Parents and Senior Portraits

You want to remember your student as long as possible during this time. Helping them pick the right clothes, the right location and the right photographer can be daunting, but with help, the session can turn out better than you imagined.

As with most projects in life, the more planning that goes on the better the results. We want you and your student to have the most amazing session. We do our homework and try to accommodate you as much as possble. What we can't do, although we would love to have the ability, is read minds.

A senior portrait is a collaboration between your student and the photographer with the guidance of the parent. We encourage you to sit down with your student and plan out what the photo session will involve.

The following are some general tips to help you and your student lay out a plan. Of course, sharing that plan with us will give us a tremendous leg up on making your session stellar.

What interests your student?

Senior sessions tell a short story of the subject of the portrait. Who is this kid?!?!?! I'm sure you've asked yourself that question on a few occasions.

Your student is interested or involved in something. Sometimes it's sports, sometimes it's music, or art or drama or video games. Those interests need to be brought to the session.

How?

Athletes can bring a uniform or jersey or equipment. Baseball bats, gloves, volleyballs, footballs or hockey sticks make great props along with a jersey.

If your student's interest is in the arts, bring a sample of their art work, their instrument or a playbill or item from their play.

Many seniors love their cars. Cool! Let's get some shots with them with their car.

Try to list some of the big interests.

What portraits have you seen that you like?

Don't be afraid to bring an idea to the table to show us what you like. We are more than willing to sit with you - free of charge - before the session and go over your ideas.

It's perfectly acceptable to bring in pictures you like as ideas. Don't be afraid to say, "Can you do this pose or find a location like this?" More than likely, we can and will accommodate you as much as humanly possible. If we can't we will be honest with you and let you know it's not in our realm, but we may also suggest an alternative that's just as good if not better.

The internet has matured to an amazing tool. Some of the top photo sharing sites are great for finding examples. It would be unfair to endorse one over the other, but below are a list of common sites to find portrait ideas.

• Flickr
• Picasa
• Photobucket
• Webshots

Where?

Any place can be a photo session. Depending on the time of year, outdoor sessions are relatively easy to find and most of the time no further than your back or front yard. As a photographer, I need only enough unobstructed space to fit your student and have enough background to add interest. Some places you may not have imagined:

• Local farm
• Swimming pool ( out not in the pool )
• Local park
• Your church, mosque or synagogue ( with permission )
• An old building
• Railroad tracks
• Local hotels or atriums

When

Why not now?

Consider your student's schedule and your schedule. The best times of day to shoot are an hour after sunrise - most seniors really don't like this option - and an hour before sunset, but don't feel limited by this schedule. Anytime is a good time to shoot.

Photography By Jef needs 2 weeks notice for scheduling and cancellation.

Can We Meet Before The Session?

Absolutely! In fact, we encourage it. The more planning you put into your session, the better it will turn out.

We are available for consultation, free of charge, in half hour increments. Please call to schedule a time, 817-733-2187.