Everything you should know about planning a senior portrait session...

#1 Best time of year to take my senior portraits?

The first step in planning your senior portrait session is to decide what time of year you want your photos taken! I was partial to fall weather so I decided to do my senior portraits in the fall. However, If you love spring flowers and bright colors, you probably want to wait until spring semester! If you can't decide you can always do two sessions, one in the fall and one in the spring. Not to mention, so much growth happens in your senior year of high school, by the time I graduated I didn't feel like my photos from the fall even represented me anymore. That's why I love the option of two sessions!

#2 What to wear to my senior portraits?

I always recommend wearing your favorite outfit. Whether male or female you want to wear something that really shows who you are. Something that you feel best represents you and your personality! I suggest sticking with solid colors (patterns don't always show up great in photos!) especially when taking your senior portrait photos outdoors. Solid colors help simplify your photos and draw the eye to YOU rather than the polka-dotted dress you are wearing (speaking from experience here... I wore a polka-dotted dress in my senior portraits... do not recommend...) If you absolutely can't go without patterns I suggest a larger print that will show up on camera! I also suggest picking a senior portrait package that allows for multiple outfits. This keeps you from having to decide on only one and allows you to do a casual look and a more formal look, or a neutral look and a colorful look! The more options the better!

Here's a link to some of my favorite senior portrait outfit inspo!

#3 Where to take my senior portraits?

I always suggest taking your senior portraits in a place that means something to you! Whether it be the downtown square where you grew up, a field that showcases your love of being outdoors, or the front porch of the home you grew up in. The location of your family photos can be used to further express what it means to be YOU in this season of life. Location can also play a huge part in the vibe you are going for in your senior portrait session. If you are envisioning a golden hour glow, a field is the perfect place to achieve that look! But if you want a more urban vibe, downtown is the place to go! The beauty of doing a spring session and a fall session is you can do two different vibes rather than having to choose just one.