McDowell High School Tennis Senior Pictures | Marion NC Senior Photographers

So as I was going through and updating my website with some new senior images, I was reminded of some really fun sports themed senior pictures I shot last year.  I would normally share these images right along with the other photos from the session, but I decided to pull the sports themed shots from a few sessions and blog them separately.

 

First up, I want to share Hayley's tennis pictures with you.  Hayley was such a trooper during this shoot.  It was SOOOO HOT when we shot these.  And that tennis court really held the heat and would literally burn your skin when we tried sitting on the court.

 

We were both melting trying to capture these shots.  But we stuck it out, and I'm so glad we did.  These are some of my favorite images from her session.

It's always fun to try to incorporate your grad year into your pictures in some way.  So for Hayley's session, we simply took a sharpie marker and wrote 2015 on tennis balls.

I love this shot!

Sometimes when I'm shooting the sports themed portion of a senior session, we actually go the seniors field or court at their high school.  Sometimes sports props can just be added into a picture while shooting in an alley or park.  In Hayley's case, we met at Lake Lure for her session.  There happened to be tennis courts not too far from the boat docks that we were shooting near.  So we were able to shoot the tennis portion of her session there as opposed to traveling to her high school.

Look how gorgeous she looks. 

You could never tell that she was melting in that sunshine on the tennis court.

Simply beautiful Hayley.

 

Keep this in mind when you are planning your senior session.  What extra-curricular activities are you involved in?  Could be sports.  Could be drama.  Could be music.  Or any number of other things.  Might be video games.  Whatever your passions are, lets talk about it and see how we can incorporate it into your session.

6 Tips On Finding YOUR Perfect Senior Photographer | Hendersonville, NC Senior Photographers

You have finally made it!  It's your senior year.  

You have worked so hard to get to this point in your life.  

I bet one thing you have been looking forward to is your senior portrait experience.

 So I thought I'd put together a little list of tips for you on finding the perfect photographer for YOU! 

1.  Shop around - As much I would love to just say "PICK ME!", that wouldn't be fair to some of you.  You really need to look around to find a photographer that suits YOUR needs.  Ask your friends who they have had take their pictures.  Ask about their experience with their photographer.  Were they happy with their photographer?  Did they have fun during their session?  You will want to find a photographer that you can jive with personality wise.  Having your pictures taken is such a personal thing, you really need to find someone that you connect with.  Someone that is going to help you to feel completely comfortable in front of their camera, and will know how to bring out the very best of you for your pictures.  You will want to find a photographer that you are very comfortable being yourself in front of.  So when asking your friends for referrals, ask them if they were comfortable being themselves with their photographer.

2.  Ask to see an entire session - Let's face it, everyone can take a great picture.  I mean, if a person takes enough pictures, they will most likely get lucky and have at least a couple of images that are pretty good.  But when you are choosing a professional photographer for your senior portraits, my advice is to find a photographer that can create an entire gallery full of beautiful images of you that will really tell the story of who YOU are.  A photographer that knows how to pose you in the most flattering way, and a photographer that knows how to shoot in any lighting condition.  Another benefit of this tip is that during your session, if you have done your homework and you already know that you have hired a photographer that is completely capable of creating beautiful images, you can be completely confident that you ARE going to have beautiful senior portraits.  Which in turn will help you loosen up and enjoy the experience even more.

3.  What do they offer? - You definitely want to find a photographer that offers the types of prints and products you are most interested in.  Some photographers will only offer a digital download, no prints.  Some photographers will only offer prints, but not digitals.  Some will offer both.  So be sure to look for a photographer that offers what you are interested in.  If you aren't sure what you want, ask yourself what you plan to do with your senior pictures.  Do you want to hang them on the wall in the form of a wall portrait?  Do you want to have an album full of all of your images?  Or would you like to have the digitals so that you can print your own portraits?  Or any other number of endless possibilities...

I know many of you will probably want the ability to share your pictures online.  And that's great.  Make sure your photographer will give you the option to share your images with all your friends online.  But you also have to remember that those online galleries on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat won't always be there.  I would hate for you to have all of your senior pictures lost a few years down the road when these websites are no longer around.  So while I definitely want you to be able to share online if you want to, I also want to remind you to think beyond that and realize that you will probably also want to have your images in print for future use.

4.What are others says? - Check out the testimonials from other clients.  A great way to find out what it will truly be like to work with a photographer you are considering, is to read testimonials that their previous clients have written.  So check out the photographers website, Instagram, Facebook, blog, etc... for testimonials.  Is what others are saying sound like something that you want to be a part of?  

