These are exactly the sentiments that should be top of mind when marking this pivotal time of life.  

Part of the beauty of the art of photography is that it was created with the powerful mindset of “seeing” and capturing such important moments and allowing us to see and revisit how magnanimous they really are from a different perspective.  

When we work with families to help them celebrate their high school senior, it is with great responsibility and awareness that our job is to do more than make a nice picture of them, but to empower them by allowing them to see themselves as they are.  Where they are as a culmination of their efforts.  To feel prepared to meet the challenges that lie ahead.  

This is built into our process through discussion, planning, getting to know what they are proud of, how they see themselves.  In parallel, our process also reserves a space for our parents to provide their input and needs while respecting the newfound independence of their children.  It is a balancing act and everyone’s feelings are valid.  It is and should be an emotional time.

After creating a plan and expectations for a session that parents and students feel good about, we help you coordinate and consider all the moving parts to make it happen.  

Defining the wardrobe, ideas, locations, hair, makeup, style are the obvious things, but we also encourage our families to see beyond the obvious and seize the opportunity to use this photo session as a part of a celebration.  I encourage families to go have dinner after and share stories about all of the successes and failures that have gotten them here.  To declare it “so and so” day (insert your students name for “so and so”).  The images we capture are targeted on embodying all of the emotions.  The pride, joy, and it’s okay to acknowledge the uncertainty too.  That’s an important part of what makes this milestone so big…so special.  

So, when is the ideal time to plan this celebration?  I’d say towards the middle or end of their JUNIOR year and into the early months of the graduating year.  Why book so early? Especially living in a seasonal area, booking by April allows us to pick the ideal time of year giving us Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter available as times to shoot. Most seniors prefer not to shoot in the winter when it's cold and gray. Sometimes they add this to a session for a different feel and variety, but it's not optimal to their vision and needs.  

The reality is if you wait until Fall of their Senior year to book, you're stuck with the weather you get before winter hits.  Once winter has arrived, it won't be nicer outside again in time to get your announcements and artwork in time for graduation, which is in May.  Further, you'll be so busy with other graduation requirements, you won't have as much bandwidth to spend making those decisions.

If you do wait to schedule the session for fall or even winter or early Spring, it’s best to get it on the calendar to make a statement about the importance of not just finishing the school year, but setting the stage for making this final year a true celebration.  Having it on the calendar also allows you to build meaning into the day.

That said, if you’re just reading this and it’s getting to the end of their high school senior year and life happened (as it always does) and you haven’t gotten around to it yet, it’s not too late.  In fact, it’s never too late!  Don’t beat yourself up over it.  We’ll help you get back on track.  

If you aim to use some of the images for possible announcements and thank you cards in addition to celebration books and prints, then you should aim to schedule your session by February or March at the latest of their senior year to allow time to get orders in and allow design and printing time before April or May, when most ceremonies take place and announcements are sent out.  That said, I’ve done high school senior sessions as late as May and those seniors equally felt “seen” because we gave them the same time, respect, and acknowledgment of their accomplishment. We simply had more limitations to work with.  

In short, we know this milestone comes with some added challenges and emotions, which is why our process is built to make the time to work through that so we can direct that raw energy in a positive and productive direction that improves self esteem, relationships, and love.  We look forward to guiding you through this important time and playing our part in “seeing” and sharing the important and inspiring youth of our community.