Mason is a senior at West Bloomfield High School, but when it came time to plan his senior pictures, he wanted to head west and spend the session in Ann Arbor. That gave us the chance to build a session with a ton of variety while, at the same time, still making it feel completely personal to him.
We started before sunrise on the University of Michigan campus, which turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the morning. The Law Quad looks completely different during blue hour, with the warm lights glowing through the windows and the stone architecture taking on a darker, larger than life dramatic look.
That early start also meant we had the campus mostly to ourselves. If your senior wants something a little different from the typical bright daytime campus photos, starting before sunrise can create a completely different mood without changing locations at all.
From there, Mason’s West Bloomfield senior pictures moved into a much more relaxed side of the session. We headed into the fall color, brought his dog into a few portraits, and worked in some casual outfits that felt completely different from the suit he wore earlier in the morning.
We also made time for Mason’s car, which gave us another change of pace before the biggest part of the session: hockey.
His dog definitely deserved a spot in the session too. Senior pictures are about documenting who your son or daughter is right now, and sometimes a family pet belongs in that story just as much as a favorite location, sport, car, or hobby.
Hockey is a major part of Mason’s life, so his mom arranged something pretty special. She rented private ice time for an hour so we could create his hockey senior pictures without worrying about another team practicing, skaters crossing through the background, or having to rush through the shots.
That freedom completely changed what we could do. We photographed Mason in the locker room with his goalie equipment, then moved onto the ice where I could use lighting to create something much more dramatic than the typical sports portrait.
Those hockey images are exactly why I encourage parents to think beyond the standard senior picture checklist. If there’s something your senior has spent years doing, whether it’s hockey, dance, theater, music, cars, or another passion, it deserves more than a quick snapshot at the end of the session.
Mason’s session is also a good example of why location doesn’t have to be dictated by where you live. He’s a West Bloomfield High School senior, but Ann Arbor gave us the architecture, fall scenery, campus atmosphere, and variety that worked perfectly for what he wanted.
Want senior pictures that actually mean something? I’ll help you create a session that feels like you. Let’s plan something that tells your story and highlights where you’re headed next.
➡️ Visit our Senior Pictures pricing page for additional information.
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