It’s finally the time of year when the sun begins to poke its head out again and we have the types of days that lure you out to the city parks. In addition to the sun creeping out, the retail store shelves have suddenly become lined with stuffed animals bearing a cap and gown and space for signatures and “Oh the Places You’ll Go” books out front. Not only does this time of year signal the beginning of spring, it’s also a signal that many people are completing an educational milestone. Its graduation season. Though people graduate throughout the year, May and June tend to be the biggest months for celebrating these accomplishments, with one of the biggest being high school graduations.
High school graduations have come with their own traditions since just about forever. Some are ancient and over the top, but a few are worth continuing: one of which is senior pictures. Having senior pictures taken is a good idea for several reasons and most of them are extremely unselfish or vain. So, before you think about skipping out on them, read ahead for a few reasons that you shouldn’t.
Reason # 1: The Family
Your family and close friends like having solid proof that all the love and support they have provided to the graduate over the years has actually matriculated into a finished product and a more well-developed person. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and even 2nd cousins have watched you grow up and it’s nice to have comparison photos throughout the years.
Reason # 2: For Practical Reasons
If you are a proper person or just someone who likes people to receive gifts for their accomplishments, you will likely send out invitations to the graduation ceremony. A nice addition to any graduation invitation is a picture of who is exactly graduating. Many of your guests may not have seen you in some years, so including a picture will help them put a name to a now-grown-up face. If you slip and miss sending out the photos with the invitations, they can also be saved and sent with the thank you notes.
Reason # 3: To Share and Exchange with Friends
I know you may have heard this before, but it is very likely that you (or the graduate) will never see some of these high school friends again. Everyone grows up and moves to different places and chooses different paths in life, so having the ability to exchange photos makes sure they have something to show when they are telling stories about how much of a blast you guys had in physics class.
Reason # 4: To Capture Who You Are at This Moment
As mentioned in reason number 3, you may end up going down many different roads as you progress into adulthood. Your habits, interest and friends may change, so senior photos are a good opportunity for you to capture exactly who you are in this moment. Has playing basketball defined your high school years? Maybe the debate team or spanish club? No matter what your interests are at this moment, try to capture them in your photos. Meet your photographer at an empty basketball court and use that as a setting or bring props that have special meaning to you. Make your photo shoot representative of you.
Reason # 5: To Celebrate Your Accomplishment!
I would say the most important reason to get those senior photos done, is that it gives you the opportunity to celebrate your own accomplishment! Finishing high school is a big deal. We have all been there and know how crazy those 4 (or maybe 5!) years can be, but you have done it and done it well. That deserves a celebration. That deserves photos that you can look back on and smile or share with the future graduates that come after you.
