Time to meet one of my current 2020 seniors……..SAM! She currently attends Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and is an incredible dancer! Sam dances at Shooting Stars Dance Studio here in the Santa Clarita Valley, but also travels with a national dance company called Tremaine Performance Company. Sam wishes to continue her dance career hopefully in and after college, good luck Sam!

We shot Sam’s senior portraits in L.A.’s Arts District. Since she goes to school down in Los Angeles, I thought it was the perfect place! Plus, she was looking for more of a chic, urban look, and the Arts District is just that! I love how much variety there is, the community, the cool colors and textures, and of course, the amazing lighting bouncing off all those tall buildings!!

NOW LEARN ALL ABOUT SAM

Q. College Plans? If so, where?
A. I want to get a BFA in dance and at either USC, Chapman, Pace, NYU, or Studio School

Q. College Major
A. Dance

Q. What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
A. I attend an arts school in LA being a dance major. I am also apart of a traveling national dance company called Tremaine Performance Company. And I am with my home dance studio Shooting Stars Dance, training every day. I also contribute to the American Heart Association as well.

Q. What kind of look were you going for in your senior photos?
A. I was going for the very edgy LA chic look in my photo shoot, which was achieved!

Q. How was your experience during your senior shoot?
A. My experience with Tara was absolutely amazing! I felt very comfortable in my shoot and it felt like I was shooting for Vogue!! Even though I am not that experienced in modeling Tara and Jamie made me feel like a whole super model! I am so happy on how everything turned out. And that reflector is the absolute goat.

Q. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to anyone getting their senior photos taken?
A. Just be yourself!!! No need to be nervous. Tara is so sweet and comforting and she gives you great pose tips and tips in general! Don’t feel obligated to look like a serious professional model just have fun because it is for sure worth it in the end.

Q. How many outfits did you take?
A. I took my whole closet lol. When I got there Tara helped me piece together my outfits with the color schemes make sure there were a mixture of jackets , dresses, shorts, jeans, pants, heels, etc. I ended up with 5 outfits and some pictures with my school sweatshirt.

Q. Would you have taken more or less, reasons why?
A. I would say to take the same amount because what I said before I brought my entire closet lol.

Q. Did you accessorize differently with each outfit?
A. I had dainty necklaces and rings and hoops. My outfits were already pretty busy so I didn’t want to add too much with the accessories. I used one of Tara’a hats for one outfit that really brought the look together. But if the outfit is already looking bomb no need to over accessorize!

Q. Any tips on how to prepare for the session or must have things to bring?
A. Definitely get your skin ready because you are putting on more makeup on than your everyday and you obviously want your skin to be glowing in the pictures. I also got my hair and nails done so they would be fresh looking in the photos as well. Anything to make yourself look well pampered is great.

Q. Any tips on hair/makeup? Where did you get your inspiration for this? Did you bring in pictures or have a plan prior to your styling?
A. I am a dancer so we always put on crazy makeup, but for my shoot I wanted something very simple so I would look like me in the most natural way possible just with a little bit of makeup on. I did not bring in any photos, I wanted something natural in no specific way.

Q. Did you find a store that had everything you were looking for?
A. ALL OF MY CLOTHES were from SHEIN. It is an online store that is so affordable and it’s great material. The only thing not from SHEIN we’re my teal pants and obviously my shoes and jewelry. Everything else was from there. For clothes it matters on where you are shooting. If it is more of a nature shoot, urban outfitters is a good place, or more of an edgy shoot is like Forever 21.

Q. What ended up being your favorite outfit and why?
A. My red bandeau top with the striped pants and red heels and the black hat. I just loved the pop of red in the outfit.

Q. Let’s talk about locations. What location(s) did you choose for your session? Why did you choose that location? Do you wish you would have gone some place different or would you suggest where you went?
A. I chose the LA area location. I go to school in LA so I am very familiar with that area. And it turned me into a very edgy street style. I am also a little fierce so I feel like the city would be better for me than more of a nature location. Where I went was absolutely perfect.

Q. What’s on your BUCKET LIST of things to do or see?
A. I want to go to Singapore and take a couple of dance classes
I want to go to London to see all of the corgis
I want to travel the world with a dance company
I want to go to a good college and get a dance degree
I want to go to Greece to see all of the ancient things there

Q. FUN FACTS ABOUT SAM!!
A. I LOVE the movie Grease
Favorite ice cream is rocky road all the way
I love lemonade
Mastros Steak House is my ultimate favorite restaurant
I love the color light pink
My celebrity crush is Tom Holland
Favorite subject in school is English and History
I want to dance in college and after college
Worst haircut is getting a bob
My grandpa is the first Asian American to win a gold medal for the US in the Olympics
I have a pet corgi
I wake up at 4:30 everyday to commute to school
People think I am very intimidating but I am very sweet and nice!
I really want to go to New York for college

Q. Tell me 2 truths and 1 Lie
A. I live in LA now (lie)
I have 2 dogs
I have sprained both my ankles in the span of 3 months

Q. Is there anything you would have done differently for your shoot?
A. There is actually nothing! I loved everything about it.

Q. What was your favorite thing about your session or the overall experience?
A. My favorite was the hair and makeup part because I love hair and makeup and getting it done made me feel like a model about to do fashion well.

Q. Why do you think senior portraits are important?
A. It captures the last moments of your high school years and teenage years as well. It’s a great thing to look back on too.

Q. Why did you choose Tara Rochelle to take your senior pictures?
A. I have seen the work she has done on instagram and it’s absolutely amazing. I have heard so many good things about her from my friends who were on her model team.

If you loved Sam’s chic, urban senior portraits in the L.A. Arts District, check out Ione’s fun Urban Senior Portraits in Los Angeles!