Maverick ~ Downtown Wooster
Had such a fun October photo shoot with Maverick in downtown Wooster. And, by the way, isn't Maverick such a cool name? First time I met a Maverick! As you can see, we ended up with some very cool pictures as well thanks to our downtown's unique backdrops and Maverick's style and ease in front of the camera. I loved that he dressed in a way that truly represented who he is. Loved the belt buckle, necklace, plaid shirt and boots. And loved that he brought sunglasses, a cap, and his welding helmet, too! Those things really added to the variety of looks I was able to capture! In fact, some of my favorite shots are those with his mirrored sunglasses:) And our session was late enough that I caught some twinkling alley lights in the background when he wore his cap and sunglasses, which added to the "coolness" factor. There is a self-assured confidence that came though in those shots. A Top Gun vibe! Which is very fitting for a senior named Maverick.
As you may guess from the helmet pics, Maverick is pursuing a career in welding after high school. Outside of school, he loves to spend time with his family and friends and enjoys camping and kayaking as well as playing video and board games. Another favorite of his is riding thrill rides at amusement parks like Cedar Point. Like most of my senior guys, I don't think having his picture taken is up there in his rankings of things he likes to do! But I was so impressed with his calm and easy going manner though all my camera clicks. He was game for anything I suggested and also had a few requests for poses that he came up with--like the last pic of him standing with his helmet on which turned out beautifully.
I wish Maverick all the best in his senior year. And I'm glad I was able to give him and his parents some "forever moments" of this all important year!
Alex ~ Oak Hill Park
Had a lovely evening at Oak Hill Park with Alex. We lucked out with perfect weather--not too hot or too cold and still lots of greens in the background for a late summer shoot. A touch of early fall golds and oranges showed up as well!
Alex did a wonderful job during his shoot. I think most of my senior guys would rather be doing something else rather than playing model for my camera--basically they are there for their moms. I'm pretty sure the same goes for Alex, but he was so pleasant and accommodating. I enjoyed strolling around the park with Alex while I snapped away and I think he did his mama proud! I especially loved the way the close-ups and light from the setting sun showed off his striking blue green eyes. His spiffy blue plaid shirt really brought out the color of his eyes, too!
In his spare time, Alex enjoys hunting, watching the Pittsburgh steelers, four wheeling, and traveling to new places. Come fall, Alex will be headed to welding school. I mentioned to Alex and his mom that my uncle is a welder--and has done especially well. He actually owns his own business and welds the copper piping for Heinz Ketchup. It is such a terrific field to enter! I'm sure Alex will have much success in his chosen career!
Thanks, Alex, for having me take your senior pics! I hope you and your mom have fun picking out favorite pics and that they will bring back many fond memories of your senior year. I wish you all the best as well with the next phase of your life, when you head off to learn the welding trade!
Kathrine ~ Downtown
November sessions can have challenges for sure. And this one was quite cold and windy. In fact, it was the coldest senior photoshoot I have ever been on! I was fine, since I wore my puffy, down coat and had hand warmers in my pockets, but who wants to bundle up for senior pics? Not Kathrine! No puffy winter coat pics for her--especially since she brought such cute outfits!
Katherine was simply amazing and such a trouper, even though I imagine she was freezing! We did start off the session outside of the elements with a few industrial warehouse "elevator" shots from one of the buildings downtown--which was an idea that came from her dad, who had access to the building. Great idea, dad--those shots turned out great! But then after those few minutes spent inside, it was almost an hour and a half braving temps in the 30's. Kathrine handled the chilly, wind blown weather just beautifully. Honestly, she looks perfectly comfortable, warm, and engaging--not to mention stunning! Not sure how she pulled it off (I would have been shivering and clattering my teeth without my winter wear), but she certainly did pull it off like a pro and these pictures are proof positive. The end result is absolutely gorgeous and worth every second we spent outside wandering the downtown area. We even caught a few twinkly lights and some pretty holiday vibes with this late senior season shoot, which was a nice bonus for braving the temperamental November weather!
l love the outfits Kathrine pulled together. A nice variety of colors and looks. The unique gold dangly earrings, necklace, and white boots were perfection and photographed so well. I had fun planning out which outfits to wear for certain spots. Just adore the brown checkered skirt and cream sweater with Art-Find Tile and the stonework of the courthouse, the striped shirt and jeans in front of the beauty shop and the alley and streetscapes, the pink plaid on the plaza, and the blue sweater with the warm, glow-y window storefront and the rich brown wood backdrop!
Kathrine is active in band, choir, and drama club at school. She is planning on majoring in Music and/or Elementary Education. Hope she has a ton of fun her senior year and I wish her the best in college life next year!
