The first semblance of senior portraiture appeared in the 1880s, and what a progression it has seen since. The trend became popular to document the transition between teens to adults and as a result, has since found a permanent place in portraiture. Consequently, the development of society and technology has greatly advanced this genre. We are fortunate enough to be inspired by our own community that provided us with 4 different ideas for senior pictures and examples to showcase how you can achieve these looks!
Different Ideas for Senior Pictures
- Creative Compositions
- Incorporate Flash for Drama
- Showcase Talent & Personality
- Cinematic Senior Portraits
Creative Compositions
This is your chance to flex your artistic muscle! While most parents want a classic portrait of their child at this age, most teens would disagree. With the evolution of social media, these images are likely to be shared on their personal platforms. Moreover, this is a perfect opportunity to use your experience to impress and gain new clients. They represent who they were at this age. A different idea for senior pictures is to try and incorporate at least two different composition techniques in each photograph. Here are some examples:
Rewind: 5 Tips for Taking Amazing High School Senior Portraits
Incorporate Flash for Drama
Part of the evolution of senior portraits comes with the transformation of flash photography over the years. We now have portable studio setups that we can take on the go, to any possible location! Use this to your advantage and incorporate flash to create dramatic portraits or help chisel out the subject.
Showcase Talent & Personality
A great way to get variety from a senior portrait session is to incorporate hobbies and interests into the photographs. This is such an underrated and different idea for senior pictures! It’s also a fun way to add props with meaning to the scene but shows off a talent that the subject has. For example. find out what sports or groups the teen was involved in high school and try and use it as part of the narrative of the image. It will make for a great memory in the future to look back on. For instance, here are some of our favorite examples:
Different Idea for Senior Pictures: Cinematic Senior Portraits
Get inspired by movies and tv and take a more stylized cinematic approach. This can be done via editing, composition, posing, or lighting. For example, a great option for incorporating this different idea for senior pictures is to use depth and compression as your key compositional techniques.
In conclusion, senior portraits don’t have to be stale and boring. In addition to taking a classic portrait, mix things up by adding flash and flare into your images. Most importantly, find ways to showcase the teen’s personality and development at this age and make the experience memorable!
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