These do not have to look like senior pictures. No gown, no fence post, no hand on the hip in front of a brick wall unless that is genuinely your thing.
What we are after is what you are actually like right now. Your clothes, the stuff you are into, the way you stand when nobody is telling you how to stand. Most seniors feel weird for the first ten minutes and then forget about it entirely, and the photos from after that point are the ones that end up framed.
Here is how to get ready.
Bring three outfits
Three is the sweet spot. It gives you real variety without turning the session into a fashion show in a parking lot.
One: what you actually wear. Jeans and the shirt you reach for, the hoodie, the boots, whatever you would put on to go meet friends. This is the warm-up outfit and it is usually the one your friends say looks most like you.
Two: dressed up. The nicer version. A dress, a suit or a jacket, something you feel sharp in. We shoot this one last, in the best light of the evening.
Three: the one that says something. Your jersey, your letter jacket, your future college sweatshirt, a band tee, your work gear, the outfit you wear on stage. This is where the photos stop being generic.
If you have your cap and gown, throw it in the car. We will get a few classic shots at the end so your grandparents have one. It does not have to be the point of the session.
What photographs well
- Wear what you like, not what you think you are supposed to wear. Discomfort shows up in your face.
- Solid colors and simple patterns. Big logos and neon pull attention off you.
- Fit matters. Not baggy, not too tight, just clothes that actually fit.
- Try everything on ahead of time. Sit, walk, raise your arms.
- Think about the season. Fall means layers and good color. Winter means a coat that looks intentional and boots that keep you upright. Summer means lighter fabrics and bugs, so bring spray.
- Jewel tones and warm earth tones look great against Alaska. All-beige tends to wash out.
If you are stuck, text us photos of the options. We will tell you which one to bring.
Bring one or two things that are yours
Props are what separate your photos from every other senior session that year. Keep it to a couple of meaningful things rather than a carload.
Sports gear, an instrument, your truck, a skateboard, art supplies, a camera, fishing rods, dance shoes, your acceptance letter, your dog if someone can come hold the leash. If you are into something, we can build part of the session around it.
On feeling awkward about it
Everyone does. You are not a model, you do not do this, and the whole setup is a little strange. That is the normal starting point.
What we will not do is tell you to relax and be natural and then stand there waiting. You get actual direction. Walk toward me and look back over your shoulder. Lean on that and put your hands in your pockets. Look down, then look up when I say. Fake laugh, which turns into a real laugh about ninety percent of the time.
We also keep you moving, because standing still is where stiffness lives. Walking, climbing on something, messing with whatever you brought. Between the direction and the movement, most seniors stop thinking about the camera pretty quickly.
If there is something you are self conscious about, tell us before we start. Hate your smile, hate one side of your face, hate having your photo taken at all. None of that is unusual and all of it is workable, but only if we know.
Where and when
We shoot in the last stretch of daylight, usually an hour or two before sunset, because that light does more for a portrait than anything else we could do.
For the location, tell us the feeling you want. Mountains, downtown, water, forest, somewhere industrial. We grew up here, so we know which spots are worth the drive and which ones look better in photos than in person. If somewhere matters to you, like your field, your job, the trail you hike every week, that beats anything we would suggest.
The day before
- Lay out all three outfits, shoes and accessories included.
- Steam or iron everything. Wrinkles are surprisingly loud in photos.
- Haircuts should happen one to two weeks out, not the night before.
- Sleep and water. Both show up on camera more than you would expect.
- Charge your phone and make a playlist. We will play it.
Bring: the outfits, your props, a hairbrush and hair ties, touch-up makeup if you wear it, water and a snack, layers, and a parent or friend to carry things and hold the dog.
How the session runs
Most sessions include up to two hours of shooting and usually run about an hour to ninety minutes. We are efficient without rushing you, and we show you shots as we go so you can see it working instead of wondering.
There are normally two of us. Ben is on the camera. Moriah handles posing, fixes the collar or the flyaway hair before it becomes a problem in forty photos, and generally keeps things loose. If Moriah cannot make your session we will tell you ahead of time and Ben has it handled.
We start in your most comfortable outfit, work through the others, and save the dressy one for the end when the light is best. If the weather turns or something goes sideways, that is ours to solve. You just keep being yourself.
For parents
A few practical notes. These images work for the yearbook, graduation announcements, applications, and the wall. Yearbook deadlines are usually earlier than families expect, so check yours before you book, especially if you want the fall color, which in Southcentral is a short window in late August and early September.
Sessions during senior season fill first, so if you have a specific month in mind it is worth reaching out early. And when the gallery comes in, order prints. The yearbook shot is not the one you will care about in ten years. The one where they are laughing at something off camera is.
After
We cull everything down, edit by hand, and get you a sneak peek within about a week. The full gallery follows a few weeks later, high resolution with a print release so you can order whatever you need.
Questions about outfits, timing, or yearbook deadlines? Just ask. We would rather answer now than have you guess.
