What to Expect at Your Senior Session: No Awkwardness, Just Awesome Photos

If you're feeling nervous about your senior session, you're not alone. Most of my clients come to me saying they're "not photogenic" or they "hate having their picture taken." Here's a secret: those are often the sessions that turn out the most amazing. Let me walk you through exactly what happens so you can show up feeling confident and excited.

Before We Even Start: The Pre-Session Planning

This isn't a "show up and hope for the best" situation. Once you book, we'll chat about your vision, your style, and what makes you you. Whether you're bringing your truck, your guitar, or your favorite vintage jacket, we'll plan how to incorporate what matters to you.

Session Day: How We Actually Spend Our Time

The First 15 Minutes: We start slow. No pressure, no awkward jumping into poses. We'll talk about your outfit choices, start with some casual shots while you get used to being in front of the camera. This is when I get to know your personality and you realize this is not as scary as you thought.

Building Momentum. Here's what most seniors don't expect: we let YOU lead. If you're naturally goofy, we'll capture that. If you're more reserved, we'll work with that energy. I'm watching how you move naturally, how you smile when you're not thinking about it, and we build from there.

The Magic of Studio Lighting on Location. This is where things get really fun. With professional lighting equipment, we can create any mood we want, whether we're in a field, by your truck, or downtown. You'll see the difference immediately.

For My Fellow Introverts and "Shy" Kids

I specialize in seniors who think they won't be good at this. Here's what I've learned: you're not actually bad at photos, you've just never had someone who knows how to work with your natural energy.

We work at your pace. If you need breaks, we take them. If talking helps you relax, we'll chat about your favorite Netflix show. If you're more comfortable when it's quiet, that works too. The goal is for you to forget about the camera and just be yourself.

Different Session Lengths, Different Experiences

One Hour Sessions: Perfect for capturing your essential looks and personality. We focus on 2-3 outfit changes and your most important shots.

Two Hour Sessions: More relaxed pace, more outfit options, maybe multiple locations. This is sweet spot for most seniors.

Three Hour Sessions: Now we're getting creative. Multiple locations, lots of outfit changes, time for those special prop shots, and really diving into your story.

Four Hour Sessions: The full experience. Multiple locations, all the outfits your heart desires, and time to really capture every side of your personality.

What About the "Split" Options?

Some of my seniors choose to split longer sessions into multiple days. Maybe we do your casual outdoor shots one day and your more formal portraits another day. Or we capture different seasons of your senior year. It's perfect for seniors who want variety without the marathon session.

The Viewing and Ordering Experience

This isn't a "here are your photos on a USB drive" situation. We'll schedule your in-person viewing session where you'll see your images beautifully displayed. Your mom might cry (fair warning). You'll probably be shocked at how good you look. And together, we'll design custom products that tell your story, wall art, albums, announcement cards. You will never pay for any images you don't love.

What Seniors Tell Me Afterward

"I actually had fun." That's what I hear most often. The thing about following your lead, is that the session becomes about celebrating who you are, not trying to force you into someone else's vision of what senior photos should look like.

Come As You Are

Whether you're excited or terrified, whether you know exactly what you want or have no clue, we'll figure it out together. My job is to capture the real you, and trust me, the real you is pretty amazing.