When Kayla and I strolled through downtown Davidson during her senior portrait session, the textures of brick and leaves made a lovely backdrop. And even more than the angled shafts of light that I find so irresistible on autumn afternoons, Kayla brought the sunshine with her dazzling smile and playfulness in front of the camera. (When she wore her yellow off-the-shoulder top with those cascading sleeves, she upped the brilliance even more!)
Kayla has charmed the Carolinas with her friendly demeanor after relocating with her family from Arizona midway through high school. She was enthusiastic about my suggestions for her session during our planning meeting, and she and her mom contributed their own ideas that got me excited as well. That kind of collaboration fuels the creative process and helps me give each senior a custom experience. Kayla knew she wanted to end her session with sunset on Lake Norman, so we timed our travels just right to deliver on that final setup for her magical day in the spotlight. Good communication before the session + fun locations + a stunning senior in her element = a beautiful set of images and happy senior memories.
An interesting aside: the last few times I photographed a senior at sunset, the beautiful colors in the sky happened to match the tones of the senior's outfit. Not a Photoshop trick -- just the truth!
Kayla, high school senior, in Davidson, North CarolinaI captured this image of Kayla on a brick sidewalk in downtown Davidson, NC. Can you believe her gorgeous eyes and eyelashes? Her ribbed turtleneck and jeans were perfectly cozy on this autumn afternoon.
Kayla has dimples!The columns outside the Wells Fargo bank building on the main street in Davidson, North Carolina, just across from Davidson College, provided a luminous backdrop and support for Kayla to lean against during her senior portrait session.
A fan of blond hairKayla stretched out on the ground hoping to be surrounded by colorful fall leaves, but there were not many to be found! She still rocked this shot, however.
Braids, jeans and sunshineThis high-school senior girl, a student at Christ the King Catholic High School in Huntersville, North Carolina, glows with the backlighting of the sun on a warm autumn afternoon.
Proud to be an American!The American flag attached to the painted brick wall of this business across the railroad tracks in Davidson, North Carolina, adds a touch of patriotism to Kayla's senior portraits.
Sunset over Lake NormanKayla sits on the lakeshore of Lake Norman in Cornelius, North Carolina, at a private location as the sun sets on her senior portrait experience.
Glowing beautyKayla stands on the dock in the afterglow of sunset, and the warm tones in the sky coordinate with those of her brown maxi dress. She moved from the stark desert landscape of Arizona to North Carolina during high school.