Despite having photographed several people, I’ve come to find that each shoot comes with its own stories, challenges, and successes. no matter how much planning/scouting go in to the prep. Earlier this week, I discovered that a work acquaintance of mine used to do some modeling for a bridal store, as well as some runway modeling for Nordstrom. It wasn’t much of a surprise, as she’s a very pretty girl, but I had yet to really work with anyone who’s actually gone on a semi-professional photo shoot before. I definitely learned a lot.
We shot at only a few locations on a hot summer evening in Seattle. I was concerned that she would be too warm or uncomfortable and that would affect the shoot, however it seemed to cool just in time for the shoot. So we hit the
beach at Golden Gardens for our first location.
What made the shoot so much fun overall, was that she was very enthusiastic and had several ideas of her own that lead to photos I might not have otherwise taken. For the shots with the water in the background, I really wanted to convey a summer evening, so I used warm tones and positioned her to get the lens flares and sun streaks. This was something I hadn’t really experimented with, but I feel it really added to the shots. 
I don’t know what it was, but most of the photos from this shoot are vertically positioned (hot dog style). Between the subject and the beautiful backdrop, there was just so much to capture vertically. I noticed this as I was re-touching the shots.
Throughout the shoot, she played along and even jumped in the water for a series of shots. This one (LEFT) is among my favorites from the evening. Mainly because it captures the aforementioned sun streaks, but also captures the water mid-air, and a relatable expression on her face.
There are so many great shots from this evening. Who knows, there could be a few more shoots with this model. Stay tuned and keep reading. Lastly, chime in with comments. I’m always looking for feedback and opinions.
