Hey Class of 2025 - if you haven't started thinking about it - it is time to schedule your senior photos!
I know, I know - you are preparing for finals and wading through end of the school year activities - I get it (I taught high school for many years). BUT - as a photographer I can tell you one thing for sure - those deadlines come up faster than you think (so does graduation next year).
Before you go all willy-nilly and book a random photographer, let's look at what you should know about your senior photo experience.
01. Who are you?
Think about what you like, where you like to go, and what makes you, well, YOU. This will help drive your session aesthetic from location to season to wardrobe.
The sky is the limit at your planning session, so don't be afraid to give even the craziest ideas. You may not be able to get on a rocketship if astronomy is your thing, but a nighttime shoot with the milky way might be exactly what tells your story.
02. Think ahead!
Keep your parents involved - do you all just want digitals? Or are you planning to get prints? What about social media content for you? Graduation announcements?
Having an idea in your mind of what you want will help you pick the right photographer - whether it is a shoot and burn company OR a full-service company. Both are great options depending on what your needs are.
03. Be Real.
Listen, I want to pretend I am a glamourous, polished, Audrey-esque person, but I wear denim shorts and Janis Joplin prints with cowboy boots way too often to pull off Audrey-level elegance.
It is okay to exaggerate who you are or indulge a fantasy of who you are, but pushing yourself outside of who you truly are at your core will show on camera. Be real. Be you. You're already great.
04. PREP!
If your session is in early summer, but you want a glow, consider a spray tan.
Session at the end of summer? Be careful of tan lines while you're out enjoying the sunshine.
All hair dye/extension/cut jobs should be trialed before the shoot.
05. Enjoy it.
Find a photographer who makes the experience fun and pampers you. Opportunities to celebrate transitions like this are few and far between in adulthood - make this one that you remember and smile about in the years to come.
No matter what you do - the best advice I have is to plan ahead and give yourself time to make your senior photo experience everything you want and more - no matter your budget or vision.
Have a great summer, Class of 2025! Graduation will come before you know it!
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