Thanks, Kathrine, for asking me to be your senior photographer! It was a pleasure spending the afternoon clicking away with you in my viewfinder! I couldn't be happier with the way the session turned out and I hope these cold weather pics warm your heart in the years to come!
Delmar ~ Downtown
When Delmar's mom contacted me, I was almost fully booked for October and had only one weekend spot left. I have to say, I'm sooooo happy that Delmar was able to take that spot! Just had such a terrific time with him as my subject. Doesn't he give off "Rock Star" vibes? Something about the hair, sneakers, and sweater with a dark jacket combo all worked together to create the neatest mood for the camera. Though Delmar does not play the electric guitar in a rock band, it seems he has a bit of charming, young Mick Jagger/Tom Petty charisma that the camera couldn't help but capture!
Delmar had chosen a downtown Wooster setting and I think it went perfectly with his rock star looks and with what he wore. I was a very happy photographer snapping away! I love that I can use some of the same city backdrops for my seniors, but depending upon who I have in front of my camera, it gives off a totally different feeling and look. With Delmar the photos turned out Cool with a capital C!
Usually, I get my clients from word of mouth by seniors or their moms-- or in some cases online searches for area photographers. In this case, I need to thank my husband. He knows Delmar's mom and happened to mention to her that I take senior portraits! So glad he made the mention as I love the way the session turned out. A photographer always gets an immense sense of satisfaction in showing off great pics, and Delmar's certainly fits that bill! He was wonderful to photograph and I'm super happy to be able to share these awesome images on my blog:)
Delmar is a cross country runner at school, loves to to go biking, and enjoys video games. He is hoping to attend Akron University in the fall. I wish him all the best in his last year of high school and a great transition to college life after graduation. And I hope these pictures will be treasured by him and his family in the years to come. A forever reminder of a Cool young man with a capital C!
Thanks so much, Delmar, for including me and my camera in your senior year! As clients go, you are definitely a rock star!
Lanie ~ Downtown and Arboretum
It is beautiful, beautiful Lanie's turn in the senior spotlight! I was super excited when her mom contacted me to do her senior session. Partly because her older sister was one of my first clients and I loved her photos so much. It really gave me the confidence I could do this! But also, with the honor of being Ballet Wooster's show photographer for the past 6 years, I have captured many gorgeous images of Lanie on stage as a ballerina. So I already knew this girl was photogenic and would be a stunner in her senior pics. And, boy, was I right!
Lanie chose a double session, which meant we could easily work in a shoot at two different locations. First up was an urban flair with downtown Wooster. The purple jumper and orange high-waisted, pleated pants looked so adorable on her! Flattering colors that pop! We had a Saturday shoot and I was a little worried downtown would be busy (usually I like to do downtown shoots on Sunday when businesses are closed), but thankfully it really wasn't a problem at all! Did some favorite poses, but also tried some new things, like having her sit on the edge of a row of meter readers. Doesn't sound like a great backdrop, but turned out super cool! I also came across an amazing tall green potted plant with huge elephant ear sized leaves. The big splashes of deep green looked terrific with her orange pants--such a great color combo! I'm sorry to say with the colder weather, that plant is now gone, but I hope that it makes a return appearance again next year when it warms up again. I'd love to do some more pics with it as a backdrop! Anyway, I think I could have spent a whole hour photographing her with that plant, but time was ticking! We still had to go to her second location before sunset, so I tore myself away for a few classic downtown pics in front of Artfind Tile and then we hopped in our respective cars and headed to Secrest Arboretum.
Lanie brought some great outfits as well for the nature inspired part of the shoot. She did a mix of dressy and casual--a cute flower print dress and jeans with a sweater and t-shirt. I love the bright summer flowers at the arboretum, but fall is equally beautiful with its warm and rich tones! Gorgeous backdrop for a gorgeous girl for sure! I honestly can't say if I like Lanie's downtown or the arboretum images better! Just thrilled with how both turned out! With a double session, clients get many more photo files, and I don't envy her mom in trying to pick out favorites to print. It was next to impossible for me to try to pick some out to feature for this blog post! But how fun is it to have all those beautiful images as a forever keepsake?
Lanie keeps a very full calendar. She has danced ballet for 14 years, enjoys volunteering within her community, and takes challenging classes as part of the International Baccalaureate Program, where she has earned a spot on honor roll all four years. She is the communication coordinator for her school's Green Club (a club that promotes recycling and sustainability) and is a member of her school's NAACP chapter. She also enjoyed being on the tennis team for the first time as a senior!
Lanie, you are such a natural in front of the camera. Couldn't have asked for a lovelier subject. Is it possible for a camera to fall in love? Because I think mine did! So happy to have been your senior photographer and so proud to share these dazzling images! Hope you have the most wonderful year ahead as you finish high school and go off to a bright and shiny future at college!
