Senior photography doesn’t have to fit into just one box.
A senior photo session can be artistic, editorial, creative, authentic, fun, traditional — or all of the above. The goal isn’t to force seniors into a cookie-cutter experience. It’s to create images that feel like them while also preserving this huge milestone! And hey, let’s throw in some cap and gown pictures for the parents & the grandparents!
My goal when photographing a high school graduate is to capture the essence of the senior. When the senior is feeling true to themselves- that’s when I can capture images that will feel like them and help you remember this incredible time in their lives.
Michaela is a senior at Oak Ridge High School in El Dorado Hills. I wanted to photograph Michaela the second I met her! Her style reminded me of artists in NYC or the people whose style I loved when visiting London.
For her senior portrait shoot I wanted to photograph her in various locations but have them all close to each other so the session didn‘t feel long and boring. We did 4 locations, all within a mile, for about 15-20 minutes each.
Library Pond– we started here and took some quick cap and gown pictures. The manicured lawn of the library pond is a perfect background for the graduate look.
Studio– we headed to my studio so I could take some editorial styled images. I love doing these as they strip away the background and really allow the viewer to focus on the subject.
Field– outside my studio in the EDH business park, there is a beautiful field full of tall grasses and wildflowers. This location was perfect for photographing Michaela in her college t-shirt- she is off to UCSC (Santa Cruz) to be a Banana Slug!
Ruins– well that‘s what I call them! We ended here at sunset. What looks like a pile of rubble to most, looks like unique structures with super interesting texture to me!
This part is important-what made this session extra fun- Michaela brought her person, Gavin. These two have known each other since they were little kids and started dating in their senior year. Next year they will both be heading off to UCSC!
So be it your favorite person, your family or your pet- doing a photoshoot with someone else makes everything more fun!
Congratulations Michaela, Gavin & the Class of 2026!
To see more senior pictures, check out this blog post!
Susannah Gill is a professional photographer based in El Dorado Hills, California, specializing in headshots, branding, newborn, family, and pet photography. Her studio is located in the El Dorado Hills business park. Susannah also works on location and loves to travel!
If you would like to discuss a photography session, you can contact her through the website, email her at: Susannah@susannahgill.com or call/text 1-916-936-7363
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