When to book your senior pictures from a senior/graduate photographer!

Whether your a high school or college senior this is everything you should know & take into consideration when booking your senior/grad photo session as someone who is a senior/grad portrait photographer!

I want to share ALL the factors to take into consideration NOW, as we approach the Spring Season that is upon us!

P.S. if you didn’t know Spring is the busiest time for you as you’re in your senior year & as a senior photographer.

  1. The Weather & Season!

    Let me throw it back to when I was In elementary school, because I remember always looking forward to Groundhog Day (mainly because it was right before my Birthday & kind of an odd holiday, but I just loved it for some reason!) Well this year my man, Punxsutawney Phil, said Spring will be here 6 weeks early, which time will only tell if this is true for 2024, but I’m running with it! I absolutely LOVE sunshine, beautiful sunsets, & days that feel like Summer without the heat & humidity that comes with being in Texas in the Summer. So with this being said… This is good news for ME & YOU, because the weather can really make a difference in your photo session! If you

  2. The Events!

    As you are in your senior year you have all kinds of events to go to, maybe your planning your own things like; senior trips, your grad party, you have to figure out your graduation, & all the last things that come with heading towards the end your senior era. Sometimes the thought of having senior photos gets put on the back burner & then you scramble to get them done. So if you know you want them done just start looking for photographers in your area, so you can see their work & what their availability might be!

  3. The Vibes!

    When it comes to the actual senior photo session, as the client it’s important to have a general idea of what you’re wanting to do for your session. Think to yourself, what kind of environment/background do you want within your photos? What clothing/outfits will you be wearing? Do you want to have any props or showcase your future college, any talents, high school extra curricular activities? After asking those questions start curating some inspiration! For me, Pinterest is my best friend, it allows you to not compare yourself to people you know (which can be hard mentally, so spare yourself that by using Pinterest!).

    If you’re feeling stuck on what to do I do have a few boards on my Pinterest that might help guide you!

  4. The Deadlines!

    Deadline cans sneak up on you & this is when you start to really stress out, but this is why it’s important to start planning what you can do, so when you have the time to have your senior pictures done you’re prepared! Typically, our parents/guardians want to celebrate this big milestone (as you & them should!), so naturally grad cards & parties exist, which means they will need some nice photos to put on the cards. This is when it’s good to ask the photographer you have in mind/work with, what their turn around time is for the photos taken! For me, I try to send the full gallery within 1 week, but if i’m really in the busy part of the season I return the full gallery within 1-2 weeks.

So now, after the full breakdown here’s my advice & when I think you should book your photographer for your photo session! Booking 2 months in advance is perfect timing to find your outfits, props, & perfect locations.

Another P.S. if you are looking for a deal sometimes photographer will host mini sessions days & this is great if you’re only needing a few photos! I will be hosting Galveston Mini Sessions on Saturday, March 16, 2024 :)

The Hart's Maternity Session at Bull Creek District Park in Austin, Texas.

How have I not shown this beautiful milestone maternity session on my blog?!! Well, today is the day, because I love the Hart’s & everything about their maternity session. I first worked with Caroline & Zach in 2022, when I associate photographed their engagement session in their small town of Georgetown, Texas. At the time I was living in Flatonia, Texas, & was always finding reasons to come to the city & this opportunity came from a fellow photographer in the area, so I jumped at the thought & when the day arrived I enjoyed every second of it. Something that may sound crazy is I love a good long drive to a session, maybe not all the time, but this day I did. Once I arrived to Georgetown & I met these two, we started chatting about their wedding day plans, how they met, what they do for a living & how they spend their days. It was hard to not fall in love with their story & photographing how these two are together is just so effortlessly beautiful. After our session was done I drove home & saw the most beautiful & pink Austin, Texas sunset. This day is truly forever engraved into my memory. Funny enough I never did edit their photos until almost a year after, only because I associate photographed their session; which means I just photographed the session & sent it to the photographer they originally hired. So you typically as an associate photographer don’t get to share the images until after the full gallery was sent by the lead photographer. So I finally edited their photos & then not too long after Caroline reached out to me about having me photograph their maternity session, which made my heart so full & happy to be a part of!

