Hey Band Kid, Your Senior Pictures Can Be As Unique As You Are - Dallas Fort Worth Photographer Lisa McNIel

Grace's favorite memories: "All of the family nights we have where we play different board games and eat dinner together." Her favorite quote is "Keep looking up because that's where it all is." - Kidd Kraddick

She's going to the University of Tulsa to major in Nursing. (I happen to know that this lovely girl is super smart and disciplined and among the highest GPA at the 6A school where she graduated and is on a full ride.)  She loves classic rock and really likes the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In her free time she likes to bake sweets and paint. Her dream vacation would be to Ireland!

Some of the things gorgeous Grace involved herself in at Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas were Marching Band, as clarinet section leader, Latin Honor Society, National Science Honor Society, Math Honor Society, and Circle of Friends.

In her free time, she likes to hang out with her family, boyfriend, and friends, and at Christmas she's in the Church Orchestra. She also is interested in Fashion and Make-up and can be seen in 7-tips-for-how-and-where-to-take-prom-pictures, Senior-pictures-in-tv-friends-theme, and when I get it up, a Santa Paws shoot with her loyal canine!

Best wishes to this precious and beautiful soul in all you do. I just know you will always make your mama proud!

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Senior Portraits for Guyer High School - by Denton Photographer Lisa McNiel

Grace is headed to the University of Texas in Austin in the Fall after graduating with honors from Denton's Guyer High School. Her favorite memories revolve around family and friends and Summers in the mountains. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her and her terrific mom during the year that we did sessions together. 

Her choice of clothing for her senior portraits were a great pairing for her long blond hair, big brown eyes, and natural smile. She chose a cream Bohemian dress with rust colored pattern and and detailing that she wore by the lake and woodsy area. For the urban area, she went with cuffed skinny jeans, boots, and an orange and white patterned shirt with bell sleeves. For the park location, she chose black jeans, an olive, black, and a cream plaid shirt, tied at the waist. You could see her affection for the mountains in this choice and the jeep she included in those shots. All her outfits, and all the ones she ever wears go with her beloved dog, which she included in this shoot.

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Grace Goodwin - her mom's perspective
My girl loves to spend time and shares a strong bond with family and friends from coast to coast. The mountains are near and dear to her heart along with her Jeep. Grace enjoys travel all over, from the city streets of New York, snorkeling in Roatan, and bike riding in Mallorca Spain. She’s an excellent student and has always worked hard in school. Grace was/is involved with numerous school activities including academic, varsity sports, and special interest. Grace is a Methodist with an open heart and mind that welcomes all people from different cultures, lifestyles, and stations in life. Her finest traits are her intelligence, quick wit, an awesomely dry sense of humor, and almost always roots for the underdog. The world is at her fingertips! May the Lord continue to bless this child He has entrusted to us. ❤️

Senior Pictures for Brunettes by Highland Village Photographer Lisa McNiel

Meaghan just finished a busy high school career at Flower Mound Marcus. In her senior year, she was a manager for the Marcus Marquettes, and worked as an assistant manager to an event planner which had her all over the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex, including Plano, Southlake, and Denton. She was also a babysitter, and the assistant to the head of education at her church. All of this was done in addition to studying, hanging out with friends, and volunteering. She was too busy to get in trouble!

You can also see Meaghan in my Friends TV Themed Shoot in a coffee shop called "The Perq" drinking milkshakes, and playing in a fountain, in my Powder Puff Football Pics,  and in my College shirts shoot which will be blogged soon.

She's heading up to Norman, Oklahoma to be an Oklahoma University Sooner in a few months!

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Senior Pictures for Young Men in Theatre by Dallas Photographer Lisa McNiel

Dawson has been in more theatre productions than I can name and I majored in vocal music and minored in drama. He may become a producer or go into politics or acting, directing... who knows? He will be grabbing a cup of coffee from "Re:defined" in Grapevine on his way up though!

Mr. Holder just graduated from Grapevine Faith High school in between Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. He was looking at some swanky schools and settled on Texas Christian University. I bet his family is grateful he'll be close by and that he received so much scholarship from the TCU Horned Frogs!

He enjoys theatre, singing, writing, debate, dancing, reading and politics. His favorite songs are Stars and the Moon by Jason Robert Brown, Evergreen by YEBBA, Still in Love by Thirdstory, and Pretty Funny by Lindsay Mendez. His mom posted a video of his performance as the beast in "Beauty and the Beast" and it was just jaw-dropping! 

