How To Take Senior Pictures

Shoulder Senior Portrait Idea Pose

For our last senior portrait idea for a pose, lets talk about the power of the shoulder! I use these over the shoulder looks all the time! They are a GREAT way to capture those swooning eyes and eyelashes. It helps their posture and is a great way for their attitude and power to come through. I usually have them serious first and then have them lean and laugh towards me. These make for great up close shots too.

How To Take Amazing Senior Pictures That Everyone Loves

ColeGenres, Senior Portrait

Senior pictures are like a rite of passage for high school students. These pictures capture the seniors style and personality. While anyone can snap a few senior portraits with a smartphone, not everyone can showcase the student in a stylized and professional way. If you have wondered how to take senior pictures, this guide will help you.

Start With Sitting To Ease Awkwardness

Start with a sitting pose. Sometimes Seniors are a little nervous when we get started. Its our job to help them get comfortable. With standing poses, you can often see their early awkwardness so I get them to sit first. Its an easy way to start helping them with posing techniques.

Try to find steps or something for them to sit on. If that isnt available, look for texture like the grass or the door in these pics. Once I snap a few and show them the back of the camera, they sit a little taller and smile a little bigger because the confidence grows.

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Ideas For An Alternative Senior Portrait In 2020

Senior picture photography includes group shots and shots with pets are becoming more commonplace. Group pictures frequently happen when multiple individuals want to capture a moment with the people or the pets they love. These pictures may be great for new ideas, and having more than one subject adds complexity that many photographers love.

Best Senior Poses And Tips For Girls And Guys

1. Shake off your hands throughout the photoshoot to make sure your fingers are relaxed at all times and not stiff. 2. Bring your chin a little bit down and forward to create a strong jawline.3. Be mindful of your hand position and make sure they are not symmetrical. 4. Lift your elbow an inch or two away from your body to make sure your arm does not press against the torso. 5. Turn one of your shoulders away from the camera for a slimmer look.6. If you have long hair, make sure it covers both ears. Also, place your hair in front of one shoulder or bring it on one side.7. For looking away pose, move your chin in the same direction you will be looking. This way, the whites of your eyes won’t show too much.8. Lastly, practice relaxed but not sluggish posture by bringing your shoulders back and elongating your neck.

Pasha Belman Photography is a husband and wife wedding, family and senior portrait photography team based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Recognized as some of the top Myrtle Beach Photographers.

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How Long Are Senior Portrait Photo Sessions

The amount of time booked for your senior pictures photo session will depend on your photographer and your desired outcome. Most photographers will offer a certain number of outfit changes and may even offer location changes, within reason. On average, expect to spend at least an hour, but up to two or three.

This Is Extremely Important To You Dont Miss This:

You want to be sure to select a photographer who will not manhandle you with the posing. Almost all the photographers in our state tend to touch their clients and push them around way too much when posing them. The posing is so important, and should not be done by sticking you in the middle of your back if you arent sitting up quite straight enough! But thats what so many photographers do. Why? Because theyre in a hurry. They have another 51 seniors to photograph before the day is over, and they cant take the time to guide you. They just stick their hand into your back, grab you by the shoulders, and get you to sit up straight. Not only does this make you really uncomfortable, but it also makes you look stiff!

Thats why I call it guiding. I will guide you with words. I dont grab you or poke you. This is so important to helping you feel comfortable!

However, I am really picky. Ill be very careful, and very attentive to detail. I may pick a little at your hair if something is out of place. I straighten your collar or sleeves. I straighten your shirt if it has a funny wrinkle in it. Dont worry about a thing! Well make sure you look like a million bucks! Were very picky, but we dont manhandle you and we wont drive you nuts with being overly picky either!

