Senior photo season is in full swing. There have been multiple University Prep seniors out and about in Seattle getting their photos taken. It is a good time for photos because seniors can catch the nice weather before college applications, math tests and essays take over their minds.

 These photos shoots tend to be more planned than the usual Instagram photos. Many seniors choose to get their photos taken by professional photographers.

Senior Julia Beitel hired a professional photographer for her senior photos.

“I decided to go with the Olympic Sculpture Park because it had good views of the city and I liked the art,” Beitel said.

Senior Rihan Delora said many seniors who are getting their photos taken have multiple outfits to change into that go with the location. Many girls also choose to wear a little more makeup than normal to extenuate their features for the photos.

For Senior Mark Fishman, these photos hold a lot of meaning because leaving high school can be an emotional process.

“I wanted a way to remember my senior year ten years from now,” Fishman said.

Senior photos also often end up in the yearbook in the senior pages section. Every senior gets half a page in the yearbook where they can put a collection of photos. Many students also use their senior picture as the largest photo.

The process of taking the photos takes around three to four hours since there are many different angles and poses involved to make all the photos look different.

“I plan to also do some photos outside and some with my siblings,” Delora said.

Paige Welikson, a current senior and a student photographer has taken many senior photos for other students. She got her first Nikon camera at age 13, but her passion for photography began when she was about nine years old because of her mom’s love for the art.

“Taking senior photos is a skill that I have developed the most because I have had a lot of experience with portraits. It is also a way I can meet new people. I do make money, but it’s nice to give people pictures that they will like and it makes me happy to see others happy with their photos,” Welikson said.

She is planning to get her photos taken by an aspiring photographer to whom she would pay around $70 to $80. This is a price that she charges her customers.

Welikson includes unlimited photos and edits and is open to shooting in locations around Seattle.

Seniors Pose for the Camera