Graduation season is memorable not only because of all the milestones people are celebrating but also because of the people the milestones are celebrated with. This graduation season was made extra special because of these people in Austin who let me celebrate their accomplishments with them!
Hook 'em Horns
This beautiful group of people was the easiest group of this size I have ever worked with. At first, I was worried about making sure everyone was smiling, and that I would be able to fit everyone in the frame without leaving out the campus architecture in the background, but within seconds I was at ease because of how cooperative they were as a group. It was easy to see that each of them realized that this may be one of the last times their whole friend group would be together, and that made this a moment they all wanted to cherish. From Priya's laughter and Isabella's regal looks to Daniel's sarcasm and the wagon that caused a lot of chaos, this was one of my favorite shoots to date. Once again, I have to thank all of them for choosing to invite me to their commencement and allowing me to capture these memories for them to look back on for years to come!
Aparna
My story with Aparna starts about 18 years ago, and all I can say is she was born a star. Her poise, her glamour, and her ability to mesmerize everyone who looks at her is something she has always had whether she realizes it or not. As one of my oldest friends, she has a power that few of my other clients have. Not only is she comfortable in front of my camera, but she has the capacity to challenge me as an artist, to question my prompts, and to adjust herself the way she wants to be photographed. Every time I work with Aparna in a professional setting, I am pushed to new limits, and encouraged to step out of my comfort zone to accommodate her vision. Her pictures always remind me that no matter how many skills I acquire, I will always be learning as a photographer.
Sanjana
Sanjana is a natural model. I don't say that because of her height or other physical features, but rather the kindness in her eyes, and the genuine happiness you can see in her smile. As a photographer, she gave me the creative license to pose her and direct her without any complaints. That freedom and the way she eased herself into every movement I asked her to make is what allowed me to learn so much from her session. With every session, every photographer feels the pressure to come up with unique poses and high-quality images, and sometimes all it takes to make that happen is for someone like Sanjana to stand in front of the camera.
Amulya
Amulya is every photographer's dream client. She has such a gorgeous smile, and no matter how tired she gets that smile never stops reaching from ear to ear. Beyond her smile, Amulya brought childlike fun and enthusiasm to her shoot and was always ready to try anything. Most importantly, as a photographer, my goal is always to tell a story in my images. I want my clients to look back and feel what they felt at the time their pictures were taken and I want my images to evoke emotions even in people who come across these images online. Amulya gave me a chance to do that in her shoot by personalizing every prompt I gave her. Instead of just blowing the confetti, she put her whole body into it. Instead of just throwing her cap in the air, she hopped on one foot as she did it. These small, yet powerful movements ultimately allowed her personality to shine through in her pictures, and will bring a smile upon any individual's face as they look at these.
Saideep & Rushil
This shoot was extremely last minute, unlike the previous grad shoots at UT we were able to experiment with a couple of unique locations and poses. It was a fun challenge for me as an artist to be creative, think on my feet, yet also remain composed so that I could keep the clients comfortable and authentic in front of the camera.
