Downtown Frederick Senior Picture Photographer

Thinking up ideas for senior pics doesn’t have to be crazy or too complicated. I approach every photoshoot the same way, with a healthy mixture of pre-planning and “in the moment” inspiration.

Senior Portrait Ideas

I like to call myself a lazy perfectionist. This also applies to being an anxious semi-planner. The over-planner and the “wait and see” sides of me are constantly at war. I always want to be ready, but I’m not necessarily the most motivated person and I’m always after efficiency and what is good enough to do a great job. But, I don’t think that’s such a bad thing. I honestly think it’s smart, so here are my tips for ideas for senior pics that won’t send you searching for something completely ground breaking.

Dress It Up, Dress it Down

The beauty of the human condition is how multi-faceted we all are. Do you remember being 17 and feeling every emotion known to mankind in any given school week? I do, I definitely do. My aim through senior picture photography is to showcase a few different sides of this young adult. If they haven’t already, they’re about to begin navigating a lot more of the world on their own and allowing for them to express themselves how they want to express themselves, in a few different ways, is important in what we capture in time. My biggest advice? Let them choose how they want to remember this time of their life. Going with both a casual and dressier look is one way of doing that!

Search for Shapes & Colors

I’m always looking for lines, shapes, colors, and patterns. A big smattering of all of the above. Not only is it natural framing for your subject, but it’s fun searching for them! I always have a few ideas from location scouting and driving around, but I always allow us to get distracted and led on an adventure if we find new alleyways, walls, and windows. One of my favorite alleyways in Downtown Frederick, Maryland hosts an array of colorful red walls and windows. It’s the absolute best.

Movement

Being in front of the camera at any age can feel awkward, but especially if this is your first time having photos of just you taken! This is the case for many senior portraits, so give lots of movement and active prompts. For example, throw your hat, toss your hair, do a spin and pose, etc. Things that feel a little silly, but loosen everyone up and allows for everyone to laugh at themselves a bit.

Stairs

I’m a big fan of stairs. They feel natural to sit on, and let you lean forward and rest. Try it right now, go ahead. Find some stairs, stagger your feet on the steps, and lean forward onto your legs. It feels natural, right? Right. It also looks natural. You also have the option to lean against the railing, hold onto something, etc. We, as awkward human beings, also love holding onto things when we don’t know what to do with our hands. I used to do this onstage all the time and actually had directors purposefully place me away from chairs so I was forced to feel vulnerable if my scene called for it. But in photography, let’s embrace holding onto things as it makes us feel more grounded!

Maryland Senior Picture Photographer

If these ideas for senior pics were helpful, give me a shout out below and I’d love to check out what magic you created! You can head to my blog for more tips, tricks, and full sessions. You can also check out the delicious burger place connected to that awesome red alleyway!