Graduation Pictures in Santa Barbara

Senior Picture Ideas, Pricing & Process

Santa Barbara Senior Pictures

Recent Graduation Pictures

Memorable Graduation Photos–Solo or With Friends 

Congratulations Senior Class of 2024!  Are you looking for the best 2024 senior picture photographer to capture professional grad photos for a graduating high school senior or college student?  Or maybe you are looking for photos for a grad school application or medical residency? We help every grad at this threshold cherish this moment for a lifetime. We have the time and passion for the kind of senior pictures you expect and the candids you or your son or daughter will treasure forever.

 Keep us in mind for senior yearbook pictures for your 2024 graduate! We are one of the top Santa Barbara graduation photographers for senior yearbook pictures and graduation portraits for high school and college graduates as well as providing professional photos to advanced degree seekers and medical students needing fellowships, residencies, etc. 

How Much Do Santa Barbara Senior Pictures Cost?

Senior/graduation photographers in Santa Barbara run a wide range from free for staff college photographers, friends, and even junior photographers on Craigslist to four figures for boutique higher-end family and portrait photographers in Montecito and Santa Barbara.  Its once  or maybe twice in a lifetime if you go on to get your Masters degree, but ifyou want to guarantee you actually receive usable digital files in a reasonable length of time with a fairly high level of polish and/or you want help with ordering printed products or grad books, look books or coffee table books, you will want to hire a professional senior picture photographer. Current industry rates as of late 2023 for Montecito and Santa Barbara senior pictures are between $350 and $850, with some photographers requiring additional fees per image download or requiring print orders. 
 

Education is costly so I don’t want having photos that celebrate your educational achievements to be overly cost prohibitive.  I have kept my prices static for several years and still charge $475 for my 45 minute mini senior picture session with three retouched files and a gallery of high res selects. $675 for up to an hour and a half and five high res selects which allows us to go to multiple locations and change into multiple senior picture outfits.  The Full Session also includes more selects in the gallery and time to include friends and family in the session as well. Click the link below to see more details and schedule your customized senior picture session

With us, you’ll get a competitive rate and a quality assortment of 150-250 images with our mini and full session packages.

  • Mini Session ($475): This includes a 45-minute session with high-resolution options and three retouched files.
  • Full Session ($675): This is a 1.5-hour session with multiple locations, outfits, and five high-resolution selects. You can also include more selects in the gallery and time for friends and family to join the photo session.
Congratulations Santa Barbara Graduating Class of 2024 on this huge achievement and I look forward to celebrating it wherever you look and feel best! 
Doug Ellis + The Team. 

 

Guys Senior Picture Group Portrait
UCSB Guys Senior Picture in Front of Library
Group Guys Senior Picture UCSB
Group of guys with graduation sashes UCSB
Graduating Seniors Group Portrait at Hope Ranch
Group portrait of Laguna Blanca High School graduating Seniors for Stroll Hope Ranch Magazine. Class of 2023
Cracking open the bubbly at UCSB Lagoon
Cracking open the bubbly at UCSB Lagoon.
Graduation Family Portrait at UCSB Library
It takes a village!
Click Here
Natural Senior Picture in Nature
Natural senior picture in Santa Barbara.
Senior Pictures in Nature
Senior pictures in natural settings like parks.
Senior Picture Downtown Santa Barbara
Senior picture in downton Santa Barbara
Henley Gate Classic with Graduation Sash
Henley Gate at UCSB..always a popular spot.
Group Senior Picture Idea--the Reservoir Dogs Walk
Walking in (sort of) chevron formation up the road from Hope Ranch Beach.
Tech Graduation Portrait Feels at Science & Tech Building
Tech centric graduation portrait feels at Science & Technology building
Senior picture in Nature
Graduating high school senior picture at Foothill Preserve.
Masters Program Grad Photo
Masters Grad Photo doing a twirl outside the Chemistry building
Aglow and Radiant After the Graduation
Striding with purpose and conviction and pure joy after college graduation.
Cap & Gown at Henley Gate
Cap & Gown at Henley Gate
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Fashion forward girls senior picture in Montecito
Fashion forward girls senior picture in Montecito.
Boys Senior Picture Idea
One possible senior picture idea for boys..the classic white t-shirt and jeans!
Happy Smiling Grad Class of2022
Class of 2022 at Henley Gate
High School Senior Picture with Argyle Sweater
Senior picture outfit idea #35..the argyle sweater!
Group Senior Picture at Henley Gate
Group senior picture of one girl and four guys at UCSB Henley Gate.
Happy Grad Photo Outside UCSB Library
Happy grad photo outside UCSB Library
Tossing the Cap at Coit Tower
Tossing the cap at UCSB Coit Tower
Senior beach picture in Santa Barbara
Senior beach picture in Santa Barbara.
Senior Picture on UCSB Campus
Henley Gate is so cliche..take it into the campus and experiment. Victory is hers!
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Boys High school Senior Portraits on Location
Boys senior picture ideas for Montecito--make the most of the Italian cypress trees.
Boys Senior Picture at UCSB Lagoon
Another good location for senior pictures..the UCSB lagoon.
Senior Pictures at the Beach
Senior pictures at the beach with surfboard in Santa Barbara
Senior Picture Headshot on the Beach
Senior pictures at the beach carrying a surfboard in Santa Barbara.
Thacher School Senior PIcture Riding Horse
Thacher School Senior Picture riding a horse
High School Senior Ballerina Picture at Alice Keck Park
High School Senior Ballerina Picture at Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens
Male Senior Picture Idea--Sash Only Hands in Pockets
Solo male senior portrait with classic ivy hedge and hands in pockets.
Graduating Woman with Four Male Friends
Professional picture of UCSB graduate with four male friends.
UCSB Grad Photo with Sash
Classic white dress senior picture outfit with blue and gold sash of UCSB.
Creative UCSB Grad Photo
Having some fun reversing the direction of the sash for UCSB grad photo.
High School Senior Outfit Idea Trash the Dress
Trash the magenta dress, one other high school senior picture outfit idea.
Pink Moment in Magenta Dress
Santa Barbara beach sunset with magenta dress in Santa Barbara.
Boys Senior Picture Outfits and Ideas
Boys high school senior portraits at outdoor locations.
Close Up Boys High School Senior Portrait
Closeup portrait of boy for High School Senior Picture.
The Ole Sash Over the Shoulder Trick
Works every time..for Madi, or anyone patient enough to queue up at Henley Gate later in the day.
female-graduation-picture-2024
male-graduation-picture
ucsb-grad-pix

