I offer my clients a premium senior photography session. Senior Portraits are beyond fun to photograph!! I love unique locations that no one else has explored. I try to bring out the Senior's unique personality. From a graffiti wall in Lynn to a garage door in Reading, Massachusetts. I have some great spots that are kept under wraps just for the senior photography portion of my business.
If you plan to put your senior photo from your session in the yearbook, check with your high school yearbook staff to see if it's allowed. Even if it's not, you can still get GREAT photos to commemorate this special occasion!
I strive to get creative senior photos for all my clients. Each student is unique, and I want to bring out your personality naturally. I promise that after the session and the photos are delivered, you will have photos you LOVE. I have a variety of cute poses and some killer locations just for your personality. I always end up with amazing shots for each one of our seniors. Whether you want something in a stunning evening dress or a photo that could make the cover of a magazine, you have found the right photographer. I can meet you at sunrise or sunset. I travel to Boston and in and around the Reading, Lynnfield, North Reading, Wilmington, Woburn, and Andover areas.
Before the session, I will reach out via email or phone to talk about the session. I work to have a schedule that is flexible and works for you. I understand how busy it is being a parent! #gotkids. I recommend that parents/guardians be part of setting up the session. The parents/guardians aren't required to come to the shoot, but having a second set of eyes watching the senior's wardrobe.
During the pre-session consultation, we will discuss the look and feel you want for your images. Tell me what you want for the background (city, nature, beach, modern, vintage). I will help you find the location that works best. Be it the beach or the city, a modern hotel, or a vintage estate, I can make it work. I can incorporate props into every session any location. I will also work with you on your clothing selections if you need help. This is probably the best part of the shoot. I truly encourage my clients to go out and buy something NEW.
I offer on-location shoots or in-studio senior headshots. I know your yearbook has specs, and I will reach out to your yearbook staff and find the requirements for your specific yearbook. I help find the dates your photos are due, make sure your photo is delivered, and confirm they were received.
Several yearbook companies are used throughout Massachusetts, and I am happy to work with them. The one most local schools use is Jostens. The ability for seniors to put an outside photographer's photo in the yearbook varies from town to town. Some
towns and schools allow it, and some don't! Essex Tech, Landmark, St. Mary’s, Lynnfield High School, and Carroll all allow the seniors to have outside photographers take the photos.
If you decide you need more outfit changes during your set, I am happy to accommodate any requests. I like being flexible and working with our clients. I always have a changing tent I can bring on location.I recommend sticking to a maximum of three outfits, but it's your session, you can have as many as you want.
At Cordele Photography, I personalize each senior photo. I can work in the summer, or fall, morning, noon, and night.
Part of the fun in senior portrait photography is the outfits. Truthfully, I want you to treat these shoots like you are going to be on the cover of a magazine. Get dressed to the nines, get your hair done and your make-up, and don't forget your nails! These shoots are so much fun when you approach them as one of the most important sessions you'll ever do. I make you look and feel like a model. From the cool location to the retouching after the session, you will LOVE these photos. I promise.
For clothing choices, I strongly recommend you stay away from patterns or stripes. Baby doll dresses are cute, but if the dress doesn't fit well, or the pattern is too bright and bold, it distracts from your face. Also, wear biker shorts underneath to feel a little more confident and have the freedom to move around. I also recommend bringing another outfit so we can change up poses. Posing in a dress can limit some poses. Please refrain from wearing large pinstripes on button-down shirts; stay with neutral colors that only draw you into the photo. If you have questions about your outfit, email me! I am happy to be brutally honest!
Yes, I can do a very basic headshot on a backdrop if that's what you need. You don't have to run around and go to a crazy location; you can come right to our portrait studio on High Street inReading, Massachusetts, just north of Boston. I have every color thanks to the wonder of Photoshop. I take the photo on a seamless white paper and can change the color to fit your needs.
I have calculated from start to finish that senior sessions take about 6.5 hours to 7 hours before I even show anyone the images. The cameras and lenses I use to bring these amazing images cost upwards of $3000 a lens and $3000 for a camera. Also, let's not forget insurance to protect me when you are hanging off a bridge by your toes! A ton of administrative work goes on behind the scenes to curate locations and find what people want for a look and feel. It would be wonderful if sessions were only one hour, but truth be told, from start to finish, there is about 20 hours worth of work for a one-hour senior session!
