Can we just take a moment to appreciate how epically gorgeous my cousin is in this senior portrait collaboration?? I’d love to include some kind of, “It runs in the family” pun, but I was never this confident or glowing when I was 17. I suppose it helps that Ellie’s mom is an incredible human being. Rayna (Ellie’s mom) was a huge support system for me when I was growing up. Just 10 years older, she was a lot like a big sister; she kept my only-child attitude in check while also coaching me through some of the most paralyzing years of bullying.
I remember the day Rayna told me she was pregnant with Ellie…I was a sophomore in high school, and Rayna and my mom had come to watch me perform at halftime with my dance team (which Rayna helped me try out for). I ran up the bleachers to visit my family when my mom said, “Rayna has some news she wants to share with you.” Now a senior in high school with three younger brothers, Ellie somehow manages to be equal parts bombshell and tomboy.
Natural Beauty Senior Portrait
I had wanted to work on a few portrait ideas and asked if Ellie would model for me. The goal was to merge senior portrait and beauty editorial (makeup by Amber McClelland). With a seamless white studio space and minimal aesthetics, her natural beauty was able to shine. With this styled shoot, I wanted to use natural light and create interesting contrast through textured props and apparel. Lastly, it was important to keep these photos as raw as possible – little to no editing – which I was able to achieve. My favorite photo from the session is of her sitting on the stool in my Lucky jumpsuit with her eyes closed – The natural light perfectly highlights the angles in her face and her hair is ever-so-slightly blowing in the [box fan] wind.
Scroll to the bottom to shop the looks and makeup Amber and I used to style Ellie – I’ve linked similar items for those no longer available. View the full gallery on my photography site Freely Mí Photos.
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