- \n
- Get to Know Your Seniors<\/a><\/li>\n
- Help Your Seniors Prepare for the Shoot<\/a><\/li>\n
- Direct Your Seniors into Flattering Poses<\/a><\/li>\n
- Cover the Angles to Tell the Story<\/a><\/li>\n
- Edit and Retouch<\/a><\/li>\n
- See Senior Picture Ideas in Action<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Senior Picture Ideas, #1: Get to Know Your Seniors<\/h2>\n
![\"senior](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/senior-picture-ideas-pexels-stephan-seeber.jpg\")
Photo by Stephan Seeber<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n This really goes for all portrait clients, whether they\u2019re brides to be or high school seniors. Take the time to get to know your clients before the shoot. This will allow you to better understand their vision and preferences, and develop a rapport. All of these elements are essential if you hope to capture and highlight your subject\u2019s personality.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve discussed the W.A.V.E. (Wall Art Vision Exercise) in other articles<\/a>, but it applies to senior photos as well. The goal here is to help you tap into your client\u2019s vision. Here\u2019s how it can work for senior portraits:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Let your client know during the initial meeting that you want to walk them through an exercise.<\/li>\n
- Ask them to imagine a room in their home where they might hang a piece of wall art.<\/li>\n
- Next, ask them about what they\u2019re imagining. Where in the room would they hang the wall art? How big is the actual wall space (e.g., 4\u2019x5\u2019)?<\/li>\n
- Then, narrow down their choice of wall art. Tell them they can only choose one image from the upcoming session, and that they will see and enjoy it every day.<\/li>\n
- Finally, ask your client, \u201cWhat is the one photo from the session that you\u2019d choose to hang on the wall?\u201d You may have to walk them through the shoot and consider where it will be, what they\u2019ll be doing, whether it will look more candid or posed, and so on.<\/li>\n
- After the client answers, restate and elaborate on their vision.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
It can also prove helpful to ask your clients about the idea behind their shoot, what they hope to achieve with it, and which type of photos they are looking for. Additionally, inquire about any specific poses or props that your client might prefer.<\/p>\n
By taking these steps before a shoot, photographers will be able to provide their clients with beautiful images that perfectly capture their desired vision.<\/p>\n
Idea #2: Help Your Seniors Prepare for the Shoot<\/h2>\n
Photographers can play an important role in helping clients prepare for a photo shoot. I mean, really, when you help your clients prepare ahead of time, you\u2019re really helping them to help yourself. The best way to help is to provide clear and detailed information about the session beforehand. This includes informing them about different aspects of the shoot, including the following:<\/p>\n
Wardrobe Options<\/h3>\n
![\"senior](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/senior-picture-ideas-wardrobe-prep-pexels-jose-luis-photographer-.jpg\")
Photo by Jos\u00e9 Luis Photographer<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The best wardrobes for senior pictures will serve a few functions at once. First, the seniors should be comfortable in the clothes they wear, and the outfits should in some way reflect their personality. They don\u2019t need to put on a \u201ccostume\u201d to take meaningful photos, unless that\u2019s what they\u2019re going for.<\/p>\n
![\"Girl](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/senior-picture-ideas-pexels-daniel-duarte.jpg\")
Photo by Daniel Duarte<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The color of the clothes can also come into play and affect the visual impact of the photos. If you haven\u2019t thought much about color theory before, try incorporating it into your shoot. It\u2019s amazing the impact that complementary colors<\/a> can have on a session, for example. You might consider the general color palette of the background as well when choosing wardrobe colors. In the image above, for instance, the yellow outfit pops against the dark backdrop.<\/p>\n
Also, make a plan for how many outfits they should bring. This will vary based on the timeline for the shoot and how many locations you\u2019ll need to travel to.<\/p>\n
Hair and Makeup<\/h3>\n
![\"Girl](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/senior-picture-ideas-pexels-natalie-bond-colors.jpg\")
Photo by Natalie Bond<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Should they invest in having their hair and makeup professionally done? The answer here is almost always yes. It can prove beneficial to forge partnerships with hair and makeup artists and suggest their services to your clients. If you\u2019re already working in weddings or other areas of portrait photography, you may have already begun networking with such vendors. On the other hand, if you\u2019re completely new, you might need to look into finding ways to network with other vendors<\/a> to build these relationships.<\/p>\n
Logistics<\/h3>\n
What about times and locations for the shoot? After running through the W.A.V.E. (mentioned above), you should have an idea as to what the ideal backdrop(s) for your client will be. You might have some locations in mind based on your experience, or you may need to do some research. Whatever the case, be sure to check for permit requirements, travel times to and between locations, as well as the best times of day to shoot at those locations for the look your client wants. Be sure to share any necessary info with your client as early as possible so that they can plan accordingly.<\/p>\n
Moodboards<\/h3>\n
![\"ideas](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/senior-picture-ideas-moodboard.jpg\")
Google search example for \u201csenior photo shoot downtown\u201d to kick off moodboard ideas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Another helpful way to prep is to look for inspiration and create a moodboard<\/a> to help narrow the choices listed above. If you have an extensive portfolio in this genre, you can ask your seniors to pin photos from your blog to create their moodboard. For those who are newer to photographing seniors, a quick search through Google or Pinterest should help kickstart the inspiration for the moodboard.<\/p>\n
All of these steps will help you create an environment where your client feels comfortable, relaxed, and confident during the photoshoot.<\/p>\n
Senior Picture Ideas, #3: Direct Your Seniors into Flattering Poses<\/h2>\n
