Ralphie Rough Road

Working with high school seniors is truly a joy.  They have so much excitement ahead of them as they prepare for the next big chapter of their lives.  Where will they attend college, what do they plan to major in, are they ready to be out of high school, will they miss their friends?  These are just a few of the questions that come up during a photo session.  I am always intrigued to find out the answers.  When I arrived at the Indianapolis Zoo to take Rachel’s senior photos I was surprised to find out she did not like having her picture taken.  The year before I had photographed her grandparent’s 50th-anniversary family photos.  She was very photogenic with her personality shining through during that session.   I knew the same would apply to her senior photos.

We decided to do all of her photos in the zoo gardens.  They were really pretty this time of year with plenty of different plants, fencing, and fountains to serve as great backdrops.  She was extremely laid back and simply said “just tell me what to do and I will do it”.   How many parents wish their teen would utter those words?  🙂  It did not take long to get into a flow.  Both Rachel and her mother had plenty of ideas that worked out wonderfully.

She simply has this great smile and with a fantastic personality to boot, the session went along with ease.   Before we knew it our two-hour session had flown by.  At this point, we all felt we had plenty of material to produce some great portraits.  Which was a good thing due to a wedding that was about to take place in the gardens.

As the photographer, I always want to grab a few more just in case.  We grabbed a few more photos on the outside before parting ways.

I love this image of her with her mother.

 In the end, Rachel said she had a great time which for me was a success.  With her initial feeling of hating to have her picture taken and ending with enjoying herself, the day ended on a very positive note.

All photographs were taken in the Indianapolis Zoo Gardens where Rachel  volunteered during her high school years.  She has already been accepted to Ball State and plans to major in special education.    This remarkable young lady has a bright future ahead of her.  It was my privilege to capture an afternoon in her life as a senior.