My First Picture Published!

Best of 2020 - Senior Year Magazine

Recently I decided to move out of my comfort zone and enter some of my most recent images into Senior Year Magazine’s Best of 2020.  Soon after I entered my images, I was made aware that my images were among 6,100 other professional photographers' images.  I was extremely excited and proud of the images I entered but when you hear that there are 6,100 images, you begin to wonder if you can fight off those other images.  Think about that, 6,100 pictures! That’s exactly how many pictures Senior Year Magazine had to choose from for their recent publication. To say the competition was tough is a massive understatement. Every image submitted was taken by a professional photographer.  Every professional photographer saw their images as their best ones.  Despite second guessing myself a billion times before I entered my images, I had fallen in love with the images I chose and found myself submitting them.  I can not tell you how glad I am that I didn’t listen to my second guessing.  I was and still am so excited and feel so blessed with an image worthy of publication.  The image of Makayla was chosen and published in the Best of 2020 Senior Year Magazine international publication.  

Makayla’s Winning Image

Makayla is a senior and attends Tulpehocken High School, Class of 2021.  She requested to have her session at Sweet Arrow Lake.  Makayla was more than fun to spend an afternoon with.  It was one of those sessions that you lose yourself in and become completely unaware of time. The lighting was perfect, the scenery unbelievable, and Makayla rocked every outfit she wore. 

Makayla knew what she wanted her shoot to look like and based on the images we got of her, I'd say we nailed it.  Her images not only turned out amazing and made my job a lot harder to choose images to enter into the magazine but it also encapsulated everything her shoot was about – fun!

We wandered around and found some beautiful flower gardens. We came across some unique opportunities, such as a railing that worked great for a pose I have been waiting to try for a long time and yes it was everything I had hoped it would turn out to look like.  We got some awesome shots with the waterfall behind her.  Then there was that moment! There was Makayla, blue jeans and orange sweater standing in front of one of the only trees that had leaves changing color for the fall.  The orange, the yellow, and the green all mixed together went perfectly with her orange sweater.  It all looked perfect together!

Makayla’s shoot surpassed all of my expectations. She looked comfortable, at home, and all-together gorgeous even as she stood there for what might have seemed like forever for her until I felt we got the perfect shot.  All that waiting and the several images taken of her in front of the tree was worth it.  I just left Makayla be her beautiful self and she effortlessly knocked it out of the park! 

Perhaps it’s the colorful beauty of the image, the uniqueness of finding the right tree at the right time, or Makayla’s beautiful eyes – maybe it’s all of those things. Either way, Makayla’s photo made it into Senior Year Magazine’s Best of 2020 issue.  Really there couldn’t be anyone more deserving. Makayla’s natural beauty, effortless posing, and keen-eye for a good scene all made this photo possible.

There she sits in the magazine among numerous other seniors. Is it one of my favorites? 100%!! Am I biased to say I think Makayla's photo is the best? 100% not!

This may be the first image I’ve had published but hopefully it won’t be the last!!! I would love to enter more images into more various publications. So if you’re ready to have your own magazine-worthy senior pictures, let’s make it happen!

I am currently looking for Senior Influencers from the Class of 2022.  If you are going to be a Senior next year and are outgoing and love to have fun, this is for you!  Click on the button to find out more information on my Senior Influencers and how you can be one today! 

Now scheduling senior pictures for the Class of 2021 and 2022! Freshman, sophomores, and juniors, sign up to get on the waiting list!