Tennis Senior Pictures | Guy Senior Photos | Adam S.
As a long time tennis player, incorporating the sport in Adam’s senior photos was a no-brainer. Not only do tennis senior pictures showcase a passion of his, but they celebrate his accomplishment of continuing on to play collegiate tennis, as well.
My husband, Lucas, coaches tennis, and Adam has trained with him before. Lucas is always so vocal with his clients that they just “have” to get their senior photos done with me (we love a supportive husband) so I was lucky enough to have Adam trust me with the important milestone that is his senior portraits!
We shot his photos in three different locations around Newport Beach – a field location, a beach location, and the tennis courts. I have used the first two locations before, but the tennis courts were a first for me! These courts are special because that is where Adam trains day in and day out, and has since he was young, with hopes of playing tennis in college and even beyond. The cool thing is, I learned at the start of his session that he had officially been recruited to play Division II Tennis at Concordia University! It was cool to not only learn that his hard work had paid off, but also get to document him in his element at the very place he put in so many hours to get to this point. It was a true full-circle moment.
The tennis courts were so cool to shoot at because there's a certain "je ne sais quois" cool factor when it comes to the tennis court aesthetic. As a photographer, there are a few backdrops that never get old, and a tennis court is one of 'em! (Getting to see my husband at work was a major perk, too!)
The green court, the chain-link fencing, and Adam's all-white tennis outfit was a recipe for success. Even more than that, I loved to see how Adam instantaneously became most comfortable in front of the camera when he picked up his racket and a tennis ball. This is another reason why it's never a bad idea to incorporate your everyday hobbies and passions, like surfing, horseback riding, working on cars, dance, etc., because it gives you something to DO in front of the camera that is completely second nature to you (whereas, sometimes, smiling at the camera and posing for photos is not second-nature to begin with). Especially for guy clients, incorporating actions and movements into the session is key for natural smiles and best results.
As a photographer, it’s important to always stay ready. You never know when you’ll see a natural smile that needs to be captured! Take these two photos for example. Interestingly enough, I didn't ask Adam to smile and look off to the side for this first image. Actually, I had asked him to place his hand on his neck for a more GQ style shot, and the very thought of it made him laugh. I quickly picked up my camera and snapped this shot, which ended up being one of my favorites!
The same goes for the second photo: this image is technically not the one I was trying to capture (the traditional "cap toss") but I just love that smile as he moves to retrieve the cap that the wind carried away. THAT is a moment in time, and that is what being a senior photographer is all about!
I had been in communication with Adam's mom prior to the session, who was understandably excited and proud to celebrate her son and his many accomplishments — who wouldn't be?! She told me that Adam was really "just doing this for her," but deep down, I felt confident that I would be able to get on his level and create amazing results that HE himself would love, and maybe even have a little fun in the process. As usual, the first shots are more like a warm-up, and once we got to the tennis courts, any reservations had melted away. By the time we made it to the third location, the beach, Adam was an absolute pro. (Did we just put the pro in JenRenPro?!)
