Let’s talk about little brothers.
I’ve been blessed with two of them, plus an older brother. Yes, I’m the only girl, planted right in the middle of all that madness.
But when I get to photograph the little brother of a senior I photographed years before, it feels like a treat. A real treat.
There’s something about it that gives me permission to poke at them a little more, tease them, and generally treat them like one of my own little brothers. Never mind that I am now technically old enough to be their mother.
We’re just going to ignore that part.
That’s one of the things I love about photographing seniors. They make me feel young again.
At least until later that night.
Sometimes it doesn’t even take until the next morning for reality to set in. I’ll be stiff by the time I drive home, wondering how exactly I’m going to make it up the stairs, get the memory card into the computer, find a few magical sneak peeks, and then drag myself off to bed.
And somehow, I still wouldn’t change it.
Noah was such a trooper. He’s a little reserved, which is completely fine with me. I actually enjoy figuring out how far I can take the quieter guys. Posing for guys can feel a little limited if you stick strictly to poses, so I like to add movement, mess with them a little, and see if I can pull out that more playful side maybe even get a real laugh. Some guys go right along with it. Others look at me like I have completely lost my mind.
Both responses are acceptable.
I’m still going to try.
Poor Noah didn’t always know exactly what I was asking him to do, which was partly my fault. Sometimes I know exactly what I want in my head, but somewhere between my brain and my mouth the instructions become significantly less useful. And demonstrating certain things myself is getting a little risky. There comes a point when you realize showing a teenage boy exactly how you want him to move may result in an injury you are not prepared to explain.
Thankfully, Noah rolled with all of it. He was polite, kind, easy to talk to, and a complete gentleman throughout his session. Really, I couldn’t have asked for a better person to spend the evening photographing. The strange part for me was looking at this grown young man, easily a foot taller than I am, and still seeing the little kid whose picture used to sit proudly on his mom’s desk. That was the face I kept remembering. It’s funny how that happens. Everyone else can see the senior standing in front of you, ready for whatever comes next, while part of you is still catching glimpses of the little kid they used to be.
And maybe that’s one of my favorite things about senior portraits.
For just a little while, you get to photograph both.
