Fun & Creative Ways to Include Your Fave Hobbies in Your Photo Session
How do you know it’s going to be a crazy-fun photo session? When you work with a senior guy who has tons of interests, hobbies, and talents—AND he’s excited to show them off in his senior pictures! Jack and his family were so much fun to work with every step of the way. From planning and brainstorming great ideas to participating in his professional session, his parents Cari and Collins were supportive and encouraging the entire time. And Jack was in it for the long haul, going from day to night for a photo session that shows off an amazing variety of interests.
The collage below represents Jack’s different looks and outfit choices throughout the session. He was able to go from casual and comfortable to dressy to cool with just a few changes of expression and a variety of dude-approved accessories.
Pow! Bam! Whoosh! Photos with Comic Books for the Win
A fan of reading comics, Jack was excited for the opportunity to capture one of his favorite hobbies in his senior portrait collection. I had the perfect location in mind—one that would be a little bit edgy, a whole lot artistic, and offer us a variety of creative options. But I’m pretty sure you’d never guess this series of shots was taken in the middle of a parking garage!
I knew this would be an excellent location for its stark concrete backgrounds and exceptional possibilities for playing with light and shadow. Jack’s favorite photo from this series is the one where he’s lying on the floor on a pile of spread-out comic books with his arms coolly crossed underneath his head. In a Spider-Man tee, Jack pulls off a whole comic-loving look.
In fact, this one is so much a fave that he ordered it in a stylish metal to display in his room! And we added the perfect quote to personalize it.
Fast Cars, Good Friends & Vintage Vibes
We started our day with the idea that we’d try to get some great sunset photos to mix into Jack’s senior collection, but the afternoon turned out to be cloudy, so we weren’t sure exactly what the rest of the day would send our way! We got lucky, however, and on our drive toward Chandler to capture nighttime pictures, we ran across the perfect spot to stop and get some fantastic photos of Jack with his bright yellow Charger.
When you work with a professional photographer and go with the flow of the day, there are so many chances for great photo opportunities the entire time! For Jack’s photo session, everyone was so flexible and eager to add creative elements to his photos, so I was able to use my creative eye to get us to just the right settings at just the right time!
With a darkening sky in the background and Jack dressed in a stylish, casual look of faded jeans and a button-down with colorful Nike tennis shoes, we had the perfect opportunity to grab some creative photos of Jack with his car. He poses both inside the car with a cool elbow on the rolled-down window and outside leaning against the hood—and in every photo he looks relaxed and confident!
Just a few months later I received a text from Cari, with horrible news. Every mom’s nightmare. Jack was in a bad accident and was hit by an impaired driver. Jack was fine, but she was so thankful they decided to bring the car for senior photos since the car was totaled.
An Artist Behind the Lens
As the sun finally dropped below the skyline, we had just enough time to turn Jack loose with his own camera to snap some of the gorgeous scenery. A fellow creative and lover of photography, Jack spoke my language right away, and I couldn’t wait to get some great photos of him in yet another of his elements—film and video! The fading colors and changing skyline add so much artistry to these photos, and they’re a way to highlight his love of photography for all to see.
In a casual black hoodie, he pulls off a simple look that’s full of smiles as he practices the hobby he loves.
PRO TIP: Trust Your Photographer!
This spot with the stunning sunset? Literally the parking lot of a warehouse in Gilbert somewhere. As we were driving to Chandler for nighttime shots, I spotted this. Jack & his parents just followed my lead. Friends, this is what TRUST gets you! They had no idea where we were going and I wasn’t 100% sure either, I was just following the sun. We pulled into a parking lot and we maybe spent 10 minutes here before we moved on to Chandler. Worth a small detour? YES!!!
Stunning, One-of-a-Kind Senior Pictures in Arizona’s East Valley
If you’re a 2023 senior, it’s time to book your session! And guess what? It’s never too early to plan for your senior pictures, so even if you graduate in a year or two, when you get on the schedule, you’re assured your pick of preferred dates. Plus, when we start working together, you’ll have access to style guides and information I share with every client in preparation for their sessions. You’ll feel prepared and confident when it’s time for your big day!
Dressed handsomely in a suit and tie, Jack posed for formal pictures, too. Just about every family wants a wide range of styles and poses in their senior’s portrait collection, and we were able to do that and change things up with just a few simple outfit and location changes. He looks sharp in his red tie, and you can even see flickers of coordinating red playing off the bokeh-style background.
I have to point out how styled and put-together this young man is in all his photos, too! With attention to detail, a fresh haircut, and selectively chosen accessories, Jack is the picture of style and success!
Calm, Cool & In Control
A 2022 grad of Williams High School in Gilbert, Arizona, Jack has his sights for the future set high. In addition to a full bucket list of skydiving and traveling the world, he has big plans post-high school to study his passion of film making. In his free time, you might find him hanging out for a bite at Casa Bonita or The Cheesecake Factory, or he might be perusing the aisles at Barnes & Noble for the next great addition to his comic collection.
Wise beyond his years, he shared a favorite quote that keeps him grounded and moving in the right direction:
“Great things come from inspiration; bad things come from desperation.”
With a bright red X-Box controller in hand, Jack looks every bit the part of a serious gamer. After casually loosening his tie, he definitely looks ready to get down to the business of serious gaming!
JoJo Monkey…a Lifelong Friend
Some friends stick by you through thick and thin—and those are the ones you want to highlight as part of your favorite memories in your senior pictures. JoJo Monkey has been a staple in Jack’s life since childhood, and he’s in it for the long haul! In a mini Spider-Man outfit, this furry friend is sure to be around for years to come.
If you have special keepsakes or mementos you’d like to include in your senior pictures, be sure to let me know. When you bring meaningful props along for your session, it just lets more of your personality shine through.
It was so much fun to work with Jack and his mom and dad throughout all the planning and photo taking! They are such a fun, adventurous, and creative family, and every minute of his session was filled with unique, one-of-a-kind opportunities to make great photo memories. Now they have photos for their walls, a gorgeous image box, modern metal prints, as well as digital images to print and share. Plus we created extra storyboards for the grandparents as gifts. Why yes, of course!
If you’re ready to start planning your senior pictures, keep following the Magical Memories by Michelle blog for all the latest full-session highlights. You’ll get tons of ideas for your senior pictures when you browse through my online galleries, too! Be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for all the highlights, photo shoot tips, and styling suggestions.
It’s time to plan the senior session of your dreams! Contact me to get started.
P. S. Don’t forget to grab your FREE download of the Senior Client Welcome Guide to learn what happens next!
Stunning senior photos with comic books for this senior guy! I love the variety in his images and how much of his personality is shown. I bet mom loved them, too
I really appreciate your kind words, Jodi! Thanks!
These are so fun! Love how you created photos that match the comic book theme, dark and dramatic, while also creating a more traditional style photo for this senior. Senior photos with the car are a must! Great images!
Thank you so much, Jody! I love hearing from you!