Summer Shootout – Senior/Kids | Geneva
At the end of the summer I attended a senior and child shootout put on by some fellow members of the photography community. I always try to do at least one group shootout put on by the photography community each year. Let’s be honest – usually I’ll book one, but then see three more I want to do also! But alas… I try to keep it to a minimum since they can get pricey!
This particular shootout took place in Geneva, IL. I ADORE downtown Geneva. I think it’s the most adorable downtown area I’ve ever seen – the buildings, the shops, the streets, everything. This was also partly a senior shoot, which was the clincher. It also involved a child eating ice cream, which, like a photo nerd, is something I’ve always wanted to photograph.
SENIOR / CHILD SHOOTOUT CHALLENGES
Sometimes it can be tough to get the shot you want on shootouts like these, given the large amount of other photographers trying to get the same shot and needing to be in the spot you want to be in.
I know we will all come away with nearly identical photos, so the hopes and goals I have when it comes to shootouts is to gain experience, watch what other photographers do and how they act, see what kind of lenses they use, what kind of gear and carrying bags they use, and to pick up any snippet of information I can that would make me a better photographer.
SUMMER SHOOT OUT CUT SHORT
Both the senior and child models were of course adorable and perfect for modeling far outside local photography groups.
It’s a shame, because our session came to an abrupt end about 25 minutes early due to a summer thunderstorm that blew in out of nowhere. It had gotten progressively windier and cooler but we pushed through until the leader called it – a decision I was fine with since by that time, I had to up my ISO to a level I wasn’t so comfortable with in order to keep letting light in to combat the darkening atmosphere.
Despite that – I took one of my favorite shots EVER right before the storm rolled through and it was at it’s windiest. It’s of the senior model. I was one of the only photographers shooting at the time, and I just told her to look at me. Magic happened when she gave me the perfect expression just as a gust of wind blew her hair in the most perfect way off of her face. Part of the building is visible in the background as a yellow blur, which contrasts so perfectly with her bright red clothing and the vivid green background of bushes. The color tones, the model – I love everything about that photo.
Despite all the hullabaloo about the storm, it never did end up raining more than a drizzle. I was fortunate enough to be able to spend quite awhile chatting with a couple of the other photographers long after everyone else had departed.