Having younger siblings to photograph, really gave Lindsay Horn of Lindsay Horn Photography in Dallas, Texas valuable experience when it comes to photographing the teen age group.  Her siblings were some of her first senior clients and she has been in love with that genre of photography ever since!

“At this point, my schedule is filled with about 90% seniors, and I’m loving every minute of it,” said Lindsay.  However, Lindsay said, “If there’s one thing I learned by taking my baby sister’s senior pictures though, I may have to hire someone when my girls are seniors.  It was emotional!”

You can tell from the session below that Lindsay showcases her love for photography, seniors and her baby sister through her images.  I just love the feel of these photos and I must get that headband!  Be sure to check out Lindsay’s work on her blog and read below for her interview!  Thanks for sharing Lindsay!

What was your inspiration for this photo shoot?

I drew inspiration for this shoot from my sister’s eclectic vintage style. I knew I wanted to do something with a modern feel and something with more of a 70’s feel, and both looks came together really well.  I love the headband from Lexi Vornberg, I envisioned something like it from the moment we started planning and was so lucky to find it!  The quilt (brought by the senior) and chair (a curbside trash find) really helped pull our sets together too.

Where did this shoot take place?

We used a couple of areas at one of my favorite large parks nearby – you can always find a great spot there year-round. 

Did you collaborate with the senior beforehand on clothing and concept?

Always!  I hold in-person consultations before every session, and this one was no exception.  We developed the concept around her personal style and went from there. I created a Pinterest board for brainstorming and that worked well to help visualize where I saw the session heading so I could get feedback.  I’m hoping to incorporate this with my seniors going forward, especially for more conceptual sessions.  I checked out clothing options ahead of time and made suggestions based on the look we were going for and props we were going to be using.  I love doing pre-session consults with my seniors, it’s a great way to make sure that their session is designed in a way that is very personal to them, and it makes the sessions themselves go so smoothly!

What camera, lens and equipment did you use during this shoot?

I shoot with a Nikon D700, and for this session I used my 85mm 1.8 and 50mm 1.4.  I also had my beloved reflector, I never leave home without it! 

What time of day was this shot?

This session was shot from about an hour before sunset to about ten minutes after.

Can you share your post processing techniques used when editing these photos?

I really like a nice clean edit with deep rich colors. I always make minor adjustments in ACR and then open in Photoshop for final touches.  I’ve used an array of actions and made some of my own, but for this set I used Florabella’s Classic Workflow – I’m really loving those!  One of my favorite freebie actions is the MCP Actions Burnt Edges action.  I use it on very low opacity to help draw your eye to the subject. 

What is your favorite thing about these photos?

Apart from the fact that they are of my baby sister? J  Really, I love seeing the fruition of a vision that we worked on together, one that showcased her personality and style while achieving the look I wanted for the shoot as well. I also love the light in the first set – backlighting during the golden hour is my absolute favorite thing. 

What do you want this session to convey about this senior and about your photography style?

I strive for all of my sessions to be multi-faceted – I want to show off a senior’s serious side, her silly side, her natural beauty.  I want her friends to look at the images and say, “That is so YOU!”  I hope I achieved that here!  I have a fun, modern style with a natural feel to it, and I hope these images convey that. J

What is one tip you can share with other senior photographers?

I think the most important ability you can bring to the table aside from your photography skills is being able to connect with your client.  That’s one reason why I love getting to meet them in person ahead of time – when we show up to the session we can skip through a lot of the awkward “breaking the ice” moments.  I talk the ENTIRE time I’m shooting … I really do love learning more about them as they are at such a cool place in their lives. College, school, friends, sports, TV, movies, music, etc. … you name it, we talk about it.  Not only does it result in gorgeous images of them being themselves, but there’s nothing better than running into a past client around town and getting a big hug!