What’s better than a vintage polka dot dress, an old diner and a fun senior?  Not much as you can see from these fun photos submitted by Brian Elledge of Divine Light Photography in Tampa, Florida.  Brian says all of these photos were taken with natural light and I love the way he played up the shadows in some of these photos!  It looks like a fun spot to do a fabulous senior session and that is just what he did.

Check out the session below and read what Brian had to say about it.  And check out Brian’s other work here.  Thanks for sharing Brian!!

What was your inspiration for the photo shoot? Riley said she wanted something vintage but not cheesy. That she had a cool polkadot dress and thought a 50’s theme would be cool. I knew of a great Diner I had eaten at as a kid and was still in amazingly dilapidated shape, which would be perfect for that look.

Where did this photo shoot take place? Nikos Diner in Tampa, FL

Did you collaborate with this senior to come up with the clothing and/or concept for this shoot? She had the dress and told me what she liked and I took it from there.

What camera, lens and equipment were used for this shoot? Nikon D700 & Assorted lenses.

What time of day were these taken? Around 3pm.

Was there any special lighting techniques used or was this all natural light? All natural light, It’s my specialty.

Can you share any post-processing techniques used when editing this session? I kept it looking natural with the dark tones in the diner. Always keep things natural.

What is your favorite thing about this session? I think her personality. It shows through in every photo. 

What do you want this session to convey about this senior and about your senior photography style? I think that her personality and energy is contagious. Its no wonder she is the holder of the spirit stick for her school when it comes to pep rallies. She is awesome. As for me, my goal with every shoot is to capture the personalities of my subjects in a natural and fun way. 

What is one tip you can share with other photographers regarding photographing seniors? Just have fun. I think if you try to hard to stick to certain shots you will miss the most important part: their personalities.