Radiant Senior Portraits at Gari Melcher’s studio grounds

As a professional photographer, it’s my job to show your true self through your portraits. It’s not necessary to be comfortable in front of the camera, and I won’t try to portray you in a different manner. I want your family to say “that’s who you are” when seeing the final product. Welcome back to my blog series on elements to achieve an aesthetically pleasing photo. Conveying PERSONALITY/EXPRESSION is key to a successful portrait. When you hear the expression “say cheese” you can probably imagine a cheesy fake smile where the mouth is a wide smile, but the eyes are serious. Smile with your eyes! As Jimmy Buffett sings, “wrinkles only go where the smiles have been” (inspired by the Mark Twain quote!) This may seem a little random here, but I feel it’s appropriate since I’ve been to one (of many) Jimmy Buffett concerts with this lovely senior’s parents! https://www.margaritaville.com Lots of legit smiles!

Charlotte has a beautiful smile, and her eyes are “smiling” as well! This is just so natural and beautiful, and her mama loved it! As much as I love smiles, I equally love serious expressions. I will always get at least a few serious expressions. Sometimes just by asking some people to make a serious expression causes them to bust out laughing…also a win! Charlotte clearly rocked the serious expressions as well!

Photographing High School seniors is just such a special milestone. It is a HUGE accomplishment. If you are a parent, you are likely breathing a huge sigh of relief…I mean not only did we have to deal with the anxiety of new drivers, but all the pressure and the exposure to not so pleasant things. We do our best to re-enforce our values and make sure they realize their value. Combine those emotions with a side of sadness that your baby is now an adult! So when I say that I am honored to photograph your family, I truly mean it. I LOVE capturing their personality. It brings me joy sharing this exciting event. I fall in love with your pictures just as much as you do!

This photo was one of the last pictures of Charlotte’s session, and one of my favorites! Talk about PERSONALITY! It’s so cool because I got to photograph Charlotte’s older sister a few years ago, and in a handful of years I look forward to photographing her little sis! Shout out to one of my favorite locations to photograph at https://www.garimelchers.org and a special thanks to https://www.bobbypinsblush.com for just a kiss of hair and make-up, done so naturally. Thank you for visiting my blog. I would LOVE if would say hello in the comments to let me know you were here 🙂