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As we turn a new chapter over and start prepping for the Class of 2023, I thought I would introduce myself to you! I am April, owner of April Kroenke Photography!

Here’s a few things about me & how I run AKP:

1. We believe in providing bold, bright, and happy pics that focus on the TRUE AUTHENTIC YOU. We’re not interested in creating someone you’re not… we want your senior pics to showcase your personality, style, and vibes while providing you with an incredible experience that you won’t find anywhere else. 

2. Two truths and a lie a – I made 3 of my 4 Prom dresses in high school, I have lived in Europe, and I went to Lincoln Elementary School.

3. Something ridiculous about myself – I am not afraid to act like a foul to make my clients laugh. It always lighten the mood and makes them laugh because they can not believe an adult is willing to do that so they will be more comfortable during their senior session.

4. Why I became a photographer – I have always enjoyed telling stories through photographs since I was a young girl in 4-H. Over the years it just progressed in high school journalism, then in college. Once I had kids, I recorded everything in pictures, just ask them,,,they HATED to have their pictures taken for the longest time. Over time I started noticing trends in our society basically telling our teens in a subtle way that they are NOT ENOUGH. I wanted to combat that and to show them that they ARE ENOUGH and who is it for SOCIETY to that they are not enough. Our teens go through so much and see so much more than we ever did at their age, that I feel that it is my calling to help be a light and a positive voice for them no matter what little bit of interaction we might have in the big scheme of their life. 

5. During my own senior session, I wanted something that was unique to me. That showed my personality, style, cheerleading (which I was passionate about) in a different) My photographer had unique ideas and locations that my other class members did not have. That is why I think it is important when you photograph many students from the same school you need to treat each of them as individuals and come up with things that are you unique to them to tell their unique story. 

Ready to book your senior session with AKP? Let’s get your Class of 2023 session booked! We’re currently only have a few spots left for July and August along with booking for this fall, and sessions are selling out like crazy! Get in touch with us through our website at AprilKroenke.com and we’ll get your booking process started today!

I get a lot of seniors who come to me nervous about their session day. Not about the pictures but more of the preparation for the day. They ask me, “What if I forget something?!” The following list should help ease your mind while you prepare for your big day!

1. Put each full outfit on ONE hanger. This helps you see your clothes as whole collections instead of just pieces. This will help you see if you’re missing anything on each outfit.
2. Start a senior session Pinterest board and include makeup and hair inspiration ideas. When you book with April Kroenke Photography, you get multiple looks, which will help remind you of the different varieties you like.
3. Pair your accessories with each outfit. This is one of the most forgotten items for session day. Include a Ziploc bag or accessory pouch for EACH outfit, so you know what jewelry goes with each outfit.

BONUS: The last thing you’ll want to do is pack an EMERGENCY KIT! Did you know we have a FREE GUIDE to help you know what to pack in case of a session day emergency?!? We do! Click on our link in your bio & grab that guide to help you remain fully prepared and calm on your senior session day!

Here’s a step-by-step guide to finding a photog that fits your style:

#1 Website: don’t just stop at the home page! Dive into their about page, session experience page, frequently asked questions, etc. These web pages should give you a ton of details on the session experience they provide.

#2 Portfolio: browse their images on their portfolio page. Notice their use of lighting, colors, shadows, posing, etc. to really get an idea of what your own session images would look like if you hired them.

#3 Style: are their image bright and colorful? Or are they dramatic and moody?

You should be able to see a clear style in a photographer’s images and feel that their images would represent you the way you want them to.

After you check out what we have to offer at AprilKroenke.com, and if you are interested in the kind of images, the editing process, and the experience we provide contact us at AprilKroenke.com/Contact and we’ll send you our senior magazine that showcases all of those topics and more!

SUMMER is great for seniors with fall yearbook deadlines & busy extra-curricular
fall schedules like sports, practices, and meetings. It’s also the perfect season if you
love crop tops, shorts, and a more tropical look to your pictures.

FALL is the perfect season for seniors who want warmer tones in their images &
want to get their photos done before the 2nd-semester senior craziness begins. It’s
also a good option for seniors with early release as these sessions usually happen
earlier in the day due to daylight savings.

