Sofia L: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

Meet Sofia!

Sofia is graduating with the class of 2024 this spring! She plans to study elementary education post high school. She loves sweets (and works at an ice cream shop! ), and believe it or not, she is the third senior in her family I've had the joy of photographing at Hartwood Acres Mansion!

We weren't sure how the weather situation was going to play out the evening of her session... but at the last minute, we decided to go for it! And I'm so glad we did. It turned out to be a gorgeous evening, and we almost had the whole mansion area to ourselves during her session!

If you're wondering where Sofia's gorgeous pink dress is from... it's the "Emma Smocked Tulle Dress" from Baltic Born! Her red dress is from Abercrombie.

Congratulations to Sofia on her senior year!

Nina L: Moraine State Park Senior Photos

Meet Nina - a senior graduating from North Allegheny with the class of 2024! 🎉

Nina was a treat to photograph at the end of April at Moraine State Park on one of the most beautiful spring evenings!

When we had chatted before her session, she requested 1) a field, and 2) sunlight in the background of her photos. Sometimes those two things can be tough to find in Pittsburgh in April (especially the sunlight 😉)... but we were able to make both of those requests happen (truly by God's provision!).

Besides a field and sun, we found some lovely pink blossoms. And of course, we had to use the area near the water. We had a gorgeous golden hour that really made those photos pop!

Isn't she just so stunning?! She made my job so easy!

I also want to give a big thank you and shout out to Dani, who was my assistant/reflector holder for this session. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

The Easiest Outfit Choice for Senior Pictures: The Little White Dress!

Deciding what to wear for senior pictures is no easy task, and sometimes it can be even tougher when us photographers recommend all kinds of different tips & tricks - try a pattern, but make sure it’s not too small! Wear a bright color, but make sure it’s not too fluorescent. Wear something you feel comfortable in, but make sure it’s also flattering!

While I do think all of those tips are important, I also think that sometimes it’s important to just have a few solid recommendations that anyone can follow. Enter: the white dress!

The “little white dress” (short white dress with short sleeves) has been trending in senior photos in recent years, and for good reason! There are so many reasons why a little white dress is a great choice for senior pictures.

IT PHOTOGRAPHS SO WELL

A white dress photographs beautifully, and white dresses come in all different styles, making them a flattering choice that helps the subject stand out from the background without being too in your face! The little white dress works with a variety of different backdrops (natural, urban, floral, historic, etc.) making it a great choice regardless of the location or background you choose for your photos!

IT’S CLASSIC & TIMELESS

White dresses are also classic & timeless. They may decrease or increase in popularity, but for the most part, they are a staple in many women’s wardrobes across generations.

…YET ALSO TRENDY

Right now, white dresses are so in for senior photos! So you have the added bonus of choosing a trendy piece for your senior session, while at the same time, having something that is so classic. It’s a win-win!

ALTERNATIVE IDEAS

Though the short white dress is what’s currently in, if you’re unsure if you want to go too trendy, try adding a twist to your white dress choice by:

• Choosing a longer length instead of a shorter one

• Choosing a dress with sleeves over something short sleeve

• Adding a different color shoe (other than neutral or white)

• Adding a different type of accessory

Below are a few of my seniors who have chosen the white dress option in recent years! Many of them purchased their dresses from Altar’d State or Francesca’s.

INTERESTED IN MORE SENIOR PHOTO CONTENT?

Check out the blog posts below!

What Colors Should I Wear for My Senior Pictures?

One of the most common questions I get when it comes to prepping for a photo session is: what color clothing should I wear for my photo session?

While there are some general rules of thumb to use – no fluorescent colors, consider a piece of clothing with a color that “pops,” etc. – I have always been a bit stumped by this question. I’ve found that while some colors work great on some people, those same colors can wash other people out, making them look sickly and/or pale in photos.

Enter: color analysis!

If you’ve never heard of color analysis (also referred to as personal color analysis, or seasonal color analysis), it essentially is a tool for determining your best colors based on your own features (skin, hair, eyes, etc.). Each person generally falls into one of four larger categories (winter, spring, autumn, or summer), which are then further broken down into more specific palettes (i.e., deep winter, cool winter, bright winter, light summer, soft autumn, warm spring, etc.). With each of these seasons (and sub seasons) comes a specific array of colors that help a person “pop” (for lack of a better word!).

You can imagine that when it comes to photos, everyone wants to “pop!” We all want to look our best when we are having professional photos taken. And while I could recommend a few specific colors for people to dress in for their photos, I think there is a lot more value in steering people towards the concept of color analysis, and discovering what their best colors are that will make them pop!

I can’t claim to be a professional color analyst (or even a mediocre one at best!) so I’ve compiled some resources below for those who are interested in discovering what their best colors are! As well as a few simple tips to use if you don’t want to go through the whole color analysis process.

First, below is a link to a great comprehensive video for finding your “season” and your best colors!

