Stacy Larsen of Stacy Larsen Photography in Tampa, Florida remembers what it is like to be best friends.  This allowed her to really connect with the two best friends she photographed for their senior sessions.

“Elizabeth and Zoe are the best of friends. The kind of friends who stay at each others house for days on end and share their deepest darkest secrets. I still hold my high school bff near and dear in my heart and I think that is why this session was so fun for me. The reminded me of a couple of girls I used to know :)” said Stacy.

Stacy created a fun backdrop using a vintage quilt, old milking stool, twine and clothes pins to create a beautiful backdrop for this session.

Read what Stacy had to say about this shoot and check out the photos below.  Also, check out Stacy’s work on her blog here.  Thanks for sharing Stacy!!

What was your inspiration for the photo shoot?

I am often asked what inspires me for a shoot. It’s such a tough question for me because I don’t think I could say it’s any one thing. I may find a specific element that I would like to incorporate, like the 1920’s vintage quilt and then I allow my subjects to inspire me. I never plan a shoot other than location because I find that it stifles my creativity. i find the best moments and capture happen when you least expect them.

This is a best friend shoot.  What is it like shooting two seniors?  How do you incorporate them together in the shoot and separately?

I LOVED shooting the girls together. They are the best of friends and their close relationship lent to a really unique energy. When it comes time for their individual shoots, I prefer to go off just the two of us. I am able to really connect better when their friend isn’t there watching. I also engage with a lot of conversation which is easier when it’s just the two of us.

Where did this photo shoot take place?

I did this photo shoot in a little town center which has a lot of interesting architecture. There was also a field nearby which made for a really great backdrop for the friends shots.

Did you collaborate with this senior to come up with the clothing and/or concept for this shoot?

I offer a consultation before hand and discuss the different option/locations for their shoot. It usually becomes very clear to both of us where the shoot will take place. As far as clothing, I offer general guidelines and ask them to bring several outfits to choose from. Styling is one of my favorite things about shooting seniors!

What camera, lens and equipment were used for this shoot?

I shot this session with the Nikon D700 and 50mm 1.4G lens. I have a 24-70 2.8 but find it sits in my camera bag 90% of the time. You just can’t beat the sharpness of the 50mm.

What time of day were these taken?

I prefer to shoot seniors in the evening because the light, especially here in Florida is magical that time of day.

Can you share any post-processing techniques used when editing this session?

I am a pretty clean editor. I aim to get exposure dead on in camera and then do a little color saturation, remove any blemishes or skin imperfections (which these girls had none of) and sharpen. I am not a fan of heavy processing as my goal is to create timeless photographs for my clients.

What is your favorite thing about this session?

As with any session, I would have to say the relationship building. I am a total people person and love the energy that teenagers bring to a shoot. I find we end up feeding off each other and it makes for a really fun session! It doesn’t hurt that I have two teenagers myself so I can connect very easily.

What do you want this session to convey about this senior and about your senior photography style?

I think I would like to it to convey their personalities both individually and together. My goal with every session is to capture my subject as they are. I would hate to take a quiet, shy person and have them jumping in the air. If the photograph doesn’t convey who they are then I have not done my job.

What is one tip you can share with other photographers regarding photographing seniors?

Get to know your subject and find connectors. And most importantly create an environment where your subject feels as beautiful and special as they really are. Anyone can take a pretty picture but when you take it a step further and connect with your subject, beautiful things happen.