Tomorrow The Woodlands High School class of 2015 collect their well-earned diplomas. This spring has been a blur for many of my clients, but those with a graduating senior have remarked that it has flown by in warp speed. There are so many things to do at this time of year for the students both academically and socially. When I have senior portrait sessions I always hear the parents say that they wish time could slow down. They can’t believe that they are seeing their child, who seemed like a kindergartner just yesterday, now completing this phase of their life. They aren’t ready for them to move on just yet.

That is one reason that spring High School Senior sessions are so wonderful. In the fall the students get their mandatory yearbook portraits taken and some even have other portraits taken at that time. Most of my High School senior clients however schedule with me in the spring. Yes, it can be a busy time and difficult to fit in, but these students are so very different in the spring than they were in the fall. They’ve been through the social events that come with senior year, finished off their last seasons as school athletes/ club members/ musicians, and maybe have already made decisions about where they will be attending college or what job they will be starting after graduation. They all have a confidence about them that wasn’t quite cemented in the fall. I think the students also really appreciate their families at this time of year. Mom and dad and the family have supported them through lots of challenges during their school years and as they approach graduation and the nostalgia sets in, they realize how special this time of their life truly is. I see my portrait sessions giving the families a short break from the hectic pace where they can connect with their kids. I always suggest that mom and dad (or whoever is coming along to the session) dress up just a bit for the session too. I love to capture the whole families’ interactions as they tell me about their year and their plans for after graduation. It’s great to see the excitement in the senior’s face and the pride in mom and dad’s eyes.

My session with the Alex and his mom was just this way. Alex kept us laughing with stories and we bonded over a shared admiration for Derek Zoolander’s unconventional modeling talent. Alex even showed off his own unique senior modeling poses (although I decided that I’d let him share those images on his own:)  They also got to tell me about some of the highlights of Alex’s year and I was able to capture the sweet images of Alex and Kathy that show what a special bond they have.