For most parents, senior pictures are a distant memory. They have changed a lot over the last two decades, incorporating more creativity and individuality than ever before. Seniors have a lot more options available to them, ranging from traditional sessions in a studio to trendy urban shoots. This is the perfect opportunity for them to showcase their unique talents, passions, and personality, while also creating a lasting memory. However, with all the available options, portrait sessions can quickly become overwhelming for both parents and seniors.
Here are a few quick tips to help you prepare for your child’s upcoming senior session.
Make a Note of the Yearbook Deadline
Knowing the yearbook deadline encourages you to schedule a senior session instead of putting it off until the last minute. Depending on your requirements, a senior photo session will start with a yearbook portrait followed by creative shots that are unique to your child. In most instances, it takes at least 2 weeks to receive the final images, so plan accordingly.
Keep Your Senior’s Schedule in Mind
As a parent of a senior, you already know how frantic their schedules can be. Before you go ahead and schedule a session, sit down with your senior to discuss a good time. They should be just as involved in the planning as you are. Even the specific time of day matters when scheduling a senior session. Ideally, you want to take photos just after sunrise and just before sunset, as this is when the lighting’s the best. However, the right photographer can make any time of the day work. Midday should be a last resort though as the lighting is far too harsh – unless your session is done in studio.
Compromise with Your Senior
You may have a specific idea about the photos you would like to see, but this is about your Senior and what makes them feel confident and comfortable. Most senior sessions allow for several outfit changes, so use this as an opportunity to find a happy balance between what you want and what your senior wants. Be patient and hear them out before you brush off their ideas. Their pictures should represent who they are and what they love.
Encourage Sharing
Prior to a senior session, get your child to open up about their passions, hopes, and dreams. This information will help guide the shoot and ensure the most authentic photos. Knowing what your senior wants these photos to represent will also guide their outfit and location choices. We actually will send you a questionnaire to complete that allows us to get to know your senior – just remember – have them fill it out – not you 🙂
Don’t forget to include your senior in the search for a photographer – a photographer’s style needs to fit in with the images you hope to create.
3 Simple Ways to Choose a Senior Photographer You’ll Want to Recommend to Others
Your senior year is going to be one of the most memorable times in your life and what better way to keep those memories alive than with a senior photo session. However, your experience and photos are only as good as your photographer, so you need to choose wisely.
Luckily, it’s much easier than you might think. Here are 3 simple tips that will help.
Homework is a Must
Yes, it can take some time but finding the right senior photographer is well worth the effort. Along with using a trustworthy search engine, you can also do some searches on social media sites such as Instagram and Pinterest – this will give you a good idea of the photographer’s capabilities. Read through any reviews that are available as these are invaluable.
Stick to the Pros
It might be tempting to get a friend or amateur to take your senior photos, but it’s a huge risk. You could spend weeks planning everything from your location and outfit to the props you want to use only to be left with photos you don’t want to share. When you work with a pro, you can be sure they will understand how to translate your vision into photos you love!
Stick to a Senior Photographer
A photographer can have many different specialties, but it’s advisable to pick a photographer that actually photographs seniors. It’s fine if they also specialize in other forms of photography, but senior photography should be one of them. These photographers know what looks good for these types of photos, ensuring you will be happy. If you will be searching on social media, start by searching for hashtags related to seniors to help narrow down your search.
There you have it, you’re now ready to start your search.
Class of 2020 ended in a way that we never thought possible. I’m so thankful for my 2021 Senior families that are booking their senior sessions now. They are embracing every single moment of this year and the senior experience. I was so honored to be chosen to photograph Jayden and her Senior Session. We hung out on a HOT Saturday afternoon and made some awesome image that really show off her personality and style.
Get to know Jayden
What are you up to outside of school? Choir, playing piano and guitar, worship/church, hanging with friends and family
What is your fashion style? Comfort all the way. I love shopping at the vintage shops
If you had one item that represented you, what would it be? My guitar for sure
How do you want people to think of you? As being kind.
