When To Book Your Senior Pictures

Senior pictures in the Portland Oregon area are generally taken July through November, which means some of you will do your senior pictures BEFORE the start of senior year. I thought I’d write a blog post with some advice as a photographer that has specialized in senior pictures since 2011. Hopefully this will help parents and teens learn a bit more about what to expect when booking early, or if you’ve waited until the start of senior year.

When Do Senior Pictures Happen

Senior pictures can happen at any time, but generally in the Portland area, most are taken July through November. This is because we live in Oregon and summer is the BEST weather we’ve got. You probably have a bit more flexibility in your schedule in the summer and once school starts back up, you’ve only got weekends. And what else happens around that same time of year? The rain returns! That could mean rescheduling and depending on when your yearbook image is due…you might not have the time. Don’t leave it to chance, book a summer date!

When Is My Yearbook Picture Due

This is different for every high school. Be sure to check the previous year’s calendar to see when theirs was due and it will probably be around the same time. Some high schools are due as early as late September, a few in October, but most are November and December. And just a few that have January or February dates. Read last year’s blog post with a ton of local high school yearbook deadlines for a rough estimate.

A Vague Timeline

So, let’s say you got to Mountainside High School, your yearbook photo is probably due mid-December…so you’ve got all the time in the world, right? There are a few ways to plan this out, you can book for Fall, hope you’ve got enough buffer time in case you get rained out once or twice and can still get your photos fully edited and submitted on time. Do-able yes, stressful, maybe. My suggestion is to book your senior photoshoot date no less than 1 month before your yearbook deadline. Even better if you book months in advance but we’ll cover that later. So if you book it for a month before your yearbook, when do you need to find your photographer? As early as possible! Fall is the BUSIEST season for photographers. For me personally, I have senior photoshoots, family photoshoots and I also photograph about 1,000 kids at private schools during the week. So I don’t have a ton of wiggle room. If you wait to reach out until October, you won’t get a date that same month. Most of my senior sessions for the fall dates are booked by people that reach out in July and early August.

Who Books Senior Pictures Months In Advance

Seniors that have a specific date or background in mind for their senior pictures. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten an inquiry in November asking for a lavender field. Lavender blooms in mid-June. So part of the issue is knowing what the senior wants. If you want a specific flower, like roses, you need to know they bloom in June and into July and by August they are looking rough. If you want a field of sunflowers, you’ve got two windows of opportunity, mid-August and early September. Or if you want that gorgeous field of colorful dahlias all to yourself, end of August into the first week of September. And they only allow one photographer per day! Knowing all of this takes planning, so whether you know this or not, find a photographer that you like as early as possible.

Nothing Specific

I get more inquiries from parents of teens than the teens themselves, so they usually say something like, “oh they just want nice pictures, nothing specific”. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that and I’ll always follow up with a questionnaire and prep emails that help the teen and the parent figure out what they really want. Every senior gets a Location Guide to help them with backdrop options. And everyone gets a What to Wear Guide. I never expect my clients to know exactly what they want, it’s a rare and amazing thing when someone sends me their pinterest vision board with inspiration. It’s my job as your photographer to help you decide if you would prefer a nature backdrop or a city backdrop. Or maybe a mix of both? Helping you look at your closet and know what to pull out for your photoshoot is so so important too, not everything will work well and you want a variety of colors, patterns and textures so your photos aren’t all looking the same.

How To Find The Right Photographer For You

Everyone will have different needs and wants from their senior pictures, this is another reason I suggest starting your search EARLY! Search “Portland Senior Photographer” on google, go to their socials, and follow them. Go through their website, look at what is included in a photoshoot, what isn’t included, what is the average investment, and even if there’s a full price list. You probably already have a budget in mind, most do, so find out if your budget is in line with the photographers you like. Then it all comes down to personality. This person will be with you for as long as your session is, coaching you through posing if they are a good photographer, and hopefully will capture you in your best light.

What To Avoid In A Photographer

This might be controversial but I suggest avoiding general photographers for your senior pictures. General photographers are ones that “do it all”… weddings, events, newborns, headshots, families, and seniors. Generally, these are photographers trying to find their niche and are doing all they can to stay afloat. They are going to be cheaper than a specialty photographer, so keep an eye out for that. They don’t have the experience, an arsenal of pose ideas, the best places and times to do your pictures and they probably won’t help you prepare for your photoshoot. They also won’t offer unique products that work for seniors like wall art, albums, and graduation announcements.

In An Ideal World

In an ideal world, you’ll start searching for photographers in your junior year of high school. Find 10-20 of them and follow them on socials. Reach out to 5-10 of them in the Spring of your junior year. Read through everything, if you’re as type A as me you might even make a spreadsheet with all the things you are looking for and prices. You’ll decide on one before summer break and book your session. This way you have a month or two to plan your outfits and accessories! And you’ll have plenty of time to select your fav image for the yearbook.

Want More Info About Senior Pictures with AGP?

Click here to visit the Senior Portrait Page with more info. And don’t forget to fill out the inquiry form towards the bottom of the page to get an email with all the details.