Tips for planning your high school senior photos

It may feel like just yesterday they were making macaroni art and asking for help tying their shoelaces, right? Flash forward to now, and your baby is preparing to graduate. How time flies!

While I’m sure this moment is bittersweet for many parents, one way to capture your student’s last year in high school is to plan their senior photos. These special portraits are a memorable way to celebrate your child’s accomplishments while highlighting their personality, hobbies, and dreams for the future.

It’s important that you and your senior love these portraits. So, from an experienced high school senior photographer, here are my top tips for ensuring your child’s senior portraits are a dazzling success.

1. Choose the right time to shoot high school senior photos

Most often, seniors opt to take their photos around the spring or early summer, but when planning high school senior photos, you want to book a time that considers several other factors:

• Do you want to include professional photos in your yearbook? If so, what is the school’s submission deadline?
• How far in advance does my photographer book up, and when can I expect the final photos after our shoot?
• Does my senior have a specific location in mind that requires reserving time for our photo shoot?
• Is my senior part of any extracurricular activities that would impact what month we can shoot?

2. Pick outfits and props that memorialize the senior year

I encourage students to think about what looks they want for their high school senior photo sessions. Choosing outfits and props is a fun way to make sure their personality shines in each photo we snap. Here are a few looks I recommend:

- A classic outfit ideal for the yearbook and photos shared with family and friends.

- A look that showcases their hobbies and interests. In the past, I’ve seen seniors bring sports equipment and gear, uniforms, and even musical instruments. This look is one of my favorites because it shows your student in their element with something they are passionate about.

- An outfit your senior feels authentic in. This can be anything from a full-length gown to their favorite band’s t-shirt or a cool hat.

3. Think about what location matches your senior’s style

Rhode Island offers many diverse places to take incredible high school senior photos. Each senior I’ve photographed has a specific style in mind for their photos, and I love helping them find locations that reflect who they are.

One student I enjoyed working with, Katie, knew she wanted a location by the water and in a park for her high school senior photos. We chose Goddard Park because of its variety of beautiful water backdrops, large rocks, and open fields.

Similarly, Danika did not have a specific location in mind but knew she liked vivid greenery walls. We worked together to find the perfect location, Colt State Park, where we had access to tall, grassy fields and stone bridges.

Invest in high school senior photos that capture your student

Graduating from high school is an immense accomplishment that deserves to be recognized. Not only that, but by the time your senior has reached the end of high school, it also marks the end of an era. These moments are worth framing. Create portraits that you and your family can look back on for years to come by partnering with an experienced high school senior photographer. Let’s chat about how I can help you capture your senior’s unique personality and celebrate this milestone in their life.