Are you a soon-to-be high school senior? Show who you really are / Wareham senior photographer

Hey there, soon-to-be seniors! It's that time of year where all you're thinking about is getting out of your junior year so you can become a big bad senior. You just want to enjoy your summer! These's so much to think about for your upcoming senior year, right? The last thing you want to worry about is good senior portraits. Have you given any thought to how you want your senior portraits to look yet? It's definitely not too early to think about your photos and book a session!

What do you want to remember about your senior portrait session experience? Do you want your portraits to look like these ones from 20 plus years ago? These images were done in the school auditorium in front of a background with no thought or concern about capturing the real you. Five quick poses...you're done, next!

It's your year, your time, yours don't have to be like everyone else's - they don't have to be in the studio - they don't have to be one outfit, one location - they don't have to be at the beach - they don't have to not turn out very well!

Want something more? Want to capture the real you? Want to remember your experience and actually love your portraits? Then take your senior photos with a professional photographer from PPA (Professional Photographers of America), like me, Susan Asaro Photography and get something more! Check out this video about showing who you really are.

Congratulations Senior Class of 2015 - Wareham Senior Photographer

Hard to believe that during the summer of 2014 these now seniors that I had the pleasure of photographing would be entering their last year of high school. I'm sure their parents didn't realize how quickly the last year would go...how bittersweet this moment would become. The Class of 2015 is ready to graduate, some graduated last week, others will next week! But now they will all be onto a new journey, a new adventure, a new beginning - how exciting!

It certainly was my pleasure to meet each of these young folks; they were all bright and ambitious with dreams and hopes for their future. I learned about where they wanted to go to school, what they wanted to do when they 'grew up' and was fascinated by their stories. We laughed and had fun together as they looked beautiful posing for pictures! A senior portrait is so much more than a picture in the yearbook. It's a moment in time for them to remember just how special they are and how important it is to capture a portrait that is of their true selves. 

Five of these teens I've photographed several times through the years and watched them grow up. That really was an honor for me to capture this moment for them. So to you Class of 2015 - Kaylee, Caroline, Mackenzie, Gabriella, Sarah, Julianne, Samuel, Lexi, Sydney, Shea, Rachael, Allie, Zach & Brendan - Congratulations...may all your dreams and hopes come true! Best of luck and much success on your new journey!!!

A Very Special Birthday Boy / Wareham Children's Photographer

It was 8 pm. on March 5, 2009 when our son-in-law called to let us know that our sweet daughter Jenn had gone into labor. Uh oh...we were 2 hours away and definitely needed to be there! It was our first grandchild and I definitely wanted to be in the room (and she wanted me there too!) to see our sweet baby boy be born. I had to photograph this special moment in time...don't have that baby before we get there, I said to Tim! Well, she wasn't far along so we waited for another call. At 11:30 that night Tim called, she was admitted and we all decided that it was going to take a while. We set our alarm clock for 4 a.m. so we could be on the road. At 6 a.m. Jenn called and said she was starting to feel contractions but no pain. Ok, let's get going...showered and in the car by 7:30 a.m. Whew...good thing we got a bit of sleep and didn't miss anything.

When we arrived at the hospital at 9:30 a.m. Jenn was resting comfortably. By noon she was not so comfortable and at 1:05 p.m., March 6, 2009 our sweet adorable, (1 month early) baby boy - Beckett was born.

Today he turns SIX! I can hardly believe it and wonder as I do often where did those years go? But, I have a way to remember...because his life is documented in my photographs. They are not always perfect but they are real. They help me and my family remember all the joy that Beckett has brought us!

Here is his first portait...with 4 of the people who love him the most! He headed home within a day or two wrapped up tight with a bit of jaundice. He had the most adorable lips and cutest face.

So many things change in a baby's first year. We were glad we got to experience all the firsts with Beckett. He was a knee walker...crawled a bit but really loved to walk on his knees. I'll never

forget it. We used to wonder if his knees were sore and worry that they were going to be cut and bruised but it was never an issue for him. 

