Interview with Sam Hageman - 2017 Burlington High Senior Grad - Topeka's Best Senior Portrait Photographers

 Sam is one cool dude. From the minute we photographed him, he was at ease in front of the camera. A natural smile, a humble confidence... I really liked him. His mom and brother tagged along and the dynamic between them was awesome to see as well. He was very loving and respectful toward them as well. In the short time I spent with Sam, I really found myself admiring him very much. He seems very smart, has goals, and doesn't seem to take himself too seriously. I'm honored to have photographed him and met him and his family. They are a wonderful family. Here are some of my favorite images from his shoot as well as our interview we like to do with every senior. Enjoy!
T.H. Peterson: What’s the best thing about Burlington High?
Sam: The relationships I have with people I have known all my life.
T.H. P.: What’s your favorite high school memory so far?
Sam: My junior prom. I went with my girlfriend, and we had the best time. I couldn't have asked for a better date!

T.H. P.: What’s your favorite high school memory so far?
Sam: My junior prom. I went with my girlfriend, and we had the best time. I couldn't have asked for a better date!
T.H. P.: Where would you like to go to college after high school and what would you like to study?
Sam: I'm going to KU and am planning on majoring in behavioral neuroscience. I eventually want to go to medical school to be a family physician.

T.H. P.: Favorite cross country memory?
Sam: Running at Rim Rock for the first time.
T.H. P.: What’s the farthest you’ve ever run?
Sam: 6 miles
T.H. P.: What is your favorite meal ever?
Sam: My favorite dining experience was at the Row House in Topeka, but my favorite food is sushi. 
T.H. P.: Best movie you’ve ever seen?
Sam: Deadpool
T.H. P.: What kind of music amps you up?
Sam: Green Day and J.Cole
T.H. P.: What would others be surprised to learn about you?
Sam: I don't have a belly button.
T.H. P.: Secret talent?
Sam: My ability to connect with people I just met. 
T.H. P.: What was your favorite thing about your session with us?
Sam: I loved how Tommy and Randy made me feel comfortable in front of the camera.
T.H. P.: If you had a free afternoon and a full tank of gas, what would you do?
Sam: Grab my girlfriend and take her to explore Lawrence.
T.H. P.: A favorite motivational quote. 
Sam: This isn't exactly motivational, but my favorite quote is from Harry Potter:  "Don't pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and above all those who live without love."


To book your own session, please call Tommy or Holly at 785.793.2492 or 785.213.0812 or email tommy@thpetersonphoto.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bre and Trent's Big Wedding Day - St John Vianney Church - Maple Hill, KS - Topeka Weddings

Image
Bre and Trent’s wedding day was such a beautiful celebration. They were married at St. John Vianney Church in St. Marys, a church well known for its beautiful Latin Mass. The day began with them getting ready separately at their family’s homes, so they didn’t see each other before the ceremony. The traditional Catholic ceremony was absolutely beautiful and filled with so many emotions. I didn’t realize until later that Bre and Trent have been together since high school, which made the day even more special. After the ceremony, we headed to Shawnee Lake and Reynolds Lodge for some beautiful portraits. I absolutely love photographing at Reynolds Lodge because all of the beautiful window light makes it such an amazing place for photography. Of course, one of the biggest parts of their day was their brand-new baby boy, Toby. He is absolutely adorable and has the cutest little smile! It was also so wonderful seeing the love and support from both of their families as everyone came together t...
Read more

Interview with Ean Winsor - Holton High School Class of 2027 - Topeka's Best Senior Portraits

Image
When Ean stepped out of his vehicle, I was pretty excited because this is a BIG dude! As a football player at Holton High School, he has the kind of stature that really stands out, and he absolutely towered over us. I knew we could make some really tough-looking images of him, and we definitely did our best to capture that side of him. But it didn't take long to realize that underneath that big football-player exterior is a giant teddy bear. Ean is such a sweet, friendly, and considerate young man, and I wanted to make sure we captured that side of him too. We started his session on the football field and talked a little about football and his great team at Holton High School. The session was pretty quick, and then we headed out into the country for some photos on a gravel road. The setting sun gave us this beautiful, warm, vibrant background that really made the images pop. Ean gave us some awesome smiles, and we were able to get tons of great images during his session. It was a r...
Read more

Parker Turner - Washburn Rural Class of 2027 - Topeka's Best Senior Portraits

Image
I knew pretty quickly that Parker’s senior session was going to be a good one. We started at Washburn Rural High School in the room where he trains for wrestling, so we had some fun working the wrestling theme into his photos with some different poses and shots. Parker has a lot of confidence, and it was great seeing that personality come out in front of the camera. From there, we headed downtown and made stops at the Capitol and one of my favorite graffiti spots, where we got some really killer shots. We finished up at a parking garage just in time for an amazing sunset. The light was incredible, but honestly, Parker made my job pretty easy because he was so comfortable in front of the camera. We had a lot of fun hanging out with Parker and his family throughout the session, and there was plenty of laughing along the way. This was one of those sessions where everything just seemed to come together, and I think we got some photos that really show Parker’s personality. T.H. Peterson: W...
Read more

Interview with Talan Robertson - Washburn Rural Class of 2027 - Topeka's Best Senior Portraits

Image
Talan is one of those seniors who clearly loves baseball. A lot of athletes who are naturally gifted end up playing several sports, but Talan has really put his focus into baseball. You can tell how much he loves the game when you talk to him. We started his session at Washburn Rural, then headed to the Governor’s Mansion and finished up down along the Kansas River. He brought great energy to the whole session. He was excited about everything we were doing, easy to talk to, and just a really fun guy to photograph. He is also very photogenic and has one of those smiles that makes my job pretty easy. One of the things I really enjoyed was getting his guitar into the session. The photos we were able to create with him playing guitar had a totally different feel to them. They were artistic and dramatic, and I really liked how they turned out. All in all, this was just a great session from start to finish. Talan has a great personality, he was up for anything, and his passion for baseball r...
Read more

