Senior year is a year of finalities.
It is a year of decisions, an era of scattered jubilation and strain, and, most importantly, it is an age of bittersweet memories.
Capturing the essence of the final high school experience in a single frame, senior photos become a timeless testament to solidify memories and gather a glimpse of what life was like during that time period.
In order to capture the spirit and atmosphere of her final high school year, senior Jiya Patel decided to do her senior pictures against the muted backdrop of downtown Grand Rapids in addition to the golden light of a nearby field. Although these are popular locations for rising seniors, Jiya incorporated dazzling flairs in her outfits to elevate her photos and make them wholly unique.
“I wanted to incorporate culture into [my photos], and I really like downtown,” Jiya said. “I feel like a lot of people wear jeans and a going-out top, and a lot of people do a sundress too.”
Knowing that her senior year would be greeted with effervescent chaos, Jiya booked her senior photos in August in order to ensure that she wouldn’t have to worry about getting them done once the school year commenced.
Because senior photos are a token from senior year that will be treasured throughout life, Jiya meticulously selected her photos; however, the pressure of narrowing down the perfect photos and selecting the ultimate picture outfit can be daunting and stressful.
“I feel like a lot of people get stressed out about it,” Jiya said. “People were texting me around [last] May asking if I had a senior photo photographer, and I didn’t decide until August. It’s really not that stressful, I feel like people make it a bigger deal than it needs to be.”
Senior Joey Sitarski has a similar viewpoint about the entire senior photos process, but he agreed to get the photos done to please his parents. When it comes to his outfit choices, Joey decided to wear simple yet timeless pieces: a pair of jeans matched with a short-sleeved shirt and a button-up shirt.
“I would say senior photos for me—not to be stereotypical—were definitely more of an obligation,” Joey said. “[Senior pictures] are definitely more of a parent thing.”
Although senior pictures weren’t a pinnacle event for Joey, he thinks that senior pictures are a memorable way to reflect on what life was like during that era.
Joey also decided to take photos at the boathouse where he does crew practice. He is captain of the crew team, and throughout his prosperous rowing journey, he received the men’s varsity MVP award and also was in the first boat in the school’s history to get a medal at nationals.
I feel like a lot of people get stressed out about it. People were texting me around [last] May asking if I had a senior photo photographer, and I didn’t decide until August. It’s really not that stressful, I feel like people make it a bigger deal than it needs to be.
— Jiya Patel
Because crew is such a dominant part of his high school career, Joey captured his four years of dedication to the sport in a sentimental way.
Similarly, senior Hannah Levering took her senior pictures on the football field in her varsity cheer uniform. However, Hannah’s background in videography and photography inspired her to take her own sports senior pictures instead of hiring a photographer to take them.
“I did my own cheer [photos],” Hannah said. “I feel like when you take your own photos, it’s so much better because you know what poses you want to do, and you get to pick raw photos of what you want. And, when you are editing, you only have to edit the ones that you want.”
For her setup, Hannah uses a tripod and a camera with multiple lenses depending on excessive sunlight or shade. She also brings her mom with her just in case she is unable to photograph a desired angle or position.
Hannah started videography two years ago and recently started exploring the world of photography. Her passion for this specific area of art enabled her to not only capture her own moments as a high school cheerleader but also other seniors’ pictures. Furthermore, the money is better in photography, allowing Hannah to make a substantial profit from her photos.
“[For] people who have come to me for photos, I’ll usually have them pick a location and their outfits,” Hannah said. “I’ll usually do my editing styles, and then they can do anything else. I love the Civic Auditorium downtown. I got my senior photos done there, and I took my friend’s [pictures] there too. Anything about the city and just downtown has really good backgrounds.”
Although the process of selecting a photographer, location, and pose can be overwhelming, the entire procedure is a way to snapshot the smiles, laughter, and memories from high school.
“Senior year is all about trying to find a balance and setting up your future,” Joey said. “You kind of have to try and balance being able to enjoy what you have left of it and try to set up what you have next.”
