Senior portraits don't have to just be the yearbook photo your teen's school takes. This milestone in your child's life is deserving of a special photo shoot. If you want to create touching images that recall your teen's high school years, consider the following ideas for a professional senior portrait photo shoot.

Athletic Field Shots

If your teen is an avid athlete, consider scheduling some pictures to be taken at a local athletic field. Bring his or her team jersey to wear, along with a pair of jeans to create a casual look for the pictures, and bring a few props that can be used in the images, as well. Props to consider might include trophies or ribbons won throughout high school, balls and other athletic gear, or a large, framed photo of your teen in his or her youth league, taken years before. This idea can also be used in the school gym, at a local swimming pool, or gymnastics center to match the sport your teen was most active in during high school.

Outdoor Backdrops

Whether you choose a beautiful park or an urban location, outdoor photo shoots can create a beautiful backdrop for your teen's senior portraits. Be sure to help him or her choose an outfit that matches the location you choose, and work with your photographer to ensure you have permission to take photos there. Some ideas might include the steps of a museum or library, a covered bridge, or an open meadow. Have a contingency plan for inclement weather, or embrace rainy skies, by incorporating the weather into the photo shoot with umbrellas and galoshes.

Prom Night Shoots

With a little planning ahead, you can incorporate prom night into your teen's senior portrait collection. Hire a photographer to meet your teen at home for a backyard photo shoot, or get permission for the photographer to snap some photos inside of the dance venue. While you may want to have a few photos of your teen with his or her date, be sure to get plenty of solo shots, as well. Your teen may not want the only photos you have of the night to be taken with a date who may or may not be in the "picture" a few months down the road.

Let your teen have a say in some of the portrait shoot locations, and work together to come up with a series of photo ideas you can both agree on.

For more information, talk to companies like Cassie Clarkson Photography.

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