Katie SwiftPHOTOGRAPHYOff the Screen. Into your Life.
Transforming fleeting moments into lasting stories.
Senior, Pet, Family & Branding Photographer Springboro, Dayton & Cincinnati, OH
When to Schedule Senior Pictures
Congratulations, you've made it to your senior year of high school! Take a deep breath and give yourself a fist bump! It was not easy to get this far, and not everyone made it to this leg of the journey.
You know what you deserve? Amazing senior pics! As authentic and original as you already are. Let's take the time we need to plan a stellar session.
The first step towards really, really, really ridiculously good-looking pics is figuring out when the heck to take them. To decide, we must first take care of some business:
(This is Dylan, taking care of business.)
Before you can schedule your senior session, you'll need to find out your high school's current yearbook headshot policy.
Every school is different, and adding to the confusion, submission guidelines and deadlines can change from year to year.
Some schools, like Springboro High School, offer a free optional studio headshot to be used in the yearbook. Utilizing this option allows you to schedule your senior pictures without that pesky yearbook deadline, & frees up your calendar for more seasonal variety.
The best point of contact is usually the yearbook teacher, but if all else fails, just ask your school secretary and they'll find out for you in a jiffy (while offering you a butterscotch while you wait).
God bless all the school secretaries!
Once you know your school's headshot policy, we can move on to the fun part which begins with a simple question:
What's your season?
Many seniors get their pictures taken the summer before, or fall during, their senior year. But often winter & spring can provide some unique opportunites for beautiful photos too!
To help you determine which season is the best choice for you, I've put together some season mood boards, pros and cons, and of course...lots of pictures!
Spring: April - May
Spring Mood: Hopeful
Colors: pastels, soft earth tones, white & cream
Style: dresses, layers, bare feet & natural beauty
Accessories: Umbrella, glasses, awesome moms to hold all the things
Pros: Cooler temperatures, parks aren't crowded yet, beautiful blooms...cherry trees!!!
Cons: Unpredictable weather could mean reschedules, rained on, wet & muddy trails, could be a rush if scheduled right before graduation.
Favorite Spring Locations (in order of appearance):
Wegerzyn Gardens, Aullwood Garden, Ault Park
Summer: June - Early september
Summer Mood: Happy
Colors: brights, neons, all the blues, black
Style: favorite t-shirts, blue jeans, spaghetti straps & laughter
Accessories: fishing pole, friend with cool hair, hand-picked flowers
Pros: lush fauna- tons of flowers & tall grasses, weather is a bit more predictable, warm enough to wear less & water can be incorporated into the session, longer season/more session dates available
Cons: hot and likely humid (be ready to sweat), parks are more crowded, have to work around events and festival schedules
Favorite Summer Locations (in order of appearance):
Wegerzyn Gardens, Riverscape, Cox Arboretum
Fall: Late September - early november
Autumn Mood: Nostalgic
Colors: jewel tones, burnt earth neutrals, creams
Style: favorite hoodies, cozy flannels, cowboy boots, army jackets, long-sleeved dresses, bonfires
Accessories: oversized scarf, cute dog dressed in Halloween costume, bright leaves, pick-up truck
Pros: glorious fall leaves, texture & tall grasses, perfect temps, pumpkin spice lattes
Cons: weather can be cold and cloudy, short season/fewer dates available to book, busiest time of year for most families
Favorite Fall Locations (in order of appearance):
Cox Arboretum, Oregon District , Cedarville/Cedar Cliff Falls, Wegerzyn Gardens, Corwin Nixon Covered Bridge , Oakes Quarry Park , Fox Hollow Rodeo
Winter: mid November - march
Winter Mood: Reflective
Colors: blues, blacks, greys, browns...all the colors of S.A.D.
Style: jeans, jackets, converse & combat boots, statement jewelry, killer lashes
Accessories: bright mural walls, trees to climb on, electric guitar & twinkle lights
Pros: Least busy time of year so lots of availability, evergreens, soft winter sunset skies, perfect for urban sessions to utilize colorful mural walls, weather limitations force out-of-the-box creativity, potential snow session
Cons: weather is unpredictable but almost always cold, nature parks are mostly brown
Favorite Winter Locations (in order of appearance):
Downtown Miamisburg, Hauer Music, E Milo Beck Park, Downtown Springboro, Downtown Hamilton, Downtown Dayton
As you can see, every season has its own beauty. I encourage you to consider your personal style and distinct personality when choosing which season you'd like to be photographed in.
Regardless of the season you pick, the best time to schedule your senior pictures is...NOW!
Want to stalk each other and pretend we're best friends?
Me too!
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serving Springboro, Dayton, Cincinnati, Ohio & Beyond
katieswiftphotography@gmail.com
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