Ned’s senior portrait session
Senior portrait sessions are more than just a photographic tradition; they’re a celebration of a significant milestone in a young person’s life. Ned’s mom, Colleen, reached out to me on a recommendation from a friend and I am so glad she did! She was so excited for Ned to have this experience - a true rite of passage for seniors in high school. We chatted on the phone a couple of times and I knew right away that I like this family!
Ned was easy going and totally agreeable throughout the entire senior photo session. We picked a location by the Deschutes and hiked back and forth along the river bank, chatting about sports, his goals for after high school, and how senior year was feeling so far. Ned was warm, open, and a real joy to work with. Spending time with these seniors is my favorite part of my job - I love getting to know them and the energy and excitement during this time in life is contagious. Senior photos are one of those things that we all look back on throughout the years; we show our kids, grandkids, partners, and friends how we’ve changed…and how we’ve stayed the same. Ned did great during his senior portrait session and seemed to “get” that these photos meant something. It was a cool way to really kick off his senior year.
During each senior photo session, I like to give my model something to do. Play with a piece of jewelry, touch a piece of grass, hold onto something like a branch or stick, etc. Client’s find that not knowing what to do with their hands is a big obstacle at first and giving those hands something to do is helpful in capturing natural and genuine expressions.
Ned’s mom was overjoyed with the photos - she felt she could really “see” her son, something that tends to become more difficult in those teen years. This is the greatest compliment I could receive as a photographer! My #1 goal during a senior portraits session, or any session for that matter, is to really let my subject see the real them reflected back in a photograph. I was thrilled that Ned and Colleen were so happy with the result of our fun session.
Senior portraits are one of my most favorite things to capture, and Ned’s session reminded me of that. Freezing those special moments in time, those rites of passage, is an important job and I take it seriously. Great photographs allow people to see themselves clearly - I can’t think of a better gift.
Here’s to celebrating the achievements and future of each senior, capturing their unique story, and cherishing these portraits as lasting memories of a remarkable time in their lives.
