Planning Your Senior Pictures

Kind of hard to believe back to school season is in full swing already! I’ll be a freshman at Kent State Univeristy this year but just finished wrapping up my senior year of high school. There is so much excitement that surrounds the senior season and one of the first endevaors of this memorable year is getting senior photos taken! Today I’m sharing some photos I recently had taken by Stefanie Kiesler as I share not only my experience with her as a photographer but what to wear as you plan your own photoshoot.

Find Your Photogrpaher

Stefanie Kiesler is a local photographer in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area. She captures newborns, family sessions, and is now booking Class of 2020 seniors. I know it’s a little late to be getting my own photos taken, but I really wanted to capture a few moments close to home. Don’t wait to book your session; I’m sure she will fill up fast!

Choose a Location

It’s time to find a location. Stefanie and I first headed to my highschool so we could capture some shots there. I was a cheerleader all four years so some photos by my press box and within the stands were a must. I spent hours throughout high school running up and down those bleachers for conditioning, and entertaining the crowd who filed in the seats each Friday night.

We also headed down to the baseball field which quickly became my home away from home throguhout my later years of high school. I’ve managed four seasons now and what a wonderful expereince it has been getting to connect with so many players, families, and coaches. I wanted something homey that would capture my passions and this simple location did just that.

We also headed down to some grass where we could get some photos that weren’t so “school” related. As much as I love those types of shots, you want a few timeless ones as well. Choose a second location that will allow you two to snap some gorgeous photos during golden hour. Oh, and fake it till you make it. It doesn’t have to be the prettiest location to get the perfect shot.

Picking The Perfect Outfits

Time to choose what to wear! We decided to do two outfits. In all honesty, if I was still in high school, I would have probably taken some photos in one of my cheerleading uniforms as well but seeing I got them done a little later, these two worked out just fine. I’ve got two outfit ideas that never fail for this kind of event.

Oh, and as far as getting ready goes, be you. I wear my hair curled like this 6/7 days a week so it’s a very “me” look. Lashes are a must for me during special occasions. This makeup look is exactly how I get ready for any nicer event. It makes me feel comfortable and confident in my own skin. Plus, it’s not an “out of the ordinary” look for me. Don’t over do it, go for something that feels natural to you.

Jeans + A Top

For one of your looks, I would recommend wearing jeans and a nicer top. For one, jeans will never go out of style. Secondly, you want to choose a top that’s a neutral color. Black or white is a must. I opted for my go-to jeans and this gorgeous white off the shoulder top from Dokotoo. It’s on the trendier side but the top doesn’t scream “I’ll be out dated in three years“. Belle sleeves are so me, and as someone who was named Best Dressed for the Class of 2019, I think it’s important to add pops of you throughout your look. I wore white mules to complete my outfit.

Don’t over do it on the accessories. I wore my everyday M inital necklace and a pair of gold hoops. It’s rare that you’ll catch me without a statement earring on, so it’d almost be weird if I wasn’t wearing them for these special photos!

Something “You”

The second look should be something that screams “you”. Don’t worry about this one being timelessly classic like the first, choose something that feels like your usual. For me, that was a pretty pink dress, huge matching statement earrings, and heels. This was my go-to outfit combo throughout high school— it’s an outfit that most people would associate me with.

If you have a third look, I would totally go for wearing one of your uniforms, if you play a sport, or sporting your college colors. Tons of parents use their child’s senior photos for graduation announcements and such so I think it’s cute to coordinate.

My Expereince

It’s important to feel comfortable during your shoot. Stefanie did just that and despite being strangers at the beginning of our session, I left having felt like I had known her for years. She made it easy to laugh and held coversations about my high school expereince and soon to be college. It’s no secret that I’m always in front of the camera, but even so I needed some guidance for a few of these shots. I’m so glad Stefanie was able to help me with that; it resulted in the most gorgeous shots! I could not be happier with the way my photos turned out.

Book Your Session

Now that you’ve got the inside scoop on how to plan the perfect senior session, it’s time to schedule it! For all of my local people, Stefanie is now booking Class of 2020 Seniors. Or, of course, if you’re looking for someone to take your family and/or newborn photos, she’s available for those sessions as well.

Find Stefanie Kiesler on…. Instagram // Website // Facebook 

Well, that’s all I’ve got to say about planning a senior photoshoot session. Thank you so much Stefanie for making me feel beautiful and capturing my passion so vividly! I hope to do it again sometime. And to my viewers, I hope you found this post helpful. Talk to ya tomorrow.

With love, McKenz

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