I met up with Ian, who graduates this year from Castro Valley High School, Class of 2023. My boyfriend Jeff and I (now my husband) attended Ian’s parents’ wedding over two decades ago (and no, I don’t remember catching the bouquet). It was lovely to reconnect with Mom, Meredith and Ian down in Jack London Square on a recent trip to the Bay Area. The Taylor family was supposed to come to visit us in the mountains in March of 2020 in order to capture brother Ryan’s senior photographs but those plans got lost somewhere in the blur of 2020. Being a mountain girl now for two decades, it is always fun to have all of the color, lines and flair of an urban environment full of activity.
Ok, enough of the backstory. Having never met Ian before- I was so impressed with him. What a great guy- calm, easygoing, personable, fun, kind, and up for anything….and as his mom says, “he’s adventurous and always willing to try anything once”. It was clear the connection he and his mom had and it was an honor to get to witness that love. It was an evening milestone they shared and included a dinner date after our session. I also captured a few memories of the two of them.
Ian is a tenor who sings for the Castro Valley High School Madrigals and he just made his debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City. He also plays piano. He will be studying psychology at Sonoma State University this fall. I love photographing seniors and capturing this moment in time for them with so much to look forward to- it can be contagious. Maybe it drops me into remembering the excitement of my own pre-college days. Whatever it is, it’s energizing for me.
Wishing you a wonderful adventure, Ian. I know you’re going to soak it all up! Hang in there Mama!
