Dana A. - Hip hop artist, Country Star or High School Senior?

[e.rose]

Great shots (15 takes the prize), beautiful girl. No advice from me on how to make them better.
Hope her dad has a shotgun, a shovel and 40 acres.

thanks for the feedback

Great shots Rose, the lighting in 10 through14 is just fantastic


But you did chop off a toe in #6

Thanks for your feedback

Well, I think they're lovely. Nicely done.

I'll offer my female point of view. All I have to say is, oh my how senior pictures have changed over the years. And it's not just yours, E. Rose, it's everywhere. It's in the whole culture of the current teenage generation. Girls develop faster, grow up faster, dress sexier and less modestly. Even Disney stars are all made up with perfectly curled hair and sexualized now. The steady stream of senior portraits I see these days look more like glamour or model shots. I distinctly remember a senior I did 3 years ago, and the tiny tiny mini skirt and 4" stilettos she brought to the shoot. I almost fell over. But, that's the "trend" now.

I'm well endowed (keep your dirty thoughts to yourselves, boys ) but in my teenagehood, that's the LAST thing I wanted to show off. I did my best to downplay my assets. My friends and I possessed a modesty that rarely exists today. My senior portraits were the traditional girl-in-a-studio, in a boring shirt and jeans and boots. That's how everyone's were then. Maybe a basketball or whatever activity we were involved in during school was featured. We were not exposed to the types of fashion and trends that are rampant today.

At first glance, I will admit I thought they were a bit sexy. Had these been my pictures, my parents would have lost it. If I was this young lady's father, I'd be wanting to put a parka on her and hide her in the garage. BUT, they're not NSFW by any means. It's just another example of how the "times have changed." I sound like an old fart. But the entire mentality, fashion, attitude, everything - of teenagers has changed rapidly and drastically. This is acceptable/desired today, when it wouldn't have been even one generation ago. I'm not an overly conservative person... but 17 year olds are just kids. Not Disney Princess, ribbons in their hair kids, but in the grand scale, they are just kids.

See, this is why I do pre-shoot consults. We talk about what they want, and I give it to them.

If they wanted traditional, boring, studio shots, I would do that if they asked.

That being said... My clients come to me because they *dont* want that. I emphasis *not* being traditional in my brand and in my portfolio, and the people who want that come to me. The people who want traditional don't.

I've had clients that were CLOSER to being a traditional style, and I knew they wanted that because we met beforehand. This girl did not want that... And she was trilled with her images.

I think from now on I will just refrain from mentioning the type of session and the age of the subject, and that might make critiquing of the *images* a little bit easier to manage for everyone in the future.

 

[LCLimages]

I don't do much boring, traditional stuff either. Nobody wants that anymore. I was just saying, that was big when I was a teenager. Now it's all about the model-y, glamour, non-traditional stuff. That's the change in attitudes I've seen in teenagers. You did what she wanted, and did it well. Saying it's non-traditional isn't meant as an insult. Just as a notation of the shift from in-studio portraits that emphasize school activities and interests, to shots that look like a model portfolio.

 

[bribrius]

Great shots (15 takes the prize), beautiful girl. No advice from me on how to make them better.
Hope her dad has a shotgun, a shovel and 40 acres.

thanks for the feedback

Great shots Rose, the lighting in 10 through14 is just fantastic


But you did chop off a toe in #6

Thanks for your feedback

Well, I think they're lovely. Nicely done.

I'll offer my female point of view. All I have to say is, oh my how senior pictures have changed over the years. And it's not just yours, E. Rose, it's everywhere. It's in the whole culture of the current teenage generation. Girls develop faster, grow up faster, dress sexier and less modestly. Even Disney stars are all made up with perfectly curled hair and sexualized now. The steady stream of senior portraits I see these days look more like glamour or model shots. I distinctly remember a senior I did 3 years ago, and the tiny tiny mini skirt and 4" stilettos she brought to the shoot. I almost fell over. But, that's the "trend" now.

I'm well endowed (keep your dirty thoughts to yourselves, boys ) but in my teenagehood, that's the LAST thing I wanted to show off. I did my best to downplay my assets. My friends and I possessed a modesty that rarely exists today. My senior portraits were the traditional girl-in-a-studio, in a boring shirt and jeans and boots. That's how everyone's were then. Maybe a basketball or whatever activity we were involved in during school was featured. We were not exposed to the types of fashion and trends that are rampant today.

