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Central PA Creative Senior Portrait Photographers: Emilyn

A bike, canoe & creative, free-spirit in the woods…
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I have known Emilyn & her family for some time– I have had the pleasure of working with them a few times, for their family portraits and senior portraits.
Emilyn contacted me looking for a photographer who would not just capture what she looks like, but who she is in a unique, artistic way.  Emilyn is incredibly authentic, she kept her look very simple, no frills– she brought her bike, canoe,  favorite novel and a few cozy sweaters.
I started out with some more traditional senior photos, the “smile and look at the camera” sort…  I love her hair and smile in this one:
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I began to delve deeper rather quickly.  Upon first meeting her she is very quiet and reserved, sweet and kind.  She also loves camping, hiking and being outdoors in general.
She is humble and doesn’t draw attention to herself.  She seemed to perfectly echo the feeling of the woods, unadorned, peaceful and breathtakingly beautiful…
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When you get to know her more, you get to see a very unique, vibrant soul who is dramatic and creative while being completely one with nature.  It is quite an interesting combination and was incredibly fun to photograph!
I wanted to somehow get above her in the canoe and thought of rather than showing water on either side, wouldn’t it be interesting to show a sea of fall leaves instead?  This is the result:
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Emilyn is very real.  She is a liver-of-life, an intelligent adventurer.  Here she leans out of the canoe and reaches to touch the water.
I like how the fingers of her subtle reflection seem to reach back up at her.
There is something almost enchanting about this one– and, that hair– wowza!
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Here is another traditional senior portrait.  I like the vibrant colors of the leaves and how she is framed in the tree trunks:
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When she started rowing, I chose to focus on the rippling water rather than Emilyn’s face in this photograph.
It just felt right to me, and was something I thought Emilyn would appreciate.  Taking the attention off of herself and onto the beauty of nature… and I was right :).
This photo allows you to see the rippling water of the reservoir capturing bits of light from the gloomy sky as Emilyn paddles by…
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There is something I really like about this photograph.  I think it is simple and natural, like Emilyn herself.
She is watching me with an almost blank expression.  I like that her one knee is wet and the other is bent supporting the oar
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The day was quite overcast and she was happy to see it that way.  This natural, dramatic sky seemed to be the perfect fit for her.
Peaceful, serene, Emilyn to a T…
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Emilyn is an avid reader and is holding one of her favorite novels.
I think her confidence really comes through in this one:
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In the next photo she is sitting on a rock surrounded by water, I think that it captures her introspective side.
She has such gorgeous hair and I like how she is looking away from the camera here– to me, it shows that she is a thinker and a dreamer.
I love the vibrant mountains in the distance!
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Those eyes!
central-pa-creative-unique-senior-portrait-photographer-carlisle-chambersburg-mercersburg-41What struck me here was her shadow and how it was sliced into dozens of tiny pieces by the water’s movement.
It seems ethereal and almost surreal…
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Emilyn is a musician and artist and is about to spread her wings and leave the nest, likely traveling quite far for her college education.
I wanted this photo to give you the feeling of flight…
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Due to the overcast sky there was not really a sunset as we had anticipated, but more of twilight setting on the reservoir.
She hopped back on her bike and ended the session silhouetted against the reservoir.
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Emilyn, it was such a pleasure to work with you and get to know you better through your senior portrait session.  I wish you all the very best with all of your future endeavors.

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