Don’t get me wrong - babies and kiddos are adorable, but senior portraits are by far my favorite! Surprised? Here’s why -
Some people may cringe thinking about working with this age group. They are notorious for being rebellious, dramatic, opinionated, indecisive, etc. Easy-going and agreeable usually do not make the list.
We take photographs to capture moments in time and, to me, there’s something really special about senior portraits. High school is a relatively short period of time in which so much change can happen developmentally and emotionally. It’s a period of time some people remember fondly, while others would rather forget the experience.
In the time span of just a few years, you may learn to drive and become more independent, find activities that excite you and subjects that engage you, figure out what doesn’t excite you, learn that decisions and actions can have very real consequences, form social and romantic relationships, apply for your first job, and potentially make choices about what you’ll be doing for the rest of your adult life. On top of all of that, you have your full-time job as a student.
When I think back to my own high school experience, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. My family uprooted and moved after my freshman year of high school. I went from being at the top of my class with friends I had since elementary school to being the weird new girl at a school with a more challenging curriculum and a student body that was very competitive academically.
To say I felt lost and like a fish out of water, floundering to get by is an understatement. There were days I would tell my mom I was refusing to go to school (she still made me go), days I would hold back tears sitting among my new friends as it all seemed so easy for them, thinking there was no one who could relate to what I was going through, and so so many visits to my guidance counselor completely overwhelmed by my class schedule.
Over the next three years, things slowly changed. I adapted and matured. I still struggled a bit academically (honors chemistry, I’m looking at you), but found classes that excited me, made genuine friends, went to proms, joined the track team (and struggled athletically lol), and got early acceptance into my first choice college.
I remember the excitement, nervousness, pride, and slightly insecure sense of maturity I felt as my junior year ended and my senior year was about to begin. For the first time in a long time, my peers and I would all be experiencing a major life change at the same time. The question of “what do you want to be when you grow up?” was directly in front of us. We would all have to make decisions - go to college or not go to college, stay local or move away. For most of us, this is the first time we truly have to make a potentially life-altering decision.
I can feel those same emotions during senior portrait sessions. The photos are a reminder of a period of time that is relatively brief in the grand scheme of a lifetime, but so incredibly impactful. A moment where one adventure is ending and another is beginning, and a first glimpse into adulthood. It’s so exciting to see and be a part of, even if only for a short photo session.
If you are located in the Boston area or the South Shore of Massachusetts and are interested in booking a senior photo session, please contact me! You can also email me directly: info@melissakimberlyphoto.com.
You can view more of my senior portrait work here: Senior Portraits
