I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again…seniors these days have many talents!  They are musicians, athletes, dancers and much, much more!  Showcasing their talents in their senior portraits is such an awesome way to get to know that senior!  And if it is something they love doing, then they are automatically more confident and comfortable during the photo session!

Tara of Tara Swain Photography out of Paris, Texas used this seniors love of music, theatre and photography to really tell who she is through these photos!  I can really feel the passion she has for her talent and Tara did a wonderful job capturing that.

Below is an interview with Tara about this photo shoot.  Be sure to check out Tara’s other work here.  Thanks for sharing Tara!!

What was your inspiration for this photo shoot? Showcasing Callie’s happy, funny, outgoing personality as well as her passion for the arts.

Where did this photo shoot take place? Callie’s session took place in different areas around downtown Paris, Texas.

Did you collaborate with this senior to come up with the wardrobe for this session?  If so, what tips can you share?  Callie did a fantastic job choosing her wardrobe for the session. I usually give a few tips on things to stay away from or certain things to look for when choosing your wardrobe. Callie is very active in different clubs and groups in her school as well as being very artistic musically and in theater and photography, so we included different items that represent her school activity and her passions.

What camera, lens and equipment were used during this session? I shot this session with a Canon 5D mk ll and I believe I mainly stuck to my 50mm 1.2 L and 35mm 1.4 L lenses for this session.

What time of day was this shot? Late afternoon- approximately 3 hours before sunset.

Can you share any post processing techniques used when editing this session? It’s important to watch skin tones on seniors. The only way to get those naturally perfect tones is to nail your exposure in camera. You can still soften the skin in post processing but be careful not to overly soften and turn them plastic.  You want to keep the softness looking real and not like it’s been retouched.

What is your favorite thing about these photos? I love that she is so naturally happy in these images that I can’t help but smile when I look at them. I also love how her personality shines through 100%.

What do you want this session to convey about this senior and about your photography style? My style is bright, happy, colorful and fun.. it was easy to pull that off with such a beautiful and happy girl like Callie. She is already so photogenic and so completely comfortable in front of the camera that capturing her sweet spirit was easy.

What is one tip you can share with other senior photographers in regards to photographing seniors? Make sure you get to know your Senior. You want them to be comfortable and it’s already intimidating being on the other side of the camera, so take some time to get to know them and get them to come out of their shell.

What is your favorite thing about photographing seniors? I love that seniors are usually up for anything. They don’t mind lying on the ground or acting silly if I ask them and their are almost always SUPER excited about their sessions.