Most people spend more time planning what to eat after their portrait session than preparing for the session itself. That's a mistake. The difference between photos you frame and photos you never look at again comes down to three things: what you wear, where you shoot, and how comfortable you feel. All three are within your control.
I've photographed hundreds of portrait sessions in Santa Fe — headshots, personal branding, editorial portraits, fitness shoots, family sessions, and everything between. Here's what I tell every client before their session.
Choose the Right Time of Day
Santa Fe sits at 7,000 feet. The light here is stronger, sharper, and more directional than most places in the country. That means timing matters more than usual.
Golden hour is the standard for a reason. The hour before sunset gives you warm, soft, directional light that flatters every skin tone and makes backgrounds glow. In Santa Fe, golden hour is exceptionally good because the desert landscape catches that light and amplifies it. Adobe walls turn amber. Skin looks warm. Shadows get long and interesting.
Midday can work. Overcast midday light in Santa Fe is rare but usable — soft and even. Clear midday sun, however, creates harsh shadows under eyes and noses. If noon is unavoidable, I'll look for covered portals, shaded courtyards, or north-facing walls.
Morning works for certain locations. Canyon Road before 9 AM is quiet and clean. Bishop's Lodge catches morning light beautifully on the east-facing terraces. If you're an early riser and want empty streets, morning is worth considering.
What to Wear
Your outfit choice is the single biggest variable in how your photos turn out. Santa Fe's warm palette — terracotta walls, red-brown earth, golden light — sets the stage. Your clothing needs to work with it.
Solid colors in earth tones or deep neutrals. Navy, charcoal, burgundy, rust, olive, cream. These colors complement Santa Fe's natural palette and photograph well in warm light. They don't compete with the setting, and they won't date the photos.
Skip busy patterns, logos, and neon. Loud patterns pull the eye away from your face. Logos date photos instantly. Neon clashes with warm backgrounds. Keep it simple.
Fit matters more than style. A well-fitting $30 shirt looks better on camera than an ill-fitting $300 jacket. Make sure whatever you wear fits through the shoulders and doesn't bunch, gap, or ride up. If it's new, wear it around the house first.
Layers give you options. A jacket over a shirt gives you two looks without a full wardrobe change. I always recommend bringing at least one extra top so I can mix things up midway through the session.
Where to Shoot in Santa Fe
Location sets the tone. I choose shooting spots based on the purpose of the photos and the mood you're going for.
Downtown / Canyon Road. Adobe walls, carved wooden doors, narrow streets, art galleries. This is quintessential Santa Fe and works for portraits that need a sense of place. Late afternoon light on Canyon Road is some of the best in town.
Bishop's Lodge. Cottonwood-lined paths, adobe architecture, mountain views. This property gives you multiple distinct backdrops in a single location — terrace, courtyard, garden, open mesa. Ideal for sessions that need variety.
The Railyard. More modern and urban. Industrial textures, murals, clean lines. Good for headshots and branding sessions where you want a contemporary feel rather than traditional Southwest.
Open desert. Mesa north of town — big sky, clean horizons, no distractions. This is for editorial or artistic portraits where you want the landscape to do the heavy lifting. The Sangre de Cristo mountains make a natural backdrop.
Your office or studio. For corporate headshots, sometimes shooting on-site makes the most sense. I bring a simple lighting setup and use the architecture you already have.
How to Feel Comfortable on Camera
Most people say the same thing before their portrait session: "I'm not photogenic." That's almost never true. What's true is that most people have never been photographed by someone who knows how to make them comfortable.
Move. I don't plant you in one spot and shoot 50 frames. I direct you through movement — shifting positions, changing angles, walking through the space. Motion loosens you up and creates natural expressions. Some of the best portraits happen between poses, in the transitions.
Don't worry about your "good side." I shoot from multiple angles and I'll find what works. Your job is to breathe, relax your shoulders, and focus on something other than the camera.
Talk to me. I ask questions during sessions — about your work, your plans, your morning. It's not small talk. Conversation gives your face life. The moment you stop thinking about being photographed is when the real expressions come through.
Trust the process. You don't need to see every frame as we go. I know what's working and I'll redirect if something isn't. The more you let go of controlling the outcome, the better the photos get.
Grooming and Prep Details
Hair. Get any cuts or color done at least a week before the session. On the day, go with something that holds up in wind — Santa Fe is breezy. Natural textures do better than precision styling in outdoor sessions.
Skin. Moisturize. Drink water the day before. If you wear makeup, keep it natural. Heavy makeup reads differently on camera than in the mirror, and at altitude in strong sun, it can separate. A tinted moisturizer, defined brows, and a matte lip are enough.
Hands. If your hands will be visible — and they will in most portrait work — a clean, neat manicure makes a difference. Doesn't need to be a salon job. Just filed and clean.
Glasses. If you wear them daily, wear them in the session. I'll manage reflections with angle adjustments. If you only sometimes wear them, bring both options.
Rest. Show up rested. Puffy eyes, tension in the jaw, fatigue in the shoulders — these show up in close-up portraits. An early bedtime the night before goes further than any filter.
What to Expect During the Session
A standard portrait session with me runs 45 minutes to an hour. Here's the typical flow:
First 10 minutes: I ease you in. I shoot frames while you're warming up. These are often throwaway frames and that's fine — the point is to get you comfortable with the camera and the rhythm.
Middle 20-30 minutes: This is where the real work happens. You're relaxed, the light is dialed in, and I'm moving you through angles, expressions, and locations. I give light direction — "chin slightly down," "look past me," "walk toward me" — but I'm not micro-managing every muscle.
Final 10 minutes: We'll do any specific shots you need — particular backgrounds, outfit changes, or detail work. If the light is exceptional, I might push a few minutes longer.
Delivery: You'll get your edited gallery within 2-3 weeks. Every image is individually color-graded. Full download rights included.
Book a Portrait Session
Portrait sessions in Santa Fe start at $350. That includes up to an hour of shooting, individual color grading on every image, and an online gallery with full download rights.
Whether it's a headshot, a personal branding session, or an editorial portrait — the process starts with a conversation about what you need and where to shoot.
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Casey Addason is a Santa Fe photographer covering weddings, portraits, and events across New Mexico. Also serving Albuquerque. View the portfolio or get in touch.
