Clients looking to book a session at a senior portrait studio in LA have a few things to consider. That outdoor, fresh look is mostly found on the outskirts of LA, whereas an edgy urban look is easily found in the city. To be completely honest, it’s tough to have it both ways, unless you book with a photographer who has a few tricks up their sleeve….& we’ve been shooting actors, models, musicians & high school seniors for 14 years.
The images above were taken of a musical artist shot by senior photography los angeles experts Brandin Shaeffer & Amanda Max. Usually, we’ll place pics like this in our “editorial” gallery, which means many kids and parents will totally miss them. Lots of artists shoot edgier images – but they’ll rarely post them under their Sr Pics gallery….so when researching, look at more than just the high school samples to get a good idea of your photog’s level of artistry 🙂
For info: 310.622.5819
Searching for the best senior photographers can be a daunting task! So many good artist out here 🙂 Honestly, who works for you might not be who works for someone else. Are you looking for super artistic images? Are you looking for something edgy? Something classic? Or maybe a little bit of everything?! You’ve found us! 🙂 Contact Brandin’s cel for more info 310.622.5819 and let’s get you on your way to amazing senior pics.
Senior Portraits are a fun and exciting experience to get in front of the camera in a couple of your favorite outfits and just look your very best, whether you are always in front of the camera or camera-shy this is a great and no-pressure way to gain some experience and get some photos out of a day that will last you a lifetime. This shoot is all about YOU, so make it your own and have fun with it.
Call 310-622-5819 for all your Senior Portraits needs in Los Angeles and the greater Los Angeles area!! 🙂
It’s always good to spice things up when it comes time to get some senior portraits done! In the shot above, the wonderful photographer Brandin asked our senior to jump up on this ledge and be silly.
The best pictures are always the ones that show the seniors true and personal self.
We always go on different locations for senior portraits to get the most variety and fun out of the pictures you will cherish for the rest of your life.
Next time you’re looking for fabulous senior portrait ideas, talk to Max Brandin Photography; we would always be happy to help you out! give us a call! 310.622.5819
Pin up photography is as popular today as ever – it’s fun, playful, & just flat out gorgeous. As a photographer, you have plenty of things to consider: light, set, props…because although it’s fun to put a new twist on pin up, it’s always appreciated when you can nail the shot as a purely classic pin up. You’ll also need to secure an experienced Hair & Makeup artist who can not only create the pin up look, but can also do it in a timely manner. If your model is in the hair/makeup chair for 2 hours it’s going to drain their energy and make it very difficult to do more than 1 look. Your model should absolutely practice in front of a mirror leading up to the shoot – but at the end of the day, the photographer has to be ready with great direction and ideas for posing the model in a classic and flattering way. Study images from that time period first, before looking at more contemporary pin up. It’s better to start with the original, classic, basics….and then add your own twist.
Our model above is NOT A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR and the wardrobe is obviously a bit too sexy for a teenaged girl. However, there are plenty of ways to incorporate this classic style photography into your senior portrait session by hiring one of our amazing and talented Hair/Makeup Artists and bringing along wardrobe that is age appropriate. It’s also a good idea to consider just doing the “flavor” of pinup for your senior pictures, rather than going 100% realistic. This will give us more room to play with more contemporary posing and feel less tied to being authentic. We’re looking forward to our 2015 Senior Portrait Season….and shooting some fun pin up style images!
One of the coolest things we (Brandin & Amanda Max) have access to is lots & lots of cool locations. The sky is pretty much the limit 🙂 Above are a few favorites from our shoot with Austin B. He has that James Dean kinda look, so we wanted to do everything from clean classic type images, to super preppy, to edgy bad boy. There’s no reason why the girls get to have all the cool pics….guys can have absolutely amazing shoots too! If you’re looking for a Senior Portrait photographer in Los angeles or Ventura County, we have got you covered with locations in both 🙂
To see more of our work, visit our studio facebook page. To schedule a shoot, contact us through our site.
This year we have SO many Seniors shooting Destination Senior Pictures with us! It’s so exciting to meet families from all across the country….and even South America! If you’re planning a trip to the Los Angeles area to shoot your pics, it’s a great idea to schedule your shoot after you’ve been here for 2 or 3 days at least….to make sure you’re over any jet lag, and to give yourself a couple days to do a little shopping and buy something special for your shoot.
