Senior portrait photography is a beautiful way of capturing the soul and passion of a high school or a college senior in their final year of school. These photos commemorate the occasion marking the huge milestone and serve as a lasting memory in their life.
Every senior is different, and as a senior photographer, it’s essential to understand the unique needs and preferences of each of them. The goal for a senior portrait session is to capture the individuality in a way that reflects their personality, interests, and style.
Here are some pointers for creating stunning senior portraits:
- Get to know your senior – It is always a good idea to get to know your subject before any kind of photography. So, talk to your seniors beforehand, find out what their interests are, what their style is, and what they envision to achieve with their senior portraits. This helps you create a personalized experience and capture images that truly reflect who they are.
- Decide your Location – As I mentioned, each senior is unique and based on what they are looking to achieve, location has a lot to do with that. So, decide on a location that is meaningful to your senior and that reflects their personality. Some seniors like an urban view, some prefer countryside or nature, or a local landmark. It is also common for some to have their college or high school campus as the backdrop.
- Complement with appropriate props – Select props according to your senior’s interest and personality, or activities they are involved in. You can ask them to bring objects that are meaningful to them. It can be a musical instrument, sports equipment, or even their favorite books, or future college attire. Taking a few images in cap and gown is often requested. Many seniors also like to capture their portraits with their new fancy car or truck, not too shabby, huh?
- Time your session for the best lighting – If you are using natural light, opt for soft, diffused light and avoid harsh, direct sunlight. This can be achieved by selecting the golden hour, early in the morning or late afternoon or an overcast day.
- Execute natural posing and framing – A lot of seniors are very natural and comfortable in front of the camera, but some are not. As a photographer, it is your job to make them comfortable so that the postures don’t look forced or rigid. Talk to them, make them move, make them laugh and capture candid, authentic moments that truly showcase their personality.
- Edit your images with care – Every photographer has their own editing style. However, for senior session images, try to create a timeless vibe by focusing on enhancing the natural beauty and avoiding over-editing or excessive retouching.
In conclusion, senior portrait photography requires a personalized approach. We, Houston’s top-rated senior photographer, create stunning portraits that truly reflect the originality of your senior. By getting to know our client, choosing the appropriate location, props, and lighting, encouraging natural poses, and last but not list, editing with a lot of care, we create vibrant masterpieces, which can be proudly displayed as wall arts or in a keepsake album in your home.
Get in touch to discuss your dream session with us today.