Sweet girl – I can’t wait to see what all you accomplish in life. You have a kind heart and you are full of love and grace. Stay that way.
Ethan’s Senior Session | Crossroads High School | Class of 2020
Ethan and his momma came in a few months ago to talk about doing his senior session. You see, his mom is a typical mom… she LOVES pictures. She can probably come up with just about any reason for pictures… I love her for that. Ethan, is a typical boy – he dreads them and really was there because he wanted to make mom happy. My promise to him was that we would be fast, he could wear what HE wanted to wear and the images could be what he wanted them to be…. I honestly don’t think he believed me when I told him all of that. However, the day he showed up – I let him take the lead and it was the perfect session for him.
Ethan is a Senior at Cross High School and is planning to take a year off before going to school and travel, which is such an exciting opportunity. After a year of exploring and soul searching Ethan plans to go to school to study either art or archaeology.
A little bit about you…
Think ahead to your 10 year high school reunion, what do you want to be remembered for? “Just being remembered at all would be nice.” Side note: I think we often don’t see the impact we make on others. My hope for Ethan is that he looks back and see’s that he made a bigger difference than he dreams of.
Thank you Ethan for allowing me to be your senior photographer.
Beautiful Evolutions Senior Sessions
Interested in learning more or booking one of our senior sessions? You can see more information here on our website: Beautiful Evolutions Seniors. We offer mini and full sessions – all of our full sessions include full hair and makeup for our girls – and our boys will receive a credit towards their session for not having that need. Each senior can choose an in-studio session or an outdoor session at a location of their choice. We will help you will all the planning and details to get you ready for your big day.
Allison’s Senior Session | Burleson High School | Class of 2020
I was so lucky to be able to photograph Allison. It was such an honor to watch her transform and dance around downtown in her beautiful dress. My hope is that she felt like a princess during her session.
Allison is a Senior at Burleson High School and her dream school is Tarleton State University. When asked what her dream for her future was Allison answered “I want to be an Astronomer or a Graphic Designer and maybe and author with a side job of making clothes”.
Another fun thing we ask our seniors is, “What is one fun fact about you that people may not know?” Allison answered “I have double jointed elbows.” Her fun personality is definitely noticed.
Thank you Allison for allowing me to be your senior photographer.
Beautiful Evolutions Senior Sessions
Interested in learning more or booking one of our senior sessions? You can see more information here on our website: Beautiful Evolutions Seniors. We offer mini and full sessions – all of our full sessions include full hair and makeup. Each senior can choose an in-studio session or an outdoor session at a location of their choice. We will help you will all the planning and details to get you ready for your big day.
Adriana’s Senior Session | Burleson High School | Class of 2020
Sweet Adriana came into the studio with her mom to meet me before her session. It wasn’t her beauty that stood out, it was her kind soul and her soft, sweet voice. She is a sweet girl and just knew she wanted pretty pictures. Her mom only had one request, and that was angel wings .
Side note: I actually have angel wings in the studio – it was ironic and nothing either of them knew ahead of time. There is a backstory with the wings, each woman in her family has had a picture with wings at some stage in their childhood. So I knew exactly how to make it happen for her. What I didn’t know, was that once Adriana got done with hair and makeup … she stood in her own confidence and power. Her shy, sweet demeanor changed and she transformed into a confident girl that moved as though she could take on the world.
Adriana is a Senior at Burleson High School and is planning to go to school to start her
career in the medical field. One of the things we always ask our seniors is “What are you most proud of?” Adriana’s answer was “I am most proud of attending college for a reading program that was limited for some seniors at TCU”. Girl, You should be proud!! I think that is an incredible accomplishment.
Adriana: Challenged/ Confidence
Thank you for allowing me to be your senior photographer.
Beautiful Evolutions Senior Sessions
Interested in learning more or booking one of our senior sessions? You can see more information here on our website: Beautiful Evolutions Seniors. We offer mini and full sessions – all of our full sessions include full hair and makeup. Each senior can choose an in-studio session or an outdoor session at a location of their choice. We will help you will all the planning and details to get you ready for your big day.