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Keeping It Serious With Modeling Poses

You can choose to pose your model, but there are a few things to keep in mind as you work with them and the surroundings:

• Dont Cut Off Arms or Legs: Cutting off limbs will make the senior photo look awkward and often incomplete. Instead, use the arms to frame the shot and try different angles.
• Use Arms To Frame Things: Bending the arms and using angles, you can create a more visually appealing shot without a lot of fuss.
• Headshots: Classic headshots should frame the eyes and face of the subject, but youll also want to have the shoulders in the frame as well.

by Ali Pazani Licensed Under CC0

What Exactly Are Senior Pictures

Now, this is something that most people do not know, to begin with. However, understanding senior portraits is not something that is complicated. Senior portrait sessions are built around the particular senior, their interests, personalities, as well as hobbies, what makes them laugh, and how they are overall as a person. I do understand that this might confuse a lot of people but this has become a common trend over the past couple of years.

Many people show up for senior portraits but there is always a possibility that you can go ahead and take a senior portrait of yourself with great ease and simplicity, and well, we are all about that. The whole post is going to talk about senior portraits and how you can get better at taking a senior portrait of yourself. I do understand the confusion that might come in the way but hey, this is only going to make things easier for you to understand.

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Senior Portraits Can Be Expensive

And depending on where you live, the cost of having senior portraits done can be one of the highest ticket items on your students list of wants. This year, when many of us have taken a financial hit due to COVID, the thought of spending several hundred, or sometimes close to a thousand dollars on portraits is rather unsettling.

But you might be surprised to find out that there are some easy ways to get around hiring a pricey, professional photographer and turning this into a fun DIY experience with your student. And before the pros out there get upset and feel like theyre being dismissed, let me just say that I support professional photographers and think they are a great option for those who can easily afford them.

We all make personal choices on how we want to spend our familys hard-earned money. When times are tough, we must decide where and how we want to cut back on our discretionary spending. DIY senior portraits may be a helpful choice for some this year.

So, if this seems to you like a great way to save some money in 2020, how do you get started?

Mistake #8 Determines A Great Portrait Or A Terrible One

Nine out of ten seniors dont realize how important posing is. The most important word when it comes to posing is NATURAL. You absolutely dont want to look stiff and fake! One of the most common comments we hear from our clients is how natural the portraits look. Our seniors love how good they look, but they also love how natural they appear in the images.

You see, I understand that you want to look really great, but also you dont want to be put into some weird, stupid, pathetic pose that makes you look stiff and unnatural.

Yes, I will guide you so the composition and look of the portraits is really great. But I will NOT push you around and try to put you into unnatural positions that are just plain crazy looking. You and I will work together to help you look confident, comfortable, and just plain great.

I love working with Tammy. She always catches the best images and finds unique places to make the pictures special. I just love my senior portraits. And all the pictures weve done with her always have a special memory behind them. Lauren Tieche, Forest

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Keep The Session Light And Flowing

When you distract your subject, youre more likely to get poignant shots that cant otherwise happen consciously. For example, pose your senior in a comfortable way and ask them to stare at an object in the distance. As they relax, their facial expression and body language will change and render the look you want.

by Godisable Jacob Licensed Under CC0

Can I Have Photos Taken With Groups Of Friends

Absolutely! I love when our client gets creative and want to do something different. I can do something during prom season where you have all the girls in their dresses go to a fun location and shoot the session like a magazine cover! You can also do something fun on the beach or the city when you are all able to get together.

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Should I Curl Or Straighten My Hair For Senior Photos

It depends on your natural hair. Located in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, we photograph our seniors in a mostly humid environment. After 20-30 minutes of taking senior pictures outside, the humidity will affect your hair, bringing it back to a more natural style. That’s why if you have naturally curly or wavy hair, you should not straighten it for senior pictures. Instead, embrace your curls, waves, and your natural hair texture. On the other hand, keeping straight hair look as natural as possible for senior pictures would be the best thing. However, feel free to add light waves to frame your face and add some volume.

So Many Print Options For Senior Photos

For the twins senior photos, I knew I wanted wallet-size, 4×6, canvas, and large prints I could frame. Walmart Photo was able to deliver same-day quality service for my needs. Since Walmart Photo offers budget-friendly prices, I was able to get all the prints I wanted from their senior photo sessions.

Walmart Photo has photo templates you can use on their website. For the 11×14 canvas shown above, I was able to use the senior script template and added their name and year. I loved how these turned out!