Posing makes up a major part of any portrait session. For senior picture ideas, you\u2019ll want to consider a variety of poses, including everything from sitting to standing, traditional vs candid, whimsical vs editorial, and so on. Chances are, you\u2019ll capture a mix of all of the above, depending of course on your subject\u2019s vision for the shoot. Whichever posing style you employ, you\u2019ll want to ensure the poses flatter your subject.<\/p>\n
![\"senior](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/senior-picture-ideas-poses-pexels-pixabay.jpg\")
Photo by Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n To help get started, check out this male model posing guide<\/a> as well this one for posing female models<\/a>. Your seniors are not likely models in a professional sense, but that doesn\u2019t matter. The posing guides are meant specifically to help you pose subjects that don\u2019t already know how to pose themselves. I also recommend checking out this article on posing for headshots<\/a>, which we\u2019ll include in the section below on covering all of the angles.<\/p>\n
Ideas #4: Cover the Angles to Tell the Story<\/h2>\n
Part of capturing important moments is doing so in a way that tells a story worth remembering. In my experience, one of the best ways to do that is by covering all the angles. By that, I mean always try to get wide, medium, and closeup angles of each scene. We put a lot of time into composing our shot, dialing in our settings, getting the light right, and posing our subjects. It\u2019d be inefficient to put in all of that time just to walk away with one shot. Spend a little more time after getting that first shot, and then get some other angles. The examples below feature bridal portraits, but the wide-medium-tight concept can easily be applied to senior portraits.<\/p>\n
Wide-Angle<\/h3>\n
![\"senior](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/senior-picture-ideas-wide-shot-bride-posing-example.jpg\")
Wide-Angle Bridal Portrait by SLR Lounge<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n If you think about it like you\u2019re watching a television show or movie, it\u2019s easy to remember. Think of how just about every movie opens, with a wide shot that establishes the location, time of day, etc. When you go to design a photo book or album (or even a slideshow) with this collection, you\u2019ll want a nice wide environmental portrait to place somewhere near the front to set the scene. These work equally well for epic spreads throughout the series.<\/p>\n
Medium-Angle<\/h3>\n
![\"senior](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/senior-picture-ideas-medium-shot-bride-posing-example.jpg\")
Medium-Angle Bridal Portraits by SLR Lounge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n After we\u2019ve established the scene, we can move in a little closer to reveal our subject. Medium-angle shots allow viewers to get a better look at the star of the show, and it\u2019s a great angle for highlighting your subject\u2019s wardrobe.<\/p>\n
Tight-Angle (aka Closeup)<\/h3>\n
![\"bridal](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/senior-picture-ideas-closeup-shot-bride-posing-example.jpg\")
Closeup Bridal Portrait by SLR Lounge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Finally, we can move in for tighter shots to reveal more details. For scenes with multiple subjects, we might shoot over the shoulder of one to add depth to the shot and draw our focus to the subject whose face we see. When there\u2019s only one subject in the scene, we can just crop in for something like a headshot, or focus on any area we want to draw attention to, like the subject\u2019s shoes, an important prop that might be in the scene, and so on. We can also use foreground elements to add depth to the shot.<\/p>\n
Idea #5: Edit and Retouch<\/h2>\n
Most portrait sessions involve some sort of editing to make the images look their best. Senior portraits, however, often require a bit of specialized retouching. While skin conditions abound for people of all ages, high school seniors typically deal with more acne and other blemishes, especially around the face. Depending on your retouching skills, it might be worth investing in software like PortraitPro<\/a> or Impossible Things<\/a> and letting their AI handle the task, or else consider outsourcing the retouching work. The latter option can prove tricky unless you know someone who can consistently deliver quality results.<\/p>\n
See Senior Picture Ideas in Action<\/h2>\n
Here\u2019s a small collection of senior portraits to help inspire your own senior photography sessions.<\/p>\n
![\"student](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/senior-picture-ideas-portraits-pexels-thuanny-gantuss-scaled.jpg\")
Photo by Thuanny Gantuss<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n ![\"student](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/senior-picture-ideas-pexels-hugo-martA\u00adnez.jpg\")
Photo by Hugo Martinez<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n ![\"Guy](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/senior-picture-ideas-pexels-eduardo-dutra.jpg\")
Photo by Eduardo Dutra<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n ![\"Silhouette](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/senior-picture-ideas-creative-silhouette-pexels-tucA\u0083-bianca.jpg\")
Photo by Tuc\u0103 Bianca<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n ![\"girl](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/senior-picture-ideas-guitar-prop-pexels-dario-solano.jpg\")
Photo by Dario Solano<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n ![\"Creative](\"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/senior-picture-ideas-pexels-marcos-flores.jpg\")
Photo by Marcos Flores<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Conclusion<\/h2>\n
I hope you found this list of senior picture ideas and tips helpful. While the tips follow similar guidelines to other portrait sessions, it\u2019s important to understand how these portraits are unique and why they deserve your careful attention. Senior portraits hold a special place in your young subjects\u2019 lives. Hopefully, they\u2019ll allow your seniors to look back on this time with nostalgia and joy. So, take this opportunity, flex your communication skills and creativity, and help your seniors make a statement of self-expression through these portraits.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re looking for graduation photos, in particular, don\u2019t miss these 10 Graduation Photography Tips<\/a> and additional Tips for Better Graduation Photos<\/a>.<\/p>\n
- Help Your Seniors Prepare for the Shoot<\/a><\/li>\n