Celebrating Your Rising Senior with Meaning – Dallas Frisco Senior Portrait Photographer – Me Ra Koh
When Lucas heard his mom booked a Rising Senior Experience with us, he said “I’m doing this for you mom. This is not for me.”
LOL Lucas is one of my FAVORITE stories of transformation!
He Never Liked Photos of Himself
Why? He’s never really liked photos of himself.
When his mom told me this, I did a little happy dance inside. Whenever I hear this it tells me they’ve never had a great portrait that feels authentic or meaningful to them. Which means this experience was going to be that much more powerful. Little did Lucas know this whole experience was going to be about celebrating your rising senior with meaning.
I’ll never forget my call with Lucas.
Most guys aren’t excited about taking senior portraits. But I told Lucas this experience was going to be unlike anything he’s ever heard of. There wouldn’t be any stiff, awkward posing. Everything we photographed of him would be inspired by the words his family shared with us about him and also his own words. This is about creating something meaningful to celebrate who he is and what he’s taking with him to college.
Our call was so powerful.
Lucas is so crazy smart and planning to major in Engineering Physics. (Just those two words alone are intense, let alone being put together!) We talked about the specific attributes he likes most about himself. It was an honor for him to be so candid with us. He says he’s a perfectionist by nature. Loves soccer. And he has drive. But it was that last word that he pressed into.
I asked if confidence would be the last attribute. And he said no. Again, I valued his honesty so much!
We approached it from a different angle.
I asked him what he wants to be reminded of everyday that is maybe a struggle to believe.
That’s when the breakthrough came.
He said the word is capable.
WOW!
What would it give him to see how capable he is?
Lucas’s answer is incredible. “A reminder of the cool things I can do and to do my very best. Regardless of what’s next, I am capable.”
When he came for his Rising Senior Experience, that word “capable” is what we dove into capturing. And this is what Lucas and I created together!
He’s the first person to like EVERY photo!
When Lucas came back after lunch to see all the Best Of, I was so excited! Remember, he’s never really liked a photo of himself. We showed him all the Best Of, and he had the biggest smile! Then Brian took him and his parents through each of them to pick his favorites.
And Lucas is the FIRST person EVER to pick EVERY SINGLE PHOTO!
Custom Senior Album with all the Photos and Their Words
His parents got him our custom Senior Album to take with him to college with all their words about him.
It still makes me want to cry whenever I think about it.
Lucas sees his true self, and he likes who he is!
This is what I mean when I say celebrating your rising senior with meaning. Helping them see the attributes within themselves that are so powerful. So when they step into that next big season after graduation, they’re reminded every day of who they are.
For Lucas, it’s about being reminded that he is capable.
Yes, he is!
Are you loving this story?
Can you see why it’s one of my FAVORITES?!
Lucas even shared part of this story at our Rising Phoenix Christmas Party!
And, he was so incredible to work with, we hired him to be one of our models for our Studio Lighting workshop. Lucas said YES! He went from hating having his photo taken to being one of the best models for our workshop attendees!
Talk about transformation!
This is one of the portraits that photographer, Kim Kisslo, captured at the workshop. It was such a gift to have Lucas there!
Dad was a Calvin Klein Model
Story gets EVEN BETTER!
Get this! It turns out dad was a Calvin Klein Model back in the day when he still had hair. He paid his way through college modeling! So of course dad had to demonstrate one of his go-to model poses with his sons!
THE BEST!!!! Eli, the youngest, is still working on it. LOL
The Whole Family Plays a Role
Our Rising Senior Experience isn’t just about the senior getting photos. Every person in the family gets a voice, their own phone call, to share what they love most about their rising senior. And then every family member gets to have that dynamic captured with them.
What Lucas’s Dad Shared
“I admire Lucas’s independence. He doesn’t go with the crowd. Lucas isn’t a sheep, but a shepherd (or a wolf for that matter). He does his own thing. Lucas is also extremely talented. He could be an artist, he’s also a gifted athlete, and he’s smart. Whatever Lucas does, he excels at.”
“Lucas is resilient. The first kid has it the hardest. He’s had to put up with the harshest of harshest from his parents, but he makes us look good.”
What Lucas Shared about His Dad
We always ask the rising senior what their parents have shaped in them. Having gone through our own kids leaving the nest, this was something I wanted for myself. To know what has stuck with them that they’re taking into this next chapter.
Lucas says his dad taught him how to be positive with people.
