Senior Session Prep Guide and Tips
Your Senior Year. Your Style.
Your Story.
.
Your senior session is all about YOU! This is your chance to celebrate who you are right now and capture one of the biggest milestones of your life.
Whether your style is casual, sporty, outdoorsy, dressed-up, artistic or a little bit of everything, we want your photos to feel natural, authentic, and completely you.
Here are a few tips to help you prepare!
WHAT TO WEAR
Bring outfits that make you feel comfortable and confident. If you don't normally wear it, your senior session probably isn't the time to start!
A great mix includes:
Casual: Jeans, shorts, a favorite top, sweater, flannel, etc.
Dressy: A dress, button-down, blazer, nice pants, or something you'd wear for a special occasion.
Personal: Sports uniforms, jerseys, school apparel, work clothes, dance outfits, hunting gear, or anything connected to your hobbies and interests.
A Few Clothing Tips
Solid colors and simple patterns photograph beautifully and keep the focus on you.
Try to avoid extremely busy patterns, large logos, neon colors, or clothing that you're constantly adjusting. Most importantly: wear something that feels like YOU.
And don't forget the shoes! Make sure your shoes work with each outfit, you'd be surprised how often they're visible in photos.
HAIR, MAKEUP & GROOMING
Plan haircuts or major hair changes about one week before your session, rather than the day before. For makeup, we recommend keeping it natural and slightly more defined than your everyday look. Professional hair and makeup are totally optional!
If you're getting a haircut, give it a few days to settle in. If you normally shave, we recommend shaving the morning of your session.
And don't forget those little details:
Clean nails, moisturized lips, wrinkle-free clothing, and removing hair ties from your wrist can make a big difference!
BRING YOUR PERSONALITY
This is where we have FUN. Your senior photos don't have to be just standing around smiling at the camera. Bring things that tell your story!
Think about:
- Sports equipment or uniforms
- Musical instruments
- Books
- Art supplies
- Cars, trucks or motorcycles
- Hunting/fishing gear
- Dance or cheer items
- School jackets
- Cap & gown
- College gear
- Awards or medals
- Your pet
- Anything connected to a hobby you love
If it's important to you, we can find a way to incorporate it.
CHOOSING A LOCATION
Your location helps set the entire vibe of your session. Think about what feels most like you. Do you want:
Nature & Outdoors — fields, forests, flowers, water, parks or sunsets
Urban & Downtown — brick walls, alleys, architecture, streets and city vibes
Rustic & Country — barns, farms, dirt roads and open fields
Sports & School — your field, court, track, gym or school grounds
Something Personal — your family property, favorite hangout, workplace or somewhere meaningful to you
Not sure? That's what we're here for! Tell us what kind of look you love and we'll help choose a location.
THE NIGHT BEFORE
Get everything ready so you're not scrambling before your session. Lay out your outfits, shoes, accessories and props. Iron or steam anything that needs it and double-check that you have everything packed.
Drink plenty of water and try to get a good night's sleep!
WHAT TO BRING
We recommend packing a small senior-session bag with:
Your outfits, Shoes for each outfit, Accessories/jewelry, Props, Hairbrush or comb, Makeup for touch-ups, Hairspray, Lip balm, Water, Bug spray for outdoor sessions, Comfortable shoes for walking between locations
GLASSES
If you wear glasses every day, we absolutely want you to wear them in your photos! If your lenses have a strong glare or transition in sunlight, ask your eye doctor if they can temporarily remove the lenses or provide empty frames for your session.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT POSING!
One of the biggest things we hear is: "I don't know what to do in front of the camera!" Good news—you don't have to!
We'll guide you through your entire session. We'll help with posing, hands, expressions, movement and all those little details. You don't need to practice poses or know how to "model."
Just show up ready to have fun.
WEATHER
We keep an eye on the weather leading up to every outdoor session.
Clouds aren't necessarily bad..... they can actually create beautiful, flattering light!
If weather conditions aren't going to work for your session, we'll communicate with you about rescheduling options.
ONE LAST THING...
Don't put too much pressure on yourself!
Senior photos aren't about creating a completely different version of you. They're about capturing who you are right now. The laughs. The confidence. The personality. The interests. The things that make you YOU. Years from now, we want you to look back at these photos and remember exactly what this chapter of your life felt like.