There is something about being on a boat that says summer fun and this senior session is exactly that…fun!  I love incorporating this All-American Look to a Summer Senior Session, and Jen Petritz of Jen Petritz Photography did a great job creating these images in a unique location.  Check out this beautiful session below and be sure to check out more of Jen’s work here. Thanks for sharing Jen!

What was your inspiration for the photo shoot?  My inspiration for the shoot was Sailboats and Color!  I have driven by the Yacht Basin Location many times while traveling to our cabin. I always thought the sailboats were so beautiful, and the colors so vibrant!  What a perfect spot for a Senior shoot!

Where did this photo shoot take place?  The shoot took place at Yacht Basin, Canyon Ferry, MT.  The lake near the mountains, and I have always been inspired by the beautiful terrain. I wanted to incorporate the scenery and the beautiful boats at the same time.

Did you collaborate with this senior to come up with the clothing and/or concept for this shoot?  I usually collaborate with the senior on clothing based on location.  For this particular location, I immediately visualized the large sun hat, along with a blue dress.  I also wanted to incorporate the feel of summer into the shoot.  This is why we chose the strapless dress and open toed sandals.   My model did her own makeup, based upon the outfit choice.  One think about living in rural Montana….the resources for hair and makeup are limited!  I have found that you can achieve beautiful hair and makeup just by discussing the feel for the shoot with the model and letting them have some freedom!

What camera, lens and equipment were used for this shoot?  I shoot with a Nikon D4 (new to me this year after saving forever!!), and the lens was a Nikon 50mm 1.4.  I also used a reflector for fill light on the face.

What time of day were these taken?  This session took place an hour before sunset.  Like anyone else photographing in natural light, it is my favorite time of day! 

Can you share any post-processing techniques used when editing this session?  I try to keep post processing to a minimum.  I want my models to look like themselves!  I always start out in Lightroom 4.  I find that this is the easiest place to make small adjustments like contrast and skin tone.  After exporting out of Lightroom, I do some fine editing in Photoshop.  I typically do blemish removal, some selective sharpening, and a small color bump.

What is your favorite thing about this session?  Wow, Everything!  Simply put, I love the location of this setting.  The beautiful model and gorgeous light were complementary to a perfect location!

What do you want this session to convey about this senior and about your senior photography style?  I really wanted to convey her natural beauty!  She had beautiful skin and gorgeous brown eyes.  I really wanted to bring out her eyes.  I also wanted to show her fun loving attitude!  She loved to smile, and her smile was radiant!  (I know that sounds cheesy, but it is true!)

What is one tip you can share with other photographers regarding photographing seniors?  I know there are many styles for photographing seniors, but for me, I really want to bring out their personality!  I want to get to know them, and have them feel comfortable with me.  I want to make them laugh, and show in my photographs “how much fun they are having”!