That’s right, it’s time to talk about seniors!

THE TIME HAS COME! Well, technically it’s always the time, because it’s never too late or too early to celebrate your graduation with photos. But I think you know the one I mean, more specifically! More specifically, I mean it’s time to think about senior pictures for seniors graduating in the coming year – 2026! You’re headed toward the end of your junior year, and it’s the IDEAL time to start thinking about your senior picture session.

Now, 2025 seniors, you still have a chance

To be clear, this isn’t me saying it’s too late if you’re graduating next month!! If you’re a 2025 senior, you still have time to schedule a session, and you might even be able to get your pictures before you graduate, if you’re super quick with reaching out. That’s not going to be the case for every photographer, but here at Jessica Strobel Photography, I like to work fast! So if you’re a graduating senior for the 2025 year and you still don’t have senior photos… let’s talk. Seriously. You’re going to want them, I promise.

But those of you graduating in 2026 – the world is your oyster!

Now, if you’re graduating in 2026, and you’re at the end of your junior year, and you’re ALREADY thinking about your senior photos, then you’re not only in the right place, you’re ON IT, and I love it! Thinking about your session this early means you have all the opportunities in the world – I mean it. From when your session will take place, what kind of seasonal backgrounds you want to use, whether you’ll have the images in time to submit to the year book – the world is TRULY your oyster here, folks.

So if you ARE a soon-to-be high school senior, and you’re starting to think about your senior pictures, what should you be thinking about right now?

Start looking at photographers’ portfolios!

The first thing you need to do ahead of scheduling your senior photo session here in Minneapolis, is start looking at photographers’ portfolios! It’s super important to choose a photographer who has a portfolio you love. Your images from this session are going to be something for you to look back at for years to come – decades. And it might sound super cliché and really far off now, but someday you’re going to show your kids these photos. No really, you will.

So you need to choose a photographer who will create something you’re not only proud of now, but that you’ll be proud about in the future too! This means taking a look at photographers’ work – not just on Instagram, also on their website. And weeding down to photographers who have a style you’re in love with. Since you’re super ahead of the game thinking about this at the end of your Junior year, you have time to get on basically any photographers’ calendar right now, so take advantage of that freedom!!

Consider when you want your session to take place

The other early thing to consider when you’re getting ready to book your senior picture session, is when you want it to take place, or whether that actually even matters to you. If you want to have your session in a photographer’s studio, then the season might not matter to you! But if you wanted your images to feature some outdoor locations, do you want them to look snowy? Winter vibes? Or are you hoping for florals? Maybe autumn leaves?

Think about the “when” for your senior picture session, and that’ll help determine when you need to start reaching out to photographers. Some photographers book out pretty far, and might not have last minute availability. So when in doubt, reach out!!

Do you want to submit photos to the yearbook?

The other big thing to consider this early in the game, is whether you want to submit your photos for the yearbook. There will be requirements your school has for those pictures, but if you’re choosing a local photographer they may already be familiar with those guidelines. It does, however, impact timeline! Normally, schools need photos that are going to be submitted for the yearbook to be done and delivered to them in the early fall. Which means if you don’t have your photos by then… you won’t meet the cut off.

So if you definitely want to submit your images to the yearbook, then you’re going to want to reach out to photographers for a summer session, to make sure your photos are done ahead of the deadline!

Are you ready for your senior photo session?

Obviously, there are all kinds of other things to think about ahead of your Minneapolis senior photo session. Everything from “what are you going to wear” to “should you bring your prom dress” – but a lot of those can wait until you’re closer to your session! Check out my Ultimate Guide to Senior Photo Sessions for even more detail on all of those things, and when you should start thinking about them.

But if you’re ready to schedule a senior photo session… let’s talk! I would absolutely love to celebrate with you, whether you want a session this summer, in the autumn, out around Minneapolis, or in my studio!