Have you ever wondered what it is like in a different part of the country?  What senior season is in on the west coast as opposed to the east coast?  Or whether other parts of the country allow seniors to submit their own photos or if they require a certain studio to take all the yearbook photos?

Well I have often wondered all of these things and more.  So I ASKED! 🙂  I asked some photographers in different parts of the country to share the answers to these questions, and below is what they said!

Tammy Pence of Tammy Pence Photography – Overland Park, Kansas

When is “Senior Season” in your area?  “Senior Season” in my area begins in June and gets really busy in July and August. The high schools around my area offer senior “ads” or “tribute” pages where you can buy from 1/8 to a full page ad in the yearbook just for your son or daughter.  Most seniors want to have one or more of their senior portraits included in that ad.  The deadline for those ads is usually the last week of August or first part of September.  So, I do most of my seniors between June and August.  I get a few in the Fall and then the next spring there are always a couple of people who call at the last minute to have senior portraits taken for announcements and invitations before they graduate.

Do seniors choose their own photographers and submit their own photos for yearbook photos or do they have to have their yearbook photo taken by a school appointed photographer?  The traditional/standard yearbook photos are taken by studios that have a contract with the high school.  The students in our area typically do not have a choice who to go to for those photographs.

Kristin Railton of Kristin Railton Photography – Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

When is “Senior Season” in your area?  “Senior Season” in our area varies but a lot of seniors use the summer before school starts through the fall of senior year. Then others will get their pictures at the end of spring right before graduation so they can have their own new pictures to send out for grad announcements.

Do seniors choose their own photographers and submit their own photos for yearbook photos or do they have to have their yearbook photo taken by a school appointed photographer?  Seniors have their formal or drape pictures for the yearbook taken from the school appointed photographers. Seniors can choose their own photographers for any other senior pictures they want taken for senior pages and such in the yearbook.

Amber Fox of Amber Fox Photography – Southern California

When is “Senior Season” in your area?  Senior season in Southern California really happens all year around, since the weather is almost always glorious. Since the local high schools don’t allow the possibility of hiring an outside photographer for the yearbook photo, it allows a lot of flexibility for the So Cal Senior Portrait photographer. Ideally I like to photograph most of my Seniors in the Fall and then early Spring, while leaving room in my schedule to shoot those last minute shoots kids can’t live without and for me to focus on marketing during early summer. I typically I do a group photo shoot with my Foxy Senior Reps in May or June, so they can pass out cards to all their friends right before school gets out. I consider this time the planting of seeds before the yearbook company convinces them to spend gobs of money on a boring photo. While at the same time, I have lots of Seniors who are doing last minute shoots in April & May, taking advantage of the spring wildflowers. So really I am shooting mostly in Fall and Spring, taking a good break over Christmas season to focus on the business side of my biz and spend quality time with my family and friends.

Do seniors choose their own photographers and submit their own photos for yearbook photos or do they have to have their yearbook photo taken by a school appointed photographer?  Senior portrait photography is an up and coming art form in the Southern California area. In the land of wedding photographers, more and more photographers are exploring the subject of Seniors, but there really isn’t that many of us who are concentrating on the Senior market. While parts of the Midwest have thriving Senior markets, most urban areas of California are still controlled by the yearbook companies and Senior Portrait photographers are having to do a lot of educating to possible clients of the value of Senior Portrait photography. At this point in the game, the Senior market is growing in it’s recognition and value. So many kids don’t even know it’s an option, so it’s photogs like us, who have to show it to them!

Maya Laurent of Such Great Heights Photography – Westfield, Indiana