Creating a unique senior session for my clients is something that makes me so excited! There are so many beautiful locations that I love to shoot at in northwest Ohio. I love showing each senior’s personality and interests through their photos. I do my best to make sure that each senior is fully prepared for their shoot. Whether it’s with their outfits or finding the best location, all of my seniors are prepared to have an amazing photoshoot! Here are my best five tips for a successful senior session:

Try On ALL of Your Outfits

It’s important to make sure that all of your clothes fit beforehand. Try on everything you plan to wear before your session. If you need a plan B, then this will give you extra time to find a new outfit. Do you have an extra outfit that you just love? Bring it! It doesn’t hurt to have one great outfit, but also a backup outfit. If there is additional time, we can always try and squeeze in one more outfit for a few extra images. 😉

ALSO, PLEASE DO NOT FORGET to bring and pack all of the shoes and jewelry (if you’re a girl) you’ll be wearing during your session. Shoes are normally the last thing that’s planned for an outfit. As you’re planning what to wear, shoes and jewelry are the final touch to your outfits. If you’re wearing a cowboy hat or scarf, pack those items as well and have a backup just in case. These kinds of details really do matter!

Plan What Props To Bring

Whether it’s your letterman jacket, trophies, banners, a football, or any physical item you want in the photo, start compiling them ahead of time. If you want to do a “banner and trophy” shot, plan it out. This means figuring out where you are going to hang them, how you are going to hang them and what other things do you need for these photos. A lot of my senior sessions involve agriculture when students either live on a farm or are 4-H and FFA members. If you’re including livestock in your photos, make sure the animal(s) are groomed and ready. If you have to brush them right before the session starts, then that is OK! Props may also include your car, truck, or farm equipment. Make sure that it’s washed and clean before your session.

Choose a Location & Style That Best FITS YOU!

If you want a bright and bold “look and feel”, choose a statement dress, skirt, or pants that show off your personality. Bright colors are perfect for this! However, keep in mind that if your location has a bright color already – say a bright red barn or a bright yellow city wall – stay away from similar bold colors. Instead, wear a neutral outfit so you don’t blend in with the background.

If you want a “light and airy” look, wear something flowy and in a neutral color. For girls, a skirt, dress, or something with ruffles does the trick! Any outfit in creams, whites, tans or pastel colors is perfect! Jeans are OKAY for this, but I would highly recommend khaki pants for this style. Light browns or light grays give off a GREAT natural color.

For an urban or rural location and style, this could be determined based on your outfits or your lifestyle. My first senior package only allows for one location, because it’s difficult to shoot more than one location in an hour. This is why I recommend choosing one of my higher packages so you can choose two to three different locations. This way, we can easily capture an urban and rural “look and feel” within that same session. 😏

Just Breathe!

Taking your senior photos is such a fun experience, and I can promise you that! If you are one that doesn’t smile right away and it takes a little bit to warm up, I get it! Within your hour+ session, I will make sure you’re comfortable. I’m here to serve YOU. These photos will be everything you’re dreaming of and will show off your interests and unique personality. So don’t be stressed, don’t OVERTHINK it, and let’s have some fun together! 

Take Good Care of Yourself!

Drink plenty of water leading up to your session. When you feel good, you look good! If you’re senior guy, it’s best to get a hair cut about a week before your session. This will make you look sharp, dapper and ready to go! If you’re a girl who wants to color your hair, make sure it’s a color you won’t regret one year from now. You don’t want to look back on your senior photos you took a year ago and regret the choice you made.

In addition to your hair color, make sure to bring a brush to your session. This is for when you change outfits. If it’s styled and curled, we won’t brush it out (obviously). However, bringing hairspray or gel can help tame those flyaways. Most of the time, I will just use my hands to tweak those. However, we will have some hair products just in case we need it. 😁

With these best five tips for a successful senior session, you are guaranteed to look amazing and have an unforgettable experience! This is your time to show off all of your accomplishments and show the world who you truly are! I’m now booking senior sessions for the class of 2024! Be sure to visit my contact page and send me an email so we can plan your senior photo shoot! And to look at my favorite shooting locations for Tiffin and Fremont, check out this blog post.