Max is from Norfolk High School and he and his mom had done a lot of research of senior photographers around Nebraska. I loved that they were looking for a photographer that best fit what they were looking for. They researched each photographers style and for them, I fit what they were wanting from their senior photographer. I was super excited to be chosen as I loved all of the elements that Max and his mom wanted to include in his senior pics.
With most of his photos he wanted a downtown urban feel and a mix of fall and summer looks. The day of his session even though it was early September it was actually the perfect temperature to get in a few sweater looks and then later on he was able to change into shorts and short sleeves without being uncomfortable. Being in Nebraska, you never know what the weather will bring so we lucked out on that!
Max is a laid back kind of kid and that is reflected in his senior pics. I loved the simple choice of the black on black for one his outfits as it showed he wasn't trying to be something else, he was just being Max. He was comfortable in his clothing which made him comfortable during his senior session. Senior photos should reflect who you are right now.
We spent about half of his session with his urban shots and then headed out to Lake Wanahoo for his nature look and incorporated a couple of his favorite activities in his life. In September the colors at the lake have beautiful golden tones that gave us a whole new feel from his urban look. We sprayed down with bug spray and took the journey back in the trees. Even with the bug spray the mosquitoes were overwhelming so we got a few shots and then made our way back out in the sun to finish that particular look. You would have never known that while shooting a few of these images just about 30 feet away a large camper was getting rid of waste at the dumping station. I really should take more behind the scene footage.
One of Max's hobbies is building and racing RC cars. To be honest, when Max and his mom were talking about this during his pre shoot consultation I had no idea what they were talking about. Just another reason why I require a pre shoot consultation. The consultation is as much for me as it is for my senior clients. Once Max explained what RC cars were and where he would usually race them I knew that shooting those images on gravel would be the best way to get some dynamic photos. Being out at the lake there are gravel roads through out so all we had to do was grab the cars and start driving. Laying on the ground I could get the best angle and told Max to drive it straight towards me. He was hesitant to do this because he wasn't sure he could stop the car before it would hit me or my camera. We did a few shots and as he would feel he was getting close to me he would turn the car prior to running into me. I may have eaten a few bits of gravel during those, but like all photographers say, "but I got the shot!"
Why not some exploding golf balls? I have taken a few golf pics during senior sessions, but this had two firsts for me; shots of hitting the ball and the ball exploding. Not gonna lie, I was probably too close when I shot these and as I shot I closed my eyes in case anything would come flying my way. So I do recommend a zoom lens for something like this. Max hit three balls so I could get a few different angles and just to make sure we were getting exactly what he wanted. Plus how often do you get to hit exploding golf balls?!?
Having a client drive two hours x 2 is a pretty big deal and reminds me that what I do is something special. I love to get to know my clients and show who they are through a click of a shutter. After 10 years, the actual mechanic of taking the photo is second nature, but the real art in a photo is how you make the person on the other side of the lens feel so the portrait is of them and their true personality. As a photographer that is art, not the camera.
Thank you to Max and his mom Dawn for traveling the many hours to Wahoo and trusting me to be Max's senior photographer. Plus teaching me all about RC cars!
4 Comments
Jul 10, 2020, 1:04:47 PM
Kate DeCoste - Clea! Thank you!
Jul 10, 2020, 1:03:38 PM
Kate DeCoste - Oh I am so glad you are able to have a celebration for Max! What a crazy time we are in right now. It was such an amazing time getting to know both of you and being able to incorporate all of the things Max is into as a high school senior. Enjoy this time with him and tell him congrats!
Jul 9, 2020, 9:12:23 PM
Clea B - Your shots are stunning! And that final pic of Max? GLORIOUS.
Jul 9, 2020, 4:54:03 PM
Dawn - Kate, this is fabulous, and we are so glad our research brought us to your studio. You kept everything so flexible and you willing to take on something new with barely an eyelash flutter. While it's been a couple of weeks since you published this, it's perfect timing as we prepare for his graduation party in a couple of weeks! This year will be memorable for sure, but we are so glad to have this bright spot.