Picking a location that means a lot to a senior is a great idea for a senior shoot.  The coffee shop where portions of this shoot took place, not only served as a dry, warm place during this photo shoot but also as a place that holds a lot of meaning for this particular senior.

“Holly spends a lot of time and the environment is creative and inspiring,” said photographer Candice Hackett of Ivy & Tweed in Tacoma, Washington.

Even though the wind was blowing, the day was cold and the rain was threatening, Candice and Holly had a blast.  Candice said, “Holly danced in the wind, chased the swirling leaves and when she laughed, she laughed with her whole heart!”

Check out this beautiful session below and read what else Candice had to say about this senior and her session.  Thanks for sharing Candice!

Website:  www.ivyandtweed.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ivyandtweed

Blog:  www.ivyandtweedblog.com

What was your inspiration for this photo shoot?
Holly is a Tacoma School of the Arts senior. I wanted the shoot to reflect who she is and what she loves.  She is a music and dance major at the Tacoma school of the arts, so we chose the park as a city location with a sense of freedom for her wild spirit. And the coffee shop was a two fold choice: It served as a location to stay dry in the event of rain/ warm up when we were freezing. But also a place that Holly spends a lot of time and the environment is creative and inspiring.

Where did this photo shoot take place?
Tacoma, WA: 
Wright Park and Anthem Coffee & Tea -Downtown (Holly is a regular there as her school is located right across the street).

Did you collaborate with this senior to come up with the clothing and/or concept for this shoot?
Holly picked out her own clothes. On the morning of the session, it really came down to bundling up and keeping warm.

What camera, lens or other equipment was used for this shoot?
Canon 5D Mark II: 50mm 1.4, 135mm 2.0

Second Shooter: Canon Rebel T2i: 100mm 2.8 Macro.

What time of day were these taken?
10-11:30 am

Can you share any post-processing techniques used when editing this session?
I like to keep my post processing very clean. I love the VSCO film packs. For this session I used presets from Pack 2.  I love just a little bit of grain to fit the film emulation.

What is your favorite thing about this session?
My favorite thing about this session is Holly’s smile.  I really mean it when I say that she smiles with her whole heart. It is so contagious and jovial.  I could seriously spend hours just laughing with her.  But at the same time I love the quite and serious side of her as well. Later on in the session you could tell she had developed a trust for us and showed a little bit more of her introspective self.

What do you want this session to convey about this senior and about your senior photography style?
I want this session to show who Holly is. A sense of her emotion and passion for life.  And I want it to show that my photography style/approach is one of authenticity.  I want ever session to reveal something about my subject so when you are viewing you see the story of the day, not “just another session by Candice”.

What is one tip you can share with other photographers regarding photographing seniors?
I love getting to know my seniors before I take their picture. I love to know who they are, what makes them laugh, what are they passionate about, and what are their dreams for the future.  I also take a moment to find out a little bit about their insecurities(arms, stomach, etc.) as well as what they love most about themselves. This gives me an opportunity to earn their trust by ensuring them that I am going to make them look their best in photos!