What to Do With Your Senior Portraits
Portrait planning advice from Matt & Shea Photography
A senior gallery can include many expressions, outfits and sides of a graduating student. The best way to keep those images from disappearing into a camera roll is to decide what each one is for. Start with the ways your family will actually see, share and keep them.
Create a short list by purpose
Mark one image for the yearbook if needed, one for announcements, several favorites for an album and a few that could live on the wall. A portrait can be beautiful and still not be the best choice for every format. Close expressions often work well on small cards; environmental portraits have room to breathe in albums and larger artwork.
Check school and announcement deadlines before the session. Knowing required crops or file specifications can influence how the photographer composes certain frames.
Build an album that tells more than one story
An album is ideal when the session includes multiple outfits, activities and locations. Sequence the images so the pages move from an introduction through different sides of the senior, ending with a strong portrait or a meaningful detail.
Include a handwritten note, favorite quote or a few lines about this year. Those words may matter even more when the album is opened decades later.
Choose wall art for the home you have now
Senior wall art does not need to become a permanent shrine. A carefully sized portrait can join a family gallery wall and later move to a bedroom, office or stairway. Consider viewing distance, surrounding furniture and whether the room calls for a close portrait or a wider scene.
Professional artwork is designed with the final size and display in mind. Learn about available heirloom artwork before choosing only by what looks good on a phone screen.
Make sharing easy without making it temporary
Digital files are practical for announcements and sharing with relatives. Back them up in more than one place and keep the studio’s usage guidance with them. Then pair the convenience of files with at least one finished object you can hold or see every day.
The Senior Experience is designed to create both variety and a cohesive story, making it easier to select images for different purposes.
Frequently asked questions
Should every favorite senior image be printed?
Not necessarily. Choose a purpose for each group of favorites: album storytelling, wall display, gifts, announcements or digital sharing.
When should we order graduation announcements?
Work backward from the mailing date and leave time for image selection, design, proofing, printing and delivery.
Tell us how you hope to use the images, and we can plan the session with those finished pieces in mind. Start planning your portrait experience.
