I focus on weddings around the Cleveland area almost exclusively. However, I’ve spread out a little lately to take on some high school senior portraits for students around Lakewood and Rocky River. The sessions are a welcome change from weddings. Instead of working hard for one client over months and photographing large groups of people, senior portrait sessions offer a completely different approach. I love working with a single student for a few hours at a time. The concentration on just one person can have magical results. So I was happy to take on another senior portrait session when Elise and her mother, Mary, contacted me.
All three of us wanted some variety in the pictures, so we planned the afternoon session for multiple locations around the Lakewood and Cleveland areas. After a little time in my Lakewood studio, we headed out into the beautiful October weather. We shot a little in Cleveland’s west flats, as well as locations around Lakewood.
For each senior portrait session, I like to include something personal about the client. For Elise, she was absolutely in love with her mid-eighties Mercedes Benz. This opened us up to shooting at a location I had on my list for a long time – a simple car wash in Lakewood. I knew the light streaming through the wash bay in the evening would be truly magical. In the end, the shots at the car wash turned out to be my favorite, and we happily avoided the standard car wash cliches.
Here are just a few highlights and some personal favorites –
Shooting in a truck parking lot might not seem like a good idea a first. However, the light passing through the golden fall leaves creates a gorgeous color palette with Elise’s fair skin and blonde hair.
Elise brought an amazing variety of outfits to her senior session. This allowed us to mix and match the outfits and create something unique for each location. Not to mention, she just has great style!
I drive by this car wash nearly daily and I have always wanted to shoot here. The light can be really amazing. I just love how the light seems to flood everything and be constrained at the same time.
Right as the sun was setting, we were able to capture the last photo below. I love how the light moves through the water spray. Elise’s “straight” glance is also priceless.
So that’s all for Elise’s senior portrait session. We had a great time, and Elise and Mary were very happy with the results. I was just happy I could help. Looking forward, I will have a few more senior portrait sessions coming soon and I’m really looking forward to them. The sessions are definitely a welcome change of pace. To see what we are working on this very moment, stop by Facebook for a quick peak.
