How to take senior pictures | Houston Senior Photographer

Tara Flannery is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) based in The Woodlands and Conroe, TX.  Tara Flannery Photography specializes in how to take senior pictures.  See more senior photos in the gallery.  Contact me to book your senior portrait today!

How to Take Senior Pictures

High school senior portrait sessions are tons of fun!  There’s no one right way on how to take senior pictures.  At Tara Flannery Photography, we will be with you every step of the way to create a unique and fantastic session tailored just for you!  First, we first meet for a consultation to get to know each other.  We talk about wardrobe and location and anything you have in mind for the session.  It’s so nice to meet ahead of time so that when we get to the session day, we already have that familiarity and can start photographing right away!  On session day, it’s just having fun and playing with wardrobe, fun photo spots, poses, and expressions.  Then, we will meet together to review all of the images together and select the very best ones for your order.  Finally, the day that you waited for is here: product and digital photo delivery!  Now you can share away on social media and your parents can fill that frame and hang your brand new images on the wall, so exciting!

Senior Portraits with Allison

My senior portrait session with Allison was a blast!  Her mom was there to help with wardrobe changes and to help keep an eye on that gorgeous hair!  My daughter, Leah, was there too to help with lighting so it was an all-girl affair.  We started with a location with lots of brick and rusted iron.  Her white dress was the perfect compliment to this spot.  Then we moved to another location with brick and her pink shirt and jeans and hair pulled half way back.  I love that Allison changed up her hairstyle along with her outfits.  We ended the session with her navy top and brown skort.  My favorite image is Allison’s closeup with the serious expression, her hair in a messy bun on top.  Gorgeous!!  Although there’s no rule book on how to take senior pictures, Allison can definitely point the way towards a fantastic session!

 

how to take senior pictureshigh school senior girl in pink top and jeansgorgeous high school senior girlhow to take senior pictures

Tara Flannery is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) based in The Woodlands and Conroe, TX.  Tara Flannery Photography specializes in senior portraits.  See more senior photos in the gallery.  Contact me to book your senior portrait today!

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@taraflanneryphotography

Money may not buy happiness, but having photos of your family to look back on years from now? That’s pretty priceless. 🤍

Fall family portrait season is here, and I have a few weekend dates still available (spots are filling fast!) 👇🏻

September 20
October 3, 10, & 17
November 7 & 15

If you’ve been meaning to update the family photos, document this season, or get those holiday card photos checked off your list, this is your sign to get on the calendar.

And once you book, I’ll make sure you’re not left wondering what to wear, where we’re going, what to bring, or what to expect. My Family Session Welcome Guide walks you through everything you need to know to feel prepared for your session. (linked in my bio)

📸 Ready to make some memories worth keeping? Grab your date through the link in my bio.
I’m gonna let you in on my secret… 👀

These are the camera settings I use as my starting point when I’m shooting during golden hour:

☀️ APERTURE
For one person: f/2.8–f/3.2
For families or groups: f/5.6

A wider aperture gives you that beautiful separation and soft background when you’re photographing one person. With a group, I stop down to help keep everyone in focus.

☀️ SHUTTER SPEED
I start around 1/160 sec—but if I have kids running, a couple moving around, or anything else with more movement, I’ll increase my shutter speed to keep everything sharp.

☀️ ISO
ISO 400 is my starting point, and then I adjust up or down depending on how much light I have.

The biggest thing to remember? These aren’t magic numbers you have to use every time.

Golden hour changes quickly, and your settings should change with it. Use these as a starting point, watch your light, and adjust for the people and movement in front of your camera.

And if you’re building your photography kit and wondering what gear is actually worth investing in, I put together my Photographer’s Gear Guide with the cameras, lenses, lighting, and equipment I use in my own business.

Grab your free copy through the link in my bio! 📸
Class of 2027, the clock is ticking! 🎓📸

Yearbook deadlines are getting closer, which means there’s not much time left to get those fall senior portraits on the calendar.

Senior photos are about so much more than checking a yearbook photo off the list. This is your chance to capture their personality, style, interests, and who they are during one of the biggest years of their life.

If senior portraits are still sitting on your fall to-do list, this is your sign to get them booked!

🎓 Now booking fall senior sessions. Head to the link in my bio to get started.
Come spend a headshot + branding day with me! 📸

One of my favorite things about on-location sessions is getting to step into a client’s space and create images that actually feel connected to their business.

We can capture updated headshots, team photos, working shots, office details, and plenty of branding content—all without your team having to leave the office.

A lot goes into a shoot day, but this is the fun part: turning an ordinary workday into a whole new library of images for your brand.

Need updated photos for your business or team? Let’s plan your session! Click the link in my bio to get started! 🔗
If your kids are still living under your roof, take the photos. 🤍

You hear people say you only get 18 summers with your kids, and now that mine are grown, I understand just how quickly those years really go. Once college, work, relationships, and their own schedules enter the picture, getting everyone together at the same time gets a whole lot harder.

So don’t wait for the “perfect” year for family portraits. Document the family you have right now—the missing teeth, growth spurts, changing personalities, and even the little bit of chaos that comes with it.

Because one day, getting everyone in the same place for a family photo might be the hardest part.

🍂 Fall Family Portrait Weekend Availability:

September 20
October 3, 10, & 17
November 7 & 15

If family portraits have been on your list, grab one of my remaining fall dates before they’re gone.

📸 Book your session through the link in my bio.

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Serving the Greater Houston, Texas Area

tara@taraflannery.com

713-412-5437

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Tara is a member of the Professional Photographers of America PPA.
Tara is a Certified Professional Photographer.
Tara is a member of TPPA Texas Professional Photographer's Association.
Tara has earned her Master of Photography degree.
Tara has earned her Photographic Craftsman certification.
Tara is a member of the Professional Photographers Guild of Houston PPGH.