Reasons Why Your Teen Might Be Saying No to a Senior Photo Session

Not all teens are as keen to organize a professional senior photo session as others. As a parent, you know how important these photos will be to them after the fact so it can be difficult to hear that they don’t want to take any photos at all.

If you want to convince them otherwise, it helps to understand why they don’t want the session to begin with.

• They’re Not Enjoying School

Whether it’s bullying, bad grades, or general demotivation, your child might just be someone who isn’t enjoying school. For this reason, they probably don’t see the point in commemorating their senior year. 

One way to overcome this is to make it less about school and more about them. Find ways to make the shoot about the things they do love outside of school. And if they are moving away after school, you could always tell them that you really want some photos to remember them by.

• They Feel it’s Too Expensive

Senior portraits are going to be slightly more expensive than general yearly school photos and if money is something your teen is worried about, it might be difficult to convince them to go ahead with a session.

This is where research comes in handy. Do some homework with them and show them that different senior photographers charge different rates, and it is possible to find one within your budget. You can even go the route of a mini session which is more affordable than a session that lasts an hour or two. 

• They Don’t Like Having Their Photo Taken

Even adults struggle with having their photo taken and if you have a self-conscious teen, they may not love it either.  This is one of the easiest reasons to overcome. For one, finding a photographer they get along with and feel comfortable around can change their minds.

This is also your chance to start conversations with them that will help them boost their confidence. Your teen accepting themselves is going to serve them now and well into the future so find ways to help them feel good about who they are. Help them find inspiring accounts to follow online, take them shopping to find clothes that fit them well and that they feel good in, these are all little things you can do to convince them to take senior photos.

Choosing the right location where there aren’t a lot of people present can also be a good way to convince them to book the shoot. 

And if you aren’t sure whether any of these reasons are linked to them not wanting to take senior photos, sit down and have a conversation about it and take it from there