Even though this was shot on a chilly December day, you wouldn’t really know it because this senior and the photographer, Kody Diane of Kody Diane Photography, hid the cold pretty well!  Adding the swing and the balloons to this shoot really made it look springy!   I think it is always a great idea to incorporate more than one look into a shoot and this sessions has a bit of fall and winter with a touch of spring!  Great job Kody!!  Check out the session below and read what Kody had to say about this shoot!!

What was your inspiration for the photo shoot?  I spend quite a bit of time getting to know each senior individually, I learn this through a questionaire I send each of them, as well as if we have a consultation ect.. Erika’s style was very classy and elegant, I wanted to make sure this came out in her photos. Since I’m not a teenager anymore, I use their inspirations to inspire me, the senior’s favorite magazines, clothing brands, and musicians all serve as a great source of inspiration for that senior’s shoot.

Did you collaborate with this senior to come up with the clothing and/or concept for this shoot? I learned a great way to help senior’s with clothing and concepts for their shoots from Amanda Holloway’s Evolve workshop. The method she teaches is brilliant to help guide seniors into a style that is their’s but at the same time is yours. The balloons and swing were completely Erika’s idea, I asked is there anything special you want to coordinate in this shoot, and a tree swing and balloons were her exact answer. If the client asks for something in particular I make sure to try my hardest to deliver!

What camera, lens and equipment were used for this shoot? I shoot with a Nikon D7000, and 50mm 1.8 lens.

What time of day were these taken? We shot this in early December on a very overcast and chilly day from 1-4 in the afternoon.

Can you share any post-processing techniques used when editing this session? I always try to keep my images natural and clean looking. I tend to be loud and bold at times, and I feel the colors in my images reflect this. I use a mix of adjustment levels, blending modes and Michelle Kane actions in my post processing.

What is your favorite thing about this session? I love how elegant yet youthful Erika is at the exact same time. I enjoyed how we were able to capture the elegance within her at the urban shots and how her youthful girliness came out in the country locations.

What do you want this session to convey about this senior and about your senior photography style? I like to think my style is classic, that I create timeless captures that aren’t trendy and will still be considered beautiful art twenty years from now when these seniors show their images to their granchildren. Erika’s style definately fits that to a tee. I really try to document them, to show off who they are right now in their life. Show off their fashion choices, show off their beautiful complexions, and the carefree exuberance that is all about being 17.

What is one tip you can share with other photographers regarding photographing seniors? Hmm, aim for variety in each gallery. Each senior has a casual style, a dressy style, and edgy style that all fits within their overall style, show each of these off in your photos. Give them many different backgrounds, poses, expressions. Seniors more than anyone else are coming into their own and figuring out who they are, try to document that in their senior gallery.