This high school senior is ready for take-off. I know him from church and I think it’s safe to say, our whole church family is proud of him. He’s a kind, gifted, and all-around likable guy, so it was fun to meet up for his senior portraits this past fall. We met at SteelGate Studio on the South Side.

I love this studio for it’s natural light (it’s also fully equipped with strobes and tons of gear for studio lighting) and ambiance.

This particular shot is in part of the building that is unfinished and it is a favorite location of mine, so I’m glad it was fitting for this senior session.

We also popped outside the studio for some shots around the Terminal Building—it’s got a great vibe with all of the industrial scenery and unexpected pops of color.

I really like this bright shirt he chose against the dark and rusty fire escape.

As a photographer, one of my chief aims is to capture clients looking their best, but something his mom said after seeing his photos really caught my attention. Her favorite shot of him is one where she said I really captured his personality, and not his smile-for-the-camera smile. Sweet! I’m not even sure I know which images she’s referring to, but I am affirmed in my goal to bring out genuine personality!