BU Grads Group Senior Session

A grad’s mom got in touch with me to cancel her daughter’s senior session the next evening because of rain. I reassured her that this was Boston and too soon to call it, and also, at that moment there was only a 25% chance of rain that next night so I recommended we keep the appointment. She opted to cancel anyway.

I really love senior sessions, so I was disappointed. As I sat the next morning doing some editing, I got a call from a mom looking for a last minute photographer for her daughter Hailey and a group of Hailey’s friends for that evening after their photographer canceled on them.

If that wasn’t the stars aligning, I don’t know what is. What entailed was an absolute blast of a session with seven theater majors! Absolute delight to collaborate with and I’m so glad it worked out.

Halle at Boston U

I had the great pleasure of meeting Halle while at Pardee School of Global Studies for a photo shoot at BU. She was at the front desk and chatted me up about how she loved photography. She asked if there was any way she could do some photography for us at BU. I’m so glad she said something, because I took a look at her work and knew we needed to have her on our team! I was happy to do so and thrilled when she could take on a photo assignment as a busy senior because she always came back with something good.

What an honor when she got in touch to book me for a senior session (the one disappointment in meeting her was that it was only at the beginning of this past semester, so I didn’t get to work with her long!). We had a grand time trekking around campus and she did an amazing job.

I mean, that robe toss as she’s looking back at the Pardee building? Epic! She told me he mom looked at the collection and said she looked like she was ready to take on the world! I coulnd’t agree more!

Ben's Boston U Grad Session

Kicked off this college grad senior session season with a wander around the BU campus with Questrom School of Business grad Ben! The light was awesome, weather perfect. All good vibes!

Lindy and Aidan's Twin Senior Session!

Lindy and Aidan's mom was on TOP of it! I got an email from her way back in August inquiring about my session services for this year. I love this kind of thinking ahead!

The plan was for a Tuesday evening session with Aidan at Boston University, followed by one the next night for Lindy at Emerson where she was wrapping up her own college career.

When crummy weather managed to threaten to dampen Lindy’s sessions, I photographed them back-to-back on the same evening, starting at BU, then hustling over to Emerson for Lindy.

I think we pulled it off despite the slight Mother Nature-caused time crunch!

(Click to enlarge!)

Amor's Senior Session at Boston University

When I tell you I am grateful for this year’s senior session season, I really mean it. In April 2023, I slipped off a step on the BU campus and broke my foot. I was two weeks away from meeting my first senior session client for the season, and as reality set in, it was clear that I wasn’t going to be able to work with many seniors. I had to contact all of them and suggest a replacement photographer.

I was crushed. I really love doing senior sessions! It’s such a fun way to document the end of a college career. My clients are pretty much always pumped because they are wrapping up their experience, and it makes the energy of my sessions that much more fun.

Amor was no exception. When I arrived a bit early in Marsh Plaza for her session, I noticed that the trees were dropping their flower pedals and it gave me an idea. She was game when I suggested the idea to her when she arrived, and we had great fun with the truly biodegradable confetti made by nature.

Marsh Chapel had great meaning to Amor as well, so we spend a few very quiet minutes in the beautiful space, too.

Here’s a sample of her collection. You can click on the images to enlarge them.

Reghan's Boston University Senior Session

During the Senior Week Carnival, which is at Boston University where I am a full time photographer, I camped out where I had a good view of an inflated double slide. I waited to capture some great expressions of students taking advantage of the slide, and when I caught a photo of some joyous seniors, I approached the two to ask for their names for my caption.

When one gave me her name, I recognized it immediately. “Is your senior portrait photographer named Cydney Scott?” I asked her. She smiled back with some surprise and hesitancy, “yes!”

I stuck my hand out and laughed “hi! I’m Cydney Scott, your senior portrait photographer!”

Reghan’s mom had booked me for a senior session with her daughter, but we’d yet to meet at this point. We had a good laugh, wondered what the odds were of of us running into each other in this way before meeting, and told each other we’d see each other again in a few days for her session. You can see that photo HERE.

Cut to a few days later and Reghan and I had a great time wandering the BU campus to get a good variety of shots for her collection. It was a delightful time.

As we parted ways, I told her I’d keep an eye out for her on the field, since I would be there covering BU’s commencement two days later. “When I see you I’m going to point and scream like Elf ‘I KNOW HER!” I joked and we had a good laugh.

I was wandering the field that two days later at commencement when I heard my name called out from the crowd. I turned to find Reghan beaming from her seat. “I KNOW HER!” she yelled at me while laughing. It made me smile so wide. I love connecting with other humans.

Boston College Grads!

I had two separate grad senior sessions at Boston College this season. Coincidentally, both were with students coming out of the business school. The campus was looking fabulous during both visits, and so were the seniors!

