Port Huron Senior shows off 4 styles in this teen guy photoshoot.

Senior guy transforms from casual to model during his photo shoot

Class of 2017 Senior goes street performer.

Let’s rewind to 2 years ago when I was looking for a model for a personal project I was working on and got hooked up with Audrey. Since then we’ve done 2 personal projects together that remain in my top 10 fav projects I’ve ever created!
   She has a shy but adorably sarcastic boyfriend that she’s been with for 3 years. She recommend him to me and they ended up booking a last minute Senior shoot. To make things even more ironic he, his mom, and his younger brother walked through the door and I instantly realized I photographed his little brother YEARS ago when I very first got into photography. Now it had come full circle, back to him. Not it was Matt’s turn!
   We started out in the studio with a black leather jacket and side swept hair that totally reminded me of an Outsiders vibe, which between the laughs he totally nailed! We then ventured outside where we did everything from climb over downed trees, hide under wooded forts, walk down railroad tracks laid in the river, and even got desperate and had to bust out the trombone case and turn into a street performer to get us to the next location.
   There was a lot of laughing and silly sly looks but Matt totally pulled off 4 different looks that I think secretly showed off all his personalities he might hide away until the time is right.

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You have to watch our Behind The Scenes film to fully appreciate Matt's personality. It makes me laugh and smile every time!

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View our full Senior Gallery!

If you liked the downtown feel check out Troy's Senior Shoot!

For more seniors playing instruments check out Grant's Senior Shoot!

Senior Guy rocks that Natural Vibe

Senior works his natural look and it rocks.

Senior Pictures on the beach followed by Classic Fashion Portraits in the city.

You always tell people to be natural in front of the camera, which then makes being natural in front of the camera look like the most difficult thing they have ever done in their entire life.
   You tell people, yeah, it’s awkward but pretend like I’m not here. That never happens but people normally laugh.
   And then I met Troy, probably the first guy in the history of photography to get in front of the camera and just relax. I asked him if he could teach my future guy seniors how to be natural but I’m still waiting to hear back.
   Troy’s personality is adorable- and I mean that in the most mature way. He’s always smiling, easy going, and even when he’s not smiling he just pulls off that casual look that belongs in a magazine, without looking fake. He said he plans on going to school for stand up / comedy, which I also totally adore- it's outside of the norm of what I usually hear when I ask what their plans are after school, it's true to who he is, and more people should take what they love more seriously so they can live it.
   Keep living that natural life that comes easy to you Troy, you wear it well.

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Check out the full Senior Gallery!

For a more edgy look check out John's Senior Session!

If you like the classic suit and tie look check out Grant's Senior Session!

Let me show you what natural beauty looks like- teen grunge style.

Teen Fashion Photoshoot straight out of a magazine spread.

Aspiring young model matures with edgy session.

   Jillian is the epitome of natural beauty with a unique twist. I don’t know what it is, but before her session I secretly stalked her on facebook, as probably all photographers do, and I instantly feel in love with her look. She’s 14 and the perfect mixture of an innocent yet mature look that looks effortless yet dramatic.
   Jealous!
   We had planned on her bringing an oversized shirt for the studio and a white dress for outside.
The studio look showcased just her. I didn't want anything to take away from her beauty. This is when I fell back in love with simplistic yet dramatic studio portraits. The 2nd look was just something free and light. (Secret- it was SUPER cold the day we shot so we actually photographed the white dress look with her shoes on and sweat pants around her ankles, and in between shots she would pull them back up and put her coat on to warm up. Yes, we got tricks!) 
   As a total wild card Jillian brought an extra look- trendy sunglasses, ripped white washed jeans, and vans. Her long, uncurled hair blew in the wind as we did a little sun worshiper session right in the side yard of the studio.
   Her serious looks were to die for but for the last shot of the day I got one huge, playful, real laugh from her on camera and we called it a day.
   When she and her mom came back for her viewing I found out they would be using the images for her modeling portfolio and I got SO excited. She took her previously portfolio to Chicago and they told her she would have to come back when her look wasn’t so young. Watch out Chicago... Jillian will be back and you will be eating your words. This is bold, beautiful, and her young spirit brings this pure emotion to her edgy, mature portraits.

