Texas High School Senior Portraits

Senior year of high school. The first step out into the real world, away from home. It's a very important time in a young person's life. Half-way between a kid and full grown, even though we all know at 18, we think we're grown! A lot of cultures celebrate the coming of age and leaving home in different ways. In the south, we do senior pictures. Of course, the graduate is the main subject of the photos; but incorporating their hobbies and interests in the session is just as important.

Miller Grove is a small community just south of Cumby, Texas and east of Lone Oak, Texas. We have our own school, but we don't have a post office. Out here, our way of life is centered around agriculture. So when I was asked to photograph Riley's senior pictures with his horse, and some out in the pasture with the cows, I was ecstatic and knew this session would be a breeze.

We had some pretty interesting clouds that evening. I had to snap a cool silhouette before we moved out of the cattle pasture.

Once the sun started going down, we went over to the arena, I set up my flashes and started snapping away.

This was a test shot to see how the horse would react to the flashes and check my settings. We were obviously waiting for a bronc ride! But Fifth Wheel, Riley's horse, was completely unphased.

I was really hoping the sun would light up the clouds and give us a bright, colorful sunset. I think the clouds were a little too thick and covered up the sun, but the pics still turned out pretty cool.

The majority of these pictures I shot with my trusty 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. These last two down below I snapped with my wide angle 24-70mm f/2.8.

Riley has been accepted at Sul Ross State University and plans on majoring in Ranch Management.