On his first birthday it was a sunny, warm day and we celebrated with cake outside. He didn't like cake very much. So, for his first birthday portrait we had to 'do cake'! Yep, he cried and at first didn't want anything to do with that round colorful thing on the floor. But after a bit of cajoling he reached over just to touch...no taste, just touch!

At 2, he was walking and chatting up a storm. He loved to play and by now he really did love cake! His hair was still baby fine but curls in the back. His baby teeth were in and we were so in love with our Beckett. 

Ahhhh...3 - everything was bigger at 3! Beckett was bigger, the toys were bigger, the cake was bigger! (made by a special client of mine). The cute faces captured in portraits were bigger. Our love for him was bigger! He loved that tractor and on his third birthday he decided he didn't want to get dressed either. What's wrong with being in your pj's thought Beckett? So, we celebrated regardless!

When Beckett was four he really became aware of superheroes. He loved Batman and Spiderman. His attire was one big superhero...from pj's to tshirts to underwear. Great marketing in those companies! One day as Beckett played with my hair (he loved playing with mine and his Mom's long hair) "Nana, I love you in my heart!" Tears...mine, my heart was overflowing!

This last year has seen the biggest changes. His hair has gone from short to long to short again. He started kindergarten, is learning to read, 2 of his teeth are loose and he is not a baby anymore! At his 5th birthday I didn't take many photos of his celebration. Shame on me - never again. I want to remember those moments...all of them!

In the early years, I spent many nights helping Jenn get Beckett to sleep. He was a tough sleeper. 

I would rock him in my arms & sing to him for hours. Then just when I thought him asleep, taking a slow step toward the door he'd wake and we'd start all over again. I used to wish he'd hurry off to dreamland but there are some days now when I long to hold him in my arms and rock him gently back to sleep once more. Funny what time will do...but I remember.

We've spent many a day playing, cooking, reading, laughing, hugging, kissing, singing, rubbing his back instead of rocking to sleep now. I've learned more about Superheroes, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Legos than I ever thought possible. He still loves to wear anything with a superhero on it. Beckett runs up to us yelling Nana! Papa! and we squeeze him tight, ready to play all over again. As Gretchen Rubin once said, "the days are long, but the years are short." We know that to be true even as his grandparents. I'm grateful for photographs and portraits for it helps us remember. What will you remember???

Today Beckett turns SIX and we look forward to another celebration!

Happy 6th Birthday, sweet, darling, curious, intelligent, sensitive Beckett boo! Our world changed for the better the day you were born! Much love to you...Nana & Papa! xoxo

Kaylee's Senior Beach Portraits - Wareham Senior Photographer

Recently on a lovely summer evening, I had the pleasure of photographing this pretty young lady from Missouri. Kaylee's mom got in touch with me to let me know they were coming to town for vacation - she wanted to reserve a portrait session for her daughter. "Kaylee loves the beach" she told me and although they were staying about an hour away that did not deter her from securing a beach session with me.

Kaylee is a swimmer - has been since she was a little girl. She loves the ocean and even coaches swimming because she loves it so much. She loves country music and she described herself as shy but nice. She brought clothes that reflected her classic, casual style and even made sure her nails coordinated with her clothing! Love that! I loved the outfits she chose, they were just perfect for the beach.

It really was the perfect evening with a gentle breeze, beautiful light, no bugs and a smart, pretty high school senior.

  Thanks so much, Kaylee for a fun session. Wishing you the very best in your senior year!

If you'd like to find out how you can reserve a portrait session, please call the studio at 508.291.7926 or visit www.susanasaro.com

Hey soon to be Seniors...you have a choice / Wareham Senior Portrait Photography

In honor of high school graduations and ThrowBackThursday #tbt I thought I'd share about my experience with my high school senior portraits! Hmmmm....let me think...still thinking. What experience? Oh, there wasn't an experience and there certainly weren't any choices. Sometimes I wish I could go back in time just to have my portraits done as they are done today...the way I wanted them to be, with a say about what I wanted and where I'd like to have them done.  But, I can't and that was a long time ago. But, you the soon-to-be senior can - you have choices!

