Deciding on a location for your senior photo session is one of the most important aspects of the planning process, or so they say. Does it really matter where you shoot your senior portraits?
The basic answer is yes, it does matter.
Where senior portraits were once generic and boring, today’s portraits are creative and highlight each senior’s personality and hobbies. And location has a lot to do with this.
When you invest in a professional senior photo session, you want to make the most of it. You also want to be able to share these photos and have them stand out from the rest, purely because they’re unique and relevant to who you are as a person.
Choosing a location for your shoot doesn’t have to be complex or take you days to figure out. It all starts with pinpointing how you like to spend your spare time. Are you generally found gaming at home or playing in the garden with your dog? Perhaps you love fishing or spending time at a local park throwing a football around with your friends. This alone can provide you with location ideas for your photo session.
There are no rules that say you need to choose a location that nobody else has. A location might be important, but it’s what you bring to the location that also matters. This includes props, your outfit, and your personality and actions.
What’s more, the beauty of working with a professional senior photographer means you can use them for inspiration. If you really can’t think of an idea, discuss your photos ideas with your photographer and get some suggestions from them. Remember, they shoot seniors all the time, so they have a ton of location ideas you can use, all the while still keeping your photos as unique as you are.
If you want to look and feel your best in your senior portraits, what you wear matters. And you have surely already read a few tips on what you could potentially wear for your shoot. However, there are a few extra tips regarding your outfit that you need to hear.
Stick with what you know and love. You can purchase a new outfit for your senior session but make sure you spend some time in it first. You might like the look of an outfit on the rails but find that you’re completely uncomfortable once you walk around or sit down in it. It’s best to stick to outfits you know and love or one you’ve worn at least once before.
Think twice about that slogan tee. Have a t-shirt with a graphic or slogan that you can’t get enough of? Be sure to think twice before you add it to your shoot. If you know it won’t be relevant in a few years, rather leave it in your closet.
Move around. Once you have an outfit in mind, try posing in it. That dress might look one way while you’re standing up but another once you crouch down to pet your dog. Always make sure an outfit looks good in different poses.
Pair the right outfit with a natural backdrop. Really want to take a few photos outside in a beautiful garden or forest? Be wary of wearing red if you want to avoid looking like a Christmas scene.
Consider your underwear. Seniors often spend so much time planning their outfits that they forget about what their underwear might look like underneath. Make sure your underwear won’t show through your outfit and if possible, avoid wearing thicker bra straps with thin top straps.
It’s ok to mix things up. Just because you have chosen a specific location doesn’t mean you should only wear one specific outfit. It’s ok to mix things up by wearing a more casual and then a more formal or dressy outfit. Just make sure that you’re not wearing a ballgown to the local park where it would look very out of place. You can even add in a traditional outfit if it’s important to you.
While planning your senior portrait outfit is important, it doesn’t need to be overwhelming, especially now that you have a few extra tips on hand.
From the time it takes to find the right senior photographer to planning the details of the shoot, you might be wondering whether senior portraits are even worth the effort. Your phone can take similar shots, right?
Before you give up on the idea of a professional senior photo session, here are a few things to consider.
This is a Massive Milestone
You are never going to reach or celebrate this milestone ever again. Don’t you want to remember it in some way? If you think that you will find time to plan a professional photo session later on in life, think again – there will always be something else you need to do. Now is the perfect time to hire a professional senior photographer to commemorate this milestone.
Your Parents Will Thank You
Very often, parents encourage seniors to schedule a professional photo session because it gives them something to remember them by. If you are planning to spend a year in another country or you are off to college in another city, your parents will love looking back on these photos with you, especially the ones they are included in. This is a massive milestone for them too – one they want to look back on.
You Will Cherish the Memories
One day you’re going to want to look back on your senior year and will be thankful you have these photos. What’s more, many seniors choose to include family and friends in these shots, which makes them even more special. You are also never going to be this young again, so capture this wonderful time in your life in a way that represents who you are right now.
A senior photoshoot is never a waste of time and when you work with the right photographer, it’s a fun, positive experience you will always remember.