Caroline had the whole vibe picked & I found the best location for them! The day we had be planning for finally came around & was so perfect for these two. We explored Bull Creek District Park in Austin, Texas, which the weather this day was Fall Texas Weather, aka a nice, chill, sunny day & we weren’t dying of sweat, so chef’s kiss! We started the session by laying out their blanket & bringing out the pictures of Baby Hart aka the sonogram. Caroline & Zach were in full effect of Mom & Dad, which the smiles on their faces just say it all! There were some moments during our session where there were questionable people & things we saw, but that’s the beauty in pictures, because that was simply not shown within the photos. Caroline was glowin & Zach was adoring his women! Baby Hart is now living her best life with her awesome parents & I can’t wait to see where life takes these three!! ✨🥹🫶🏼🤭🤍🥲

How to have the BEST Senior Session Ever!

It’s the beginning of a new year, which means it’s a new graduation year for all the high school seniors & collage graduates! I absolutely love being able to photograph seniors, because it always brings me back to my roots of where I began photography, which coincidentally enough it was during my senior year of high school, I asked all my friends if I could take their photos & I did & it’s how I got some of my first experiences as a photographer! Since then, I have been photographing seniors & graduates every season!

step one!

To having the best senior session ever is…

Finding a photographer!

This can truly be the hardest part of the senior photos process, because they are so many different photographers out there to choose from & is the most important!!

Here’s some tips & things to look for, when conducting your search; Make sure they are reputable, reliable, & responsive! It’s important to look at their work & if it’s something you love, then it’s time to do your research! Check out their social media pages & website, find out everything that’s included in their session packages! This can be what sets most photographers a part, so find someone who is within your budget.

STEP TWO

Inquiry & Book with your photographer!

After finalizing your senior session date, then planning begins! Planning includes; outfits, hair & makeup, locations, & props. If you plan on getting your Hair & Makeup professionally done, inquiry & book them next!

TIP: Hair & Makeup can take anywhere from 90 minutes - 2 hours, so plan this accordingly with your photographer! Plan to have some extra time in between to travel to the first location for your session & get a bite to eat!

Having your Hair & Makeup professionally done can 100% bring you more confidence & enhance your natural beauty! But, if you don’t love the idea of wearing all the makeup or just aren’t that girl, then don’t force yourself! BE YOU!

Step Three

Find your outfits, locations, & then props!

do it in this order!!

First thing is first, what is the vibe? Where do you see yourself taking your senior photos? What do you want to showcase in your senior photos? Is there a place that is significant that you want to incorporate?

If you feel lost in it all, then go to Pinterest for some inspiration!

After you find the outfits, which don’t OVERTHINK IT! This can be done so easily, so my suggestion would be having a casual outfit & a more formal outfit! Find pieces of clothing that speak to you or represent who you are.

Ex: If you are a dancer or cheerleader consider bringing your uniform & pom poms, this would look so well on the football field!

Locations!

Finding a location from the client POV can seem very daunting, so re-ask yourself the same questions & start with the city in which you’d like to do your senior photos in.

At this point… consult your photographer & ask for their suggestions/recommendations!

TIP: If your photographer doesn’t help with planning… that’s a red flag! Just sayin…

For my own clients before we start planning out session details I’ll start my planning process off by sending over a session questionnaire, in which will ask all questions pertaining to what you’re wanting within a location & our session!

Depending on the vibe you want I will always recommended locations or if you’re wanting something I haven’t done, then I’ll do my best to find what you’re looking for.

Props!

Props add SO MUCH versatility to your senior photos!

EMP Blog: Props to bring to your senior session if you’re feeling stuck.

Plus, you should be showing off your talents & passions throughout your high school career within your senior photos! Bring the cap & gown, letterman, & even the college acceptance letter!

step four

After all the planning is done you’re probably patiently waiting for your senior session date to arrive!

Once the day is here, prepare a bag with jewelry, shoes, any under garments that might be needed for certain outfits, a hair brush, extra makeup (maybe a lip stick or gloss), & of course the iconic outfits & props!

If you are having second thoughts about leaving something behind, BRING IT! You will want to have more than enough options, I myself am a very indecisive person & I do this all the time, so there is no shame in deciding day of during the session based on how you’re feeling!

I highly suggest bringing snacks, water, possibly moral support like your bestie, mama, sibling, or partner!

Step Five

HAVE FUN during your senior session! YOU are the main character, so don’t forget it!