I thought it might be nice if I gave some of you moms & grads some photography advice.  I know a lot of you are having fun with Instagram and Facebook, posting pictures ... and thought you might appreciate a few words from a profesisonal portrait photographer.    Just some simple tricks; many of you probably already know these.  If so, sorry :)  i don't mean to belittle or assume.    

That said -- the first thing I look for when I'm on location is light.... and where is it coming from.  I look for shade; open shade is best.  Ie, in shade -- but move your subject to just the very edge of it, on the brink of full sun.     I won't usually photograph anyone in full sun unless I have a light modifier with me.  (reflector -- car windshield shades work great.  i used to use those before I bought my "professional" ones)  ... or I have a handy toting strobe light with a battery that's easy to use.  In the first shot, I had my strobe a short distance away, to kick in a bit of light onto Melanie's face.  You can see the flash catchlight in her eye.  I also used the strobe on the second shot -- otherwise, her face would have been dark as I had her backlit by the sun.

The third shot is window light ... she's standing right next to a window, and I have a very large reflector on the other side of her, to fill in the dark side of her face.

Fourth shot (my fave) is in my pool :)    with the strobe kicking light onto her face.

That's it!    does this help?  does anyone care?     love. 

Here is Melanie, class of 2014.  She was a delight to photograph!