There are lots of important pieces of information to consider when it comes to the question, “when should I have my senior photos taken?”
Truly, this is a very personal question, and it’s important to note that the “right” timeframe may vary from senior to senior for a multitude of reasons - reasons that I will get into below! My goal for this blog post is to share a few ideas of things to think about when considering a timeframe for senior photos to help you either eliminate certain seasons or times or to help you nail down a more specific timeframe.
Generally, there are a few things I always encourage my senior to consider when choosing when to have their senior photos taken. First and foremost:
1. Find out when your senior picture is due.
Do you go to a school that requires you submit your senior photo to your yearbook? If not, feel free to skip to point number two!
For those who this does apply to, this is one of, if not the most important question to think about when it comes to the timing of your senior photos! No one wants to have a blank gray box next to their name in the yearbook, especially their senior year.
Most seniors I photograph who submit their photo to their yearbook need to have them submitted between October 1 and December 31, but this can vary significantly from school to school. Most schools will send this information out at the end of junior year, over the summer between junior and senior year, or at the beginning of senior year - but I would encourage you to get that information no later than the Spring of your junior year, so you can begin planning!
Knowing when your senior photo is the first hurdle, but from there, you need to consider booking your photographer, and knowing how long the turn around time will be for your full gallery of photos. Every photographer has a different turn around time for a full gallery of photos - some in a few days, some in a few weeks, and some in a month. Make sure you ask for this information before you book your session date, so you know that you will have time to have your shoot, get your photos turned around, and choose your favorite shot for the yearbook!
2. consider what else the photos will be used for
(i.e., Graduation Party Announcements)
Do you plan on using your senior photos on grad announcements, or for graduation party invites that will need to go out at a certain time? Consider choosing a graduation party date, then working backwards from there.
How far in advance will guests need to RSVP? How long will it take for the invites to be designed, printed, addressed, stamped, then mailed out? From there, work backwards and choose a timeframe that will leave enough time for your shoot, for your photographer to edit and deliver your gallery, and for you to choose your final images!
3. consider what the weather will be like.
This one might sound obvious, but it’s worth stating here - if you struggle with heat and humidity, I would not recommend having your photos taken at the height of summer. If you are not a fan of the cold, I would not recommend having your photos taken early Spring or late Fall when the temperatures are lower.
If you know that your hair will frizz in 95°F weather, then maybe consider a session in the Spring or Fall, when it’s not blazing hot! If you have a certain outfit in mind - i.e., lots of layers - don’t show up to a summer session in a sweater, jeans, and boots! Likewise, if you want to wear a cute sundress and sandals, don’t schedule your session for a colder timeframe. Thinking ahead about personal preference, possible outfit choices, and/or hair & makeup situations can be helpful with further nailing down when the best time could be for your senior photos!
4. Consider schedules and activities.
Senior year is a very busy time, with extracurriculars, college visits, special recognition ceremonies, not to mention all of the fun things that come along with it being your senior year, like trips and skip days! For some seniors, it’s easier to plan to have their photos taken the summer before their senior year, when they don’t have as many activities to work around. For other seniors, having their senior photos taken is a great opportunity to miss a day (or half day!) of school to get to have a fun pretty much once-in-a-lifetime experience of having their photos professionally taken!
5. Consider how you will look.
This might sound like a strange one, but I know this has been true for many of the seniors I’ve photographed! Some seniors prefer to wait until their official senior year to have their photos taken… sometimes near the very end. Why? Because they want to remember that specific time - what they looked like and what their personal style was their “legit” senior year. This is one that matters to some, but not to others - some people change significantly from the beginning of their senior year to the end, and some don’t!
I hope you found this blog post helpful for narrowing down a timeframe to have your senior photos taken in! If you are in need of a senior photographer in the Pittsburgh area, I’d love to connect with you! Feel free to reach out via my Contact form (click here!), or email me directly at jhidingerphotography@gmail.com. I hope to hear from you!
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