I was super excited when Brianna's mom contacted me to be her senior photographer. I have taken ballet show and publicity photos for a number of years, and she was one of the dancers I've had on the other side of the camera. She is an accomplished ballerina, having played the lead, Clara, in The Nutcracker this past winter. Trained dancers have an elegance and grace in the way they carry themselves, so I had a feeling this would be a beautiful shoot. But OH MY GOODNESS! It ended up spectacular! I was actually tempted to post every single picture I snapped in this post. Boy, did the camera ever adore Brianna!
We started the session at the arboretum. We had an unexpected cool spell for August and the temperature was comfortable and not humid, which was a plus, but the sun was very strong and harsh at first. So we went around chasing shady spots for a while. Even with the sun getting in the way, there were still plenty of great backdrops at the arboretum. As you can see from the pics, we definitely made it work! Her floaty print dress really complimented all the greens and flower blooms. And I was so happy that she brought her pointe shoes! Got some great shots of her on her toes! Towards the end of our time there, the sun softened enough I was able to catch a shot of her with the sun on her face and lots of dramatic pink blooms behind her. Just breathtaking!
Then we were off to downtown Wooster. Brianna's change into casual clothes (jeans and shorts) really added to the variety of shots we got. We captured a few with her pointe shoes again (love, love, love, the point shoe shots on the stairs) and then she switched into some pretty cool converse shoes. And, really, how dang adorable is the alley shot of her on the black metal chair with her knees drawn up and her converse on?!!! The lighting was so nice and perfect the last hour before sunset. Good thing it became dark, though, otherwise I'd still be there snapping away. I have a problem that once I start taking photos, it is hard to stop, especially when the lighting and subject are so gorgeous!
Brianna is finishing up most of her senior year at Akron University Wayne Campus, getting ahead start on those college credits. Though ballet keeps her busy, she has found time for other activities. She sings in her high school choir and last year appeared on stage with her school's drama club production. She's been a member of "Just Write" team, a writing competition, for several years as well. She's been a straight A student throughout her school years. Her college plans include attending Baldwin Wallace and majoring in psychology with the goal of being a child psychologist. It was an absolute pleasure photographing her. Not only was Brianna photogenic, but she was so good natured and pleasant throughout the shoot. I enjoyed meeting her wonderful parents, too--what a lovely, lovely family.
Brianna, you were a dream to work with! Thank you for including me in your senior year. Hope you love your senior pics and that they bring joy to you and your family for years to come!