If you’re looking for a quick way to determine your best colors, here’s what I would suggest:

Find a wide variety of different colors of clothing/fabrics (they don’t have to be yours - go through the closets of your family members, find blankets/scraps of fabric), and sit in front of a mirror (make sure you don’t have any makeup on and that your hair is down). Simply hold up those fabrics right beneath your face, covering your chest and collar bone area. Pay close attention to what colors enhance your features, and what colors wash you out. It may not be completely obvious to you at first, especially if you don’t have lots of different colors in different shades.

If you are struggling to find a wide variety of different colors of fabrics, you can also head to a store and simply hold different colors of fabric up in front of the mirror. Pay close attention to what colors lift your features, and what colors wash you out… then be sure to take note and buy clothing that corresponds!

Obviously, this isn’t a true test for determining your best “season” and true color analysis, but I do hope it is helpful in finding the best colors to suit YOU for your photo session! I’ve also included some photos below of some seniors who I think knocked it out of the park with their color choices!

(PS - there are also some pretty great filters on TikTok that will give you lots of color samples to help you find what suits you best!)

Blog Post Ideas for Senior Photographers

Is blogging dead in 2024?

While I consider myself a fairly consistent blogger (I blog about 60-70 times per year), I’ve wondered this myself as we enter the golden age of apps like TikTok, Threads, and YouTube. Does blogging have any value for a small business owner, and maybe more specifically for photographers, in 2024?

I might be biased, but I say a resounding YES! And I say this emphatic “yes” because of some simple (yet compelling) reasons:

• Content from my blog STILL drives TONS of traffic to my website (especially when I’m consistently sharing and keywording images from my sessions), which is great for my SEO rankings on Google. Google likes activity, and they reward websites with “good” activity with higher rankings (meaning that when someone searches for you, your website/blog post will pop up on or closer to that coveted first page of Google!)

• Blogging is an easy way for me to answer frequent questions that clients have for me, and in turn, allows me to serve my clients better. When they email me, I simply send them the blog post I’ve already written instead of typing out that answer again and again and again. Plus - answering your clients questions positions you as an expert in your field. Imagine someone Googling “where should I have my senior photos taken in (insert your town)?” and YOUR blog post pops up with some beautiful images from your favorite locations. Do you think that person is going to trust that you are an expert and that you know what you’re doing? Of course! And that puts them in a great position to want to invest in your services and experience. Score!

For me, those are two awesome reasons to continue blogging, even into 2024 and beyond. And I believe that anyone can “up” their rankings on Google by consistently posting to their blog, even beginning in 2024. It’s not too late to start!

One of the most difficult things about having a blog can be the age old question of “but what do I write?” As someone who has been blogging for 10+ years, trust me, I GET IT. I feel like I’ve written so so many blog posts throughout the years that I barely have any content left to write about. But then I get a question from a client or photograph a senior at a new location, and suddenly, I have an idea for content!

In this particular blog post, I’d love to share some ideas with you for blog posts that will actually help you rank on Google and that will help you serve your clients well. Because you need those inquiries… and you need to take care of those clients who have already trusted you with their memories and money!

Today, I’m going to share some blog post ideas specifically for Senior Photographers.

UNIQUE BLOG POST IDEAS FOR SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS:

1. Highlight the best images (could be 5, could be 25!) from every senior session you photograph in a separate blog post for each client. Yes, every single one. Chances are, you’re most likely editing some sneak peeks for your client, so go the extra mile and throw those sneak peeks in a blog post - but don’t forget to keyword those images (that’s the secret sauce!). This one is such good low hanging fruit, too, because these blog posts basically write themselves. Share the images, share some info about the senior (maybe where they go to school, what they plan on doing after college, what hobbies they are interested in) and wah-la! You have an easy, repeatable way to blog consistently throughout the year. (Click here to see a sample blog post!)

2. Highlight your favorite locations to take photos of seniors

   • This could be one blog posts with a long list of locations and sample images

   • This could also be individual blog posts highlighting your favorite images from each location

   • This could even be your favorite locations within different categories such as urban, nature, architectural, etc.

   • Click here to see a sample blog post from this category!

3. Share your favorite hair and/or makeup artists. Do you encourage your seniors to book hair and makeup artists for their session? Instead of typing up a list every time someone asked for a recommendation, what if you were able to simply send a link with some of your favorites? (Linking to each artists’ website, of course). This will make it SO easy for your clients to find the info they need!

4. Have a hair or makeup artists write a “guest blog post” for you with simple tips for how seniors can do their hair and makeup for their session (how to make their hair/makeup last longer in humidity, etc.)

5. Write about what seniors should wear for their photos. You could make one post for the ladies, and one for the guys. You could even break this into different seasons (i.e., what to wear for summer senior photos, what to wear for fall senior photos, etc.) (Click here to see a sample blog post from this category!)

6. Write about what seniors should NOT wear for their photos (again, one post for the ladies, one post for the guys).

7. Write about the best time of year to have senior photos taken. Wherever you live, there is probably a “peek” season for photos. Tell them why and write about it! Or, you can talk about when makes the most sense in terms of senior year/yearbook submission timing. (Sample post here!)

