Senior portraits in St. Johns County
St. Augustine Senior Photographer
Senior portraits have a reputation for looking like everybody else's senior portraits. Same wall, same crossed arms, same half smile.
I would rather photograph the person. That means asking what they are actually into before the session instead of handing them a pose, and it means the photographs still look right in five years.
How a senior session runs
We talk first, briefly, about what they want out of it. A senior who plays a sport, or an instrument, or has spent four years in a theatre programme should have that somewhere in the set.
Then we shoot in the last hour of light, with a couple of changes if they want them. Parents are welcome and are also welcome to wait in the car, whichever makes the senior more comfortable.
What to bring
Two or three outfits covering different registers: one dressed up, one everyday, one that is entirely theirs. Props only if they mean something, so an instrument or a jersey yes, a borrowed prop no.
If there is a cap and gown, bring it even if they say they do not want those photographs. They will want two of them later, and two is all it takes.
Where to shoot
St. Augustine gives seniors a lot of range inside a small radius, which matters when you only have an hour of good light.
The historic district reads classic, the beaches read open and warm, and shaded oak cover gives you something quieter. Most sessions use two of those.
Timing it around school deadlines
Yearbook submission dates are the thing that catches families out. They land far earlier than anyone expects, often in autumn for a spring graduation, and they usually want a specific crop and format.
Find out the deadline and the format before you book, tell me both, and I will make sure the gallery includes a frame that satisfies it. Everything else can be whatever the senior actually wants.
What you get afterwards
A private online gallery, edited, full resolution, with the right to print wherever you like. Seniors generally want them on a phone within the hour and parents generally want something framed, and the gallery covers both.
Share the link with grandparents and they can download their own copies, which saves you being the distribution service for the next three months.
Where to shoot around St. Johns County
The historic district gives you stone, columns and warm light at the end of the day, which reads formal without being stiff. The beaches read open and relaxed, and the oak canopy inland gives you something quieter and greener.
Most sessions use two of those three. Pick them close together so the hour of good light goes on photographs rather than on driving.
Session pricing
$50 deposit reserves your date. Every option includes a private digital gallery.
Mini Session
$199
30 minutes, up to 1 location, around 15 edited photos, private digital gallery
Full Session
$299
1 hour, up to 2 locations, around 40 edited photos, private digital gallery
Extended Session
$450
2 hours, up to 3 locations, around 80 edited photos, private digital gallery
Common questions
Do you photograph seniors from schools outside St. Johns County?
Yes. Seniors come to me from across Northeast Florida and there is no travel charge inside that area.
Can my senior change outfits during the session?
Yes, two or three looks fit comfortably in an hour. Bring them on hangers in the order you want to shoot them and we will not lose light sorting it out.
When should senior photographs be taken?
Late summer through autumn is the usual window, which gives you time before yearbook deadlines. Spring works too and the light is excellent.
How long is a senior session?
An hour suits most seniors and allows two or three looks. Thirty minutes is enough for one look if that is all you need.
What does it cost?
Sessions start at $199 for thirty minutes and $299 for an hour, with a $50 deposit to book.
Can friends or a sibling be in some photographs?
Yes. Say so when you book so we allow time for it rather than squeezing it into the last five minutes.
Keep looking
Let’s create something beautiful
Tell me your date and what you have in mind. If I am free, I will tell you straight away.
Or call 904-710-4560