Senior Session | PS Photography

The PS Photography Senior Session Guide

Senior year is a big deal. It’s the closing of one chapter and the beginning of something completely new—and your senior photos should feel like you, not like everyone else’s. At PS Photography, we want your senior session to capture your personality, interests, style, and this season of your life. Whether you’re outgoing and ready for the camera or a little nervous about having your picture taken, we’ll guide you through the experience. No modeling experience required. Promise.

Senior Session | Sun Prairie, WI | PS Photography — Senior Session | Anderson Farm County Park, Oregon | PS Photography

Before Your Senior Session

A little planning goes a long way, but you don't need to have every pose or photograph figured out before you arrive.

Before your session, think about what makes you, you.

Consider:

Your personal style
Hobbies and activities
Sports
Music
Clubs or organizations
A favorite place
Your future plans
Meaningful items you'd like photographed
The overall feel you'd like for your photos

Tell us about your ideas! The more we know about you, the more we can personalize your session.

Senior Sibling Savings

Have two graduating seniors in the family? When two full Senior Moments sessions are booked together, receive 25% off the second senior’s session. Each senior receives their own full session experience, giving them the time, locations, outfits, and images that reflect their individual personality and style. Sessions must be booked together. Discount applies to the second full Senior Moments Collection and cannot be combined with other discounts or promotions.

Senior Session | Anderson Farm County Park, Oregon | PS Photography

What Should I Wear?

Choose clothing that makes you feel comfortable and confident. Senior pictures probably aren't the best time to wear something completely different from your normal style just because it looks good on Pinterest. You should still look like you.

For your outfits, consider a combination of:

A casual everyday look
Something a little dressier
Your favorite jeans
Layers such as jackets, sweaters, or cardigans
Different textures
Accessories
An outfit connected to a sport, activity, or hobby

Try to avoid large logos, distracting graphics, and clothing that constantly needs to be adjusted. Most importantly, make sure everything fits comfortably and allows you to move.

Natural or Golden Moments?

Your senior experience can be customized based on how much variety you'd like.

Natural Moments

Natural Moments is a great choice if you want a simple senior session without a lot of changing or moving around. It includes one outfit and one location, giving us time to create a variety of photographs while keeping the experience relaxed and easy.

Golden Moments

Want more variety? Golden Moments gives us additional time to tell your senior story with 2–3 outfits and up to two locations. This is a great option if you want completely different looks—maybe downtown for one portion of your session and something more natural for another.

Choosing Your Location

Your location can play a big role in the overall feel of your senior photos. Think about what fits your personality.

Bring Something That Tells Your Story

Your senior session doesn't have to be just portraits.

Bring something that represents this chapter of your life.

That might be:

A musical instrument
Sports equipment or uniform
Dance shoes
Books
Artwork
A letter jacket
Your cap and gown
A favorite hobby
Something connected to your future career or college
An item with sentimental meaning

You don't need props just for the sake of having props. If we include something, we want it to actually mean something to you.

Can I Bring a Friend?

Yes! Up to two friends may come along to your senior session if you'd feel more comfortable having them there. Friends can help you relax, make you laugh, carry your things, and make the experience even more fun. Your session, however, is still focused on you. We don't use senior sessions to create separate portrait sessions for friends who attend.

What About Parents?

Parents are absolutely welcome. In fact, for seniors under 18, a parent or guardian must be present unless other arrangements or the appropriate release have been completed with PS Photography. Parents can also be extremely helpful with outfits, hair checks, carrying belongings, and making sure we don't forget something important. We may even put them to work holding something for us!

What Happens If I Feel Awkward?

You probably will. At least for the first few minutes. And that's completely normal. Most people aren't used to having a camera pointed at them. We'll guide you through posing, movement, where to look, what to do with your hands, and all those little things you shouldn't have to figure out yourself. Sue brings a more posed approach to photography, while Phil loves candid moments, color, contrast, and a more cinematic style. Those two perspectives come together to give your senior gallery plenty of variety. Our goal isn't to turn you into someone you're not. It's to photograph you at your best.

A Few Session-Day Tips

Give yourself plenty of time to get ready so you aren't rushing into your session.

Before you leave home:

Check your outfits for wrinkles.
Remove hair ties from your wrist.
Empty phones, wallets, and keys from pockets.
Clean glasses if you wear them.
Bring comfortable shoes if we'll be walking between locations.
Bring water.
Pack a brush, comb, or other quick touch-up items.
Bring anything needed for outfit changes.
Double-check any meaningful items or sports equipment you're bringing.

And try to get a good night's sleep before your session!

Hair, Makeup & Grooming

Keep things true to your normal style.

If you wear makeup, consider slightly more definition than your everyday look while still feeling like yourself. For everyone, small details matter. Check nails, facial hair, eyebrows, and hair a few days before the session rather than making a major last-minute change.

And here's one important senior-photo rule: The night before your session is probably not the best time to experiment with a completely new haircut.

During Your Session

We'll guide you through the entire experience. Some photographs will be more traditionally posed. Others will include movement, interaction with your surroundings, and natural expressions. Expect to walk, move, laugh, change positions, and occasionally do something that feels slightly ridiculous but looks great on camera. You don't need to arrive knowing how to pose. That's our job.

After Your Session

After your session, PS Photography carefully selects and edits the strongest images from your session. We remove duplicates, test images, closed-eye photographs, missed-focus images, and other unusable images before completing your gallery. Your photographs are edited in the warm, natural, true-to-color PS Photography style, with room for creative touches when they complement the image.

Depending on your selected Moments Collection, you'll receive your included digital images or full gallery along with information about your Complimentary Artwork Credit.

Don't Forget to Print Your Senior Photos

Senior photos tend to have a busy few months.

Graduation announcements.
Yearbook submissions.
Grad parties.
Gifts for grandparents.
Frames around the house.

Your Complimentary Artwork Credit gives you the opportunity to turn some of your favorite senior photographs into professional prints, wall art, albums, and other products available through your gallery store.

These photographs aren't just for senior year. Someday they'll be a reminder of exactly who you were when your next chapter was just beginning.

One Last Thing…

Don't worry about being perfect.

Bring your personality.

Bring the outfit you love.

Bring the thing you can't stop talking about.

Bring your ideas—even the unusual ones.

We'll bring the cameras.

Together, we'll create senior photos that feel like you.

Beautifully Natural. Authentically You.

PS Photography | Senior Photography

Moments Collections

Senior Session Guide