Why Take High-School Senior Portraits? | Olivia

Have you ever wondered what’s the point of high-school senior portraits?

Photography is not cheap, and while many parents have the means to not think twice about providing this fun gift to their graduating kids, for many others, this can feel like a waste of money. I myself used to be confused about this. I have since changed my mind, and now I see high-school senior portraits as some of the most valuable portraits I can take.

What changed my mind?

When I was fresh out of high-school I became obsessed with photography. Everywhere I went, my camera went with me. My friends were used to it, and eventually, they all ended up with many professional-quality portraits of them, from simple headshots to fun lifestyle photographs.

As our careers progressed, we all went our separate ways. But for years after, they reached out to let me know that they used my photos when they received awards, when they were featured in articles or websites, or when they created their online networking or business profiles. I received newspaper clippings, links to published interviews, award announcements; all of them with my pictures on them. My friends repeatedly told me how having my photos had gone a long way in making them seem more professional.

Think about it!

High-school senior photographs equip recent graduates with what they need to present themselves professionally from the start of their careers.

Right after high-school graduation is usually the first time when most students pick up the reins of their own careers, whether they are going to college, learning skills on the job, or creating their own businesses. At this point, their CVs are still relatively sparse, and small things can go a long way in increasing their credibility.

Does this mean high-school senior portraits should be boring and business-like?

Absolutely not!

For most uses, business headshots can feel too impersonal, and photos portraying more of a person's personality can go a long way in encouraging connections and opening doors. Of course, there is a limit to this. You may not want to use a glam portrait of you holding your trumpet in a football field as your paralegal internship profile photo. But I also understand that the playfulness of these portraits is a big part of their appeal.

It’s your photographer’s job to give you the best of both worlds.

Most photography packages include multiple photos. Why can’t you have it all? Whenever I am taking high-school senior photos I make sure to capture at least one photo that I could envision as the portrait of an author in a book jacket, some that would make amazing LinkedIn profile photos, and also many pictures that they’ll be excited to show off to their friends or display in their social media.

I believe that to successfully achieve this, it is very important to capture the student’s unique personality. I see too many senior photos in which all students are in exactly the same poses. Many of them are noticeably uncomfortable. Such photos may not go a long way in establishing credibility. Every student is unique, and what makes them shine may be very different than what everybody else is doing. Our job as photographers is to get to know these students, to ask them questions, to learn what they love, and when their eyes start shining as they tell us about their favorite things, to capture exactly that light.

This blog post features Los Alamos high-school senior Olivia, whom I had the privilege of photographing last fall. Olivia is a gorgeous and talented musician and writer, and I knew right away that I was capturing someone very special. During our photoshoot we talked about her college applications, aspirations, her beautiful family, and the things that she wants to continue to pursue in her life regardless of what college or major she ends up choosing.

By the end of our photoshoot, I felt so very proud of her, for what she has achieved, and for how she is embarking on this new adventure with so much passion and excitement. I am certain that I will hear exciting things from her in the future. I can’t wait.