Prom Photographer: Brittany Schnell

A Brief History of Prom

While researching for this blog post, I discovered that prom is not a world wide, high school event. So, here’s a brief History of Prom in (about) 60 Seconds.

“Prom is the night we have all been waiting for. It is the end of the year when girls in expensive dresses and boys in rented, awkwardly shaped tuxedoes pose for the one photo that will either make or break the night. Prom was once known in the 19th century as a banquet for the graduating senior college class. Culture soon pushed for proms at a younger age, introducing them to high schools in the 1940s.
A thriving post war economy in the 1950s started moving away from the cringe gymnasium and punch soiree to much more classier hotels and country clubs…
…Starting in the 1980s, prom took center stage in the media. Playing a major role in dramas and romances including Carrie, Pretty in Pink and Mean Girls. Weather you arch nemesis drops pig blood on you, you kiss your dream guy or your share you plastic crown with all the misfits of the high school, prom promises an eventful night.

In recent years, prom has taken a turn from the simple “will you go to prom with me” to embarrassing but essential promposal. Weather it be on the Ellen Show or with a marching band, expectations are high for how one will be asked.”

Many, many vendors work in the four billion dollar prom industry. Possible vendors include the following:
- Venues
- DJ or band
- Dress
- Hair & Makeup Services
- Tanning
- Tux
- Floral
- Decorations & Planning
- Photographer
- After Prom Activities
- Catering

As a photographer, it’s vital to provided an unforgettable experience. I want my subjects to feel comfortable and look back and love their photos in the years to come. My goal is to provide an experience that they want to share with others.

Remember, word of mouth is one of the most powerful marketing tools. People will talk, let’s give them an unforgettable experience to talk about!

Successful Prom Photos

Other than the obvious portrait session recommendations like having a time, location and shot list, these are my top tips for providing an unforgettable prom photo session, without too much PDA.

1. Establish PDA comfort level with parents and the couple. Is holding hands ok? Can the couple kiss, do they want that photographed? Is the couple together or are they friends? Asking these questions right away will help avoid awkward moments during the session.

2. Shoot wide open. A wide aperture will give blurry backgrounds and a dreamy feel. Extra long lenses are another great way to make your subject pop and give your images a dreamy feel. Be sure to obviously separate your subjects from the foreground and background for the most extreme blur.

3. Photograph the same pose in many angles, distances and compositions. Since there are fewer poses that are friendly & young love appreciate, each pose needs to stretched into more images. Achieve this by moving around, changing your composition and angle. If you are pressed for time, this is a good time to pull out your fast lenses. Sigma just released a new fast lens for Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras that would be great- the 24-70mm f/2.8. If you are not pressed for time, I would 100% recommend shooting with a prime lens.

4. Details matter. Photograph the flowers, shoes and transportation. Don’t forget extra special details- maybe he is wearing is dad’s watch or she is wearing her sister’s necklace. Document these things!!

5. Give emotive prompts. Asking the couple to do something other than traditional posing will yield natural & candid images. A few of my favorite things to do is ask the couple to walk, dance together or stop and smell the flowers.

6. Take Bias photographs, which are images with one subject in focus and the other blurred out, either in the foreground or the background. Prom photos don’t have to celebrate each half of the couple in every photo!!

7. Bring music! You probably already own a Bluetooth speaker and have a spotify account. Take a little bit of time to make a prom photo session playlist and make sure your speaker has battery life. Music helps set the mood so the vibe of the photo session is completely up to you.

8. Shoot through things. Using different objects like flowers, prisms or fabric can completely change the look of your current location. Prisms are an inexpensive investment that yield dreamy, unique images.