Senior portrait sessions are typically taken the summer before a student starts their senior year! If you are in the graduating Class of 2026,
you will want to schedule your session for the spring/summer or early fall of 2025. The yearbook deadlines for a few local schools are below. Please ensure you're aware of your yearbook deadline, as that will be the marker for your session
date! Most people do the session in the summer; the timing all depends on the deadline for your yearbook. Check with your yearbook to ensure you can have an outside photographer take your photos to put IN the yearbook. Even if they say "no," you can
still have amazing photos to share with friends and family. Also, when scheduling for the fall, try to look at last year's sports schedule to be sure to avoid conflicts. Keep in mind things like homecoming, football games, practices, and open house
nights. Summer is the best time to get these images done. If you have to reschedule, you will have plenty of time to find a new date. I have found that Volleyball practice tends to be a 5-night-a-week thing, and football games on Friday nights take
the cheerleaders' availability away. Plan to do your session BEFORE the school year starts so you can fit it in. It’s easier to take a day off from work than to try and squeeze it in. August is the most popular month.
Absolutely! I love it when a client gets creative and wants to do something different. I can do something during prom season where you can have all the girls in their dresses go to a fun location and shoot the session like a magazine cover! You can also do something fun on the beach or in the city when you can all get together.
Yes, I have an option for you to purchase your files, if you choose. Every print you purchase will have a complimentary digital file to share with your friends and the Instagram world. Many people know to just "ask for the digital files," but those get thrown in a drawer, never to be seen again. I work with clients to help select photos to put in albums and print for walls and gifts. These photos will be worth hanging! I want to help you find a home for these images so you can enjoy them for years.
Life happens! My service is accommodating and flexible. I understand you can't control the weather, sports practice, or the pesky germs from back to school. It is okay! Let's reconvene and then reschedule.
Many of my seniors are unsure of when their senior photos are due for the yearbook. I have compiled a small list of some of the high schools in
the area. Always double-check the dates below, as they are subject to change!
This list was written by Cordele Photography and was published on July 30, 2025
| Abington High School | November 1st |
| Andover High School | September 15th (updated) |
| Bedford High School | October 25th |
| Shawsheen Technical High School | October 25th |
| Masconomet Regional High School | December 20th |
| Bridgewater-Rayhem | November 7th |
| Braintree High School | October 15th |
| Burlington High School | Unknown |
| Carver High School | October 15th |
| Cambridge Rindge and Latin | March 1st |
| Chelmsford High School | October 8th |
| Clinton High School | November 15th |
| Cohasset High School | November 17th |
| Dover-Sherborn | October 27th |
| Essex Tech | November 1st |
| Fontbonne Academy | through school only |
| Tri-County | November 27th |
| Hanover High School | October 31st |
| Hingham High School | October 31st |
| Georgetown High School | October 31st |
| Landmark School | October 11th |
| Lynn Public Schools | October 11th |
| Lynnfield Public Schools | Unknown |
| Marshfield High School | October 31st |
| Nashua High School | October 14th |
| Nashoba Regional High School | |
| Natick High School | December 6th |
| Newton South High School | December 1st |
| North Andover High School | November 15th |
| North Reading High School | October 31st |
| Norwell High School | October 1st |
| Pembroke High School | September 23rd |
| Silverlake Regional High School | December 15th |
| Phillips Academy (Andover) | January 1st |
| Pingree High School | November 3rd |
| Plymouth South High School | November 13th |
| Plymouth North High School | unknown |
| Reading Memorial High School | school photographer only |
| Rockport High School | October 1st |
| Rockland High School | November 1st |
| Scituate High School | November 1st |
| Stoneham High School | school photographer only. |
| Somerville High School | November 22nd |
| Ursuline Academy - Dedham | unknown |
| Walpole High School | October 7th |
| Westford Academy | December 2nd |
| Weymouth High School | October 9th |
| Westwood High School | School photographer only |
| Wilmington Public High School | October 27th |
| Woburn High School | November 21st |
| Whitman Hanson Regional High School | December 19th |
| Xaverian High School | through school August 15th |
No matter where you are located, you should plan to have your senior photos done between July and September. Seniors’ schedules ramp up come September, and carving out time is tough! Please check your high school websites for up-to-date information. My list is based on years of working with schools and research I have done. It may not be accurate.
Reading, MA Photographer Headshots-Portraits-Kids-Families-Senior Portraits 45 High Street, Reading MA 01867 | 781-315-6030 - aw@cordelephotography.com