The Class of 2021 - Nephew Matty Graduates

Graduation season is upon us and while most ceremonies still deviate from past traditions, group gatherings to celebrate this important milestone are no longer taboo. With lower virus positivity rates, high vaccination percentages, many states continue to move towards normal, pre-virus practices.

 

 
We traveled to North Carolina and attended my nephew’s high school graduation. Our local airport flies directly to Charlotte, making it very convenient and easy to visit. I flew there last November to spend time with my sister and ended up taking Senior photos of nephew Matty.

 

 

 

 

 
This photo was a test shot “outtake” but I really like it due to Matty’s attitude. Matty’s older brother Zach moonlights as a model and I found Matty’s expression Zach-like!

 

 

 
Matty’s graduation ceremony was held at the new Atrium Health Ballpark north of Charlotte. The outdoor graduation ceremony harkens back to our own past experiences - my high school graduation was held on the high school football field. With an outdoor venue, student cheering sections don’t feel disruptive (the shouts don’t reverberate like they do in a formal concert hall). Matty’s graduation was met with perfect weather and topped off with surprise fireworks. After a year and a half of remote learning, a normal graduation was a welcome and fitting way to cap off the Class of 2021’s high school experience.

 

 
Matty will attend NC State and study computer science engineering. We are so proud of him! The little ones grow up so quickly - this last photo is Matty on the left with his brother, Zach, taken in 2012.

 

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Class of 2021 - Centennial Champaign Boys Soccer

Normally played in the fall, high school boys soccer, like all fall sports in Illinois, got pushed out due to pandemic. Practice starts this week and I had the pleasure of photographing the senior members of our local team. The Soccer Boosters feature the seniors at home games with poster sized marquees. Most seniors have played all four years so it’s a nice way of acknowledging their hard work through the years. And here are the Class of 2021 Varsity Boys Soccer team members.

 

 
Henry - the son of my good friend, Jill. Jill asked me to take the photos.

 

 
Keeper Tyson shows off his cat-like reflexes:

 

 

 
Emphraim was featured in the local paper today

 

 

 

 
Jeremiah:

 

 

 
Noah:

 

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MIchelle S, Class of 2021 - Fall and Winter Looks

We thought the Class of 2020 bore the brunt of the global COVID pandemic. Certainly after months of remote work and learning, mask wearing and other precautions, life would resume "back to normal". We, however, failed to recognize how long the virus would continue its impact and who knows what "normal" will look like going forward.

 
Michelle, Class of 2021, is making the best of the situation. An avid runner, she ran cross country on her team's modified fall season and was named to the All-Area Team. Michelle displays a casual and sporty calm in her demeanor and she is most comfortable when down to earth scenarios. Her family hails from a farm in Indiana so the rural, prairie setting was perfect for our fall session. Photos taken at Allerton Park in Monticello. 

 

 

I'm good friends with Michelle's mom, and she mentioned how much fun it would be to have photos taken during a fresh snowfall. We received a decent amount of snow last weekend, so we headed to a friend's backyard and held photo shoot number two.

 

 

It wasn't actively snowing, but with some help from friends, we made it lightly snow. 

 

 

Behind the scenes, trying to make it snow - another friend with a long cleaning brush, knocking down snow from the tree tops. Michelle's mom took this photo.

 

 

Good luck to Michelle on the remaining school year - perhaps with the availability of the Covid vaccine they will be able re-start the regular High school events in the spring.

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To The Class of 2020 - Sam

The last of my High School subjects, Sam and I started in his small-town downtown area before heading to the forest preserve.

One of the parking lots downtown features this great brick wall covered with meandering vines. That's the backdrop for this first photo:

And a cool fire escape. I looked around the corner and knew it was a great spot to take photos:

But I admit I'm most comfortable taking photos in the woods

Another local senior headed to the University of Illinois - Congrats to you Sam (and mom Mary)!

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To The Class of 2020 - Addison

I'm about half way through my Class of 2020 Seniors - and here is Addison, the daughter of long time friends / co-workers, fellow runners and Tae Kwon Do family. I've known Addison since she was maybe 5 years old. Her dad, Chris, works with me and inspired me to run a full marathon. He is also a Full IronMan Triathlete, having completed that grueling event three or four times.

