I got an email last week saying the deadline was approaching to submit images to Seattle Bride magazine for next summer’s photographer’s portfolio. I had never submitted photos before so I was really excited to even have my work in a pile with other people’s work! Here are a few that I submitted. They only wanted stuff from this summer, so it’s all very current stuff…

Be prepared
Get plenty of sleep the night before.

On the day of your photoshoot, schedule yourself enough time for getting ready and for travel. You don’t want to be stressed out.

If bringing a pet to your photoshoot, make sure you bring someone along who can take care of your pet while we shoot.

Clothing
Bring more changes of clothing and more jewelry/accessories than you think you will need.

Bring a classic outfit that has stood the test of time (i.e. jeans and a solid color shirt/suit and tie) as well as choices that are more en vogue.

Avoiding clothing with logos, words, and pictures.

Bring a variety of clothes. Casual, semi-formal, formal, sports uniforms, etc. We’ll help you to look your best while expressing your personality.

Solid colors photograph best. Avoid colors that approximate your flesh tones. (These might be whites, beige, tan, or very pale peach, pink, and gray). Also avoid wearing clothing or accessories that distract from your face. Very bright reds, yellows and oranges can also be distracting. Also, long sleeves are much more flattering on arms than short.

Although the rules above are great, these are YOUR photos. Bring clothes you love and that you feel best wearing.

Oh, and don’t forget shoes to go with your outfits!

Hair, Makeup, and More
Make any changes to your hairstyle (cut or color) at least 2 weeks before your photoshoot.

As for makeup, wear what you would for a nice evening out. Well done, but not overdone. If you normally don’t wear makeup, your pictures will look better if you at least wear foundation. This will help even out your skin tone. Also, remember we can retouch your photos to reduce baggy eyes and blemishes.

Don’t try anything the day of your photoshoot that is drastically different from your regular hair/makeup routine.

Glasses create glare. If you really want your glasses for your photos, remove the lenses before your photoshoot. Sometimes optometrists will loan you an empty pair of frames similar to yours. Check with them.

Tanning- be careful of tan lines. They don’t look good in photos. Don’t go tanning or get a spray tan the day before or the day of your shoot. Be wary of getting too much sun before your shoot. It’s very difficult to retouch red, peely skin.

Props
If you think you might want something, bring it! Bring more props than you think you’ll need.

Common props include:
Sports equipment, uniforms, instruments, school jackets, dance outfits, vehicles, handbags, hats, pets, friends, cap and gown.

Feel free to be creative and bring anything you want!

We hope this answers many of your questions, but if you have more please contact Michelle at Picky Penguin Photography.

Last Sunday we had the 1st Annual Snohomish Wedding Showcase. I had a great time meeting with brides and meeting other local vendors. All of the vendors were amazing and I’ve decided to create a Picky Penguin recommended vendors page on my website to pass their info on to brides. Our venue, Swan’s Trail Chapel, was an incredibly charming white chapel with lovely grounds and great views of Snohomish. It would be especially awesome for a summer wedding. Here are a few pictures from our beautiful day in Snohomish.

I just had my first meeting for the first Snohomish Wedding Showcase. The showcase is on May 17th (Sunday) and is a tour of different wedding venues in Snohomish. At each venue there will be different wedding vendors. There are limo rides between each location! If I didn’t have a booth, I would go ride around in the limo.. it sounds so fun!

My booth will be at Swan’s Trail Chapel. I’ve heard it’s a cute little chapel on a hill overlooking Snohomish. I’m going to visit the location next week, so I’ll take some pictures to share.

If you’re thinking about booking with Picky Penguin, I’d love for you to stop by for a chat.

Click here for more event info. The event is totally FREE! YAY!

I had a really great time at the Bridal Fair yesterday. The weather was a bit uncooperative (it snowed!), so the turnout was a little low. However, I still met quite a few brides who were interested in my photos. I also had fun meeting other local wedding vendors. The show was really small (not a lot of vendors), and that boutique-like atmosphere was refreshing.

My booth turned out really well, I was so happy with it. I’m planning on doing another bridal fair in May and I’ll probably do the same type of thing. Here are a couple pictures of how everything turned out!

The booth and me. A very nice combination.

My table was the cutest!