the model program

A lot of upcoming seniors have asked about our model program. Will we have one? How can you be on the list to model for Fringe? 

The short answer- I realized last year that I hate choosing some girls over other girls. I hate reading an application and not really knowing what your personality is like in real life. So this year, we're getting rid of the outdated model program. Instead, if you book me for your senior portraits, you'll go on my model list for other projects. This list will be rather concise as we only take up to 4 clients a month.

This should be good news to you out there <3. I can't wait to see what this year will bring. Here are some gorgeous pictures from 2017 model Shajna's session. You can't beat that gorgeous light! 

The Editorial

I love giving my clients the Vogue-worthy, fashion editorial look to their portraits. What separates an editorial portrait from your typical senior pictures? The majority of it is my job- lighting, posing, and editing. But if you're incorporating this style into your session, we need your look to be very coordinated ahead of time. Here's a quick guide on how to prepare.

-FASHION-

Senior pictures are focused completely on you. Fashion editorials are typically photographed to highlight the clothing you're wearing. So it's extremely important that your entire look- from outfit, shoes, accessories, nails, to the location we shoot in- is organized. Even if you forget to take off an earring or a necklace that you were already wearing, it can throw off your look. 

When I'm styling my own shoots, the first thing I do is decide on the outfit. Choose something that inspires you. Something that makes you think, "I can definitely pull this off!!" You need to feel comfortable in your clothing, and you need for it to fit you properly. Remember that in editorial world, you are a human hanger for this beautiful clothing. Just like the models :) 

Now, your clothing should be edgier than what you'd typically wear, or it should have a very specific theme to it. For example, the entire outfit could look vintage, or Western. Find things that are different, patterned, and fun. One thing I highly recommend is that you do NOT dress head to toe in trends (I see you, over the knee boots, lace up skirt, black choker). Trends aren't bad, but if you look at magazines, they're not styling their models in more than one trend at once.

Let me stop you right here. If you are the type of person who hates shopping and never knows what to wear, let me do the work for you! I will literally tell you what to buy. My clients are really 50/50 on having great style and not knowing what the heck they're doing. Styling is one of my favorite parts of my job, and I'm so happy to help you!

Lastly, think about color. Have a color palette of 5 or so colors that don't match, but all go well together. 

-ADDING ON-

So, you have your base outfit. Dress, pants, shirt. Boom. Now we need to add on every possible detail. 

Shoes: you CAN go barefoot if it matches the theme. Otherwise, match the look and try not to buy cheap-quality shoes. Platforms, pointed toes, booties, sneakers, slip ons, flats, etc are everywhere right now. Platform heels are a no these days, and remember you don't have to wear the highest or any heel at all. 

Accessories: rings, body chains, bangles, chic watches, statement jewelry, hoop or statement earrings are my favorites. Baseball caps (if it matches), headpieces, flower crowns, and sunglasses. 

We're creating a unique look that if done right, will be timeless. You'll be able to look back on this and not cringe at your outfit decisions. 

-MAKEUP-

Now we get to design the fun part, makeup. I typically play a larger role in this part for my clients, just because at high school age, you're not used to creating styled looks for the camera. Some editorials show off your youth and have very light makeup. Some are more smoky and dramatic. You may notice that rarely any of the models do the winged eye, cut crease, "Instagram makeup". We discourage that trend here because again, timelessness.

-LOCATION-

Again, I help my clients a lot with their locations. All my clients get a link to my location guide, which gives them the opportunity to look through where I typically shoot. Sometimes we'll juxtapose two looks, for example a prom dress in a parking garage, and sometimes we tie it all together in a theme.

-POSING-

Posing is my job, but it's still great if you prepare ahead of time. Know your good side. Stand in front of the mirror and make different head tilts, arm poses, and move your weight around your body to see where it looks best. Come on, I know you already do this!!

That's it! The world of editorial is unlimited with no right way to do anything. Different is what makes it good. If you have more questions for me, feel free to leave a comment below! I can't wait to help you plan your dream session this year! 

fringe photography is a high school senior photographer located in fishers, IN, and serving the surrounding areas of carmel, zionsville, mccordsville, and indianapolis. 

10 things that are almost guaranteed to make you happy

A couple of important points to start off with- happiness. I've found that happiness comes in unexpected times. The times where you're expecting the most- trips, holidays, etc. turn out to be just that- as expected. From my experience, times of true happiness come from ordinary days. Ordinary activities. Meaning comes in unexpected times. 

Materialism is the opposite. Posting a picture and getting more likes than the last picture isn't really satisfying. Comparison- another thing that hurts us. Judgement. Feeling like we know/love/hate people who we've never even met. We do it all on social media.

The times that I'm actually happiest are simple little moments. Real life moments. So here are 10 things that are almost guaranteed to make you happy:

#1. Being Outside

Good weather is great, but I find that just being outside can make you happy. Breathing in fresh air, hearing birds chirping, and remembering that some people wake up to dirt roads and war zones, while most of us wake up to neighborhoods, houses, and no immediate threat to our lives.

#2. Counting Your Blessings

Counting your blessings- if anyone I know is sad, this is the first thing I tell them to do. Just sit down, and honestly think about all the things that you have. Things that you're thankful for today. Even if you're having a bad day, think about 5-10 things that you're thankful for. Some easy ones are: I'm thankful I woke up today. I'm thankful that I still have these people in my life. I'm thankful I don't have to worry about my health. Think of your own little things you're grateful for.

#3. Being Around People You Love

...and who love you.

