The Ultimate Senior Portrait Guide

What You’ll Learn in This Senior Photo Guide

This ultimate senior portrait guide is full of helpful hints, tips, and ideas for locations, props, and more to help you plan your senior photos! Scroll down to find out more below!

Best Time to Schedule Your Senior Pictures

Ah, the million-dollar question: When should I schedule my senior photo session?

Short answer: it depends. Long answer: it depends… on your vibe, your schedule, your skin’s relationship with pollen, and how much you hate sweating through your clothes.

If you’re planning before spring of senior year (or even earlier—go you!), you have time to figure out what you really want. Let’s break it down.

Senior Photo Ideas for Every Season

This isn’t just about the temperature. It’s about the feeling you want your photos to have. Think beyond weather and start with the vibe.

• Spring: flowers, green trees, soft colors, golden light, new beginnings.
• Summer: bold light, carefree vibes, sunshine, water, color.
• Fall: cozy, dramatic, crunchy leaves, rich tones.
• Winter: clean, moody, layered fashion, fewer crowds.

Need more help deciding? Lucky you, I made a quiz to help you figure out the best time for you to schedule your senior photoshoot!

What to Know About Texas Weather for Senior Photo Shoots

If you’re in the Austin area or nearby (hey, neighbor), you know we live at the mercy of Mother Nature’s mood swings.

• July & August: We’re basically on the surface of the sun. Great time for water photos or indoor shoots.
• Fall: Gorgeous light, but unpredictable—one day it’s 60°, the next it’s a furnace.
• Winter: Mild temps and empty parks (yay!), but shorter days and bare trees.
• Spring: Flowers! Allergies! Bluebonnets! Rain! A gamble, but worth it.

How to Know You’re Ready for Senior Photos

Let’s be honest. Not everyone wakes up thrilled to be the main character in front of a camera. Ask yourself:

• Do I want to ease into it?
  Schedule early so there’s time to build confidence.
• Am I changing my hair soon?
  Or getting braces off? Want to wait for a tan or a fresh look? That’s worth timing your session around.
• Am I overwhelmed with school/life/literally everything?
  Then we do not schedule during finals week, okay? Okay.

Best Time of Day to Take Senior Photos

Golden hour

Hands down the winner is always Golden Hour. That dreamy time right before sunset is usually the best. The light is soft, the shadows are flattering, and everything feels a little magical.

What are your other options?

• Sunrise: gorgeous but… you have to be ready at like 6 a.m. We salute the morning people.
• Midday: not ideal outdoors (but can be done), works great if we’re shooting indoors or in shaded spots.

Important Deadlines for Senior Pictures

Here’s what a lot of seniors forget (until it’s too late):

• Yearbook photo deadlines: Some schools require images by early fall.
• College apps or scholarship profiles: You might want a great headshot to include.
• Sports, work, and extracurriculars: Don’t plan around your busiest season.
• Vacations & family trips: Got a cool destination? Maybe we shoot there.

Last-Minute Senior Photo Tips (Yes, There’s Still Time)

Yes, we can do senior photos in the spring of your graduation year.
Yes, I’ve worked magic on short timelines.
No, you won’t get the same date options or relaxed experience as the early birds.
So… book early. Regret less.

What to Wear for Senior Pictures: Outfit Tips That Work

Whether it’s spring, fall, summer, or winter I love helping my clients utilize their personality packed wardrobes for unique and fun senior photos!

How to Choose the Best Outfits for Senior Photos

• Dress for the Weather – It may be tempting to wear that gorgeous strapless dress, but if it’s 40 with the wind blowing in from the North, your unease will show in the photos.
• Stay Away from Trends – Trends come and go and in 5-10 years some of those choices might make you cringe. It’s better to be true to yourself and choose clothing items with lasting value.
• Bring Options – Changing things up a bit can give you some variety and make your images feel fresh. Don’t be afraid to bring some extra items! And even more importantly bring different kinds of items. Bring jeans and a dress instead of two dresses for example.
• Solid Colors – Try to bring at least one solid color option. It’s a great way to make sure to capture a few classic shots.

Pinterest Boards for Senior Photo Outfit Ideas

Where do you go to get fun ideas for what to wear? I usually head over to pinterest and you can find many of my boards there that can help you plan your clothing. Go check out my pinterest account where I’ve created several boards for different seasons to help generate ideas.

How to Use What You Have for Senior Portrait Outfits

This does not mean you need to go buy something! Read that again… You probably have some really cute items in your closet already. Or maybe your friends have some clothing you can borrow or your grandma has some vintage items you can use. Yes, you can go buy things, but it’s not a requirement. I think it’s very normalized in our society that we need to go buy new clothing for a photoshoot, but I am all about conservation and making use of what you have available. In the end, it usually ends up being more of a creative endeavor. Don’t worry tho, when you book a shoot with me I set aside time to chat with you so we can talk about outfits, hair and makeup!

Best Locations for Senior Photos in Austin & Beyond

So much of choosing the best location for your photoshoot can depend on your questionnaire answers and even styles of clothing, but we also need to consider the weather. No matter which place we choose, location is key for creating a feeling with your senior photos. An urban downtown location is vastly different from a lake photo session. If you don’t have a location in mind then please ask! I have places on my wish list that I’m dying to use with the right senior.

Top Senior Photo Locations in Austin, TX

Check out this ever-growing list of senior photo locations in Austin to get an idea for where to do your senior portraits. 🙂

Easy Senior Photo Locations You Can Find Near You

The options are endless when it comes to senior photos, but if you’re still struggling with where to take them, these are some common places that you can find anywhere.

• Field
• Anywhere with water: lake, beach, river, creek, etc.
• Barn
• The School
• Record Store
• Graffiti Walls
• Colorful Murals
• Brick Wall
• Rooftops
• City Buildings
• Coffee Shop

What to Pack for Your Senior Portrait Session

Between all your sports, activities, props, and clothing to remember, you can rest easy with this simple packing checklist for your senior photoshoot! Click here to get the free download and you’ll feel very prepared for your senior pictures!