What are Senior Photos?
Senior Photos
When I tell people I do senior photos, sometimes they think of retirees and of the elderly.
But when I say “senior” I mean 12th graders in high school. Quite the opposite of retirees!
Coming to the end of a school career is a big deal to students and their families. The purpose of this type of photo session is to capture a young person’s unique personality at a pivotal time in their life.
The Traditional Yearbook Headshot
One priority of senior photos is to get a beautiful photo to submit to the school yearbook. While younger students have their regular school photo printed with their peers, the 12th graders have the opportunity to submit their own unique photo of their choice.
It’s a tradition that has been a staple of high school yearbooks for generations and one that I hope all seniors consider when booking.
Often times the deadline to submit photos to the high school yearbook happens in the Fall of senior year, so it can be a good idea to set a date for the Summer or early Fall to meet the deadline.
Celebrating a Coming of Age Milestone
Coming to the end of high school and entering a new chapter of young adulthood is a big deal.
I really believe that taking the time to celebrate is an important habit to cultivate joy and enjoy life.
Senior photos is perfect for commemorating the coming of age milestone of completing high school. With this in mind, that’s why I don’t think there is a particular point in senior year that anyone HAS to have their photo session done. Yes the yearbook deadline is one influence, but the most important reason is to celebrate the senior. And I have this perspective because of my own personal experience.
My Senior Year
At the end of my junior year in high school the Great Recession affected my family and my dad was one of thousands laid off by a large software company. So going into my senior year things were financially bleak and by the time I graduated our home was in foreclosure.
Needless to say my family couldn't afford to have my senior photo taken in time to submit to the high school yearbook. It wasn’t a good feeling.
It felt like everyone but me had a glamorous photo in the yearbook while mine was a basic snapshot. (The truth is I wasn’t the only one in my class with similar situation). After I graduated, my mom saw an ad for senior photos and somehow gathered enough money to book a basic session and ordered the few prints we could afford.
The experience was amazing. I wish I remembered this photographers name, because she made me feel so special and beautiful. The photos turned out amazing. Being a teenage girl is hard and the photo session experience gave me a huge self-esteem boost. At that time of my life I was extremely shy. Just the year before I didn't get a job because the manager thought I was too quiet! That photo session felt so good to have an experience that was all about me. That celebrated me and my accomplishment in the face of a not-so-great year otherwise.
Today, I approach each senior photo session with my own experience in mind in the hope I can make each students experience as positive as mine was regardless of what life is throwing at them.
Every Senior is Special
Seems cliche, because it is, but this cliche is the truth. Every senior is special!
So for every senior I photograph the help I offer begins before the session day.
I can offer advice on what to wear, I help recommend seniors choose outdoor or in-studio locations as well as advise on details that some might not think about. Like, can parents come? How many outfits are recommended?
The answers are yes and 2-3 ;)
Senior photos are some of my favorite sessions and I love to help seniors make the most out of their time to commemorate their moment.
