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Brittany’s senior photoshoot up in Prescott
It’s amazing how people randomly enter your lives and suddenly become important parts of it. Brittany is part of a family that found me through Facebook to do her brother Austin’s senior photos well over a year ago. And then we did their family photos last December! Mom, dad, Austin and Brittany.
And THEN they asked me to go to Africa with them to document the work done by Hoops of Hope, a charity that Austin started when he was nine. Was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.
Now it’s Brittany’s turn. She’s in her final semester of high school and so we ventured up to Prescott to capture some portraits. Had a blast hanging with her and her parents, who also made me bring two of my kids up so they could babysit them while pictures were taken!
What an amazing shoot. The light at sunset was just epic and and the temperatures just bit on the chilly side. Brittany rocked of course and I hope she loves these!
Random dude alert
Mom and dad!!
A frame from Brittany’s senior session
Brittany is a member of the amazing family that I journeyed with to Africa this summer. I took their family photos last Christmas and her brother Austin’s senior photos a year before that!
Needless to say, I’ve grown super fond of this group and they are such amazing people. Mom and dad even had me bring Eli and Lyla up to Prescott for the shoot so they could watch them while Britt and I took pictures. My kiddies had such an insanely fun time.
Too many awesome frames to choose from, here’s one.
Sarah | Senior Portraits
I’ve been impressed lately with the graduating seniors I’ve had the pleasure of photographing this spring. So much talent. Like Sarah here. Plays the violin. Rocking ballet dancer. Full ride to the University of Arizona. Although her dream school is Scripps College in California. Good choice anyways, who wants to live in Tucson right?
Sarah is friends with Brianna, another senior I met earlier this year. She brought along her freshman sister Madeline, and you could just feel how close they are to each other. I couldn’t even get them to confess to being normal siblings and annoying each other. That just doesn’t happen with these two…a lot of love shared between them.
I wish Sarah the best of luck wherever she lands. I know she’s going to do some amazing things down the road. And to Madeline…you have a few years left, but keep rocking that cello! You’ll be graduating before you know it!
Austin | Senior portraits
On Sunday afternoon I had the incredible pleasure of taking some senior portraits for a young man named Austin Gutwein. I’m not even joking when I say that you should keep an eye on this guy, because he’s going places. He started an amazing charity to help African orphans called Hoops of Hope at the age of nine. He raised $3,000 that first year by shooting 2000+ free throws, and to-date his charity has gone global and brought in over $2.5 million! 40,000 people in over 27 countries have participated to help these orphans in Africa. All because he had this idea. Incredible right?
To top it off he was just named one of ESPN’s 18 Under 18.
But to meet him in person you’d have no idea. Humble, humble guy…soft spoken, kind…we had a blast hanging out on Sunday. Austin’s mom says he’s an “old soul” who loves anything vintage, like old buildings, trains, etc. Some of my favorite things too, so I was super excited to just wander around one of my favorite areas of downtown Phoenix. His mom, dad and sister were there for the shoot as well, but followed along in the “support vehicle” to let him change clothes a few times. Loved all of them, just an amazing, amazing family.
I feel blessed to have met this guy and can’t wait to see what he does. I should also mention he has a second book coming out (second!) and plans to get into politics someday.
And he’s only 17. The sky is the limit for Austin.
Brianna | Senior Portraits
It’s been a long time since I was in high school. A long time. In fact, the big two-decade reunion is coming up next year. Yikes. Feels like so long ago.
For Brianna though, it’s her final year and the sky is the limit. She loves playing guitar and may attend a college here in town or in California, perhaps the San Francisco area. She doesn’t know yet, which is half the fun of being in her position. Nothing is written, you get to find your path.
She showed up for her session with family in tow…older sister down from Flagstaff just for the pictures, her brother the Dbacks-Red Sox fan and both parents, the dad of which kind of resembled Steve Jobs. You can decide for yourself further down.
Loved hanging out with these guys for awhile. They were a ton of fun and you could tell how much they loved each other.
I wish you all the best of luck going forward! Especially Brianna and this awesome new chapter of your life. Thank you guys!