Senior Photos Don't Need To Be Cheesy

Senior photos. I remember the days when everyone passed around their wallet-sized prints and wrote a note on the back for each of their classmates.

I also remember at least half of the images were taken by a "quantity over quality" type studio, where they put the Senior in the same sitting position that they have for the last 340/340 Seniors. Each portrait is the same type of shot, the same tilt of the head, and about 20 variations of the same pose.

Now stop. If you're a photographer reading this, you're already frustrated, and if you're a Senior or the parent of a Senior, please pause and answer this question... Why in the world would you like to remember your/your child's last year of high school- this huge milestone of your/their lives- by these cheesy portraits that look like everyone else?

As an artist, I get bored of the same old work, whether I am the one creating the work or watching others create the same old work, I just get plain tired. And so I'm tired of Senior Portraits for what the majority of people find them to be, just another checkmark on their list before graduation; I'm tired of the redundancy and the traditional posing, lighting, the godforsaken same backgrounds that just are not natural in any world (please search "cheesy photo backdrops" for plenty of examples), and for the lack of better words- I'm tired of the lameness and the artificial, insincere personalities that Seniors are offered in these "quantity over quality" studios. Senior portraits are about YOU, the Senior, and should be personalized to your style and your interests.

Senior photos don't need to be cheesy. Senior photos should be a memorable experience and a fun way to show and record for your children, your children's children, and even for you to remember who you are here and now.

And for the record, I believe in the "QUALITY over quantity" argument of photography.

Behind the scenes

Live by faith & share through fotos.

Print Portfolio

As you may know, I graduated at the end of June this past year from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. In order to graduate, one of the requirements was to show a print portfolio to the faculty and at the Portfolio Show. This portfolio book is also a tool to show potential employers your work that may not be displayed directly on your website portfolio, but is still consistent in style. The portfolio includes my best work created up until graduation, along with an artist statement. It is a difficult self-assignment because of all the decisions that need to be made, and in a timely fashion. These decisions include what type of case, plastic sleeves or no plastic sleeves, what type of paper to print on if you are printing yourself, choosing which images show your overall and consistent style; from there, the layout of the images on the page, and many more technicalities. A lot of time and thought went into this print portfolio, although all the prep work goes unseen.

I chose to order my white aluminum case from Shrapnel Design and use plastic sleeves to protect the prints. My portfolio is 11x17 in order to show the closest crop size as possible to the originals, and printed at full bleed. The average number of images in a portfolio should be about 15-25 and display your technical skills and creative ability, in a consistent manner that reflects your branding. An artist statement about my work is displayed before the images. The cover of my portfolio reflects the watermark that I use for social media which "Faith Through Fotos" printed at the bottom.

So here it is, my artist statement (able to be clicked on to read more easily) and my print portfolio from this past year! 

View fullsize

Live by faith & share through fotos.

My Sister the Senior

     Have you ever had a photo assignment that you thought “piece of cake!” when the talk about it came up? And when you least expected it, it became the most challenging shoot to date?

     I never thought I would be the emotional type when it came to my siblings growing up. But several months ago, my ‘little’ sister asked if I could do her senior photos. Lydia and I have gotten closer since I’ve moved away from home for school (which is ironic to me, because we’ve shared a bedroom for almost 18 years). But I think photographing the things and people you are closest to can typically become your toughest challenges. To ‘remove’ yourself from the moment, while being a part of that moment is, in my opinion, is a challenge of every photographer.

     Every day is a learning experience, whether you're a photographer, cashier, unemployed, college student, or a 99 year old grandma. But for Miss West Holmes Senior, Lydia Marie Schonauer, it’s just beginning.

Live by faith & share through fotos.