This girl has flitted through my life at different touch points and I couldn’t be prouder to have the honor of taking her senior photos. Emma was a quiet but quick-witted 6th grader who walked into the middle school confidently despite her use of a cane. This cane accompanied her eyes and helped support her vision for the world around her. Emma has Optic Nerve Hypoplasia and has started her dream of educating those around her on this challenge to her eye sight. Her first student on it during our time together? Me.
How to show a student a pose if I typically demonstrate it myself? How would she see me and what I wanted her to do? Would she be ok if I asked her the best way I could educate her on poses so we could work together on this? Absolutely, she was ok. She can see things very very close to her and with some additional direction, we worked it out beautifully. For gorgeous results if I do say so myself. 🙂
We started at the Art Center, using a couple of backdrops and different ideas, we then crafted our map of locations for the rest of our time together. Emma was game for any challenge we brought her way.
We headed downtown to the water feature outside the Des Moines Public Library. From her vantage point, the ground under her was probably looking shimmery and unstable, so for a few minutes, we oriented her so she felt safe and then let her natural smiles and laughter take center stage.
One last spot near the Science Center, where Emma again overcame her lack of comfort in her new surroundings and did an amazing job working with to get results that are absolutely wonderful!!
Emma-You are an inspiration! Each time we hit a hurdle or challenge, you met it and overcame it. I’m so proud of you, all the work you’ve done in and outside of the classroom. Thank you for making my job so easy and for lovingly educating me on how to best help you pose and work with my camera. Judging by the way you succeeded during your session, you will go so far in your life beyond high school.
I’m so proud of you!!
Carrie
PS You can view more of our time together HERE.
