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As a photographer who works with so many amazing senior girls, I totally understand the pressure to look your absolute best for your session. One thing I hear a lot is: “I’m thinking about getting a spray tan before my pictures so I don’t look too pale.”
I get it—everyone loves that sun-kissed glow. But here’s the honest truth: spray tans and photo sessions don’t always mix well.
The Trouble with Spray Tans in Photos
While a spray tan might look great in person (sometimes), cameras are a bit less forgiving. Here’s what can happen:
- Orange or uneven tones: Spray tans often photograph more orange or patchy than they look in real life. Even subtle tans can show up unevenly in certain lighting.
- Color mismatch: Your face might not match your neck, arms, or hands—especially under natural light or in close-up portraits.
- Joint areas can appear dirty: Spray tan tends to cling to dry skin around elbows, knees, knuckles, and ankles, often making those areas appear darker or even dirty in photos.
- Editing becomes trickier: It’s much harder (and less natural-looking) to correct overly tanned or patchy skin in post-processing than to enhance natural tones.
The last thing you want is to look back at your photos and feel like your skin tone wasn’t really you.
Why Pale Skin Is Beautiful—Seriously
Pale skin photographs beautifully. Soft, natural tones have a classic, timeless quality in portraits. With the right styling, lighting, and colors, your natural skin tone can absolutely shine.
In fact, when you stay natural, we can do more in editing to make you glow without any of the drawbacks. We:
- Balance skin tones to keep them even and natural
- Warm or cool tones subtly to complement your hair, makeup, and outfit
- Adjust contrast and brightness to give your skin a soft, polished finish
Your portraits will be you—confident, radiant, and authentic.
What to Do Instead
Here are a few tips to help you look your best without a spray tan:
- Hydrate your skin in the days before your session—moisturized skin photographs beautifully!
- Wear colors that flatter your natural tone—we’ll talk about this before your shoot.
- Get a good night’s sleep before the big day to avoid dull or tired-looking skin.
And if you’re worried about looking too light, don’t be! We’ll use golden hour lighting, soft posing, and light editing to make you look warm and glowy—without the orange tint.
You Deserve to Love Your Photos
Senior portraits are about capturing you at this amazing moment in your life. Your real skin, your real smile, your real glow. No filter or fake tan needed.
Trust me—you’ll be glad you embraced your natural beauty when you look back at your photos for years to come.
Want to chat more about how to prep for your session and feel camera-ready? Let’s connect… tell me a little about yourself here!
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