Fresh flowers are one of my favorite “props” for seniors to incorporate into their senior photos! As a senior photographer in the Pittsburgh area, there are a few locations around the Pittsburgh area that are known for having beautiful gardens to work with - including two of my favorites, Hartwood Acres Mansion and Mellon Park!
But what happens when you want to incorporate those glorious florals into your photos, but the garden isn’t in bloom? Or maybe you live in an area that just doesn’t have a lot of blooming florals.
Let me tell you a little secret… you don’t have to have access to a garden or field of flowers in order to get that pop of flower color in your photos! In fact, all of the ideas found in this blog post do not require access to a garden or a field of flowers, but will still help you get that “pop” that you want. So let’s dive in with some of my favorite ideas!
1. Hold a bouquet or single stem flower.
This might be the easiest option, because you can buy a bouquet of flowers from the local grocery store, from a farm, or from a florist! A simple bouquet of flowers never goes out of style. Just make sure to take color scheme into consideration when choosing, you’ll want to make sure the bouquet goes with your outfit choice! I often have seniors hold the bouquet or set it on the ground near where they’re sitting for a quick pop of color.
You can also opt for a single stemmed flower - I personally love a large single stem sunflower, since it has a bit more volume than some other types of flowers! But even a rose would be a beautiful addition.
2. Off with their heads!
Quite literally - cut the heads of the flowers off and lay them on the ground! This is one of my FAVORITE shots to get when someone brings fresh flowers. But of course, I would suggest doing this shot near the end of your session so you can use the stemmed flowers for other photos! I also sometimes love to have seniors throw the cut off heads in the air for something a little fun and different! (Kind of like confetti… but with flowers!)
Another option would be to use flower petals instead of full heads of flowers - if you don’t want to waste quite as many!
3. Find a cute basket or carrier.
This is another fairly easy (and fun) option! If you have a cute basket that can be slung on your elbow, or a bike with a cute basket that could fit an arrangement, those are both great options that help incorporate another prop into your photos!
4. Borrow some large potted flowers.
I’ve had a few moms of seniors bring some large potted florals to their daughter’s sessions… and they have turned out SO beautifully! You could bring large mixes in the spring/summer, or mums in the fall. As a side tip - it can be nice when the pots aren’t super visible and are more covered by overhanging flowers/greenery (unless they’re really pretty!).
And there you have it! Four of my favorite ways to incorporate fresh flowers into a senior session. Really, though - these could be easily applied to any session! An engagement session could easily be enhanced with a floral arrangement or bouquet, and even a family session could be beautiful with a few large flower pots set up in a pretty area to enhance the scene. Don’t be afraid to get creative with those beautiful blooms!
