Lydia and her mom drove from Phoenix to San Diego and back in a single day to make this session happen. The first attempt back in October had been rained out, and with graduation around the corner, this was the window.
Lydia has been a classical ballerina since she was six, and she had specific dreams for these portraits — the columns and architecture of Balboa Park for her pointe work, and the beach at Coronado for something more whimsical and timeless. Coronado is sentimental for her family. Her parents met at Vanguard University and used to sit in the cafeteria near a picture of the Hotel del Coronado, dreaming about their future. They’ve come back as a family many times since, so doing senior portraits there made a lot of sense, even though Lydia has never lived in California.
In her own words, she was hoping for “timeless elegance — the whimsy and innocence of high school, but also the sophistication of becoming a young woman.” Her favorite from the session is a serious pose in a red dress — red has been her signature color for performances and birthdays, and the dress was her mother’s from when she was younger.
She also wanted a portrait in her senior blazer. She’s been at the same school since kindergarten, spent twelve years admiring the seniors ahead of her, and was one of the few in her class who wore the blazer almost every day.
Next up for Lydia is Grand Canyon University’s Ingram Honors College, where she’ll earn a bachelor’s and master’s of divinity concurrently over the next five years. She wants to lead children’s ministries and write Christ-centered curriculum. She’s a published poet, founded her school’s library, and is a classical pianist. I know there’s so much more ahead for this accomplished and hard working young woman.
