Brooke and Evie
In the years since my photography journey started, I’ve shot business branding, milestone birthday glamour, personal portrait, maternity, headshots, wedding, family documentary, retreats, and probably a few more genres of photography that I can’t remember at the moment, but I never had an opportunity to shoot senior portraits — until now.
(Ok, I did hold virtual prom portraits during Covid, but it’s not quite the same as frolicking in a springtime field during golden hour.)
At the very first CD OHSET meet of 2023, I held a raffle for a free photo shoot. (List building in action.) And, there was a mom at the meets who encouraged another mom friend to drop her info into the shiny turquoise paper wrapped raffle box.
And… the mom friend ended up winning the shoot! Mom friend’s daughter (who this shoot was for) happened to be a graduating junior who hadn’t yet had celebratory portraits. When Mom and I had our initial consultation we discussed this shoot serving multiple purposes: fun and play (because her daughter loves fashion and photo shoots) and senior portraits (because, well, none were taken yet.)
When I finally met the rider I was to photograph, Brooke, I was definitely enthused to be working with someone who had fashion sense. Styling oneself is not easy, and Brooke nailed both her looks and hair and makeup.
Barn shots.
For Brooke’s first ensemble, a yellow eyelet dress and cowboy boots were paired together for a classic country Cowgirl look. Ladies, you can never go wrong with an outfit like this. It’s simple and elegant — not overwhelming to the eye. Textures of cotton and leather are also complementary to the barn environment. This is not the place for fabrics like stretch jersey or cheap polyester silk dresses. We want to avoid a “costume” look.
In the field.
In the arena.
For Brooke’s second look, a lightweight cotton off the shoulder blouse was paired with light wash denim jeans. Every Cowgirl needs a denim look for their shoot, even if it’s a pair of 1980’s high-waisted purple Jordache and a matching purple denim button up finished with 3/4 rolled sleeves. (Now THAT is an outfit for a cowgirl! *JT runs to eBay.*)
Street photos.
For our last look, the striped cotton blouse was switched out to a floral one. Quickly swapping out a top and/or throwing on a jacket can give the rider a whole new look.
Our shot list for this shoot was a mix of solo portraiture barn looks, action shots in the field and pen, traditional horse and rider poses, and some sweet golden hour love-on-my-horse candids. (I think we nailed the popular Pinterest poses, don’t you?!)
Overall, solid work team on creating some cute senior portraits.
Notes for Photographers:
While my heart is always at home in the rough and tumble, there is always a place for softness. (I have a Cancer Moon after all.)
And though I give a hella yes to the power of ICA (ideal customer avatar) and visual niching, I also believe in demonstrating a breadth of skill in one’s portfolio. If you, as the photographer, remain true to your vision and voice, the threads of your personal style will always be woven into your work no matter the subject and context. Show people what you can do!
