A photo session with a senior guy can be hard to predict. One will make it through his shoot only because his mom wants him to do it. Another will want something specific out of it and do all he can to make it memorable and fun. Carmelo seemed kind of quiet, so I wasn’t sure which way his would go.

Carmelo is an easygoing senior guy who was willing to do what was asked of him. But he would also sometimes surprise me with his spontaneous actions and expressions. I couldn’t help but smile to myself when I was caught off-guard as he let loose a bit and showed off his entertaining personality. Even though he seemed a little reserved, his fun side shone as he deviated slightly from the expected.

For me, the formal, traditional shots are a must-have. They’re the classics that almost everyone wants. At the same time, Carmelo was really good at giving me some poses and expressions with an edge and/or a bit of quirkiness. That is when his character came to light. And those were also some of his parents’ favorite images–the ones where they could say, “Oh, yeah. That’s Carmelo. That’s so him.”

Truth be told, I always have a plan outlined before a photo session. But nothing makes a shoot more satisfying than seeing a client relax and and enjoy their time in the spotlight. That is indeed when the best moments happen and the final images portray the uniqueness of the person in front of the lens. Those are the images that are valued the most and bring the most nostalgia, smiles, and emotion as the years go by.