WHEN SHOULD I TAKE MY SENIOR PICTURES? 4 Questions to Ask Yourself BEFORE Scheduling your Senior Pictures.

Written by Emma Musson

You have been waiting to be a senior for years. You might have even said that your junior year was the longest school year ever. I know I felt that way and couldn’t wait to be a senior! But then you reach that summer before your senior year and life begins to feel like you are in a time machine. Everything seems to start moving a million miles an hour and it can feel like everything you want to do, can’t be done in time. 

Well, we don’t want that to happen with booking your senior pictures or having the special photoshoot. A professional image in the year book is one of those special privileges and is something you look forward to. With all of this in mind, knowing when you should take your senior pictures is important! There are four good questions to ask yourself when deciding when you should schedule that photoshoot.

When Should I Take Senior Pictures?

1. When is my school's deadline to submit senior pictures?

It’s likely that your school has a deadline for submitting your image to be included in the yearbook. But, the big question is when is that deadline? Some schools have much earlier deadlines than others due to things such as how many students there are and how long it will take to get the hundreds of yearbooks published. Knowing this deadline gives you an idea of when you will need to have your senior photoshoot completed by. As a good general rule, most senior pictures occur the summer before your senior year or into the early parts of fall. This will give you ample time to have your photoshoot, pick out your favorite picture and submit it to the yearbook committee. It would be heartbreaking if the deadline was before you were able to have that special shoot! 

Click here to find out Sarah Lindsay’s availability to ensure you pick a date that aligns with your deadlines! 

What is the Best Time to do Senior Pictures?

2. What time of year should I do my senior pictures?

If you have looked at instagram or pinterest you might have an idea of what type of background you want for in your images. Are you thinking more urban? Do you want water pictures? Is a nature background what you are looking for? If you have an idea of the location you want for pictures, it will be important to consider what it will look like during specific times of the year. If you are looking for a very green, floral, lush background then you will want to pick a location that has fields of grass and flowers blooming in the spring time. On the other hand, if you are looking for more fall colors in your senior pictures you will want to hold off on senior pictures until those colors start to pop. 

Any of these locations are great and it all depends on the look you are going for for your shoot. If you are not sure what location you are looking for, that's okay! During your design and wardrobe consultation, Sarah Lindsay will show you options of where to go for your photoshoot. 
Either way, make sure you consider what you want your background to look like when scheduling your photoshoot. 

Fall Senior Pictures

3. What time of day should my photoshoot take place?

It’s likely that you have heard someone talk about the golden hour before, even if you aren’t quite sure what it is. Or you might have already experienced the golden hour glow before and seen how spectacular the lightning is. Golden hour is one to two hours before the sun sets. During golden hour the sun is at a lower angle meaning the sunlight will not be so direct on you. This helps create a softer, warmer feel for your images. You will definitely want to stay away from direct sunlight when taking your photos. Direct sunlight provides harsh shadows and that glow is not as present. Golden hour gives you beautiful shadows, contrast, and a more natural feel for your images. For your senior pictures, shooting during golden hour is the way to go! So, plan on having your photoshoot take place one to two hours before the sun sets.  ​

What Time of Day Should I Take my Senior Pictures? Golden Hour Senior Photos

4. What fits with my schedule?

We want your senior pictures to be a reward. It is important to us that this photoshoot to be like a celebratory event for your senior year. You are able to enjoy your day before getting your hair and makeup professionally done, that you will have time to eat before pictures, and that you are not rushed to get to the location on time. We want this day to be filled with happiness! Because this is our goal, we want you to pick a day that is the most convenient for you. It might be that you need a weekend because you work during the week or that you need it on a Monday night because you have sports practice the other evenings. Whatever it is, let’s make sure we find a day that will fit within your deadlines, with your vision of location or clothing, and with your daily life. ​

In short, you can take your senior pictures whenever you want! But, these four questions can guide you to finding that perfect date for your rewarding senior photoshoot. While Sarah Lindsay Photography tries to accommodate each of you beautiful girls, our schedule does fill up quickly during the summers.
We suggest you reach out sooner rather than later to schedule your senior pictures today! ​

Sunset Senior Pictures in Water