Friday, May 17, 2013

Graduations & Promotions....

It is interesting how different the students at each school are when it comes to graduations.

HTRS - High School Graduation - lots of picture taking with each other before graduation while they're getting ready.  I took about 150 pictures before the ceremony.  Leaving the ceremony, there are usually at least a few who are acting up doing something funny or giving each other piggy back rides.  After the ceremony, they go in front of the school and have an organized receiving line everyone goes through with a few more picture ops, I got about another 125, and everyone is done at the same time, once everyone is through the receiving line.

HTRS - 8th Grade Promotion - before the ceremony is completely different.  Almost every year that I have done this, the last few usually show up as it is starting, so the class picture is usually missing a few students.  They don't mingle together taking pictures hardly at all.  This year, I took 4 pictures, other than the class picture, before the ceremony.  This is also the only ceremony of the 6 that they don't have the students walk in at the beginning and walk out at the end - they just take their seats in the front anytime before it starts.  After the ceremony they form a receiving line in front of the stage that everyone goes through and there are some photo ops.  A few of the classmates pose with each other for photos, but not a whole lot.  Some years, they serve cake and drink - some years they don't.  I took 125 pictures afterward, including an individual of each of the 37.  For the most part, everyone's done when the line is through, but there are a few that stick around to get photos taken with each other or families after the receiving line is done.

Falls City - High School Graduation - everyone gathers before graduation, but very little picture taking.  I took about 60 pictures, 20 of them being setup groups.  Afterweard, it's pandemonium in front of the auditorium as graduates, friends, families and everyone else mingle taking pictures here and there. Lots of photo ops, but they're all over the place and in every direction.  I got about 125 photos here too.  Some leave almost immediately, some stay around for an hour and anywhere in between.

Falls City - 8th Grade Promotion - very similar to high school graduation, though usually there seems to be a few more photo ops before the ceremony.  This year I took the same, about 60 photos, before the ceremony - but this was without any setup groups.  I didn't take pictures as long as usual before the ceremony this year, so I would have normally had a few more.  After the ceremony is just like high school graduation, pandemonium in front of the auditorium.  This particular year, I only got about 75 pictures afterward because it seemed like everyone was taking pictures with their backs towards the building, where I stand.

Sacred Heart - High School Graduation - quite often falls on the same night as Falls City's 8th grade promotion.  I used to say high school graduation trumps 8th grade promotion so I would always go to the graduation, but I wasn't selling much and always had parents of the Falls City 8th graders asking if I was going to be there.  This year, I had at least 6 different Falls City parents ask if I was going to be at the promotion and no Sacred Heart parents ask if I was going to be at graduation, so I did the Falls City 8th grade promotion.  From years past though, Sacred Heart Graduation and their 8th Grade Promotion are pretty much the same in how they go.

Sacred Heart - 8th Grade Promotion - always a lot of fun taking pictures with each other, friends and family and as a class before the ceremony.  It's done outside in front of the school.  For my 'before the ceremony' photos, I always get the most pictures at Sacred Heart.  I got about 215 this year.  After the ceremony, we go across the street to the Parrish Hall where they form a receiving line.  Everyone goes through the line with a bunch more photo ops.  Once everyone is through the line, the students sit down to open cards or have cake and punch that's provided for everyone.  After that, they're back up posing with each other, friends and family again anywhere throughout the building.  I got almost another 200 photos after the ceremony as well.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

2014 Senior Special Day

Attention all new seniors!
And all soon-to-be new seniors....

Congratulations, you're Senior year is starting.  You're almost done with high school and you will want to remember this time of your life.

** We're having a sale you don't want to miss **

For one day only, we're having a senior portrait sale.  The lowest price we'll offer all year - FREE sessions.  There is a little (very little) work you have to do to qualify.  Want more details?

What is on sale
You can get a free Salutatorian Senior Session (a $75 value) or Senior Portrait Party (3- 5 seniors, a $200 value).  Want something bigger like our Extreme, Double Take or Seasons Session?  We'll give you $75 off any of those sessions.

For more information about our options and prices, visit our Senior Portraits Website.

When is the sale
It's one day only, this Saturday, May 18th.  Call or stop in on from 10:00am - 5:00pm, or you can contact us by facebook or email from 8:00am - 9:00pm.

How do you qualify
It's really simple.
  1. Like our Natural-Beauty Portraits Facebook Page
  2. Share our sale information posted on our page
That's it.... that's all you have to do to qualify for a free senior portrait session!


Whether you're a senior or just know a senior, spread the word.  It won't cost you anything and your chances of getting a free session won't change because it's for anyone who shares the information.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Featured Session: Bauman Christmas


This year, I didn’t get a chance to create a Christmas set like the fireplace setting we had last year.  My plans are to create a different themed set each year as well as having some smaller, basic Christmas backgrounds.  Since I didn’t have a Christmas set this year, the Bauman family decided to have their Christmas portraits taken at their home.  This is always an option because it’s fun to incorporate your own home in to your pictures – it really makes them unique.

When I got to the Bauman’s house, they showed me their beautiful Christmas tree they just finished decorating the night before.  It was in a wide open room and the golden color on the tree with the dark red and green walls was going to make a beautiful background for Christmas portraits.

 I have taken quick pictures of this family before at our Helping Hearts fundraiser in February, so I knew that the youngest one was going to be a bit tricky, and she didn’t disappoint.   As we started taking family pictures, she clung to mommy, we worked with it and got some cute pictures including some of her peeking out between mommy and daddy.  As she was getting a little more comfortable, we got her sitting in front of mommy and daddy for their favorite family Christmas portrait.

After getting the family portraits, we moved on to getting individual portraits of the boys in front of the tree.  At their ages, this went quickly and easily with great results…. even when we brought the dog in for a few images.

 We then moved around the room to a another location where they had their name hanging on the wall and got a few more family portraits that weren’t so Christmas themed.  This gives them another option to show off their portraits throughout the year without it looking like Christmas.

By the time we got done with the last set of family portraits, the little girl was really starting to warm up to me and play with me.  This was our chance to get some individual portraits of her in front of the tree as well.  I think we got some of the best portraits of her that we have ever gotten.  The combination of taking the time for her to get used to me, playing with her throughout the time and being in her own home environment all helped to get a several great images.

I want to thank the Bauman’s for letting me invade their home and get these great family portraits in their own home environment.  I would also encourage anyone who's interested in portraits to consider using their home to take portraits.  I can come and make some great portraits in places you wouldn't realize.