5 Tips for Stress Free and Fun Senior Pictures
Senior year can be full of stressors like studying for exams, getting good grades, and picking out the college that’s perfect for you. That doesn’t mean your senior pictures should or will be too though. In fact, they should be fun and a way to get away from all the stress. It’s a day all about you, where you get to dress up and feel as beautiful as ever and have amazing portraits taken of yourself.
My goal is to make sure you enjoy your session, laugh a lot, and forget about all the stressors in the world. We’re taking a day to celebrate you. These 5 tips are sure to help you avoid stress during your senior pictures and will also make sure you have the most fun ever at your session!
#1: Plan Early
We all know planning early helps avoid stress, so by researching your senior photographers in advance, knowing what time of year you’d like to have your pictures taken, and having your sports schedule in front of you during your consultation will help make the planning go smoother. This also gives you ample time to schedule things like hair and make-up appointments or shop for new outfits before your session.
When it comes to scheduling your session, spring and fall are always the busiest times of year for senior pictures. If you’re wanting to schedule a spring or fall session, then you’ll want to consider booking a few months in advance to ensure you get your prime date.
If you’re planning your session a little bit last minute, no worries. You can still eliminate stress by talking everything through with your photographer. You may not get the exact date you were looking for and may be short on time for buying new outfits, but you can discuss any concerns you have with your photographer, or even ask for outfit ideas and they will gladly help you make your senior session as smooth as possible, even if it’s last minute.
#2: Picking A Location
Location is everything during your senior pictures. It will change the mood of your portraits and can influence what you wear to your session. For instance, you most likely won’t want to dress in your cowboy boots and hat if you’re going somewhere more urban. That’s why it’s important to know exactly what look you’re going for.
You may already know exactly where you want to go, or you could be wondering what good locations there are around St. Louis for senior pictures. If you’re unsure of where you want to go, but you have an idea in mind or you know what kind of backgrounds you like, then your photographer will be able to suggest the perfect locations for you.
If you haven’t already, start thinking about what you’d like your background to be. If you’re outdoorsy and love nature, a park with pretty flowers could be perfect for you. If you like a more urban feel, but want to avoid downtown, there are locations for that too. Knowing what you’re looking for will help your photographer point you to the perfect location for your senior pictures.
If you want to see some of my favorite locations around the St. Louis metro area for senior pictures, check out my list of The Best Senior Picture Locations in St. Louis.
#3: Get Pampered
Your senior pictures are an excuse for you to get all done up. If you’re not the best at doing your hair, or want someone who can do cute nail decorations, or maybe even want your make-up done really well, then it’s a great idea to schedule appointments to have any or all of these done.
Once you know the date of your session, you can start scheduling your pampering appointments. Your hair and make-up should be done the same day as your senior pictures, but your nails can be done a couple days in advance, as long as you don’t chip them.
By scheduling these appointments, you can just sit back, relax, and not worry about doing it yourself. You’re letting the pros take care of you, plus they will get exactly the look you’re going for.
Also, by having someone else do your make-up, they’ll put on the perfect amount of make-up, whether you want a more natural or done up look, for senior pictures. Just let them know you’re having your pictures taken.
#4: Be Yourself
Your senior pictures are all about you. You’re the one graduating and celebrating such an amazing achievement. Pick the outfits you love, go to the places you want to go, bring along any props that show off your unique personality, and just overall be yourself.
You don’t have to get super dressed up if that’s not your thing and you don’t have to dress a certain way, because everyone else is. Remember to just be yourself and have fun.
A great way to help show off your unique personality is to bring along props like sports equipment or paintings you’ve done. This will make your session even more about you.
Don’t let anyone tell you how you should look for your senior pictures, because it’s all about you. Be your unique self. If you want to have fun and feel stress free at your session, then just be yourself. You’ll even feel more comfortable in front of the camera because you will be confident in yourself.
#5: Put Everything Together
Start putting everything together for your senior pictures a couple days in advance. Maybe even a week if you’re a busy person. Put everything in the same spot, and even pack stuff in a bag. This will help you keep everything together so that the day of your session you’re not running around the house looking for your favorite bracelet or shoes.
Not everything can go in the bag though, because you don’t want some clothes to get wrinkled, or it’s a large prop that doesn’t fit in the bag. Make sure you place it next to the bag. By keeping everything in one spot, you are less likely to forget it.
You can even make a list that you leave next to your bag to check off everything as you pack it, especially if you have some items that you can’t pack until the day before or the day of.
By staying organized, this will help you remain stress free the day of your session and will help you feel more confident and have fun. Nobody wants to start their session stressed out, and it can jeopardize the way some of your images turn out at the beginning of your session.