Take Amazing Senior Photos. 2019 was the year for AMAZING senior photos, let me tell you. Every time I walked away from a shoot, I was so impressed. These kids knew exactly what they wanted, and worked with me to bring their vision to life. Every senior session was unique to the person, completely different than the one I had shot the week before, and yet they all turned out amazing. I wanted to share some of my favorite photos from 2019 with you, along with tips I think will help the next wave of seniors walk away LOVING their photos.
1: LOCATION
I think the locations you choose for senior photos are so important. It can set the mood, bring variety, and set your photos apart from others. Things to think about for locations: is your shoot themed? is there a spot that is significant to you? do you have special memories there? are you going for edgy, beautiful, crazy & different, or quirky? inside or outside? urban or nature?
There are a million different options and it’s okay to think OUTSIDE the box! This is YOUR shoot, your senior year, and I want you walking away with photos you absolutely love. The funny thing is, picking out a spot doesn’t need to be complicated. Take these for example, just on the side of the road walking distance from my house:
We shot in the fall, when colors are earthy oranges and reds, found a leafy spot on the side of the road in golden hour, and got these gorgeous shots! Bella wanted to balance out her shoot with nature, because the first half had a very different location…a bus garage.
Yes, a BUS GARAGE. When I heard this idea I was honestly confused. Like, where school busses park? Yes. So I met her there and quickly saw what her unique vision was and we went for it! I LOVE how these turned out.
Completely different, but it totally works!
Before I moved on to the next tip, I wanted to share an example from a THEMED shoot. Erin wanted a retro-look, so not only did she dress the part but we picked an old antique store that fit her aesthetic:
2: WARDROBE
Picking out what to wear is the FUN part! My advice is to bring 2-4 different options. If you have a themed shoot, make sure your outfit speaks to that (like the retro shoot above). Give yourself a variety. Bella wore pants and a shirt for her bus-garage shoot, and a beautiful flowy dress for when we were in nature. Scour Pinterest for ideas. And if you are one of my clients, I will send you an entire wardrobe guide to help you figure out what to wear!
In the meantime, here are a few tips: pick things that are flattering to your body and that you feel COMFORTABLE in. Make sure you feel like you. Muted colors and simple patterns are best so to keep the focus where it belongs: your beautiful face! Layering works wonders: hats, scarves, jackets, vests. Things you can take on and off easily!
3: PERSONALITY
I KNOW that standing in front of the camera can feel so awkward (well, for some of you…;). I think one of the biggest things to creating photos you’ll love is looking comfortable in them! Letting the camera see your fun, sweet, quiet, quirky, outgoing (ect.) personality. I do what I can to help you with this. I bring music, ask questions, and confident energy that I hope feeds off onto you.
Things you can do to help yourself relax and feel comfortable in front of the camera include: bringing a person. A friend, mom, sibling. Be confident in your locations and outfit choice. Feeling prepared and happy with your choices will take some of the stress and pressure away. Tell me your favorite music ahead of time so I can get a playlist for you! Breathe. Keep moving– I will never make you stand in an awkward pose for the sake of a photo. Feel weird? MOVE. Walk around, dance, run your hands through your hair, skip!
In these photos, I tried to keep Talon comfortable by constantly changing locations. We walked around this really cool boat launch area, up a hill, found an old barn. We were exploring and talking the whole time and you could see him relax as he realized this was EASY!
4: DETAILS
You want to know how to make your senior photos go from good to great? Pay attention to the little things! I have a Blog Post on how to prepare for your shoot. It includes things like making sure you don’t have chipped nail polish. No black hair tyes around your wrists (and I watch for this one too!). Think about color pallets and How to Dress For Your Skin Tone. I recommend professional hair & makeup to help you look & feel your best.
Timing: Golden Hour light can change “ehhh” photos to “WOW HOLY SMOKES!!” photos. That is why I always schedule my senior shoots for an hour and a half before sunset. Consider this when you are thinking over all the details of your shoot!
5: PROPS
Props can add SO much to a shoot!! Especially if you are going for a themed shoot, or including something like a sport or hobby that means a lot to you. Props that I would recomend to anyone: a cute blanket. Blankets are so versitile and easy, they are by far my favorite prop and I always have at least two on hand.
Here’s a list of ideas of props that could add so much: umbrella, flowers, blanket, sporty things, scarves, hats, bubbles, vehicle, piano, horse, anything that goes with your theme.
BONUS: Bring a Freind
Bringing a friend, sibling, or parent can help ease your nerves and bring out the best of you. Taking amazing senior photos can be a group effort, and it’s more fun that way 🙂
I hope you enjoyed these tips on how to have an amazing senior shoot! If you are interested in booking, click HERE.
Cheers to you, Seniors!! This is your year, your pictures. I hope you LOVE them!
