How to Prepare for Your Senior Photo Session

Preparing for senior photos isn’t hard, but it certainly can be if you wait until the last minute!

Today, I’m sharing things to think about months and weeks out from your session, as well as what to remember the day of your senior session!

One to Three Months Out:

• Schedule any hair, makeup, or nail appointments you might want!

• Start thinking about what you might want to wear - go through your closet in advance to see if you’ll need to purchase any additional garments

• Choose a location where your senior photos will take place

The Week of Your Session:

• Finalize and steam or iron all of your outfit choices (wrinkles be gone!) & props!

• Drink LOTS of water! This is good for your skin and will give it a nice glow!

• Make sure you are applying chapstick, especially if you are prone to chapped lips! (Chapped lips can’t be fixed in photoshop!)

• Make sure your nails are clean or, for the ladies, painted!

• Refrain from wearing sunglasses for the week leading up to your session so you aren’t squinting during your session!

The Day of Your Session:

• Give yourself plenty of time to get ready – more than you think!

• Don't forget to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before our scheduled start time. Your session will begin at the time we set in advance, not at the time you arrive.

• Eat a snack before you come – it’s not fun getting your photo taken while you’re hangry!

What to Bring:

• Any outfit changes you might have

• Any props you may want to include (an instrument, soccer ball, pet, etc.!)

• A change of comfortable shoes to walk in

• A hair brush or comb (or anything for on location touch ups!)

• A parent or friend (moral support is always a good thing – plus, if you’d like they can step in for a few photos at the end!)

HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?

One of my favorite ways to prepare my clients for their senior sessions is through my blog! Check out the popular blogs below to see if any of your senior Q’s can be answered, or reach out using the contact tab in the navigation above to start a conversation! ☺️

• Pittsburgh Area Location Ideas for Senior Girl Portraits

• Pittsburgh Area Location Ideas for Senior Guy Portraits

• 4 Tips for Preparing for Your Senior Photo Session

• When to Have Your Senior Photos Taken

• 4 Ways to add more “Umph” to Your Senior Photo Outfits!

• 4 Reasons to Have Your Senior Photos Taken Over the Summer

• Why Professional Prints are Worth the Investment

Historic Harmony Triplet Senior Session

What a joy it was to photograph this sweet set of triplets - Paige, Ethan, & Jeremy! We had a beautiful day for their photos in Historic Harmony, and had a “mega” senior session to accommodate taking photos of all three of them separately, and some of them together!

I’ve learned that, when choosing a location for senior photos with multiple seniors (see my last triplet senior photo session from back in 2017 here!), it’s so important to have a solid variety of backdrops. While using different types of poses can make each senior’s photos look different, it really does help to have a wide variety of backdrops to choose from to differentiate each senior a little bit from the other!

I was SO excited when these three decided on Historic Harmony for their photos. It is such a versatile location with so much variety to offer!

Besides photographing these three - I loved getting to know them, too! A few fun facts: Paige is heading to school after graduation to become a pastry chef, so of course we had to use the bakery sign as a little nod toward her future career! Also, the blue floral dress she is wearing in some of these photos was her mom's when she was in college... So sweet!!

Ethan and Jeremy are headed to Slippery Rock post high school - they love ultimate frisbee and are both musically talented - one plays the violin and one plays drums!

In the post below, I’ve tried to break up their photos into groups - first Paige, then Ethan, then Jeremy! Then, of course, some photos of all three of them together ☺️

Congratulations on your senior year, Paige, Ethan, and Jeremy! ☺️ Thank you so much for the honor of taking these photos for you!

Sophia E: North Allegheny High School Senior Photos at Mellon Park

Sophia is a North Allegheny senior who is graduating this spring! She plans to attend Temple University, her snack of choice is kettle cooked jalapeno chips, and she was an absolute delight to photograph during an early April evening at Mellon Park!

Mellon Park has really started to bloom - not only with daffodils on the ground, but also with a beautiful pink tree! Of course, we had to take advantage of that tree during our time together… and I’m so glad that we did! Those are some of my favorite photos from Sophia’s entire session!

Congratulations on your senior year, Sophia!

If you're interested in learning more about a senior photo session, feel free to click here!

Madie D: Seneca Valley High School Senior Photos at Mellon Park

Meet Madie! She’s a part of the class of 2022 who is graduating this Spring, and she was a joy to photograph! (I had the honor of photographing her brother just last year for his senior photos in Historic Harmony - click here to see!)

Madie’s session took place at Mellon Park on a damp and cold morning in early April. She was a trooper through the cold and rainy weather! And she even brought her color guard flag for some photos… it was so much fun to see her twirl it around!

One of my favorite parts about April sessions are the FLOWERS! And even though we don’t always see many until mid to late April, there were some beautiful daffodils in bloom that really make Madie’s photos pop!

Congratulations on your senior year, Madie!!!

Julia E: Phipp's Conservatory Broderie Room Senior Photos

Say hello to Miss Julia, who is a part of the class of 2022! Julia plans on studying Psychology after high school, and has such a sweet spirit! She loves reading, writing, and baking.

