It’s that time of year, Grads! I still remember my high school graduation and all the fun events leading up to it. Senior Day, Grad Night, Prom, and of course senior photos. I was actually working my first job in a wedding and portrait studio and had the privilege to have some amazing photographs taken.

I didn’t realize what a treasure I had. All my friends were having those cheesy studio sessions that have little, to no true character to them. You know the ones I am talking about, the ones that go in your year book? Of course, there is a time and a place for those photos and that’s it … the yearbook. Many of my friends were having that same stale experience for their whole senior portrait experience. Mine? My images were fun and creative and truly reflected me. I actually still have mine on my fridge, for reasons we won’t get into right now, but let’s just say it’s my goal picture, lol.

My good friend Susan, of Peony and Plum reached out to me. She told me Siena, her daughter, wanted to have her senior portraits taken, but that she didn’t want to do the ones through the school because they were stiff and cheesy. I said, “With today’s social media, bloggers and everyone posing for social images, I couldn’t believe that was still the standard.” She mentioned that all her friends had already had their sessions and she didn’t want to do one like that … it just wasn’t her style. I have know Siena for some years now, and have gotten to know her really well. Together, we came up with the perfect location and outfits for her session. Of course, with mom being a florist, we had to include some flowers. Who wouldn’t want a dreamy flower crown!

I love this session with Siena. Because I do know her personally, I know these are really true to her personality. That’s what I love about senior portrait sessions: they should reflect who you are, your character, quarks, likes, interests, and so on. So when you stick your photo on your fridge 20 years later, you remember what your personality and interests were. You can’t achieve that with a 30-60 minute studio session where they cattle you in. Who really wants to wear the same type of clothing with the same background as everyone else in your class?

It takes time and effort and guidance to get to know a person and their interests. But it’s so worth it to be able to bring those parts of the individual to life for the camera. And that’s exactly what I love to do … get to know the real you. So tell me … what do you prefer? A personal intimate session where you get to be you or the cattle session where you are just another senior?