Last night was absolute magic at the University of Vermont campus in Burlington, VT. I had the honor of photographing seven seniors from the Alpha Delta Pi sorority, and I can say with confidence we had the best time!
Every time I get an inquiry for a senior photo session (whether that's high school or college), I get SO excited! There's just an extremely beautiful + excited energy around these shoots, and I just love hearing about their plans ahead. I also feel like I get a chance to relive (or rather "revive") my high school senior photoshoot. I had written a post about it before, but the basic gist is that the photographer was so disconnected and so unwilling to listen to my thoughts during the shoot. He didn't care about my input, try to help me pose, or make me feel any less nervous. He told me that my "smile it too big" and would look "unnatural". So I was left with a handful of photos feeling like they weren't me because they were what he wanted.
When I'm running the show, things are a little different. I will 100% listen to your needs (+, lbh, insecurities), help gently guide you into posts that feel natural to you, + also be curious about your story as a human. I love to ask questions and get to know my clients during the shoot- because human connection is essential for the art of photography. I don't think it's a reason I got into photography, but it's absolutely a reason I stay. I was telling one of the seniors last night about how I got to photograph a friend's sisters' wedding this past weekend, and how I met that friend because I photographed his engagement, then his wedding, then the maternity shoots, and so many family photoshoot to date. I told her I've probably been photographing him and his family for 6 or 7 years now and she said " Man, I want a photographer for my life!", which really is truly an amazing and incredible experience.
But I digress. Last night was absolutely magic with the ladies of ADP on the University of Vermont campus. Although 30% of the students at my alma mater (go Orange!) were involved in Greek life, it was not something I did. Sure, I went to more frat parties then I'd like to admit, and a ton of my friends were involved in both fraternity and sororities, but it was never something that drew me in. That being said, I was always invited over to my friend's house's Sunday Brunches and other events. I think that there is something so fun and irreplaceable about these groups and the camaraderie they form. This group of seniors were fun, spunky, and up for anything! They had some ideas of their own which I LOVE, and we ended the night with (one of my) favorites, a champagne spray!!
So in all their glory, the lovely 2023 seniors of Alpha Delta Pi at the University of Vermont!
