Last weekend, some of my teen daughter’s friends organized a birthday dinner for her ‘Sweet 16’ . Such a lucky girl!
My daughter and 5 of her best girlfriends dressed up to go out for dinner on a Saturday night and I used the opportunity to gather them together for a fun photo shoot. I asked them if we could meet an hour before the dinner reservations to ‘do photos’ and they all agreed.
And let my tell ya….I had SO much fun with these girls!
I never laughed so hard!
Sixteen year old girls like to dress up as much as those little 4 year old girls that they used to be!
There was some super funny walking happening for those not used to wearing HIGH heels….it was hilarious!
But before we get to the pics, let me share some tips:
1~A special occasion is the perfect opportunity to sneak in a photo shoot. Everyone is happy and relaxed.
2-Said special occasion works because people are often a little dressed up.
3~Find a casual setting that works for teens. I chose this street setting because it was casual and teens often spend a lot of time walking to places.
4~Shady spots work best for any photos. Bright sun results in squinty eyes and overexposure for the camera.
5~Have a plan for the photos. I had a series of poses in mind to walk them through so the photo shoot was be fun & energetic and not boring for them.
6~Take lots of pics. And I mean lots. I took 231 photos in 40 min…and I am only sharing a small fraction of what I took…I chose some of the best to share here.
6~Take lots of pics. And I mean lots. I took 231 photos in 40 min…and I am only sharing a small fraction of what I took…I chose some of the best to share here.
7~And if you notice, these girls are dressed quite differently…from skirts and heels to jeans and boots and heels. What unites them in the pictures are the poses and their love for one another.
I find the love shared between these girls so very beautiful!
I find the love shared between these girls so very beautiful!
Here we start with the typical ‘Arms Around The Waist’ pose.
It’s classic.
Here are some other poses we tried:
The “Back-to-Back” Pose.
The “Holding Hands” Pose.
The” Lets Take a Photo While 2 Girls Go To Change” Pose.
The “Strike A Pose” Pose.
The “Let’s Be Cats’ Pose.
The “Do Whatever You Want” Pose. {A personal favourite!}
The “Legsters” Pose.
And then we went to the restaurant with some very hungry girls!
And after dinner, they wanted to do some more!
The “Sex & the City Walking in New York” Pose.{Another personal fav!}
The “Shoes” Pose.
We had such a blast and all the girls loved the pictures and wanted them on facebook to share!
I felt so very grateful so capture this time in my daughter’s life!
She wants to frame a collage of these pictures in her room.
By comparison, I don’t even remember what I did for my 16th birthday, and I wish that I had pictures to help me remember.
PS- I found teen boys just as willing to join in on the fun!
Do you remember your 16th birthday?
{Please don’t comment if the girls’ outfits offend you. These girls all play sports likes soccer, skating & dance, and are honour students at school and have part-time jobs. I don’t comment on other blogs when I see something I don’t like…I just move on! Just sayin’.}
This post is linked to these great parties:
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Such a fun idea! And what lovely photos to remember the day with!
Must remember to do this with my kids! They love any reason to be in front of the camera! 🙂
As for my 16th birthday…. I was alone in another country. So sadly no fun pictures like this to remember! That would have been really nice to have something though!
What great shots you got! Looks like a blast. I had surprise party for my 16th 🙂 Megan
Yikes do teenagers really dress like that? Thank God I have a boy and not a daughter!
Looks like they had a fab time!! I like the sex and the city pose too!
You had such gorgeous subjects! But yes you are right-what wonderful memories these pictures will carry for your daughter and her friends. How awesome!
http://www.not-so-crafty-crafter.blogspot.com
What fun photos and such a beautiful group of girls!! The photo collage will look great!
thanks for the tips, the photos are great!
Lior:)
Super cute photos, great idea. And the girls are gorgeous, tell them I congrats their to use those shoes, I have never could wear it. 🙂
Indira
Great pictures, Angie! They all looked like they were having fun and had genuine smiles on their faces. I agree about staying out of the sun, nobody likes squinting in a photo.
Awesome. I can see why you ( and the girls) had such a great time. What wonderful Sweet 16 memories to keep forever.
Isn't it too bad you have to warn people not be rude about your blog post, re: clothing?? What ever happened to "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all!" Some people these days…. : )
You take great photos, and no I do not remember my 16th birthday.
Hugs, cindy
Looks like they had so much fun! My sixteenth birthday was a sleepover with my best friends and I think we went to a movie but I don't remember which one 🙂
That looks like such a fun time! It looks like your daughter has some great friends. 🙂 The pictures you took are fantastic and capture the happiness of those beautiful girls.
What a beautiful group of girls! Looks like they really enjoyed the photo shoot. Great pictures Angie!
Wow I can not rember my 16th birthday.
the girls were all so cute and willing to pose. Now, the boys are a different story. Their silly looks are typical. I had two boys who don't like being photographed and now have three granddaughters that all love it. There in lies the difference in teenage boys and girls. Nice post.
I love it! How fun, and how woderful of you to do this photo shoot for them! You're the best mom:)
This is so much fun! You are such a creative mom! This would be great as a last year of highschool present for all your best friends.
Love the photos! With two step kids who are almost teens, this gave me some great ideas. The girls looks adorable and so happy!
The girls are beautiful & they all look like they had a blast! I'm sure they will remember this day & treasure the pictures always!
I read the first post about your daughters party and hoped you put up some pics. They are great! It looks like the girls had a blast. Love, love all the cool shoes. Nice memories for you and your daughter.
🙂
Great pics, and what gorgeous girls! Gosh I miss those days. 🙂 It's fun to remember having nothing better to worry about that what I will wear and do over the weekend. *sigh* 🙂
Hi Angie. I just found your blog today and LOVE it! I like that it has a little bit of everything. I'm your newest FB follower. =)
Anyway, great post. What a fun idea. I will definitely remember this when my stepdaughter turns 16 in a couple years. They all look great! My stepdaughter and her friends all dress up like that too – heels, awkward walking and all. lol ; )
Pop by sometime and say hi!
Catie
Oh, I'm in Alberta too. We live in Calgary.
What wonderful memories! I have absolutely no idea what I did for my Sweet 16 and I'm sure your daughter will treasure these photos forever! Even if she is no longer close with the young women in these photos, they will have the memories forever.
And what beautiful women they are! Confident, strong, and free to have fun. I love this post! Happy Birthday to your daughter and a big hug to her fabulous friends!
Hi Angie! Just found your blog today. Love this post, it reminds me of my daughter and her girlfriends. I think they all look great! New follower for you~I would love for you to stop over for a visit if you get the chance. Have a great night!
Angie (by the way…I met my hubby on a blind date too…22 years ago)
awesome pictures ones that when they are grown and gone will become like treasures
come see what I shared at http://shopannies.blogspot.com
Wonderful tips and gorgeous photos! Thanks so much for sharing at Mom On Timeout!
Such great tips!! I will have to remember this for the future. 🙂 Newest follower at http://www.craftycagirl.blogspot.com