Flowers are a great source of inspiration and make a perfect prop for high school senior photo sessions.  There are tons of different ways to incorporate this beautiful item from floral crowns to lying in a field of flowers.  The session below by Jolena Strickland of Black Ribbon Photography shows her take on using props in a senior session.

Check out this session below and read what Jolena had to say about this session.  Thanks for sharing your work with Seniorologie Jolena!!

Website:  www.blackribbonphotography.net

Blog:  www.blackribbonphotography.blogspot.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/pages/blackribbonphotography

What was your inspiration for this photo shoot?
My senior and I were very much inspired by nature…by the beautiful, peaceful places and gorgeous sunlight. 
We wanted something very organic and cool to help tell her story.

Where did this photo shoot take place?
There is an empty field that I found with tall grass and gorgeous sunlight that dances through the trees.  The blue skies feel so close.  It is overgrown with grass and wildflowers, unkempt and gorgeous.

Did you collaborate with this senior to come up with the clothing and/or concept for this shoot?
Absolutely.  I always ask my girls about themselves & how they dream of being photographed.  Taylor knew what she wanted & when she said she wanted to wear a crown of daisies, I knew how to bring her ideas to fruition. 
I made her a bouquet of hydrangea, sage and wildflowers from my garden & brought a beautiful, vintage chair to use for our shoot.

What camera, lens or other equipment was used for this shoot?
I shoot, primarily, with a Canon 5d Marc II – Canon 50mm, 1.4 and a Canon 16/35, wide angle lens. I also keep my Canon 60D & Lensbaby, Composer Pro, on hand, should I want to use them or need a backup camera. 

I never shoot without my Ona camera bag, the Brooklyn.  It is made of gorgeous leather, matches everything I wear and is so spacious and luxurious.  I also use Ona’s Lima camera strap in Charcoal.

What time of day were these taken?
two hours before sunset.

Can you share any post-processing techniques used when editing this session?
I am very careful not to over edit my images. I do retouch each one, giving them all a specific, fine art finish that my clients seem to love.  Curves is incredible, when needed & I love to use the color balance tool to pull more cyan into my images.

What is your favorite thing about this session?
I love that we were able to tell her story the way she had dreamed of.  
I love the soft, pastel colors, how dreamy it feels, the open field…fresh flowers… and I love her crown of daisies & the beautiful feeling of peace that I get when I look at these images.

What do you want this session to convey about this senior and about your senior photography style?
I want to convey her love for nature, the earth, peace and beauty.  
I want the imagery to convey beautiful, soft femininity and strength.  I want the images to show you the way she felt that day, in the hot, summer sun…the smell of the sticky sweet sage, the breeze dancing through her hair and the sunlight in her beautiful eyes.  I want to convey this precious moment in time, who she is now, and the beautiful young woman she is growing into.

What is one tip you can share with other photographers regarding photographing seniors?
Let this moment be hers.  Use your branding to reach the clients that are right for you. But never, ever push an idea on a senior simply because you like it.  Remember that this session is about them.  
They are trusting you to understand who they are and to truly capture and document that.  These are not just photos. These are real people with real moments that are irreplaceable. Treat the session and most importantly, the senior, with great care and respect. This time in their lives is beautiful, yes.  But it is also filled with questions, emotions, hope and fear.  Do your job well.  Know how to document what you see. But always, always, put the senior & his or her family, first.