old school vs. new school

How many of you remember getting your high school senior portraits taken (if you opted to at all)? Most stories I hear from people my age or older include stuffy studios, older male photographers, hideous wicker props, or an item of clothing that was forced upon them. My experience wasn't bad, but it wasn't fun either. I remember one particularly uncomfortable pose on a fake column that had been laid on it's side on the floor. And then there was the ugly black sweater that I hated but the photographer made me put on. My husband told me that his senior photographer put a clip on the back of his shirt collar so it would open up more in the front. But what he didn't realize is that he also clipped the back of my husband's neck. As a shy, polite teenager he didn't say anything and spent half the session with a clip on his neck.

It seems like seniors and their parents are looking for more these days. They want photos that show their true personalities. It's not always easy to get natural, candid shots right off the bat with adults (as Kate just talked about), but once we both loosen up, they shine through. With me, they have lisence to be as serious or goofy as they want. You want to throw on a hoodie and a pair of ridiculously huge sunglasses? Go for it. You want to bring your Hello Kitty guitar and rock out on a park bench? Absolutely. I want these kids to walk away feeling beautiful and empowered. I want them to have an experience that they can talk about positively 10 years from now. This is a wonderful, fun, difficult and strange time in their lives and maybe these photos will help them remember it in the future. 

I would love to hear your memories of your high school senior photo session–good or bad . And a picture of it would be a bonus!

Comments

[deezee]

Photo session? How about, "Sit down in the chair, look this, way, smile - oh wait! - tilt your head to this odd and unnatural angle, yes! perfect!" and click. The result speaks for itself...

[Arlene]

Oh no! The only thing worse than the old time senior portrait were the old time prom portraits. Thankfully there are no surviving copies of mine (I hope).

[Susan]

Mine were not bad (going back 20 years plus...) but the sad thing was that there was only 1 photographer in this 1 red light town - so WE ALL HAD THE SAME POSE! What he did have going for him was that he taken a house and turned it into a studio. He enclosed the backyard with some kind of roof that let light in, but it wasn't a window... so the room was 'yellow'. He had a stable area, a bridge, a running brook - he had options so you recognize each picture setting, but he would pose you differently then the person before.

Inside the studio - what would be the family room was the studio. After a 90 minute session inside & outside (I'm sure that was it) and 3 to 4 clothes changes - I can remember picking 10 favorite photos and my mom refusing at least 5 of them because I looked so washed out.

I'm still looking for the entire set - but I have found these and have posted them:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/colagrl/2391890343

and this was the 'gift with purchase' a free family session & 8x10 of the family since the Senior would probably leave home and this would never get done again anyway. Which is true. This is the only professional family photo I know of!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/colagrl/419391987

[jfrancis]

Eighteen is between
fairy tales
and the rest
of your life.
Enjoy the moment!

[MAKNJ]

Susan - you got to pick your photographer and chose your pose and special effects? At our school, they took us out of class, forced us to put on this off the shoulder brown velour thing, and snapped the photo. Now go back to class!

My mom and dad must still have it - if I can find it I'll post it.

[Dana (Sunshine)]

UGH - senior pictures. This post is right on!!! How times have changed though. I love what they do now, letting the kids be who they are for the camera. So much better.

I hated mine - the traditional wicker poses - that is sooo funny. I don't have one to share though. They were horrible!

[Jenna]

Oh boy- do I have a story for your. On my way to have my senior picture taken in the High School Gym a bird pooped on my perfectly poofed late eighties hair. Needless to say, that's a photo I'd rather not ever see again.

[Shelli]

I don't think I have a copy of my senior portrait - it's at my mom's house. But, fortunately, it was a pretty good photo. I also went to school in the 80s, but by the time I graduated in 1990, my poofy hair was much more relaxed. (Not as relaxed as now, but at least relaxed enough that I don't dread looking at the photo on my mom's mantle.) I barely remember having my photo taken, but when you said "older male and wicker props" that rung a bell. ha ha.

I think the photos that kids get today are very cool. And good for you for letting them express themselves any way they want to.

[Sugar]

I just got a call to take senior pictures. He's a surfer and wants some pics of himself at the beach with his board. I can't wait!

[Claudious]

I'm old now... but I should come get a new high school senior picture, if I remember right we had a line on the stage where they called our named out, gave us a cut off a tux, and took a picture... I wasn't even actually wearing the tuxedo. I should have opted for a stuffy studio at least.

[Leah G]

Props?!?!? Gee, you guys were lucky. I don't remember much -- the green velour v-neck thing (school colors) and the motarboard with tassel. That's it. Everyone same pose, no full body shots included, just the shoulders up. Good old fashioned senior portraits. Oh yeah, at the school in August, no air conditioning, extreme humidity. My curls were gone before the first photo was taken. Selecting ended up being to figure out which ones looked the least frizzy -- I'll take that pose.

Sadly, I think I have a couple left.

[Leslie]

I graduated in 1976, and believe it or not, the girls still had to be photographed with a black velvet "drape" across our chests, with shoulders peeking up just a bit. I think that was supposed to achieve uniformity or something. I just know it wasn't that pretty.

[Lawyer Mama]

Hopefully my senior photos will never be scanned onto the Internet! LOL! Actually, it wasn't that bad. I had a relatively "hip" photographer for the time. I remember posing against a brick wall (very similar to the shot you have there) and laying down on a garden bench. I got to wear the clothes I wanted. I even had a shot of me in jeans & jean jacket with hands up against the brick wall with a spotlight on me as if I were being arrested. My attempt at the "bad girl!" (-;

[heatherfeather]

I actually liked my senior portraits - the backdrops were a bit on the florid side, my eyes focused a tad dreamily, but I told him that I refused to have any portraits with my hands anywhere touching my face. He tried and tried and tried, but eventually I won. If only I were still this skinny... :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/407436463/

[Lan]

i didn't want to waste time in the studio. i showed and did it in one take. click and done. i wasn't unhappy with the result, but i can't say i was thrilled either.

[kristyk]

I didn't want my pictures to look like everyone else's. Plus, I didn't have any money. My chemistry teacher's son offered to take my picture if I would let him use it in his portfolio. He was just starting out as a photographer and needed a portrait. I agreed. We went to some ruins outside of town and took the pictures there. They turned out pretty well and we were both happy.

My mom saw him recently, almost 20 years later. He was working at a bus stop. He recognized her and pulled his portfolio from under the counter. My picture is still in there... the ONLY portrait he has ever done. LOL.