Young woman in floral mini dress posing outdoors at golden sunset with dry grass field background.
A woman in a floral mini dress twirls on a dirt path surrounded by bare trees in warm golden hour light.

Let me save you from a mistake

I see all the time.


Ladies, I get it.


You’ve got a session coming up. You want to look glowy, polished, confident, and just a little sun-kissed. You start thinking maybe a spray tan or some self-tanner will give you that extra something and make the photos pop.


Sounds good in theory.


But let me be real with you for a second. A bad fake tan before a photoshoot can turn into a whole problem fast.


And I’m not saying that to be dramatic. I’m saying it because I’ve seen it. More than once.

The goal is glow,

not orange ankles

and dark knuckles


Most people are not trying to overdo it. That’s the funny part. Nobody wakes up and says, “You know what would really help these photos? Patchy elbows.”


But that is exactly how it goes sometimes.


What looked fine in the bathroom mirror the night before suddenly looks very different in daylight. The hands are darker than the arms. The color settled weird around the knees. The ankles grabbed too much. The spots between the fingers are telling on you. Now instead of feeling confident, you are hoping I can somehow wave a magic editing wand and make it disappear.


Let me just say this kindly. Editing helps a lot. It does. But uneven fake tan is one of those things that can get messy fast.


A little warmth in the skin tone? Sure. That can be adjusted.


Blotchy, orange, uneven self-tanner from 24 hours ago? That is a different story.

Young blonde woman in floral dress leaning against tree trunk in golden sunlight outdoors.
Young woman in floral dress leaning against tree in golden sunlight outdoors.

Please do not do it the day before your session


This is the big one.


If you are going to do a spray tan or self-tanner, do not do it the day before. That is where people get into trouble. It has not had time to settle. It has not had time to even out. And if it develops weird, now you are walking into your session hoping for the best.


That is not the kind of energy we want.


A better rule? Do it two to three days before your shoot.


That gives the tan time to calm down a little. It gives you time to see how it really developed. And it gives you a little breathing room in case something needs fixing.


That buffer matters. A lot.



And yes, wear gloves


Oof.


I know that sounds simple, but I cannot tell you how often hands give everything away. The tan gets in between the fingers, around the nails, on the knuckles, and suddenly the hands are louder than the face.


That is not what we are going for.


Your hands show up in pictures more than you think. Holding your cap. Fixing your dress. Touching your hair. Resting at your side. They matter. So if you are doing self-tanner at home, please wear gloves and take your time.


Because once you notice weird hands in a photo, you cannot unsee them.

Here’s the truth.

You probably do not need it


 

I know. That is not always what people want to hear.


But most of the time, you do not need a fake tan to look beautiful in photos. You need good light. Good direction. Good styling. Good angles. And somebody behind the camera who knows how to help you look like your best self.


That matters more than a last-minute tanning appointment.


A lot of people think being darker automatically means they will photograph better. Not really. What photographs best is skin that looks even, healthy, and natural. That is the sweet spot.


So if you are on the fence, my honest advice is this. Skip it rather than rush it.


Young woman in white tank top and denim shorts reclining on a rustic stone wall outdoors.
Young woman with wavy red hair sits on stone steps outdoors, wearing a white tank top and wide-leg jeans at golden hour.
Young woman with red hair in white tank top and jeans leaning against a stone wall in golden hour light.

If you still want one, just do it smart


I’m not anti-tan. I’m anti-regret. I'm anti-overworking, trying to make your skin look natural.


If having a little color helps you feel more confident, I get that. Just be smart about it.


Do it early. Keep it natural. Do not try some random new product right before your session. Prep your skin. Wear gloves. Check it in real daylight. And please do not go so dark that your face and body stop looking like they belong together.


You want people looking at your photos to notice you. Your smile. Your confidence. Your presence.


Not your elbows.

What I really want for you


I want you showing up to your session feeling good.


Not stressed. Not second-guessing. Not looking down at your hands in the parking lot wondering why they are three shades darker than the rest of you. I want you relaxed. Comfortable. Ready to enjoy the experience.


That is when the best photos happen.


The best photos do not come from chasing perfection. They come from feeling like yourself, being present, and trusting the process. That is where the real glow comes from.


So if you are thinking about a spray tan before your shoot, here is my honest advice.

Do it carefully. Do it early. Or do not do it at all.


That one choice can save you a lot of stress and help your photos look cleaner, more polished, and way more natural in the end.


And trust me, future you will be glad you read this first.