10 tips for a great senior photo session

10 tips for a great senior photo session

10 tips for a great senior photo session

It’s that time of year again for summer fun and senior photo sessions for upcoming high school seniors! Your senior photos are a big deal but it doesn’t have to be stressful. Here are some tips and tricks to make your session easy and your senior pictures amazing!

10 Tips for a Great Senior Photo Session

  1. Be prepared! Schedule haircuts, get clothing choices ready, and make sure you are not up late the day before your session.
  2. Make sure you eat something before you leave for your session, even if it is just a snack. Then be sure to brush your teeth!
  3. Bring your dog if you can. Pups make everything more fun!
  4. Prep your skin! Make sure to moisturize all areas that will be showing including arms, legs, hands and feet!
  5. Girls avoid shimmery makeup and make sure your nails are done.
  6. Guys make sure your shave or trim is even and have clean nails.
  7. Bring more clothing choices than you need and don’t forget the accessories and undergarments. Belts, jewelry, shoes, and everything that goes with your outfits.
  8. If you wear glasses make sure they are clean and if they do not have anti-glare on the lens opt for bringing an empty set of frames. The less retouching around your eyes the better.
  9. Be on time or 10 minutes early! It is only going to stress you out if you are late and we are working with the sun so the time was chosen for that.
  10. Relax! Make it fun and enjoy yourself. It will make for great expressions in your senior photos!

Have more questions?

Email me at lynnlaumann@gmail.com

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When is my senior photo submission deadline for the yearbook?

Lynn Laumann Photography Senior-photo-034

When is my senior photo submission deadline for the yearbook?

Your senior photo that goes in the high school yearbook is one of the reasons you need senior pictures. You will want to keep in mind when your senior photo is due at your high school so there is enough time for you or your parent to submit it to yearbook staff or upload it to the link the school provides. This image file is usually a specific size that I will create for you and send to you by email.

For example if you go to Chanhassen High School, and the deadline is November 1st, you will want to make sure you have enough time after the session and you have received the final photos to choose your yearbook photo and ask for the correct sized file, and then I need to get it back to you and you need to upload it.

So my recommendation is to be scheduling photo sessions no later than a month before the yearbook deadline so there is enough time for you to receive the retouched finished photos, pick your favorite, and get it submitted. In this case you should be scheduling your session no later than October 1st and that is assuming we won’t need to reschedule for bad weather or illness.

Here are the dates of some of the high schools in the southwest metro area and their deadlines for turning in the yearbook photo.

Have more questions?

Email me at lynnlaumann@gmail.com

Lynn Laumann Professional Photograph Coach 12x8

Make Money as a Photographer

Lynn Laumann Professional Photograph Coach 12x12

Make Money as a Photographer

You have the camera, the lights, the skill, and the desire; so what is stopping you from earning an income or at least a side income doing photography? Sometimes you need someone to look at the whole picture to help you figure out the solution.

Making it as a Professional Photographer

Whether you have tried running a photography business and could never get it going or you are trying to do this for the first time, I can help you sort out the details of what you need, where you still need to put the practice in, and how to move forward with the right steps to actually create a business.

Focused Photographer Coaching

With my process of assessing your photography skill, equipment, goals, and area of work, we will design a plan that will set you on a path of success. You will have a way to improve the skills that needs improving and you will get the help you need to figure this business thing out!
This isn’t a coaching program filled with fluffy inspiration and confusing marketing but no actual way to do it. I will individually come up with a plan to help you move forward with learning what you need to know and getting yourself set up and positioned to begin doing photography as a business even if it is just a side hustle.

Want to set up a 30 minute consultation?

Email me at lynnlaumann@gmail.com

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When should I schedule my senior photos?

Lynn Laumann-senior-pics-12x8

When should I schedule my senior photos?

This is a great question from the class of 2025 soon to be seniors and the parents of the upcoming seniors!

When is the best time of year to schedule senior photos?

I have been helping parents and juniors make this decision for 25 years and here are some of the things to keep in mind when trying to decide when to book a senior photo session.
First, senior photos in this area (Minnesota) are typically taken in the summer before senior year so that you have the photos done and you can submit your senior photo to the yearbook before the deadline. For example, Waconia High School has a deadline for the senior photo submission of around Oct 30th and so does Chaska High School and Chanhassen High School, but Shakopee High School is usually due around the beginning of March and a few other schools have later deadlines as well. Make sure you know when your school’s deadline is for photo submission and also what the photo requirements are.

My personal favorite time of year to do senior photos as a photographer is June and here is the reason why. June is still cool, less humid, and not so buggy. The great thing about getting your photos done in June is then you are done and you can enjoy the rest of your summer! If there is bad weather and we need to reschedule there is plenty of time to get the session done without worry of running out of dates.

Picking a day for your senior photos

If you have a job, activities, sports, or any other commitments over the summer you need to start looking at your schedule to get your session on the photographers calendar. If you are going out of the country on a mission trip schedule your session before or 3-4 weeks after your return so you are feeling back to normal for photo day. Are you getting braces on or off? Are you having surgery over the summer for wisdom teeth or anything else? These are things to consider when scheduling senior photos.

Most of my session are going to be in the morning because you can count on cooler temperatures and consistent light so if you need afternoon for a specific reason please ask. You will look fresher in the morning! Do you have a job outside like construction or working at a county park? If you are light skinned consider how your skin will look by the end of summer and decide accordingly.

