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:
  1. Locations
  2. What to Wear
  3. Session Prep
  4. What to Expect
  5. 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!

Young woman in white romper and cowboy boots poses cheerfully in a stadium concourse with arm raised.
Smiling blonde woman in TCU graduation gown poses outdoors in black and white photo.
College graduate poses in purple cap and Kappa Delta stole, Class of 2025, surrounded by pink flowers.

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.

Young woman in white floral dress sitting on fountain edge, smiling and making peace sign outdoors.

Cap & Gown

Young woman in purple TCU graduation gown and cap smiling in stadium stands at Texas Christian University.

Classic Look

Smiling young woman lying on bleachers wearing a sports jersey, bracelets, and rings at a purple stadium.

Business

Smiling young woman lying on purple stadium bleachers wearing a sports jersey and silver bracelets.

Gameday

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.

Ashley Kruse Photography – Style Your Session
Ashley Kruse Photography
Style Your Session
Share your outfit ideas and inspiration so I can help you look and feel your absolute best on shoot day.
Link any outfits or vibes you're considering — Pinterest, Instagram, a shopping page, anything works.
Describe your outfits, ask anything, or share whatever is on your mind.
Ashley Kruse Photography
@ashleykrusephotography
Ashley Kruse Photography – Style Your Session
Ashley Kruse Photography
Style Your Session
Share your outfit ideas and inspiration so I can help you look and feel your absolute best on shoot day.
Link any outfits or vibes you're considering — Pinterest, Instagram, a shopping page, anything works.
Describe your outfits, ask anything, or share whatever is on your mind.
Ashley Kruse Photography
@ashleykrusephotography
A collection of everyday items including boots, sandals, hairbrushes, toiletries, and clothing arranged in a horizontal line.

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!

A smiling female graduate in blue cap and gown poses behind a university foundation stone sign outdoors.

Session Day

Arrival

Please plan to arrive about 15 minutes early for 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.


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.

Purple graduation announcement card featuring a blonde woman in floral dress holding diploma, Texas Christian University, Class of 2023.

TCU Grad Announcement

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. 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 plenty of 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.

Ashley Kruse Photography – Session Prep Guide
Ashley Kruse Photography
Welcome to Your
Session Prep Guide
Before we jump into the guide, I'd love to get to know you a little better so I can personalize your senior session!
Ashley Kruse Photography
@ashleykrusephotography