Session Prep Guide
Welcome & Congrats! 🐸
I am so excited you are here! This guide is designed to help you feel confident, prepared, and genuinely excited for your session, from choosing your outfits to knowing exactly what to expect on shoot day. Read through at your own pace, and if you have any questions along the way, don't hesitate to reach out!
Topics:
About
Locations
What to Wear
Session Prep
What to Expect
After Session
Meet Your Photographer
Hi, I’m Ashley! I’m a Fort Worth-based portrait photographer specializing in seniors, couples, and families. My goal is to create photos that feel joyful, timeless, and genuinely you while making your session feel fun and relaxed from start to finish.
As a fellow Horned Frog, photographing TCU seniors is especially meaningful to me. I love getting to celebrate this exciting season of life and create images you’ll look back on for years to come.
When I’m not behind the camera, you can usually find me golfing, spending time outside, or cheering on TCU. My faith is a huge part of who I am, and I feel incredibly thankful to use photography to celebrate people and their stories.
A Few Fun Facts About Me:
I’m a fellow TCU Horned Frog
Tex-Mex is my favorite food 🍽️
I love golfing and being outdoors
I’ve photographed over 150 seniors! 📸
I can’t wait to get to know you and capture this season of your life!
Locations
Locations play a huge role in the overall feel of your session! I’ll always guide you toward spots with the most beautiful lighting because lighting makes all the difference in creating timeless, flattering images.
Here are some of the most popular TCU locations we can incorporate into your session:
Mornings only
• TCU Library
Evenings only
• Sadler Hall
• TCU Sign
Anytime
• Harrison
• Neeley Business Building
• TCU Sign at Cantley & University
• Carter Stadium + Kelly Lawn
• Frog Fountain (photographed facing Scharbauer)
• Fine Arts Commons
• Brite Building
• The Commons
• Former Freshman Dorm
Some locations photograph best during certain times of day because the lighting is softer and more flattering. Midday light can sometimes create harsh shadows or overly bright backgrounds, so I carefully plan locations around the best lighting conditions for your session.
For Frog Fountain: I always photograph this spot facing Scharbauer because it provides the most even, natural light. My editing style focuses on preserving true-to-color tones and avoiding harsh or blown-out backgrounds for a timeless finish. In evening sessions, we’ll typically plan to end here about 20 minutes before sunset for the best lighting.
Every corner of campus has something special; these are simply some favorite starting points! If there’s a location on campus that’s meaningful to you, I would love to incorporate it into your session.
Outfits
Cap & Gown
(Included alongside the number of outfits in each package)
Don’t forget your TCU cap, gown, and stole for this portion of your session! These photos are the most celebratory, so we’ll take time to capture both posed and candid moments. A helpful tip: steam your gown ahead of time or hang it in the bathroom during a hot shower for a few days to help release wrinkles.
Classic Look
Bring a timeless outfit that feels like you — this could be a white dress, black dress, purple outfit, or anything you feel confident in. Both short and long styles photograph beautifully, so choose what matches your vibe. Just make sure undergarments are neutral to avoid anything showing through on camera.
Your Next Chapter
This is one of my favorite parts of your session! Bring something that represents what’s next for you — scrubs, a major-specific outfit, organization attire, or anything that reflects your future career path. This is also a great opportunity for updated headshots.
Gameday Look
You can’t have a TCU senior session without a gameday outfit! Whether it’s a dress, skirt, and top, or boots and a hat, this is the perfect way to show off your Horned Frog spirit and Fort Worth style.
What to Bring
1.
Comfortable Walking Shoes
Comfortable walking shoes will save your feet during the session! We’ll be moving between multiple locations, which means quite a bit of walking. To avoid blisters and sore feet, bring sandals or comfy slip-ons to wear in between shots.
2.
Basic Touch-Up Kit
Bring the basics! Pressed powder helps prevent shine on humid days, and having lip gloss and a mini mirror on hand makes quick touch-ups easy between photos. For your hair, bring a brush and hairspray in case of wind or flyaways.
3.
Stole
Don't forget to bring a stole/sorority stole and or TCU cap and gown. This is perfect if you're doing group photos and want to show off your involvement! If you don't care what type of cap and gown, I can also bring a plain purple cap and gown. Just let me know!
4.
Champagne & Towel
If you’re planning to get in the fountain or pop champagne, don’t forget a towel to dry off afterward!
Pro Tip: Several seniors recommend using champagne with a screw-top instead of a cork; it makes everything way easier and less stressful. Once it’s open, we’ll cover the top and shake it up like a hose, and I’ll walk you through it step by step so it’s fun and easy the whole time.
