Gracious is a senior at Centennial High School she’s on the swim team and is a poster child for modern gothic fashion!
But it’s not just the clothes she wears that identifies Grace as goth. Grace has goth in her soul. She listens to screemo and goth music. Loves Tim Burton Films. And enjoys spooky stories and the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe!
In her spare time, Gracious likes to listen to music, make art, and loves gothic fashion and thrifting for cool clothes.
In the realm of high school senior portraits, there is an endless array of styles and themes to explore. And in my opinion, capturing the senior’s individuality and self-expression through these portrait is paramount.
Each senior portrait session offers the opportunity to tell a unique story and to capture the esssence and personality of the high school senior being photographed. In Grace’s case, the backdrop of Southeast Portland’s Warehouse District, presented the perfect location to bring out her love of gothic fashion.
Gothic fashion is a unique and captivating subculture that emerged in the late 1970s. It draws inspiration from various sources such as punk, Victorian, and romantic aesthetics, transcending fashion boundaries to become a lifestyle and a form of self-expression.
Gothic fashion enthusiasts often opt for attire characterized by dark colors, intricate details, and unconventional accessories. These deliberate fashion choices allow individuals (including a growing number of high school students) to embody their unique personalities and beliefs, offering an escape from mainstream fashion norms.
During our intitial meeting to plan her high school senior portrait session, Grace and I concluded that the Warehouse District in Southeast Portland was an ideal backdrop for a gothic-themed senior portrait session. With its gritty, industrial environment, abandoned buildings, graffiti-covered walls, and urban-themed alleyways, this urban setting complements the aesthetics of gothic fashion, creating a visual narrative that perfectly captures Graces’s individuality and gothic aesthetic.
But the Warehouse district isn’t all brick and grafiti. The banks of the Williamette River and the Portland waterfront are nearby and offer beautiful natural backgrounds that complement the urban character of the surrounding city.
High school senior portrait sessions have the potential to be empowering opportunities, especially for high school senior girls. Not only to senior portrait sessions give high school girls the opporuntity to celebrate their individuality, they also have the potential to inspire others to do the same.
By validating her identity and challenging the boundaries of conventional beauty and fashion standards, Grace’s high school senior portraits serve as a powerful reminder to embrace individuality. and encouragement to others to also embrace their own unique fashion styles and identities.
Are you looking for a high school senior portrait photographer who can help you show off your unique fashion style or other unique interest? Learn more at brianpasko.com/seniors!
