It’s time for the class of 2025 to shine as they prepare to enter their senior year of high school. This is such a big and exciting chapter for many seniors and their parents. There’s a lot to do during this final year of high school–post-graduation applications, maybe preparing for a mission, squeezing in all those last credits and soaking in those fun high school nights. So where do senior photos come into play?
The answer: it depends! It depends on if the school yearbook has any requirements, if there’s a certain season you or your senior want their photos to take place, and any other uses for senior photos. As a premier St. George senior photographer I will break it all down for you.
Is there a yearbook deadline you need to meet?
At many schools, seniors are allowed to submit their own picture to be used in the high school yearbook. Most often, this deadline is between October-November. If this is the case, you will want to be sure to schedule your seniors photos *at least* one month before the deadline to ensure you will have the edited photos returned in time.
In my experience, if you live in the state of Utah there usually is not the option to submit a photo for the yearbook so you have lots of flexibility for when you’d like to schedule your senior’s photos.
I work with many high school seniors who travel from out of state to St. George for their photos and they often schedule their photos for summer before sports and other high school extracurriculars begin to make sure they can meet the yearbook deadlines.
Is there a favorite time of year?
If you don’t have a yearbook deadline to meet, most high school senior photo sessions take place in the fall or spring before they graduate. There are many seniors who want their photos done in the mountains when the leaves are changing so they schedule photos for the fall. Other seniors want their photos in the spring when there’s blooms happening. It’s really dependent on what works best for your senior and family.
How far in advance should I schedule my senior’s photos?
The sooner the better. A good rule of thumb is to reach out and book your session at least 2-3 months before you’d like the photos done. Both fall and spring are very busy times for photographers in southern Utah, so you’ll want to get on the books sooner than later so you’re not scrambling.
How much should I expect to spend on senior photo?
Maybe you’ve googled how much you should spend on senior photos or emailed several photographers to get prices only to be more confused because the prices are all different and maybe even different pricing structures. All photographers offer different levels of service so this will result in different price point and experience. So let’s start by looking at the different price ranges and what can be expected for those.
Beginner/shoot and burn photographer
These photographers are usually just getting started or do photography as a hobby. They may have some experience and pretty good skills, but maybe not as much consistency in photos and expertise to make you feel completely comfortable. Often there is one price and you’re promised maybe 50-100+ photos.
This is a great option if you are trying to stick to a tighter budget and are willing to forego some of the higher touch points just to get some nicer photos. On average, you can expect to pay about $350 for a good beginner photographer.
Seasoned Photographer
A seasoned photographer has at least a few years of experience under their belt and provides consistent high-quality photos and a seamless client experience. Most often, these photographers have a few different packages with a certain amount of images included so you can pick what fits your needs best. With these photographers you can expect lots of communication, help selecting outfits and location(s) and high touch point customer service.
This is a great option if you really value the art of photography, assistance with planning your session, and guidance throughout the whole process. This level of experience will average around $550.
IPS (In-person sales)
These photographer provide you with the most luxurious session and lots of hands-on assistance. Often there is a pre-planning meeting to go over all the details for your session and then a reveal after your session to look over all of the photos in person and order products right on the spot. Often, this experience includes hair and make up and the photographer takes the lead on everything.
For this level of photography experience you can expect to spend between $2000-5000 depending on the products purchased.
If you have a photographer you’d really like to work with, I always recommend reaching out sooner than later to first, get pricing and create a payment plan or budget if necessary and second, learn how soon you might need to book your session.
Where should we have senior photos taken?
There are so many beautiful places in and around St. George! You can view my Top 5 spots for photos here. But don’t worry, there are so many more than that! Your photographer should also be able to help you select the perfect location(s) for senior photos.
What should I bring to senior photos?
This is where you can get creative! It can be really fun to bring “props” that represent your senior. This could include their favorite book, that truck or car they love, or even an instrument they play. This is also where sports can be fun to incorporate; a soccer ball, baseball, football, etc. Bring any items that represent your senior and what they love during this phase of their lives.
Sometimes in southern Utah, seniors also have their mission call. Feel free to bring a flag or something else that represents where their next chapter in life will be taking them!
What should your senior wear for photos?
I always recommend you plan on 2-3 outfits. One outfit that feels more casual, like an every day at high school kind of feel and then another outfit that is a little dressier. If you want to bring a third outfit, this is often something that reflects your time in high school. This could be a sports jersey, cheer pompoms and uniform, or even a lettermen jacket.
Any other questions?
Feel free to reach out through my website and let me know if you have any other questions! I hope to be a source for you as you decide when, where, and with who to book your senior’s photos.
Cheers to class of 2025!
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