Shane Michael StudiosContact

St. Louis senior & family photographer

This isn’t
picture day.

Senior portraits shouldn’t be the same three poses everybody else gets. Family sessions don’t require every kid to sit still, look at the camera, and cooperate for an hour.

I’ll help with locations, lighting, posing, and the parts that usually make people overthink photos. Then we work with whoever shows up that day, including the teenager who didn’t want pictures and the kid who decided five minutes in that we’re done.

The goal is good photographs without making the whole thing miserable.

Senior in a Metallica shirt sitting cross-legged against a red shipping container marked 2026
Senior portrait against a colorful wall

Senior portraits

Not the same
three poses.

Senior sessions should look like the person standing in front of me, not a template I use on everybody.

We’ll choose locations, lighting, and a direction that fits them, then build the session from there.

Explore seniors
Three kids peeking through a wooden fence

Family portraits

Everybody
doesn’t have
to behave.

Kids get distracted. Somebody complains about what they’re wearing. Dad usually wants to know how long this is going to take.

That’s fine. I’ll keep things moving, get the photographs we need, and work with the family that actually showed up.

Explore families

My approach

I’ll direct it
without making
it weird.

I’m not going to stand twenty feet away telling you to “just be natural,” and I’m not going to micromanage every finger either.

I’ll pick the location, work the light, and give you direction when you need it. Seniors get room to move, change things up, and bring some personality into the session. Families get enough structure to keep everyone together without turning the whole thing into a hostage situation.

Good portraits need direction. They just don’t need to feel overproduced.

Two brothers sitting in a pile of leaves as they get tossed around them
Senior portrait in a graphic T-shirt

Session details & investment

A session built
around you.

Every session is planned around your goals, location, and the style of photographs you're looking for. We'll go over the details, answer any questions, and create a plan that works for you.

Senior sessions
starting at

$750

  • •Planning and location guidance
  • •Multiple looks and locations
  • •Professionally edited images

Family sessions
starting at

$650

  • •Up to one hour
  • •Immediate family up to six people
  • •Professionally edited images

Common questions

Portrait session
FAQ

Answers to the most common questions about senior and family sessions.

Portrait session in a city setting

Let's plan
your session.

Ready to book or have questions? Tell me a little about what you're looking for and I'll get back to you with availability and next steps.