When Should I Start?

It’s good to start preparing for your students Senior Pictures towards the end of your student’s Junior year as early as February or March. Your first step should be verifying your school’s yearbook deadline, some require yearbook pictures as early as November/December. Review the yearbook picture requirements as well, the photographer you choose will need to know the format requirements and delivery method.

Why schedule so far in advance?

Scheduling your Session in advance gives you greater options in your choice of photographers, as spring and summer advance their availability will decrease and your options will become limited. Also scheduling in advance allows you to get a better understanding of your session through consultations and conversations you have with your photographer. Topics such as locations, wardrobe and style should be discussed and established before your session date.

When should I schedule my Session?

October is the top scheduled month for pictures in Michigan. The expectation is beautiful autumn sun and full fall color blooms, which, when scheduled accurately, makes for great pictures. In reality, full autumn bloom can vary by weeks, temperatures drop the last two weeks of October (when it often rains) and daylight ends around 5:45pm. I mention this only because there are three other seasons that offer their own distinct look and benefits.

Winter

Winter sessions can be scheduled during your student’s Junior year (January thru March) or during their senior year. While Winter may fall after the deadline of yearbook pictures, a separate studio session can be scheduled ahead of the deadline, or a specific yearbook session may be offered thru the high school.

Pros: Parks/Metro parks are less congested. Beautiful snowscapes for backgrounds, shoots can include ski’s snowboards, snowmobiles, ice skates, scarves and snow-wear.

Cons: Shorter days, school is in session, snow predictability and subjects red nose/ears due to cold temperatures.

Spring

Spring Sessions can be scheduled during the last months of your student’s Junior year or during their senior year by acquiring your yearbook portrait in a separate session.

Pros: Spring flowers, moderate temperatures, spring fashion (sandals, dresses, etc.)

Cons: School is in session, rain, fresh mud.

Summer

Scheduling a summer Session offers the most amount of flexibility for your Senior, yourself and your Photographer. It is the longest span of consistent acceptable weather and session/location options are more abundant with the addition of weekday availability.

Pros: Weekday availability, longer days, beautiful scenery with flowers in bloom, lush greenery, clear skies, beaches and lake options

Cons: Unbearable heat, mosquitos, crowded parks/metro parks

Autumn

One of the most beautiful times of years but difficult to schedule due to varying weather conditions and limited peak season.

Pros: Fall colors, cooler/moderate temperatures, fall fashion.

Cons: Limited time for peak fall colors, rain, school is in session, shorter days

Studio 

With a variety of props, backgrounds and lighting techniques, a studio session can deliver about any look you'd like to achieve at any given day in the year or time of the day.

Downtown

Because a majority of the scenery is buildings, murals and other architecture , Detroit, Rochester {and just about any City) can be scheduled spring through fall with little to no change in appearance.

Senior Sessions can be a bit intimidating because of the level of comfort and confidence most people have in front of a camera, the investment being made for the session and the over all value of the experience. Then there are the additional factors of posing, locations, wardrobe and style as well.

To help you with these questions and concerns I have put together a few articles to inform, inspire and encourage you.