Every shoot brings something special to it. This Senior portrait shoot is not different, in that it was a chance to capture a moment for a dear friend whose son was about to begin his Senior Year in high school. It seems a bit crazy, almost time-warp-ish, in that I can easily recall meeting said mother not long after she had just finished high school. That whole “full circle” thing with life comes about oh so fast.

But nonetheless, here we are seeing Jake begin his last stride through school. He is quick-witted runner and a budding photographer himself. There is much that lies ahead for him in the future and my solid advice to him would be,  “Slow down! You are making the rest of us age faster.” My serious advice would be to just enjoy the ride.

For this Senior portrait shoot we were able to use his family’s property just outside Bridgeport, WV. His father’s home rests beside an idyllic small pond at the base of a fantastic hillside. After taking some initial shots around the pond, we were able to take a short truck ride up the hill to the field at the top. Given more time and daylight it is easy to see so many wonderful locations for images; something Jake is certain to explore ever further with his own photography.

Something you learn from living between the mountains, if you want to see the skyline you may have to do a bit of climbing. Because once you are up there you truly get a taste for where all that “purple mountain majesty” truly comes from. It is where the Appalachia mountains meet the mythes and legends of old. And once you are standing among them, you cannot help but stand a little taller.