Happy Friday, y’all! I don’t know about you, but my week has been r-o-u-g-h rough, and this weekend could not come soon enough. As always, Friday is a welcome end to the week and beginning to the weekend. Tomorrow my husband and I have plans to hike a new (to us) trail, so that is always exciting. Ever the photographer, I can’t help but use my personal hiking trips as location scouting trips for future sessions. But enough about me, I want to know what you look forward to doing on weekends. Let me know down below in the comment section!
Anyways, today’s post is all about senior photo sessions. The photos featured in this post are from a real senior session I shot last Spring, if you would like to see more photos from this session you can check out my post “Northwest Arkansas Senior Photos”. But today I have created a guide that will take you through everything you need to know about senior photo sessions!
What is a senior photo session?
First off, what even is a senior photo session? Simply put, it is a photo session for anyone who is graduating from high school or college (or trade school, grad school, etc.). But it’s so much more than that! These photos are capturing such a special time in the lives of graduates, and I truly believe this type of session is just as important as any other milestone photo session (engagement, anniversary, maternity, family, etc.).
I put a lot of thought into how I can make each senior session as personal, as special, and as fun as possible. One of the ways I do that is by including my clients’ hobbies into the session. This could be sports, pets, a special location, or really anything! The complimentary consultation phone call is very important for senior sessions, since that is when we talk about your interests, hobbies, and your vision for the session.
For A’s session (whose photos are featured in this post) we started out on her family’s farm and took photos with her horse, then went to the main street of the small town where she lives, and ended our session at the creek where she grew up playing with her brothers. This session was heavy on nostalgia and hobbies, and I know that she will love looking back on these photos for years to come (aka my main goal with every session)!
Why should I schedule a senior photo session?
Many people schedule senior sessions in order to have a photo for the yearbook. But if you missed the deadline or if your school does not allow you to submit your own photo, I would still encourage you to book a senior session. These photos of A were taken after her graduation day, but her mom understood the importance of these milestone photos and encouraged her to book a senior session anyways.
There is a time and a place for the photo of you that the photographer your school hired took of you looking exactly like every other graduate in your class (the way everyone’s head is tilted in the exact same angle always drives me a little bit crazy). But a senior photo session is full of your personality and is tailored to your unique interests – at least when you book with me it is! These will be photos that will help your future kids/nieces/nephews get to know who you were when you were their age.
How do I prepare for my senior photo session?
1. Location
The first thing you will want to do is decide on the location(s) for your session. During your complimentary consultation call with me we will discuss different options, and I have a pretty huge list of places I love to shoot at with examples of my work there to give you an idea of what your own photos could look like. I am also always open to new locations, and I love when a client takes me to their favorite spots for the session. Senior sessions are a little different than other types of sessions, and we often have time to visit up to three locations as long as they are close to each other.
2. Hobbies/Interests
Next you will want to choose a few of your hobbies or interests to include in the session. Here are 10 examples of things we could incorporate into your session *not a comprehensive list*:
1. Sports – school sponsored sports on a field or in a gym, possibly in your uniform and/or letterman jacket or purely hobby sports like hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, etc.
2. Pets – pets are always encouraged at my sessions (as long as the location allows them!)
3. Reading – picture your session in a bookstore or library!? Yes please!
4. Collections – I want to see your foreign coin collection, your pressed flower collection, the sand from every beach you’ve ever visited, your concert tees, etc.
5. Boating/Canoeing/Kayaking – I love any session in/around/on the water. Let’s go out on your family’s boat, let’s go canoeing or kayaking, let’s jump off a dock, let’s skip rocks and look for crawdads
6. Sewing/crocheting/knitting – imagine cozying up in your favorite chair and working on your favorite craft for a portion of your session
7. Job – did you bartend your way through grad school? Are you graduating from barber school? Did you work at an ice cream parlor during highschool? We could figure out a creative way to include elements of your (past or future) job into your photos
8. Music – I would love to photograph you with your instrument – whether you played in the school band or orchestra or just for fun!
9. Campus – the school you are graduating from has likely played a huge part in your life for the last several years. But like, let’s take photos at the bench where you ate your lunch between classes every day, on the front steps of your dorm, in the foyer of the building where most of your classes were held, in the bleachers where you watched every football game, or any other spot that is special to you for any reason
10. Hometown – you never know what the next few years will bring, and you might never live in your hometown again. Including your hometown in your senior session as a character instead of just a location can be really special and especially memorable to look back on in 15 or 20 years. Take me to the best coffee shop, ice cream shop, bar, etc. Show me the thrift or vintage store you and your friends would always shop at. Where did your parents take you fishing as a child? I wanna see the skate park where you broke your arm in the fifth grade
3. Style
Once you have chosen the location(s) and interest(s) you would like to include in your session, you will be able to choose your outfit(s). Everyone who books a session with me will receive my style guide to help them decide what to wear. It has advice as well as photo examples. My top three recommendations for choosing your outfit are:
1. Keep it simple – you likely already own clothes that are flattering and photograph well. When it comes to photo sessions, wearing something you are comfortable in is always best
2. Avoid logos – they are tacky and will date your photos
3. Dress for your location – if your session will be at a creek, you should wear your chacos or tevas instead of heels or loafers. If you will be in a field with your horse, boots are probably a good idea.
4. Pamper
I always recommend my clients pamper themselves before a session. It just helps you feel refreshed and confident, and that definitely shows in the photos! This could look like taking a nice long shower, or getting a fresh haircut and style, or getting your nails done, or having your makeup done professionally. Whatever makes you feel good.
What can I expect during my senior photo session?
Because senior sessions are solo portrait sessions, I usually do pose my clients a little more than during other sessions. But I also like to create space for spontaneity and natural, genuine facial expressions throughout the session.
Senior sessions are also like a one-on-one bestie hang with me, and my whole goal as your bestie is to help you look amazing. So if you have something in your teeth, I will tell you. If you need someone to hold your things so they don’t make weird lumps in your pocket, I’m here for you. Whatever it takes to get the photos of your dreams, we will get it done.
Printing your photos
I have a whole blog post about printing your photos, “Heirloom Albums & Prints”, so I won’t get into the topic too much here. One thing I will say, though, is that your photos are too precious to sit on a hard drive. Print them and give them to your parents, grandparents, and aunts and uncles as gifts. Put them in an album so that your friends can look at them when they come to visit. Whatever you decide to do with them, the important thing is that you print them, because we live in real life, not in a screen.
Final Thoughts …
I hope this post has been helpful to you as you plan and prepare for your senior session! And if you are located in or near Northwest Arkansas and are still looking for a photographer, I would love to chat. Your senior photos are so important and so special, and I want you to get the photos of your dreams. ‘Tis all.
*All my blog posts contain a selection of images that I’ve taken. If you are interested in booking a wedding or session with me, I am more than happy to send you a full gallery upon request!
I’m a wife, a dog mom, a foodie, a wanderer, a registered nurse, and a couples/intimate wedding/elopement photographer … and this blog will cover it all! If you enjoyed this post, first of all thank you, and second of all please follow me on Instagram + Facebook and sign up for my monthly newsletter to get exclusive wedding planning advice and access to all of my new (and old) freebies! If you have any questions about elopement photography, my journey from nursing to photography, or my time spent as a full-time RVer, drop a comment and I just might write a blog post answering your question (but I definitely will)!
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