WINTER is a great option for seniors who want cool weather and lots of layers in
their senior pics. It’s also great for more holiday & winter-themed shoots as well as
snow shoots.

SPRING is the best option for seniors who want to wait until just before their
graduation to take pics. It’s also great for seniors who can’t miss school for their
sessions as these shoots tend to start later in the day due to longer daylight hours.

Class of 2023, now that you have been able to find out which season is best for
you, let’s get your session booked! Contact us at AprilKroenke.com/Contact to book the perfect senior
session season for you and we’ll get your booking process started!

Here are the differences between our three all-inclusive session
options:

Simplicity Collection:

Essential Collection: for the minimalist senior who wants makeup application
& hairstyling, a few outfit & location options, a quick session, and a
downloadable online gallery of session images

Luxe Collection: for the senior who wants not only makeup and hair,
but to stay looking fresh & updated throughout her session with
an on-location makeup artist, several outfit & location changes, a
downloadable gallery of images, and a stunning album

Elite Collection: for the ultimate senior experience, this session includes
everything in the luxe session plus the freedom to build your own
portrait product collection including canvases, storyboards, grad
cards, and more

Ready to book one of these session options for your Class of 2023
senior pictures session? Connect with us at our link in bio by clicking
the “contact” option and we’ll get your booking process started
today!

Trust me when I say you are NOT alone! We totally understand this fear and we have you covered! Every AKP client receives TONS of pre-session prep information to make sure they’re ready for their session!

Here’s a sneak peek into what our clients receive:
– what to wear guide full of outfit tips & tricks
– how to build a senior picture Pinterest board
– face prep guide for portrait perfect skin
– best nail colors for your session
– session day packing list
– and so much more!

So tell me… how would you feel, about booking a photographer who takes care of you and makes sure you’re prepped and ready for your portrait perfect session? Are YOU ready yet? Reach out to us at AprilKroenke.com/Contact to book your session and receive your session prep guides!

I get a lot of Iola and area seniors who come to me nervous about their session day. Not about the pictures, but more about the preparation for their senior picture day. They ask me, “What if I forget something?!” Well, the following list should help ease your mind while you get ready for your big day!

4 ways to prep for a smooth senior session day:

1. Put each full outfit on ONE hanger. This helps you see your clothes put together as whole collections instead of just pieces. This will help you see if you’re missing anything on each outfit. Don’t forget to include shoes for each outfit as well!

2. Start a senior session Pinterest board and include ideas for makeup and hair inspiration. When you book with AKP, you can have multiple looks, so this will help remind you of the different varieties you like. Having these images to show our makeup artist will help her apply the vision you want.

3. Pair your accessories with each outfit. This is one of the most forgotten items for session day. Include a Ziplock bag of the accessory pouches for EACH outfit so you know what jewelry goes with each different outfit.

4. The last thing you’ll want to do is pack an EMERGENCY KIT!  Did you know that we actually have a FREE GUIDE to help you know what to pack just in case you have a session day emergency?!? We do! Click HERE to grab that guide to help you remain fully prepared and calm on your senior session day! 

And don’t forget that when you hire April Kroenke Photography, you will receive a welcome packet full of tips and tricks for getting ready for your big shoot! We include everything from a face and nail prep guide, a what to wear magazine, and even a final packing checklist before you leave for your session! Ready to book today? Connect with us with our contact form and we’ll get your booking process started!

I would say that one of the biggest concerns seniors have when it comes to their graduation pictures is what to wear. You want to look trendy, but classic and fashion forward without being futuristic, am I right? 

There are a few things you can do when putting your outfits together that can give you a more dynamic set of images that will add variety and interest to your session wardrobe set! 

Want to know how to curate your senior portrait perfect wardrobe?!? We’ve got you covered! 

Let’s discuss all the ways to make sure your outfit choices are perfectly planned for your senior session day! 

A. VARIETY is everything! Make sure that your outfits aren’t all dresses, jeans, or shorts. Try to incorporate a variety of not only pieces, but style as well (like urban, organic, casual, and sophisticated). 