At first glance, I will admit I thought they were a bit sexy. Had these been my pictures, my parents would have lost it. If I was this young lady's father, I'd be wanting to put a parka on her and hide her in the garage. BUT, they're not NSFW by any means. It's just another example of how the "times have changed." I sound like an old fart. But the entire mentality, fashion, attitude, everything - of teenagers has changed rapidly and drastically. This is acceptable/desired today, when it wouldn't have been even one generation ago. I'm not an overly conservative person... but 17 year olds are just kids. Not Disney Princess, ribbons in their hair kids, but in the grand scale, they are just kids.

See, this is why I do pre-shoot consults. We talk about what they want, and I give it to them.

If they wanted traditional, boring, studio shots, I would do that if they asked.

That being said... My clients come to me because they *dont* want that. I emphasis *not* being traditional in my brand and in my portfolio, and the people who want that come to me. The people who want traditional don't.

I've had clients that were CLOSER to being a traditional style, and I knew they wanted that because we met beforehand. This girl did not want that... And she was trilled with her images.

I think from now on I will just refrain from mentioning the type of session and the age of the subject, and that might make critiquing of the *images* a little bit easier to manage for everyone in the future.

whoah.. careful here. you are talking about a minor. These photos aren't really bad, I wonder of the parents though..

I don't do much boring, traditional stuff either. Nobody wants that anymore. I was just saying, that was big when I was a teenager. Now it's all about the model-y, glamour, non-traditional stuff. That's the change in attitudes I've seen in teenagers. You did what she wanted, and did it well. Saying it's non-traditional isn't meant as an insult. Just as a notation of the shift from in-studio portraits that emphasize school activities and interests, to shots that look like a model portfolio.

curious, as I don't do a lot of this type of stuff (and if I do it is through parents). But if you do what SHE wanted and the parents are flipping the bill how are you guaranteed to get paid if they don't approve?

 

[LCLimages]

part of it might be the dress. Part of it the way she is built. Neither would I be ashamed of. As the photographer I think you did your job here. If she asked for more conservative looking photos then I am sure you would have attempted that. The rest is between you, her, and her parents who I assume will be seeing these? Kids do dress different now, and I don't know if it is what is in the food for growth hormones or what but the girls seem to catching the period flu at age ten and reach woman figures at age fifteen. gotta be what is in the food! But subjectively, if I were her father I wouldn't go for these. Objectively, as the photographer you did your job they came out well..

This. Pretty much what I was trying to say

There's a 10 year old in my household with budding boobs and a round womanly butt already. Too fast, they just grow up and change way too fast. Hormones in food are changing their bodies, but their brains are not maturing fast enough to understand the ramifications of those adult bodies.

 

[e.rose]

Great shots (15 takes the prize), beautiful girl. No advice from me on how to make them better.
Hope her dad has a shotgun, a shovel and 40 acres.

thanks for the feedback

Great shots Rose, the lighting in 10 through14 is just fantastic


But you did chop off a toe in #6

Thanks for your feedback

Well, I think they're lovely. Nicely done.

I'll offer my female point of view. All I have to say is, oh my how senior pictures have changed over the years. And it's not just yours, E. Rose, it's everywhere. It's in the whole culture of the current teenage generation. Girls develop faster, grow up faster, dress sexier and less modestly. Even Disney stars are all made up with perfectly curled hair and sexualized now. The steady stream of senior portraits I see these days look more like glamour or model shots. I distinctly remember a senior I did 3 years ago, and the tiny tiny mini skirt and 4" stilettos she brought to the shoot. I almost fell over. But, that's the "trend" now.

I'm well endowed (keep your dirty thoughts to yourselves, boys ) but in my teenagehood, that's the LAST thing I wanted to show off. I did my best to downplay my assets. My friends and I possessed a modesty that rarely exists today. My senior portraits were the traditional girl-in-a-studio, in a boring shirt and jeans and boots. That's how everyone's were then. Maybe a basketball or whatever activity we were involved in during school was featured. We were not exposed to the types of fashion and trends that are rampant today.

At first glance, I will admit I thought they were a bit sexy. Had these been my pictures, my parents would have lost it. If I was this young lady's father, I'd be wanting to put a parka on her and hide her in the garage. BUT, they're not NSFW by any means. It's just another example of how the "times have changed." I sound like an old fart. But the entire mentality, fashion, attitude, everything - of teenagers has changed rapidly and drastically. This is acceptable/desired today, when it wouldn't have been even one generation ago. I'm not an overly conservative person... but 17 year olds are just kids. Not Disney Princess, ribbons in their hair kids, but in the grand scale, they are just kids.

See, this is why I do pre-shoot consults. We talk about what they want, and I give it to them.

If they wanted traditional, boring, studio shots, I would do that if they asked.

