0

I have a client that is going into the Marines after graduating high school. She wants to do her senior photos but wants them United States marine Corp inspired. How would I implement that into her pictures??

Danielle Carr
  • 11
  • 1
  • 2
    I think you should change your Question title. At the moment it doesn't mean anything really. – osullic May 04 '19 at 23:26
  • You could have gave your opinion on how I could implement that or what props I could use. Thanks but I'm not gonna change it – Danielle Carr May 04 '19 at 23:37
  • 5
    She should reconsider. Since you are both not (currently) marines, you risk creating a caricature that her future self may find embarrassing or which the Marines may not appreciate. – xiota May 04 '19 at 23:41
  • Hi Danielle Carr, Welcome to Photography StackExchange. We hope you enjoy sharing knowledge and experience with us. – Stan May 05 '19 at 04:04
  • 2
    Agree with @xiota. She may be looking forward to being a marine and getting a photo in her dress blues - but that isn’t who she is today. You need to capture who she is today, not tomorrow. – OnBreak. May 05 '19 at 16:39
  • 1
    Just an opinion... She will be a Marine... Probably this is the last chance for her to be a teen. – Rafael May 06 '19 at 16:27

2 Answers2

2

Props won't do it.

Rather than props that can look tacky if they are not the real thing, try
U S MARINE ATTITUDE.

There's nothing cute, coy, or indirect about a U S MARINE.

Marines look directly into the camera and don't smile. Ask your subject to set their jaw. Clenching her teeth will accentuate the jaw line to portray a sense of power and willful intent.

In dress, emulate the crisp white starched collars, dark blue serge suit material and ever so slight touch of red.

Do a WEB search and look through the bunch of photos to see what they have in common insofar as your subject's expression and body position.

You don't want your subject holding a weapon or something that could brand her as some fringe militant by someone who doesn't make the right connection. If pushed too far, the school may even refuse using a photo that is too different from the mainstream established by school tradition. (I was a yearbook photographer and there were "rules" about acceptability - often decided afterward by some school "authority" when the photos were submitted and could be compared.)

Good luck

Stan
  • 5,521
  • 15
  • 32
1

First of all... she is still a teen. Let her have fun.

Second. If you do not have original stuff, like the uniform from mom or an aunt, a "prop" could be a bit unrespectful or look like a "costume", so watch what stuff you use.

Even in that case, I would not put it on her or anything similar, probably more like a Teen looking forward to using the same uniform as her mom or something.

But I agree that the attitude, more than a prop is needed. Of course, you can be creative with the framing and light.

See the photo of this guy from this movie.

enter image description here

No props. But a general's face. As this is a photography "forum" explore this kind of dramatic light.

Get some inspiration for some movie scenes you find interesting in terms of attitude, light, framing pose, color grading. Not Props "needed".

A simple white Tshirt can work.

Rafael
  • 24,760
  • 1
  • 43
  • 81