“I never thought I’d have this much fun getting senior pictures!” There’s no greater compliment than to hear these words from our senior clients and their parents when a photo session is complete. Word of mouth has been good to us, and as we head into a new summer season we thought it would be a good idea to provide a comprehensive overview of what we strive to accomplish in our 2 – 2 1/2 hours with a senior. Our goal is to bring as much of the studio process into the outdoors (is this an oxymoronic expression? we’ll have to let Nick or Kiki look ‘into’ this…) and bring a dynamic and vibrant element to the photographic experience.
Our three biggest priorities on a photo shoot are:
- Making the session an experience: one that is fun, relaxing and captures the true personality of the senior. This is why we invest so much time up front asking about the special talents, hobbies and interests of each student.
- What will make this session unique and stand out from the rest? This is the student’s special day and it is our job to make this happen.
- How can we find a way to get stained, soiled or soaked by the natural elements of the shoot.
How do we accomplish this? By doing our homework, scouting new locations and trying to use mainstay staples in new ways — it helps when 1/2 the company is employed by Livonia Public Schools. So without further ado we present Hailey’s Photo Session…
Bridge Shot
The bridge shot is a popular prop at Mill Race Park, however we certainly like to use every aspect of the structure. Although there is a gooey tar (notice trace amounts on the back of Russ’s shirt) on the edges of the posts their angular design works well. We anxiously await the shot when a slip and fall sends someone into the river.
Vintage Feel
We wanted to combine the retro patterning of Hailey’s shirt with the vintage feel of the thick slats on the Victorian Style buildings that line Mill Race Park. We do very little post processing of our work in Light Room. We particularly like the black and white, and 60′s inspired toning of these two shots. There was a perfect breeze and it certainly complimented the layers of Hailey’s hair – the camera has made us guilty of knowing these ancillary pieces information.
The Little Black Dress
A staple of every wardrobe is the little black dress. Hailey’s dad loved the roughed up feel of the blacksmith door, but in order to add some dramatics to the shot we wanted to incorporate the use of the sidelights. They are great filling in the subtle lines, pleats and details of darker outfits and provide excellent highlighting around the contours of the body. Although the positioning of the lights wasn’t ideal, we were still satisfied in the end.
Spring in Michigan
Beautiful cloud coverage and lush greens indicative of spring in Michigan made this open space ideal for creating a casual and care-free feeling often associated with relaxing in a park. The paisley patterns of the sun dress were an ideal compliment for the mood of this pose.
Buddy Shots
Hailey brought her two favorite “buddies” on the shoot as well. In the first frame Hailey makes her best attempt at coercing her dad into getting the keys to her Cougar ahead of schedule. Dad responds appropriately. Laughter is truly the best medicine.
Into the Water
Finally, we wanted to wrap up shoot with a bit of a challenge and something to remember. At the start of the season we managed to get Hunter into the water, so we wanted to up the ante. Hailey was definitely up to the challenge. In fact, despite the wet sun dress, Hailey was certainly more coordinated about the current than we were. In fact we had a quick scare, briefly shorting out our Vagabond generator. However, when it was all said and done, we pulled off some memorable moments.
A special thank you to Haily (Hailey’s friend) Buddy (the dog) and Mr. Evans for your help, assistance and kind words during the shoot. We appreciate you letting us experiment creatively today…
Related posts:
- Alyson: Senior Portrait · Our “Summer of Seniors” continues with Alyson’s portrait session. After...
- Meghan: Cross Country Senior Session · Whew, we’re still playing catch-up with an amazing season of...
- Full Double Rainbow Senior Portrait · The non-stop rain of July forced us to reschedule a...
- The Game Day Look · When shooting football senior portraits we like our athletes to...
- Shannen Senior Session · Time flies and it is hard to believe the last...
Dang! River action shoot! You guys are truly dedicated creatives.
the three of me in the water, throwing and ect isnt in my proofs!? i want to order those ones lol
Loading them as I write. It must have been an error because I did load them previously. Sorry about the confusion.
I really enjoyed the setting, the laughs and the pictures. Thank you for making it an enjoyable day. I will definitely recommend you guys to anybody and everybody.You guys made it a fun day, which I thought would be stressful between Hailey and I. It turned out to be a Great day. Thank You