Cherokee Trail Senior Session at Denver Botanic Gardens

Oh hey ya’ll…Its May and I’m so excited to bring you my first Senior Session Blog Post of 2022. This year I’m really trying to make an extra effort to share a lot more of my Senior Sessions from the last few seasons because:

1 - They are amazing, and my Seniors should be celebrated for the awesome humans they are

2 -These blog posts are a great resource for my upcoming Senior families that are trying to plan their sessions and need a starting point with ideas.

So this blog post is for you if your kid just finished their junior year. Make a note that you should start planning for their Senior Session right about now. Below you’ll find some awesome tips brought to you by Cherokee Trail Senior High School - class of 2022 grad, Ms. A. As you can see, her Senior session at the Denver Botanic Gardens was nothing short of epic.

I guess we can treat this like a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Senior Sessions. The first question is When should I schedule my Senior Session? This is probably the most common question I get and the rule of thumb is to start with when your kid’s yearbook deadline is and then work backwards. If your kid’s yearbook deadline is in mid September, then you want to have your Senior Session completed about 4-6 weeks prior. You will need to be able to plan time for your Photographer to shoot the session and edit the session (2-3 weeks time). You then need some time to select the Yearbook image you’d like so your photographer can edit and crop it per yearbook guidelines and submit it in a timely manner. And finally, you need to select the remainder of your images/prints and products so you can start sharing with friends and family and hanging them on your walls. So rough timeline, plan to book about 2 months out from when you will actually need your images.

Where should I do my session? This is something you definitely want to work with your Photographer on as soon as you secure a date and pay your retainer. The amount of beautiful locations in Colorado is plentiful, but there are many things to take into consideration when choosing a location:

-how does the location look during the season of your session, and is it better during sunrise or sunset?

-does the location need a permit (e.g. if you love Denver Botanic Gardens, it requires a permit and a fee)?

-does the location have a lot of foot traffic or other photographers and sessions during certain times?

-does the location have sentimental value to your Senior?

-does the location have enough variety (or is it in close proximity to another location) for a 90 minute session?

What outfits should you wear? This should be the next thing you deal with after you select a location because outfits can be determined based on the look of your location. Your senior can choose up to 3 different looks, so varying them up is a great idea. Consider looks that show your senior’s unique personality, and don't forget you may need one “dressier” look for headshot type submissions for things like scholarships and internships that require a more formal look.

Don’t forget about things like accessories and ensuring nails (fingers and toes) are freshly painted (or no nail polish at all) because we will be showing everything off during your senior’s session.

I think I hit all the major topics I typically cover when I get a Senior inquiry, so I hope that was helpful and of course if you have additional questions, I am happy to answer them. You know where to find me if you’d like to book: email: makiaimages@gmail.com and I’ll send you out all the information you need.

XOXO

Danielle