Senior portraits around Crosby and Brainerd
Senior year goes quickly. Senior photos are the record of who you were during it: how you looked, what you cared about, where you spent your time. They end up in the yearbook, on graduation announcements, on the wall at the open house and, years later, in a frame at your parents’ house. It is worth getting them to look like you.
My name is Elly Mailhot and I work out of Crosby, photographing seniors from Crosby-Ironton, Brainerd, Aitkin, Pequot Lakes and other schools within about 60 miles.
What senior photos are used for
- The yearbook portrait
- Graduation announcements and open house invitations
- Prints and displays for the graduation party
- Gifts for grandparents and family
- A record of the sports, music, work or hobbies that filled these years
Picking a setting that fits you
Lake country gives a senior plenty to work with. A dock or boardwalk over the water, weathered barn boards, a hay field, birch and pine woods, a timber bridge: each makes a different kind of photo. A good session often uses two or three backdrops close together, so the photos have variety without spending the evening in a car.
The setting can also say something about you. An athlete might want the field or the rink. Someone who hunts, fishes, rides or works on engines can bring that along. If nothing comes to mind, tell me a little about yourself and I will suggest places.
What to wear and bring
Bring a few outfits that feel like you at your best, not a costume. One dressier option, one everyday option and one tied to an interest covers most of what families want. Solid colors and simple layers photograph well; large logos and busy prints pull attention from your face. Iron or hang what wrinkles, and bring the shoes that go with each outfit, because full-length photos show them.
Props are welcome when they mean something: a letter jacket, a guitar, a ball, a dog.
What the session is like
Almost nobody is comfortable in front of a camera for the first ten minutes. That is expected. I start with simple poses and give clear direction, where to stand, what to do with your hands, where to look, and it gets easier quickly. We move between spots and outfits at an easy pace, with a mix of close portraits and wider photos that show the place.
Timing and deadlines
Yearbook deadlines come earlier than most families expect, and each school sets its own date and its own rules for the portrait. Find out your school’s deadline, then plan the session with room to spare. Late summer gives green backdrops and long evenings. Late September into early October brings fall color, and those dates fill first.
Book a senior session
Call (218) 839-0936 or send the form with your school, your yearbook deadline if you know it and a few dates that work. From there we can set the date and the locations.