This is the photoshoot I look forward to every year—the one with the biggest props imaginable. Full-size, fully restored aircraft, thanks to Robbie Vajdos right down the road in Louise, Texas. Locations like this are a reminder that powerful portraits don’t always come from elaborate sets, but from learning how to use what’s already in front of you.
One of the biggest challenges during this shoot is creating clean compositions. With multiple photographers, models, and makeup artists working at the same time, distractions are everywhere. The goal is to frame in a way that removes the chaos—so the viewer only sees the subject and the story you want to tell.
This is something I stress often when working with seniors. A photograph may feel intimate or bold, but that doesn’t mean it was created in isolation. What matters is perspective—how you position your subject, control your angles, and guide the viewer’s eye. What’s just outside the frame doesn’t matter if you’ve done your job correctly.
Photography has limited tools to demand attention. A still image can’t move or speak—it must rely on composition, light, and expression to pull you in. As William Mortensen said, “A picture must, by its mere arrangement, make you look at it. Then having looked—see! Then having seen—enjoy!”
If you’re looking, then something in the image is working.
Lens choice played a big role in this shoot. I normally gravitate toward a longer lens to compress the background and isolate my subject, which is a common approach in senior portrait photography. This time, I chose a shorter lens so I could work closer while still capturing the entire aircraft. That choice changed the feel of the images—more environment, more story, and a stronger sense of scale.
This is an important lesson for senior sessions: your lens choice directly affects how personal or dramatic an image feels. Sometimes stepping closer—both physically and creatively—creates a stronger connection.
Another learning moment came from finally using a couple of spots I’ve noticed for years but never had time to explore. Today, thanks to Maranda—our newest mentor photographer who stepped in as a model—I was able to slow down and work one of those locations intentionally.
She fits the scene perfectly, almost like an aircraft mechanic, with the trailer in the background helping complete the story. That’s something I look for constantly in senior portraits—details that support the narrative without overpowering the subject.
Maranda is our newest mentor photographer, and she’s already doing incredible work. Shoots like this remind me how important it is to experiment, collaborate, and keep learning—because the lessons you apply here translate directly into creating stronger, more confident senior portraits.