How to Make Your Teen’s Senior Photos Stress-Free

When your child is in their last year of high school, everything seems bittersweet. You’re so excited for them and the future that lies ahead of them, and you cherish all the exciting milestones and memories they’ll make in their senior year. But at the same time, all of these things are further reminders that your baby has grown up and is getting ready to fly on their own. This adds a bit of stress to every senior event, including, of course, senior photos.

Senior portraits do take a lot of planning and coordinating, but the photo shoot should be a fun experience for both you and your teenager. To make sure that it’s a great experience for you both and not just a stressful day, check out these tips for stress-free senior photos.

Choose a Hands-On Senior Photographer

As a Seattle area photographer, one of my focuses is on making the planning process as simple and straightforward for you as possible. When I’m working with clients, I take the lead and walk you through all the decisions and plans we need to make, even helping you and your teenager pick out outfits and props to bring. The more of the planning I can do with you, the shorter your to-do list will be and the fewer details you need to worry about on the day of the session.

Get Professional Hair and Makeup Done

I actually believe in this so strongly that it’s included as part of the service for all my clients! Not only do you get the benefit of professionally styled hair and makeup, but it makes the day SO much less stressful. When your teen is in a rush because they’re trying to get to their photo shoot on time, it’s harder for them to get the look they want, which just adds frustration for both you and your senior. Plus, we want them to feel their absolute best when that camera comes out, and professional hair and makeup can do that.

Let Your Teen Have It Their Way

I know this is hard as a parent - you probably have a vision for your teen’s senior photos, and they might have a different one. During the planning process, I’ll work with both of you to bridge the gap and come up with a plan to get portraits you both love, but that may mean some compromise on your part.

Ultimately, it’s better to compromise with your child about some of the details than to be arguing about them or pushing for your preferences during the session. Trust me, whatever their style is, I’ll make it look fantastic so you’ll love it too!

Try On Everything in Advance

Sometimes outfits look better in our head than they do when we put them on, so don’t leave your teen’s senior photos up to a guess. Make sure they try on every look, including the accessories and undergarments they plan to wear with it, to make sure everything lies the way they want it to, that it doesn’t show a tan line they want to cover up, that the accessories coordinate as well as they had envisioned, etc.

Let’s make your teen’s senior photo shoot a stress-free and fun milestone for both of you! Contact Jaimié Birtel Photography today.