It was such a treat to be able to photograph Julia a few weeks ago at Phipp's Conservatory in the Broderie Room! If you didn’t know, the Broderie Room at Phipp’s is modeled after a formal French garden, and (in my opinion) it’s easily one of the most beautiful rooms they have!

Phipp’s ended up working out perfectly for Julia’s senior portrait session - her photos needed to be completed with enough time to use them for senior announcements this summer, so they couldn’t be scheduled too late into the Spring. But Julia also wanted some beautiful greens and florals as a backdrop, which usually begin to pop up in the Spring timeframe. So when I suggested renting a room at Phipp’s for her senior photos, I was so excited when she and her mom jumped on the opportunity!

Did you know that you can actually rent a room at Phipp’s? It’s true! Click here to find out more about a room rental at Phipp’s. A room rental at Phipp’s might be a great idea for a senior session for you if…

• You don’t want to have to worry about inclement weather the day of your shoot! Phipp’s is a covered, enclosed greenhouse, making it a great indoor option - which would mean that you wouldn’t have to worry about rain, cold, or snow!

• You want to have a more private space for your session. Public spaces & parks can be busy during the summer months. Phipp’s is a private space where people won’t be able to interrupt!

Renting a room is actually the only way to have a professional photo session take place there (just so you know!). But it really is a fantastic option, even a great backup rain plan!

Congratulations on your senior year, Julia! It was such an honor to celebrate this season with you!

Connor D: Franklin Regional High School Senior Photos in Oakland PA

Connor is a senior at Franklin Regional High School who is graduating this Spring with the class of 2022! He is the quarterback for his school’s football team, and plans to study business post-high school.

Connor chose Oakland for his senior photos. We began at Mellon Institute, then worked our way over to the Cathedral of Learning. There are so many great locations in Oakland for senior photos right within that small area that encompass both architecture and nature!

Leading up to his session, we weren’t sure it was even going to be able to happen. Throughout the week, the forecast was calling for rain ALL day - literally! And then, when the rainy forecast finally cleared the morning of his session, a new forecast of strong winds showed up. Strong winds can sometimes be problematic during a photo session, unless you’re fully committed to that “Beyonce” wind-in-the-hair look. And while I’m sure Connor could’ve pulled it off, it wasn’t really the look he wanted to go for!

Ultimately, though - we did decide together to move forward with the session! And I’m glad we did. We had lots of buildings in Oakland to hide around, and tried to shoot between wind gusts. And Connor was a great sport through it all - we had a great time hanging out with him!

Congratulations on your senior year, Connor!

JR: Seneca Valley Senior Photos on the North Shore of Pittsburgh

JR is a Seneca Valley High School senior who is graduating in the Spring of 2022! He chose the picturesque North Shore for his photos, which afforded LOTS of opportunity for photos with a classic Pittsburgh yellow bridge and the city background!

A few weeks ago, I discovered that the Roberto Clemente Bridge had closed starting on February 14, 2022 for the next two years. Thankfully, the Andy Warhol Bridge served as an excellent backup spot during JR’s session!

JR kept it casual and decided to wear two different sweatshirts for his senior photos - from competing schools! JR’s family is a “Penn State” family, but because JR will be attending school at Pitt for Nursing, they’ve adopted some love for their infamous rival ;)

Because of the Roberto Clemente Bridge closure, I decided to look for some new locations for photos around the North Shore… and those locations did not disappoint! We even found a colorful mural on one of the side streets that made for some vibrant & unique images. And of course, the walkways and streets themselves always serve as excellent backdrops!

In addition to having his senior photos taken, JR’s family opted to add on a “family mini session” to the beginning of his senior session! So, for the first 20 minutes we were together, we created some updated family photos for them. It was so much fun, and a good way to get JR loose before the camera was solely focused on him. You can check out photos from their family mini session here!

Congratulations on your senior year, JR!

Charlie B: Canon McMillan High School Senior Photos at North Park

Charlie is a senior who is graduating with the class of 2022! His favorite season is winter, and he spends a lot of time in the cold on the ice hockey rink. His session took place at North Park... in the midst of some subtle snow fall! The perfect, subtle nod to his love for winter, even though there was no snow covering the ground.

I love how Charlie came prepared for his mid-20 degree senior session with lots of layers to keep him warm. This is the way to do it if you want to have your photos taken during the winter months!

It was also really helpful that he had pockets in his jacket - I tend to have guys put their hands in their pockets when I pose them during any time of year, but it’s especially a great way to go in the winter to keep hands a bit warmer! We also stashed some hand warmers in his jacket pockets - which of course, you would never know!

The colors Charlie chose for his session were also perfect against the winter backdrop. I always love to recommend bright colors against a stark winter landscape!

North Park is a great location for photos, but can be a bit tricky in the winter months when nature doesn’t have a lot to offer in terms of lush greenery or vivid fall leaves. Because of that, I opted to use the area around the Boathouse (which also happens to house a fantastic restaurant, OTB at North Park!), where we could use some of the architecture in the background. The lake also had a thin layer of ice on it, which made for a different type of backdrop! As I was location scouting before the session, I noticed some vivid field grass across from the Boathouse, which we used for a few images, too. Our last stop was a wooden bridge that reaches towards a small island - the bridge was another great spot that provided some visual interest in the dead of winter!

