By: Alexis LeMieux

As high school seniors wrap up their school year, they will want to have something to remember the year by. What is the best way to commemorate? Senior photos. 

A lot of planning must be done beforehand: but, how?

First, you must begin with selecting your photographer. This requires a little bit of research looking online on social media and visiting photography studios.

“My Ohio photographer I found through Instagram,” senior Elizabeth Phillipson said. “She’s super talented, kind, and she’s just a beginner so the prices are good.”

Phillipson has plans to do two photo sessions: one upcoming in Ohio, and another early November in Arizona, where she plans on attending college.

“I haven’t yet done my Ohio session,” Phillipson said. “I’m waiting for the spring and the cherry blossoms to bloom in April.”

Next, a location must be chosen. Depending on the package you select, varying by photographer, you may select usually between one to four locations. For this, there can be a lot to choose from like your local park, a flower field, or even a historical building. You can search “parks near me” for some recommendations.

“I chose the botanical gardens in Arizona,” Phillipson said. “It’s an absolutely beautiful location and my family has a strong connection to this location because it’s where my parents got married.”

Lastly, an outfit should be selected. For girls, a dress is typical or a cute shirt and jeans. Again, the number of outfits you can wear depends on the package you select. “I chose a black dress with my cap and gown. Bellbrook High School’s gown is white so I wanted some contrast in my outfit,” Phillipson said. “Then I also chose a pretty white sundress, because white seems to be the color for girls graduating.”

When it comes to senior photos, it can be stressful for many. But it should not be. It is a time to enjoy yourself and celebrate your accomplishments coming to an end. “My advice is don’t be afraid to be yourself in your photos, wear what you want to wear,” Phillipson said. “These are your senior photos and they’re supposed to capture you.”

You can always go for a local photographer, as well. Junior Logan Fisher has been doing photography since Summer 2024. Although he has not taken senior photos yet, he does other types of work. “During trips, I like to do landscape photography,” junior Logan Fisher said. “I love how calm you feel while taking photos in nature. Being able to just wander around and admire the beautiful scenery is special. I find that I admire the world around us more when doing landscape.”

“I have taken some senior portraits of athletes participating in Cross Country, Swim, and hopefully Track this spring,” Fisher said.

His focus lies mostly on photographing sports and various cars. 

“I have photographed Basketball, Cross Country, and Track. I plan on doing more sports next year,” Fisher said. “Photographing sports is fun because of all the excitement. I love being able to capture important moments on camera. Being so close to the action gives you that view that others don’t see.”

“I’m a huge gearhead and geek out about cars all the time,” Fisher said. “I love being able to bring my camera to car meets and private car photo shoots because it allows me to interact with others who love cars. I have been able to get multiple contacts of people who have nice cars, and doing so gave me plenty of opportunities to continue doing what I love.”

Anybody can get into photography. You don’t need the over the top equipment that some have, even a phone camera will suffice. 

“You don’t need to have the nicest camera to take photos. I started out with a 14 year old DSLR camera,” Fisher said. “It certainly wasn’t the nicest but it still brought me lots of joy. It isn’t about how good the photos are, or how nice your camera is, it’s about the experience of taking photos of what you love and the community it provides.”