Looking for senior picture ideas that don’t feel generic? Every idea on this list isn’t a Pinterest board suggestion pulled from somewhere else. It’s a real senior I’ve photographed in Fort Collins, Greeley, and across NoCo, with a real story behind it. If you’re planning your senior session and want something that actually feels like you, these should give you some inspiration, or we can talk it through together during your consultation and plan something completely your own.

Each of these seniors got a full session with dozens of final images. What you’re seeing here is just a glimpse, the moment or detail that made each session memorable.

Walk on Water

SaraAnn wanted a photo that looked like she was walking on water. So we made it happen. I thought about it. Researched it, and ended up with this – a piece of plywood hidden just under the surface, a step stool for the right angle, and a little trial and error gave her exactly the shot she pictured in her head. It’s one of those ideas that sounds impossible until you actually try it. She loved the 3rd one so much, that’s what she chose to get printed as a 16×24″ framed print.

Build the Session Around Your Passions

Cade came to his session with a full plan: his Jeep, a red-white-and-blue patriotic theme, his motorcycle and dirt bike, and a stop at his football field at Berthoud High School, all before his Mohawk was to be shaved off during Senior Night. The best senior sessions aren’t about a generic pose list. They’re about building the day around who you actually are.

Travel for Something Different

Kendall could have booked a photographer five minutes from home. Instead she drove three hours to Fort Collins and stayed overnight, because she didn’t want the same senior pictures as everyone else back home. Sometimes the best idea isn’t a pose or a location. It’s choosing a photographer who’s going to give you something nobody else in your town has.

Lean Into the Season (and Laugh About the Heat)

Two different seniors, two different summer sessions, the exact same reaction: it is HOT out here. Both Ella and Kierra said almost the same thing on camera, and I have the video proof. This is exactly why I always shoot summer sessions early in the morning. Less sweat, better light, happier seniors.

Let the Bugs Be a Funny Memory, Not the Photo

During Hannah’s session, the mosquitoes showed up in full force. Her mom sprinted to my car for bug spray while we kept shooting and laughing through it. The mosquitoes never made it into the final photos (although there were plenty for me to edit out). Just the memory, and a good laugh every time we talk about that day.

If you’ve got an idea for your own senior session, even one that sounds a little out there, bring it. I’d rather build a one-of-a-kind day around your personality than hand you a generic list of poses.

Book your session today and let’s get your senior’s story on camera before the season fills up.

---

Carol Dunnigan Photography is a boutique senior portrait studio serving Ault, Greeley, Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Johnstown, and surrounding Northern Colorado communities.