Cason’s Spring Session at McCallie School | Chattanooga Senior Photographer

Seniors

Some sessions seem to tell you everything you need to know about a person without them ever having to say much. Cason’s spring senior session at McCallie School was definitely one of those! Cason was a boarding student at McCallie, so having his senior portraits photographed on campus was about more than finding pretty backdrops. Our goal was to create images that would remind him of this particular season of his life and the place where he spent his high school years, while also giving him photos he could use for fraternity rush for his college freshman year. Cason also included his two dogs in his pictures, which his mom and brother helped with. Needless to say, this was not your typical senior portrait experience!

A Little Insight into Cason’s Personality

I actually got a pretty funny glimpse into Cason’s personality before I ever met him. When he filled out my senior questionnaire, he was sitting in his dorm room with his roommates. One of the questions asks seniors to use three words to describe themselves. Cason didn’t know what to write, so, naturally, his friends suggested: tall, handsome, and majestic.

When I read his questionnaire, I remember thinking, Okay…this guy is very full of himself. Thankfully, I quickly discovered that was absolutely not the case. Cason was joking around with his friends, and the answer ended up being a pretty perfect description of his personality in a completely different way. He’s laid back, funny, and doesn’t take himself too seriously.

Those are the moments I love learning about before a senior session. They give me little clues about who someone really is, and they help me create a session that feels like them instead of a collection of generic senior poses.

A Senior Session That Feels Like McCallie

One of the reasons I love photographing senior sessions at McCallie School is that I know the campus really well. I’ve photographed there many times, which means I’m not figuring out where to go when we arrive. I already have a plan based on the time of day, the season, and most importantly the light.

We started in front of the chapel, which is one of my favorite places to begin a McCallie senior session. The sun is usually about 45 degrees to the right, which gives us beautiful natural light. If the sun is a little too bright, I can use the chapel to block it, and the concrete around the area acts as a natural reflector.

We also started with the outfit that feels most like a McCallie graduation portrait. When McCallie seniors graduate, they don’t wear traditional graduation robes. Instead, they wear khaki pants, blue loafers, a white button-down, a blue-and-white striped tie, and that quintessential navy blue blazer. So, for many of my McCallie seniors, this is the first outfit we photograph. It immediately gives the images that “graduation” feeling without needing a cap and gown.

Walking Around Campus and Posing Naturally

After we finished at the chapel, we headed behind the building and photographed along the long pedestrian walkway between the school buildings. Cason changed into a blue plaid button-down with more casual khakis, which gave us a completely different look. I always like having some variety in a senior gallery, but I also want the senior to actually feel comfortable during the session. That’s especially important when I’m photographing guys since most of the time this session has been booked by a parent instead of the actual senior.

If your favorite thing in your closet is a sweatshirt, I’m not going to make you spend an hour wearing something that feels completely unlike you (unless your mom is begging me to). Sweatshirts are my favorite clothing items too!

For Cason’s session, we took our time walking around campus, talking, and listening to his favorite indie music while I took pictures. Those little things can make such a difference. Instead of feeling like he was constantly being posed for pictures, the session had a more relaxed, natural rhythm.

Let’s Bring in the Dogs!

Toward the end of the session, it was time to bring in Cason’s two dogs! His mom had driven all the way from Louisiana with the dogs and Cason’s brother so they could be part of his senior portraits. Including his dogs made the session even more personal. They’re an important part of Cason’s life, even though they don’t live with him while he’s at McCallie. His mom also jumped into a few photos, which I loved! I definitely wanted to include her after making the drive from Louisiana with the dogs and his brother.

If you’re thinking about including your dog in your senior session, I’m all for it! The first step is to ask me first and make sure it’s ok. If we’re photographing at a high school campus or on private property, we’ll need to make sure dogs are allowed at the location. I also recommend bringing someone along who can hold the dogs until we’re ready for their part of the session. Treats, a favorite toy, or anything else that helps keep them focused and distracted can also be really helpful. Don’t worry if your dog isn’t perfectly behaved. Sometimes those in-between moments end up being some of the most memorable images!

A Senior Year Worth Remembering

Senior portraits are about more than celebrating graduation. They’re about documenting who you are right now before you leave for college, before your daily routine changes, and before the people and places that have been part of your everyday life become memories. For Cason, McCallie was an important part of that story.

I’m so glad we were able to photograph his spring senior session on campus and create images that captured not only his time at McCallie, but also his personality, his family, and the two dogs who made a very long trip from Louisiana to be part of it.

Congratulations, Cason! I hope your next chapter is every bit as fun and memorable as you think it will be! If you’re looking for McCallie School senior pictures or planning a senior session in downtown Chattanooga, I’d love to help you create a session that feels personal, relaxed, and completely your own. Make a visit to my contact page to send your info!