With Jordan

Proud daddy!

Mom’s beautiful, too!

Sibling moment!

Mark gave Teasha this ring as a grad gift. Awww!

Krista’s escort, Kyle, was all smiles and laughter – so fun!

Beautiful blue skies!

This was totally their idea – but it was funny!

After the provincial park, we decided to hit the playground across from the Alliance church for a few more photos.

With Krista’s sweet ride

This one is my favorite!

First up was Garrett, who was the only grad to get any sunshine that day! The sun disappeared, the wind picked up, and it got COLD after this session.

We shot at the family acreage north of Vermilion. It was great to see this family again – I also photographed Garrett’s brother, Michael, when he graduated three years ago.

Garrett’s escort is the lovely Stephanie. LOVE her dimples!

Gorgeous family – and they’re beautiful on the inside, too.

Garrett and Carolyn. If all men measure their prospective future wives against the example set by their mothers, Garrett’s sure got a great example to work from! Carolyn is awesome.

Cutie patooties. I want to feed them perogies.

There’s that blue sky! I wish it had stuck around for the rest of the day.

One of Stephanie by herself …

And Garrett flew solo for a shot, too!

Handsome lads! I can’t believe how much they both grew up in the three years since I last saw them.

Next up was Nic. I’ve known Nic’s mom, Dana, on a casual basis for years, and I met her husband at a wedding last summer, so it was awesome to get to meet their kids!

This is “The Pouty Tree.” When the tree, and Nic, were much smaller, and Nic’s parents were having their wedding photos done here, he went and pouted under this tree. So of course, we needed a picture with the tree again!

They are the happiest bunch of people! I love how Dana is laughing in half the photos!

I love Jass’ steeze. She’s rocking that look! And check out dad – it takes a real man to pull off a hot pink shirt!

Nic’s sister, Jass, and his date, Harlie.

Nic and Harlie, sittin’ in a tree … no joke, they started dating again shortly after this!

Jersey from grandma and grandpa

Such an adorable pair!

I got Harlie to sit on Nic’s knee, so she could be taller for once. So there, Nic!

Nic is 6’6″. So I had to make him sit for a few – there’s only so much looking up I can do!

The Captain Morgan pose.

Nic is allllll about photos. I love that quality in a subject.

Boys and their toys ……

And last but not least, Daniel! Also, a few of his brother, Andrew, who graduated from NAIT this year. We photographed this session out at his grandparent’s beautiful acreage north of Vermilion. It was the perfect location – I may start petitioning to be adopted into the family so that I can use it more often!

Daniel must be doing something right – he was both the official escort for this lovely young lady, AND he had a date of his own with his beautiful girlfriend, Brooke.

With parents and grandparents. The Webbs are one of Vermilion’s founding families, and they remain active in the business, volunteer and sports communities. Amazing bunch of people!

With parents and siblings. Aren’t they a great looking group?

Delightfully embarassing smooch from his sisters!

I love his pink cheeks. Cute!

Aren’t they an adorable couple?!

Andrew was playing two roles – NAIT graduate AND escort for the beautiful Roosje, who is an exchange student and graduated from St. Jerome’s. They do look great together, don’t they? Roosje is stunning.

Such handsome young men!

Best. Smile. Ever.

I told Daniel he looks like Sidney Crosby. He said Andrew looks more like Crosby. I’d have to see Andrew with no beard to be able to make a final call!

Thanks to all the handsome young men, and their beautiful escorts, for allowing me to photograph you! I had a great time!

Brandi chose an abandoned train trestle as the location for her grad photos. It was awesome!

There will be more photos coming for all of these grads, this is just a sneak preview of a few quick favorites!

Part One
The first time slot of the day went to Sever. Handsome, handsome Sever! I photographed his older brother, Jordan, in 2007, and I also photographed their beautiful younger sister, Dallis, for a fun session with her horse in 2008. Dallis will be graduating next year and I can’t wait to do her grad photos, too! Such a great family!

We did Sever’s photos out at the family farm (first time slot of the day gets to choose the location; everyone else has to be in town!), which is a gorgeous location just west of Vermilion.

Aren’t they lovely? Ron never gives me a good smile for photos, but I like him anyway. Maybe next time I should bribe him with pie …

Look! A smile! From Sever! He has a great smile. Sever, you should always be smiling!

Part Two
Graduate Connor was up next, and we photographed his session at the beautiful Vermilion Provincial Park. I LOVE the park in Vermilion; it’s a hidden gem along the banks of the Vermilion River. It’s beautiful all year round!

These guys were so much fun!

They brought their own old truck to the session – this lovely number in the shade of primer grey. It’s awesome!

He totally rocked the hot pink vest. Love it!

Part Three
Owen and his grad escort and family got the last grad session of the day. If his lovely escort looks familiar, it’s because I’ve photographed her before – she escorted one of my grads back in 2008! I asked Krista how many times she’s been a grad escort, and the magic number is seven! Krista graduated last year from St. Jerome’s in Vermilion. She always looks beautiful!

This family is SO MUCH FUN!!! Cindy is completely outnumbered, but she seems pretty cheerful about it.

Handsome handsome handsome!

Here are some of my favorites from the afternoon …

You see, Chelsey, who generously modeled to help us promote our Rockstar sessions, is just 16 years old. She looked picture-perfect in her chunky sweater, funky scarf, jeans, sneakers with super-fun pink laces and awesome hair and make-up. Her mom, Wanda, came along for the session, which was terrific! It was an ideal set-up, with a total of three adults (Wanda, myself and my assistant Patty – three moms!) along for the session.

As a mother and as a photographer it’s very important to me that I show your teens how beautiful/handsome they are and allow them to show off their personality while maintaining a certain standard of morals.

Lately, I’ve been seeing a trend in photography that really bothers me – as a mother and as a professional. Time and time again, I’m seeing “grad photos” that sexualize the teen in the image. And that really grinds my gears. I find it to be inappropriate and unprofessional of the photographer to have photographed the teen in a suggestive way – whether it shows a length of thigh peeking out from a grad gown, puts the teen in the water in a grad gown, dripping with water, showcases the teen’s cleavage by having the teen lay down on a prop, or simply shows the teen posing suggestively. It’s not appropriate for grad photos – and yet, they’re being presented as graduation images that will be seen by parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m no prude. I photograph boudoir sessions. I LOVE creating fabulous boudoir images and showing women how beautiful they are. But my boudoir girls MUST be 18 or older, and they’re doing the photos for themselves and/or their significant others. Their parents and grandparents are NOT going to be seeing the photos.

So … getting to my point(s).

Parents
1. When you’re choosing a photographer for your teen’s grad images, make sure you’re choosing the right one. Take a really good look at the photographer’s previous work. Make sure there’s nothing suggestive about the photos, and if there is, make it very clear to the photographer that you don’t want those types of photos for your teen – or go elsewhere.

2. Always accompany any underage teens to their photo sessions and remain in the room/studio/area while they’re being photographed. Keep your teen within eyesight!

3. Pre-approve your teen’s outfits and veto anything that shows too much skin or clings too tightly. If the photographer will be providing some wardrobe – such as a grad gown – make doubly sure whatever your teen wears underneath will cover enough skin to keep you comfortable.

4. YOU are the boss. As the client, you’re in charge, and while you may give the photographer creative freedom, only YOU know what’s right for your teen. If it’s not something you would be comfortable displaying on your mantle for years to come, then you can veto it.

Photographers
It IS possible to satisfy both the teen and the parents by creating a compromise – showcase the teen’s youth and good looks, but don’t use certain poses, and don’t shoot from angles that are suggestive. You can do it!