Grad Nite 2025

St. Joseph High School Senior Portrait Information

Senior pictures are a wonderful form of self-expression that is fun to make and even better to look back on for years to come. You will more than likely get a few poses taken, some to enlarge and frame and still others to hand out and share with friends and family. No doubt this is an exciting time to celebrate!

With that said, I would like to take a moment and go over a few important things that need to be accomplished in a timely manner.

First, please thoroughly review the SJHS Senior Portrait Guide below.  In it, you will find detailed instructions on everything you need to know to complete this special task. In addition, please share this guide with your photographer prior to beginning your photo session so you can guarantee your photographer will be able to best serve you. This small action could save you from having to do a reshoot i.e. saving you both time and money. I can’t tell you how important this step is. Each year, a few students attempt to completely disregard the school dress code policy and take completely inappropriate pictures. This year I will not publish any picture that does not conform to the school dress code policy as stated in the guide. To avoid issues, I suggest taking as many pictures in whatever outfits you want for your personal collection and then taking at least one really nice picture that meets the dress code policy as stated in the guide and also found in the Shield! Again, the school reserves the right to refuse any senior photo it deems unacceptable or does not meet the above criteria!

FYI: I have also included a list of Photographers for your consideration who have serviced SJHS Seniors in the past. This list is only a suggestion and you may use your own professional Photographer if you so choose. Conversely,  if your photographer is not on the list in the guide ask them if they would like to be and I will add them, just have them send to me their business contact information.

STUDENTS: This is your time to shine! Your time to be proactive in the entire process! Ownership of the pictures and their submissions rests upon your shoulders! Make sure you are checking in with me once your photographer takes your picture to make sure it was actually sent. The Yearbook Staff or I will not chase you down for your Senior Portrait! 

Second, photographers typically send the portraits directly to me at Portraits@sjhsknights.com. From there, the Yearbook Staff inserts them into the Yearbook using an online website that digitally formats each picture to the proper page. This is a time-consuming process so it is imperative that you meet the deadline for submission, Friday, December 1, 2023.

Third, should the portrait that is submitted to me not meet the specifications listed in the SJHS Senior Portrait Guide, we reserve the right to reject or edit it. If an appropriate picture is not submitted, your student will not be represented on the Senior Class pages.

SJHS Senior Portrait Guide

Welcome Seniors! We are headed into another exciting year as we began the Senior Portrait Process! Below you will find all the portrait requirements that are nonnegotiable.

SENIOR PORTRAITS MUST HAVES: Photographer Instructions:

• Be taken by a professional photographer.
• Schedule your photoshoot as early as possible.
• Vertical shots only. NO PETS ALLOWED IN THE SHOT!
• Digital Photo only. All pictures should be 300 dpi/ppi with a photo size no less than 750×1050.
• Photo must be submitted in JPEG format only. • Email Senior Portraits to Mr. Stark at: [email protected] Any questions please email Mr. Stark at: [email protected]

SENIOR PORTRAIT DRESS CODE: Student & Parent Instructions

• NO PETS ALLOWED IN THE SHOT! – JUST YOU! [Reserve that for your Senior Ads]
• No Shorts! Seniors may wear dark jeans (No rips, tears, or frays of any kind).
• No bare shoulders or cut-outs in sleeves.
• No t-shirts, no tank tops, or spaghetti straps.
• No hats of any kind.
• Boys – Nice collared shirt. (No earrings please.)
• Girls – Nice blouse or full-length dress (for full length shots). Nothing low-cut or formfitting please.
• Girls & Boys – No tattoos, inappropriate dyed hair, inappropriate haircuts/styles, or facial piercings.
• No tattoos, inappropriately dyed hair, inappropriate haircuts/styles, facial piercings
• Please refer to the The Shield located at SJHSKNIGHTS.COM /Parents & Students / Link to The Shield – (Topic 2-14) for additional information on dress code and acceptable / unacceptable attire.
•  Please exercise good judgement and common sense. This is the final picture of you within the SJHS Lance LVII – please represent the core values of our Catholic School as a noble Knight.

The school reserves the right to refuse any senior photo it deems unacceptable or does not meet the above criteria!

Since you can choose your own photographer, it is important that you follow the dress code. Remember some things your photographer thinks look appropriate may not be appropriate for the yearbook. Please give a copy of this document to them so they know what is expected.

DEADLINE: July 2023 – December 1, 2023 – Senior Portraits: Senior Portraits are due to Mr. Stark no later than Friday, December 1, 2023. This is the FINAL DATE! If a portrait is not received by this date, you will not have a picture the yearbook! BE ON TIME! Email portraits to [email protected].

St. Joseph High School Senior Portrait Information

LIST OF PHOTOGRAGHERS:

• Melissa White Photography – https://www.melissawhitephotography.com/
• LK Photoshoots – San Luis Obispo: http://lkphotoshoots.com/
• Tuman Photography – Arroyo Grande: http://www.tumanphotography.com/
• Amy Wellenkamp – Nipomo: https://www.amywellenkamp.com/
• Sammierox Photography – Santa Maria: http://www.sammieroxphotography.com/
• Reflections Photography – Santa Maria: http://www.reflectionsphotographystudio.com/
• Heather Hamer Photography – Santa Maria: https://www.heatherhamer.com/
• Christine Photography – Ballard: https://www.christinephotography.com/
• Michelle Ann Photography – Santa Maria: https://michelleannphoto.com/
• JLeigh Photography – San Luis Obispo: https://jleighphotography.org/about/
• Caili Wilk Photography – Pismo Beach: https://www.cailiwilkphotography.com/
• Kiesa Ann Photo – Santa Maria: [email protected]
• Remember When Storybook Photography – Arroyo Grande: www.robinbarnesphotography.com

St. Joseph High School Senior Ad Information

SENIOR ADS – FYI: Please find the Flyer for Josten’s Advertisements. In it, you will find instructions on how to submit the pictures and text you would like to have in the ad. Remember, you are submitting this directly to Josten’s Ad Group online, so the school is not part of that process. There is usually a discounted rate until mid-October after that prices climb by around $50. However, this again is up to Jostens as they control pricing and the submission process. 

CONCERNING THE CONTENT OF YOUR ADS:  Senior ads should reflect the student’s personality and document who they are at this exciting time in their life. Since it’s going to be immortalized in the yearbook, it also needs to look good so below I have included some helpful hints that will go a long way in making your Senior’s Ad an epic one!

What should you write to your senior in their ad?

Here are some wording samples that are specific to graduating seniors.

1. 1. 1. You did it! Hope you’re as proud of yourself as we are of you.
      2. Someday you’ll look back at these pages and think about the people and events that shaped your high school experience. …
      3. Goodbye, high school! … Hello College!
      4. You are brave, strong, and capable…
      5. Here’s to your future…
      6. I want you to remember that you are…
      7. Our wish for you is that…
      8. Some parents have written or taken a poem then adapted it for their seniors.
      9. Other parents started with a special verse in the bible.