One of the best ways to tell your story through your senior photos is by showing off your culture! Your ancestors paved a way for you to be here today. Since time immemorial, your ancestors fought for your community to exist within society by passing down songs, dances, languages, food, and knowledge to preserve your culture and hxstory.
If you believe it is important to honor the people you represent and where you come from, then here are some of my favorite ways to incorporate your culture into your senior session!
SCROLL DOWN TO READ MY TIPS ON HOW TO SHOW OFF YOUR CULTURE IN YOUR SENIOR PHOTOS
1. TRADITIONAL CLOTHING
Wearing your traditional clothing is one of the most beautiful and honorable ways to show off your identity and roots. It is important to remember our traditional clothing connects us to our culture and ancestors. Depending on your cultural background(s), you could be wearing an Armenian taraz (dress), handmade native ribbon skirt, Samoan puletasi, etc. No matter what you decide to wear as a traditional clothing piece, you will feel sense of pride while wearing a cultural outfit that represents who you are and where you come from during your senior photoshoot.
2. ACCESSORIES
Bring ALL the traditional jewelry and accessories from the homeland to your senior session! From handmade earrings, necklaces, belts, hair clips, scarves, watches, rings, and anything else that comes from your culture, we can definitely find a way to make sure the accessories compliments one (or ALL) of your outfits! (Also, if you have an accessory that is a family heirloom, this is the perfect opportunity to wear it!)
If you do not currently own any jewelry from your culture, that's okay! I recommend searching online to find someone from the homeland or support a local artist from your community and buy their jewelry to wear for your senior photos! I promise it will add so much sentimental value to your senior session. When you look back at the your senior photos a few years from now, you will be so grateful that you took the time and effort to incorporate traditional accessories into your session.
3. FLAG
Bringing a flag that represents your home country to a photoshoot is SO MUCH FUN! You can wrap yourself up in the flag, twirl around, and take other fun and creative photos!
4. GRADUATION STOLE
A creative way to wear a graduation stole is by incorporating your culture into the design. One of the most commons ways is wearing a stole that shows off the flag of your home nation. In other cultures, such as Pacific Islander cultures, wearing a lei around your neck or a flower crown is another beautiful way to show off your culture into a senior photoshoot! Another common stole to wear is a serape sash that people from the Latinx community wear for graduation. Finally, if you represent more than one country, you can also design your stole to show off all of the nations you represent.
Take a look below to see some of the ways MAP seniors have incorporated their own cultures into their senior photos!
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We only book a FEW senior photoshoots per month to make sure we offer the BEST experience for our seniors! Book your senior photoshoot experience TODAY!