“I had to move a lot and learn to be friendly and happy. My dad has always helped me get out of my comfort zone, just saying hi to neighbors and being positive with people. And that having good relationships is important. Letting go when you’re arguing because it’s better to forgive and move on.”
“My dad has also been the greatest soccer coach since I was 4 or 5 years old. He’s always taught me to give 110%. To do my best with school. He’s super happy as long as I’m doing my best.”
What His Mom Shared
“Lucas has an incredible moral compass. He has integrity and knows his boundaries. He will step in when injustice happens.”
“Service Mindset is another one of his top attributes. For example, Lucas will still lead the soccer team without the title of captain.”
“He is also so thoughtful. His opinions aren’t willy-nilly. He wants to probe, discuss, and refine his opinion. He has an incredibly bright mind and absorbs the emotions going on around him.”
I asked Lucas on our call what his mom has shaped in him.
What Lucas Gets from his Mom
“She is a visionary. I definitely got that from my mom. Wanting to do massive things, big ideas, accomplish them and be super successful.”
“Whatever I’m working on, she always helps me with – sticking to a schedule, being prepared for what’s next, and getting things done.”
“She’s a visionary and encourages me to set things in motion.”
We share these words out loud during the photo shoot because it brings out genuine emotion and love. Posing isn’t necessary when you’re calling out what is most meaningful to them.
When I shared these words with mom, it was so special to see how much she received them and how rewarding it was for Lucas to give.
What His Little Brother Says…
We may not think younger siblings have much to say because as parents we are often playing referee. But when their older brother or sister is getting ready to leave home, you’d be surprised at what they will share in a phone call.
“Lucas is always there for me. I appreciate is his attitude. He is uplifting and helps others through hard places. He helps me and my sister with school. He’s taught me how to take things step by step, like how to survive high school.”
“When he goes to college, I’ll miss him being around and making my big brother laugh—finding ways to get on his nerves.”
“And I like how we share a big car addiction with classic muscle cars.”
Mom and the kids ended up surprising dad with a BIG, AMAZING metal print of this for his birthday!
When Lucas goes to college, this will help him still feel close, like he’s in the shop working on the car with dad.
Celebrating Your Rising Senior with Meaning
Having our team do calls with the siblings is another layer of celebrating your rising senior with meaning. Every single time we do this, I get to witness the surprise and genuine gift it is for the rising senior to hear what their brothers and sisters shared.
What Lucas’s Little Sister Said…
“Lucas is really loving. If I’m upset, he will go out of his way to check on me and see if I’m okay. I can tell him anything. If I can’t sleep, he’ll listen if I need to vent.”
“I love our family games and dinners. I’ll say something that I didn’t mean to be funny, and he’ll start laughing which makes me laugh. I hope Lucas remembers I’m going to miss him and I love him.”
I just LOVE this moment.
Experiencing Your Family Celebrating YOU
I asked Lucas during our call what it would give to him to see the words from his family captured.
“A sense of encouragement to think about all the things each family member has given me.”
YES!!! And that he is taking all this goodness with him into his next season of life!
The transformation since this special day…
What Lucas Sees Every Morning When He Walks Out His Bedroom Door
We went from Lucas not wanting to have ANY photos taken, let alone put on the wall, to knowing what he wants to be reminded of every day.
Mom and Dad both told us how they see a transformation in Lucas since his Rising Senior Experience. He’s walking taller with his shoulders back. He knows he is capable.
Lucas, thank you for giving me and the FIORIA team the honor of capturing and celebrating who you are. In twenty years of photographing the true essence of someone, you will always be one of my favorite stories of transformation. You gave me the greatest gift in giving me your honest words on that first phone call.
You are capable.
And the future is yours for the taking!
Begin Your FIORIA Rising Senior Portrait Experience
Are you looking for a meaningful way to celebrate your rising senior as a family? When they go to college, what do you want them to never forget about who they are? What challenges has your rising senior overcome? What resilience lives within them and your family? That is what FIORIA captures–the Rising Phoenix within. This experience is unlike any other type of senior portraits you’ve heard of. This is a sacred, meaningful experience that starts with a Discovery Call.
Schedule Your First Discovery Call by Filling Out Our Contact Form. We are so excited to take you and your graduating senior on an unforgettable journey.
still we rise, Me Ra
*CLICK HERE to see Halle’s Rising Senior Portrait Experience with FIORIA!
*CLICK HERE to see another inspiring Rising Senior Portrait Experience with FIORIA!
GEAR USED
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