Thrifted Feels ~ July 2019
Updated: Apr 9, 2022
Make the most of it when things aren't going your way. There is always something that you can do to improve the situation. It's all about your perspective.
We began the session with the intent of taking portraits on a tennis court and playing with shadows from the tennis net and fence. Our session ended up being a concoction of ideas based on the environment we had to work with and the variety of props that we had with us.
Inspiration is everywhere...
Dominique and I had a plan, and although things were not going as we had anticipated, we still had a vision for how we wanted the day to go. We chose to find another location and it ended up being so much fun and very successful.
Every session has its challenges. Sometimes the battery doesn't want to cooperate or the SD card misbehaves. These things happen. In this case, our big challenge was that the tennis courts we intended to use for our setting, happened to either be locked and inaccessible or being occupied by actual tennis players. After Dominque and Stefan drove by multiple courts, we decided to use St. Edward's University as our location and make some magic with the props that we both brought. Stefan accompanied Dominique for the day and was a tremendous help. Stefan captured all the behind the scenes videos and photos you see in this blog post. He also is a talented musician who generously shared his own original beats to be featured in the behind the scenes video from this session. Thanks Stefan, you rock!
Be flexible...
Once we met at St. Edward's, we walked over to the courtyard in front of the JBWN building. We chose this spot to be our first setting due to the lavish and abundant foliage. The lighting was strong and due to the later-than-anticipated start, we did what we could to bring intentionality into the bright lighting.
Both Dominque and I brought tons of accessories and props. This was a part of the session that I look back on and find to be very pleasantly memorable. We had such a great time experimenting with the different items that we brought and seeing how we could use them to make unique portraits. In the photo below you can see the teal box, it was stuffed with various scarfs, hats, a mini-purse, sunglasses, costume jewelry, and even some real pink roses that Dominque brought!
Think outside the box...
“Get creative, be bold, try new things. Be inspired by others who have created before you and then add your own twist. Your story is important, your words matter, your actions matter. You can make a difference in this world” - Sophia Raquel, 2022
Dominique, Stefan, and I spent about an hour and a half on the St. Edward's campus. We had a few outfit changes, which welcomed another small challenge. Since we were on campus during the month of July, most of the doors to the buildings were locked. We turned it into an adventure and worked our way around the campus grounds taking photos as we tried to open various doors. We found success in the Main Building and were able to use that space to cool off (air conditioning!) and change outfits (bathrooms!). I would advise anyone who is going out to take portraits to try and plan for a spot to have a bathroom break and change clothes. Trust me, your photos will turn out much better if everyone is feeling very comfortable! ;)
You can never be too prepared...
One of the top tips I would share to someone else who wants to begin doing portrait sessions is to come prepared. You can never be too prepared... Some of the things I've wished I had along the way include:
- First aid kit (you never know when you'll want a band-aid!)
- Easy-access snacks
- Extra H2O
- Backup memory cards
- Backup charger and extra battery (if you have one)
- Lens cleaner
- Backup shoes (blisters are the worst!)
- Sunglasses
- Hat to keep your beautiful face from getting too much sun!
- Wireless speaker to jam while you take photos!
I'm sure I'm leaving off something... so if there's anything you recommend, leave a tip in the comments section below! Due to my concussions and the pandemic, I haven't taken many portraits in a few years. I am thrilled to share that I am beginning to heal my concussion symptoms and am ready to begin portraiture again.
In conclusion, one of the biggest lessons I've learned since this portrait session in July 2019, is to make use of your time and resources while they are available to you. Things happen in the blink of an eye that can completely re-route the plans you thought were solid. Patience is a virtue and worth practicing. I am forever grateful for my portrait sessions with everyone I worked with.
-Sophia Raquel, 4/7/2022
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