arrive early - be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get here - you won't want to be rushed. plan on arriving about 15 minutes before your scheduled session time so you can get your outfits and props unloaded and situated in the dressing room.

haircuts - schedule a haircut no sooner than five days before your session, to give it a chance to "fill in" a bit. don't try a radically different haircut or style - your hair should be the way your friends and family are used to seeing it.

choosing the right clothing - while there are no "rules" about what to wear, here are a few suggestions on what to bring for each different session choice:

essensital indoor - some seniors dress up a little more for their studio portraits, but more importantly than the "formalness" of your outfit is the style. simple and solid colors work best for this session. these are the portraits that will hang on your walls for a long time, and you don't want the outfit to overpower the image.

basic outdoor - outdoor portraits should be casual, and so should your outfits. this is the session for jeans, khakis, shorts, tanks and tees. the best colors outdoors are blues and earth tones (olive, green, tan, brown, etc.). whites and reds do not work well outdoors.

outdoor activity - if you're bringing a vehicle, try to bring a shirt that matches the color of the car. try to coordinate yyour prop with your outfit - it makes a great look.

bring a friend - if you are bringing a friend, sibling, or significant other, please keep your outfits in the same tonal range.

scheduling your photo session - make sure you schedule early, as the best times go fast. if you are planning on an outdoor session, the best light of the day is in the late afternoon and we only have one 4:30pm time slot available.

get plenty of sleep - no one wants bags under their eyes to be memorialized in their senior portraits, so we recommend you get a good night rest before your special day. but we understand how exciting it is to be getting your senior pictures, so if you are unable to sleep, don't worry, retouching comes standard on all Drake portraits.

eat a light meal - it will take a couple of hours to complete your senior photo shoot, so it is a good idea to eat a light meal beforehand to avoid hunger and crabbiness. keep it light so you are not weighed down or bloated. photography by Drake will provide small nibbles and a drink during your session in case you are in need of refreshment.

keep on changing - bring plenty of clothing changes. it is better to bring it and not use it, then leave it at home and wish you had brought it. we do ask all seniors to bring a long sleeved black shirt. other ideas include, hats, belt buckles, t-shirts, dance costumes, dresses. if you can wear it, bring it along! most importantly, if your packages says 3 attire changes, push the limit - Darton is a nice guy, so you'll probably be able to talk him in to some extra changes if time allows.