Sometimes It Takes More Than One Senior Session to Tell The Story | Senior Session Feature
Athletes+Sports
Teens+Tweens
Seniors
Let’s Capture Who You Are
As a photographer, capturing the essence of a high school senior is one of the most fulfilling parts of my job. Each senior comes with their own personality, dreams, and activities that make them who they are. But when it comes to documenting all of the things that make them unique, one photo session often isn’t enough.
Take Seth, for example.
For many seniors like Seth, high school years aren’t just about school and academics. They’re also about hobbies, sports, and family traditions that play a huge role in shaping who they are.
Whether it’s duck hunting, fishing, or baseball, those activities hold deep significance. It is my job to learn about what is important to my seniors so that I can creatively include those interests in their Senior Portraits. That requires a personalized approach—and sometimes it takes more than one photo session.
For Seth, it was three.
Side note: Look I get it. Senior guys often dread picture day, and they only agree to do it because Mom asked them to… the thought of one hour shooting sounds like torture… but giving up TWO or THREE days for it?! Heck no.
Let me show you why they change their mind everytime….
The Challenge of Capturing the Full Story
High school senior sessions can be very traditional, often focusing on formal portraits or the classic cap-and-gown shots. There is nothing wrong with that. Those are important, and we shoot those too.
But I realize that these young people are multi-faceted. I like to learn their personalities, their interests. As I get to know each senior more deeply, I learn how they don’t just fit inot a singular mold of “the student” or “the athlete.” They have hobbies, passions, and stories that deserve to be told through the lens of a camera.
They enjoy our shoots because I try to meet them where they are.
Faith, Fishing, Family
Our first shoot with Seth focused on faith, family, and fishing on the shores of Lake Gaston. (Thanks to the Whiteheads for so graciously opening their home to us!). This session allowed us to document the quiet, reflective moments that come both while casting a line into the water and with studying a devotional. It’s about patience and the serene joy that comes with waiting for that tug on the line from a fish, or the tug at your heart from the Lord.
Duck Hunting
Seth loves the outdoors, but more than fishing, duck hunting is the hobby that is central to his identity. We knew that we wanted more than just a few photos of him holding a shotgun. It was clear from talking to Seth that hunting for him is about connection— connection with nature and its Creator, and conneciton with his Dad, Jimmy.
A second photo session focused on duck hunting allowed me to capture them in their natural element—camouflaged, with a shotgun in hand, standing in a misty lake.
I was able to shoot from different spots, some to catch the light over the water, others to highlight the emotional connection between father and son… and the time let us capture these different moments and emotions, each one telling a part of their story that makes Seth who he is.
Even months later, Wendy (Seth’s mom) told me they were STILL talking about these portraits and that day. The images are beautiful… but I know it’s more than that for them, and we just would NOT have been able to capture this magic if we had tried to make it a 30 minute set.
The Value of Multiple Sessions
While we create beautiful, timeless portraits in a one-time session, I also love documenting details that only come through when we slow down and truly dive into a senior’s world. Sometimes, this means scheduling a second or third session to capture everything.
Next up for Seth? A Baseball Media Day next Spring.
As a photographer, my job is more than just taking pictures; it’s about telling a story. High school seniors are often at a point in their lives where they are figuring out who they are and what makes them tick. If I can capture even a small part of that through my photography, it feels like I’ve succeeded. Sometimes, this takes more than one session.
The beauty of having multiple shoots is that it allows us the time and space to explore all the things that matter most to a senior. Whether they’re duck hunting, fishing, or playing baseball, each of these activities helps to paint a bigger picture of their identity.
In the end, I want the photos to be a reflection of the senior’s life —a life full of passion, memories, and a little bit of adventure. And if that means shooting multiple sessions to get it right, then that’s exactly what I’ll do.
Lymarie
I’ve posted a few more images, but see more from Seth’s sessions in his slideshow:
Leave a comment
0
comments