrew, since this was second time around for us and we absolutely loved our daughter’s portraits.  Jeff’s work is consistently superior to anything we’ve seen; he is easy to work with, encourages client participation in the process, and is constantly striving to re-invent and expand his ideas in order to produce excellence.  Taking the photos is only the beginning – he spends lots of time editing them to perfection.  A first-rate photographer; we are thrilled that we found him!” – Thanks for everything you have done for us! Grace Smith

Tammy Trombola

Our daughter Lindze really enjoyed her photo shoot with Jeff!  He really took his time and made her feel very comfortable.  We love that Lindze’s senior pictures are all about her! He captured her perfectly and we are so thrilled with the results. It was an absolutely, wonderful experience, and worth every penny!  Tammy Trombola

Betty Chadran

It was great working with jeff. It was such a relaxing and fun experience and the results were far better than I could have ever expected. – Tiara Chadran

Michelle Bianco

We were thrilled with the experience and the outcome of Victoria’s senior pictures. Jeff provided a relaxed environment and the creativity to ensure all of her pictures were perfect!  We couldn’t be more pleased with the results! We have received rave reviews from her pictures and are so thrilled with them!!!!  You have created a lifetime memory.

Thanks! – Michelle Bianco

Chrissy Figan

“We had such a good experience with my older sister that we knew we wanted to come back! He made me feel very relaxed and took plenty of pictures! We highly recommend this energetic atmosphere and great photographer!” – Chrissy Figan

Candace Smigla & Alena Smigla

You know we think your work is A+!!!

“  Your senior pictures should show a true reflection of who you are and that’s exactly what Jeff gives you.  Plus, he is creative and really listens to your input.  The whole process was fun and relaxing and I’m very happy with the photographs.  Visit Jeff, you’ll love the experience.” – Alena Smigla

“From start to finish, working with Jeff Comella is a pleasure.  His beautiful photographs brought us in and his warm personality, professionalism, and creative abilities will bring us back. Both my daughter and I had a lot of fun and we were thoroughly pleased with the final product.  In fact, I couldn’t choose just one pose, so I have several of Jeff’s shots in our home.  Every time I walk past one, I smile.  He totally captured her. ”    Candace Smigla

Denise Hauser

We were nervous and excited for my daughter’s senior pictures.  Jeff was easy to work with and made the process seem effortless.  We loved the photos and the memories that were made. – Denise Hauser

Jordan Saltzman

“I saw Jeff’s name on some of my friend’s senior pictures on Facebook.  I really liked them, and asked my parents to have Jeff take my pictures.  He takes his time, and captures the real you.” – Jordan Saltzman

Miranda Micire

“I was surprised by how much I enjoyed getting my pictures taken. Mr

Comella made it such a relaxed and comfortable environment.  Not to mention my pictures turned out great.” Miranda Micire

Karen Ferry

Jeff Comella Photography is the only place Jamie wanted to go for her Senior Pictures, and we were not disappointed.  From start to finish, the experience was great.  Jeff makes you feel relaxed and my daughter felt like a model during the shoot.  The final pictures were amazing.  We loved every one of them!  Thanks Jeff!  – Karen Ferry

Anna Porter

I’m incredibly thankful I chose Jeff Comella to do my senior pictures. I knew I wanted pictures that were unique, and Jeff completely exceeded my expectations by taking gorgeous pictures that I, and my entire family, was happy with.

– Anna Porter, Shaler Area High School

Jan Barber

I would say that it is a testament to our experience with you that Claire was the 2nd Senior in our family to have her photos taken by you.  We loved what you did with Lauren and had to come back with Claire.  We both really liked the generous amount of time we had with you for multiple backgrounds, poses and clothing changes.  Claire was really happy to be able to include our dog, Kismet, in the photo shoot too.  In our choices of photos we could really see many aspects of Claire’s personality come out and LOVE that you included all the shots, including ones where she was laughing.  That’s really “her” I see in those pictures.

Claire had fun that day.  She said she really got a sense of what a photo shoot is supposed to be like, letting her personality shine, and capturing it.  She also gets the artistry of what you do now.

I love the shot of Claire you are including in the brochure.  That’s one of my favorites! – Jan Barber

 

 

 

Redesign of website in production…

We are excited to be launching a newly updated redesigned website directed towards senior pictures for our Pittsburgh photography clients. The new site will include new 2013 senior portrait photos in a larger format especially in the senior picture section and will also be iPad and iphone user friendly, so you can find us on just about any device. In addition a new wordpress blog has been added which will keep everyone up to date too.

This is a learn as you go, especially for the blog and we would love to hear from you on facebook or here at the blog.   Here is a quick preview of the new site still in production.

Our new brochure featuring the class of 2013 senior pictures.

Welcome to the new Jeff Comella Photography blog. Our mission is to provide our photography clients, high school senior prospects and fellow photographers with information and entertainment about us.

So visit often and enjoy the ride. 🙂

This is our new brochure for class of 2013 featuring senior pictures for our greater Pittsburgh clients. We’ve had students from over 20 different schools!