Ashlen's Senior Portraits

i LOVE senior pictures! I really do. It might be because I wish I was 18 again. Or at least looked 18 again? Minus the glow-in-the-dark blond hair... Either way, it's so fun. I met Ashlen who was on vacation here from Colorado (which is funny because I took Woody's senior portraits in Colorado -who is from here.) She was staying at the Cocoa Beach Surf Studios and I loved shooting there! I do apologize for the lagging blog entries but we are about to launch the new site so I keep thinking if I wait a few more days I can post these entries to the new site and then we had some issues (sorry if you couldn't get on the sites the last couple days!) You can even see here that the image borders aren't loading in - weird. So, maybe one or two more entries here until the new Blogsite is all ready to go live! So exciting...
Back to Ashlen, she is super smiley and could barely not smile even while trying which I think is wonderful and adorable. Her dad is an awesome guy who scheduled this whole thing for his daughter (figuring it out from Colorado weeks before they came) knowing how much it would mean to her. I was booked (for the maximum sessions I'll accept each week) but then couldn't resist captain kirk and a senior session with Ashlen. So glad it worked out!

Her cute brother too!! Love it!
I'm on my way up to Ohio tomorrow to photograph my brother's newborn baby! I'll be working while I'm gone though so next up here is the Spacht-Levinsky wedding! (I did not look up that spelling guys so let me know if I've made a mistake!)

Gideon

I photographed Gideon's senior portraits a few weeks ago but have just now come back to them to share with you. He was super comfortable in front of a camera which was great (and unusual for most guys!) He has already seen a few of these but hopefully the rest will be fun for him! When I think about people his age, I always think it is just around the corner that I will run into him and see the adult he has become. It will feel like a shock because it will seem like he was a teenager just a few days ago. He might be wearing a suit or carrying a bag of tools or even a child on his back... It's amazing to me how that jump from high school to adult life seems to happen so fast. I don't know Gideon that well, but I know enough to believe that whatever he is "wearing" five years from now, he will be giving his best.

His brother and sister were there so we shot a few of them while Gideon changed clothes. BTW, let me just say that although I work on a large, flat screen, HD monitor, I am uploading on a laptop right now and appalled at the poor color and screen resolution! Is this what "you" see?? Yikes, okay so do me one favor and at least try hunching down to view your screen straight on. Please? thank you. I will sleep better.

Dana's Graduation Pictures

I shot Dana's senior pictures last week in downtown Melbourne. She loves flowers and we couldn't find a good garden but did find the most awesome dead flowers ever (above) and my favorites from the session. They are so Tim Burton. I heart Edward Scissorhands --for you old school people. So, Dana just graduated from Eau Gallie High School and she is such a nice girl!
Off the subject, I am 7 hours away from my husband getting home after being gone a whole week. The tough part about that is how he will think he is so tired even though we all know that three kids on your own, in the summer, while working, most certainly wins the
i-need-rest-prize. But I'm proud of him and the work he does so I'm going to be generous and give him a few hours tomorrow morning. After that, I'm thinking pedicure... on my way to tomorrow night's session of course!

Love this one.

We finished off at the beach right at sun down and yes that may look like the sun but since we are living on the East Coast that is actually the moon!

Sarah's Senior Portraits

Sarah goes to Bayside High School and we met at the BCC Project Get Ready event this year. She arrived to the session eager with lots of great ideas for photos and a couple outfit changes. I can tell she must be an over achiever and is obviously musically talented. We had a great time. Her mom and brother came along for fun and I took a couple pictures of them together as well. I am going to spare you a big wordy blog entry since you've probably had enough of me since yesterday but just want to add that Sarah struck me as a girl with not only a good head on her shoulders but with a very loving and supportive family as well. (She was nice to her brother and keep in mind she is still a teenager. Who does that?) Enjoy the highlights! My favorite is up top of course!

a little grungy texture here

I do love this one too. Striking.

I call this, go bright or go home.

This is blue-sy and I think it suits her musical-y-ness

love this one too!

this is a 5x15, just to spice it up.

This is a story board. Good times.

Hollie's Senior Portrait Session

Hollie is a graduate this year of Melbourne Central Catholic and decided to book her session with me after seeing her friend Edith's images and after a somewhat disappointing "round one" with another studio. She is really an interesting girl. I can tell from our time together that she knows what she wants and she values simplicity. She brought one outfit only and while she doesn't prefer to smile she does have some pretty awesome authentic looks outside the usual. I told her she has Elvis eyes and I don't think she knew what that was. I should have said Lisa Marie but I guess that would sound even less recognizable. Now let me preface this with a disclaimer: I am not the photographer who goes for ultra sexy senior grad pics. Because I am also a mom and an artist and a business person. Because I would love to see our female generation get excited about honor, integrity and true beauty. What is pretty? What are girls getting told is pretty? I am always pointing out to Mary (my five year old) what is and isn't pretty just to combat all the misinformation out there. Climbing down now!!! So, deep breath, I only want to provide honest to goodness beauty to parents and society in general.
Which is why I noticed Hollie's stunning eyes. I don't think she knew it or at least she acted surprised when I told her (even after we got past the Elvis reference.) She has the kind of eyes I told her she should not look at boys with. If you know what I mean.

She actually is quite busy riding and competing with her horse which she didn't tell me about until the end of our session. Note to high school seniors: share this with me before we meet! I am now wishing we had gotten some time at the stables. I'll live I guess. Anyway, Hollie did an amazing job and I did make her smile big a few times because even though she promised her mom is fine with no smile, I just just couldn't help but assume all moms want to see that smile, especially those teeth they might have invested a pretty penny in...

I like this one above.

This is a favorite as well as the first one up top.

I love the lines here!

Hollie, congratulations and best wishes!