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Family & Senior Portraits

Senior portraits at the Atalaya Castle in Huntington Beach State Park

Senior portrait closeup of face - Atalaya Castle

In the last couple of weeks, I shot two senior portrait sessions at the Atalaya Castle in Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet that I think turned out really well. Both of these clients are really into sports. The first senior girl below is actually being coached to go to the Olympics for the hammer throw, and the second is a softball player. I think both of them would much rather be playing sports than posing for pictures, but I think we got along well and had fun with the pictures.

To do senior portraits really well, you have to be good at posing someone, especially helping them to know what to do with their hands. I’m still always working to improve in that. Weddings and family pictures are a bit different. It’s almost always about people interacting with each other. Engagement portraits are really easy because it’s all about two people interacting. Even bridal portraits are a lot about the dress, and the bride typically has a small bouquet to hold in her hands. However, with senior portraits, it’s all about making one person be able to stand there and look good for the camera, to help them feel comfortable and not look awkward in any way. I think both of these sessions turned out really well and I had fun doing them, so hopefully, I’ll start doing more senior portraits in the future. I think I’m starting to get pretty good at it. Let me know if you enjoy the pictures by commenting below!

Update: I added below a couple of hammer toss pictures I took on a separate day.

Girl looking out castle window - Atalaya Castle
Girl looking out castle window – Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the window - Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the window – Atalaya Castle
Senior portrait closeup of face - Atalaya Castle
Senior portrait closeup of face – Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits at Atalaya Castle - Huntington Beach State Park
Senior portraits at Atalaya Castle – Huntington Beach State Park
Senior leaning against the balcony - Atalaya Castle
Senior leaning against the balcony – Atalaya Castle
Leaning on hand - Atalaya Castle
Leaning on hand – Atalaya Castle
Foot on castle wall - Atalaya Castle
Foot on castle wall – Atalaya Castle
Sitting by the columns - Atalaya Castle
Sitting by the columns – Atalaya Castle
Senior portrait by the ivy covered wall - Atalaya Castle
Senior portrait by the ivy covered wall – Atalaya Castle
Senior in a navy shirt leaning on the ivy-covered wall and looking away at Atalaya Castle
Senior portrait by the ivy covered wall – Atalaya Castle
Walking through the palm trees looking back - Atalaya Castle
Walking through the palm trees looking back – Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the palm tree - Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the palm tree – Atalaya Castle
Girl with foot on palm tree - Atalaya Castle
Girl with foot on palm tree – Atalaya Castle
Sitting on the castle steps - Atalaya Castle
Sitting on the castle steps – Atalaya Castle
Backlit by the sunset - Atalaya Castle
Backlit by the sunset – Atalaya Castle
Girl walking down castle entryway - Atalaya Castle
Girl walking down castle entryway – Atalaya Castle
Lots of bokeh from the sun - Atalaya Castle
Lots of bokeh from the sun – Atalaya Castle
Senior portrait hallway at Atalaya Castle - Huntington Beach State Park
Senior portrait hallway at Atalaya Castle – Huntington Beach State Park
Standing in the sunset through the palm trees - Atalaya Castle
Standing in the sunset through the palm trees – Atalaya Castle
On the path in front of the castle - Atalaya Castle
On the path in front of the castle – Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the ivy wall - Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the ivy wall – Atalaya Castle
Senior in a plaid flannel leaning on the castle wall with her hands together at Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the castle wall – Atalaya Castle
Senior in a plaid flannel leaning on the castle wall with one foot up at Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the castle wall – Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits sitting on the stoop behind the castle - Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits sitting on the stoop behind the castle – Atalaya Castle
Senior in a plaid flannel sitting on the brick patio hugging her knees behind Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits sitting on the stoop behind the castle – Atalaya Castle
Senior leaning back on one hand on the brick patio behind Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits sitting on the stoop behind the castle – Atalaya Castle
Smiling senior stretched out on the brick ledge with palm trees behind her at Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits sitting on the stoop behind the castle – Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits holding onto the castle window ironwork - Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits holding onto the castle window ironwork – Atalaya Castle
Senior holding the green iron window grate with both hands at Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits holding onto the castle window ironwork – Atalaya Castle
Senior smiling with an arm raised on the green ironwork of a castle window at Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits holding onto the castle window ironwork – Atalaya Castle
Girl sitting by the sea oats - Atalaya Castle
Girl sitting by the sea oats – Atalaya Castle
Close portrait of a smiling senior in a white sweater sitting in the dunes at Huntington Beach State Park
Girl sitting by the sea oats – Atalaya Castle
Senior lying in the sand with her hair spread out, smiling up at the camera at Huntington Beach State Park
Girl looking up from the sand – Atalaya Castle
Lying by the dunes - Atalaya Castle
Lying by the dunes – Atalaya Castle
Senior portrait in the sunset - Atalaya Castle
Senior portrait in the sunset – Atalaya Castle
Lying in the sand in front of the ocean - Atalaya Castle
Lying in the sand in front of the ocean – Atalaya Castle
Senior lying on the beach with her chin in her hand at sunset at Huntington Beach State Park
Lying in the sand in front of the ocean – Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits in the castle window light - Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits in the castle window light – Atalaya Castle
Senior in a blue dress with a hand on the window frame in the castle hallway at Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits in the castle window light – Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits in the castle window light - Huntington Beach State Park
