Senior Photos Don't Need To Be Cheesy

Senior photos. I remember the days when everyone passed around their wallet-sized prints and wrote a note on the back for each of their classmates.

I also remember at least half of the images were taken by a "quantity over quality" type studio, where they put the Senior in the same sitting position that they have for the last 340/340 Seniors. Each portrait is the same type of shot, the same tilt of the head, and about 20 variations of the same pose.

Now stop. If you're a photographer reading this, you're already frustrated, and if you're a Senior or the parent of a Senior, please pause and answer this question... Why in the world would you like to remember your/your child's last year of high school- this huge milestone of your/their lives- by these cheesy portraits that look like everyone else?

As an artist, I get bored of the same old work, whether I am the one creating the work or watching others create the same old work, I just get plain tired. And so I'm tired of Senior Portraits for what the majority of people find them to be, just another checkmark on their list before graduation; I'm tired of the redundancy and the traditional posing, lighting, the godforsaken same backgrounds that just are not natural in any world (please search "cheesy photo backdrops" for plenty of examples), and for the lack of better words- I'm tired of the lameness and the artificial, insincere personalities that Seniors are offered in these "quantity over quality" studios. Senior portraits are about YOU, the Senior, and should be personalized to your style and your interests.

Senior photos don't need to be cheesy. Senior photos should be a memorable experience and a fun way to show and record for your children, your children's children, and even for you to remember who you are here and now.

And for the record, I believe in the "QUALITY over quantity" argument of photography.

Behind the scenes

Live by faith & share through fotos.

Yosemite

We all have personal goals, whether it be people we want to meet, places we want to see, or something we want to learn. Sometimes these goals are out of the question for the time being, but we always secretly hope to make them happen. 

Going to see Yosemite has been one of my goals for years. I don't know what interested me so much about it, other than photographs I had seen in textbooks throughout my school years and always wanted to see it from my own perspective. As a nanny in Los Angeles, I've had incredible opportunities to travel around California and other places that I never thought would be possible for me. If you have a dream you want to make a reality, then you have to be aware of possible opportunities and make the best of them. Some goals we have for ourselves are small: maybe to run a mile, to perform at a big event, maybe it's a dream job. In order to do any of these things, we need to be dedicated and start with small steps, working our way up to the goal and maybe pushing farther than what our original goal was. We also need to remember to be open to God's plans and opportunities given to us (I like to think they're little winks from God).

I was able to stay in Yosemite for only a few hours, but I am happy I had this incredible chance to see such a beautiful place. The first view I saw of the valley, I have to admit that I teared up a little. There's something about this artwork completely made by the hands of God that gets me, and I am glad to have been able to have the chance to see one of his "pieces" first hand. I'm sharing some photos (some iPhone photos thrown in too) from the day at Yosemite spent with my cousin Becca, but I hope someday you'll be able to see these sights first hand.

Live by faith & share through fotos.

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas

Since I've started living in the Los Angeles area, I've had unexpected and long awaited traveling opportunities with some of my "life goal" destinations. Not only have I been given the chance to see places around Southern California, but another spot on my list to see was Las Vegas, Nevada.

It was an amazing opportunity to meet up with my friends Lynzie and Bronson in Las Vegas. They had been planning their trip out for months, and I only a week, but I wanted to meet up with them when we were just hours away (a lot closer than being across the country!). Lynzie and I have been friends since kindergarten and they both live near where I am from in Ohio. So, in order to meet up with them, we in a way did a 'photo for travel' trade and I got to see the city in the process. Nothing like traveling with your friends and taking great photos along the way! Here are some of my favorite shots at Caesar's Palace and on our walks around downtown. (More to come in the future of my adventures traveling in Vegas and other places!)

Live by faith & share through fotos.

The Lafferty Family

I can't think of a way to explain the capacity of genuine love Terry and Jenny Lafferty have for their children. It astounds me how sweet and patient they are with them all. And what beautiful kids they are inside and out! Thinking of all the laughs while photographing them interacting together just makes me smile. Scrolling through these photos, I can't help but hear those contagious giggles! It was such a beautiful day for photos too! It was a little bright at times with their pretty blue eyes, but I love all of these images showing so much joy and nostalgia of childhood.

(I missed taking photos of Patrick as he was away at school and working. Hopefully we will catch him next time around!)

Live by faith & share through fotos.