Locations:

Before your session, think about locations we can use. I have my list of go-to places, but the best senior sessions are personal. They reflect your interests and style. If I don’t get your input, my default is to start downtown and move somewhere like Pipestem or the reservoir about an hour before sunset. I take pics downtown first because the light is usually still reasonably high in the sky when we start our session, and I use the buildings to block light. You can also do your session early in the morning, starting at 7AM. If we do that, we invert the locations. Nature first and then downtown. Studio photos are also an option.

Clothes:

Four or five outfits are good. You can definitely bring more. Sometimes we don’t use all the clothes seniors bring, but it’s nice to have more options rather than fewer options. Be prepared to tell me which outfits you like best. Most people look best in fitted clothes that are simple, meaning that they don’t distract from your face. Fluorescent clothing doesn’t translate well. Skin-toned clothes like beige or tan tend to wash out your face (but are perfectly fine for shorts or pants). It’s nice to have a range of clothes to choose from, even if it’s just lots of T-shirts in different colors and styles. Try for at least one dressier outfit.

Stick with your natural hairstyle. Guys should plan their haircut around when it will look best for senior photos. Girls, if you wear your hair up a lot, bring hair ties or whatever you need to put it up. Sometimes, at the end of the night, we do a messy bun or a ponytail.

Avoid tan lines–starting now. If you are going to take your Apple watch off for senior photos and you always wear an Apple watch, you’re going to have a big tan line. This is hard to cover with Photoshop because it’s on a bendy, circular part of your body.

Glass glare–if you wear glasses and you notice that you get a lot of glass glare when you take pics, let me know asap. We can discuss options.

Hands and feet are featured in photos. Make sure your hands look nice, and think about what shoes you bring to your session.

Practice posing in a mirror. This is especially true with your “serious face.” Sometimes, people have” mean-looking” serious faces. I can help coach you, but it’s nice to practice in the mirror so you know what it looks like on camera. Watch TikTok or Instagram reels for ideas for poses. Got any good reels? Send them my way. (701-269-1329)

If you have acne, skincare doesn’t always solve all the issues; I know. However, it does help some. Please practice good skin care weeks before your session. If you get a bad breakout before your session, we will probably reschedule. If I have to remove too much acne from your face, your skin starts looking soft and unnatural.

Bring props–a longboard, hats, sunglasses, books, sheet music, whatever you like. If you are in a sport, please bring all the gear that goes along with that sport or whatever you can reasonably bring.

Family Photo:

I included a family photo with the Classic and the Classic Light session. With the Classic Light (1.5 hours of shooting), the family photo must be done on the evening of your session. It takes about 5 minutes in total. We meet your family at a location we have planned out ahead of time, somewhere you are already taking senior photos. We take one family photo, then a photo with Mom, one with Dad, and one with siblings. If you have a blended family, I accommodate both families. If you get the Classic session (2.5 hours of shooting), you can schedule your family photo for later, not the day of your senior session, but then it must be done in the studio. Many students wait until they get their cap and gown for the family photo (end of March). I include a quick cap and gown pic with the family photo if you choose to do it then.

Timing:

Do not stress about the timing of your session. I say 1.5 hours for the Classic Light and 2.5 hours for the Classic, but I am not a rule follower, and I am a big softie. The time limits give you a ballpark of how long you will be working with me. Good pictures are accomplished when the client and photographer are relaxed and thinking about making good portraits, not checking a clock. Also, some photoshoots require travel time. If it’s a reasonable distance; we don’t really count that either.

Parent Involvement:

Should your parent(s) come with you to your senior session? Most parents do. It is helpful to have a parent along because they keep us organized, rebound balls, know what’s your legit smile, and are probably going to retrieve that pair of shoes you thought you packed but didn’t. I am not opposed to an older sibling or a friend tagging along too or instead of a parent.

Social Media

I will NEVER post a photo from your session that 1) you have not seen first 2) that you do not give me permission to post.

I take that very seriously. It's your image, and you decide what people see.

Work

One last thing. Seniors often do not vocalize what they want during a session, or when I ask for ideas, I'm told something like, "I don't know. You're the creative; you tell me what to do." Like anything—sports, education, relationships—photography is best when you contribute to the experience. Please tell me your preferences and give me your energy. I promise I will work hard for you and give you mine.

Questions

What questions do you have that didn’t get covered here? Please don’t hesitate to ask.