Should I Go Tanning Before My Photo Shoot?

If you don't have time to read this whole post, the short answer is -- probably not!

The two main worries with going tanning before a shoot are orange tints, and tan lines. If you end up with bad tan lines, it can be very difficult for your photographer to touch up your skin well enough to create a completely natural look closer to your real skin tone, and it may cost you more as well.

If your tan turns out too orange, you may end up looking like a basketball under the camera lights! Orange does not reflect well on camera, and while you may not think it looks too bad in the mirror, it will most likely look ten times worse on film.

Along with orange tones and tan lines, you run the risk of overtanning in the lighting booths, which could turn your skin crisp and rough-looking on the camera.

All this being said, of course a SMALL amount of color is completely fine. If you're a beach bum, ensure you're wearing a strong SPF, as well as using SPF face lotions on a day-to-day basis, whether the beach is involved or not.