Today we have guest blogger Stephanie Fletcher from Slice of Lime Photography sharing her tips on Senior Homecoming Style perfect for a Senior Photo Shoot. Stephanie worked with Emil, owner of Slice of Lime Photography, to give us a great post on how to help your senior clients use their homecoming looks for their senior sessions. Check it out below!

Homecoming. The kick-off event for their senior year. There’s football, big lights, king and queen courts and of course, the big dance. The most memories from this special time will stem from all the laughter and fun had at the dance.

This age old tradition has seniors talking long before their first day back in the hallways. Being in tune with your students and the important events throughout their senior year helps you stay connected to them and build genuine relationships that will keep them talking long after their last wallet print has been handed out.

Staying relevant to these trends help you stay relevant with your seniors! Some of our (not so) secret weapons for staying trendy include Polyvore, Pinterest, Instagram and following publications such as Seventeen and Teen Vogue. By letting your seniors know (that you know) that this year’s homecoming style is all about the glitz, glamour, sparkle, and spunk… it allows you to connect with your audience and show your commitment to staying on top of trends.

In addition to meaningful relationships with your seniors, another key element is to forge relationships with local boutiques that cater to the same teen client population that you are targeting. Business-to-business partnerships are just as important to your growth and commitment to your seniors as the seniors themselves. Pairing up with a boutique will help you hone in on what exactly the teens in your community are looking for. As you help highlight the season’s hottest look, you too gain traction by showcasing your styled shoot skills. Use former seniors, their friends, anyone that’s going to continue to spread the word about you as a senior photographer. It’s a win/win. Build buzz, get your name and photography out there, bump traffic and excitement for your business partners.

So be that doing a styled homecoming shoot, offering homecoming mini sessions or doing regular Fashion Posts on homecoming trends for the year, connecting with your seniors outside of their senior sessions should be a priority for each senior photographer.

Happy #homecoming2014!