Effortless Summer Senior Pictures in Orange County | Charlie S.
Charlie is an Orange County local who loves the beach, horses, and pretty much any water activity/sport, so this summer senior pictures session was a perfect fit. I learned quickly that she comes from a family of water-lovers – trips to the beach, lake, and oceans all over the world seemed woven into the fabric of their family's lifestyle (and as the eldest daughter of a surf-obsessed family myself, I can certainly relate). So it only made sense for this summer session that we ended with our toes in the sand!
The connection between Charlie and her mom Lysa was clear right away, they were always laughing together and cracking jokes. They were a hoot from the start – big smiles, easy conversation, and thoughtful and trusting in my vision. They were such a joy to be around!
Along with the joy of their mother-daughter connection, there was an overwhelming calm about this day. This was probably because we took her summer senior pictures at the end of June, which is a popular month for families to skip town and head out on vacation once the school year ends. Both the grassy field location and the beach were peaceful, warm, and nearly empty – a trifecta of sorts.
Another contributing factor to the overall calm of the day came straight from Charlie. She had a calm, cool, and collected aura about her. Beauty is such a fun concept (fun fact: I actually wrote my senior thesis on the beauty industry during my senior year at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo!) because it truly suits every single client I work with in special and unique ways. Charlie's beauty was unlike anything I'd seen before! She was sure of herself, and was able to transition perfectly from this electric, megawatt smile to a soft, relaxed posture in her face that brought you right into her eyes. As a photographer, capturing Charlie's beauty was a dream!
Something that's increasing in popularity (sensibly so) are candid shots where the senior client is barely aware the camera is there. I love capturing shots of clients walking away, or featuring their hair instead of their face. Because of the saturated blue skies we had on this shoot day, and after seeing how relaxed Charlie was in front of the camera, I knew she'd be able to pull off my vision for a low-to-high angle that primarily featured the sky.
We tried three different spots, but it just wasn't working out the way I imagined. So, we tried a 4th and final area (I told Charlie, "I know you probably think I'm nuts, but trust me! This is it!"). I had her walk and spin parallel to me and voilà — nailed it!
What's so funny is, without fail, most parents at the image reveal appointment are perplexed to learn that some of their daughters FAVORITE images are the ones that are those effortless, pulled back images where her face isn't fully visible. This is the balance that we aim to strike in any gallery — a mixture of close up portraits that features the senior's beautiful, God-given features, and then more relaxed, wide-angle, effortless poses to complement.
Charlie’s summer senior pictures are a great example of the kind of photos you can get when you work with me to memorialize this pivotal time in your (or your senior’s) life. Apply now to take the first step toward your dream senior session!