Jared

and Kristin!

Seniors!

In mid-April I was really excited about how my next two months were looking. The school year was wrapping up at Boston University where I work full time as a photographer, and with that end of year comes lots of fun events and festivities to photograph.

For Cydney Scott Photography, I had booked more senior portrait sessions than any past seasons and I was so excited because I love them so much!

Around this same time, I was walking around the BU campus and turned my ankle off a step I didn’t see, spraining my foot and chipping a bone on the top of my foot as well. I was out of commission and I didn’t know for how long.

To say I was crushed would be a gross understatement. I contacted all my seniors, some of whom I was supposed to work with within the next two weeks. I updated them, offering later dates and other photographers to consider if they couldn’t reschedule. Predictable, many cancelled and went with someone else. ‘Makes sense as most students leave the area after graduating!

The next month was a study in patience for me. I do not sit still well. Not being able to work and being very limited in my mobility was a big bummer, and a lesson in the importance of simply sitting still and healing.

After an orthopedist gave me a “you’ll be better by then” date, and by the luck of Jada being too busy to respond to me and cancel like my other clients had (understandably) done, Jada was one of my later sessions and I was able to keep in the books. Hurrah!

So in mid-May with very mild soreness (which I didn’t even notice because I was enjoying myself so much!), I had the great pleasure of photographing Jada, who was vivacious, friendly and so fun to work with!

Congratulations to Jada and thanks for being a kind client to dip my toe back into the job with!

Senior Grad Session Round-Up!

It’s still summer, right? So this counts? Here are some shots from a few June senior grad sessions I had the pleasure of shooting. Click on the images to enlarge.

Ugo graduated from MIT:

Julia wrapped up her career at Tufts;

And Nameka ended her high school career and is heading to Clark University!

Ashley's Graduating!

Ashley’s mom Kristen brought confetti. I mean, what more do you need than a pumped graduate-to-be and some confetti? Nothing, I say!

So much fun!

Congratulations, Ashley!

Eagles Senior Photos

I work for Boston University, so don’t tell them I recently photographed some of their rivals from Boston College!

I really love doing these group shoots. I welcome the challenge of coming-up with a variety of ways to photograph all the friends together, as well as get some nice portraits of the graduates on their own too. I think it’s a really fun thing for the friends to do too; have a special photo shoot to finish off their college career and record the friendship forged during their time together in higher education.

Sending all the best for lots of success in the world to Annalei, Claire, Olivia, Alex, and Courtney!

Hailey's Senior Session

I first met Hailey when I photographed her for a BU Today video about the F*ck It Won’t Cut it campaign which she was part of. I was excited to meet her and Hanna, and was especially psyched at the traction the campaign received. I knew finding jobs would be easier for them than most newly-graduated college student after such a successful campaign, an that made me really happy for them!

Hailey got in touch because she wanted senior photos and thinking on it realized Hey, I do know a photographer in Boston! I photographed Hailey in downtown Boston a day before her graduation on campus. She had come to town from her new job in DC for the big day. We had a blast shooting around on Newbury Street, Copley Square and in the Boston Public Garden.

Here are some of my favorites (click to enlarge)!

Riley's Senior Session

When I connected with Riley for his senior session we knew we wanted to stop by Questrom School of Business for a photo or two, and maybe some locations where he lived during his time here in Boston, but Riley is also a runner!

So with that in mind, we headed to Nickerson Field where there is a nice running track. A lacrosse game was taking place and we weren’t there long before someone came along and told us we had to be on the list to be on the field. Seeing as I am a photographer for BU and have needed to “be on the list” to shoot an occasional game, I’m not sure why this didn’t occur to me. Fortunately, we got a few track shots in before we skeedadled out of there.

Riley is heading off into the world of finances after he graduates from Boston University in May.

Michaela's Senior Session

As graduation season approaches, I am so excited to have some new clients! I love my family sessions, portraits and events, and working with high school and college seniors only adds to the fun and variety of my work.

When I met Michaela in Marsh Plaza at Boston University for our session, she was wearing her master’s robe. I asked her if she wanted a combination of robe shots and non-robe shots, and she told me that she’d worked too hard to not wear her robes for all the photos. I love this. She HAS worked hard!

We wandered campus, and went into the School of Law as well, which is where she is graduation from. I mentioned the space with lockers, which law students use to store their items during their long days of studying how to do lawyer-y things. I was so glad that space had relevance to her because the light was so beautiful, and it added an extra, interesting location to her collection.

I was honored that she shared with me a bit about her late-mother who was a teacher, is greatly missed, and who we incorporated into some of her shots as well. Her mom would be so proud of her!

(click to enlarge)