“But I’ve got a camera in my pocket!”

I feel like I talk about this all the time, but we’re in a different age now. When I was in high school, the concept of a “selfie” was fringe at best, and only the cool kids had those indestructible Nokia phones that only came in navy blue. You know the ones. I assume after the apocalypse they’ll be found here by the aliens, along with twinkies and cockroaches.

But the point I’m making, is we’re in a different world. A world with iPhones. And in this world, it’s literally means of security for your kids to have a headache rectangle – ever tried to find a working payphone in 2023? I dare ya. The last one I saw was at the side of the road in Arizona. Pretty sure it wasn’t in working order, but it was there! Blue metal casing and all. Anyway, if they do have access to 2023 technology, they’re likely at least selfie proficient, as a baseline. Hell, they might be incredible at them. You might look at the pics on their phone, and wonder how you can get as good at it as they are. (Spoiler, you probably won’t, hate to break it to you.)

Are Senior Photo Sessions Out?

In this world of iPhones and selfies (and TikTok), are senior photos officially out? Should we leave them in 2014, when smart phones weren’t a standard teenage accessory?

If you read the title, which I’m guessing you did, this has been spoiled for you, and I’m sorry about that. But when it comes to Senior Photos – they’re still JUST as relevant now as they were before everyone had a camera in their pocket!

There’s even a case to be made for them being MORE important now (I know, hot takes over here.)

“I don’t know whether I believe you, Jessica.”

If you’re sitting there thinking, “that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense…” then buckle in. Because there’s a method behind my thinking, and I’m going to walk you through all of it!

And it’s a lot more than just how much cooler professional photos are than the pictures you can take with your phone.

Professional Senior Photo Sessions are Designed for YOUR Teen

Having a senior session is about the memories. They capture who your teen actually is. What’s important to them. When you book a senior session, we talk about what makes them… them. What activities do they do at school? What’s their passion? How can we work that into the session?

If they’re into music, we’ll find locations that line up with that magic. If they’re an incredible gymnast, you BET we’re going to figure out a way to feature that skill. And of course that’s for them, so that they can remember all of the good moments in their complicated teenage lives once they’re older… but they’re also for you. Their parents.

You also deserve to be able to look back at this time in their life and see not just the selfies they took when they were out with their friends, or at the mall (don’t judge me, my boys aren’t teens yet – teenagers still go to the mall, right? RIGHT?!?) with a senior photo session, you get to remember their skills. The unique magic of this human you’ve raised. And there’s nothing cooler than that.

The Yearbook is Still a Thing, Folks

I couldn’t talk about the importance of Senior Photos without mentioning the yearbook. Senior photos are still able to be submitted to most schools for use in the yearbook as a replacement for that standard school-photo vibe.

And this is when those celebrations of what your teen actually loved during these years becomes really important! Ten years from now, at their high school reunion, they’ll be able to look back at classic, professional images of themselves, instead of a standard mottled-backdrop picture taken by the pro on picture day. And we ALL know what a nightmare those picture days can be.

Professional Senior Photos are Better Than School Picture Day

It’s quick, your teen may or may not even be able to look in a mirror beforehand. There’s, of course, very little information about what retouching will be done… and for teens, blemishes are a whole thing. When you book a senior photo session though, you’ll have a lot more control over those details.

Instead of one outfit… you have the ability to highlight your teen’s unique style. In outfits that may or may not meet their school’s dress code. (Make sure at least one of their wardrobe options for the session DOES meet those standards though, because otherwise they may not have something to submit to the yearbook that will get accepted!!)

Not to Stress You Out, Mama, But This Might Be Your Last Chance

Okay, so this is kind of a big one, and I don’t mean to stress you out. I know this reality is already in the back of your mind, but… your teen is about to graduate from high school. And depending on their post-graduation plans… they might not be a fixture around your house for much longer.

And what that means? Senior photo sessions are one of the last solid opportunities you get as a parent to book professional photography of your kiddo. Part of me shudders a little bit when I think about this for my own clan, but… eventually the birdies have to leave the nest. And a lot of those chicks? They leave after high school. They’re off to college, to tech school, to take a year off to travel… but with any of those options, they’re not going to be around as much.

And that’s okay! It’s part of life. It means you did a GREAT job. But it also means you’ve got to take this opportunity while you’ve got it, and memorialize this time! Not just for your teen, but for YOU, too.

Convinced Yet?

Senior photo sessions aren’t just about how cool your teen is, they’re ALSO about making sure that you can remember this time in their life. As a parent of kids (who are admittedly not quite teens yet…) I know how quickly every phase of their life goes. And I also know how important every single image I have of my boys is to me.

They’re printed, hung on my walls, and in albums on my coffee table. This is an area where I really walk the talk. And you should too! You deserve to be surrounded by images of the humans you made.

So, if you’re looking to book a session for your teen, that’s amazing! Let’s talk about what makes them their unique self. Let’s put together a session that’s ALL about them, so that they get to make even more memories before they graduate. So that they get to celebrate everything they’ve achieved, and you do too.

Just reach out, and we can chat about what a session could look like for YOUR magical teen!