That being said... My clients come to me because they *dont* want that. I emphasis *not* being traditional in my brand and in my portfolio, and the people who want that come to me. The people who want traditional don't.

I've had clients that were CLOSER to being a traditional style, and I knew they wanted that because we met beforehand. This girl did not want that... And she was trilled with her images.

I think from now on I will just refrain from mentioning the type of session and the age of the subject, and that might make critiquing of the *images* a little bit easier to manage for everyone in the future.

whoah.. careful here. you are talking about a minor. These photos aren't really bad, I wonder of the parents though..

I don't do much boring, traditional stuff either. Nobody wants that anymore. I was just saying, that was big when I was a teenager. Now it's all about the model-y, glamour, non-traditional stuff. That's the change in attitudes I've seen in teenagers. You did what she wanted, and did it well. Saying it's non-traditional isn't meant as an insult. Just as a notation of the shift from in-studio portraits that emphasize school activities and interests, to shots that look like a model portfolio.

curious, as I don't do a lot of this type of stuff (and if I do it is through parents). But if you do what SHE wanted and the parents are flipping the bill how are you guaranteed to get paid if they don't approve?

The parents ARE involved.

She's not old enough to legally sign the contract.

 

[LCLimages]

curious, as I don't do a lot of this type of stuff (and if I do it is through parents). But if you do what SHE wanted and the parents are flipping the bill how are you guaranteed to get paid if they don't approve?

Haven't ran into anything the parents have disliked, honestly. And like Rose said - parents have to sign off on it. There aren't many seniors around here, half of them are boys, and the rest of the girls - most of them are farm-raised, happy to rock jeans and cowboy boots and muddy shirts. The one girl I mentioned earlier with the mini skirt - her mother came along for the shoot and for all I know picked out her dress. That's to say... she didn't have much for parental guidance in her life.

 

[bribrius]

part of it might be the dress. Part of it the way she is built. Neither would I be ashamed of. As the photographer I think you did your job here. If she asked for more conservative looking photos then I am sure you would have attempted that. The rest is between you, her, and her parents who I assume will be seeing these? Kids do dress different now, and I don't know if it is what is in the food for growth hormones or what but the girls seem to catching the period flu at age ten and reach woman figures at age fifteen. gotta be what is in the food! But subjectively, if I were her father I wouldn't go for these. Objectively, as the photographer you did your job they came out well..

This. Pretty much what I was trying to say

There's a 10 year old in my household with budding boobs and a round womanly butt already. Too fast, they just grow up and change way too fast. Hormones in food are changing their bodies, but their brains are not maturing fast enough to understand the ramifications of those adult bodies.

I can vouch for this part I have a teen daughter and OMG I just don't understand how she even thinks..

curious, as I don't do a lot of this type of stuff (and if I do it is through parents). But if you do what SHE wanted and the parents are flipping the bill how are you guaranteed to get paid if they don't approve?

Haven't ran into anything the parents have disliked, honestly. And like Rose said - parents have to sign off on it. There aren't many seniors around here, half of them are boys, and the rest of the girls - most of them are farm-raised, happy to rock jeans and cowboy boots and muddy shirts. The one girl I mentioned earlier with the mini skirt - her mother came along for the shoot and for all I know picked out her dress. That's to say... she didn't have much for parental guidance in her life.

hey, long as you get paid. hate to see someone not get paid and get a ration of chit from some kids parents over a photo shoot. lmao

 

[e.rose]

part of it might be the dress. Part of it the way she is built. Neither would I be ashamed of. As the photographer I think you did your job here. If she asked for more conservative looking photos then I am sure you would have attempted that. The rest is between you, her, and her parents who I assume will be seeing these? Kids do dress different now, and I don't know if it is what is in the food for growth hormones or what but the girls seem to catching the period flu at age ten and reach woman figures at age fifteen. gotta be what is in the food! But subjectively, if I were her father I wouldn't go for these. Objectively, as the photographer you did your job they came out well..

This. Pretty much what I was trying to say

There's a 10 year old in my household with budding boobs and a round womanly butt already. Too fast, they just grow up and change way too fast. Hormones in food are changing their bodies, but their brains are not maturing fast enough to understand the ramifications of those adult bodies.

I can vouch for this part I have a teen daughter and OMG I just don't understand how she even thinks..

curious, as I don't do a lot of this type of stuff (and if I do it is through parents). But if you do what SHE wanted and the parents are flipping the bill how are you guaranteed to get paid if they don't approve?

