What is trending this year?
Every year there is a new trend that is taking over. Back in 2023 every football player was exploding out of water, the year before that was flower crowns, and years before that everyone was on railroad tracks.
Listening to the needs of your clients helps to build a working relationship, by letting them feel empowered in their own session. Many clients that haven't had their portraits taken before, and they may tend to think that poses need to be static and stoic. I always include those standard images, they're timeless for a reason. After that, we get to break into the fun new trends of whatever year we are working in together.
Is this senior on the fun and flirty side with sunny fields and flowers? Do they lean more towards edgy, dark, and moody styles? Are they sporty, artistic, musical, video game oriented, or is this something altogether foreign and the overall concept is nerve wracking and incredibly difficult? I am here to guide each graduate and show off their best side while allowing them to relax and be comfortable while enjoying this one-of-a-kind experience tailored to them.
My job is to help each client glide through their session with ease and by the end of their portrait study they walk away feeling at ease and more confidence than what they walked in with. This leaves them excited to see the final product and share that excitement with others. Building these relationships is what gives me purpose in my work. Empowering those in front of my lens to feel confident in themselves and be proud of where they are at in their lives in this exact moment.
I hope all of my clients will look back on their senior photos and be proud of the person in that image 20 years, or more, down the road. Even if clients look back and cringes on what was popular back in the day, it means we've captured a time capsule, and that's entirely what trends are about, capturing the here and the now as it is.
Location Scouting
Where do most Missoula graduates have their photos taken? For my graduates of The University of Montana, it's standard protocol to be on campus, this landscape is so iconic it's typically a mandatory location for a majority of clients. Within this area I can get up to 5 unique locations that are customizable for each student and what they want to showcase for their graduation portraits.
Now for my high school graduates, they have a lot more to choose from, this can be outdoors in the forest connecting with nature, and they can be on the bridge that they take to school every day. They can be on the football and track field, or they can be in the river or pool; the options for locations are endless. In fact, my favorite part about senior portrait sessions is the location scouting in Missoula.
When it comes to this hunt of the best area that really speaks to the client is what makes each portrait so personable. I've had a client who want to become Broadway stars, so I put her on a stage at The Roxie Theater with all the lights on her.
By giving each graduate the opportunity to choose their location for senior portraits, this allows them to have their own say in the process. Allowing graduates to have a voice in the process grows their confidence and willingness to participate in the process. This gets them excited for their upcoming portrait study, and when people want to be apart of the process, often times take direction for poses and their smiles are genuine because they are having a good time. This translates through each image and creates images that people are happy to have in their home and cherish for years to come.
What to wear to your Senior Portraits
warm weather
Breathable and Flowing
Seniors typically have their images taken in the summertime. This leaves the weather in Montana to be hotter than any other time of the year. It's in best practice to wear items that won't cause excess sweat, then creating an uncomfortable situation that is completely preventable.
Do you really want to wear that tighter fit? Let's find a different time of year or location that will better suits what is important to you.
Cool weather
Layers
When the weather in and around Missoula can be dangerously cold, we need to all dress smart. In this exact session, the client always starts with the most layers and finishes with the most dramatic. The car is parked nearby and kept warm, we plan the individual photos, then run to the cold, snap agreed images, and then run back to the car to warm up and talk about the next round.
These are always planned in advance, the client's safety is always the priority, and if it takes a bit longer to get "the shot" everyone is on board before making that decision to continue.
other types of weather
Prepare For Anything
Between the wind, the rain, and random intervals of weather, I always stay on top of what a portrait day in Montana is going to look like. I want to make sure clients are as prepared as possible. This allows them to feel safe and secure.
During consultations we sit down and talk about outfit concepts and possibilities of weather around that day, and the day before I will message clients to confirm what the weather will look like for the day. If the weather is beyond what we can deal with and overcome, we will try again for another day.
If I can't control the weather, the next best thing is to control what we can do with the time is available to us.
In conclusion
I do my best to make sure that all of my seniors are taken care of, and I want to make sure they are having a good time in Montana. They get the images that they ask for, and I help them have an enjoyable experience, therefore remembering that day and captured in camera.
I want all of my clients to walk away feeling empowered, confident, and remembering their senior portraits as a day to be celebrated.