When it was time for my senior portrait (dare I say 37 years ago) I did wonder what to wear. You could only have 1 outfit - really you just needed to have a decent top - because there were no full lengths or 3/4 length just a plain head and shoulders. There wasn't an opportunity to be unique, creative, thoughtful...everyone was the pretty much the same. You didn't go outside, you went to the auditorium, sat on a stool and posed 6 different ways, then you were done. I don't remember but I bet it was 15 minutes and you were back in the parking lot driving home. A few weeks later your "proofs" came in the mail - pick one and that's it.

Zoom forward to today and you juniors, soon-to-be seniors have choices for your senior portraits! You don't have to settle for the auditorium! You can have a better experience than I did.

Now you can choose your location whether it be the beach, a field of wildflowers, a park.  You can have more than one outfit.  You can have more than 15 minutes. Do you like fashion? (I sure do!) Then, let's see your style!

Accessorize with scarfs & cute hats. Do you love cowboy boots? Me too! In fact, I might even let you borrow mine if you have the right size foot!  Give some thought about what you want your senior portraits to say about you. You have a choice now, remember?

That's what Kendra did! In fact, a big Texas shout-out to Kendra who graduated last weekend from St. Andrews School in Austin, TX. She had a great portrait session. We split it up during the day so we could take advantage of the light in a few different places. She got up early, real early and yep, 7 a.m. we were at the beach (one of my favorite beaches with beautiful morning light) because the light was just right and it wasn't too hot. (I know it's tough to get up early when your seventeen but it'll be so worth it - it's just one morning!) She brought hats, scarfs, a couple of dresses and since she was from Texas she needed cowboy boots and I just happened to have the perfect pair. :-)

Then, we met again in the early evening as the light in the field of flowers was perfect. I didn't get that opportunity when I had my senior portraits taken. No clothing changes, no outdoors and remember only 15 minutes!

Kendra decided what she wanted to wear (with a little help from her Mom and me) and we chatted about where she wanted to go. I knew I wanted to use the beach with the beautiful early morning light and she was a willing trooper to be there on time. We had alot of fun together and she was so excited to see her images! Congratulations, Kendra, on your graduation! And, a big thank you for a great session.

So, when you look back 37 years from now, what do you think you'll remember about your senior portrait experience? Well, I hope you won't think like I did, "What experience? I didn't even really like my senior portraits!" It is my hope that you'll remember how beautiful you felt, how excited you were to be photographed and how much fun you had as you enjoyed the experience of starting your senior year off with portraits just the way you want them.

The Anatomy of Lifetime Friendship / Wareham Portrait Photographer

Today I’m feeling a bit nostalgic, I’m not sure why. Aside from it being throw-back Thursday, perhaps it’s partly due to the fact that I’m about to release my new website where I struggled writing an “about me” (but did it)! It starts with the words “I love memories…” of which I have many.  I think it’s also because today is the birthday of one of my lifelong friends. We share a lot of memories and it got me thinking about the evolution of friendship(s) and how rare and special this is.

There are 6 of us, we were all born in 1959 (yes, that’s right – not that long ago) within 5 months of one another and now today the last one joins the Fabulous Fifty-Five club. Two of us were born in January, one in March, one in April and the remaining two in May. Three of us share the same day, the 22^nd – January, March and May.

Some of us have been friends since kindergarten, some since first grade and then the pivotal moment when we all became friends was seventh grade. We’ve shared so much of this life together. Back then we spent tons of time with each other…I’d go to Debbi’s house for lunch across the street from school just a quick walk through the playground – we’d ice skate on the bogs in the winter. Chrissy and Cathy went to birthday parties together. We’d ride bikes to Jyl’s house or to the beach. As we got older we’d wait for JoJo to pick us up in her car. Jyl’s Dad let some of us drive his Audi before his own daughter even had her license! Chrissy had the coolest mustang that we all wanted to drive!

Together, we went to Brownies & Girl Scouts; some of us took dance lessons and acrobatics, ran track, played tennis and were cheerleaders. We worked at Angelos Supermarket or A&P or Dainty Maid (stores that are only a memory now). We’d sleep over each other’s houses (Cathy had the coolest bedroom) telling stories long into the night. We'd swim in Chrissy’s pool way after dark, go to parties and dance to Sly & the Family Stone - making more memories.