The idea for Addison's Senior portraits originated from Luke's mom, who works with Addison's mom, Amber (small-ish town means less than 6 degrees of separation between people). I consider Addison as a low maintenance person, who doesn't conform to cultural norms (like typical senior photos) but her mother wanted them, so she showed up. No outfit changes, just what she was wearing, a total first for me.

In hindsight, one outfit completely worked because I simply focused on Addison - her lovely smile and beautiful blue eyes.



We met at a local park that features a sculpture garden, so Addison picked out an edgy, stainless steel sphere to interact with.




I, of course, am drawn to the beauty of woodlands and other natural areas, so this one is my favorite (and one of the last photos we took that fall evening):


Addison completed her High School requirements last December and immediately jump started her higher education journey by taking college classes at the local community college. She will start at Illinois State University in the fall, studying speech pathology. Congratulations Addison!

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To the Class of 2020 - Luke

I'm continuing my Class of 2020 recognition. This week is Luke, the son of a good running friend. Luke loves soccer and plans to attend Eastern Illinois University in the fall. Luke's family lives across the street from a beautiful forest preserve that I like to explore by running or hiking. Luke's mother, Michele introduced me to the trails out there and through our weekly summer runs, I no longer get lost in the woods. These photos were taken in the forest preserve.







These soccer photos were taken at the local pitch.




Congratulations to you, Luke!

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To the Class of 2020 - Charlotte

I really feel for the graduating class of 2020. They've seen their senior year upended as they remain cloistered at home, unable to savor those last events of high school or college. I know they are resilient and will make the best out of this tumultuous time, using their creativity to celebrate these significant milestones. Over the month of May, I'll highlight photos I've taken of the Class of 2020.

As photography serves as a creative outlet for me, I only hold portrait sessions for friends. This year I photographed four high school seniors starting with Charlotte, the youngest daughter of my friend, Heather. Heather led our neighborhood Book / Wine club until she and her family moved to Michigan. Even with the distance between us, we all remain good friends - Heather still visits once or twice a year, and she invites us yearly to a weekend retreat at their lake house. The photos from this shoot were taken at the lake house in July 2019.

I also took photos of their family prior to the move in 2013. So I went through my photo history and found this photo of little Charlotte, maybe 11 or 12 years old.



How much they change in a few short years (but the smile is still the same):


This one is a favorite of mine.


The slouchy, casual, happy go lucky Charlotte


Of course there needs to be a serious, pouty look.


Charlotte plans to attend Michigan State University in the fall. We congratulate her on her accomplishments in high school and wish her the best in college!

For more of Charlotte, a small sampling of her session here:
Charlotte, Class of 2020

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Prom 2018 Shenanigans

So what if Prom was back in May? I'm simply trying to get back into some routine of blogging and these photos were a lot of fun to take.

First of all, my son and his girlfriend were super late to the designated photo venue. Like last year, they opted to gather at the University of Illinois' Main Quad. Traditionally, the senior class takes photos at the local country club, but I think something transpired a few years ago which led to the students no longer being welcome on the golf course's 18 fairway (probably because they tore it up).

Serious Photo. The girls are so tall with their high heels, it's hard to see the guys. This group, with the exception of my son and the boy on his right are juniors.


So I asked the guys to get up on the edge of the stone banister, but then one of them slipped and Chaos ensued!

This is my favorite outtake photo!

After things settled down:




With the Senior Gang


The guys insisted on this one:


Then a more candid moment - with the golden sun


A great Senior prom for the Class of 2018

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Oh The Places You'll Go - The Class of 2015

Congratulations! Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places! You're off and away.


You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

OH! The Places You'll Go!
You'll be on your way up! You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers who soar to great heights.


And Will you succeed? Yes! You will indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed)

KID, you'll move mountains!

So... be your name Lindsay or Jack or Aiden or Bray,
Or Amira or Erica or Ariam or Jay
Today is your day
Your mountain is waiting, So..... get on your way!


And we'll be there to support you if you need it - come what may.


Congratulations to the Class of 2015!

Quotes from Dr. Seuss

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