The images above were shot at our studio, as well as one of our favorite spots to shoot Senior Pictures in Southern California: Venice Beach 🙂
To see more examples of our work visit our studio FB page or view our online portfolio. To schedule a session contact us through our site. For questions, you can feel free to call Brandin’s cel 310.622.5819
The pictures above just a few proofs sheets from an album we designed from one of our 2014 Senior Portraits sessions taken in Los Angeles. Our albums are from Italian hand-crafted album maker FINAO, and come in a Lay Flat construction that people absolutely love. We prefer a clean design, and steer away from silly text & flourishes that look outdated within a few years. Your pictures will be SO amazing, they’ll look best displayed similar to a high end photographic coffee table book. Simple & Gorgeous.
To have your senior pictures taken at one of our southern california senior portrait studios contact us through our site, or call Brandin’s cel 310.622.5819
To view more examples of our work, visit our studio facebook page!
When shooting senior pictures for guys it’s all about getting that great suit shot. To make sure you get amazing results bring a suit that fits impeccably, and a shirt/tie combo that looks great on it’s own (without the jacket) so we can shoot some with the jacket & some without.
Chris (our Senior Guy above) brought the perfect suit for his session. The jacket & vest are sophisticated, with a current slim fit. The shirt & tie add a dash of youth & trendiness without being over-the-top. Removing the jacket halfway through shooting the look, allowed us to shoot with the vest & shirt for an edgier, more hip feel. Then, we got rid of the vest, loosened the tie, rolled up the sleeves & got some amazing smiles & laughs….super casual & totally dreamy!!!
To make the day easy for you, we have locations in Los Angeles & Newbury Park of Thousand Oaks
To see more recent work, visit our studio FB page. To book a Senior Pictures Session, contact us by phone or our site contact page. Brandin’s cel: 310.622.5819
Shooting child actor headshots requires telling a story, just like when shooting adults. Kids are capable of so much depth, character & personality…so letting them “play” during the session is key to capturing the awesomeness kids have in them. With over 12 years experience ((25 years combined!)) Amanda Max Weber & Brandin Shaeffer will guide you and your child throughout the process in order to yield the absolute BEST headshots in Los Angeles & Thousand Oaks.
For recent samples of work, visit our studio Facebook page. To schedule an appointment, Brandin’s cel is 310.622.5819 Or go through our Contact page.
For lots of high schoolers, applying for college is something that takes a lot of preparation – and the process has never been more competitive. To give a great impression, applicants often use a picture from their high school senior pictures. It’s best to steer away from anything with a theme (such as a sports related pic) or anything that’s overly “sexy” or silly. Stick with a friendly smile like the images above of one of our favorite clients, Brianna.
For recent samples of our work, visit our studio facebook page. To schedule a session, visit our site contact page. If you have questions, Brandin is available on her cel when not shooting 310.622.5819
This is our 2nd posting of Ren’s pics….we originally posted our faves – and now that she’s ordered her prints, we thought we’d share HER faves! The first thing we noticed about Ren when she arrived for her shoot – other than her uber-cuteness, was that she’d really nailed it with the clothes & accessories she brought. When you look at the images above, you’ll see how they all reflect her personal style, while at the same time each look has it’s own feel. We loved how the pics we did in the orange print dress were paired with chunky platform heels….whereas the white sundress was worn with simple flip flops – Gorgeous! Also, notice how all the bracelets in the black top pics & the hat in the white dress pics really give the images a magazine editorial photoshoot vibe. Speaking of hats….hats off to our amazing makeup artist Bebe Booth, who kept the makeup totally natural while also totally popping the eyes in every look. LOVE!!! Ren was down for anything when it came to hair & makeup, but we’ve always found that for HS Senior Pics, you really need to stick with natural makeup…and maybe a little smoky eye for the final look. It’s very similar to the guidelines we follow when shooting LA Actor headshots – keep it simple….keep the pictures ALL about the person you’re shooting. If you’re planning your own wardrobe, makeup & hair you might want to visit our blog post: 10 tips to ROCK your HS Senior Portraits We’ve listed everything from hair & skin regimen to reminders on school guidelines & deadlines. And if you ever feel like you’re stuck when putting everything together, make a quick trip through all of our past blog posts & portfolio – you’ll see lots of wardrobe ideas that you can steal & then make your own 🙂
People always want to know, for headshots what to wear. There is definitely a lot of advice floating around out there – some of makes sense, and some it’s just silly. The main piece of advice I hear is “wear bright colors”. Hmmmmm…..true, colors photograph really nicely – but, there are a lot of ways to screw up your shoot by just following that advice blindly. I’ve found the best way to approach the question of wardrobe is to think of what kinds of roles you’re going to go out for. Let’s take a kids headshots for example: There are 5 or 6 main “types” that a girl 8-15 years old would play…. ((there are lots others, but let’s look at some mainstays….
