The Liberated | a senior portrait movement

A montage of my 2010 high school seniors, as Jonsi's famous falsetto moves me in all directions. Watch the vid below, book a shoot with me, and become part of The Liberated.

Rachel Smelser -The Senior Collection-

Big things come in small packages. Mother Teresa, Ghandi, Danny Devito, all below the 5 foot mark. Okay, maybe the latter is slightly out of place, though if anyone saw him in Matilda, he probably holds a spot in your heart somewhere, as he does in mine. Smaller frames aren't incapable of powerful abilities. Rachel is an example of that. Rachel and soccer have a secret handshake. They've been besties since she gave up play-doh and superficial mattel dolls. They are inseparable. Their bond has been her most consistent source of joy throughout her youth with the only exceptions being her family and her faith. This friendship continues even today, as she nailed down a scholarship, now playing for the third ranked junior college in the nation at Paradise Valley.

She seems constructed for the soccer field. A fusion of raw energy and pure spunk, she doesn't run, she bounces. She uses her non-threatening build to surprise and shock her opponents, relishing in the napping of her enemies. Of course a girl with this much energy isn't a one hit wonder. Four year marching and jazz band veteran, avid wake boarder, ex-skateboarder, her 'fun resume' is listless. But when 80% of her shoot includes her completely engaged in a world that includes just her and B&W ball, it's kind of beautiful, and fun to watch. This is Rachel.

Rachel Smith -The Senior Collection-

I first saw her when she was exiting a faded white GMC conversion van. You know which van's those are, they're the extra long kid haulers that look like NASA decided to add on a few extra parts moments before it left the assembly line. It's probably been their families go-to vehicle for countryside travels since George Bush was in office. The first one. So, she contrasted sharply with Mom's wheels. Her hair rogue red, begged for the attention that her eyes had been probably stealing for years. But when eyes come in true cobalt it's assumed that they're meant for spellbinding power.

When you meet Rachel it's safe to say you're unprepared. She smiled from the beginning, setting up the makings of a perfect shoot. Rachel is into literature. She eats twice a week at a fast food joint whose mascot is a cow (and he's happy because everyone is eating chicken), and she can afford that guilty pleasure because she's a ruby on the tennis court, playing and punishing peeps for Mountain Ridge. Somewhere in between a secretive, goofy hand-to-chin gesture she gave her Mom, and flashes of her dazzling, teethy smile I realized this girl was a delight to be around. A delight. This is Rachel Smith.

Morgan Desaulniers -The Senior Collection-

She holds an intimidating presence. From the feet up she's indomitable. Bold, Brash, and a menace behind a guitar, she's like a granddaughter of the late Johnny Cash. Decorated in fashion statements, a lip ring, rugged dog tags, and a diamond piercing are the most glaring, she's bursting with flashy noise. But underneath all the splashiness is a genuine soul. Morgan made me feel good. She poked and prodded my photography career, flipping the tables and interviewing me. I imagined her as an affable teammate. She's owns the diamond. Built like a boulder, she has the quintessential body for softball, executing maximum damage on unprepared pitchers and helpless outfields. Her coached described her as "ruthless". She's taking her talents to Eastern Arizona, in Thatcher, a college and city I'm sure she'll outgrow. This is Morgan Desaulniers.