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Not like my sister’s! This was the first thing Emily had to say when her mom asked her what she wanted to do for her senior pictures. Graduating just one year after Molly, Emily is certainly her own person. A field of sunflowers just wasn’t on her list.

A talented artist, actress and lover of Broadway, Emily wanted something a little more edgy. I offered up a few photo locations I thought would help us create the urban look she wanted. We settled on Midtown, Harrisburg. Due to the recent boom of murals in the neighborhood, we thought this would be a great alignment with Emily’s artistic talents. Emily had done a great job deciding on outfits for  senior pictures – the solid black jumpsuit she picked was perfect for all of our city backdrops, so we visited the murals first.

Next we started looking down alleyways for something to pull off a more dark and moody vibe. We soon came across a great location lined with brick walls and featuring a swinging black metal gate. The high walls blocked the direct sun so that the light was streaming in from the front of the alley giving me the light control I wanted.

Next up, was a spot that I’d been eyeing up for the last year or more. Every time I drove under this bridge leaving the city, I would think about creating photos there. The rusty support columns had so much character. The graffitied walls and dark interior gave you the impression that you weren’t in the safest part of town. I thought it was cool but I knew it wouldn’t be for everyone.

We captured some shots at our bridge in Emily’s black jumper. Then it was time for a clothing change in my handy pop-up dressing room. For her casual outfit, Emily chose torn “Mom Jeans” and a concert T-shirt. Again, her outfit choices were going to go really well with this second location.

Before going back to the bridge there were some fun photo opportunities surrounding the parking lot. First, an old railroad bridge ran through the area and its concrete supports were overgrown with vines. Then, another section of our lot faced Cameron Street, where an old factory was visible in the distance beyond some gnarly underbrush. And finally, a rusty section of chain-link fence topped by barbed wire seemed to also go really well with her ripped jeans and T-shirt.

We headed back to the underpass as the sun was dipping lower. Emily loved the shadows that were quickly developing in the tunnel. I loved the warmth of the setting sun. We all knew we needed to get our shots and get back to the car before well before dark! It added a touch of excitement and some nervous laughter as we finished up our session feeling very successful! These photos with the gratified walls ended up being her favorites.

I think it’s awesome when my seniors come with ideas to make their senior photo session their own. Emily’s senior pictures are far from boring and embracing both the art and the grit of our little city was something I really enjoyed!

Are you planning a senior picture session this year? I’d love to work with you to bring your vision to life! Schedule a time for us to chat about it!