This can be your family, your friends, your boyfriend or girlfriend, whoever it is that you can feel comfortable around. Being around positive energy can always make it a better and that's definitely a big part of life.

#4. Facing All the Things You've Been Avoiding

Sometimes life gets the best of us. We don't stay on top of everything, and we start to feel overworked and not feel like we're completing everything. If we sit down, prioritize, and have a day full of doing things that we've been avoiding, it becomes empowering. 

#5. Exercise

We already know that exercise releases endorphins to make you happy. But are we exercising enough? This goes along with taking care of yourself, which we can easily forget to do, and exercise always makes you feel better. It's never a negative thing, plus it helps you look better.

#6. Laughter

Laughter is the key to everything. Honestly, if you're having a bad day, just try to find the humor in all the bad things that are happening.

#7. Talk to God

...or whoever you believe in. Or even yourself. Because with spirituality, you're never actually alone. If you have a positive conversation with God, you always feel like you have a friend who's on your side. Try it.

#8. A Hot Shower

This one is so little, but we know how much better a little hygiene can make you feel, especially when you're sick or upset.

#9. Put Away Your Phone

Stop basing your happiness off what happens on your phone. If people like your picture or not. If people text you back or not. Come on, go out and enjoy the world.

#10. Make Somebody's Day

The most rewarding way to feel better: Give somebody a compliment. There are times where I'll be out, and I will just compliment people. It's never fake, it's a real compliment, and all you have to do is find one little thing about the person and tell them. Some of the happiest people I've complimented are older women- women love to be complimented, and older women don't get the same attention as younger women. So if you see somebody fabulous wearing cool lipstick just say I love your lipstick. Or just hold the door open for somebody. Or even do something nice that nobody will ever find out about, just for you. 

If you just practice positivity and positive thoughts, it will come back to you. Practice self love, spirituality, respect yourself and people around you. And please stop basing your happiness off what other people have and do. Enjoy the simpler things. <3

What are some more ways to cheer yourself up? Post a comment below :)

fringe photography is a high school senior photographer located in fishers, IN, and serving the surrounding areas of carmel, zionsville, mccordsville, and indianapolis. 

you don't owe anybody anything | seniors

This is something that I see most commonly among people in their teens and 20's. No matter how mature you are, I think it still takes time to really set in. You don't owe anybody anything.

We're in a society that teaches us to be nice. We're supposed to give everyone a chance, we're supposed to treat everyone equally, never give up on the people we love, etc. Obviously that philosophy is ideal. It's great to have friends outside your comfort zone, it's great to know different groups of people, and it's great to give people a second chance, but you never ever have to do it. 

When you're a child, you basically have to answer to everyone. You have to respect and obey your parents, your teachers, and just about every adult you come across.  You have to let your relatives pinch your cheeks every time you see them and answer their questions about your life. When an adult asks you your age, you tell them right away. Nobody asks a 40-year-old their age; you only get asked your age when you're young. And what else are you supposed to tell them?

When you're a kid, somebody will ask you what neighborhood you live in, and you naturally tell them. When we're children, we're used to giving our information to people. As you grow into yourself, when you're 17, 18, 19, 20 years old, you're becoming an adult. You feel like an adult, but you're still in that kid mentality in a lot of ways.

Number one is with your time. You have a lot more time (generally) as a young person to go out, explore, hang out with your friends, and do whatever you want to do. Whether it be working, school, extracurriculars, or your social life. Sometimes you go to a random get-together just because you don't have plans for the night. Sometimes you drive 30 minutes away just because that's where your plans are. Right? You could find yourself in a sketchy situations at times, and sometimes, you might end up being around people you don't know very well. If you haven't experienced this in high school, you will once you go to college.

I want you to know that you don't owe anybody your phone number. 

I don't know how many times my friends- that are smart, grade-A students, top of their class, gorgeous girls- gave a creepy guy their number because they were scared. Because they felt like they had to. And then they told me that they were scared to give the guy a fake number in case he tried to call them right away. So what did they do? They gave their real phone number to a creepy, sketchy, older guy. And that guy still has their number.

This is what you'll be faced with in college. You'll have to decide if you're going to give someone your number, or hang out with them, or leave with them, and you have to make that decision in a split-second. You have to know that you can say "no" every single time.

I know we talk about our bodies and our rights to say "no", etc. But we don't talk about simple things like giving out your phone number, giving out your address, or telling somebody your personal information. All of that is personal and private information, and the older you get, the more you'll really value that privacy. Because you don't want the creepy guy from college showing up at your house with your husband and your kids one day. Right. 

It's the same way with friends. You don't owe anyone a friendship. I don't care if they are extremely nice to you and desperately need you to be their friend. I don't care if they've been your friend for one year or twelve years. If they break the boundaries that you have, or they're toxic to your life, you do not owe it to them to continue being a friend. You never even have to speak to them again. You don't have to do anything for anybody unless you believe it's the right thing to do.

So, it doesn't matter how much somebody compliments you, flatters you, or helps you. Even if they give you a free diamond necklace, I don't care what it is, you still aren't obligated to them. We, especially as girls, are conflicted because we feel like we have to be polite. Sometimes we prioritize being polite over our own safety. Or our own sanity. I know that's how you think, because I thought this way my entire young life. It wasn't until I had a family to protect that I realized I don't care about being polite.

Be kind, be compassionate, and always protect and care about yourself first. 

fringe photography is a high school senior photographer located in fishers, IN, and serving the surrounding areas of carmel, zionsville, mccordsville, and indianapolis.