Do Your Homework Before Sitting for Your Senior Portrait

As high school seniors are discovering, graduation is a big deal.  Life changes from the this milestone in life.  There are more responsibilities and, at this time in life, it’s good to learn one very useful tip – it’s worth the time and effort to prepare for an event or task.

At Premier Portraits Studio, our part in the graduation hoopla is taking and producing senior portraits.  It’s an honor to capture this life moment and know that these pictures will be viewed again and again over decades to come, sparking memories and smiles.

Given this perspective, we can tell which seniors have prepared for their portraits and which have not.  And it never fails, those who prepare spend much less time frantically trying to correct for that lack of preparation and enjoy their sitting – and the end result of a great picture!

Last month, we shared some tipson what to bring and wear for a sitting.  There is also a handy description of how to look your best in a portrait on our web site.  This month, we’d like to use that advice to send the graduates off with best wishes for a bright future.

·         Health is one of the best beauty secrets available.  If you get enough rest, water, and veggies, your skin will glow and your eyes will be white and bright.  So, take care of your body and impress the world, whether it’s your senior portrait or an interview with a prospective college or employer.

·         Don’t try so hard.  You’re great!  Never forget that.  Ladies don’t need to hide behind way too much makeup or oversell their bodies with halters, tube tops, or V-necks… Premier Portraits Studio’s policy is against these not because we want to stifle individual expression but to allow the personality of the subject to shine through.  Guys, same for you… we’re not here to capture and essence and a ratty T-shirt or five-o-clock shadow will only detract from the real you.

·         Avoid regrets.  We’re serious about preparation.  Bring a few outfits to your sitting and think about accessories such as jewelry or even the things you touch every day in school… musical instruments, balls from your favorite sport, or a prop from a theatrical production where you were the star.  When in doubt, bring it.  We can always decide not to use it.

Premier Portraits wishes all graduates a happy summer and long, successful life ahead… with good dose of preparation.

PremierPortraits Studio is locally owned and operated at 260 East St in Plainville, CT and is committed to supporting the community with quality service and portraits. 860.410.4303

Tips for Getting the Best from Your Senior Portrait Sitting

As you get ready for your senior portrait, Premier Portraits Studio has some tips to help you get the best picture possible.

Bring a few changes of clothing and keep your outfits SIMPLE in terms of detail and color.  Honestly, trendy, complicated outfits can date your portrait.  (Look at your parents’ graduation photos from the 80s.  See what we mean?)

Prints can compete for attention when you really want to show off your eyes and smile.  These will be enhanced if you avoid colors that blend with your skin tone; contrast is good and, again, bring a few pieces of clothing so the portrait photographer can help you get the best look.

Accessorize but remember, jewelry should enhance your look, not replace it.

Bring your makeup with you and apply it as you would normally.  Avoid the temptation to accentuate features; leave the highlights to the professional photographer.  If another application is necessary, he or she will tell you and you’ll have the makeup right there to use.

If you want to wear a hairstyle that is not your usual “do,” then practice it several times before your portrait.  You don’t need stress or aggravation (or tears!) just before a camera freezes your face on film forever.

A professional photographer can deal with imperfections such as blemishes but not so much a five-o-clock shadow.  Shave before you arrive.

Be you.  If you wear braces or have no tan… that’s part of who you are and the goal is not to look so “perfect” as to be unrecognizable.  It’s to honor and remember the person who you are… and imperfections today will be cherished memories in the future as you grow and mature.

Don’t forget the details.  Put a bit of shine on the shoes and treat yourself to a manicure (guys, this is something that can make your portrait that one notch classier).

Bring a good cheering section… mom, dad, grandparents and/or friends.  Make an event out of it.  This is a big moment and take the time to appreciate your accomplishments so far, and the people who have supported you through it all.

Well before the big day, spend some time in the mirror – okay, like you normally do – to see how you look when you project your inner self forward.  Concentrate on how great you are… of all the people on this earth, there is only one you.  Remember that.

Above all, trust your photographer and enjoy this special moment.  It will only come around once in your lifetime and, if for any reason you feel off, reschedule.  This is all about you!

Congratulations, seniors!  We know you’ll change the world and are excited to be part of the excitement!

PremierPortraits Studio is locally owned and operated at 260 East St in Plainville, CT and is committed to supporting the community with quality service and portraits. 860.410.4303

Why Switch Photographers?