All in all, we had a great time braving the cold with Charlie and creating these images to celebrate his senior year of high school. Congratulations on your senior year, Charlie!

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When Should I Have My Senior Photos Taken?

There are lots of important pieces of information to consider when it comes to the question, “when should I have my senior photos taken?”

Truly, this is a very personal question, and it’s important to note that the “right” timeframe may vary from senior to senior for a multitude of reasons - reasons that I will get into below! My goal for this blog post is to share a few ideas of things to think about when considering a timeframe for senior photos to help you either eliminate certain seasons or times or to help you nail down a more specific timeframe.

Generally, there are a few things I always encourage my senior to consider when choosing when to have their senior photos taken. First and foremost:

1. Find out when your senior picture is due.

Do you go to a school that requires you submit your senior photo to your yearbook? If not, feel free to skip to point number two!

For those who this does apply to, this is one of, if not the most important question to think about when it comes to the timing of your senior photos! No one wants to have a blank gray box next to their name in the yearbook, especially their senior year.

Most seniors I photograph who submit their photo to their yearbook need to have them submitted between October 1 and December 31, but this can vary significantly from school to school. Most schools will send this information out at the end of junior year, over the summer between junior and senior year, or at the beginning of senior year - but I would encourage you to get that information no later than the Spring of your junior year, so you can begin planning!

Knowing when your senior photo is the first hurdle, but from there, you need to consider booking your photographer, and knowing how long the turn around time will be for your full gallery of photos. Every photographer has a different turn around time for a full gallery of photos - some in a few days, some in a few weeks, and some in a month. Make sure you ask for this information before you book your session date, so you know that you will have time to have your shoot, get your photos turned around, and choose your favorite shot for the yearbook!

2. consider what else the photos will be used for

(i.e., Graduation Party Announcements)

Do you plan on using your senior photos on grad announcements, or for graduation party invites that will need to go out at a certain time? Consider choosing a graduation party date, then working backwards from there.

How far in advance will guests need to RSVP? How long will it take for the invites to be designed, printed, addressed, stamped, then mailed out? From there, work backwards and choose a timeframe that will leave enough time for your shoot, for your photographer to edit and deliver your gallery, and for you to choose your final images!

3. consider what the weather will be like.

This one might sound obvious, but it’s worth stating here - if you struggle with heat and humidity, I would not recommend having your photos taken at the height of summer. If you are not a fan of the cold, I would not recommend having your photos taken early Spring or late Fall when the temperatures are lower.

If you know that your hair will frizz in 95°F weather, then maybe consider a session in the Spring or Fall, when it’s not blazing hot! If you have a certain outfit in mind - i.e., lots of layers - don’t show up to a summer session in a sweater, jeans, and boots! Likewise, if you want to wear a cute sundress and sandals, don’t schedule your session for a colder timeframe. Thinking ahead about personal preference, possible outfit choices, and/or hair & makeup situations can be helpful with further nailing down when the best time could be for your senior photos!

4. Consider schedules and activities.

Senior year is a very busy time, with extracurriculars, college visits, special recognition ceremonies, not to mention all of the fun things that come along with it being your senior year, like trips and skip days! For some seniors, it’s easier to plan to have their photos taken the summer before their senior year, when they don’t have as many activities to work around. For other seniors, having their senior photos taken is a great opportunity to miss a day (or half day!) of school to get to have a fun pretty much once-in-a-lifetime experience of having their photos professionally taken!

5. Consider how you will look.

This might sound like a strange one, but I know this has been true for many of the seniors I’ve photographed! Some seniors prefer to wait until their official senior year to have their photos taken… sometimes near the very end. Why? Because they want to remember that specific time - what they looked like and what their personal style was their “legit” senior year. This is one that matters to some, but not to others - some people change significantly from the beginning of their senior year to the end, and some don’t!

I hope you found this blog post helpful for narrowing down a timeframe to have your senior photos taken in! If you are in need of a senior photographer in the Pittsburgh area, I’d love to connect with you! Feel free to reach out via my Contact form (click here!), or email me directly at jhidingerphotography@gmail.com. I hope to hear from you!

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Megan A: Winter Wonderland Seneca Valley Senior Photos

I have way too many favorites already from Megan's snowy senior session! And thankfully, we had THE most perfect day for her snowy photos on the most beautiful of snowy, February days - a high of 40 with snow still on the ground?! It couldn't have been more perfect!

I've had the honor of knowing Megan & her family for quite a few years - and Megan’s mom, Robin, actually helps me with senior sessions from time to time!

Megan is a Seneca Valley senior, graduating with the class of 2022. She intelligent, smart, witty, and determined. It was such an honor to take her senior photos!

And if you're wondering where these magical backdrops can be found, we actually used Megan's family's backyard for majority of these! I love when my seniors (or any clients for that matter!) choose locations that are meaningful to them. After some photos at her house, we headed over to McConnell’s Mill for a few more!

Congratulations on your senior year, Megan! It was such an honor to take these photos for you!