It’s Always Sunny in Arizona: Grab Your Shades
There are tons of ideas out there for your senior pictures, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t have the photo shoot of your dreams to wrap up your high school career! From fun and funny to serious and traditional, we can put together a portrait package that encompasses everything you love, all you’ve accomplished, AND add a little bit of flair and personality at the same time.
Hot Trends, Cool Looks
Summertime calls for serious shades, and when you live in Arizona sunnies not only add to your look, they are a necessity. One of the things everyone is having tons of fun with in this year’s senior picture photo shoots is finding new and creative ways to show off their sunglass-wearing style.
Guys, this goes for you too! That super cool vibe just oozes from these handsome senior guys when you choose the right sunglasses for your photo shoot!
Aviators, wayfarers, retro, d-frame…take your pick! They all look great! Check out the list and find the best sunglasses to wear for your senior pictures!
- D-Frame Sunglasses
- Heavy Browline Sunglasses
- Square Wayfarer Sunglasses
- Oversized Aviator Sunglasses
- Round Vintage Sunglasses
- Metal Sunglasses
- Flat-Brow Sunglasses
- Navigator Sunglasses
- Retro Sunglasses
- Classic Cool Clubmasters
Bright Ideas
Thinking about sporting shades in your senior pictures? Here are some fun ideas to get you started…but the best part is that creativity is never-ending, so go ahead and shoot for the moon (or the sun!) with your very own concepts. I love hearing thoughts and ideas from clients because that helps me plan the perfect photo shoot for you! Here’s what you can have fun incorporating sunglasses into your photographs:
- The Standard – Older generations may have thought the traditional, on-the-face way of wearing sunglasses was the ONLY way to do things. And sure, that’s absolutely acceptable! Just look at these fab photos of seniors rocking their shades and looking cool and chic under the Arizona sun. These cute daisy classes are from my exclusive Style Closet along with many other styles.
- The Flirty Peek – Choose your favorite pair of shades…then slide them sassily down your nose until you can just peek over the top to give the camera a flirty look. You’ll get the full effect of sunglasses, AND everyone will get to see your gorgeous eyes, too! Yep, both the heart shaped and “hello boys” sunnies are from my exclusive Style Closet along with many other styles.
- The Head Prop – Hey, it might be sunny, but you’re too cool and your peepers are too gorgeous to keep those things on your face! Do the top-of-the-head prop for a casual, relaxed look, especially when we move to a shady area or have your eyes turned away from the sun.
- The Whimsical Twist – Look pensive or daydreamy when you gaze at the scenery while twirling a stylish pair of shades. Or prop them on your knee, beside a cup of coffee, or on a stack of books for a super studious look.
- The Intentional Reflection – Sunnies with a great reflection are awesome for intentionally picking up images you want to show. Want to reflect on your grad cap or the track you run on? A professional photographer can angle the lenses so they pick up exactly the images you want to capture on the lenses–a super artistic way of “reflecting” and looking back on your high school career.
- The Writing on the Lenses – Hey, grad, 2023 looks great on you! Keep it simple and write your grad year on the lenses of your sunglasses in window paint. Then use them as a prop on a table or hold them to show off your major accomplishment.
Ok, now it’s your turn! What kind of creative ideas can you come up with to show off your casual style using sunglasses as a prop?
Things to Remember
Sunglasses are super fun and fashionable–and they’re a stylish accessory to add to your graduation pictures, but there are a few things to remember when we’re taking your senior pictures:
- Fingerprints are not friends. Whatever sunglasses (or glasses) you wear for your professional photo shoot, make sure the lenses are clean and free of debris and fingerprints. Sunnies will instantly draw attention to your eyes, so you want your glasses to be gleaming and spotless. (Of course, I can remove and correct things we don’t want in the image, but you’ll be much happier and feel more confident if you start off with squeaky-clean lenses.)
- Reflections are fun, but a little bit of a good thing goes a long way. If your sunglasses are SUPER-reflective, you might want to reconsider the style so we don’t end up with overly distracting images that appear as glare in your lenses. This can also be corrected by muting those reflections after the fact, but it’s something to keep in mind as you plan.
- Try a few different pairs. Find a style and shape that looks great on your face! You might even want to consider lighter color lenses that allow your eyes to show through for your senior pictures. These types of sunglasses can add color, dimension, and style without blocking your eyes entirely.
You Do You
Your senior picture photo shoot is all about what makes you feel amazing about accomplishing something you’ve been working on for a long time! It’s all about feeling confident and showing off the things you love, your personality, your dreams, and what you’re planning to do next.
This is your moment, so wear the shades, rock that jacket you love, choose your favorite hangout as a photo venue. It’s your time, and these are your memories.
The future’s bright, grad…and you definitely need to wear shades!
These photos are awesome and I love how you added them into their sessions and the ideas for them. Shows off the cool way to have them in their sessions!!
Thanks Shunta! It always helps you have awesome seniors!
I absolutely love sunglasses in senior photos! I love how you not only give them this idea for their senior photo session, but also list several different ways to wear them and different styles!
Thanks so much for the comments, Brandi! I really appreciate it!
What a great idea from this senior portrait photographer. Sunglasses are a simple and wonderful way to add some fun to any session!
Hey Jodi! So glad you like these ideas for senior photos!
I love this, and I love how you broke it down by shot! PERFECTION! I am never without my sunnies, so this shot would be a MUST!
Right?!?! I love that you don’t just have to wear them…there are lots of ways to mix it up!
I think it’s great to show seniors how they can sport sunglasses for their senior photos. There are so many fashion trends you’ve outlined and the most important thing for each senior it to let their personality and style soar! This is their time! Love your post and your senior pictures show all the joy!
With sunshine about 300 days out of the year, sunglasses are a must-have in Arizona! So I gotta make sure my seniors look trendy!