The experience of seeing the little faces shined up and ready for a formal portrait should be one of the highlights of the school year but, if you’re frustrated with the service from your current photographer, Premier Portraits Studio suggests you consider five reasons to make a change.

Professionalism

To us, at Premier Portraits Studio, professionalism is more than equipment, paper, or dressing well to demonstrate respect for the schools where we take pictures.  It’s an attitude among our photographers that comes from training so we all know how to work with children to get their best side and how to marry the two worlds of the latest digital photographic technology with the people who are the spotlight of our portraits.

Best Fundraising Commissions

Premier Portraits Studio will match your previous year’s commission or you’ll receive ours, whichever is greater.  We also offer signing bonuses for our customers who commit to long-term contracts with us.

Fast Turnaround

Your finished prints are in your hands within three weeks.  We guarantee that and deliver before your December break.  Your needs are important to us and we respect the way in which the school calendar progresses.

Customer Service

We are a local business and our reputation is important to us.  We promise fast, accurate, and friendly service because that is who we want to be to our neighbors and friends.  When people smile at the name Premier Portraits Studio, it makes us proud

Again, as a local business, we offer unique advantages.  The entire photographic process stays within Connecticut, supporting the economy in which your students will grow.  As an active part of this community, we have contributed over $500,000 to events and efforts that enliven and enrich our area.

Finally, it comes down to people.  Portraits are pictures of those we love and who better to take those images and make them into lasting, treasured mementos that someone who is a neighbor, friend, and trusted partner in the school portrait adventure?

PremierPortraits Studio is locally owned and operated at 260 East St in Plainville, CT and is committed to supporting the community with quality service and portraits. 860.410.4303

Supporting Schools with the Right Photographic Products

Schools are finding themselves between the rock of tight budgets and the hard place of funding increased security.

Premier Portraits Studio is aware of the budget cuts coming from municipalities filled with overburdened taxpayers and the state’s attempts to straighten out its complicated system.  We remember our own school portraits – getting out the good clothes… the dire warnings against making funny faces… the anticipation of waiting to see how the picture came out… presenting gifts to grandparents… finally realizing that you can’t date any family pictures by the portraits sitting on furniture in the background because these things stayed around forever.  Our family loved us enough to dust us for decades.

While some changes are good – digital picture technology means no guessing as to how the shot came out – we want to offer kids the same old-fashioned joy we felt and make portrait time a special time.

We can also support the unsung heroes of this whole experience, the administrative staff, by offering the right photographic packages and products at the right prices.

Premier Portraits Studio’s digital service department can customize items to suit each school’s needs.

·         Our Administrative CD provides an image CD staff members can use to load student pictures into your school software program, including Power School and IPass.

·         We can produce wall, desk, and monthly calendars for office staff and secretaries.

·         Sticky Prints offer two photos of each student, ready for permanent record files and teacher projects.

·         Our identification cards support critical student safety programs with sturdy plastic cards for the kids, faculty, and staff, designed to a school’s custom design specifications (barcodes to describe student ID numbers, grade, homeroom, teacher, etc. while protecting this data from strangers).

·         We can also produce complementary ID badges for visitors, volunteers, and substitute teachers.

·         One of our more popular middle school items is the Mug Book, featuring each student organized by grade and name.

Call Premier Portraits today to start your successful school portrait program with packages to fit parents needs, the largest background selection in the state, and experienced portrait photographers.

Fast efficient delivery of your photographs and your administration products are standard business practice with Premier Portraits.

PremierPortraits Studio is locally owned and operated at 260 East St in Plainville, CT and is committed to supporting the community with quality service and portraits. 860.410.4303

School Pictures from Premier Portraits Studio come at a Smart Price

School portraits are a rite of passage in lives that are changing quickly.  Think about it… celebrities may worry about being photographed twice in the same outfit but kids… they can’t fit into the same clothes when it comes time for the next school picture!

The photographers and staff at Premier Portraits Studio find that being part of this tradition is an honor and a joy.  Our mission is to provide quality portraits to schools and parents and the most relaxed, engaging sitting for the students who come to our studio for a once-in-a-lifetime picture.  Never again will they be so young and it’s important to remember each phase of these important lives.

We take this honor and responsibility to heart and recognize the difficult economic times facing our schools.

That’s why Premier Portraits Studio offers the most affordable rates in the state for the best quality portraits possible.

