This was my first high school SENIOR session of the year, and Morgan, her mom, and I had fun out at Bywater Hollow Lavender Farm in Lincoln. Even though it was early spring (mid-March), we got lucky and some of the trees were already blooming - like the one above with the purple buds. (Help me out, plant people, what kind of tree is that?)

As you can see, Morgan brought her clarinet with her to her senior session. I love, love, love that she brought her instrument with her.

In this post, I want to talk all about PROPS! (By the way, I don’t often include black and white images in senior galleries, but I was dying to see what this one would look like!)

You might not know this, but I’m a big fan of seniors bringing a few props to their session! Why? Because props help tell each senior’s unique story. Props often showcase a students’ interests or hobbies. I know some of you might be thinking, But I don’t play an instrument!

What about a sport? Morgan is a tennis player at Rocklin High School, so she changed into her tennis outfit and posed with a racket and ball.

Now I get it. You may not be musically-inclined. You might not be athletic. But here are some other fun PROP ideas!

• Love flowers like I do? Bring a small bouquet of flowers with you!

• Accessories can make your photos more interesting and provide more variety in your gallery. Bring your favorite hat (e.g. floppy hat, baseball cap, cowboy hat) or jacket (e.g. letter jacket) to your session.

• Do you like to read? Bring along four or five of your favorite books.

• Do you like to take pictures? Bring your camera along. (I’ll take a picture of you taking a picture of me! Ha! Seriously, I did this for one senior a few years ago, and it was the cutest picture!)

• How about a favorite four-legged friend? Whether it’s your dog, cat, bunny or horse, let’s find a way to photograph the two of you together.

• Do you adore your car or truck? Let’s chat about how we can include your vehicle in your session.

• Are you active in Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts? Bring your uniform with you - or at least your sash or vest with all of the badges/patches you’ve earned!

• Do you already know where you are going to college? Bring along your college t-shirt or sweatshirt.

Other ideas include: Balloons, confetti or poppers(depending on the location), a sentimental item, or the tools of the trade (for your future career).

Have a different prop idea? I’m all ears!

Congratulations, Morgan, on your graduation from high school!