The First Shoot of 2019

The first session of 2019 was a New Year's themed shoot with two seniors I'd already photographed that fall, Braelyn and Brianna. It rained the entire time. We worked fast, warmed up between setups, and still walked away with the glam set they came for.

Why a themed session is worth doing

A themed session gives a senior a reason to try a look she would never build a whole session around. Sequins, a bold lip, hair that takes an hour.

It's also a low-stakes way to start a year with something on the calendar that isn't a deadline.

What to do when it rains on a session

Rain is not the emergency people think it is. Overcast light is soft and even, which is flattering on everybody, and wet ground goes saturated and rich instead of washed out.

A few things keep a wet-weather session on track:

1. Finish hair and makeup indoors before anybody checks the forecast again
2. Work in short bursts and warm up in between
3. Pick fewer locations and commit to them completely
4. Let the weather into the frame instead of trying to hide it

Rain doesn't ruin a session. Standing around waiting for it to stop does.

Their second time in front of my camera

Braelyn and Brianna had already done full senior sessions with me that fall. This was the extra one.

That's usually how it goes. Once a senior sees herself in the first gallery, she wants to do it again with a different look, and the second session is always looser than the first.

Thinking through the timing of your own senior year? Send me a note and we'll work out when to shoot.