The first question we always receive after we here from clients looking to book their child’s Senior photos is:
"Where should we do the Session?"
Picking the right spot can be difficult and is very personal for each student. We always try to offer lots of different options so we can help find the right spot for each of them! When deciding where to go, I always refer back to what your Senior’s interests might be. Maybe they love going to the beach, or going for hikes, maybe they spent countless hours in the library devouring books or even longer on the ice rink. It is so important to tailor each session to your Senior to make sure that their photos reflect their High School career and the things that they loved along the way.
I thought it was time I make a blog post with some of our most popular locations. Hopefully this will help some of you find the perfect place, or better yet...you can introduce us to some new places that are special to your Senior.
I also did a handy FAQ section below that should answer some of the most common questions we hear. We hope this guide will make planning your Senior’s session a breeze!
Greycourt Park - Methuen MA
I'm starting with Greycourt Park because it is one of our favorites! Perched high on a hill overlooking Methuen Town Hall are the ruins of the former Searles Castle Courtyard. It's a great place to get beautiful sunset photos which can glow a bright red in the Summer and Autumn months.
Hampton Beach - Hampton NH
If you want your photos on the beach...let's go to Hampton! We discovered the perfect spot at Hampton beach last year after one of our amazing clients brought us to their Grandparent's beach house and we have kept going back ever since! Our in laws also live here so you can't go wrong picking a spot right near our favorite babysitters!
*Beach sessions are only done on weekday evenings, about an hour before sunset.
Winnikenni Castle - Haverhill MA
Winnikenni Castle in Haverhill such a unique spot for photos because who wouldn’t want to go to a real castle for their Senior Photos? Depending on the season, we may be treated to some gorgeous florals that flank the entrance to the castle. There are walking trails, as well as some really cool wooden doors thats are perfect for photos. We can also venture down to Kenoza Lake at the bottom of the hill for some pictures by the water.
Cochran Bird Sanctuary at Phillips Academy - Andover MA
This little known gem is on the grounds of Phillips Academy in Andover. With walking trails, small ponds, and interesting architecture it is the perfect spot for any nature lover.
Senior’s Choice
There are so many places that might be the perfect spot for your Senior’s photos…So let’s ask them to choose! This Senior chose the ice rink to commemorate his love for hockey but we would love to meet your Senior on the field, court, dance studio, music room, or wherever they found happiness during their 4 years in High School.
Other Popular Locations:
There are so many other wonderful locations that we love bringing our clients but we have yet to capture a senior there. Here is a list of some blog posts for sessions we have done at other locations.
Stevens Coolidge Place, North Andover MA {$50 weeknight photography fee}
Smolak Farms, North Andover MA {$50 photography fee}
Atkinson Common, Newburyport MA
Downtown Newburyport MA
Frequently Asked Questions
“What do your Senior Sessions include?”
$350
1 Hour on location session.
Edited images in an online gallery with printing rights.
$50 credit towards prints, canvas or books.
Travel within 15 miles of Methuen
$150 per additional Senior or twins, triplets or groups. Session time will be adjusted based on the quantity of people.
“Should we bring a change of clothes?”
YESS!! We definitely recommend having at least 2 outfits for your Senior. This allows for variety within their gallery, as well as gives your Senior an opportunity to express their personality through their outfit choices. We do have a clothes changing tent so please let us know in advance if you would like us to bring this.
“Should we bring any props?”
If there is anything your Senior wants to include we would love for them to bring it! This can be ballet shoes or pom poms, a basketball or lacrosse stick, a guitar or a chef coat. Anything that represents your Senior’s time in High School would be a wonderful addition to their session and really personalize the session to them. Please let us know in advance what you are bringing so we can have some time to think about how we want to use it in your session.
“Are you able to meet specific yearbook requirements?”
Absolutely. We know many schools have very strict guidelines on the type of image that needs to be submitted for yearbooks. So please let us know as soon as possible what those guidelines are so we can plan accordingly and bring any backdrops with us, or so we can plan to capture specific portrait orientations.
“Can we take a few family photos?”
YESS!! We know as parents how hard it is to get a photo session scheduled, and making sure everyone has coordinating outfits and schedules. What I recommend is that the family jump in either for the first or last 15 minutes of the session. This allows us enough time for a mini session with your family but also still keeps the focus on your Senior. There is no additional cost if it us under 5 people from their immediate family. Additional family members are $25 per person. Please let us know in advance if you are planning on doing a family mini at the session.
“Do you provide a Referral Program?”
YESS!! As a small business we rely on the word of mouth of our wonderful clients to spread the word about their experience with us. As a huge THANK YOU to you and your Senior for referring clients we offer an additional $50 credit towards prints, canvas, or books from your gallery for every Senior booked from the same graduating year. So feel free to shout from the rooftops how much you loved your Senior’s photos that we did {Shooting a casual text or posting on facebook and tagging us totally works too}. So be sure to tell your Senior to tell all their friends to get in touch! Just be sure to have them let us know they were referred by you so we know to send along the credit.
“My Senior hates taking photos. Will you be able to get them to smile?”
No word of a lie, AT LEAST half of the parents of the Seniors posted above told us the same thing and when it was time for the session their Seniors TOTALLY KILLED IT! Both Anthony and myself are well versed in the art of making fun of ourselves to get others to laugh so I can assure you that we will get them comfortable in front of the camera and flashing those genuine smiles. We also love when Mom or Dad throw in a few taunts from the sidelines so we can get those good eye rolls and subsequent “You’re embarrassing me” smiles. Instagram has turned every Senior into a selfie model so your Senior probably is better at taking photos than you think they are.
“How do we decide on a location?”
ASK YOUR SENIOR! Seriously, sit down with them and go through some of the images we posted. Be sure to discuss some alternate options based on some of their favorite hobbies. If all else fails, I would be happy to help guide you to the perfect spot for your Senior based on what you tell me about them.
“When do the sessions take place?”
All photo sessions take place about 1 hour before sunset on weekday evenings . Because of this, we typically only have space for one session per evening and book up very quickly.
Ready to Book?
We can't wait to meet you and your Senior… So click the link below to reach out so we can begin planning their session!