Mihir - the Graduate!!
Into the great wide open...
This summer, Mihir plans to pack his calendar with all the most beautiful vistas of Washington. This is his last grand opportunity for travel adventures here in his Pacific Northwest - his lifelong homeland. He graduates from Redmond High School this week, and then has a short 2 months to savor our wild spaces before leaving our State. Like a lot of guys, he had chosen not to make senior photos the summer before his senior year. He's easy-going, and he simply asked a friend to click a photo for his yearbook, and was completely satisfied. With senior year ending, and plans being made to pack up and fly 6 hours to his new "home" for college, he decided he wants pictures to commemorate all the mossy rugged goodness he loves in this home. As an avid skier, he chose to immerse himself in Snoqualmie Pass "backgrounds" for his senior portraits.
NO MANMADE BACKDROPS
I was really excited when Mihir chose us to be his Photographers. He asked for scenes with no manmade structures. Natural vistas in the fresh, sharp mountain air - yes! We are in! The location above was just right, a happy place for Mihir :) The forested hills stretched on and on with dustings of snow and drifting mist. These boulders were painted with lichen in rusts and greens. They reminded me of textured canvas photography backdrops. So Mihir obliged me :)
"IT'S PERFECT"
All our Photography Sessions include optional barbershop or salon services with high quality professionals. We had started our afternoon with Abby at "Gene Juarez - Men", voted #1 Barbershop in 425 Magazine for both 2018 & 2019, located in The Shops at The Bravern in Bellevue. Abby gave Mihir his haircut, style & shave, and when she was finished, Mihir said he liked it. It was good. I usually get more enthusiasm out of my teen clients, and not just the girls. I know Mihir is cool & collected, thoughtful, not prone to gushes of emotion... but I had to make sure... I suggested that Abby can get his look to be just the way he wants it, I want him to have the best, and he responded "No, it's fine, it's good." or something to that effect. I finally explained that I often get a bit more enthusiasm, and Mihir smiled and looked at me and said "It's perfect." So we were good to go!
Mihir wears mostly Patagonia. He likes the way the brand fits & it's comfortable. After this shoot, Jo & Shruti & I are thinking his jacket & jeans want to get out together a little more often as well :)
Aren't these boulders FANTASTIC?! Mihir gravitates to this stuff, so when he was researching & touring colleges from LA & Seattle to Boston this Spring, he fell for New Hampshire & Dartmouth College. This distinguished top-tier school actually has a 100-acre, 2-mountain ski area on the college grounds :) The famous Appalachian Trail runs right through campus. They have thousands of acres of forest to explore. Big changes coming up, but it sounds like Mihir could find a lot of new happy places :)
I have to mention - while we were driving to our locations, Mihir mentioned that he REALLY ENJOYS arguing. (At that, his Mom Shruti in the back seat covered her ears and made a comment about the noise, the NOISE, of arguments in the house! ha!!) Mihir says he will commonly take a side of an argument that he doesn't even commit to himself, just to make the class (or the discussion) more interesting! So I nearly laughed when we were at their home, and Mihir and his Dad, Shantanu, started arguing over which one of them loves nature more. Shantanu was pretty positive he had the greater love, but Mihir couldn't possibly agree less :) That was awesome.
I'm grateful for being given this fun opportunity. I expanded my knowledge of gorgeous photo locations near Snoqualmie Pass, I had great fun with our crew: Jo my incredible right hand & Mihir & Shruti. I got to know Mihir more than I ever had in 9 years of living next door (!) I got a ride in Mihir's Mustang. I learned to pronounce Dartmouth properly. And I love our portrait results!!
Thank you Jo!
Thank you Shantanu & Shruti
& Tanaya (we favored the same portraits!)
and
CONGRATULATIONS, MIHIR!!!!
