So what were your grad photos like? Polaroids in your parents’ living room? Awkwardly posed on your front step? Did you even get grad photos? Mine were taken on my dads film camera, rushed and last-minute, with our intoxicated neighbour outside, wondering if the limo was there for her birthday…

Even though the moment was a little stressful (starting with the salon not having my appointment in their books, me having to use duct tape instead of my ill-fitting undergarment, and the limo being late) it was still one I won’t forget. I remember my dress, my tiara, the whole thing… the feeling of finally finishing school and facing the big, scary world. It is a huge accomplishment and comes with feelings of both pride and fear.

Not only is it a goal achieved by the grad, but also the parents. See, my kids are still small. We are still dealing with diaper changes, cartoons, books and songs before an early bedtime, help with zippers, and teaching manners. But I know that it all goes by quickly, and I will wish for the nights that they wake up to cuddle, and prefer mommy and daddy over anyone else. Soon they will grow more and more into the people they were made to be- leaving their dependance on us behind, and taking on the world as best they know how. It’s a scary thought, but I am so excited to see them achieve it all. And one of those milestones they will work for is graduation.

We don’t have prom here, so the closest thing we have is high school graduation… the ceremony is in the morning (complete with the gown, receiving the diploma, and throwing the hat), then in the evening, we dress up in our fanciest gowns, get our hair done, makeup, the whole nine-yards, and have dinner and a dance with our closest family members. After this, there’s an all-night party. It’s a big day. As it should be.

See, this is a big deal. I remember my principal saying that this is the biggest day of your life, so far. And it will only be shadowed by your wedding day, and the day you may have kids. Most of us glazed over all the speeches, waiting for the party in a few hours- but that stuck with me. The biggest day of your life, so far….. and it deserves a celebration!

Grad photos can be anything you want them to be. They can be the simple polaroid taken in an out-dated living room, or a snapshot amidst the stress of the afternoon, or something professionally captured and mounted on the wall. Either way- you need to remember these special days. Celebrate your kids’ accomplishments. Grad is a time that they will always remember- it’s the time when life is simple and easy, and they are faced with a multitude of possibilities. Capture it.

I have had the opportunity to take some grad photos of some stunning girls… both in a casual setting, and in their fancy dresses. These sessions are separate from the actual day- because as I stated, the day of graduation can be very rushed. We set out an afternoon to grab some photos that show who they are, right now.

I would have loved to have had a graduation session like these; granted, I certainly wouldn’t have rocked it like these girls!

Special thanks to Deer Prudence Thrift for hooking us up with the clothes for the casual session, and Ever-Green Greenhouses for allowing us to photograph in their space.

So, what were your photos like?

 

 

 

Thank you for sticking around, and showing all the love and support with this new blogging adventure I’m on. I will have more posts coming up, including more sessions, why I believe in photographing kids and not just whole families, what is involved in the different types of sessions, and some that are just plain informative (all with some of my photos, of course.)

Cheers.