What Makes Me One of the Best Photographers for Graduation Pictures?

The difference is in the preparation and the care we take to create memories and printed artifacts you and your entire family will enjoy for life. We also don’t hold the digital files hostage or force you into expensive print packages or products. We take the time to get to know you and your hobbies, interests, and to suss out specific photo locations in Santa Barbara with a personal relevance to you. Then we help you with the hair, makeup and clothing as needed so you can make sure you have the right senior picture outfits to really celebrate and capture this graduation milestone in fine style.

 

Custom Graduation Photos for High School and College Seniors: A Personalized Experience for Timeless Results

I take the time to get to know you and your interests and favorite places to go, sometimes even including props. Together, we’ll choose the perfect senior picture poses, outfits, hairstyle and makeup, and locations that let you relive some of the best moments of your life.  Senior year is the best year of high school or college. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions and can be all of the feelings. You’d be surprised how much of that we can convey in just 45 minutes to an hour and a half. 

A Few Senior Picture Outfits and Poses

I have a great hair and makeup person and people on my team to help you not worry about extraneous details or distractions during your graduation portrait session. 
As your passionate photographer, I can capture memories for the following purposes:

  • Yearbook pictures: In some schools, students may choose their senior yearbook photo over the traditional cap and gown shot. I can photograph a professional photo just for your senior’s yearbook.
  • Graduation portraits: Every senior deserves a beautiful photo to remember their high school years. I’ll work with you to preserve those exciting and happiest moments through quality portraits.
  • Fun senior gallery: Your teenager will only be a senior once, so why not give them a fun photoshoot to celebrate their achievement? Senior pictures are a great way to preserve these memories. It will help your teenager look back on and cherish the best year of their life!

Competitively Priced Packages for Graduation Pictures

Senior pictures in Santa Barbara can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands depending on photographer experience and print collections. If you want to ensure you get usable digital files, a reasonable turnaround time, and help with ordering printed products or graduation books, hiring a professional senior picture photographer can be the best option.

As of 2023, senior picture packages around Santa Barbara range from $350 to $850, with some photographers charging per-image download fees or additional print purchases. With us, you’ll get a competitive rate with our mini and full session packages.

  • Mini Session ($475): This includes a 45-minute session with high-resolution options and three retouched files.
  • Full Session ($675): This is a 1.5-hour session with multiple locations, outfits, and five high-resolution selects. You can also include more selects in the gallery and time for friends and family to join the photo session.
 

Fun & Relaxed Where You Feel Best

At Doug Ellis Photography, I take pride in delivering exceptional senior portraits while creating a comfortable and fun experience throughout each photo session. My assistant and I strive to build relationships with our clients that continue long beyond after the photo shoot. From your first appointment to the day of your session, we work hard to keep your experience as personalized and professional as possible. Our sessions are relaxed, fun, and all about capturing unique, beautiful portraits that reflect your teenager’s personality.

A Seamless or Seamless Backdrop Senior Picture Process

You’ve come to the right place if you’re searching for “senior pictures near me” in Santa Barbara. With a collaborative approach, we can memorialize your child’s senior year with a customized set of portraits.
Here’s how our process works.

  • Consultation.  To get things started, we have a free discovery consultation to ensure we have a good vibe. We take the time to listen to your needs and vision. Then, we’ll collaborate on the best ways to go about your session.
  • The Session This time is all about your child’s personality! We provide the opportunity to explore different locations, let loose, and have fun while capturing their personality and spirit perfectly. Your teenager is free to choose their own senior picture poses and movements.
  • Downloading and Enjoying Your Photos--No Watermarks or Restrictions After the photoshoot, we’ll edit and compile the photos as agreed. Once ready, we’ll contact you and send the online gallery.

Any parent knows the power of photos. The emotion captured in a photo of your child at this moment in their life is even more special. We ensure that they’ll cherish their senior photos for a lifetime

As seen in

Natgeo+ People + spirituality & Health+success+travel+Leisure+YOGA Journal
"Doug Works From The Heart With Clear Awareness, Sensitivity And Creativity. And He Was Very Respectful Of And Tuned Into Me And My Needs."
Terry Tillman
“Doug Ellis Is Such An Extraordinary Photographer. Not Only Is His Work First-Rate, He Is So Great To Work With. Professional, Encouraging, And A Real Pro. He Gets My Highest Recommendation!"
J.DL, Actors Lab
“I Loved Working With Doug On My Recent Photo Shoot For A Picture On The Author's Page Of My Forthcoming Book. He's Super Professional And Talented, Really Knows What He's Doing. Everything About His Whole Operation Is Top Notch, Which Gave Me A Lot Of Confidence.”
Jill S, Author And Therapist
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