Get the Most Out of Your Senior Portrait Session

I LOVE taking senior photos! Senior year is an exciting time for parents and students—it’s the culmination of the years of hard work, and the nostalgia sets in when both parents and seniors realize they’re about to have the last of their high school experiences and will soon be moving on to new stages of life. Some seniors look forward to their senior photos and spend lots of time in preparation while others dread being in front of the camera and are only participating to please their parents. No matter which category you (or your student) fall into, I’ve put together a list of tips to help you get the most out of your senior portrait session!

1. Be aware of your yearbook deadline when scheduling your session

From my personal experience, I find that many schools in Colorado have a deadline around the middle to end of October during the student’s senior year. Be sure to check with your school as the deadline can vary from school to school.

The prime time to take senior photos is the summer before senior year. In Colorado, the weather is nice and warm, and the evenings are mild and beautiful! But the weather isn’t the only reason you may want to consider a summer session. After each session, your photographer will then edit your photos and you will want to factor the editing time into your timeline. The turnaround time for your photos will vary with each photographer and will depend on their workload and lifestyle. When planning for senior photos, give yourself extra time so you’re not in a rush to get your photo submitted for the yearbook. (Bonus Tip: the turnaround time should always be stated in the contract your photographer provides. Be sure to look for that when booking a session so you know when to expect your images.)

A young woman smiles at the camera holding a bouquet of sunflowers and baby's breath.

A young woman smiles at the camera and holds the brim of the hat she is wearing with one hand.

2. Plan for outfit changes

Planning for multiple outfits gives you more variety in your gallery and gives you more options in case you realize that you don’t like one of your outfits as much as you thought you did. I recommend choosing at least one casual outfit and one dressy outfit. I’ve found that twenty minutes in each outfit works well for my clients and most of them take about five to ten minutes to change outfits.

Bringing a few accessories or small props can also add a lot of visual interest to your images. A hat or jacket can go a long way in changing up an outfit with minimal effort. Props can also be a lot of fun! Keep in mind that many open spaces and parks in Colorado do not allow photographers to set up large props, so think of something you can hold in your hands, like a bouquet of flowers or a football. In addition to your outfits, props can add additional variety to your photos and help tell your unique story!

A young woman in a silver dress sits on her white horse and runs one had through her hair as she looks at the camera.

A young woman in a silver dress lays on her white horse's back with her face turned toward the camera.

3. If you’re interested in multiple locations, consider scheduling multiple sessions

I’ve worked with seniors who are happy with one location, and I’ve worked with others who are interested in two separate spots that are one hour apart. These are your senior photos and it’s a special experience in your life, so if you want multiple locations, go for multiple locations! But, make sure your expectations are realistic.

The best light for outdoor photos occurs during the two golden hours each day. Golden hour takes place in the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset. If you want ideal light for your photos, but your locations are far enough apart that we can’t travel between them in that time, you may want to schedule two separate sessions at each spot.

A young woman in a blue dress swishes her skirt back and forth as she walks down a dirt path toward the camera.

A young woman in a blue dress stands in a field of yellow wildflowers holding onto her skirt and is surrounded by bubbles.

4. Relax and have fun!

Your senior session is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a fun part of senior year. Don’t take yourself too seriously and give yourself permission to have a good time! I find that the seniors who are willing to let their guard down and try unconventional poses (like running barefoot in a skirt on a hiking trail) enjoy their session the most and are blown away by the photos in their gallery.

I hope these tips help you get the most out of your senior portrait session! Be sure to follow me on social media for more session tips and to see more images from my sessions.