These are 11×14 photo posters on matte photo paper.

Walmart also carries frames for every size you need. You can purchase a matted frame, and just slide the photo in! How simple is this? Instead of spending a lot of money to print and frame photos, you can use Walmart Photo to print your pictures and pick up a matted frame.

You can also get 4×6 prints from Walmart Photo. From mounted photos to photo books, they have everything you need. Head over now to explore their photo options and make a note to use Walmart Photo to print your high schoolers senior photos.

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Distinctly Dazzling: Meet Erica

Over the years, Ive learned the key to photography doesnt just lie in having the best equipment or angles, but also in bringing out the best in every client. That means spending time talking to and getting to know everyone I work with.

Erica is a vivacious and energetic girl, and I was thrilled to help her create the best photo shoot ever! As adventurous as she is, Im pretty sure those steps arent the most comfortable thing ever to lie on, but in this shot, she looks perfectly at home. What a great photo Erica ended up with simply by taking a chance on an outside-the-box pose! If you love her style, check out more from Ericas senior portrait session!

My Personal Favorite Times For Taking Senior Pictures

Best time of day to take senior portraits

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Check The Weather Report

The Weather Channel can give you a good idea of what to expect in the skies, but the weather is not 100 percent predictable. As a senior photographer, you have to work with what you get. Dont let a cloudy day disappoint you, and dont be overwhelmed by a completely sunny day.

Even a shoot in the rain can be fun, as you are bound to get some fantastic facial expressions. And think about how much fun you can have with rain boots and an umbrella.

Since teenagers love to have their senior portraits taken outside, you have to be able to work with what you get. You cannot create a sun where there isnt any. Bring and use your tools and posing tips as a photographer to make the best of any session.

by Pexels Licensed Under CC0

Spring Senior Picture Ideas

Spring of your senior year is the last chance to get your senior photos taken, and you should take advantage of it if you are still looking to document this special time in your life. By spring, many seniors already know which college they will go to. That’s why it would be a perfect time for taking your senior photos on the college campus. You can also use these symbolic campus photos for your graduation/college acceptance announcements.

If you love spring but don’t want to wait till the last chance for senior photos, you can take them during the spring of your junior year.

Spring is perfect for your senior portraits if you would love to see flowers in your pictures. Also, if you are not a fan of hot weather, do not wait till summer and take your senior photos in spring. This is when you can wear warm and cold weather outfits for the same session and still be comfortable.

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Mistake #1 Ruins More Senior Portraits Than Anything

Mistake #1 is wearing the wrong clothes! This is very normal. Even if the senior were a professional model, he or she still wouldnt know what to wear that would help him or her look the very best in a still photo. The Art Director would say what to wear! The model would just show up, and do what hes told! The hair person does the hair. The Art Director plans everything and tells the subject what to do next.

You see, people dont know what really photographs well. They just dont know. Well, we know. Thats our job. And we love it. And were really, really good at helping you select the best clothing for your photographs clothing that will help you look your very best. We will help you with this. Dont worry.

Include Cap And Gown Pictures

Have the teen bring their cap and gown to the session as well. This is more for the parents than the teen. But it is a nice addition to the gallery to have cap and gown photos.

If youre on-location, use a solid-colored wall as a background. One with a little texture can also work well to get a solid portrait of the teen in the cap and gown.

Take photos with different crops so you can offer one for the yearbook, one for wallets, and one for display in your clients home.

After youve taken the classic cap-and-gown photo, take advantage of its presence and have fun with the cap and gown. Take photos of the teen throwing the cap in the air and catching it.

Maybe invite the parents into a few photos adjusting the tassel. Have the teen hold the cap in their hands while you get an up-close photo of them holding the cap.

Some teens decorate their caps so that family and friends can identify them during the graduation ceremony. If the teen plans to decorate their cap, have them do so before the session so you can get a detailed photo of their cap. This will make their senior photos even more personalized.

If the teen hasnt picked up their cap and gown, or you do the session in advance, ask them to borrow one from a friend. Many thrift stores also carry used caps and gowns from local schools.

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