Lucas + Lilia | Woodinville High School

I had such a nice time taking senior pictures for these twins! To make sure that the session would work well for both a guy and a girl, plus some family photos, I wanted to choose a location with plenty of variety. Bellevue Botanical Garden was the perfect spot. I was able to blend together sessions for a senior guy, senior girl, and a family. And I love how it all turned out!

Bellevue Botanical Garden – go for variety

When planning a photo shoot to accommodate several different needs, it helps to look for a location with a lot of variety. Bellevue Botanical Garden has flowers, trees, a suspension bridge, large rocks, benches, and pathways. It is also easy to move through all the different areas within the time we had. For Lilia, we focused on the more flowery sections of the park. Lucas liked the benches, bridge, and rocks. And for the entire family, we maneuvered to open areas where they could group together.

Plan time wisely

With two seniors in a session, I make sure I allow for enough time for each. As a general rule, the guys take a little less time than the girls. And they are happy if I keep their photo time short and to the point. For this reason, I planned on more time for Lilia. This worked out very well. Each senior still ended up with plenty of images in their gallery, Lilia was happy with the variety and different poses, and Lucas was happy that it was fun and to their point for his time in the spotlight.

Focus on family

For family photos during a senior session, I assume that it will take a little longer than expected. I like to make sure we get the entire family together, each senior with parents, each senior with individual parents, the two seniors together, etc. All these different combinations take some time. But they are so worth it and the family loved them.

Overall, this double senior session was such a great time. Adding in the parents created a memorable experience and fun gallery for the entire family. It also had the unexpected effect of lightening everyone up. The twins had a great time with their parents involved in the photos. And our hours at the park were fun, relaxed, and felt much shorter than they were.

Not sure if you want to include your family? Don’t think twice!

If you are considering including your own family in your senior photo experience, don’t hesitate. It is a fantastic experience. I always encourage a quick photo or two with whoever you bring along to your session, but adding in a mini family session can be a really wonderful way to take things up a level. I focus on the senior first, and then we transition into fun photos for the entire family. You will end up with both an amazing memory and a gallery full of special images.

Click the links below to book your own senior portrait experience or to learn more. Next, you might be interested in reading about 10 Tips For Planning Senior Pictures!

Thanks for reading!

XO, Janelle