Words cannot express how excited I was to have the privilege of taking Sophia’s senior portraits! I have photographed Sophia and her younger sister and brother for many years at the Laramie Dance and Arts Center and watched her dance at many recitals and various productions over the years. My heart nearly burst with pride as I watched Sophia, now a beautiful young woman and dancer, performing as Clara in UW’s 2018 production of The Nutcracker. I know that it may seem silly that I could be so proud of someone that I see only once or twice a year on picture day, but I couldn’t help but feel so very proud of Sophia and her accomplishments.
Sophia was selected to be one of my Senior Models for the LHS class of 2020, which means we took her portraits in the early spring (aka “sprinter” in Wyoming talk). Taking portraits during that time of year is not for the faint of heart. It’s still cold outside, the wind is worse than usual, and it could snow at any given moment. But she was a trooper! Willing to try anything and brave the cold (and mud) with nothing but a thin Ballet costume and pointe shoes.
It has been such a joy to get to know Sophia and her mom outside of the hectic atmosphere of the dance studio on picture day! She is sweet and humble with a beautiful and kind spirit. I really can’t wait to see what the future holds for her as she continues to follow her passion for dance!