Are you going on a medication like accutane that will make your skin red and very dry? Find out more about how long the side affects last and schedule before or after you have been on it a while. I have seen lips so chapped from medication that a senior boy or girl could barely smile. That is not the look you are going for!

Avoid the rush!

Waiting for fall may seem like a great idea but it really does not look like “fall” until the 2nd or 3rd week in October and that is prime time for me and my studio. Also that is cutting it tight for a few school deadlines to get your photos back. Waiting until after Labor Day and school has started is not a good idea for scheduling a senior photo session. Now you have to take time off of school because you have after school activities, sports after school, or a job and the only time to do it is during the school day.

The best time to schedule a senior photo session is June, July and August before school starts. Have a unique situation or specific question? Reach out and start a conversation! Lynnlaumann@gmail.com

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Start 2023 with a New Business Portrait

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As 2022 comes to an end, and hopefully you are getting used to your new normal, it is time to think about how to get connected in 2023! If you have a new job or a new position at the same company you may want to consider a new business headshot. Maybe you have just graduated from college or started a new business as an entrepreneur and you need an updated photo of yourself for LinkedIn or a website or even a resume.

It is important to have a professional image so you can have that professional look everywhere you are on the internet. A new photo can even increase being seen in a search or on social media! Make sure your photo shows who you are and attracts your ideal client with a business headshot that really connects! Need help planning or want to book a session? I can help! lynnlaumann@gmail.com

Chaska High School Class of 2023 seniors, time to book senior photos

Chaska High School Class of 2023 seniors, time to book senior photos!

Chaska High School Class of 2023 seniors, time to book senior photos

If you are in the class of 2023 at Chaska High School in Chaska, MN or anywhere in the southwest metro area of Minneapolis it is time to find a senior photographer and book your senior photo session! I am a full time professional photographer and I have come up with these five tips for finding a great senior photographer for your senior photos.

One) use your friend Google to search “senior photo photographers near me” and see who comes up on the first page. You don’t need to go to another city or far away for your photos. A good photographer will make the focus on you, not the area you are in. Keeping it local allows you to be less stressed out because you don’t have to drive a long distance for your session which can make for a long day and you might not feel as fresh! Remember the location is not the most important thing and is not the factor that will make you more comfortable. Your photographer will make sure you feel comfortable.

Two) definitely look at each photographers website and social media to get a good feel for their style and if it is what you like. Every photographer has a way of capturing light and the subject’s expressions and even the post work on photos is unique so make sure what you see is what you like!  The style should be consistent so you know you will get something similar to what you see. If everything on the website is warm or orange then you will most likely get that as well. So be sure you love the photographer’s style!

Three) check the reviews like you would anything else. An established photographer should have plenty of good reviews so you can see people have been happy with the experience and product they have received!

Four) Start to communicate with a phone call, email, or text and ask questions like “how do I book a session”? “Where are you located”? Or “can I get your information on senior photos”? You should be able to create some easy communication from the start and that may be a good sign that the photographer will be easy to talk to and it will be easy to ask questions. This good communication is important before, during, and after the session!

Five) Yes, this is last on purpose! Price. This is the last thing you should consider when choosing a photographer. I can’t tell you how many times I hear about someone not liking their photos or even having to go do a second session because they didn’t get photos they love. Cheaper is not better, and even if you are on a budget there should be a way the photographer can work with you. Price should never be the only reason you choose your senior photographer! also, If they won’t give you prices until after the session? This is a red flag that they are over priced or something isn’t right. I will not book a session until I know my client has seen my pricing.

My studio is located in downtown Chaska and it has so many great spots with every look you could want! The best part is you can never really tell where it was taken because I make sure the focus is on you! A studio consultation is no charge and no obligation, email me for available times. lynnlaumann@gmail.com

Lynn Laumann Photography Senior-photo-042

Class of 2023 Waconia High School

Lynn Laumann Photography Senior-photo-042

If you are in the class of 2023 at Waconia High School in Waconia, MN you may be thinking how is it possible I am going to be a senior already!? But just like they say “time flies” and as you think about your upcoming senior year you may be also thinking about senior pictures and what you are going to wear and of course who is going to take your senior pics!

Your senior portraits should be about you and capture your personality! It is easy to be distracted with locations or props but I recommend finding a senior photographer you like and has photos on their website that you love, and let the rest be about choosing comfortable clothing that shows your style and getting haircuts on the calendar.

Your senior photo for the yearbook is due around the end of October (last year October 30th) so you want to give yourself time to have the session complete and get your proofs back and also have a few weeks to choose your yearbook pic. Your photographer should know the file size you need and be able to get it to you so that you are able to upload the image to the link provided by your school yearbook advisor.

Not sure where to start or what to do?

Schedule a consultation and ask all the questions you have, see samples of senior photos and printed products, and even bring clothing to ask the photographers opinion about what clothes photographs better. You don’t have to have it all figured out, a good photographer should be able to provide the services you need and help you with your ideas and vision for your session.

Senior photos are usually scheduled between June and the first day of school in the fall, but make sure you don’t do it too late in the season because you never know when Mother Nature will ruin the session day you have scheduled. I always leave a few openings a week for rescheduling senior pics. 

My studio is located in downtown Chaska and it has so many great spots with every look you could want! The best part is you can never really tell where it was taken because I make sure the focus is on you! A studio consultation is no charge and no obligation, email me for available times. lynnlaumann@gmail.com