It seems like just yesterday, I had an exciting email in my email inbox from Madi, inquiring about my senior model team! When we finally met & shot our fairytale styled shoot back in May, I could tell this gal was a keeper. Madi dances, and participates in just about every way a dancer can… she’s in cheer, and dances through a local competitive dance group. She also runs track! Girl knows how to stay active, for sure. Madi’s a girl after my own heart; she love choco chip cookie dough ice cream and the color pink!
I’m so glad you’ve stopped by the blog to check out some of my favorite photos from Ashley’s senior session! Ashley will graduate with the class of 2020 from Waterloo West, but she came down to West Des Moines to have an adventure with me while taking her senior photos. The night we’d picked ended up being hooooottttttt as anything, but she rocked her session with no complaints and a brilliant smile the entire time. My kind of gal!
Steven’s senior photos took place downtown, as well as at a barn where he worked and a path he ran for cross country. I love tying in parts of each unique senior’s life! For Steven, that meant sports and drumming and a lil’ bit of “cool”.
When people ask what my favorite session to photograph is, with joy and quickness I respond, “Seniors!” I remember being in the final stretch of high school, with the seniority and responsibility that comes along with more freedom and, often, fear. High school was a sweet time for me. I never thought I could love anything more. (Turns out, college is actually just as fun!)
Back when I started photographing seniors (when I was an itty-bitty-baby-photogapher myself!) I did a Senior Model Team. Like any beginner, I had noooo idea what I was doing… but it was fun! When I transferred schools to Iowa State in Ames, I didn’t shoot as many senior portraits due to time constraints with homework and not knowing many high schoolers in the area.
Kaysia sent me an email about shooting senior photos… just a few weeks back. She’s friends with another one of my senior gals, and I was so excited to hear from her! Since yearbook photos are due in just a few short weeks, we decided to take a few senior pictures downtown in Des Moines. We’ll finish up her session later in the spring- when it hopefully warms up!
This is Paige. Not only is she gorgeous, but she is sweet and funny and full of spunk! I love getting to photograph senior girls in Des Moines, and Paige was no exception! Click the title to see more of her senior photos.
Ester modeled an authentic African-print top for me… and I’ll never be the same. ;) I’m totally all about this girl, and the incredible images we created together! Click the title to see more of the outfits Ester pulled together & her gorgeous model face. #slay
Sara attends Ames High School, where she is a senior this fall! As well as dance, Sara is involved in band… and takes dance lessons at a local studio. She loves the Beatles, purple, and traveling with her family. (This summer they took an Alaskan cruise! I’m totally jealous.) We also bonded over the fact that we both wear chacos, and agree they’re some of the best shoes ever designed.
Kelly is friends with Aimee through their classes at Cedar Falls High School. Kelly andI met up for coffee earlier this summer, and bonded over our mutual love of the local Cup of Joe and UNI Suzuki’s violin program! It was even more fun getting to know her last weekend, when we wandered around CF for her senior pictures. :)
One of the most common questions I get asked by my seniors is, "What should I wear!?". Such a great questions (of course!) but also sometimes, it makes me laugh. Ultimately, I want you to display who you are during your session--including in how you dress! That could mean you rely heavily on converse, ripped jeans & Marvel graphic t-shirts... or that you wear your prom dress and play an upright piano out in a field at sunset. BE YOU!
If you live in Iowa and haven't been to the Iowa State Fair, you're just about crazy. ;) It's one of my favorite August activities--and one of my earliest memories of living in Iowa! The first time my family attended the festivities, we rode the sky glider & it made a pretty big impression on this little girl. 20 years later, and I'm still obsessed with this big country-themed annual celebration!
I adore Hannah! It’s crazy that she’s a senior— I babysat her growing up, and her mom occasionally did my school health checkups. Two years ago, I photographed her older brother Ethan’s senior photos in Waterloo. HOW we are now to Hannah’s seniors, I have NO IDEA! But we had a blast! You guys, some of my favorite photos came out of this evening!
Hannah brought so much life and fun into her senior picture session! We laughed so much that we had to try to give our faces a break. It's crazy to think that I used to babysit her & her siblings when they lived in Cedar Falls. A few years ago, I photographed her older brother's senior photos and it was finally her turn in front of the camera!
Last summer, I got to photograph senior photos downtown Des Moines. It was a blast! So, this summer, I loved shooting Aimee’s senior pictures in the downtown Waterloo area! Aimee is a senior at Cedar Falls High School, and is super involved in dance (both at school, and outside of CFHS)! We had a ton of fun wandering down by the river, and even popped into Singlespeed Brewery to take a few senior photos. We wrapped up our night with a fun surprise— photography smoke bombs!
Lauren’s sweet senior photo session in Ames took us all over the area. We included lots of flowers and floral, and even took some on the tennis courts! Lauren is one of my senior models for the class of 2019 in the Ames and Des Moines area, so if you know her, but sure to mention that in your email inquiry so you both get a fun discount!
One of my Ames High senior models from last year, Lydia, is friends with Halei... which is how she decided to book me for her senior pictures! We met up for coffee back in April (WOW that feels like so long ago now) and dreamed up a gorgeous floral and nature inspired senior photo shoot. Halei is alllll about the shoes, and so she totally built this session around her shoes and floral outfit theme! If you know me, perpetual flowers would be one of my three items on an abandoned island. Needless to say, Halei and I are now best friends. ;)
You are a unique individual, with unique interests, strengths, and personality. That's why your senior photos should reflect who you are!
Each senior session is customized all the way through, and you get to determine the feel and flavor of your session! Not only does this mean amazing, high quality, and gorgeous senior pictures... but a fun, interactive, and creative senior photo session!
Miranda brings so much life into this world. She's one of the most caring people I know, and is such a brilliant artist! Miranda also love reading, so we made sure to include some gorgeous volumes of her favorite books. We decided to take her photos in this sweet little flower nursery I've admired for years, so I drove up from Des Moines to Cedar Falls one fall weekend. It was such a wonderful evening, and I can't believe that it's taken me so long to blog them!