His favorite quote is from A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley- "“But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.”

Because of his interest in drama and musical theatre, we began his session on stage and in the audience seats as seen in the top photos. He wore a suit, which I always recommend for boys.

He chose an olive green button down shirt and charcoal pants for the more casual photos around town.

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One of my favorite outfits was this maroon zippered sweater over a checkered navy shirt with jeans.

We finished up his shoot at his favorite coffee shop where he likes to hang out, study, and visit with friends. PS. Everyone is a potential friend for Dawson!

His mom's perspective on Dawson:

Dawson has always been beyond his years. He is an avid reader, loves to sing and listen to music and has been acting since he was seven. He enjoys having conservations all day long!

Three Reasons to Do Senior Pictures In Studio and Out - by DFW photographer Lisa McNiel

Do you want to do your senior pics inside or do you want more nature or urban photos... or do you want both?

Here are three reasons why you might consider doing a combination session like Sophie did!

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Variety

My goal is to tell your story in these photos. That means highlighting your different angles, emotions, and style. You haven't lived your life all inside or all outside, so by doing both, you have an opportunity to bring a little range to the album you'll end up wanting at the end, not just the wall portrait for mom.

I can do bright pictures with a white background like you see in online clothing ads, or a white sofa, or dark backgrounds where we can play with shadow a bit more.

Weather

Sometimes the weather doesn't play nice. I literally just returned from a photography workshop where we were supposed to take pictures in the second largest canyon in the United States. But it was 36 degrees and raining in May in Texas!!! So we had to do all of our shooting in studio.

You can minimize your time in inclement weather by doing a combination session. If it's too hot and humid, or too cold and windy, do some inside first when you have more control over how your hair looks, then go outside to get some images in nature.

Light

Portrait Photographers constantly talk about light, the quality of it, the softness and hardness, specularity, strength, direction, and flattering and non-flattering aspects of it. You may not think that is important if you are the subject, but it is because it affects how you look and the feel or emotion of the image. Having window light, off camera lighting through flash or constant light, golden hour light, back light and reflected light gives you a photographic story that is more rounded and flattering than just having one or two options.

What Should I Bring To My Senior Picture Session? -by Dallas Photographer Lisa McNiel

I'm always surprised when seniors are nervous about their photo session, but it makes sense if you don't know how to prepare!

1. Bring more outfits than you think you need, with accessories, shoes, and the right bra. Make sure they are wrinkle-free. Lay this all out the night before so that you have time to remember things in that margin of the next day. If you want to look long and lean, one color all of the way down like Ashley's blue romper (at the end) is ideal.

2. Bring comfortable shoes to walk in between locations. Personally, I walk fast between locations and if you're in heels it might rub a blister. 

3. A hydro flask or water bottles to stay hydrated! The process can dehydrate you more quickly than you might think. Also, a small snack will keep your blood sugar up and tie you over until the session is over and you can go enjoy a meal with your mom.

4. Letter jacket, musical instrument, any props that you feel tell your story.

5. A college shirt if you know where you'll be going, but most importantly a genuine smile and a great attitude. If you're booking with me, you're welcome to bring a friend if they make it more fun!

Here's Ashley's mom, Kara's perspective on her baby girl...

Since a young age, Ashley has always been a leader! Raising a strong-willed daughter has always had it's challenges but I always knew that one day, that unwavering confidence and determination would take her far in life. She is loyal, trustworthy, funny, sarcastic, and she will always speak her mind. I wish everyone could see how big her heart is but she saves that side for only those close to her. My one on one time with her is my favorite! She has the most beautiful voice and we spend many car rides singing along to the Mama Mia or Greatest Showman Soundtrack. She dreams to one day visit Greece (where Mama Mia was filmed). Dancing Queen makes her tear up every time she hears it. She has dreams of being a Physical Therapist and is ready to take on this next chapter. I'm the one that's not!

Her favorite songs are anything by Vance Joy, and her favorite personality trait is her sense of humor. Her contribution to Guyer High School Soccer team helped them become bi-district champions and when we were talking at Christmas, she had just been in a soccer product commercial.

Her favorite quote is "Work Smarter, not harder" and her favorite memory is with her childhood friend, Loren.