Senior portraits in the castle window light – Huntington Beach State Park
Senior in a blue dress with hands folded, leaning on the brick window frame at Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits in the castle window light – Atalaya Castle
Senior in a blue dress looking off to the side in the warm hallway light at Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits in the castle window light – Atalaya Castle
Senior in a blue dress with a hand on her hip in the castle window light at Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits in the castle window light – Atalaya Castle
Senior in a blue dress leaning on a palm tree with hands clasped at Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the palm tree – Atalaya Castle
Senior in a blue dress smiling against a palm trunk in the castle courtyard at Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the palm tree – Atalaya Castle
Senior with a hand on her hip leaning on a palm tree at Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the palm tree – Atalaya Castle
Portraits sitting on the bricks backlit by sunset - Atalaya Castle
Portraits sitting on the bricks backlit by sunset – Atalaya Castle
Senior in a blue dress sitting on the brick ledge and looking away, backlit by the sunset at Atalaya Castle
Portraits sitting on the bricks backlit by sunset – Atalaya Castle
Senior in a blue dress sitting on the brick ledge by the green iron gate at sunset at Atalaya Castle
Portraits sitting on the bricks backlit by sunset – Atalaya Castle
Leaning on the balcony - Atalaya Castle
Leaning on the balcony – Atalaya Castle
Sitting on the steps - Atalaya Castle
Sitting on the steps – Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the columns - Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the columns – Atalaya Castle
Portrait looking back with hand on hip - Atalaya Castle
Portrait looking back with hand on hip – Atalaya Castle
Cute pose on steps - Atalaya Castle
Cute pose on steps – Atalaya Castle
Posing by the ivy covered wall - Atalaya Castle
Posing by the ivy covered wall – Atalaya Castle
Senior in a teal floral dress leaning on the ivy by the block wall at Atalaya Castle
Posing by the ivy covered wall – Atalaya Castle
Close portrait of the senior in a teal floral dress beside the ivy at Atalaya Castle
Posing by the ivy covered wall – Atalaya Castle
Portrait in the archway - Atalaya Castle
Portrait in the archway – Atalaya Castle
Leaning on the flowerbox - Atalaya Castle
Leaning on the flowerbox – Atalaya Castle
Senior portrait in the hallway at Atalaya Castle - Atalaya Castle
Senior portrait in the hallway at Atalaya Castle – Atalaya Castle
Senior in a teal floral dress with a hand on the archway, looking away at Atalaya Castle
Senior portrait in the hallway at Atalaya Castle – Atalaya Castle
Senior portrait in the hallway at Atalaya Castle - Huntington Beach State Park
Senior portrait in the hallway at Atalaya Castle – Huntington Beach State Park
Leaning on the trees in front of the castle - Atalaya Castle
Leaning on the trees in front of the castle – Atalaya Castle
Portraits with the castle in the background - Atalaya Castle
Portraits with the castle in the background – Atalaya Castle
Senior smiling against a leaning tree trunk with the castle behind her at Atalaya Castle
Portraits with the castle in the background – Atalaya Castle
Senior with arms crossed leaning on a tree trunk in front of Atalaya Castle
Portraits with the castle in the background – Atalaya Castle
Close portrait of the senior looking away beside a tree, with Atalaya Castle softly behind her
Portraits with the castle in the background – Atalaya Castle
Posing on lawn in front of castle - Atalaya Castle
Posing on lawn in front of castle – Atalaya Castle
Senior smiling on the lawn in a teal and white dress in front of Atalaya Castle
Posing on lawn in front of castle – Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the castle wall - Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the castle wall – Atalaya Castle
Senior in a teal floral dress leaning on the stone wall and smiling at Atalaya Castle
Leaning against the castle wall – Atalaya Castle
Sitting on the patio behind the castle - Atalaya Castle
Sitting on the patio behind the castle – Atalaya Castle
Posing on the ironwork behind the castle - Atalaya Castle
Posing on the ironwork behind the castle – Atalaya Castle
Senior smiling with a hand on the teal iron window grate behind Atalaya Castle
Posing on the ironwork behind the castle – Atalaya Castle
Sitting by the castle - Atalaya Castle
Sitting by the castle – Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits in the sunset by the dunes - Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits in the sunset by the dunes – Atalaya Castle
Senior portraits in the sunset by the dunes - Huntington Beach State Park
Senior portraits in the sunset by the dunes – Huntington Beach State Park
Senior in a floral dress sitting barefoot in the dunes at sunset at Huntington Beach State Park
Senior portraits in the sunset by the dunes – Atalaya Castle
College sweatshirt - Atalaya Castle
College sweatshirt – Atalaya Castle
Senior portrait lying back in the sand - Atalaya Castle
Senior portrait lying back in the sand – Atalaya Castle
Portraits lying in the sand by the dunes - Atalaya Castle
Portraits lying in the sand by the dunes – Atalaya Castle
Close portrait of the senior in a Dartmouth sweatshirt lying in the sand at Huntington Beach State Park
Portraits lying in the sand by the dunes – Atalaya Castle
Olympic hammer toss senior portraits - Myrtle Beach High School
Olympic hammer toss senior portraits – Myrtle Beach High School
Senior spinning with the hammer in the throwing cage at Myrtle Beach High School
Olympic hammer toss senior portraits – Myrtle Beach High School
Senior smiling and holding the hammer ball and handle at Myrtle Beach High School
Olympic hammer toss senior portraits – Myrtle Beach High School
Senior stepping into the throwing circle with the hammer at Myrtle Beach High School
Olympic hammer toss senior portraits – Myrtle Beach High School
Hammer swinging overhead as the senior turns in the throwing circle at Myrtle Beach High School
Olympic hammer toss senior portraits – Myrtle Beach High School
Senior swinging the hammer up behind her in the throwing cage at Myrtle Beach High School
Olympic hammer toss senior portraits – Myrtle Beach High School
Senior starting her swing with the hammer on the ground at Myrtle Beach High School
Olympic hammer toss senior portraits – Myrtle Beach High School
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