My Approach to Senior Pictures for Guys
Senior pictures for guys is not something we talk about in the same way that we talk about senior pictures for girls. Guys have their own set of needs and wants, and most of the time that centers around the simple phrase “just make me look cool.”
Enter Alex
Alex’s mom contacted me to see if I’d be interested in taking senior portraits for her son. Like I do for every portrait client, I invited the two of them to come to the studio and meet with me in person to make sure that I’m the right photographer for them.
As soon as he walked in, Alex immediately noticed my large print of a conceptual piece I made that involved Medusa. With a tattoo of Medusa on his left hand, Alex told me that it was a sign that we were supposed to work together. I agreed with him 100%.
Planning the Senior Portrait Shoot
Alex has a ton of personality and knows what he wants and exactly how he’d like to be seen by his family and friends. We started to talk about what types of images inspired him and how he’d love to be photographed. We decided on some 90’s influence, a bit of a GQ and Esquire vibe but with an edge, and possibly some shots that might help him launch a modeling career. These were all things that I knew I would love to shoot so we booked it right then and there.
Shoot Day
On the day of the session, Alex arrived with a handful of outfits, but the best piece was a full length vintage fur coat that his father wears skiing at Sunday River, the ski resort here in town. Coupled with some street wear and my new favorite throne chair, the fur coat look we saved for last and Alex absolutely crushed it.
We shot 5 or 6 different looks over the few hours in the the studio and I have to say I was super excited to edit the images and show Alex and his mom what we created. We scheduled the Reveal session and Alex arrived with his parents. After a few rounds of culling, the family chose a set of incredible senior portraits that guaranteed that Alex would stand out from his friends. What do you think?