For Nickelodeon Kid, we’re thinking “Prankster”, mischievous, rough & tumble 100% KID. Sure, color works for this, but WHAT color works best? In my opinion, Bright Green, Bright Orange, Red, Royal Blue are all great colors for this look. If we went with Pink or Yellow, it might read a little softer, or a little girlier, which would detract from the story of the picture. We want the image to scream: I AM KID, HEAR ME ROAR!!!
For The Good Kid, we’re thinking “Class President”, Teacher’s Pet, Straight A student – so, go a little preppier, with a hint of nerdy. Clothing could almost feel like a mini office professional. A polo shirt for boys – a tank top & cardigan for girls. Obviously, you’d steer clear of “unprofessional” looking colors like bright orange, lime green & vivid turquoise. Royal blue, Dark(ish) Purple, Red, Sage Green, and even black can work great for this one.
For the Sporty Kid, layers always work well. A Gray Tee with Navy Zip Hoodie looks really sporty. Almost like a version of something they’d wear as a warm up if they were on a sports team. Kelly Green Hoodie Jacket with yellow tee underneath,,,,,, even just a basic red Tee with V-neck would work great. Just go with colors that feel like a sports team & keep the clothing something that looks like they could play in it.
For Super Girly we’re picturing the 11 year old girl who does nothing by giggle. No matter what, she’s in fits of laughter & LOVES pink. Great girly colors are Pink, Bright Turquoise, Bright Yellow, Peach, Baby Blue & of course purple. The top can be as simple as a Tee, or as girly as a ruffled strap tank top.
For Period Drama / Theatrical, we’re thinking something classic or simple. We’re going for soulful, so a color that matches the kid’s eyes exactly is always amazing. Or, something in a faded fleshy tone, like peach or tan tones. Black & jewel tones, like ruby, emerald green & sapphire blue work really nice too.
For Edgy / Attitude we’re mostly going to be dealing with girls 12 years to 17 years. We usually go with more of a Disney version of “Edgy” for most kids ….a little black eyeliner, but nothing crazy. Colors that work great are Black mixed w/ any “hot” color, like bright pink, purple, aqua, yellow….. OR, you can take it more theatrical & realistic or urban using mostly grays & blacks with texture & layers – nothing too “new” looking for kids who play grittier characters. That’s not the norm, but there are always those actors who play dark characters from a young age, like Jodie Foster & Nikki Reed.
Dominique is one of our 2013 MxB High School Senior Reps. She shot with us a few weeks ago at our Los Angeles Senior Portraits location. Usually, the seniors that apply to be MxB reps are extremely outgoing, because they know that they’ll be ambassadors for our photography studio. Well, even in her application, Dominique admitted that she was shy…but that she thought maybe this might be a good thing, something to help her push the boundaries of her comfort zone with social stuff. So, when she arrived for her shoot, we were prepared to really have to work at directing & getting great smiles & poses. ….wow….we were wrong! Within a matter of a few minutes Dominique was modeling as if she were a total pro!! Being tall & super athletically built, she honestly photographed very much like a professional model. To say we were blown away would not be an exaggeration…. So many of the cute poses & all the playing around that we captured on camera came organically from Dominique. On the train tracks, our main direction was to say “just imagine you’re stranded in the middle of nowhere, and you know to follow the tracks to the next city….but, along the way, while you’re walking, give little glances & smiles to the camera”. That was it! She took off her shoes & started taking little steps over the pebbles & rocks on the tracks…and when she’s slightly trip on one, she’s laugh & look right at the lens. To be able to take your actual circumstances & use them to inform your expressions & body language is the very essence of modeling….and obviously, Dominique has it.
