Light and Airy Senior Pictures

Are you absolutely in love with the popular “light and airy” photography style? Well, if you are, it’s no wonder! The light and airy style captures images with gorgeous, true to life colors. It’s a trend, but at the same time, it’s timeless! So many of the other photography styles out there right now are sure to look dated within a few years. If you are looking for light and airy senior pictures, you’re in the right place! Christina Runnals Photography specializes in using natural light to create that beautiful glow in her images.

Tips for Light and Airy Senior Pictures

You may be surprised to learn that light and airy senior pictures don’t just “happen.” Some work is required to attain that highly coveted look! I have lots of tips on how to achieve that gorgeous look you are hoping for in your senior pictures.

Wardrobe: How to dress for light and airy senior pictures

To achieve the light and airy look, you will first and foremost need to wear light colored, neutral clothing. The reason that this is important is because dark colored clothing can reflect an ugly “colorcast” back up onto your skin in your photos. We do NOT want that! I also suggest wearing dresses. Dresses give your photos gorgeous movement and character. (And they’re fun to twirl around in!)

And speaking of what to wear… I have created a FREE guide for you on what NOT to wear for your senior portraits! Download it today to make sure you don’t make any major wardrobe mistakes for your photoshoot!

Professional Hair and Makeup

I highly encourage all of my clients to have professional hair and makeup done for their senior pictures. Having professional hair and makeup done will make a drastic difference in the quality of your photos and senior portrait experience. You are already making a large investment in your senior portraits, so why not make it the best it can be?! You may consider yourself a bit of a makeup pro, but a trained professional makeup artist knows how to do your makeup specifically for the camera. I can’t stress enough how important this is.

Here is a list of amazing artists that I recommend in the South Shore area (some are available for travel, too!)

Shauna Stoekin at East Coast Primped (Hair & Makeup)
@eastcoastprimped | 774.269.6064

Laura Sweeney at Glow Beauty Boutique (Makeup) @looks_bylaura | 617-529-9746 | lsweeney429@gmail.com

Kasey Buckley at Devine Innovations Plymouth (Hair)
@hair_by_kase | 774.503.0645

Karen Attardo at Glow Beauty Boutique (Makeup) @karenattardobeauty

Karylle Brennan at Rejuvenations Plymouth (Makeup)
 @glowithkarylle | 508.224.7566

Jesslynn Abreu at Limitless Beauty (Makeup)
@jesslynnabreu | abeautifulyou4@gmail.com

Walsh Styling Beauty Bar in Scituate 

Accessories!!

During a senior session, or any photo shoot, the more accessories the merrier! When planning your outfits, don’t forget to plan accessories! Stacks of bangles, long necklaces, statement pieces, scarves, hats, bright shoes, and other add-ons can make or break an outfit!

The Best Locations For Light and Airy Senior Pictures

The location/s of your portrait session is/are completely up to you! Most of my clients love showcasing the natural beauty of our home state. For most of my sessions, outdoor, open-air environments are always my first choice. I love shooting in wide-open natural spaces because the light is divine, especially during golden hour. There are great options all around the state, so even if you’ve never seen me photograph in a specific place before, I’m always up for exploring a new spot together!

WANT AMAZING LIGHT AND AIRY SENIOR PICTURES? ASK YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER THESE QUESTIONS!

WHAT DOES MY SESSION PRICE INCLUDE?

This is probably the number one question to ask your photographer! I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve heard about photographers charging one price for their session, which includes the printing rights to ONE of your photos, and then the senior and her family find out that if they want printing rights to the rest of the photos, it will be an additional THOUSAND dollars!! Yikes!!! And FYI- if you don’t have the rights to an image, it means you also may not post it on social media- or else you could be sued! So make sure you ask your photographer for senior pictures this very important question!! All of my packages include the printing rights to all edited images!  

WHAT IF IT RAINS ON THE DAY OF MY SENIOR PICTURES? WHAT IF IT IS SUPER HUMID?  

As an experienced photographer, I can tell you that New England weather is incredibly unpredictable. It is very important to make sure that your photographer is happy to reschedule your senior portrait session if it is bad weather the day of your session!. I personally will reschedule even if it very cloudy weather, unless my client would rather have their session anyways. I am happy to shoot in humidity, but will gladly reschedule your session if your hair gets frizzy in humidity- in fact, that is a question I ask in my questionnaire you will receive after booking your session!  