Nora's Newborn Session - Interview with Mom - Topeka's Best Newborn Photographers

Image
Nora was such a beautiful little girl, and she had the sweetest little faces throughout her newborn session. She was a little fussy when we first started, but after a quick diaper change, she completely passed out and was ready to go. From that point on, she was an absolute dream to photograph. Nora gave us so many sweet expressions and posed perfectly for her photos. I especially loved all the little details, from her tiny hands to the way she curled up and settled into each pose. She was such a great little model, and we were able to capture some beautiful memories of this very special time for her family. T.H. Peterson: What did you think when you first saw Nora? Chelsie: When Michael and I first met Nora we were so happy to hear her little cries. The first comment was, “Look at all that hair.” The nurses couldn't get enough of her. Her dad and I both had waited a long time to meet this little girl and couldn't believe she was finally here. T.H. P.: How did you come up wi...
Read more

Zach and Kate's Engagement Session - Ted Ensley Gardens at Shawnee Lake at Sunset - Topeka Wedding Photographer

Image
Zach and Kate were so much fun to photograph. We met up at Ted Ensley Gardens at Shawnee Lake last Saturday for their engagement session, and after how warm it had been during the day, I was honestly a little worried about how the evening was going to feel. But it ended up being perfect. These two have such great chemistry that I don't think they even noticed the heat. They were just completely comfortable with each other, laughing, smiling, and having a good time. They have that kind of connection where you can tell they've been together for a while and are just really happy being around each other. And they're both so photogenic, which certainly made my job pretty easy. There were a few things that really stood out to me during their session. Their car was awesome, so we had to work that into a few of the photos, and I really liked how those turned out. But honestly, it was the way Zach and Kate interacted with each other that made the whole session. They just seemed so c...
Read more

Interview with Dawson Wittman - Hayden High Class of 2027 - Topeka's Best Senior Portraits

Image
Dawson's session was one for the books! He is super nice, very friendly, and has a great smile and personality. We started his senior session in NOTO, where we found lots of colorful backdrops and fun spots throughout. From there, we headed over to Ward Meade Park and were able to create so many cool images. The warm glow of the sun made an amazing backdrop and really added something special to his photos. We finished the evening at Shawnee Lake, where we captured some beautiful images on the water with the setting sun behind him. The sun was huge, warm, and absolutely breathtaking! We had such a great time with Dawson and his mom, and his session was filled with so many awesome images. He made our job easy with his great smile, personality, and willingness to have fun! T.H. P.: What are your plans after high school? Dawson: Find a trade that offers me something I really want to pursue in life! T.H. P.: What’s your dream job? Dawson: Therapist T.H. P.: What makes you feel conf...
Read more

Interview with Maddy Hladky - Washburn Rural High Class of 2027 - Topeka's Best Senior Portraits

Image
We had a great time photographing Maddy for her senior session at Gage Park and the Rose Garden. It was interesting because I don't normally get a request to do an entire senior session in one location, but Gage Park has so much to offer that it was a nice challenge to get creative and capture an entire session within the confines of one location that we use quite often. We really got to explore the park, and before we knew it, the session was over. Maddy is a beautiful young lady; great smile. She's friendly, smart, and just a lot of fun to photograph. I really loved the photos we got in the Rose Garden itself. Maddy was wearing a pink top, and some of my favorite images were with the sunset hitting her hair and the pink roses in the background. It just made for some beautiful images. We had a great time, and Mom was there with us, so we enjoyed hanging out with her as well. It was just a really fun session from start to finish. T.H. Peterson: What are your plans after high s...
Read more

Interview with Keegan - Class of 2027 - Topeka's Best Senior Portraits

Image
Keegan is such a cool girl, and we had an absolutely perfect morning for her senior session at Osage County Fishing Lake. We started at sunrise, and the light coming up over the tree line and reflecting across the water was just beautiful. Keegan has a great smile, and she made it so easy to capture some really natural, genuine expressions. Her mom and dad came along too, and they were so much fun to hang out with. Before we knew it, the session was over! We finished up at the studio and grabbed a few more portraits there. I loved Keegan’s outfit and her cowgirl hat, and the whole session had this natural, countryside feel that really fit her personality. She’s such a nice young lady, and I’m super excited about how her photos turned out. We had a great time from beginning to end, and I think these images really capture Keegan’s personality and style. Here are a few of our favorites! T.H. P.: What do you like about being homeschooled? Keegan: No rude peers, exclusion or pressure! I a...
Read more

How to Prepare for a Photo Session - Topeka's Best Family Portrait Photographers

Image
Select outfits that will make for a timeless portrait. Choose practical clothing items, and keep the location and time of year in mind.  Select clothing items and accessories that are not too distracting or that you will have to adjust often during the session (think long necklaces or ruffled tops on a windy day).  Keep in mind the weather, wind speed, and humidity/chance of rain.  If you have littles, bring them some snacks to help give them incentives during the session.  This can help us to get kids to cooperate and make or break a session.  If it is windy, wear your hair up.  Trimming your bangs/hair slightly to keep them out of your eyes is a great idea, too! Use product like mousse, gel, pomade, and hairspray to tame your mane!    Pick shoes that will be easy to walk in at the location of the session.  For example, high heels are not recommended for sunflower shoots, but would look great in an urban/downtown ...
Read more