So many of our HS Seniors from Thousand Oaks ask about the urban locations they see in our LA Senior Pictures – and the same is true for our LA & South Bay Seniors….they often ask about the beautiful mountain shots we get at our Newbury Park location. Both are such awesome locations for shooting HS Senior Pics that it’s tough to choose which location to book. Our suggestion is to shoot both!! We offer discounted rates for Seniors who decide to do 2 shoots – and the fun part is, you get double the amount of images at this totally amazing time in your life 🙂
Those of you who were lucky enough to get in on our 60% off May discount are asking for tips on how to do makeup for your senior portraits So, below you’ll find one of our favorite natural makeup tutorials. The makeup is done by a high school girl with products that most of you already have. You’ll notice that the makeup is little punched up beyond “natural”, but when shooting pics in full length & even 3-quarter, you really want to make sure the eyes pop. Using neutral tones & sticking to a simple black top liner & soft subtly smokey under liner, your eyes pop without looking overly made up. SKIP THESE STEPS: 2 items she applies really don’t work for senior pics though & you should steer clear – the white liner in the inner rim of the eye often washes away with blinking, & can sometimes smear a bit with the under eyeliner. And it doesn’t look that natural…. Also, the highlighter she uses toward the end of the video on her upper cheekbones is very often “bad for camera”. What looks dewey and glowy in person, can look sweaty & glaring on camera. Stick to MATTE powder, MATTE bronzer as well to avoid having a shiny face. Hope this helps those of you who’re getting that awesome 60% off!
And for the rest of you, we STILL HAVE 40% OFF IN JUNE & 20% OFF IN JULY!!!!
Below is an example of some of our favorite Natural Makeup 🙂 Actor Katrina Law shot these in LA with makeup artist Karishma Ahluwalia, & we thought she achieved a perfect makeup look for each. The left image is a little edgier, but without going over the top. The lips & face were kept very natural, letting the eyes take center stage. The image on the right is classic natural makeup. The apples of the cheeks pop & the eyes have only a little neutral shadow for depth. Katrina doesn’t need much, so the makeup artist let her natural beauty shine through 🙂
You’re going to be seeing a lot more of this girl! Yesterday, I spent a couple hours shooting Natalie’s headshots. Her parents came with her and I could tell immediately that this was going to be a fun day! Usually, when a teen’s parents come to their session, I’m immediately apprehensive that the parent is going to try and run the shoot. That basically never works because the parent isn’t a photographer & unless they’re right behind me, they aren’t seeing what I’m seeing. Natalie’s Mom & Dad could not have been different….they helped when I needed it ((obviously, natalie’s got a LOT of hair to wrangle, so I asked for Mom when it was necessary :)) but, otherwise, they hung out, made a few calls, peeked their head in from time to time & were a total joy to have on the set! Actors headshots are pretty different from shooting Los Angeles Senior Pics – mainly, in that the subject has to be looking into camera the entire time. If you’ve never been a model for 2-3 hours straight, then you really don’t know how hard it is. It’s work! and the person in the photos needs to LOVE what they do. AND they need to be talented at it. Simple as that. Anything less, & you get just “so-so” pics. I don’t care how great the photographer is – the subject needs to have that “it factor” to successfully shoot for several hours. I’ll be posting more pics from Natalie’s session & with all the looks we did, you’ll really get a good idea of how a professional connects with the camera & delivers in shot after shot. …..and let me tell you, adding in super long wavy hair means even more work & patience from our model – – – and it doesn’t hurt to have a pretty great mom helping out with all that hair! Come to think of it, next time I’m shooting Senior Portraits, I may see if the mom can come ready with hairspray & brush in hand!
Drae was one of our absolute favorites…she’s featured in our senior portraits portfolio & we thought she’d be perfect to be featured on our Sexy Saturday post! Shot by photographer Amanda Max, of MaxBrandinPhotography & Amanda Max Photography, Drae does sexy the way should be done….effortlessly, playfully, & with classic beauty. Unlike shooting LA actor headshots, shooting HS Senior Portraits means making sure the girls get the fierce & gorgeous images they want, while at the same time making sure they will be seen as classic, beautiful and never overly sexy.
Shooting headshots for kids can be either the most fun an LA photographer can have, or the least LOL. Taking Benjamin’s first truly professional LA headshots was definitely a blast. He was a total ham with the camera & took direction with a natural ability that some people are just born with.
Olivia May does “sexy” perfectly. Never overdone, she mixes an innocence with sexy that feels natural & effortless. As a photographer shooting headshots in Los Angeles, you’re always excited to work with such a talent 🙂
