Photography By Dain

I love getting to photograph high school seniors…for MANY reasons…keeps me in touch with what’s hip and cool…get to play around with some non-traditional poses and lighting setups…yadda yadda yadda…those are all selfish reasons…the coolest thing about it are the seniors I get to meet. I get to work with our future America and I got to tell you…It looks very bright!

I had the privilege of photographing Gregory, Class of 2010  from Castle View High School in Castle Rock, Colorado. I was invited back to his house and surrounding property from last year when his mom was kind enough to allow me to photograph 3 seniors on their scenic venue. Kristen, Taylor, and Adam rocked it last year and this year it was Gregory on his home turf…which meant we got to see and do things that hadn’t been done before. Greg has many opportunities ahead of him, Navy, Airforce, CU, CSU…time will tell. Having grown up around animals his whole life and with chickens, goats, dogs, and cats right out his front door, he has an interest in veterinary medicine. He also has a family history of service to our country which could lead him to the armed services. Whatever his path. he’s going to blaze the trail to success!

Thank you, Gregory, for inviting me into your home and allowing me to capture a glimpse of the person you are becoming. Click below for a slide show of some of the images from Gregory’s photo shoot!

The wild wild west. It’s pretty tame anymore. At least that’s what us city folk would like to think. Sure, there aren’t any high noon gun battles or sheriffs and their deputies  riding horseback after the “bad guys.” But the west is still very much alive and still very wild. Wild animals, rough land and A LOT of hard work. So, what does it take to tame the savage beasts of the west? Yep, a beauty. Kelsey has been riding horses since she was just a little girl. Now all grown up and ready to graduate high school, this beauty is looking at scholarships for barrel racing. Interested in radiology or dentistry this girl has the brains to go along with her looks.

Kelsey, thank you for the opportunity to photograph your senior photos. The future is wide open for you and I wish you nothing but the best. Enjoy every minute of your senior year.

I love stories of people overcoming challenges and excelling in spite of them. Meet Trevor! When he was in the fourth grade it was found out that he was dyslexic. His parents, being the loving care givers they are, enrolled him in a private school that catered to those students that had learning differences, I love that term, “learning differences”. It’s not a disability, just a difference in HOW they learn, and as Trevor is witness, they CAN still learn AND excel. Since then, Trevor has not only overcome dyslexia but is now on the honor roll, thriving academically, and giving back to the community. He’s also an Eagle Scout. I’m lucky if I can keep my shoes tied for an entire day and here’s a kid that has so much tenacity that he achieved the highest ranking offered by scouts. There are few things you can accomplish as a teenager that you can put on a resume that can make the difference in getting a job as an adult. Keep in mind, this not an easy school either, they really push these kids. That’s why 98% of their graduating classes get accepted to major universities! This kid is going somewhere!

Trevor, it was an honor to get to hang out with you. Thank you for spending an afternoon with me and inviting me into your life. You’ve got some great times ahead of you and I’m anxious to see what life has in store for you. I wish you nothing but the best.

“Hi, I’m Kristen!” She said as she shook my hand and smiled. She had just gotten back from picking up her boyfriend, Adam for our senior photo shoot. She was very kind and confident in her introduction and was more concerned about Adam’s participation than anything else. Of course it’s amazing what a guy will do for a pretty girl. Kristen had nothing to worry about.

Kristen was quite the competitive soccer player prior to suffering some injuries that forced her early retirement. Undaunted, she still excels in academics and loves journalism and art. She’s even designed two of her own tattoos. Apparently tattoos and seniors isn’t all that uncommon. Who knew!?! Her and Taylor have been best friends since their 8th grade trip to New York and Washington and have been inseparable ever since. They both plan on attending CSU and being roommates.

Kristen, thank you for your hospitality and for suggesting we use you house and property for the shoot. Your sense of humor and easy to smile nature is a photographer’s dream. You are a beautiful girl both inside and out and I wish for you nothing but the very best.

Colorado sun in September…few things beat it. Except for maybe a cool senior that you stick in front of it! I’ve been extremely blessed to meet and work with some very cool seniors this year. Ryan was waiting for me at his high school with his mom in tow. The introductions are always somewhat awkward especially with guys because let’s be honest, we don’t like having our picture taken and certainly not in front of our mothers. I mean really, how cool can we be with mom present? Well, take a look at Ryan’s slide show below. This kid rocked it… WITH mom in tow. Truth be told Ryan’s mom was cool, too. We even got her to throw some baseballs for Ryan to catch…unfortunately, she throws like a girl and he had to dive to make the catches but at least they made for some cool images. I’m kidding…about throwing like a girl…not the images…those ARE cool.

Ryan plays baseball for Castle View and also plays for the Rockies Scout team. Growing up in Oklahoma and then moving to Georgia he’s always played second base. Until he moved to Georgia and his coach sent him into the outfield. Everyone knows you get sent to the outfield if you aren’t any good…when your 8…NOT when your playing high school ball. Once his coach told him they needed his speed in the outfield and Ryan saw how many balls got hit his direction he never looked back. And just to make sure you realize that this athlete is extremely good…he batted .425 last year!

Ryan, you were a BLAST to photograph. Remember you only get out of life what you put into it. These photographs turned out as good as they did because of YOUR willingness to just be you and have fun with the whole process. You seriously killed these images, my man. I’m honored to have met you and your mom. Thanks for the fun Sunday afternoon!

Enjoy your slide show!