5.  Do you love their pictures? - Another important point is do you love their pictures.  In all reality, their pictures are probably what drew you to the photographer in the first place.  But when you ask your friends about their photographers, they may tell you about someone you hadn't heard of before.  So you quickly go to IG to check out their work, only to discover that the photographer totally does not match your style.  Maybe the photographer shoots dark dramatic black and white photography, and your style is more light and colorful.  Or maybe the photographer shoots everything very bright and vibrant, and you really love muted soft tones.  Whatever the case may be, be sure to find someone whose style you love.  It's a really bad idea to hire a photographer who has a portfolio full of bright colorful imagery and expect them to create an entire gallery of black and white portraits for you.  Most photographers have a style that they are passionate about and are very good at.  Asking them to shoot something completely different may not go very well.

6.  Get your parents involved - While you are looking for a photographer that you really love, run it by your parents.  After all, they will want a say in the style of photography that they will want to hang in their home.  They are going to want their son or daughter working with a reputable photographer that they feel safe having around their children.  And most likely, they are the ones paying for the session and portraits.   So definitely get them involved in the process and get their opinions as well.

So there you have it.  6 tips for finding the perfect senior photographer for you!

I hope you found them helpful.

Have you already had your senior portraits taken?  Do you have other tips that you could share with a person searching for their senior photographer?  Please do so in the comments.

 

Billie is a high school senior photographer in Hendersonville, NC.  She shoots in a vibrant & colorful style that is trendy, but that will also stand the test of time.  Billie always makes sure to shoot images during her senior portrait sessions that the senior will love, while also making sure to capture the classic portraits that the parents & grandparents will treasure.  She provides a wide variety of heirloom quality prints and products that can be passed down through the generations, and also provides tech savvy ways to share your beautiful senior portraits with all your friends and family.

High School Senior Grad Announcements | Hendersonville, NC Senior Photographers

Today I thought I'd share some sample grad announcements that I've designed for my Grad Catalog.

 

Custom designed grad announcements are just one more way to stand apart from the crowd and let your style shine through.

I have over 30 designs to choose from.  All customizable with your fav images from your senior session, and information about your grad party.

Some cards are colorful, some glittery, some casual, some are simplistic, some girly, ...
There is something to suit everyone's style!

There are also some guy cards available.  
None pictured here because I decided to feature cards with my senior models pictured.  

I didn't have any guys in my senior model program for the Class of 2015, but things might just change for the Class of 2016.  I'm super excited about having had a few guys recommended to me for my new 2016 senior model program!

If you are a Class of 2015 senior client of mine, be on the watch for an email from me with the entire Grad Catalog.  I can't wait to start designing all of your grad invites!

If you are too excited, and just can't wait for my email, go ahead and Email me to request your copy of my 2015 Grad Catalog.

Billie specializes in high school senior portrait in Western North Carolina. She provides a custom senior portrait experience at a location of your choice with unlimited wardrobe changes. She also finishes off the experience with these gorgeous custom grad cards. Contact her today to set up your senior portrait experience.

Vintage Camera, Parasol, Books, and Paint! | Asheville Senior Photographers

During the cold, dreary winter days, it's fun to go back and post some warm and colorful images from last summer!  Emily and I definitely found lots of different ways to infuse lots of color in to her senior portrait session.

This first set shot against the graffiti wall in this gorgeous green dress are some of my favorites!  

And those earrings and big statement ring were the perfect touch to finish off this outfit.

Emily also brought along this pretty parasol to include in a few images.  I think it adds a soft, feminine feel to this image.  It's perfect with that soft grey dress and delicate cameo necklace.
This image ended up being Emily's and her mom's favorite, and is now a beautiful wall portrait in their home.

Another outfit change.  This time the same cameo necklace, but with a blue dress.  And then we added a stack of her fav books as props.  And then she even thought to bring along her glasses to go along with the book theme.  Love!

Emily's 4th outfit was this perfect long black dress.  She looked A-MAZ-ING in this dress!!!  And that aqua and royal statement necklace were to die for.

We had so much fun planning Emily's session.  So many different ideas, props, outfits, locations...  We finished up the session in the most fun way there is to finish a portrait session.  

By painting her face of course!

When Emily told me during her pre-session planning consultation that she loves to paint, I suggested she bring along some paint supplies and have a little fun with them.  She was totally on board with my crazy idea, and we had a ball painting her face.

Emily, thank you again for choosing me to create some fun senior portraits for you.  

And thank you for being on board with my crazy ideas! 

I think one of my favorite quotes will fit her quite nicely.

"If you never did you should.  

These things are fun and fun is good."

~Dr. Seuss

Don't be afraid to loosen up and have some fun with your senior session!

My 828Senior Experience | Hendersonville, NC Senior Photographers

Hear about my senior model program from an 828Senior Model herself.  

Guest blogger Shelby Roets.

This year I had the greatest opportunity of not only having my Senior pictures taken by Billie Mitchell, but also being part of the 828Senior modeling group. 

All of Billie's photos are amazing. No matter what she photograph,s she always captures the true beauty in the picture, while making all the colors vividly eye catching. 

Being in the 828Senior group is something I'm personally so glad I did. It was just another opportunity in life to bring me out of my shell even more, and add to my confidence level, which I have struggled with for most of my life. 

