Gearing up for senior portrait season and looking through old portraits trying to find out things that worked and things that didn't, some ideas to maybe try again and maybe tweak to make better or to abandon altogether. When you do a lot of something you tend to fall into routines and rely on things in the past that were successful and you know can be again. I remember when I was little I would draw the same few birds over and over again because I could use what was successful and duplicate it and make passable drawings ((at least for my mom and grandma!), but as i got older and realized it was so much more fun to push myself out of my comfort zone, well maybe fun isn't the word….rewarding maybe???…, then I wasn't going to be happy just doing the same ole same ole.
So I'm not sure what I'll be doing this coming summer, probably visiting some of the same locations, still using my smoke machine, still thinking about placing the subject in a location and using the location as part of the character and still looking to find the personality in an expression and posture.
I like to take advantage of little things that just happen as well and just make the experience of taking the photos something enjoyable for me and the clients. Its likely we won't have a curious cat again sticking out of a hole in a barn, but maybe there will be something else?
Hopefully I'll have many clients who liked what someone else got this year and want to come and see what we can make together. I am studying my past work to see what I can improve upon and can't wait to get started at the end of the month with my first few sessions and then grow and grow. Currently booking for the summer now.
Photographs by Richard Sayer