A guide to client-based sessions: Creative senior photo ideas for the non-traditional grad

Congrats, grad, you did it! Or are going to do it, depending on when you’re reading this. Your finals have been completed, your textbooks returned, and your suitcase is packed. The only thing left to do? Post the gorgeous senior photos we took at our session together! 

Like all photos, graduation photos are an investment that you want to be able to make last a lifetime, and are something you want to be able to get some good use out of. It’s important to get the most out of your photoshoot as a start, but how can these beautiful images really reflect you and your personality?

Today I’m going to be focusing in on one of my favorite industry buzz terms: ~client based~ which is just a fancy way of saying *personalized*. Here are a few non-traditional, more heavily client based creative senior sessions for your consideration, and hopefully, for your inspo Pinterest board.

Grad 1. Mercedes Dubberly

Highlights/client notes: direct flash, motion blur, none of the traditional landmarks

Mercedes is a mentee of mine, so trust me when I say she had tons of inspo photos and things she wanted to get done during her shoot. And I was here for all of it! I love it when a client knows what they want, especially when I’ve trained them on being both behind and in front of the camera.

She is an English major, so the one place that was important for her to get photos was the library. Mercedes wanted fun shots of her in the stacks and picking out books. We both got so distracted by all the gorgeous covers.

Mercedes made it very clear that she didn’t want any traditional senior photos. That wasn’t what she was here for. She wanted to have fun and do some super cool editorial vibes that reflect her own style as a person and photographer.

Her other request was to get some motion blur shots of her crossing the street, very magazine-esque, as if she were running late to class in her cap and gown and rushing across the crosswalk.

Grad 2. John Cavaliere

Highlights/client notes: wanted to bring his motorcycle down to Tiger Walk for a personal touch

Nothing makes me happier than when a client suggests something that I’ve never even thought of before. Guys don’t usually get quite as involved in the fun aspects of their senior photos, which is something I’m trying to change. An easy way to get them more excited is to let them know we can do just about anything they want and add to their photos in whatever way their heart desires.

For John, that was his bike.

For his high school photos, he did a session with his truck and wanted to have the same vibe to continue the story for his college graduation images! We recreated a few that he did back in the day and it was really fun to see the progression of him and his vehicles. 

He asked, and I delivered. At the end of his session, we got his bike down to Tiger Walk for some of the most epic senior photos ever. I mean, see for yourself. Now that’s what I call making an entrance!

Grad 3. Sydney Lavin

Highlights/client notes: making traditional campus spots “more fun,” motion blur

Sydney in her email: “I was gonna ask if we could do a morning session! I LOVE the ones you've done in the past!” Sydney wanted fun and different, but also to include some classics for her parents. She wanted the photos to express how fun and positive her personality is, and she wanted direct sunlight to brighten her photos.

Sydney also brought her best friend and roomie, Natalie, along for the adventure, and it was great to have a backup and a friend to double-check the hair and whatnot. I’m always down for some girls girls to come along and support on a photoshoot!

Grad 4. Anna Palmer

Highlights/client notes: editorial magazine vibes, classy, nontraditional locations for high school senior

Anna’s mom emailed me reaching out about taking her daughter’s high school senior photos. She had really loved the artistry she had seen in past photoshoots of mine, and wanted to merge that creativity with a senior style photoshoot to celebrate Anna’s graduation. She told me the locations she had seen and liked, and we were able to find one close to both of us that fit the vibe.

Anna loved French style and culture, beautiful dresses, and stunning scenery (don’t we all?!), so we took all that into account when figuring out what to incorporate into our photoshoot.

We got some Pinterest boards together of her two favorite looks and vibes, and had fun in the old Wilcox Hotel. She is known around school for her colored leggings since she attends a school with a uniform so those obviously had to be included.

Grad 5. Morgan Ellison

Highlights/client notes: Detail focused shots, a mix of classic grad portraits and more artsy photos

Morgan found me through her friend, Hailey, who was one of my seniors and also modeled for me when I did an editorial shoot. She liked my work so much that she reached out via Instagram and said, “Love all of your pics and aesthetics, there’s no chance you do graduation pictures, right? *fingers crossed emoji*” Guess what? I certainly do!

We did a similar process to Anna from here, and she sent me some inspo photos. I loved her vision immediately, and as a business grad, it was important to her to do some in the business building on campus. Morgan also wanted to do a little outfit change into her blazer and business skirt. Power move. I love creating art with passionate clients!

This outfit change helped separate our photos with more traditional vibes, with her wearing a white dress, from the more editorial photos we took in the business school.