A wise friend once told me, "If you do nothing else, curl your eyelashes." So imagine my delight when I found this HEATED eyelash curler at Target. It's not as scary as it sounds. It is battery operated, so it doesn't get hot, but it definitely gets warm enough to make your eyelashes noticeably curled. To think of all the time I wasted heating my eyelash curler with a blow dryer!

Anyway, I love this little product and just wanted to share. Eyes are the most important part of a portrait, as far as I'm concerned, so it is important to make them "pop". A generous coat of black mascara, an eyelash comb/separator and an eyelash curler are essential to gorgeous eyes for your senior portraits!

P.S. Revlon's Fabulash mascara is also a new favorite! It doesn't clump and it won't drain your pocketbook!

Yowsa! The response to the Model Student program has been overwhelming. Over 50 students contacted us over the weekend! We have tried to respond to each and every one of you, but if you have not heard from us, please email us again or give us as call. Extra credit goes to the kids who let their personalities shine through in their emails, voicemail messages and applications! Don't forget to mention which clubs and activities you are involved in at school. Thanks for the great response and good luck!

Did you receive our mailing today? Don't freak out! :) You still have time to become a Model Student! We have extended the deadline to June 6th. Please contact us at the email address listed on the mailing and we will send you an application as well as all of the details. We have been inundated with responses, so if we don't get back to you right away, hang in there! :)

Does that make our windows the eyes of our soul? Never mind. Don't try to figure it out. Just keep an eye on the window display at Sarah Petty Photography. We have been hard at work coming up with an exciting new look for the senior season. In other words, the paint rollers are coming out, the floor is being redone...and it's a little dusty around here!

Our 2008-2009 senior models are off to a great start. Lauren from Glenwood High School has been chosen as the model for our new window display. We are so excited about her photos and can't wait to show them off!

You'll have to wait another week or so to see the results, but be sure to take a stroll in the Gables soon!

Olivia has been a great little model, but it's time to update our window display!

Megan is graduating in a few weeks, but still wanted senior portraits. We are so glad she did! Although she seemed shy at her consultation, she absolutely blossomed during her session. She is totally natural in front of the camera...and with a smile like that, she should be! We loved the story of her "accidental dimple" (notice she has a dimple only on one side of her face -- too cute!) and enjoyed meeting her friends and family too.

I have no idea if Molly is really Irish, but I just couldn't resist. She's wearing a green jacket, it's March...and she has beautiful eyes! :) We braved the cold (in December, actually) to get a few outdoor shots. Brrrr! I think it was worth it. Molly also brought her sister and her mom with her. We had a great time -- I don't think I've ever heard three women -- all related to one another -- laugh so much. What a fun group of girls! :)

Some girls have it all and Cassie is one of those lucky girls! She is smart and beautiful with a 1000-watt smile. She's also incredibly mature and easy to be around -- like hanging out with an old friend. I'm sure she will go on to do amazing things. She's a trooper too. She stood outside in the rain in 40 degree weather...in a strapless dress! Yikes! We like to torture our seniors...and she flashed that dazzling smile all the way through it.

One of the first things I noticed about Claire was the number of facial expressions she has. She is a very expressive senior, which comes in handy onstage. She could pull off dramatic, fun, soulful and somber looks -- all on the turn of a dime. One of my favorite images was the last one. Even though she looks kind of "sad," we were just goofing around and trying to achieve that "model" look. She went from laughing to moody in a matter of seconds. It was amazing! Her mom tagged along too and by the time we were done with everything, I felt like we were all old pals. We have such awesome clients! :)

Film Noir Claire...

Carefree Claire...

Little Orphan Claire...

I have been wanting to have a senior session in a laundromat for as long as I can remember. With Maggie, from Rochester High School, I finally had that chance. She was crazy about the idea and came up with the idea of wearing a vintage prom dress. Perfect! We got a lot of strange looks from people, but a lot of other people watched and even pitched in occasionally.

I chose to enter several of these images together in a folio for a competition just for senior portraits (see the SPA blog from January). Imagine my excitement and shock when the folio won "Senior's Choice". I thought it was risky -- entering such unusual photos, but decided to go with my heart.

While these aren't your "typical" senior portraits, they are exactly what Maggie wanted. She's an artist, a fashion designer and a fellow photographer. The great thing about senior portraits is that they don't have to look like your best friend's senior portraits. Each session can be unique -- we are only limited by our imaginations. What unusual setting or clothing combination or scenario can you see yourself in?

Peter and his friends enjoy cliff diving. As a mom, I freaked out a little at the thought, but as a photographer, I was definitely game for coming up with a way to capture him in action. On a gorgeous (but COLD) fall day, we were blessed with colorful trees, a sky full of puffy clouds and fun with a wide-angle lens. I have the coolest job on earth. :)

And I think of all of the seniors who weathered the cold days with us, Peter wins the award for the bravest...or the most insane. A bathing suit???