Innovative Senior Portraits
Ron McKinney is not an ordinary photographer, and our clients are not ordinary seniors. As you browse through the portfolio below, you’ll note how unique each of the images are. Ron gets a sense of who his seniors are, and then creates images that are authentic to them.
Senior pictures should capture your personality, passions and activities. It should be a really fun experience that everyone involved cherishes. Ron's experience as a magazine and fashion photographer helps ensure that you will be comfortable, and you can be confident in his direction to ensure that you look natural and flattering, and more important, we create images that are true to who you are. You can choose to have your session on location at a park or forest preserve or any location important to you, or you can also get shots in our Crystal Lake studio against the reclaimed wood, our urban corner, or other backgrounds. Bring anything you’d like with you that should be part of your pictures, including your pets!
As you scroll through my images below, notice how each image is unique. I treat each session as unique to the senior I’m photographing. I only pose them if needed. Otherwise, we just start talking and it becomes more of a lifestyle session. I aim to create artistic images that are authentic to the person I’m photographing. I encourage them to bring their pets to their session, or whatever sport or music or whatever other interests they have, let’s capture that in a creative and unique way.
You can see the different locations we typically shoot at here: RMP Locations Blog.
We offer free consultations over the phone or at our Crystal Lake studio so we can plan your session out. While many of my seniors are from the Crystal Lake/Algonquin/Huntley area, some seniors come from all over Chicagoland, including the south suburbs, to do a senior portrait or dance sessions with us.
You can scroll down to see my sample pictures of both boys and girls’ senior portraits. You can visit my blog on boys’ senior portraits to get a sense of my shoots with boys.
You can choose between a 2-hour session Classic Portrait Session, our most popular session; a Mini-session up to 30 minutes, for those on a tighter budget, or boys just pleasing their Moms with getting their pictures taken; or an Epic Senior Portrait Session, for those who want more time and locations with all the frills. We can schedule studio sessions inside, or outdoor sessions on location at forest preserves or at your town or school. Those who do our most popular session, the Classic Session, can expect to spend between $750 and $1500 or more, on the package for JPGs and/or prints.
If your senior is into music, we can always include shots of them with their instrument either on location or at the studio. Be sure to check out our blog with musicians. We love coming up with creative ideas to show off their musical talents.
If your senior is into sports, check out our sports portraits blog. And let’s come up with a fun dramatic shot of them as an athlete. You’ll see plenty of examples down below.
PRICING and products
Many families choose to purchase prints for sharing with extended family and for displaying at home, while our albums are also very popular. Our 12x12-inch custom-designed books feature premier papers and rich color inks, and costs just $1595. Choose hinged or lay-flat designs and take advantage of border-to-border printing. You can also add social media JPGs or full resolution JPGs as part of your package.
Our normal JPG price is $120 for full resolution edited JPGs, and $90 for edited social media JPGs (printable to 5x7 inches, so perfect for grad announcement cards or prints for relatives). When you purchase 5 or more JPGs, there is a 10% discount. Most Classic Senior Portrait Sessions clients purchase 10 or more JPGs, and that comes with a 20% discount so the prices are $72 for social media JPGs and $96 each for full resolution JPGs.
JPG PACKAGES
Our JPG packages for these senior portrait sessions (does not include session fee) start at:
Mini JPG Package for $432 (four social media JPGs, and one full resolution JPG) with a 10% discount, or;
Golden JPG Package for $768 (8 social media JPGs and 2 full resolution JPGs) with a 20% discount for 10 or more JPGs.
Platinum JPG Package for $1536 (16 social media JPGs and 4 full resolution JPGs) with a 20% discount for 10 or more JPGs.
Platinum-Plus JPG Package for $1920 (20 full resolution JPGs) with a 20% discount for 10 or more JPGs.
Prints can be added to any JPG Package.
You can add on additional JPGs to the packages above with the discounted prices. We also offer print packages.
Descriptions of each program is in more detail down below. Below that, you can scroll through our senior portrait portfolio. Call us at 224-288-3076 with questions or to schedule your session. You can also email us at info@ronmckinneyphoto.com.
Classic portrait session:
This is our most popular session.
This fun and modern session provides you with up to two hours of time taking photographs at your choice of two locations (in-studio, at parks, forest preserves, etc). Wear two to four different outfits and take the opportunity to include your favorite sport or activity, or even the family dog. The session is fun and produces some amazing artistic and modern pictures. You can even include sibling pictures, or family pictures.
Your investment:
A 2-hour session on location in the northwest suburbs is $150 for the session fee, and a minimum $500 print/JPG order. Single JPGs are $90 for social media JPGs printable to 5x7 inches or $120 for full resolution JPGs. For a session in downtown Chicago, the 2-hour session fee is $300 and there is a minimum $600 print/JPG order.
Epic portrait session
This session is perfect for the senior who wants a truly outstanding senior portrait experience. We recommend that you book with hair and makeup artists, who will work with you to create the best look for you. Your look can be diva glamorous or down-to-earth natural.
After your styling session, you'll begin a three-hour portrait session at specially selected locations, including a session at our studio. We can also break the shoot up into two days. We will assist you in choosing the best looks for your portraits and coordinating your clothing with the locations. Your session will include Ron with an assistant, allowing for premiere lighting and magazine-worthy images.
Your investment: $650 creative fee plus a minimum print order of $1250.
Mini SessionS
The mini session is great for seniors looking for some great images in a quick session. Our mini sessions are up to 30 minutes. Seniors can have one or two outfits, and their photos are taken in our studio or at a nearby outdoor location within a 20-minutes drive from our studio. We offer a 3 JPG package (2 social media JPGs, one full resolution JPG) for $395 total.
The Indoor Mini Studio Portrait Session is for those who just want one picture, or just a few. The session is just 15-20 minutes, and you can even change outfits for this one. We have a package for $275 and it includes one full-resolution JPG. Or you can do the standard 3-JPG package mini session Package (2 social media JPGs and one full resolution JPG) for $395.
Senior Ambassador Program
Our Senior Ambassador program seeks students from Chicago-area high schools to participate in multiple themed sessions and represent the artistic style of our studio. The program is a fun and transformative experience for students looking for amazing senior portraits! We offer a select number of upcoming high school seniors the opportunity to participate in a one-of-a-kind year-long senior portrait program. Spots are limited and interested students in the graduating classes through 2027 should contact us to get on the list.
If interested in our Ambassador program, ideally you should inquire when your student is a freshman. Prices are adjusted each year, so you can ask us what the pricing is. Email us at info@ronmckinneyphoto.com.
These sessions feature great locations, a shoot in downtown Chicago, optional additional shoots, graduation cap and gown shoots, and discounts on my specialty shoots such as color powder or the rain machine. Ambassadors have great images to share online and lots of options for their print packages!
Seniors have an individual 2-hour photo sessions in the Chicago area. These are a great chance for seniors to share their personal passions. Often, ambassadors will bring along a musical instrument they play or wear the uniform from the sports they play.
Ambassadors also participate in an on-location downtown Chicago session that showcases the city with scenes from the Chicago Riverwalk, Grant Park and Buckingham Fountain.
Options for their other sessions include BFF photo sessions, college swag pics, fall color shoots, stylized concept photo shoot, and edgy, indoor photos with dance or other sports.
