Senior Portrait
My daughters are well past high school now, and how I miss the rhythm of it. Pickups, drop offs, college visits, deadlines and everything in between. Those years were so alive and full of connection. So now, when I am asked to photograph a high school senior, it’s like grabbing just a tiny bit of that electricity and energy again…. and I love it.
My favorite time of day for portrait photography is during the late afternoon when the sun is deliciously kind to skin tones and foliage. It’s called the ” Golden Hour” and for good reason, as it bathes the environment with warm tones and a beautiful natural glow.
My favorite location is anywhere outdoors that provides open shade and late afternoon reflections. I have learned to ‘hunt for the light’ and I know that finding it is a key to great portrait.
I have also found that the key to a great portrait is a relaxed senior, and that as much as good light matters, feeling relaxed and at ease matters more than anything.
Senior Portrait
So, it’s a handy thing that I love connecting with people, and in this case, high school seniors who have so much ahead of them and so many stories within them. I love learning about their lives and what fills their worlds. From football quarterbacks to swimmers and photographers, I love them all and treasure the opportunity to hear from and capture the “real” them. Their future dreams, weekend plans and honest stories are fascinating, important and real.
The resulting portraits bring a smile to my face and one to the student and their parents as they remember that late afternoon photo session during their high school senior year. My job is to make that memory count, and I love every moment of doing it.
To schedule a portrait session for your senior or to see more of my senior portrait work, please visit my website at http://www.photoptimist.com.
I’ve been collecting my favorite quotes since I was about 13 years old. Some of them came to me from my friends, some came from Readers Digest (thank you 
For 2 years I’ve had the pleasure of 
Beth Shedd | Photography 