Aki’s Senior Session
I had the pleasure of meeting Aki well before her senior portrait session through various JROTC events at the Stuttgart High School in Stuttgart, Germany. What really impressed me with Aki is how confident she is, and it was immediately apparent the first time I met her that leadership skills come naturally to her.
For Aki’s session, I knew that I wanted to help capture all the different facets of her personality. During our session planning, Aki’s mom mentioned that she would love to have the session when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and I recommended that we go to one of my favorite locations: a grove of cherry trees about 2 hours outside of Stuttgart, Germany at Schloss Schwetzingen.
Aki’s session incorporated a traditional Yukata, shipped from a family friend from Japan to Germany. We also honored her time growing up here in Germany with a traditional Dirndl. It’s amazing how two completely different outfits, honoring two different cultures, can both fit beautifully in this location.
I prefer longer senior portrait sessions because it allows us plenty of time not only for wardrobe changes and photography, but to get my seniors to feel relaxed and comfortable. Aki’s session took approximately 3 hours, and it was truly a memorable experience.
We wrapped up her session with two more outfits that reflect Aki’s personal style and taste. My goal for every senior session is to create timeless images that capture each senior as they are at this juncture in their life. Looking at Aki’s images, I especially love how comfortable and natural the images feel.
We finished up our session right at closing time - which was perfect because it was an unusually chilly day. Aki and her mom graciously invited me to stay for coffee, to which I readily agreed and we got to spend a little more time just chatting about life, school, and photography.
It was a fantastic way to start off the week: a seamless portrait session followed by a delicious mochaccino next to a real life palace in Germany! Definitely a great way to start the week.
Aki and Michelle, thank you so much for choosing me to be your photographer and for such a lovely afternoon making new memories together.