Helena, Montana Senior Photographer

Can it be that time of year again?! Senior shoots are my jam. Seniors always make me so happy and hopeful. They are just starting out. Free. Free to take the path they choose–college, workforce, travel. It’s all at their fingertips. Enter jealous emoji *here*.

I remember when I drove myself to get my senior portraits taken. I threw in a maroon button up collared shirt that was wrinkled and a little too small for me in a duffle bag, raided my mom’s jewelry box for things I never wore, and I can’t believe I am putting this out there on the internet…I made SURE I had my hemp necklace on for. every. shot. And now, whenever I walk down the hallway of my parent’s house…there it is. Staring me in the face and making me cringe every time I have enough guts to stop and look at it. Hey…it was the early 2000s…

So, you may ask—how can I avoid this?! Well here are a few tricks that I have learned in over a decade in shooting to help you get ready for one of the biggest milestones in your life—your senior portrait session! After you read these 3 tricks, your session will go a little better than mine did!

Get to know your photographer! It sounds silly, but this is SO essential to feeling comfortable on your first photo session. Shoot your photographer emails or texts if you have questions or concerns on your upcoming photoshoot. If you’re making an investment with a quality photographer, she or he would be more than happy to put you at ease—remember we were all seniors once too!
Plan and design your outfits before the shoot! For my KV Seniors, I send them a style guide that helps them plan EVERYTHING about their shoot. From hair to nails, to what they should wear, this Style Guide has been a game changer for so many of my seniors. It puts them at ease and answers so many questions they may have about what they can expect on their customized senior session.
Think about locations. Are you happiest in a rural setting? Or are you happiest where there is no dirt in sight? Most of my seniors opt for both. I allow my seniors to choose up to two separate locations so that they can get a diversified looking gallery that has a lot of variety and settings. Talk to your photographer if you have access to private locations that may seem totally outrageous like an airport hangar or stadium. These can be some unique chances to stand out from all the other senior pictures in the yearbook.
Be comfortable! This goes with so many things: location, clothing, and with your chosen photographer. More than likely you will have an idea of where you want to shoot (if you don’t, I have a HUGE list of places I let my seniors choose from to give them some guidance). I have my seniors stand, sit, kneel, lean, and lay on the ground so it’s important to wear comfortable—yet stylish clothes that can handle all of this!
Watch out for tan lines! This seems like a no-brainer…but it happens a lot—especially in the summer months! Wear clothes that will cover unsightly tan lines or sunburns. Oh…and my biggest piece of advice of all—skip the spray tan. 😉 No matter how professionally it is done, most show up orangey on camera.

Well, I hope this helps all the seniors out there! Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions or if you are interested in being a KV Senior!! Happy senior year to all of the 2019 seniors!!

Special thank you to Poppyseed Boutique for styling our shoot! Check them out here!