Haven't ran into anything the parents have disliked, honestly. And like Rose said - parents have to sign off on it. There aren't many seniors around here, half of them are boys, and the rest of the girls - most of them are farm-raised, happy to rock jeans and cowboy boots and muddy shirts. The one girl I mentioned earlier with the mini skirt - her mother came along for the shoot and for all I know picked out her dress. That's to say... she didn't have much for parental guidance in her life.

hey, long as you get paid. hate to see someone not get paid and get a ration of chit from some kids parents over a photo shoot. lmao

Again... This is why I do a pre shoot consultation.

 

[weepete]

Well first thing is first, these are all lovely shots Emily. As usual they are very well done. Personally my favourite is 17, it screams class.

 

[SquarePeg]

These are great and I'm sure she's thrilled with them. Yes, she's beautiful but most of all she looks relaxed and comfortable which is a credit to your skill and experience. Awesome shoot.

 

[pgriz]

I dunno... Maybe our memories of what "used to be" aren't so good. I distinctly remember the girls in my high school were very well developed (well, quite a few of them, anyways), and I went to high school some 45 years ago. The difference was in the culture of what was considered to be "edgy", and certainly in clothes and parental attitudes. When my daughters were going through high school (the oldest one 12 years or so ago), they were also quite "womanly". As Laura mentioned, there is a gap between the bodies and the minds, in that there is a mix of both naivety and brashness that can cause alarm and concern in any parent. This is where open lines of communication and talking about how perceptions are made and how people act on those perceptions, become important in giving them a sense of what's going on around them.

Emily, from a purely photographic perspective, you did very well - good control of light, sharpness in the right places, posing is good. As you point out, they are not traditional, and since that is what they were looking for, you delivered. As far as Dana herself is concerned, she is what she is. I can't think of too many clothing choices that would hide her figure very well. Well, maybe a burqa. But those aren't very popular in most North American places. The fine line is to show a person as they are, without sexualizing them into what they are not. Of course, viewers bring their own ideas of what is appropriate and acceptable. And that is part of the ongoing conversation we are having in society. Unfortunately, we don't talk enough about perceptions and meaning and underlying assumptions, since that kind of conversation touches upon taboo and sensitive subjects, and quite frankly, it can be a very difficult conversation, even if all participating are respectful and relatively open-minded.

 

[e.rose]

Well first thing is first, these are all lovely shots Emily. As usual they are very well done. Personally my favourite is 17, it screams class.

Thanks for your feedback!

These are great and I'm sure she's thrilled with them. Yes, she's beautiful but most of all she looks relaxed and comfortable which is a credit to your skill and experience. Awesome shoot.

Thanks for your feedback!

Emily, from a purely photographic perspective, you did very well - good control of light, sharpness in the right places, posing is good. As you point out, they are not traditional, and since that is what they were looking for, you delivered.

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[Granddad]

Actually, if I look back to when I was a young teenager (late 60s), the girls were wearing miniskirts to school with stockings (tights/pantyhose had just been invented) . I don't think there were hormones in the food; kids had plenty of hormones of their own. I have a strong memory of the deputy head (female) going round with a ruler to check that the skirts were no more that 8 inches above the knee when kneeling. As soon as she'd gone on her way the girls would roll up the waist band again.

15 years ago I had to tell my daughter "You are NOT going out to town dressed like THAT!" I thank God she survived until her brain caught up.

Kids today aren't that much different; the way they dress and behave (and get away with dressing and behaving) usually reflects the example they've been set by their parents and their parents' peers. Having said that, I'll add that I don't see these shots as problematic. The young lady is a stunner and she knows it: being stunning and confident does not equate with being a slut.

She could use these shots as part of a model portfolio to help work her way through college. Good luck to her!

I say again, great shots.

 

[e.rose]

Actually, if I look back to when I was a young teenager (late 60s), the girls were wearing miniskirts to school with stockings (tights/pantyhose had just been invented) . I don't think there were hormones in the food; kids had plenty of hormones of their own. I have a strong memory of the deputy head (female) going round with a ruler to check that the skirts were no more that 8 inches above the knee when kneeling. As soon as she'd gone on her way the girls would roll up the waist band again.

15 years ago I had to tell my daughter "You are NOT going out to town dressed like THAT!" I thank God she survived until her brain caught up.

Kids today aren't that much different; the way they dress and behave (and get away with dressing and behaving) usually reflects the example they've been set by their parents and their parents' peers. Having said that, I'll add that I don't see these shots as problematic. The young lady is a stunner and she knows it: being stunning and confident does not equate with being a slut.

She could use these shots as part of a model portfolio to help work her way through college. Good luck to her!

I say again, great shots.

Thank you very much!

 

[pjaye]

If you don't want to hear my voice than by all means leave or ignore me.

Unfortunately, staff can't be put on ignore. It's a pitty.