Sam's Senior Session at Edmond's Beach

Sam

Talk about a beautiful wildflower! Sam is from Edmonds so it was only perfect to have her senior session at Edmonds Beach. The colors of the sunset and warmth of the sand was very fitting for Sam's warm personality. What a dreamy evening and perfect way to celebrate her senior year. But first SOCCER!

Gabi's Senior Pictures

Gabi & Khandey

What an amazing experience to have your horse, Khandey in your senior pictures. The entire moment was magical, as the frost on the trees glimmered in the distance and the sun rays came through the branches. It was a crisp morning but beautiful. There was a calmness among the ranch as you could hear other horses trotting around, enjoying getting brushed and basking in the sunlight.

Senior pictures should always make a statement of who you are and I think Gabi nailed it. Not one picture was taken without Khandey at her request!

The night I wanted to get my PhD and be called Dr. Jessica

When I am faced with a challenge, I take it head on. There is no stopping me when I have my mind set on something. The one person that has to deal with the implications of my exceptional and amazing ideas, is my husband. When I believed that we needed to compost, he built me a compost bin and I proceeded to not understand how to use it. When I decided that Kindergarteners needed more sugar and we should have Popsicle Friday's, he was the one organizing the popsicles by color in coolers. When I decided that my school needed a hip hop dance team and that I woud be the core instructor because I can work it, reverse it, put my game down flip it, and reverse it ra ta ta ta ta....he was there to help me with kid appropriate songs and dance moves.

The list goes on of Jessica's amazing wonderful ideas and the one person that never turns me down is my husband, until one night.

"I think I am going to get my PhD."

"What Jessica!! Why!? There is no PhD in Photography and you already have your Masters in Teaching. This doesn’t make sense to me."

"So everyone can call me Dr. Jessica."

"Jessica I will call you Dr. Jessica if that is what you want."

"Well it would also be cool to tell people (I get a sophisticated voice) that  "I am currently working on my PhD in Astro Physics."

"Jessica that makes no sense, you don't have a Master's of Science."

"Maybe there’s an Art History degree."

"To use for what Jessica?"

"My photography. I think my clients would like to call me Dr. Jessica and to know that I am highly educated in the arts, while I take pictures for their Christmas cards."

"Jessica, I will buy you a book on art history!!"

“Why are you getting so mad about this?"

"Because Jessica, we don't have time for you to get your PhD.”

"You keep forgetting to say Dr. Jessica, you said you would call me that."

"Dr. Jessica please do not get your PhD."

"Why are so upset, you never get upset at my ideas."

"Because you go through with them! I am truly scared you will come home one day with books and supplies, and say that you're signed up at Harvard or something , and we can't move, we have no money! Jessica when you..."

"Dr. Jessica."

"Dr. Jessica you always go through with your crazy ideas.”

"Okay, okay I won't get my PhD, I don’t like homework anyways but you know it would be cool to be a trophy husband for a very sophistied wife." {Mr. Raney finally laughs}

"Oh I love you Dr. Jessica."

"I love you too Mr. Dr. Jessica Raney."

Since I am not getting my PhD anytime soon {I am not ruling it out. Dr. Jessica just has too much of a nice ring to it. } I will take photos of high school and college graduates and tell them my story of how I almost got my PhD and how I plan to have senior pictures done of myself when I graduate. I don't care how old I am!

Here is beautiful Rachel, a senior who graduated from University of Washington with her Bachelor degree in Psychology! Girls, we run the world!

Rachel1

Rachel2

Back when I knew everything.

Remember being 17 and knowing everything? The world was black and white, there were no grey areas and if only your parents could also figure that out too, the world would be a much easier place to live in and you would not have to constantly argue your very valid points!!

Now that I am 27 and don't know a gosh darn thing, the world seemed pretty simple back then! I wasn't aware that I would get wrinkles within the next 10 years, minimum wage wasn't so bad, it bought me all the Roxy crap I wanted from Zumiez, and paid for my 1984 Honda Accord where I jammed daily to Shakira on repeat, and staying up until 4am and getting up at 6am was real easy!

Since I specialize in couples, weddings, and engagements I don't shoot a lot of senior portraits. I am starting to realize I wouldn't mind also specializing in senior portraits, for selfish reasons of course!

They're so fresh, fierce, innocent, wrinkle free and stress free! I love it! Makes me feel young again like I could skip around in my Roxy swim suit and live off minimum wage while shakin it to Shakira, so yes I might be being selfish when I do senior portraits now but I am not about to get botox and surgically lift anything so this will have to do until that botox piggy bank is full, which might also never happen because the tooth fairy keeps using that money!

Here is a very perfect teenager, that seemed to be nothing like I was! She is sweet, humble, gracious, and completely adorable!

Tana

Class of 2012