WHAT LOCATION SHOULD I USE FOR LIGHT AND AIRY SENIOR PICTURES? 

I have tons of locations I love for light and airy senior pictures! As I like to say, the sky’s the limit! I do suggest surroundings that are light in color, and to avoid overly green areas. However, we can achieve the light and airy look in a green area if we need to! Find all of my best location suggestions and tips here!

CAN I BRING A FRIEND, PET OR PARENT ALONG WITH ME?!

This is a great question to ask your photographer! I always encourage you to bring a friend AND parent along for your senior portraits. I also am happy to include well behaved pets in a few photos! I’m also happy to snap a few pictures of you and a sibling/s during our shoot! 

What to Look for in a Photographer for Light and Airy Senior Pictures

Some seniors don’t give much thought to their senior pictures. This is a huge mistake! These are pictures you will have for your entire lifetime!! Therefore, make sure you do your research when looking for a photographer for your senior pictures. Here are a few of my favorite tips on what to look for in your photographer!

MAKE SURE THE PHOTOGRAPHER TAKING YOUR SENIOR PORTRAITS IS A PROFESSIONAL!  

It’s so important to hire a photographer for senior pictures who is licensed, registered, and trained!! Why? You and your parents are investing time and money into this experience. You are planning outfits, buying clothes, possibly hiring a hair and makeup artist, and you will have these photos forever!! A professional photographer is organized and will provide you with a contract. A professional photographer is also trained in posing you to look your best. They will have high quality equipment, understand lighting principles, and use high end editing software to carefully edit your photos. How can you find out if the photographer for your light and airy senior pictures is a professional photographer? Google their business name! Check out their website, read their reviews, and check out their social media while you’re at it!  

FIND A PHOTOGRAPHER WHO SPECIALIZES IN LIGHT AND AIRY SENIOR PORTRAITS!

I think the easiest way to decipher this one is to check your photographer’s Instagram or Facebook page and see how often they post pictures of seniors.  For me personally, senior pictures are my favorite kinds of pictures to take and they are what I am most highly trained in doing. If I could take senior pictures all year long, I would! But being in New England, most senior portraits are usually only taken in the months of June through October, so I also photograph lots of other types of sessions. While I LOVE my family sessions, newborn sessions, and maternity sessions, you can tell from what I post on my social media that senior pictures are a huge specialty of mine.  

FIND A PHOTOGRAPHER WHO PRODUCES IMAGES WITH NATURAL, BEAUTIFUL SKIN TONES!  

There are so many photography styles out there, many of which are passing trends. Some trends make skin tones appear orange in huge, or even blue-ish or green-ish! As an experienced photographer of light and airy senior pictures, color is something I am VERY particular about!! For your senior portraits, you will want a photographer who consistently produces images where skin tones and colors look like they would in real life. That way, when you look at these photos 20 years from now, after the “photography trends of today” have faded, your images will still look timeless and beautiful. So look through your prospective photographer’s social media or portfolio on their website. Do all the skin tones look like they would in real life? Do the rest of the colors in the image look natural? 

Where to Shop for your Light and Airy Senior Pictures

I have a few favorite spots to shop when it comes to senior pictures! First off is Hello Molly, where Lily got this gorgeous blue dress for her shoot! In additional, absolutely adore a little shop called Cattivo which is located in downtown North Scituate. Cattivo is a shop where MANY of my seniors find their outfits for their senior pictures! Other shops my seniors have had great luck at are Asos, Vici Collection, and Lulus.

Book Christina Runnals For Your Light and Airy Senior Pictures

Would you like to book Christina Runnals for your light and airy senior pictures? Book your session, or find out more about a senior portrait session with Christina Runnals Photography! You can even view all of my pricing and package options here!

For your senior pictures, do keep in mind that you should contact me as SOON as possible to schedule. I recommend booking at least 4 months in advance. I often times even have clients book as early as a year in advance to make sure they secure a prime spot! If you’re booking at the last minute and can’t get the date you want, you could email me about a sunrise session. I can often make time for an early morning session while my children are still sleeping 🙂

Christina Runnals is a nationally published photographer of light and airy senior pictures who specializes in taking photographs that are light-filled, glowy, and full of joy! She has photographed senior pictures all over the South Shore of Massachusetts and it is one of her absolute favorite parts of her job.   If you are ready to book your senior pictures, she is always so excited to be considered !  Please check out her senior portrait session page here for more information!