What was your inspiration for the photo shoot?   I love trash the dress sessions! They are one of my favorite types of shoots to do. So when I more recently decided to move my photography to just senior portraits, I was a little sad about not being able to do trash the dress sessions anymore. Then I thought, well why can’t we trash a prom dress, and it all spiraled from there.

Where did this photo shoot take place? 
Where we took these photos is really quite random. There’s this land just off the side of the road close to where I live and I drive by it almost every day. It’s just land that’s been being developed for years now, just big piles of rocks and dirt, lol. But every time I see it, I fall in love with the way the light falls over it. So I finally decided it was about time to take some photos there.

Did you collaborate with this senior to come up with the clothing and/or concept for this shoot?
I did collaborate somewhat with my senior for this shoot. I wanted to take some promotional photos to use at a local event, so I wanted a certain look. The dress she’s wearing is actually her moms! I knew with a desert look, we needed browns and golds, so I had her bring all sorts of stuff to pick from. The fur vest, that was all her! I loved it!

Did you work with a stylist, makeup artist or hairstylist for this shoot? What was that experience like? 
I worked with my amazing hair and makeup team, Krystal and Angela. I had picked out the looks I wanted and then just handed it over to them. I am never let down by what they can do. Plus they are both great with my seniors and really make them feel even more beautiful and confident. This is something I think all Senior Portrait Photographers should consider. It’s an extra 1-2 hours you get with your senior to really break down the nerves and build trust.

What camera, lens and equipment were used for this shoot? 
For this shoot, I had my Canon 50D, 30mm 1.4 lens, and my 430EX II speedlight with a diffuser.

What time of day were these taken? 
These photos were taken between 6-8pm. It’s my favorite time of the day to shoot!

Can you share any post-processing techniques used when editing this session? 
For this particular session, I use a couple different Photoshop actions from Florabella, with some tweaking. For the most part, I don’t use a whole lot of actions, just highlight and shadow boosts.

What is your favorite thing about this session?
Oh my goodness, picking a favorite thing about this session is difficult! Morgan, my senior, and I had so much fun on this shoot. When it was time to get muddy, we found a mud puddle and I literally told her to roll in it! It was pretty entertaining for us both. I’d have to say that my favorite thing about this shoot, well I guess about all shoots really, is getting to know my seniors and the fun we have during hair and makeup time. And of course the emails after the session when my seniors tell me how beautiful their session made them feel. That’s something I will never tire of hearing.

What do you want this session to convey about this senior and about your senior photography style?
With all my sessions, I want to instill confidence in my seniors, even if it’s just a tiny ego boost for them, I want them to leave the session feeling more beautiful. I always want to convey a sense of comfortableness in one’s self in my photos and really show off not only an outer beauty but an inner beauty as well. I know how difficult being a young girl in high school can be and if I can help them in any way to see themselves without focusing on their insecurities, then I feel as though I have done a good job.What is one tip you can share with other photographers regarding photographing seniors?
Advice? Really get to know your seniors. Not just where they’re going to college and what they want to major in, but get to know them on their level. And be yourself with them. Laugh with them. Share your interests with them. You’ll get the best photos if your senior can be themselves with you.