What do you get when you add a rustic farm setting, four gorgeous girls, an awesome stylist, an NAPCP High School Senior Award winning photographer and a fun country theme?  One beautifully styled shoot that we are just crazy about here at Seniorologie!

Heather Thorne of Heather Thorne Photography joined forces with Vanessa Warren of Butterfly Sparks and JOLT to create a fun photo shoot for four friends who love to bake together and wanted to show off their close bond.

In this shoot there were two different looks and we have some shots from both.  I think Heather did a brilliant job of telling the story of the friendship between these girls through their love of cowboy boots, baking and Texas.

Check out what Heather had to say about this shoot and be sure to check out more of her work here.  Thanks for sharing Heather!

Was this a shoot “just for you”?  If so, what did you want to accomplish with this shoot?  It actually was a regularly booked shoot by my clients (four college girls, two of whom I did senior photos for three years ago) but after talking with the girls about what they wanted out of their shoot, and having a desire to work with two talented women I recently met, I asked them if we could incorporate prop styling and professional makeup into our session.  It was a great opportunity to try something new and they were very excited!

What did you hope to experiment with, work on or practice with this shoot?  I typically don’t incorporate elaborately styled sets into my work and haven’t collaborated a lot with other artists on previous shoots. This session was the perfect opportunity to work with two new friends and stretch my creative muscle. It gave me a chance to think through location, clothing, and how to tell my clients’ story in two parts – all things I do for a typical session – but on a much grander scale for this project.

Did you collaborate with a stylist, makeup artist or hair stylist for this shoot?  If so, tell us how it was working with these professionals for this shoot?  After recently becoming friends with Vanessa Warren of Butterfly Sparks and JOLT, I just knew I had to work with her. That girl has mad skills with set design, among other things. (Did you notice that cupcake liner garland she made?!)  And, we just have fun together!  Additionally, I’d been wanting to incorporate professional makeup application into my senior shoots after noticing a remarkable difference in the clients I shoot that opt for a pro application versus the ones that don’t.  I found Sabrina Hull of Sambri Salon through another local photographer and she was a joy to work with, thoughtfully creating looks based on each girl’s coloring, the theme of our shoot and the outdoor evening light.  I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Sabrina for a soon-to-be published article on makeup for portrait sessions. Stay tuned to my blog for this insightful read on both professional and self-application! I’m a firm believer that it makes a huge difference in your portraits. Wardrobe was a combined effort between Vanessa, myself and the girls.  They pretty much brought their entire closets with them to the studio and I had several pieces on hand as well. All of the aprons were my own (I’m a sucker for vintage) so I thought they would add a nice touch to the amazing set Vanessa created.

What was your inspiration for this photo shoot? The girls were definitely the inspiration!  We asked them what they enjoyed doing together, what they were all about, their personality and style traits, what made their friendship special, etc. They all go to a big name agriculture university here in TX and love to wear their cowboy boots out dancing.  We thought it would be fun to capture that in one look.  The other look was based on their love of baking together.  They wanted images that really captured their friendship so they could enjoy them in their new home together. As I mentioned before, I photographed two of these girls three years ago as high school seniors so it was super special for me to see them evolve into beautiful young women, still close as can be but opening their little circle up to two more girls.

Where did this shoot take place? We shot at a beautiful historic farm and I had to obtain a permit to shoot at.  The two different looks we created paired well with the backdrop of the red barn/woods/farm landscape for the first part and the bright green gingerbread-style farmhouse for the second part — what we’ve been calling the “cupcake party”.

What time of day was this shot? After a long day of makeup and wardrobe styling for each girl at my studio (approximately 4 hours), we started the shoot at 6:00 p.m. to take advantage of the beautiful evening light.

What camera, lens or equipment was used for this photo shoot? I shoot with a Canon 5D Mark II, a 70-200mm 2.8 IS, a 35mm 1.4 and a 50mm 1.2.  I switch lenses quite a bit based on the look I’m going for.

What did you hope to convey about these girls and about your photography style? As cheesy as this may sound, what I always hope to convey in any of my images is truly the essence of the person I’m photographing, or if more than one subject, then the relationship(s) or connection between them. Fashion photography is wonderful and it does heavily influence my senior sessions but I still want my client to be (and look like) who they really are.  I wanted to capture these young, lovely, funny, unique women individually and then together, showing who they are at this moment in time while celebrating and honoring the friendship and interests they share.

How often do you do styled sessions? Hardly ever.  Although I use props on occasion when I think it will enhance a session, I never do shoots this elaborate as they require so much time and planning. It’s just not feasible for me.  I would love to collaborate on more of these in the future if the inspiration hit me and everything lined up.  I must add that I do offer wardrobe styling for all of my sessions – including a hands-on closet consultation if need be. It’s one of my favorite things to do!

What is the most important thing to consider when doing a styled session? For me, it was having the trust of my clients to carry out the vision we shared with them. It was also important that our theme reflected who they are. Otherwise, there was no point.  Also, having a solid plan and good communication with each person involved.

What tips would you give to other photographers about doing styled senior photo sessions? Don’t make it about you.  Of course you should inject your unique photography style and vision into the session but make sure your theme gels with your subject and their interests.  Ask questions.  Get to know them.  A styled session with props/set design isn’t for everyone so if you find you aren’t able to create one with clients, go out and do one for yourself! Personal projects are a great way to foster creativity, experiment and improve upon skills you may need fine-tuning in. It’s also a great way to collaborate! If you’re able to work with a prop stylist, wardrobe stylist, makeup artist or another photographer, it’s so important that youbrainstorm together, communicate constantly about the details and timeline,  and trust your team to help you achieve your vision.

What is your favorite thing about this session? Do I have to pick one?  🙂  Thinking back, it would probably all boil down to the energy of the day. Fun clothing and accessories piled high in every nook and cranny, the buzz of chatter and laughter in the studio, the anticipation of a beautiful set coming to life, the transformation through beautiful (but natural) makeup artistry, and the overall sense of camaraderie and teamwork.  I couldn’t have done this shoot without my amazing team or clients that trusted me and enabled us to “play”!