Not Just Your Normal Senior Portrait
In a recent report, Willie Geist of Sunday Today reports on the mundane process of taking the traditional senior portrait. Geist even recalls his senior portrait experience from the “ill-fitting blue blazer” to the fake back drop and awkward facial expression. The report then describes the trend breaking tradition.
Out With The Old, In With The New
Many people say their senior portraits are nothing to write home about in comparison to the latest trend. While the traditional senior portrait varied over the years from baby boomers to millennials, many can attest to the staged nature of traditional senior portraits. Traditional senior portraits offer some basic backgrounds, limited wardrobe options, and staged poses. However, with increasing demands for social media likes, re-posts, and fashion trends, students feel pressured to break tradition.
Instead of standing in front of a basic background with limited poses, graduating high schoolers express their creativity and individuality through a vast array of options. The bar has been raised exponentially from times past. In the current wave of “do it for the likes, bro” senior portraits have risen to new levels!
Some photographers have managed to keep up with the changing times and meet the demands of creative millennials graduating high school. Some photographers have even enhanced their studios to achieve the perfect tweet worthy modern senior portrait. With the advanced staging and other offerings at these studios, it may be hard to distinguish between a senior portrait and a major ad or high fashion spread.
Ben Shirk’s Sports Themed Senior Portraits

Ben Shirk’s sports themed senior portraits make today’s graduating high schooler look as if they stepped out of a Nike or Under Armour ad. Ben Shirk offers several enhancements in his photography studio to embody the high profile sports star in the student athlete. Student athletes experience excellent boosters to their senior portrait such as trampolines for soaring action shots, and a built in waterfall feature, among many other options. Students can use Hollywood-style special effects to get a stellar senior portrait and increase likes.
Megan Engeseth’s High Fashion Themed Senior Portraits

Some graduating high schoolers may seek to express their artistic and debonaire side with high fashion themed senior portraits. Megan Engeseth hosts an array of classy senior portrait themes such as a Vanity Fair themed portrait. The model above is wearing a dress from the strapless prom dresses 2022 collection. Megan Engeseth provides the classy and artistic effects by utilizing the stylings of make-up artists and hairstylists. Her photography studio also boasts of an elaborate custom set, production quality images, and designer fashion outfits available for rent. Megan Engeseth has a new high fashion theme every year. Megan Engeseth said, “It’s a way to show their authentic self to the world, and in a way that they haven’t had a chance to do before.”
Innovation Costs
These innovative photographers are rewarded handsomely for their creativity. Parents are willing to shell out thousands for a senior portrait collection that stands out. Typically, $3,000 or more, garner an extraordinary senior portrait.