Your senior photo shoot is such an exciting time. You’ve learned so much, and dedicated so much time to your extracurricular activities. You’ve grown immensely and are on the cusp of adulthood, getting ready for your first major life milestone. Your photos are the way to capture you right now, in all your glory, before you take this major step.
For a lot of young adults, though, the excitement for their photo shoot comes hand in hand with nervousness. This might be the first time you’ve had professional photos taken, and you might not know what to expect. You might imagine feeling awkward and uncomfortable in front of the camera, and worried that will translate into awkward images.
I’ve captured hundreds of beautiful senior photos over the years, and believe it not, none of the seniors I’ve worked with have been professional models, and they’ve all felt that way too. However, by the end of the shoot, they are walking a little taller, with a newfound confidence. My job is to work through the initial nerves and bring out the real you, in a way that only a photograph can. I consider it my superpower, and one of the ways I do that is through posing.
How Your Poses Change With Your Session
There really is no wrong way to approach your senior photo shoot, but there are some important things to consider before the big day.
First, what do you want to do with your senior photos? They aren’t only for the yearbook! Getting an idea of how you’ll want to use them will impact every other decision you need to make, from choosing the right photographer to deciding what to wear. If you need help deciding what to do with your photos, check out my in depth blog post full of ideas.
Once you know how you’ll be using them, you can decide where to go, what to wear, what to bring, and what photographer can bring your vision to life. And if you’re looking for a photographer in the greater Indianapolis & Cincinnati area that welcomes everything from short & sweet to wild & dreamy, I’m for you!
All of these decisions impact the type of poses your photographer will prompt you with during your session. A photo shoot with a flowing dress in a wildflower field is going to lead to more feminine, delicate poses, and an urban session downtown leans toward more vibey, creative poses, for example.
Remember, the goal of your senior photos is to show off your unique personality, not to look like everyone else’s. The poses you strike for your portraits should be centered around how to bring your personality to life, not what poses are currently trendy.
My Approach To Posing Seniors
My goal during every senior photo shoot is to capture each senior’s authentic and unique personality. My entire process, from first call to photo delivery, is based around that goal, and my process for posing is an integral part of it.
I give deliberate prompts that are directive yet allow my seniors to accomplish the pose in their own way, making it more natural versus a true, stiff pose. We will do a combination of more framed poses all the way to more candid in the moment poses to capture all sides of you.
With seniors that are more comfortable in front of the camera we can get creative with different poses, and for those that tend to be a bit more shy we keep things simple. My sessions are designed around each senior’s unique personality, so the flow of the photo shoot and the poses I guide you through are unique. Our open communication is there to make sure we get exactly what you want. I’ve had sessions with seniors that want me to strategically pose them, tell them where to put their hands, fingers, hair, and feet, and other sessions where we just go with the flow, and both have turned out amazing because it fits them.
No matter which way you prefer, I always save time for candid, action shots. Introducing motion is a great way to get natural photos with genuine smiles. I also encourage all the seniors I photograph to take some goofy, fun photos. Let loose, stick out your tongue, jump around, and have fun! There is time for all of this and more.
Poses For Guys VS Poses For Girls
Since the poses and prompts I use are based on the senior’s personality, there are times when similar poses are used for guys and for gals. Generally speaking though, we tend to use a lot of masculine power poses for the guys, and feminine, fun poses for the girls.
This is just the average though, and when it comes down to it, we will do anything that fits you! My commitment is to showcasing each senior’s unique personality through their photographs, as opposed to hitting a checklist of poses for guys or girls. You don’t want your senior photos to look like a copy-paste version of someone else’s!
What To Do With Your Hands
In those first few minutes of my senior sessions, it’s incredibly common for clients to ask me “what should I do with my hands?” If you’re worried about this, you aren’t alone! And I’m happy to tell you that there are so many fun things you can do to keep a natural stance during your photo shoot.
The first thing that’s important to remember is to relax! Take a deep breath and release the tension from your shoulders. Once you’ve done that, your hands will naturally fall by your side. You can tuck one into a pocket, or use one to put your hair behind your ear. Do what feels natural and authentic.
What you wear to your senior photos can also help you keep your hands busy. You can hold onto the collar of your shirt, hold onto the side of your jacket, or tuck your hand in a pocket. Accessories like bracelets or a necklace give you something to play with. Long, flowing dresses give your hands something to hold onto (and photograph beautifully!).
My favorite recommendation for the seniors I photograph is to bring a prop or accessory (or a few of them!) to their photo shoot. I’ve written a whole blog post with ideas for what you can bring, in case you need inspiration. Props give you something to hold onto, allow for more fun and unique poses, and help me tell your story through photos.
If you’re still unsure how to keep your hands busy, don’t be shy and let your photographer know. I’m happy to give more direction to my seniors and tell them exactly where to place their hands, to give them the most flattering, natural poses possible.
Finding The Most Flattering Senior Poses
It’s important for me to note that I am here to show you how beautiful you are, both inside and out. I don’t believe in editing photos to turn someone into something they are not. I do believe that everyone is perfect as they are. Your “flaws” are what make you unique, and they should be embraced! I promise that you will leave your session with a newfound confidence, seeing yourself in a new light. My camera will capture your true beauty. And I promise, you are truly wonderful.
That being said, it’s totally normal to feel unsure in front of the camera, especially during such a huge life transition. I’ve been photographing seniors for 3 years now, and I’ve seen it all in that time. If you do have any insecurities, we will use specific poses to focus on what you think are your best features. I know a variety of poses that can make you feel as confident as you deserve!
Candid Senior Pictures
I believe that the best way to show off all the sides of your personality are to have a variety of photos during your session. In every senior photo shoot I offer, I make sure there is time for candid, unposed shots that show you in action. Movement is a wonderful way to help you stay loose, and capture who you are when you don’t feel like the camera is looking.
Thinking about what to do with your senior photos before your shoot can help to determine how much time should be spent on posed portraits, and how much time should be spent on candid action shots. No matter what you decide, or how many locations you select for your photos, I’ll make sure there are plenty of creatively posed portraits as well as candid pictures, to fit your unique style and vibe.
Timeless Senior Photos
Your senior portraits should accurately capture who you are at this important milestone in your life. These are so much more than a yearbook photo—these are the pictures you will post online when you announce your graduation, the portraits your family will hang on their walls, and the photo albums you will take out and show your grandkids one day.
With that in mind, it’s important to take photos that feel beautiful and timeless, not photos that fit a current trend or passing fad. The photos I take are designed to be family heirlooms and will look beautiful long after today’s social media trends have passed.
If you’re ready to document this pivotal moment with fun, expressive, timeless senior pictures, reach out to me.
Are you ready to see how amazing you are?
Amanda is a luxury photographer located in Milroy, Indiana specializing in senior portraits. Her goal is to provide beautiful, high-quality, authentic photos that reveal the true you, and an epic experience that leaves you in awe.
Serving high school seniors (and their parents!) in Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Batesville, Greensburg, Columbus, West Harrison, Harrison, Rushville, Shelbyville, Greenfield, Brookville, New Castle, Richmond, Connersville, Columbus, Muncie, and beyond.
