Beautiful Outdoor Orange County Senior Photos | Ava S.

This Orange County senior photo session was an absolute pleasure to photograph. From lots of variety in the locations and great senior photos outfits to Ava being a natural in front of the camera, this photo shoot was both fun and fruitful. We had a great time!

Ava was on top of things when she signed up in July 2023 for her April 2024 senior photoshoot. With spring in full swing on the day of her session, the locations we picked gave us lush greens and little pops of color here and there in the woodsy location and a cotton candy sunset at the beach. 

The combination of a woodsy location and a beachy location is really popular with seniors right now, and for good reason. It gives you two contrasting backdrops and lots of variety in your image collection. All JRP sessions include 2 or more locations so that we can experiment and be sure to include different lighting scenarios, poses, compositions, and wardrobe pieces. For example, clients will likely be barefoot at the beach, so having a different location on the agenda means you can also wear your favorite heels, boots, or sneakers, too! 

There was a certain ease with Ava, who is obviously gorgeous and lovely to photograph, but she also had a low-stress, up-for-anything approach to the different locations and poses we were working with. She was almost "coachable" for lack of a better word — we would try one movement prompt, and if it wasn't quite working the way I envisioned, I'd bring her back, explain the adjustments, and we'd try it again. Nailed it! She knew she wasn't doing anything 'wrong' — sometimes getting the perfect shot just takes a couple of tries.

One example of a movement prompt I use with my seniors is what I call “swinging the purse.” Whenever a client is holding a hat (whether college hat or graduation cap), I have them walk parallel to me and swing it back and forth like a purse. When I first started playing with this shot, most of the time clients tend to keep their arm stiff by their side on the first go, so I started to say "swing it just like you would walking with a bag or purse!" and it always seems to register. Sometimes helping clients get outside of the frame of mind that they're taking photos and instead making it like an everyday activity helps them get inside my head in terms of the look we're going for with the shot.

The energy on set with Ava and her mom was perfect — they were so sweet! Her mom was present and encouraging, but let her daughter do all of the shining in these Orange County senior photos. The session was enjoyable and memorable, and her photos reflect that!

Want a memorable Orange County senior photo session of your own? Apply here!