Want to know my number one tip for the best senior portraits? My secret weapon? It’s YOUR best friend! One way to capture real emotion from your high school senior portraits is to bring a close friend to your photo shoot. It might seem simple or insignificant, but having a friend or two there is a HUGE game changer. I have noticed that a seniors whole demeanor and attitude changes when they have someone they feel incredibly comfortable with cheering them on. Friends can set the tone for a great senior portrait session by being upbeat, excited, encouraging, etc., and making sure you feel completely and totally yourself. To sum it up, WHO you bring with you to your photo shoot is incredibly important!

I think that my number one tip for the best senior portraits is to bring a friend or two with you to your senior portraits because of TWO things. First, like I said above, it’s to make you feel more relaxed, comfortable, and just have more fun! They are there to ENCOURAGE you, and help you have a blast! Lots of dance parties, inside jokes, really great playlists, Snapchats, and laughter happen on these shoots! Second, and more practically speaking, your friend is there to help touchup your makeup, put on fun music she knows you love, and help you with outfit changes. Just remember to only bring a friend who you know will cheer you on; no time for any nitpicking or cattiness. Good vibes only! Side note – I’m always happy to help too, if you don’t have a friend available to come to your pictures. I’ll gladly be your best friend for the afternoon!

Another MAJOR BONUS for bringing a good friend or two to your shoot – they can hop in some of the pictures with you! Your friend, or friends plural, don’t NEED to be all done up, but just give them a heads up that you want them in some of your pictures. They might want to throw on a cute outfit or make sure to do their hair! I love taking these pictures because I know they will be the perfect moments to frame in your future dorm rooms.

This is also why I love doing best friends shoot, where I shoot two girls high school senior portraits in one afternoon. This means that each girl receives their own gallery of images and plenty of pictures by themselves, but ALSO some really great pictures with a best friend. All of the same benefits apply to what I’ve stated above. Here’s an example of one of my favorite best friends shoots – https://lucymacleishphotography.com/rachel-abbie-high-school-senior-portraits-of-best-friends-at-the-beach/.

Important note about bringing parents with you on a senior portrait session – seniors, if your mom is your best friend and you want her to the photo shoot, that is FINE! I am super close with my mom too. But I will most likely have them hang back a bit while we are actually shooting. I have noticed that if there are parents/adults watching, it’s hard for my seniors to be able to relax and pose freely. Most of my seniors don’t bring parents with them on their photo shoot, but I completely understand if having them there makes you feel more comfortable. Also, if you are super introverted, and would rather have no audience at all, it is completely fine to come alone! It’s all about knowing yourself and what you need to feel comfortable.

To book your own high school senior portrait session, and get your own evidence for why my number one tip for the best senior portraits is to bring a best friend with you, click on the “Contact Us” tab at the top of the page, or feel free to email me directly at lucy@lucymacleishphotography.com. And check out Madison’s senior portraits below!