We applaud the teachers and faculty that are continuing to educate our children despite sharp state and district budget cuts.  They’re our heroes and we’re proud to provide portrait packages that reflect the way their efforts shape and develop young minds.  Our photographic packages fit the needs of parents, the largest selection of portrait backgrounds in Connecticut, and experienced portrait photographers.

Our staff has the knowledge and practice of working well with school administration requirements, delivering photographs and administrative products in a timely and efficient manner.  Making your orders easy and delighting customers is standard business practice with Premier Portraits Studio.

We look forward to working with the principals, secretaries, teachers, faculty, parents, and, of course, students, to provide one of the most significant keepsakes of our lives… the school portrait.

Premier Portraits Studio is a professional photography studio located in Plainville, CT. We specialize in school photography, event photography, corporate/business portraits, weddings, engagement sessions, newborn, child and family portrait photography in the CT area and beyond.

We are a family business, housing our own photography lab, and members of Associated Professional School Photographers (APSP) and Professional Photographers of America (PPA).

PremierPortraits Studio is locally owned and operated at 260 East St in Plainville, CT and is committed to supporting the community with quality service and portraits. 860.410.4303

Get the Pictures You Want

Progress usually means that new things come into our lives and old stuff leaves.  Premier Portraits Studio believes that sometimes, the best life has a combination of the old and new.

If you’ve been sending your photos to a big box store for processing, you’ve probably become used to the same basic photo options and maybe you don’t realize that you can get more for your money.

For example, if you think that you can only get two or three photo sizes, think again.  Premier Portraits Studio can print your photo on paper up to 44 inches long.  Think of what you can do with a big print of your favorite photo or the smile on someone’s face when they see what you’ve done with their image.

As for types of paper, we usually print on luster paper but we can do canvas, glossy, and metallic paper, too.

Now, think back to the last family gathering, when you managed to get the timer on your camera to work.  You almost have the perfect shot but someone blinked and there was a little something off in the picture.  Premier Portraits Studio can professionally touch-up your photos and make them perfect.

That shot can be printed on canvas and become the focal point of a room as opposed to the imperfect shot in a standard 5x7 frame that is overlooked so often you begin to wonder why you bother to dust it.

All this may sound old-fashioned and, while we do offer a personalized service reminiscent of days gone by, we use 21^st century techniques to receive electronic copies of your pictures and, in most cases, can turn around a print job in 24 hours.

If you’re busy and want to save time and gas, we can ship your prints for $5 and accept payment over the phone.

Otherwise, we’re happy to see you in the Premier Portraits Studio and we are happy to make payment easy with MasterCard, Visa, Discover, checks or cash.

Contact us today to learn what you can do beyond those basic prints and become excited about your photography again!

PremierPortraits Studio is locally owned and operated at 260 East St in Plainville, CT and is committed to supporting the community with quality service and portraits. 860.410.4303

New Portrait Options

Photography changed the world, making portraiture available to everyone rather than an elite few who could afford to commission a painting.  Now, digital technology is changing photography and Premier Portraits Studio is at the forefront of this new frontier in portraiture.

Students who are graduating in June can use our all-inclusive session package to receive the individualized attention of a professional portrait photographer, photographs, and all photos on a CD… with reproduction rights!

This package offers the most value for money because you’ll have the option of using those pictures anywhere you chose… on social media sites, your own web site, in digital photo frames, and email.

Our Digital Upgrade means you can make as many high-quality copies as you like, when you like, and give them as gifts to family members.  The gifting tradition goes back to painted miniature portraits and speaks to the very nature of sharing our image with loved ones, a sign of caring and giving of self.

Most of our customers love their portraits and find working with a professional photographer makes a difference.  What they see in the picture closely matches their own image of themselves.

However, for those who aren’t satisfied, Premier Portraits Studio is happy to retake photos at no charge as part of the All Inclusive Package.

This is a great option for students because, really, a portrait is not just for a yearbook but marks a milestone in an important life.

For students who prefer a traditional session, Premier Portraits Studio offers the same quality time with a professional photographer, who is experienced in posing subjects, making them relax and present themselves naturally.

We’ll give you your proofs, portrait, and pricing information for additional copies.

Talk to us today about your preference… we do school location sittings as well as in studio sittings, depending on what you prefer in terms of privacy and photo purchasing packages.

And… have a great senior year!

PremierPortraits Studio is locally owned and operated at 260 East St in Plainville, CT and is committed to supporting the community with quality service and portraits. 860.410.4303