Brrrr! It was cold out when Eli had her session at the the arboretum! I have never done a session this late in the fall. The colorful leaves were gone and no flower blooms were left. Yet the stark and moody atmosphere was gorgeous in its own way--especially with the pops of color that Eli added with her red sweater, bright green jacket, and plaid skirt. Really loved the contrast and it made for some striking pictures. One of my favorite pics, though, is when she donned her late grandfather's black leather jacket. I thought it was so touching that she wore it--such a tender and meaningful gesture. And somehow the lighting at that moment was extra perfect with a beautiful glow surrounding Eli when I snapped that picture. 

I wore my heavy winter coat and ear muffs for the session and I'm amazed that Eli looked so comfortable--and absolutely adorable, too! I know she was actually freezing, but you honestly can't tell from the resulting photos! She even laughed and joked and improvised as I clicked away. I was lucky enough to catch some of those spontaneous moments. It is so much fun when the person on the other side of the camera lets their personality shine through! She even bought a pair of really cool sunglasses to play around with and, oh my goodness, how cute did those pics turn out? LOVE them so much!  

It's been a few years since I had seen and talked to Eli. Her older sister is friends with my daughter Hope and when Hope was in high school I remember Eli as the little sister who tagged along and looked up to my daughter. It was great to see her all grown up and doing well. She is active in Drama Club, acting regularly in the high school's plays and musicals. She is also a member of Speech and Debate with this being her second year competing in the humorous interpretation category. After spending time with Eli, I'd say that is a pretty good category for her. She is playful and fun and those characteristics just tend to bubble over and out! I'm happy she was secure enough to bring her good humor with her. She made what could have been a miserable shoot in the cold into a memorable adventure. And now she will always have these lovely photos forever to remember her senior year. After graduation Eli has plans to attend the Cleveland Institute of Art and major in animation and/or illustration. She is a creative soul, so I'm sure she will do well!

Thank you Eli for braving the cold! I'm so glad I was the photographer that captured these beautiful moments for you! 

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