What to Wear: Senior Graduation Sessions
Senior portraits are a great way of capturing this significant milestone in your life, reminding you of your achievements and life as you know it to be at this time. You will have them to look back on as you get older, allowing you to reminisce on the journey you have taken to get where you are today.
You’ve found your photographer, booked your location, ironed out the date and time. So what’s next? You start asking yourself, “What do I wear?!”
We’ve compiled a list of our top recommendations for what to wear and how to best plan for a seamless photoshoot, and we hope this makes planning your senior photo session a whole lot easier! It’s important that you feel comfortable and feel your best, because then you will look your best.
Classic & Timeless
Keep it classic and timeless. A simple dress, a white button-down shirt, a classic colored polo shirt, a blazer, or dress pants. Taking this route will keep your photos looking fresh and not dated. Shades of soft pink, muted blues and sophisticated light neutrals (gray, creams, white, dark brown) photograph best on camera. Stay away from patterns and logos as these don’t photograph well and can quickly date your photos.
For guys, consider a blazer or sport coat with a different pant color to add in some extra visual interest and break up the color tones.
Casual & Relaxed
You can dress casual for your session and still look beautifully refreshed! Jeans and a white top photograph well if you want to keep it classic yet casual. The camera picks up everything, so you just want to be sure your clothes are ironed and well-fitting! Shoes can make or break an outfit, and clean crisp sneakers are a great option for a casual look.
Formal & Glamorous
For girls, dresses and skirts look stunning in photos because they really flatter every female body, especially on camera. Long, full-length, flowy dresses and skirts photograph beautifully because they bring extra movement to the photos.
For guys, fitted dress pants or fitted colored pants photograph best so you’ll want to opt out of any loose or baggy pants. Solid shades of gray or navy are always preferred, since pinstripes or plaid patterns can be distracting and not photograph as well.
Sporty & Athletic
If you are on a sports team, wearing your team uniform or jersey is a great way to include your athletic achievements in your photos. You can also bring a piece of your equipment or sports balls to use more as a prop if you prefer. If you are photographing on your school campus and play football, for example, take some photos on the field as one of your backdrops.
Cap & Gown
Including your cap and gown in some photos is always a great idea! You can bring your cap and gown to change into, as well your cords and any other special details you want to include. You’ll want to make sure your outfit underneath is solid and doesn’t clash, so be sure to try them on together in advance! It’s important to make sure your gown is ironed, so bring it in a garment bag to ensure it stays photo-ready.
Bring Special Items to Include
Aside from bringing your cap, gown and cords, be sure to bring anything that could be of sentiment too! Perhaps a book from a favorite class, or something that pertains to your degree. If graduating in nursing for example, bring your lab coat and stethoscope. It could even be as simple as noting a special spot on campus to photograph at. And don’t forget the champagne so pop at the end, for fun and celebratory photos to have too!
A Few More Do’s & Don’ts
We always suggest avoiding clothing with stripes or fine patterns, such as herringbone or paisley. These tend to not photograph well and cause weird patterns when the images are viewed online.
If you normally wear glasses, keep them on for the session and clean your lenses beforehand.
You will want to make sure your clothing is ironed, clean, and is “photo session ready,” especially if you are a pet owner. We encourage ironing your garment the night before your session. If bringing multiple outfits, keep them in a garment bag for easy and safe transport.
Our most important reminder- Have fun & be yourself! Your enthusiasm will shine through in your final image. At the end of the day, it's all about wearing an outfit that looks good on you and makes you feel confident. This will show through in the photos!
Don’t Forget!
Lastly, we’ve compiled a list of items to not forget. Although your session should last no more than an hour, we always recommend bringing the following to make sure your’e as comfortable as can be.
-Water & snacks: Always pack a little snack or make sure to eat before your photos, and definitely bring some water for warmer days, especially on the beach!
-Flats or flip flops: If you’re wearing heels, you might find it most comfortable to slip into flat shoes when walking to different spots in between photos.
-Hair brush, small mirror & touch up make-up: As part of feeling and looking you’re best, we always recommend bringing a little makeup bag for you to be able to touch-up your hair and makeup should you need to. You’ll be happy you did, and it’s good to bring just incase!
We love to photograph graduation sessions either on campus, or at one of our favorite local beaches or parks. Whether you’re interested in booking individual or group graduation sessions this Spring, now is the perfect time to reach out to us, we’d love to capture this special milestone for you!
