Five Tips For Senior Pictures

Over the last decade, I’ve written a ton of blog posts, social media posts, and even created guides to help high school seniors feel more prepared for their senior picture photoshoot. For most, this is their first big photoshoot all about them! They might have been in front of a camera for family pictures or even sports but to have a photoshoot all about you can be so exciting! In this blog post I’ve come up with some tips that I’m not sure I’ve actually written down before. So I hope you find this helpful!

How To Choose A Location

First, your photographer should help you with this. Professional photographers should have a list of locations for you to choose from or spend time with you to design your photoshoot and come up with locations. I’ve had seniors in the past that wanted to scout locations after I suggested them, but if you aren’t a photographer you might not know what to look for. When I’m deciding if a place is good for a photoshoot I want to see how the light hits at different times of day, how many backdrop options there are and how easily accessible it is. Is there parking, is it open to the public or do we need a permit? There are so many things that go into finding good locations for photography. So talk to your photographer and tell them if you want nature, city or even a mix of both and they should have some options for you.

Time Of Day Matters

When you’re searching for a photographer you should always look at their portfolio to get a good idea of their style. Some are still developing their style, while others have a consistent look to their images. So when you go to book your photoshoot be sure to ask what time of day the photographer usually shoots. For me I prefer to shoot in the last 3-4hrs of sunlight for the day. That way we can hopefully get some of that gorgeous golden hour light that you’ll see in a lot of my photos. But before that the sun is dropping so we still have flattering light. Whereas if we shot mid-day, the light would be totally different, shadow would be different and the photos I create look very different. Not to say you can’t have a shoot at noon and have amazing images, but the photographer you book for that needs to know how to work with that type of light.

The Fit Of Your Clothing Matters

Most seniors want advice on what to wear but very few ask for fitting advice. I like to talk to my seniors about fit because how your clothing fits can affect if you like those images. I’ve had seniors that had super baggy style clothing but then didn’t understand why they “looked big” in the photos. If that is your style, love it, but your body shape probably won’t show. I usually offer to clip big shirts in the back if needed, but it can hinder some poses and doesn’t always work well. Another tip in this area is that if you aren’t comfortable, meaning it only fits if you don’t breathe, it might not work well for your shoot. So make sure it fits well, you can move freely, and breathe, breathing is important.

The Little Details Do Matter

Over the decade-plus I’ve been a senior photographer I’ve had seniors that thought little things like nails, jewelry, and shoes didn’t matter. I usually talk to my seniors about this so make sure your nails are clean, whether you want fake nails, polish or nothing at all. I do quite a bit of hand posing so you’ll want them to look nice. Jewelry can be tough changing on location but changing up your necklace, earrings, rings, and bracelets can make a difference in your outfits. And for shoes, always wear comfy slip-on shoes for walking but bring nice shoes to match outfits. It all makes a difference!

Things To Not Worry About

I know I’ve said this one before but don’t worry about a pimple on the day of your shoot. It happens! To most seniors actually. One click and it’s gone, or better yet, the makeup artist covers it and we all forget it’s there! The other big thing I hear from teenagers is that they are worried about how to pose. That is one of the main reasons to hire a photographer that specializes in senior pictures. It’s my job to help you get comfortable in front of the camera and show you how to pose. I love posing people and will talk you through the pose from your nose to your toes!

Have more q’s about senior pictures? Leave a comment on this blog post or feel free to shoot me an email at annagrafphotography@gmail.com.