One of the biggest things I loved about being an 828Senior model was that Billie always had all these fun, adventurous and colorful ideas for us. For example, the 4th of July photo shoot. After taking photos at a different location previously, we all ended up back at her house and had a paint war in her yard.  It was one of the coolest things I have ever done!

Being an 828Senior Model gives many more perks than just having one session with Billie. In the end you have so many different photos to chose from when she spreads them all out for you to see, it becomes the most difficult decision because every beautiful photo is wanted to be hung up in your living room with love.

Billie made my senior year so special for my family and I.

Not only did I receive the most perfect senior pictures, but I made a life long friend!

It makes my heart happy to read "life long friend" in your post.  The feeling is mutual Shelby.  I have enjoyed every minute of having you in front of my camera.  I've enjoyed our time together without the camera even more.  Thank you so much for being apart of my team this year.  It's been such and amazing journey.  One that I will be so sad to see end in a few months when all of you graduate.   

                                                                                                       xoxo,

Merry Christmas! | Hendersonville NC Photographers

I just wanted to take a few minutes to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas before I close down for the holidays.  Please enjoy a little peak at my year of fun with oh so many amazing clients that I had the pleasure of meeting and working with in 2014!

I feel so blessed by the amazing things that came my way in 2014. I CANNOT wait to see what 2015 holds! 

                                                                                        
                                                                                      Much love friends...

North Hendersonson Baseball Senior Pictures

When I first talked to Anthony about shooting his senior pictures, we discussed a few different ideas.  As you know, I love personalizing each of my senior sessions to the specific senior I am working with.  Part of the senior portrait experience with Billie Mitchell Photography, is a pre-session consultation to discuss all the details of your session.  During this consultation we talk about wardrobe ideas, location specifics and any props or meaningful items that you wish to include.  For Anthony, it was his love of baseball.

As you can see, he plays for North Henderson High School in Hendersonville, NC.  So we made plans to meet at his field for a portion of his senior session.

 

It's always nice when shooting sports pictures, to shoot at your own field or court.  That way we can incorporate school logos, mascots, and colors to add more interest to your images.

I always enjoy trying to do a little something out of the norm and on the creative side when possible.  These types of images are great for your senior album!

 

After finishing up at the baseball field, we headed to the alleys of downtown Hendersonville for the rest of his session.  He even had his cousin, who is also a senior at AC Reynolds High School, join us for a few shots.

 

Seemed to be a No Parking theme during this session!

 

Alleys are some of my fav places to shoot.

There are usually great stone or brick walls.  And the lighting is usually perfect too!

I definitely recommend a clothing change or two during your session.  Yes, even for the guys.  Gives a lot more variety to your final images.

How about you?  Have your had your senior pictures taken yet?  Call me today to schedule your BMP senior experience!  I promise, it's painless.  Even for the guys!  You might even have a little fun.  No scratch that, you DEFINITELY have loads of FUN!!!  Guaranteed!

Billie specializes in high school senior photography in Western North Carolina.  She has been shooting high school seniors for 5 years in both Central Ohio and North Carolina.  She works with seniors from North Henderson, West Henderson, East Henderson, Hendersonville, Brevard High School, Enka High School, AC Reynolds, TC Roberson, Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy, North Carolina School of Science and Math, and Asheville Christian Academy.  She is very excited to add you and your school to her portfolio!

Soccer Senior Pictures North Henderson High School

Meet Brittany.

North Henderson High School Class of 2015 Senior!



Brittany is a senior model for me this year.  I knew I liked her as soon as I received her email asking me about my model program and how she could become a part of it.  I loved how she wasn't afraid to reach out to me on her own and ask for what she wanted!

During her senior model session, we were able to capture many sides of her personality and style.  That is exactly what I strive to achieve during every senior session that I shoot.  So I was especially pleased with how her images turned out.

We started off at the North Henderson High School Soccer field where we were lucky enough to find the soccer goals had been left out on the field in the middle of summer.  A happy little surprise for us!  And while Brittany isn't able to play soccer any longer due to injuries, she has played her entire life, and still wanted to include soccer in her senior portraits.

  

Her next location choice was Fletcher Community Park. 

The scenery is gorgeous there and offers plenty of beautiful shooting locations.
Not to mention her amazing wardrobe choices.

Next up, Biltmore Park Town Square!

The perfect place to show off Brittany's passion for shopping!



And finally, another passion of Brittany's.  DANCE!

She loves to dance and is the caption on her North Henderson High School Dance Team.

This is the storyboard that we designed together to represent this part of her life.



As you can see from the quick iPhone pic, she LOVED her storyboard!





Her words: Confident & Sassy.

I'd say that is a perfect description of Brittany. 

Brittany, thank you so much for reaching out to me last winter and joining my team.  I have absolutely loved getting to know you over that past several months, and I can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings.  I wish the best senior year ever!  I cannot wait to see what your future holds for you.  Stay AWESOME!!!