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Watch how beautiful and effortless a shoot really is. Stunning portraits don't have to be difficult to create, just simply show up.

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View our full Beauty Gallery!

If you like this edgy look, check out Samantha's Senior Session!

For more unique sessions check out Jessika's Senior Photoshoot!

This is what a Woman Warrior battling cancer looks like- fucking gorgeous.

The Battle to beat Breast Cancer

Bald, bold, and ready to fight-
Jen bravely shares her journey with you.

When was the last time you had to be brave? When was the last time you had to look life in the face and let it know you were going to stand up, look the devil in the face, and tell him to fuck off?
That’s Jen. Jen is a brave and bold young woman, battling invasive, fast growing, hormone driven cancer with a smile on her face and fire in her eyes.
I had never really saw bravery in real life before, but now every time I think of Jen I want to cry, and not because I feel bad for her, but because she inspires me.
She has her own personal, intimate story that she shares on her blog, so I will save that experience and the details of her situation for her to tell. Talking about how cancer doesn’t run in her family, how she has a rare type, and how she’s dealt with things like- being told she may not be able to have kids, her breasts will be removed, she would lose her hair, she would be put into menopause at 26 years old, and she would have to fight sickness for 3 months while undergoing chemo.
This is what a warrior looks like. This is what a gorgeous, powerful woman looks like. This is what truth, life, the raw side of us as humans looks like told to you by a young woman who didn’t ask for this, didn’t see it coming, but did not let it stop her.
Jen. We love you. 

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Award Winning Portraits: Awarded Honor of Excellence - Silver
The back story.

In December 2016 I put a model call up on my site asking for someone interested in doing a raw, gritty look for a print competition I wanted to enter. The stakes are high, I’m competing with professional photographers from around the world, famous names, and people who have been in the field for longer than I’ve been born. 
Jen wrote me and said, “Only if you think I would fit this project, I would model for you! I just shaved my head so I can go bald or with my wigs.”
I sat in shock for a moment before I wrote her back. They fact that she was willing to embrace where her life was right now to the fullest, and trusted me to express that in a creative way, it not only blew me away, it made me realize

this project just became the most important thing I had ever done.

Jen came in to the studio and we simply just had a girls day. We did her makeup in studio, we played with her wigs, and we saw her without any hair for the first time. She looked like a high fashion model, those women who choose to be bald, expect she didn’t choose this, which made her look that much more powerful.
Before Jen, I had this idea of a woman wrapped up in an ace bandage, black and white, knuckles bloodied, expressing this inner struggle, but working through it powerfully, beautifully. It was a good idea, but now, this idea, it was as if it was born for Jen at this moment. The fact her breasts would be removed, her fighting through this, her unmatched beauty... this project meant and said so much more with Jen in it.

The top 2 images were entered into the Wedding and Portrait Photography International (WPPI) Print Competition and we received a Silver Honor Of Excellence Award. I say “we” because this couldn’t have happened without Jen and her beauty and bravery, Taylor and her makeup skills along with studio assistance, and me with my concept and set design along with taking the portrait itself.

I am floored to present this project to you. It’s hard to even find the proper words. The story is so deep, there’s so many thoughts flooding my mind, but again, I’ll let the photos do the talking. They tell all. Thank you for sharing this moment with us. I hope it nurtures you, teaches you, and inspires you.

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Photographer, Concept and Wardrobe Design- Autumn Carufel / AJBC Photography
Videographer- Taylor Walsh / Golden Hour Films
Model and Warrior- Jen Marsack (read her blog about this journey, from diagnoses to surgery, and beyond.)