Some of us love Valentine’s Day and others may not love it so much.  Maya Laurent, of Such Great Heights, says she was never really a fan and that all started in high school.

“I didn’t have a boyfriend and seeing everyone getting flowers and goodies made me feel pretty down,” said Maya.  “I know there are so many high school girls who feel exactly the same way.”

So Maya decided to do a session that celebrated girls, friendship and Valentine’s Day!  So whether you have a boyfriend or not, you can still have a great day!

Check out the session below and read the behind the scenes of how Maya created this session.  Be sure to check out more of Maya’s work here.  Thanks for sharing Maya!

What was your inspiration for the photo shoot?
Valentine’s Day can be such a bummer of a day for high school girls who don’t have someone to celebrate the day with them. I remember how bad I felt in high school seeing everyone get flowers, candy and taken out to dinner. I wanted to do a shoot with that in mind and the idea that the girls are beautiful creations, regardless of how a certain date on the calendar makes them feel.

How did you come up with the props, wardrobe, etc that helped you tell this concept?
I kept it super simple. I told the girls to bring anything that reminded them of Valentine’s Day including bringing clothing in pink and red. My husband sketched some confident type quotes and I spray painted Goodwill found frames to place them in. I also found a chair at Goodwill for $5 and spray painted it bright pink for the session.

Where did this photo shoot take place?
I actually took these photos at my house! (This is before I had a studio). I put up a small white background and cleared some space in my family room. 

What camera, lens and equipment were used for this shoot?
I used my Nikon D700 with the 24-70mm lens and the 50mm lens. I used a combination of natural light and on AlienBee800 with a large rectangular softbox. 

What time of day were these taken?
The photos were taken around 4pm to grab some of the natural light from the windows. 

Can you share any post-processing techniques used when editing this session?
I outsource my editing (because it gives me so much more time to focus on my clients). The Colorwell (http://www.thecolorwell.com/) does all of my editing and edits according to the style we created together.

What is your favorite thing about this session?
The girls had so much fun! We all laughed a ton and I love that they brought almost all of the props we used and were so excited to be part of the shoot. I truly feel like they walked away feeling confident about themselves. 

What do you want this session to convey about this senior and about your senior photography style?
Through my photography I try to convey that my clients are unique and beautiful, both in the images and how I make them feel. This session was important to me because of how I can clearly remember feeling in high school on this “for-couples” day. I want girls to know they don’t need someone else to make them feel special, that they are surrounded by friends who love them and they can celebrate with them.

What is one tip you can share with other photographers regarding photographing seniors?
You have to find a way to make the session fun. Whether it’s not taking things too seriously, playing some upbeat music or telling goofy stories about yourself…making them laugh is the best way to capture the real individual.