Graduations

I first met Alex last year when he came along with his friend Miranda for her senior session. This year it was time for Alex’s senior session and he wanted to bring his parents along for the day (there’s something you just have to love about a teenager who’s willing to hang out with his parents for a bit). They seem to have a great relationship and as a parent, it is very nice to experience! Boeger is at its best this time of year and we all took in the fabulous fall colors! Congratulations Alex!

Alyssa’s senior shoot started out at a new location for me. The Cozmic Cafe in Placerville- I love that building- so much character! I also love new locations…it allows me the opportunity to think on my feet and also creatively as I work out a new spot and its’ light. Alyssa is a singer, and we had the opportunity to borrow their stage for a bit. It made for some fun portraits, and I even got Alyssa to sing for me for most of them. What a beautiful voice she has! After we finished with the stage, we headed up…

I am just getting all the images together from this year’s graduation. That puts my Chatham Hall graduation count to 27, well…28 if you count my own back in 1984. This was a special year for me as my good friend Ann (Dr. Beal), who I have enjoyed visiting and staying with on campus each and every year since my graduation, and who also happened to be my English teacher MY senior year, was retiring after a long career of teaching. Congratulations to the Class of 2011 and thank you to Ann Beal for generously sharing her life’s learned wisdoms…

You have to be careful when you live in Pollock Pines, and spring hits and you still leave the house wearing fleece and long sleeves. Don’t go down the hill dressed like that- you will burn up. Even in Camino at the Apple Mountain Golf Course it was very warm when I met Hayden for his senior shoot. I hadn’t seen Hayden since his family had family photographs a couple years ago and I didn’t even recognize him. A lot can change in a couple years which is why I am so often reminded how important it is to capture…

It was a beautiful day at Boeger Winery when we met up with Andrew for his senior session. Andrew is a guitar player, and brought his guitar along for the shoot.  Not only did it serve as a great prop throughout the shoot, but it made for a fantastic atmosphere to work in – the rolling hills of the vineyard, beautiful evening light, and gentle music played by Andrew himself – not a bad way to enjoy sunset, I’d say! My “past life” included about 15 years as both a live and recording studio engineer and I have great affection…

Ok, granted I get a bit nostalgic with these two, well, these three now. Enter Zoe. Tara and Tony purchased a Baby Package when they knew they were expecting. Their package came with three sessions throughout Zoe’s first year and a One Year Brag Book Album. For Zoe, her sessions were at newborn, 4 months(with her grandparents too) and at one year, plus they added a pregnancy session as well. Zoe just celebrated her first year of life and now we get to pick all of the favorites from each of the shoots to create their First Year memory album.…

Twenty six years photographing graduation at Chatham Hall in Chatham, VA. I really do enjoy going back year after year and getting the opportunity to see the school grow and change while also staying the same. It’s the type of perspective you can only get when you are not there day after day. The campus, always beautiful, the staff and teachers, always friendly and hospitable and the students, always excited to be getting a year older. Hmmmm…it is strange to frequent a place where your “clients” stay the same age, while you do not. Chasing around 17 & 18 year…

This year was my 25th year photographing the graduation at Chatham Hall in Chatham, Virginia. Ironically (not really) I also graduated from Chatham Hall 25 years ago (go Class of ’84 and golds!). Graduation from Chatham Hall is filled with traditions that stretch over several days so I arrived on Thursday afternoon with my assistant Cassie, ready to shoot. Cassie had never been to Virginia before and got to experience “humidity” for the first time(someone told her that this wasn’t really humidity). We both live at 4000 feet in the mountains- the air is pretty dry here. This year, someone…