The great thing is that regardless of the settings or occasions, what I love most about my job never changes: when my subjects see their images, they feel FAMOUS, BIGGER than LIFE… and doesn’t everyone deserve to feel that once in a while?
the Lens
Behind
the Lady
Introducing LPJ Photography Team 2019
I tend to adopt every senior I photograph as one of mine. I enjoy following what they do throughout their senior year, and try to keep an eye out for them after they graduate.
But the Class of 2020 is especially special, because in THIS class, my baby girl whom I have spent countless hours in the car with; the mini-me who has been so open with her life, her hopes, and her fears, graduates too.
The last of my chicks leaves our nest in 2020… and so Team 2020 will see her off with a BANG.
I don’t really look forward to my girl crossing that stage to get her diploma, signifying a monumental life change for our home, but OH AM I EXCITED to get to create a year FULL of activities with her and the AMAZING kids that make up Team 2020.
The Photo/Video Scavenger Hunt was so popular with Team 2019, that we brought it back for 2020. The girls had lunch together, then split up into teams to venture all over town “collecting” phone pictures and videos of them doing things like dancing with strangers, finding a teacher to take a selfie with, and getting their team into the smallest possible space:
The idea is that NO ONE is completely comfortable with a huge camera staring them down, but the more they can let go of inhibitions and TRUST me, the more authentic their portraits will be. Plus, this group is spending a whole year together… bonding time was a success!
Then the girls went to hair and makeup, and came back to me to shoot individual and small groups, until it was time to photograph Team 2020 together for the first time.
A HUGE thanks goes out to the hair and makeup team who glammed up the girls and helped me make them feel gorgeous: Sa’real Copeland; Kaley Love from Platinum Hair Boutique; Tiffany Ricks and Taylor Shell from The Reinnassanse. Thanks also to Leslie Acree and Initial Outfitters for the very popular chokers, and to Randy Wrenn from Wrenn Sports Graphics, Screen Printing, & Embroidery for use of his shop for our headshots and for the awesome shirts. They were a big hit with the girls… I’ve already seen them wearing them around town!
I think the moms and girls had a good time… I KNOW I did. I’m already counting down until we get to hang out again. Until then, meet Team 2020!
PS If you are a rising Senior and want in on the action, it’s not too late! Shoot me an email and let’s talk about how we can make your Senior Portrait experience one of the highlights of YOUR Senior Year!
Cailyn Jackson, Roanoke Rapids High School: I’ve already told you about her, so meet my baby girl. Cailyn, a 4-year Varsity Cheerleader and all-conference swimmer, has a strong moral compass and is not afraid to stand against the current if it means standing strong for what she believes. But don’t get me wrong, she’s sweet and hilarious, smart as a whip, and a lot of fun to be around. HMUA: Kaley Love
Natalie Williams, Roanoke Rapids High School: Natalie’s grandmother is from Vega Baja, so maybe the exposure to another culture has fueled her passion for traveling and experiencing new things. She told me Puerto Rico is her favorite among all of the places she has been, so you KNOW we bonded over that! Ambitious and dependable, this life-long dancer has set her sights on Harvard Law and criminal law. I have no doubt she’s bound for big things! HMUA: Sa’real Copeland
Sadler Lundy, Brunswick Academy: Our one team member coming from outside the Roanoke Valley, Sadler came in and bonded instantly with all of the other girls. They all finished the day talking about how much they liked hanging out with her. Beautiful and driven, Sadler is one of those people that is good at everything she does. Soccer, cooking, cheer, academics (you’re looking at BA’s HEAD Junior Marshall, y’all)… this future dermatologist does it ALL. Hair: Tiffany Ricks Make Up: Taylor Shell
Savannah Barnes, Halifax Academy: I didn’t know Savannah before she applied for Team 2020… and boy was I missing out! She is super sweet, and though she is a little quiet at first, once she warms up she opens up, and is so much fun to be around! This cheerleader is extremely driven academically, and my girl has set her goal to be a Tar Heel after graduation. What is there not to love about THAT? GO HEELS! HMUA: Kaley Love
Elizabeth Garner, Halifax Academy: Elizabeth describes herself as “preppy-chic,’ I see her as the epitome of a sweet southern girl. Lover of all things monogrammed and Lily Pulitzer, this country girl is not afraid to get her hands dirty, and hopes one day to major in Crop Science and follow in her dad’s footsteps running a business which offers services for area farmers. HMUA: Sa’real Copeland
Meredith Twisdale, Roanoke Rapids High School: I had the privilege of photographing Meredith for her Sweet Sixteenth, so I was THRILLED when she reached out to be a member of Team 2020. Through most of the year, Meredith can be found dancing and teaching at Miss Bonnie’s School of Dance. It was instructing the youngest classes there that she found a passion for taking care of babies, which she hopes to pursue in a career as a pediatric nurse… but expect her to practice close to home. This girl adores her family and cherishes them and her tight circle of friends, and would love to keep close to them. Hair: Tiffany Ricks Make up: Taylor Shell
Ella King, Roanoke Rapids High School: Tiny, but fierce, Ella has a larger than life, gregarious personality that makes her the life of the party. A gifted athlete with a passion for soccer, Ella is an intense competitor. That will to fight may from time to time earn her a yellow card on the field, but it was never more evident or more admirable than in her battle with a brain tumor during her freshman year. Ella is a survivor. Hair: Tiffany Ricks Make Up: Taylor Shell
Jenna Walker, Roanoke Rapids High School: Jenna is a happy, bubbly, bundle of energy, and a fierce protector of the people she loves. This girl is the epitome of what we should all want in a friend. Jenna carries her vibrant personality into EVERYTHING she does, but none more vividly than in her natural presence when she performs. Whether she is on stage dancing, or in front of a crowd cheering, Jenna’s joy is contagious as she draws her audience in, making them wish they were part of the action too. HMUA: Kaley Love
I asked each of the girls to bring a prop that signified something important about them going into Senior Year. Natalie and Meredith chose their dance shoes while Sadler chose her cheer shoes and Ella her soccer cleats; Jenna wore her Dance Team jacket, Savannah her motorcycle helmet, Elizabeth her equestrian helmet, and Cailyn her pon poms and swim medals.
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