How to Take Painless, Beautiful Homecoming Photos // Photo Journal

Hello?  Anyone there?  Like, oh, I don't know, the blogger who is supposed to be responsible for posting words here five days a week?   I don't know what you might have heard, but I am not dead, sick and about to become dead, or even without internet access.  You were worried, I know.  Let's just blame my little hiatus on homecoming week and not get to exasperated with me for it, okay?   Life got a little full of hallway decorating and football game attending, and then Saturday I obviously had to spend the entire day getting ready for homecoming: nails, hair, make up, Pinterest, chocolate . . . it's all part of the process!

Actually, I didn't really care that much about what I looked like at the dance as much as I did pictures.  Those pictures are going to be around forever and ever, and darn it if I wasn't going to do my part to make them perfect!  I called on a few Youtube tutorials for a makeover, had a friend over to do my hair, and spent the morning painting, removing, and retouching nail polish.  I tried on my dress fourteen times.  Pictures were bound to be, well, picture perfect, right? I kind of think so.  Since I'm kind of a pro at pictures now, without further ado (drumroll, please) my guide to on how to take painless, beautiful homecoming pictures.

Start things off right by arriving to pictures with gum in your mouth.  That way, you can have lots of pictures with an I'm-sticking-my-gum-to-the-roof-of-my-mouth face.

                                                     

The key to a gorgeous pictures is a natural, relaxed smile.  You can accomplish this look by either by actually falling asleep for maximum relaxation (left) or casually laughing with a friend while having absolutely no idea that your picture is being taken (right).

A few candid shots always make a nice addition, and pictures taken while you're speaking flatter just about everyone.

Posture is everything.  Options range from the skinny arm pose (left) to the squatting / preparing to throw leaves pose.  

 Make sure you like your date.  If you don't, it will definitely show up in the pictures.  Fortunately, my date was pretty fantastic.

(I didn't really go with my little sister.  We're not allowed to bring anyone who isn't at least in high school.)

Be an original!  Everyone else is looking to the center as requested? Look to the outside.  It's that easy.

Bring props.  Prep a serious face for some seriously good photo ops. 

On the other hand, if you're not a serious-picture person, admit defeat and embrace it.

At the very least, try to take some cool jumping pictures.  I, for one, love a good jumping photo, and they're really fun to take!

When you succeed, make sure to be as immodest as humanly possible.  In front of all of your friends' parents who show up to take photos.  And their grandparents, it they chose to bring those.  And their brothers' girlfriends.  And all of the people who happened to be walking through the park.

Just know that jumping photos are risky.

If you're someone who has a short attention span, bring along a friend who also has a short attention span as well as a form of entertainment.

Okay, I promise that not all of my pictures involved me with gum on the roof of my mouth or avoiding taking pictures with my actual date my little sister.  They actually turned out really, really well (don't act so surprised; I'm obviously a professional with a bright future in the modeling arts) and homecoming was a blast!  It was definitely the perfect last homecoming of my high school career.  Um, now please excuse me while I go cry about that for the seventeenth time.

Allie