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B. COLORS matter! Do you know what colors look best on your skin tone?!? This can make or break the glow & color your skin gives off in your portraits.

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C. Stay TRUE TO YOU! While it may be fun to wear bold patterns and colors because your friend did it and it looked great in her pics, if you normally wouldn’t wear those threads, it’s best not to. Stay true to what you would normally wear to best represent yourself. 

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D. Stay classic with a TWIST OF TREND! While oversized sweatshirts & bike shorts are all the rage right now, err on the side of classic sophistication for your session day. You never want to look back on your senior pics in 5 years and say, “What the heck was I thinking?!?” 

E. Download our FREE Skin Tones Guide to help you find out what your perfect colors are so you can look your best for your senior session!  This guide will help you find out if you have neutral, warm, or cool undertones so you’ll know what colors look best on you! 

“Woah April… isn’t it a little early to book my senior pics?” HECK NO! And let me tell you why (hint…there’s perks to booking early)!

We usually book out about 3-6 months in advance. Yes… THAT EARLY! WHY?!? Because we like to prepare for your senior session in advance so that it isn’t a hurried thrown together mess the day of your session. So that means if you want a Spring session, the Fall before is the time to book! 

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Here’s a few reasons why booking early is the best choice:

#1. You actually get a BETTER CHOICE OF DATES when you book early! Think about it… the entire calendar of our available dates is at your disposal! Pick your fave season and then book a date! It’s yours!

#2.  Booking early means you get MORE PREP TIME for senior session perfection! You don’t want this to be a rushed event in your life… take your time, prep for any last minute needs, and have the session of a lifetime!

#3.  Booking your date early in your senior year means that if any RESCHEDULES need to happen due to rain, or pandemic closures, etc, there will still be plenty of dates to choose from for your senior session. No need to panic!

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We also want YOU to have as much input as possible so that your senior session is incredibly customized to your personality, inspiration, and vision. Let us walk you through what that entails:

#4. We also hold your fashion consult 2-4 weeks before your session so that you have time to pick up any last minute pieces needed to complete your perfect looks! 

#5. We also want to give you plenty of time to schedule your hair and nail appointments for that pre-session day mani/pedi and highlight application or root touch up! 

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And guess what? We also want YOU to have as much input as possible so that your senior session is incredibly customized to your personality, inspiration, and vision. Let us walk you through what that entails:

#6. Pinterest Planning: we want YOUR input when it comes to your session and that means you get to start a Pinterest board full of ideas for your senior pics! Pin colors, poses, location, hair, makeup and outfit ideas to help us shape your senior session to the way you want it!

#7. Fashion Consult: this happens 4-6 weeks from your session and you’ll leave knowing exactly what you’re wearing at every single location and what accessories you’ll be pairing your outfit with too!

#8. Hair & Makeup Planning: you’ll also know what your makeup and hair will look like long before your session day! This will help take off session day stress so it will be easy breezy!

THAT is why booking with AKP EARLY is so very important! A lot goes into creating a custom senior portrait session and we love to plan it out well in advance. So why not connect with us TODAY to get started on your custom senior portrait session with AKP!?!

Fall is only 20 days away are WE ARE HERE FOR IT! And to be honest?
It’s already fall in our house! That’s right… busted out the pumpkins and
leaves early this year! So why not start gearing up for fall outfits?!?
Here are three things to keep In mind when starting to dress for the upcoming
fall season!

1. COLORS: warmer tones like rust, burnt orange, mustard, camel, and
   acorn are great colors to wear when you’re seeing the leaves turn. Pair them
   with darker colored jeans and closed toes booties to polish this look off.
2. TEXTURES: this is when cozy textures like cashmere, flannel, faux fur,
   knit cable and suede will make their debut! Balance them out with classic
   textures like denim to make sure you don’t over-do it.
3. LAYERS: now IS the time to throw on that cardigan or shacket to create
   a beautifully layered look! And don’t forget that you can still get plenty of
   use out of your fave summer skirt or romper by throwing on some tights and
   boots to make it perfect for fall!
   Want more fashion tips especially when it comes to your senior pictures?!?
   Hit our link in bio for an entire FREE GUIDE on what NOT to wear for
   your senior session!