Celebrating Grad 2020!
2020 was not a great year for Calgary high school grads. Graduation ceremonies and most of the special events had to be cancelled this year. Many schools had online ceremonies, but there definitely weren’t any prom dances, dinners, or any other large celebrations. I’m sure many of the grads and their families had smaller, private celebrations. I also know that a lot of grads really made an effort to have professional portraits done this year. If you were out in the city parks during the month of June, you probably saw groups of grads with a photographer. I saw this several times myself, and it was so fun to see random strangers watching the shoots and yelling out their congratulations.
These three lovely ladies also chose to do a professional photo shoot to celebrate their graduation this year. Twins Natasha and Danielle, along with their friend Veronika, booked a group graduation portrait session. They wanted a prom gown session so they’d have a chance to wear their beautiful prom gowns, and they also wanted an entire spa day to make the day extra special.
Their day started out early with professional hair styling at the Curious Salon in Tuscany. All three girls chose to have an advanced hair design with an updo. The stylists at Curious always do a beautiful job for my clients, as you can see here!
Next, the girls visited my makeup artist Rachel Draper Jones. Rachel is a truly gifted makeup artist and she did an amazing job with the girls. She listened to what each of the girls wanted, and created a look to suit them, and their gowns. I especially love the gorgeous smokey eye makeup!
I even had some greenery crowns made by my talented friend Doreen, at Zus-en-zo Designs. The gowns, the flower arch, and the crowns created an ethereal, medieval like image.
Of course I also created many traditional images for each of the girls as well as some fun shots of the three of them together.
And I also captured some images of them with their mothers. I love mother daughter portraits and always make a point to take one at a graduation session.
And at the very end of the session I created these “field of flower” portraits for the girls. Not only are Dani and Natasha, sisters, but they are twins, so I COULD NOT pass up the opportunity to photograph them like this! I also photographed Veronika in the “field of flowers”. Her gorgeous white gown, along with her pale skin and dark hair reminds me of Snow White.
We were quite a spectacle in the park though. To create these images I had to lay the girls down on the grass, and bury them in my collection of silk flowers, then I had to climb up on a ladder and shoot down on them. Thank you to my daughter and assistant Hannah for her help with the entire session, but especially for the flower design, and for holding the ladder!!! Haha! If you want to see some behind the scenes images just visit my Instagram page and watch my BTS stories.
Danielle, Natasha and Veronkia, I had such a wonderful time photographing you. Each of you are beautiful and I wish you every success in the future. Thank you for choosing me to help you celebrate your graduation and allowing me to create these keepsake portraits for you.
Even though June is over, there is still plenty of time to create some beautiful summer graduation portraits. I often photograph grads all throughout the summer, so if you have a 2020 graduate in your life, let them know. I’d love to photograph them too.