We graduated high school together and grew up. Some of us married, some went off to college. Some of us enjoyed our twenties carefree while some of us started to have children and embraced responsibility. One of us divorced and remarried, one became a widow in her late forties, one has been married for almost 37 years, one married her high school sweetheart and the other two have also been married for many years. Between us we have 12 children (with one set of twins) and 5 grandchildren. Through all this we have remained in each other’s lives for all these years celebrating good times and some sad times. 

It can be hard to make friends sometimes once you’re “grown up.” You find some work friends, socialize buddies but not always the one person you can count on kinda friend. But sometimes, I think it even harder to sustain a lifelong friendship between 6 women. A lot happens through the years…people come and go. Yet, there is something about this lifelong friendship that is comforting. Some of us see each other more often than others but we try to make a point for all of us to get together at least once a year. We all know that at any given moment we are there for each other…to pick each other up, cry with, laugh with, lend support in whatever way needed…just present for each other. We’re able to pick up right where we left off the last time…never missing a beat. We had dinners together, drank wine together, celebrated the start of summer with Memorial Day weekend cookouts together. We celebrated each other’s family’s births, deaths, children’s graduations, weddings and new careers.

We all feel fortunate and know that it is a very rare and special thing that we have – this lifelong friendship. We still are a part of each other’s history.

This Sunday we’ll all be coming together again to celebrate Chrissy’s son’s wedding. We’ll hug each other with arms open wide, telling each other “it’s so great to see you again – it’s been too long!” (Even though we did just have a slumber party in November.) I look forward to breaking bread, drinking wine and dancing the night away with my lifelong girlfriends celebrating one more moment in time that will soon become a very fond memory. We’ll raise a glass to toast the groom and his beautiful bride and then we’ll raise another to toast being lifelong friends in the Fabulous and Fifty-Five club.

Gotcha Day / Wareham Children's Photographer

On Wednesday, May 8th of this year Sunny and her Mom, Carol came to the studio for their ordering appointment.  We were all excited to see the images from Sunny's first communion portraits done 2 weeks earlier.  I mentioned to Sunny how she must be so happy to be missing school that day and Carol said "yea, today is Gotcha Day!"  Hmmm...Gotcha Day? I asked..."Yes, it's the day that I brought Sunny home from China...her Gotcha Day and we celebrate doing something fun every year, like we would on her birthday" said her proud Mom.  I love the story and adore this sweet girl who has grown up so much since we first met. 

 We first met for beach portraits in 2006 when Sunny was just a tiny little girl.  Carol's family wanted a family portrait of Sunny with her older girl cousins, women ranging in age from teenagers to early twenties.  It was a beautiful, breezy, early morning session and we captured some precious images that day even though sweet, adorable Sunny was not feeling her best.

Now fast forward to present day and Sunny is 8 years old, healthy, happy, still sweet and adorable and so willing to pose for her First Communion portraits.

She was so much fun, loved to twirl in her pretty dress and had a surprise for me (and everyone else who saw her in church) on the bottom of her cute, white shoes!

This image above was definitely a favorite of her Mom's as well as her grandmother. (mine too - I just love her expression and the beauty in her eyes!)

I had chatted with Carol earlier about clothing and mentioned to bring another outfit that we could have fun with.  So she brought the cutest white pants and adorable blue top, a casual, beachy feel but so timeless.  I loved it!  These are some of the favorites from the portrait session and by this time Sunny was warmed up and we were having great conversation about her best friends.

She was so comfortable in front of the camera, almost feels like a Gap Kids ad!

We all loved this last portrait, especially how she so naturally curled her toes onto her other foot.  What is it about feet, babies feet, little girls or little boys feet that make you just want to keep them little forever?...(insert big sigh) - love kids feet!

Thank you Carol and Sunny for brightening up my day on your Gotcha Day - special for me too this year as you spent the morning with me.  It was such a pleasure to photograph you and to see how even more adorable you are as an 8 year old girl.  I am truly honored to be a part of this 'one and only moment' in your family history with these portraits of you as a sweet girl making your First Communion...thank you again!