Why a Yearbook Photo is Not Enough
When I tell people I am a high school senior photographer I get some confused looks followed by questions like “So you take yearbook photos?” “How many schools do you cover?” I don’t mind this because I know some people really don’t understand what the purpose of a senior session could be other than to get a yearbook photo.
Let me first be clear. Yearbook photos are important! Every senior needs to be included in his or her yearbook alongside their friends. Most schools hire a big company and instruct their seniors about what to wear so there is uniformity in the yearbook. The photographers generally work at a certain location at the school and try the same few poses with each student. I recently accompanied my own senior to his yearbook photoshoot. It literally took 6 minutes. I am sure his photo will look fantastic and will fit nicely alongside all his classmates but it was not a special experience.
So WHY hire me? Because there is another way to document a senior at this important time with an experience that he or she will remember and enjoy! Let me explain HOW my sessions differ:
Location Choices
Unlike the yearbook photo which will invariably be shot at a particular tree or backdrop, my senior sessions happen where my senior chooses. This can mean the senior’s home, the beach, a park, school, downtown, etc. And it is possible to have multiple locations in one session. The options are endless.
Outfit Choices
In my sessions, the senior can show his or her unique style through clothing choices. The best part – multiple outfits and looks are possible. The senior can wear her favorite jeans and top but also include that fancy backless dress she loves. No senior is instructed to wear a jack and tie unless of course he chooses to do so. The session is all about the senior. They can be as casual or as formal as they want to be.
Family & Pets
One way a senior can highlight what matters the most to him or her is to include the people and animals they love in some of their photos. How important to remember the family members (furry ones included) that mean so much. That simply is not the case with a yearbook photo.
Document Talents and Interests
I encourage seniors to Include the things that they are passionate about right now in their sessions. How? By including props like a hockey helmet, a tennis racquet, a guitar, point shoes etc or by having their sessions at special locations like a football field or a school theater. I love being creative about this and can brainstorm with the senior!
Have Fun!
My sessions are fun and relaxed and center only on the senior. There is no five-minute timer, no rush. The best compliment I can receive is at the end of a session when a senior tells me how much fun he or she had. That is what my sessions are about. I know when the seniors I work with look back at their images, they will remember having fun and feeling special. My goal is to make the session one of the highlights of each senior’s year!
