A Memorable Experience | Hinsdale Senior Photographer

Hi, gang! Does it throw you off when I post sessions that are obviously not in the current season?  LOL  Since I’m always terribly behind in creating my posts, if the season matches up, you can be certain we are over a year behind.  Life gets in the way, unfortunately. But lets get to another one of my senior sessions. I definitely am a senior photographer.

Capturing Life, One Frame at a Time

This fall senior photoshoot was a testament to the power of photography to freeze moments in time. It was an opportunity to celebrate the beauty of autumn and the unique personality of this senior boy. I feel privileged to have been a part of this experience for him and to have crafted visual memories that will last a lifetime for his parents (and him, of course). As a Naperville senior photographer (really I’m a Chicago senior photographer since my clients come from all over), it’s moments like these that remind me of the magic and artistry that can be found in every season, and I look forward to many more adventures behind the lens.

Choosing the Perfect Location

Selecting the right location is crucial to any successful photoshoot. For this particular senior session, I opted for a picturesque woodland area blanketed in the warm hues of fall. The rustling leaves and the soft, diffused sunlight filtering through the trees provided the perfect setting for our autumn-inspired adventure. And this particular location also has some of my favorite wooded architecture, which provides for great variety. This photo shoot was an exploration of the dual facets of autumn, blending the untamed beauty of nature with the strength of architectural design. It resulted in a stunning portrayal of a young man embracing the complexities of his future.

Being a Naperville senior photographer, I always provide guidance on choosing the setting or location. This is one of my top choices for senior boys who want something in nature.

Wardrobe and Styling a Senior Photoshoot

Wardrobe choices matter! They can enhance but also ruin an image. I know some senior photographers like to dictate or basically dress their clients, but I don’t believe in doing that. The only time I tell a client what to wear is if the image is for me and not them (like for a competition image).  Now, I will gladly give advice, but ultimately, the outfits should be something that is “them”. When shooting in the height of autumn colors, there are definitely colors that work better than others. You don’t want to have clients fading into the fall colors, but standing out.

He wore two outfits – one being a casual white polo and jeans and the other a dressy navy button down with khakis.  I actually don’t usually like when people where solid black tops because it is easy to loose details. Navy is a perfect color that contrasts beautifully with fall foliage.  If you want to see more examples of clothing ideas for fall sessions, this is a good Pinterest board on the subject.

Natural Posing

Genuine emotions are the heart of any portrait. To capture the essence of this young man’s senior year, I encouraged him to be himself. Many people are not super comfortable in front of a camera. Heck, I absolutely HATE being photographed. LOL So I give a lot of direction.  The art of making people look natural (but still really good) is actually being very detailed with their posing.  About 95% of my images are heavily posed.

The goal is to capture their natural personality. For some, that means being super smiley, for others, they are just naturally serious. I make sure to get a variety, but at the end of the day, I will lean towards their natural vibe. For this young man, he was a serious one.

The Truth About “The Golden Hour” for Senior Photographers

You have probably heard photographers refer to the “Magic Golden Hour”. This is typically referred to the hour before sunset. Some love this time because you can get a beautiful sunset or sky in the shot. In reality, you actually can’t capture that unless you are using additional light.

Many photographers are “natural light” photographers, meaning they will not use any additional lighting. The weak sunlight at that time of day is easiest to work with for these photographers. But I am not a natural light photographer – literally I only do it when there is no safe way to use my light in the setting. So photographers who use lighting do not need to photograph the hour before sunset. And I would never shoot at that time in the woods because light fades far quicker in the woods, so it is way too dark by then.

All that being said, I do love shooting in the late afternoons because the sun is lower, making for less glare into eyes and provides for less contrasty shadows. That is just my preference.  So when hiring a photographer, you can ask what time of day THEY like to shoot.

The Final Collection

While, yes, I am a professional photographer, I think it is more accurate to call myself a Photographic Artist. That is because while a photoshoot lasts usually one to two hours, I may spend five to ten hours editing (sometimes way more if it is fine art or a more creative shoot). In post-production, I carefully edited and curated the images to highlight both the environment and the senior in the best way. I have never shared an unedited image because I always edit and enhance every picture. The photographs served as a visual time capsule, encapsulating this significant chapter of the young man’s life.

 

I feel privileged to have been a part of this experience and to have crafted visual memories that will last a lifetime. As a photographer, it’s moments like these that remind me of the magic and artistry that can be found in every season, and I look forward to many more adventures behind the lens.

We hope you choose Firefly Nights Photography for your next session.