Senior photo tips?

[hellokitty]

Life has been really, really crazy. I was barely able to book a senior photo appointment for my son. It is coming up in a week and a half. I wanted the outdoor autumn foliage as the backdrop, the photographer, who I don't know, but has been recommended by two people we know and was available chose 5:30, so it looks like she is shooting for the golden hour. We contacted 4 other photographers, all were completely booked. I feel like I totally slacked, it looks like most people do this in the summer or at least book in the summer.

I'd love any tips. It is a 45-minute session. I chose one location to keep it easy. She said he could have as many outfits as he wanted, but I think we are going to just stick to two. I'm lucky he is a boy, I know for a girl we'd have the opposite issue. He literally wears a hoodie every day (think Elliot from Mr. Robot), so having to wear any type of halfway stylish clothes is not his thing, but I cobbled together some outfits from the BRAND NEW clothes he has never worn in his closet and took some from his brother's closet (my middle one is taller and a size bigger than my oldest). I'm hoping it will not rain or have gloomy weather. This is my oldest kid, so first one getting senior photos. I've been surprised how involved senior pics are now... I had mine done at a studio with multiple shots, both more formal and casual, while my husband had nothing but a headshot. So, I feel like we are in uncharted territory. The whole one, two or three-session (and different seasons) thing threw me for a loop... I guess that explains why some kids have so many photos.

[SnuggleBuggles]

We just did one location, 2 outfits in the fall of senior year in a really great urban park with a great mix of natural and manmade elements. We definitely got enough pictures and honestly not sure I would know what to with more than we got!

Our photographer was super and very experienced. We just rolled with what they recommended. If you want to scope out your location or look at some samples (your photographer's work, friends' pictures, Pinterest...) you can make a short list of your must dos.

Don't forget accessories- shoes, socks, belt. Those were kind of last on our list and I almost forgot them.

[billysmommy]

We did 2 sessions with older DS - one in late summer for the traditional outside senior picture submitted to the yearbook. Nordic skiing was his favorite sport in high school so we also did a winter session while it was snowing with his skis and MA EHS uniform. His announcements included both pictures.


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[KpbS]

Do a variety of close ups and slightly farther away shots. Looking directly at the camera and then looking off into the distance or close up at something else changes the images up. Railroad tracks, brick walls, grassy fields, rock faces, leaned against a tree, etc all make for great backgrounds. Cloudy weather isn't necessarily bad. Filtered light can be beautiful. I'd bring a button down shirt, a plain (no words) solid t, khakis, jeans, a sweater, etc. several different outfit combos. Also any uniform/hat/instrument he wears/plays that is special to him.

https://clickitupanotch.com/senior-portrait-ideas/

https://www.shootproof.com/blog/seni...e-posing-guys/

[hellokitty]

Thanks, everyone! I totally forgot about him wearing school logo stuff. I guess that could be an easy 3rd outfit. He already had really great photos done for marching band, so we won't need that. He doesn't have hobbies unless we want him to take a photo with his laptop, lol. Thanks for the links on poses! I'm hoping our photographer can guide us through all of that.

[California]

Solid colored clothes will let the focus be on his face.

You said he got great band photos. I wonder if the photographer would appreciate your DS bringing his instrument- adds a personal element to some of the photos.

Highly recommend getting a photo of him with you. I treasure my quick “hey I want a photo with him” portrait with DS.

If he always wears hoodies, consider finishing the shoot with your DS in a hoodie. You’ll look back on it and remember these were the years of the hoodie uniform!

[hbridge]

We are in the middle of this now. I looked at photographers, but we are opting to do them ourselves. DH has some photography experience so that helps. Dc wants three locations with different outfits at each. We did the first last weekend, learned a lot and have a few excellent shots. Session 2 is tomorrow and the third will be in the next couple of weeks.

Photos are due a little later at DC small private school…

It was relaxing and fun with just us. Just another option if you have a family member who is at all photography savvy…

[mom2binsd]

Have him try on the clothes, sit, squat, cross his arms, they tend to pose them doing that and you want to see what the clothes look like when "in action". Have him do some practice poses, if only just to smile and seem a bit relaxed. DD did some last year during covid, her bf's mom has a great camera and they went out and did some great shots, some with her hockey stick and hockey jersey, her lacrosse stick, in the winter after a snowfall, and casual in some wildflowers. Definitely bring any sports equipment or instrument as a prop for a few.

[hellokitty]

Thanks for the additional great ideas! My husband kept saying he could take the photos, but I feel as if he is rusty on taking pics with his fancy camera.

Practicing with him on some poses will be helpful, his smile for me is awful (which is why I think a photographer is better), it looks like a grimace! So I will have to just cross my fingers he looks ok, his school photos usually turn out ok, so he smiles better for OTHER people. He is notorious for being the only one in our family who isn't smiling in pics!

And yes, I might sneak a pic with him. I got to get a pic shot by another band parent for senior band night last week and it was a cute pic!

[belovedgandp]

I felt no need to wallpaper my walls with hundreds of poses. DS was a decent sport, but also was not keen on a bunch of outfits. We actually did our whole family at the same time, ended up with 120-ish shots. 60 of them of my senior and the other 60 are whole family, individual of siblings, and siblings together. Did 45 minutes in one outfit and all of the family pictures at a park. DS did change his shirt from button down to college t-shirt. Only DS went to a second location and took pictures in his robotics club gear.

Whole thing took less than 90 minutes.

We had done marching band photos separately earlier this year.