Seniors!! Are you starting to get ready for those senior pictures but unsure where to start? Don’t worry, I gotchu! Stick around here and I will walk you through ideas and some things to remember.
I remember trying to pick out my senior picture outfits and throwing every single piece of clothing out of my closet while yelling “I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!” After being out of high school for… some years… haha, I look back on the outfits I wore I still like about half of what I chose. My biggest regret is that I straightened my hair, which I used to do a little more in high school since that was the ‘cool’ thing to do (curly hair probs) but now I NEVER straighten my hair and I wish I would’ve just worn it naturally. I also regret that I wore red nail polish with gold glitter on top. Tell me why I thought that was a good idea. But you know, Hunger Games had just come out and I thought they looked fierce and I thought they looked just like Katniss’s fire outfit. So, you win some you lose most 😉 haha!
I wore a light blue sweater because I knew it would make my eyes pop, (definitely keep that in mind, which color makes your eyes pop??) BUT I wore light yellow pants with it. Oops. It was a lot to look at. However, the other outfit I wore that I loved was a white sun dress with a pink lace shirt underneath and a brown lether jacket. I feel like it had a sweet and innocent look that would forever be in style. I still have the brown leather jacket in my closet today, and I still have no regrets about the pink lace! I also wore a vintage blue and white polka dot dress that I was in love with! I still am. I actually cried when the zipper wouldn’t go up over my ribs anymore a year later. Sad day when one of your favorite outfits can’t be with you forever! I never want to tell people what to wear, because everyone has their own style, and loves different things! So please don’t think that these are rules, but ideas for you to keep in mind and help you think about what you love!
Let’s start with picking out your outfit:
1. Go to Leanna Joy’s Instagram page to see outfit ideas from local Bozeman boutiques. You can click on my Linktree and head to my blog for a page listing some awesome places here to shop!
2. When choosing your outfit, think about asking a best friend or parent “what’s one of your favorite outfits that I wear?” This can give you some ideas on what to wear and what is most flattering on you! Hearing other opinions always helps me!
3. I don’t really suggest buying a WHOLE new wardrobe for your senior shoot. It’s always a good idea to try on your outfits you already have to see how they lay and look on you first before you decide on buying something new.
4. Patterns and florescent colors sometimes are a little too busy in images and take away from your face. However, if fluorescents and crazy patterns are your thing please feel free to bring them and we can chat about it and see how it looks with whichever location we are in!
5. Think about choosing different options like a dress, skirt and pants. A little of each! If you come with all plaid shirts and jeans it doesn’t give you a lot of different looks in your images.
6. Accessories always spice up outfits and make them more fun to photograph. For example: a fun hat, meaningful jewelry, scarves, sunglasses, or fun shoes! Express yourself in any and every way!
7. Please please please iron your shirts. I mean this in the nicest way! Haha. It makes a huge difference when your clothes aren’t wrinkly. Also, if you throw your jeans into dryer for a minute or two it will shrink them a little bit so that they fit a little more snug if that’s your thing!
8. Your hands will be in a lot of the pictures so remember that you need to clean up your fingernails before the shoot. (Remember my red nail story??) If you want to treat yourself to a manicure or just put on a nice clean nail polish coat before you come to your shoot, I think that’s a great idea!
9. Your parents or guardians are going to be paying for these wonderful photos of you and putting them in their home FOREVER, so think about asking your parents what outfit they want to see you in. Or if they have an idea of accessory or color they like you in.
10. Try everything on the day before the shoot again to make sure you have the right undergarments to wear along with the accessories you want. (White pants or shirt? Best to check what looks good underneath!) Then I suggest hanging your clothes on a hanger with a Ziploc bag on the hook with all your accessories and undergarments in them so everything is together and ready to go!
11. Try to steer away from t-shirts with brand names across the shirt because it will date your pictures even 2 years!
Next, let’s chat about props:
I definitely encourage you all to bring any props that help illustrate their hobbies, personality, or even future plans. One of my favorite things to do at a senior session is to incorporate props! Props can add interest, depth and an extra flair to your pictures. While you might have recently seen photos that incorporate a specific prop, try not to use something that won’t be dated in 20 years’ time. Classic is definitely a better look and safer, and there are many fun options to choose from. But, again, if you have something that means a lot to you right now, by all means BRING IT and we can see what we can do! Props should also be relative to the personality of the senior. Remember, using props can be the perfect addition to your photos but make sure that they don’t become the main focus! Just another thing to show who you are and highlight YOU.
Some prop ideas to get your mind thinking about what yours could be: your collection of converse shoes, sports balls, painting easel and paint, an instrument, balloons, felt board, graduation hat, sheet music, etc. And, of course, I am going to bring confetti for the end!
Who to Bring to your shoot?
Bring those who hype you up and are your best supporters! We want you to feel confident and comfortable in front of the camera. Who is it that brings out the best in you?? Best friend, mother, father, boyfriend, or girlfriend? How do you choose?? My advice is to think about the person who makes you smile with ease, who always makes you feel confident, and knows how to make you laugh. Don’t bring someone who might put you down on your big and fun photoshoot! Also, if you want it to just be me and you that is also completely fine! We will have a blast! And then we can just invite a friend of yours to come at the very end to get a few pictures together! Whatever makes you feel good!
Location Ideas:
I scout out locations ALL the time and have places in mind before we shoot. But I also really love when a senior has a place in mind that they have fond memories of. That will show through your pictures, I promise! And it will always bring back good memories for you when you look at those pictures. If you know someone in your family that would let us run around their acres of land or use their car garage with cool cars, I am open to all of it! Just as long as I can possibly run around the property first to get ideas of where to shoot and what will look best for you! That’s all I ask 🙂
I hope this was helpful for you! Again, these are NOT rules. They’re ideas and options to get your brain thinking about what you like and want. I just want to show off you and your wonderful personality as best I can! Have fun with it!!
