Winter Senior Session at Bogus Basin | Jada

On a relatively warm Wednesday in February, I drove the winding road up to Bogus Basin to photograph Jada’s senior pictures. This was my first time on that road as the driver, and it was a little more intense than I remembered. What I didn’t expect was to feel insecure at the session.

I quickly noticed that Jada was very comfortable in front of the camera. Now typically, helping my clients feel relaxed is a big part of my process. But Jada was so confident that she didn’t really need me to direct her. I began to question whether I could contribute anything she couldn’t do herself. Then the unusually warm temperatures gave me a point of inspiration: a large puddle in the parking lot. I asked Jada to stand toward the far edge, and I stepped out into the water–hooray for snow boots! From my position, I could see her and the mountain reflected perfectly in the puddle, blocking out the chair lift, skiers, and lodge. Not only did I LOVE the images we captured, but it felt like a small victory over my own insecurity. Silly me, of course I have something to offer. I bring myself and my perspective to every session. Photography is so much more than taking pictures. Even if a client is confident and comfortable posing herself, photography is an art that we make together. No phone or selfie mode can replicate that.

Jada is a senior at Boise High School, and while she hasn’t figured out exactly what comes next, she’s spent her senior year enjoying time with friends and working as a ski instructor at Bogus Basin. She even brought her skis along for the session. Her outfits ranged from a casual top and jeans to her ski coat and official Bogus hat, and each look felt effortless on her (and warm, for the most part).

At the very end, we caught a bit of the sunset coming through the trees. As a skier passed us and kicked up snow, I realized that moving snow would make the shot even more dynamic. Jada’s mom had a snow shovel in the car, so she scooped up some snow behind Jada. “No, I think I could do it better,” she said. We all agreed to do one last shot. This time, her mom tossed the final shovel full of snow *at* Jada! Ha ha ha! I definitely didn’t see that coming!

Jada, thanks so much for a fun day playing on the mountain! Have a fantastic senior year and good luck with wherever life takes you next!