Your future photographer
I'm a Southern Illinois professional portrait photographer and every year I can't decide if I love shooting seniors or family sessions more. That's why I have zeroed my main focus in these two areas.
Senior sessions just reach me in a very unique way. When I was a senior myself my mom asked me if I wanted to get photos done, and I said no because I thought it was a waste of time and money, and she never asked again. Man...if I knew then what I do now... But now I look back and I have absolutely no professional photos of me. I have plenty of selfies (now, kids...THESE selfies were done with legit digital cameras in front of a mirror...I'll throw one below for your viewing pleasure) but man...that hardly counts....but at least it's something. I actually avoided the camera as much as I could due to low self-esteem, but there are instances where I got in the photo with friends. There is a random photo here and there that I also treasured, like the polaroid below taken on the first day of my 3rd year of college.
Not only that, but my family in general wasn't big on photos. Back when I was a kid Sears and JCPenney were the main source of family photos, but we didn't even go there. In fact, the only professional family photo there is of my family is the fancy photo from the church directory photographer when I was like 10 years old. Other than that....man...there's nothing. I hold no bitterness toward my parents...it just wasn't something that was important to them. But there is that lack there, ya know?
Which just fuels that fire within my own heart of wanting to give other people what I never got. Family photos are a very necessary thing in anchoring a family's sense of love and unity. And senior photos is a gift to your son or daughter that maybe the won't appreciate it so much in the moment, but later on, they will treasure those images so incredibly. Not to mention, these will probably be the last single portrait of your child before they get married or launch into their career, and boy do they change so much in such a short time.
So that's my why. Photos are important. Not only the act of taking them, but printing them out as well. We need to regularly see our beautiful photos on our walls or in albums.
If this speaks to you, and you want to know how you can get on board with me in getting you some of these priceless gifts for yourself and your family, send me a message and let's chat!
