I'm Erin!

I’m that natural light, candid photographer who will get goofy and make you laugh so you feel relaxed and like yourself in front of my camera. This means I capture natural smiles and true connections!

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5th Grade Cap and Gown Mini Sessions | Chattanooga Photographer

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5th grader holding a green book at cap and gown mini session

Graduation is one of my favorite times of the year! You feel a sense of accomplishment, ready to take on the next challenge, and excited for your next steps in the world. No matter what kind of commencement you attend, it should be celebrated! I had a lot fun shooting 5th grade cap and gown mini sessions for the students at Hickory Valley Christian School here in Chattanooga. All of the students brought their own style to their session, and we captured some awesome group photos of the students all together.

Moving from elementary to middle school is a big transition! Most students change schools and start their 6th grade year in a new environment. This also means making new friends, meeting new teachers, and taking classes that haven’t been offered before. Parents and students may feel nervous before the new school year starts, but are things you can do to prepare so everything goes as smoothly as possible.

There are a lot of things that you can start doing even during the summer to help your student before the first day. Here a few of my favorite suggestions of things to do before school starts in the fall.

Establish A Routine

If your student has had a regular space at home to complete school work and other assignments, it’s best to keep this same routine. When your child does homework in the same place at home every day, it creates a sense of normalcy and he/she can dedicate more quality time on work.

Develop Study Skills

When you’re in middle school, you have a separate teacher for each class. With each class comes a different teacher and different types of assignments. It’s good to learn and develop good study skills early on at the beginning of the year. A student may be involved in sports and other school activities, and learning to study and use time wisely will help he/she complete their tasks on time.

Visit the School

If you haven’t already, plan a visit to the school so your student can see the grounds and where some of their classes will take place. Sometimes putting a visual with a particular place can help ease a student’s nerves. It can also help a student be more confident before the start of school because he/she knows where everything is on campus.

Be Ready For Big Changes

While just starting middle school is a big change, it’s important to keep an eye out for the small changes. Your student is moving from childhood to adolescence. Things like puberty, awkwardness, and self-consciousness are prominent stages and feelings will be fore front in middle school, but especially in the first year. Keep an eye on your student but from a little distance so you’re not hovering. Let he/she know you’re there to talk when he/she needs you, whether it’s about a situation at school or how their body is changing.

Soon enough, your student will be graduating from high school! Thank you to the parents for allowing me to shoot cap and gown mini sessions for your middle school students! If you’re looking to update your child’s photos or schedule a family session, I’d love to talk more details!