8. If there is a specific season you want to take photos in MORE, do a blog post featuring photos during that specific season, talking about why it’s so great (I live in Pittsburgh and have a blog post about why I love winter senior sessions!).

9. Write a letter to parents of seniors about what you want them to know going into their child’s senior session. This could be a great way to set parents up for success. One season, I had a few moms that were very unencouraging during their child’s senior session, which visibly deflated the senior and led to a difficult time getting happy emotions out of them. Talk about how parents can support their senior when it comes to their senior session!

10. Write about what props seniors can include during their photo session. If you’re a senior photographer, I have no doubt that someone has asked you to incorporate some sort of sport prop or instrument into their senior photos. Create a blog post with your best images and give some alternative ideas for props, too! (I love to encourage my clients to bring fresh flowers to their sessions!)

11. Write a blog post and feature some images from your own senior session (if you had one!). This can just be a fun way to let your senior into your life! People need to know you before they can trust you and buy from you… showcase your personality here! And if the photos were a super long time ago and aren’t your style anymore, talk about how senior photos have evolved into something so much better in modern times.

12. Do one big FAQ! Do parents and seniors ask you a lot of the same questions before, during, or after their senior photo session? Tackle all of those questions (or each one individually) on your blog! This will give you TONS of great content to refer your clients to when they have questions.

13. Write about your favorite senior photo trends. Do you have any current trends you love? Talk about why you love them on your blog!

14. Write about what senior photo trends you think are outdated. Is there a pose that is so 2015? What makes senior photos look outdated, to you? Talk about those things on your blog!

15. Write about the ways you go the extra mile for your senior clients. Do you have a changing tent you bring with you so your clients can change on location? Do you buy every senior their favorite Starbucks drink before their session? Do you have a gift you give them before or after their session? These small things will set you apart from the competition, and they should be celebrated! This could easily veer into bragging territory, so just be careful about how you frame it.

16. Make a video walking through how you edit your senior photos. Everybody loves a good behind the scenes! This will show your clients how you take the time to edit their images to perfection (Click here for a sample post!)

17. Write about the tools you use for your craft. What is a must-have for you when you photograph a senior session? For me, it’s my reflector… and I love talking about how big a difference it makes in my images!

18. Talk about the best time of day for a senior session. What is your favorite time of day to shoot, and why? Share it with your clients so they know when they can expect their session to be!

When you blog, don’t forget to think about what your perspective client might be Googling… in fact, that’s where you should start! What do they want to know? What is important to them? How can you serve them before you sell to them?

I hope this post was helpful, and happy blogging!

Interested in senior photography education?

Check out the resources below!

Hayden S: Zelienople Senior Photos

Meet Hayden!

I photographed Hayden in my favorite town... Zelienople! It truly had an endless amount of locations for urban style photos, which was exactly what Hayden was looking for. I loved getting to photograph someone in a location that I am so personally familiar with!

Hayden attends Canon-McMillan and plans to study something in the engineering or medical field post high school - he is a super smart one! He loves playing video games and is into Japanese culture.

We chased the evening light all around town... even behind the local BP gas station, much to the surprise of a few locals who were passing by You never know where the best light will end up being!

Congratulations on your senior year, Hayden!

Travis S: North Shore Pittsburgh Senior Photos

Meet Travis!

He's a senior at Butler High School who plays baseball, and who hopes to study engineering post high school! Because of his love for baseball, he chose the North Shore for his photos. It was so much fun to get PNC Park in the background of some of his photos, along with the beautiful cityscape!

Travis chose a morning time slot for his senior session, which I loved, because there were so few people around the places we wanted to use for photos. It was great!

Also, fun fact, Travis has never been to Chipotle.

Congratulations on your senior year, Travis!

Ava S: Sunrise Mellon Park Senior Photos

Meet Ava!

Ava is a senior at Avonworth who is hoping to study engineering post high school. She's in lots of different clubs at school and loves fall! We had the most beautiful morning at Mellon Park for her senior photos, and she brought some gorgeous outfits that complimented the changing fall scenery so well!

Congrats on your senior year, Ava!

Katherine D: Historic Harmony Senior Photos

Meet Katherine!

She's a senior at Mars who has already been accepted to a ton of awesome schools - go girl! She's a Chipotle & Chick-fil-A lover who chose to have her senior photos done in one of my favorite locations... Historic Harmony!

What I LOVE about this location is the amount of variety (and color!) you can get within a very short walking distance. It has that small town charm and I always get some of my favorite images here!

We had a blast walking around town with Katherine and her mom and getting to explore so many spots on such a beautiful fall day. Congratulations on your senior year, Katherine!

Gaby O: Grove City College Senior Photos

Meet Gaby!

Gaby is a senior at Seneca Valley, and a cheerleader! She chose a different location for her photos... Grove City College, which was so much FUN! There are so many beautiful architectural elements around the campus, so there was no shortage of beautiful backdrops for us to use. And with this session being in the summer to fall transition timeframe, we had some beautiful florals AND fall leaves to work with. It is one of my favorite times of the year for senior photos!

Congratulations on your senior year, Gaby!