There are benefits to being a teenager who’s mom likes to photograph people. I remember my high school prom. All that expense.  Limousines, dresses, heels, hair, rented tuxedos, flowers and the tickets for an extravagant affair.  My mom took a few candids with her point and shoot. I might have one or two of those somewhere.  Then there was a photographer at the event. You stood next to some potted plants and a flash went off. You stumble away semi blinded before heading off to dance with your date. That was it.  That was all you had to show for all that expense.  Well, except for the memories. Though quite frankly … I didn’t really enjoy my prom that much. Hanging out with my brother and friends afterward was far more fun. Sorry mom.  I know that stuff was expensive. Especially when you have to do it for twins. Now, everything is far more expensive. The girls dresses cost more than my wedding dress did.  The boys buy suits because that’s a thing. Although I’m secretly in love with my son’s pinstriped suit. Their prom was at the Seattle Aquarium. Add the fact that everyone has a camera on them 24/7 with cell phones. There are far more pictures. No more photographers at the venues (because the kids have their cell phones) and most of the images are posted within minutes of taking them. Somehow we’ve gotten more expensive and yet somehow less care in preserving those memories.

Sooooo … when my son decided to ask his best friend to prom this year (they are Juniors) I decided I was taking their pictures.  I took them last year too (he went as a sophomore :O) but I wasn’t really in control then. Just another parent taking pictures. This year I thought … lets try to be just a little creative. Despite a few murmurs of protest from the teenagers this is what we managed on a rainy Pacific Northwest Day.