5.
Boots
Don't forget to bring your boots/and a cowboy hat, these bring the Fort Worth look to life in your senior session and can go with almost any outfit!
6.
Portable Speaker
Want music during your session? Bring a speaker to play your favorite songs or bring it along to hype up your group session!
7.
Large Tote Bag and/or mini rolling cart
A big tote/cart keeps all your essentials in one place and makes outfit changes much smoother. Trust me, it’s way easier than juggling items between locations!
Senior Session Perks
No need to worry about bringing a confetti popper; each senior will receive one along with a welcome bag that includes cold water and a mini fan to keep you comfortable during your session!
Arrival
Please plan to arrive about 15 minutes early for your session. I will have texted you a meeting place, and we will meet there to start off your session. This gives us plenty of time to settle in, stay on schedule, and take advantage of the best light. When we get started, we’ll look through your outfits together and decide which look works best at each location so everything flows naturally. Outfit changes usually happen in your car or a nearby public restroom and are also a great chance to take a quick break and reset.
Posing
No need to worry about posing at all, I’ll walk you through everything step by step so you feel comfortable, confident, and like yourself in every photo. If there are any specific poses you know you want to get, we can definitely get those as well!
Weather
If the weather doesn’t cooperate, don’t stress! Cloudy skies can create a soft, beautiful look, but if you’re hoping for golden light, we can always reschedule. I keep backup dates available and will keep an eye on the forecast and communicate with you along the way. Just keep in mind that 24 hours’ notice is required for any rescheduling.
After Session
Once your final balance is taken care of, your full gallery will be released. Your final edited images are typically delivered within 2–3 weeks in an online gallery, unless you have chosen the rush turnaround option upon booking.
If you need flexibility with payments, I’m always happy to help. I have payment plans available to pay out over time. Just reach out, and we’ll find something that works best for you!
Downloading
In the right-hand corner of your gallery, you will see the option to share, shop prints, create a slideshow, and download. You can download your gallery straight to your phone or computer. Avoid screenshots from the gallery; they drastically reduce quality.
Galleries stay open for two months, giving you time to download and save your images.
Print Orders
Purchasing prints is available through the online store. Print canvases, grad announcements, cards, and more! They are shipped straight to your door.
Final Message
The most important message to you!
John 3:16 - "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."
I know that this life can feel hopeless; it can feel like there is so much evil, darkness, exhaustion- you name it- around the corner. I can only imagine what senior year feels like; it may seem like you need to have everything planned and in order. It's so easy to compare ourselves to other seniors and wonder where we need or want to be, even as the future feels uncertain.
But I cannot let you walk away, not knowing the greatest news of all time.
The greatest news that I promise you will ever hear in your life. You are loved so much that the creator of the universe wants to give you the gift of salvation through His son, Jesus, so that you have eternal life with Him. That means that this broken world is not the end.
Even in the brokenness, God still came for you. This is a love that is incomparable to any other.
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
In the beginning, God created a perfect world and made humans in His image. He created Adam and Eve and gave them free will, and they lived in harmony with Him. But when they chose to disobey, sin entered the world. Because God is Holy, He cannot be in the presence of sin; therefore, we were separated from Him. The payment for sin is death.
But God, in His deep love for us, made a way. He sent His Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life and take the punishment we deserved by dying on the cross. Through His death and resurrection, we can now be reconciled with God, not because of anything we’ve done, but because of His grace.
Whoever calls on the name of Jesus and believes in Him will be saved (Romans 10:13). We now have the Bible, God’s Word, to guide us and show us how to live as Jesus did. This is why Christians share the Gospel: we believe it changes lives and gives us hope not just for today, but for eternity.
God is not far away. He’s near. And He’s waiting. You don’t need fancy words. You just need honesty. You can pray something like this:
“God, I know I’ve sinned and tried to do life on my own. But I believe You sent Jesus to die for me and rise again. I want to turn from my old ways and follow You. Please forgive me, come into my life and lead me. I want to know You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Life as a Christian isn't always easy, and it's not promised to be, but it is worth it. Seek Him with all your heart, and you will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13).
Click here for free access to the Bible.
I recommend starting with the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) to learn more about the life of Jesus and His love for you. You can read it in different translations or even have it read out loud to you!
I know this can seem confusing or may leave you with a lot of questions. Please always feel free to reach out to me at (432) 288-2114 or by email. I also would encourage you to connect with a local church. There’s a community ready to walk with you!
