The Photography Session
Allie has been involved in dance at this studio throughout her youth, so it was an important location for her senior session. While we were photographing, little girls from the class next door would periodically peek in and watch what we were doing. I wish I captured an image of that part; it was so sweet.
Allie’s mom noticed too, sharing, “It was so special seeing the little girls peek in between classes and dream of their senior photos. Full circle moment!”
I love getting to witness these full circle moments. Last year, while photographing in this studio, a ballerina recalled watching a senior photography session from these windows as a little girl and dreaming of her own. That nostalgia drove some of our work together during her session, completing that circle.
Creating the Image
I think this image is beautiful just as it is. Using it to create a painterly image was entirely for my own growth and creative practice.
I use digital apps that alter images in different ways to experience them differently, to see another perspective, and to use pieces of them to create something new. Each app has limitations that often lead to boredom when the work starts to look repetitive, leading me to seek new ways of altering images.
Lately, the new apps available all seem to be AI-based. While these can be fun to explore and inspire new things to consider, they aren’t apps I want to base my work on. With few other alternatives, I circled back to ways I can alter images without technology.
I didn’t have much time (or skill). The printer ink in my everyday printer was running out in some colors. But it didn’t need to be perfect, and I prefer that it isn’t. It feels good to create sometimes without expectation or a concrete plan. I like the childlike quality (in process and in product). It reminds me of the little girls peeking in, making it a good fit to incorporate.
Growth
This is where I ended last night. A few years ago, I would have stopped here. I would have stopped at the place where I was happy enough with what I created. The growth I see lies in the internalized question, “What else can you do here?” So I let it rest for a while and returned later to try something else, something I hadn’t tried before.
Reflecting on Final Image
Sitting with the first image last night, I was intrigued by the contrast in expression and the childlike painting. Like it was holding the full circle. But the second image feels more like an integration, less tension. The full circle exists in the image, but the immediate focus is on growth.
