In September 2024 I photographed my first-ever Oakwood High School senior pictures session. We photos at Smith Gardens in Oakwood Ohio. Once done there, we headed to Oakwood High School for 90 minutes. I had a great time with her and her parents. The photos were delivered the next day, and she was already posting them on Instagram.
Smith Gardens is open 24/7, but I know better than to get there late. We started our senior session at 8 am to beat any potential weddings, engagements, proposals, or other senior photo sessions. We were successful and didn’t see another person. The senior wanted to use the flower beds for nature-based photos, and I couldn’t be any happier with the results!
While Oakwood High School is beautiful and old, it is rather small. The back, or east side is the middle school. There is a covered colonnade that can be good for pictures if you have external lighting. On the south side is a driveway with trash bins and parking spots. The best place for photos here is the staircase. It was one of my favorite Oakwood High School photo locations. I recreated some classic senior picture poses here.
The front of the school facing Far Hills Avenue is the more iconic view of the school. The charm of the classic architecture makes it great for senior photos. We were talking about the school as if it were Hogwarts from Harry Potter or a classic high school from other movies. There are plenty of backdrops and places to pose the senior. I had her sit, stand, lean, and lay on things in front of the school. It was great, and the photos turned out great!
Also on the east side of the high school is the football stadium. The senior I had today wasn’t interested in sports, but I did photograph one shot of her in the stadium. I wanted to see how it would turn out. If you’ll be using the stadium, make sure it is an overcast day. When we were there, it was 10 am and fully sunny.