Andrew, a senior at Louisville High School in the class of 2020 who also goes by "Figs," totally rocked his senior portrait session.  I'm not sure that he realized how amazing his portraits were turning out as the evening progressed, but I knew we were capturing some winners.  When Andrew and his mom arrived at Gervasi on that July evening, we discussed all of his possible clothing choices that he brought and came up with a game plan.  I was thrilled that he had so many options in blue because I wanted to really feature those eyes.  We decided to start with a casual look.  No matter where I placed Andrew, I was just loving what I was seeing in my viewfinder.  Here are just a few of those first shots.

Andrew | Class of 2020

     Our next move was to step it up a bit and out came the suit.  And, yes, Andrew can wear that suit.  It was fun to create some sophisticated portraits and really get some variety.  I feel like these portraits should be in a magazine.  I think he may have surprised himself when he saw the results.  Fortunately, by this point in the session, Andrew had become accustomed to my expletives that come from behind the camera.  I'm sure I was squealing with excitement about these portraits.

Andrew | Class of 2020      We had been watching the clock closely because we had other plans for the session and we were chasing the sun.  We loaded up and moved on to Louisville High School so that we could get some portraits where Andrew has spent his high school career.  After all, we were commemorating this significant time in Andrew's life and using the high school as a setting seemed appropriate.  The July heat wasn't exactly conducive to wearing a wool letterman's jacket, but Andrew looked cool as a cucumber for these portraits.  (Notice those blue eyes!)

Andrew | Class of 2020      Our next stop was the Field of Dreams where Andrew spends a lot of his time as a varsity baseball player for the Louisville Leopards.  It was important to show Andrew in this environment where his passion for the sport could shine through.  I could immediately notice a change in Andrew as we entered this domain.  His maturity and dedication came though as he took charge of the situation with a confidence that made for fabulous portraits.  I loved his ideas for locations and angles.  We made a great team!  Andrew's friends would describe him as a good teammate and a hard worker.  I think those are perfect descriptors. 

Andrew | Class of 2020      Once the sun was very close to the horizon, I knew it was time to ramp up the intensity and bring out the off-camera flash.  I wanted to create some dramatic portraits to show Andrew in action, but not the usual action you might catch during a game situation.  I wanted action that included a clear view of facial expressions and also isolated Andrew so that the focus was entirely on him.  I think we achieved our goal.  The funny part is that Andrew had no idea what was happening in the camera.  As far as he knew, he was swinging his bat and my flash was firing.  He did't quite understand why I was gushing over the portraits and barely containing my excitement.  Once I showed him the back of the camera for a little sneak peek, he was pleasantly surprised.  

Andrew | Class of 2020

     In addition to baseball, Andrew enjoys landscaping.  He likes to hang out with friends, play video games, listen to music, go swimming, and play basketball.  He likes the movies Grown Ups, Book of Eli, and any war movies.  His music preferences would be mostly hip hop and rap (not country) and he likes to watch Dude Perfect.  Steak and Shake is a favorite restaurant and he likes to shop at Nike.  Andrew's plans for the future include attending college to major in Business Management/Marketing.

     Andrew, I have a feeling that you just might surprise yourself with what the future holds for you, just like you were surprised by your fabulous portraits.  I see your quiet dedication.  You may choose to run under the radar, but once you find your place, you are going to make your mark.  And, I will be excited to cheer you on.  Thanks so much for trusting me with your senior portraits.  I enjoyed every minute of capturing you in the spotlight.

What did Andrew have to say about his portrait session?

"I had Laura as a teacher and she was one of my favorites.  I enjoyed her class.  She did some of my fellow teammates pictures and they looked really good.  I liked Laura's enthusiasm and it was a beautiful day with some really good locations.  My favorite portraits are the casuals ones and the baseball ones.  I was surprised at how quickly the time flew.  I don't like to take pictures and Laura made me feel comfortable while she was taking them.  I would for sure send my friends to Laura for their portrait sessions."

You make the memories; I help you cherish them.

Love and Smiles,

Laura