Lydia : Class of 2025

I am SO excited to kick off the summer season! You always wonder who will book you and what each senior class will turn out to be like and this group is so diverse in hobbies, interests, friend circles and activities - it’s going to be a feast for our eyes!

Sweet, sweet Lydia has taken both of my photography courses at NHS and she’s landed a Social Media Internship at Wakonda Golf Club for this summer and school year - so she’ll be in my Social Media course too. When I first met her as a super quiet 6th grade clarinet player, I had no idea just what kind of a dynamo this young lady would grow up to be! Her calm demeanor in class that astutely leads her peers is such a great lesson in leading by example and giving kind, respectful feedback - a teacher’s dream. So you can bet how humbled I felt when her mom approached me last fall to put her on my radar for this summer’s senior shoot.

I love when a client has ideas and an eye for what they want, but they also trust me to say, “Here are our ideas and props (or location), work your magic.” Lydia and her parents had truly done their homework to know exactly which outfits would work where and which parts of Wakonda’s course they wanted to use. Bonus: the weather cooperated and it was absolutely gorgeous. So, I'll stop talking and let you enjoy what we created together:

When I can shoot in a familiar place and find a different and interesting composition than my eyes have ever seen before, I go home SO HAPPY.

For those not around the Des Moines area, Wakonda Golf Club has been closed for close to 2 years for renovations and the day we did this shoot, there were still some equipment around the course from the Principal Classic that had been held the days before. The renovations were definitely worth the wait! The course is absolutely gorgeous and it was the perfect place to end our time together…

You know Dad is committed to his daughter’s images when he cuts the bottom of a basket out to try this crazy idea the photographer has in her head. The Behind The Scenes images are a hoot and I loved having Aaron’s support to make this come to life!

Lydia, Tonya & Aaron - Thank you SO MUCH for having me out on this lovely evening to photograph not just Lydia but to recreate a special family shot as well. It means the world that you would entrust documenting this part of her life to me and my camera. Lydia is going to do amazing things in this final year of high school and beyond and I’m thrilled to get to cheer for her along the way.

All the best,

Carrie