Desert Ridge High School Senior Pictures | East Mesa Professional Photographer

Desert Ridge High School Senior Pictures

Fun was the order of the day with Savannah. I honestly think my face was sore the next day from smiling so much! Endless laughs aside, Savannah had interesting ideas of what she wanted her senior photo shoot to look like and I was thrilled that her wardrobe choices matched her bright, vibrant personality.

Mixing Fun and Business

In fact, I think the shoot was a never-ending stream of exciting new poses, outfits, and expressions. And it’s no wonder why, after graduating from Desert Ridge High School in the spring of 2020, Savannah has gone on to study business management at ASU.

The best part about living in the area is running into seniors just while I’m out and about. That’s what happened with Savannah just a few weeks ago. She’s working at Subway while she’s continuing her ASU education, and I almost didn’t recognize her! She’s still just as beautiful as can be and I loved catching up with her and hearing about everything that’s happened in the last couple of years.

And she’s clearly the right person for the job! Brimming with energy, positivity, and all things “new,” Savannah knew how to get what she wanted out of the shoot. She creatively welcomed her personality into every shoot, and the camera couldn’t get enough of it!

A Sunny Shoot With A  Sunnier Attitude

If you’d like to know a little more about this intriguing yet oh-so-adorable character, it’s safe to say that she loves all colors (preferable red & pink) and can’t get enough of dancing. Chocolate is her not-so-guilty guilty pleasure, and she’s never happier than when shopping, watching movies, or spending time with family. And wouldn’t you know it, the sun shone right through the whole shoot while Savannah was doing some shining of her own! Can you believe that her daisy top matched perfectly with the daisy sunglasses and straw hat from the ‘style closet?’ The playful earrings were just the perfect icing on the incredibly cool outfit cake.  You could say that we might have had a little too much fun watching the perfect outfit come together, but that’s what it’s all about!

The Outfit Talks

But of course, photo shoots are also about trying on new outfits and showing the most of “you” that you can. This flowery blue dress flows just right to create a serene yet elegant look for the camera that comes together to say, “I’m carefree.” And it’s right! Oh, you guessed it, this darling dress is in fact from the Style Closet!

Coming as a surprise to no one, Savannah’s delightful (and expert!) posing even got her published in the Senior Year Magazine’s Class of 2020 edition. When you’re upside-down in an orange lawn chair, smiling, and have daisy glasses – no one can stop you!

Savannah decided to debut this flowery peach dress from the Style Closet, which might I say fits in delightfully with the “flower power” theme that the shoot took on over time.

Mastering the ever so daunting serious pose

Now, if there was one part of the shoot that seems to stump some teenagers (and adults!), it’s the “serious face.” It’s understandably not easy to stop smiling during the excitement of a photoshoot, but Savannah nailed it! Following the tried & tested method of close your eyes, deep breath, open eyes, and stare straight into the camera, she couldn’t have done it better! She’s still all business, after all. And did I mention beautiful?!?!

Like a flower, it seemed that Savannah has bloomed into her true self as she sets off to take on the big grown-up world out there! I feel truly honored to have had the chance to capture moments of Savannah’s life that she’ll hopefully have as keepsakes for years to come!

Following in her footsteps is her younger sister, Liliana who graduated from Desert Ridge in 2022. Same family, similar locations, yet two very different photos shoots. I’d love to share more about Lili’s senior pictures too!

Beautiful Photos, But What’s Next?

My clients not only want a stellar senior portrait experience but also a way to display their favorite photos. For years now I’ve heard that the kids only want digital images. Wrong again! Nearly every senior for the last 4 years has their own keepsake. Some choose a custom designed metal print with a quote, others prefer a keepsake book. But one of the all-time favorites are storyboards! It’s a classic that lets you choose several of your favorite pictures and create a beautiful piece of artwork for your room. That’s what we did for Savannah! Of course Mom wanted her own storyboard so we designed two and that makes everyone happy.

Posing Made Simple

If you’re now impressed with Savannah’s posing skills like I was and would like to do some posing practice before your shoot, I’ve got some inspiration for you!

• Start with sitting poses before moving to standing poses if you’re just not ready yet.
• If posing is just not your thing, keep moving!
• You can never go wrong with the classic “over the shoulder.”
• Leaning may feel cheesy, but it never looks cheesy.
• If you feel like you’re overdoing it – you never are.
• Don’t be afraid to use pockets, tassels, or anything else if you’re not sure what to do with your arms (like most of us!)

And last but not least, if you find yourself getting nervous, take time to pause and breathe. The photoshoot isn’t a race, and it’s always quality above quantity when it comes to senior photos. I’ll make sure you get the perfect shot no matter what!

The Best Compliment

Savannah is absolutely amazing, but the best part is when families return year after year with their teens, high school seniors, and even college grads! There is no better compliment! Once families see the quality of a Magical Memories by Michelle portrait session, they’ll never go anywhere else. They become like family to me! So when it was Lili’s turn for senior pictures, I was thrilled to create a session that was perfect for her. What happens when you have siblings with the same location? It doesn’t matter! Every senior different, so you can be guaranteed different results, no worries. Another perk to using the same photographer over the years is that the product line is the same. I searched back to find Savannah’s artwork so that we could create matching products from Lili’s gallery. Just check out Lili’s Eastmark senior portrait session and you’ll see that they each received a spectacular experience that fits their personality.

Senior Pictures for Desert Ridge High School

DRHS does require you to use their contracted photographer for yearbook photos, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have your own personalized senior portrait session too! If you’re looking for something more, an incredible senior portrait experience, designer products, and a fabulous photo shoot, I might be the photographer you’ve been looking for! I’ll help with everything from locations & outfits to grad cards & gifts! Sound good? The first step is to grab your FREE download of the Senior Client Welcome Guide to learn more about Arizona’s best senior portrait experience!

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