Yearbook season is almost upon us as the year draws to a close, and once again, we’re bound to see pages upon pages upon pages of senior pages—not just the parade of photoshopped, picturesque headshots in lieu of the awkward school pictures that everyone else has, but also the thick section of parent messages, baby pictures, and photo studio pictures that people affectionately term “senior pictures.”
Though the idea of having senior pictures used to be just that seniors get to have a nice headshot in the yearbook, the trend has spiraled into something else. It seems like everyone at the beginning of their senior year or the summer after junior year has taken to getting fancy photoshoots done at studios that also include glamor shots for girls and other posed shots of students with memorabilia from their high school career, whether it be an instrument, sports equipment, or a prom dress.
East’s yearbook staff has for years recommended Hermann Studios, located on Meyer Road in Amherst, which is a reliable and great place to get pictures done. Senior Vick Goel stated that the shoot was “a lotta fun” and even though he’s “usually not that comfortable in front of a camera, the photographer made it really fun and made me feel better.” Kianna Early, another senior, also raves about her shoot at Hermann, saying that the studio went above and beyond her expectations, even making business cards for her for free. She states that for a sitting fee, large amount of prints, business cards, and a framed portrait, the total cost of her senior picture session was a little over $200.
Another place that many students get their senior pictures done is at Short Street Photographers on Main Street. I got my senior pictures done at this studio after hearing about many people who enjoyed their experience and was excited at the amount of choices for backgrounds I could choose from (white and black backdrops are common, along with pictures next to a brown or white window, in a garden, next to a small waterfall, and while sitting in a cool embroidered blue chair). However, I regretted choosing the studio; after surveying its Facebook album of Class of 2014 portraits, I realized that the studio has almost every girl pose the same way in the same backdrop (I’ve seen approximately 50 girls in that album posing leaning against a white fence with her head cocked). Senior Dan Franasiak also got his pictures done at Short Street and felt that the amount that the studio pressures families to spend (the cheapest package costs upwards of $1000) was a bit much, but that the quality of the pictures made it worth the hefty price tag. An anonymous senior that I spoke with stated that she put up one of the pictures taken at Short Street as her Facebook profile picture, and was scared when the photographer messaged her minutes later, telling her to remove the picture immediately because she does not have the rights to her pictures. Soumya Gupta also chose Short Street, but was disappointed. “For the amount of money you spend, you don’t get a personalized experience. The photographers objectify you and keep recycling the same poses and looks, asking you to look ‘sexy’ or pouty’, and then tell you that you must order more and more packages,” she stated. Gupta and I personally would not recommend getting pictures done at Short Street, but many East students had positive experiences there. My best friend Julie Adams was thrilled at the fact that the studio allowed her to bring her Labrador retriever, Lucy, to the shoot, and Eleni Casseri also enjoyed being able to bring her bass in for a picture showcasing her passion for music in high school. I do concede that they do a good job especially in designing your page for the yearbook. However, if you want to include pictures that were not taken at Short Street in the page, each picture that must be scanned costs a fee of $15-25.
Teagan Faran combined two studios in order to get the best of both worlds. Faran stated that she got her headshot done at Hermann Studio to match the yearbook’s specifications, then went to Portrait Innovations in Tonawanda. She brought her violin in for the shoot, and felt that the pictures were phenomenal and that the photographer really made sure that she was happy with the finished product.
A little-known way to get your senior pictures done is by an independent photographer. Avneet Nagra stated that she had a “great experience,” and that she “really got to have everything [her] way rather than a set plan. And there were no limitations! She took pictures outside, inside, and even at a park.. I got to change and wear different clothes. The best part was that I got to keep all of the photos and she just gave me a flash drive of all 600 pictures!” Nagra loved her photographer and obviously had a great time. Nisha Divan also had her pictures taken by an independent photographer, and stated that “it was a lot easier because she came to my house and I was able to change into another outfit whenever wanted to, and the photographer helped me choose outfits that would look best with different lighting… there was a lot of flexibility. We took snack breaks together and she added my pictures on Facebook later that very day.”
For those worried about the strict specifications by the East Spark staff about headshots, you could also get your headshot done at a cheap studio like the one at JC Penny where Alexis Ogra had her headshot done for a minimal price, and get the rest of your pictures from an independent photographer, allowing you to get a unique experience personalized just for you.
Juniors, make sure that you choose the right place to get your pictures done to have the least amount of stress. Choose someone you’re comfortable with and bring your smile!
