Stressing out over what to wear for your Senior photo shoot? Not to worry! Outfit planning doesn’t have to be complicated, and you definitely don’t need to shop for anything new. You probably have the perfect outfits in your closet right now!

I always say though, if you want/need an excuse to shop, then by all means! 😜

Really though, #senioryear is expensive enough as it is, and nothing will help capture the real you more than your favorite comfy jeans and that one sweater that everyone compliments you on.

I had the pleasure of photographing Gabrielle, ADM Class of 2021, last fall at Water Works Park in Des Moines.

For those of you who may not be from Iowa, we get a lot of wind here. Like, all. the. time. Guess that’s why we have so many wind turbines around the state (which my boys love!). But, all of that wind presents a challenge for on-location photo sessions, and as a result we had to reschedule Gabrielle’s session 4 times! My general rule of thumb is to consider rescheduling for winds >15-20mph unless it’s someone with very short hair. Fighting wind and trying to fix hair continually is frustrating, and I want your session to be fun and stress-free.

We still had to deal with wind but at least it was manageable on this beautiful fall morning. We started out near these fun bubble lights as the golden morning sun was streaming through.

She reminds me of Jennifer Aniston in these shots!

This creamy cropped sweater with fringe (purchased from Amazon) looked great with her gray plaid skirt (from American Eagle) and casual shoes that she already had. The texture in the sweater and pattern of the plaid gives great interest to this neutral toned outfit, and keeps the focus on Gabrielle.

The one area of Water Works Park that Gabrielle was looking forward to the most was the grassy field with the tree swing. It’s definitely a favorite for my high school senior girls!

I always bring a pop-up tent for quick clothing changes when we’re out on location. Like I said, it was still pretty breezy but thankfully Gabrielle’s mom was able to help me get the tent up AND hang on to it so it wouldn’t blow away!

Outfit #2 - cute ripped black jeans (which she already had, from American Eagle) with the same textured cropped fringe sweater. Another great look with only changing part of the outfit.

By this time in the session the winds were starting to pick up more. Wind-blown hair is very hard, if not impossible at times, to fix in Photoshop. So, it’s always best to just take your time, fix it, and then snap the photo quick before the winds gust again!

It takes extra time, but definitely worth it.

With the chill in the air along with the breeze, we made the most of using her jacket turned inside out as a blanket to wrap up in between shots to warm up. These turned out to be some of my favorites from her session, even though they weren’t planned.

Gabrielle’s next outfit choice included the same distressed jeans, but this time paired with a soft pink and white sweater that she purchased from a local boutique (I would LOVE to link to the boutique but she couldn’t remember for sure which boutique she purchased it from). The soft tones in the sweater looked incredible with her blue eyes.

The ornamental trees in the Arboretum are always a favorite spot for photos. They’re bursting with blooms in the springtime, and full of colorful berries in the fall. With all of the color, Gabrielle’s cream fringed sweater was the perfect choice to end the session.

This one’s perfect for her Grad Cards!


I am often asked if braces can be photoshopped out, and the answer is yes! But, not by me 😂 I’m pretty skilled in Photoshop but braces removal is beyond my skill set. Thankfully I have a great professional retouching service that I can send these types of requests to and they always do a fantastic job.

After the session is complete, I love showing my clients how their images will look hung on the wall.

I had a lot of favorites from Gabrielle’s session, but this one with the red berries really spoke to me...so much so that I ordered a studio sample featuring this image as a 24x16 glossy metal print, and oh my goodness it is stunning! Mom loved it too and purchased the same thing appropriately sized for her home.

The yearbook deadline has already passed for most high schools here in the Des Moines area, but some allow yearbook submissions clear up until March. If your son or daughter still needs to get senior pictures done, let’s chat. Contact me today for a no-obligation consultation over the phone or Zoom and let’s plan something that truly captures the essence of your soon to be grad. There are great indoor options too. Let’s chat!