Senior Friends Session | Stonington, Connecticut
If you follow me on Instagram (@corajanep) you may have seen or heard about the opportunity I had to mentor Sarah, a Senior at Stonington High School here in Connecticut this past year.
What began as her modeling for some photos morphed into her reaching out to me to be her mentor and the chance to bring her in on some really neat portrait and commercial projects. I had the privilege of watching her final presentation back in the spring and most recently we put together the below photo shoot. I'd had this idea in my head for a while about a beach session with a group of girls drinking from glass Coca-Cola bottles, blowing bubbles, wearing their chosen college tees - basically laughing and enjoying a final summer before parting ways to embark on the next part of each of their respective journeys.
Madison, Dani, Sarah and Morgan *left to right in the first photo below* are such a blast to hang out with and they for sure made this vision of mine come to life. They're fun, genuine, and obviously completely adorable as well.
When mentoring Sarah I had asked her, "As a senior, what are a couple of things you and your friends wish photographers would offer?" I've always loved working with Seniors (and their parents) who are looking to celebrate and document the end and beginning of such major chapters in their lives. Whether going onto college, trade school, career, etc. every senior is closing the door on a significant season of intense emotions, unbelievable growth, and lasting friendships. Which is why...... *drum roll please*....... I am now offering senior friends sessions!!
You heard that right. You and your besties? It's your time to shine. I understand this may be very much geared towards the ladies; however, I haven't forgotten about the guys! I am now also offering super short & condensed sessions for Senior boys. This means that if you're not all that excited about having Senior photos taken, don't worry, I've heard you and I'm working towards making it as painless as possible.
Contact me and let me know what you have in mind for your session and we'll make it happen!
Birthday celebrations after going through a global pandemic feel a little bit different. We’ve always had good reason to surround ourselves by those closest to us - our village - but after over a year of staying away from family and friends for the safety of all, coming together just feels a little bit sweeter, am I right?
When Becky and I first talked, I immediately got a sense for her beautiful and fun personality. You know when you meet someone and you leave the conversation thinking DANG, this person is just so full of light, I feel a little bit brighter? That’s Becky through-and-through. She’s genuine, kind, and loves her people. Throughout the pandemic, living in the urban area of Stamford, Connecticut, she would purchase a ticket frequently to sail on one of the Public Schooner Sails and hit the water leaving the city and building and confinement behind just for a couple of hours. Everything she told me indicated that the water is her place for calm and she joked that she thinks she’ll own a boat before she owns a house. And I love that, #priorities. Her dream was to gather her friends and family for a sail together to celebrate her 30th birthday. Having grown up sailing, I appreciated knowing that Becky feels a calling to the water and I couldn’t wait to help her celebrate and capture so many amazing memories after such a long year.