Focus Photo Blog » Seniors

Abby Bonnevie – the Senior Interview

Will — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:50:20 +0000

Tell me a little about yourself. My name is Abby Bonnevie, and I’m a senior at Greely High School.
I’ve played piano since second grade, I sprint and pole vault in indoor and outdoor track, and I love doing anything that involves art.

I didn’t know about the piano, but you told me a little about pole vaulting during our session, and it sounds like a lot of fun. What kind of art do you like? I really like to sketch, paint, and do photography (don’t worry, I’m no major competition).

So now that you’re back in school, what’s going to be the best thing about being a senior? I’m really excited about ruling the school – yeah, class of 2012! – and I can’t wait for senior privileges to start second quarter.

What are those? Seniors at Greely are granted senior priviledges starting in second quarter if they have at least ten hours of community service. The priviledges let us seniors leave the school and go elsewhere (Starbucks!) during study halls, lunch, and homeroom.

What do you think you’ll do after Greely? I’ve been looking at colleges. My family also went down to Boston this past summer to get my aptitudes tested, since I previously had no clue what to major in. I think I’m going to go into Interior or Industrial Design or Architecture.

And you mentioned architecture – do you have a favorite building? One of my favorite architectural landmarks is the town of Santorini, Greece. The white buildings with the blue domes by the sea are so beautiful!

Got a favorite store? Mexicali Blues has a lot of neat stuff. Every time I go in there, I just want to buy everything!

So you’ve made it to your senior year. Tell me something you’ve done that you’ll never forget. One of the hardest and coolest things I’ve ever done was to hike up Sugarloaf Mountain during the summer.

Who did you do that with? My family – my mom, dad, and brother, Sam.…. We kind of lost the hiking trail, so we ended up climbing up one of the black diamond ski trails. But, the view from the top was breath taking!

What are you listening to for music lately? I recently fell in love with Bruno Mars, but Lady Gaga and Rihanna are usually pretty reliable, too.

Let’s talk about your photoshoot – you did a park session, right? That’s right. The variety of backdrops at the park made each of my images unique; there was a pond, and there were tons of flowers and trees to pose by, not to mention a pretty little stream. Color is important to me, and the park had plenty of it!

I’m happy you liked it. How did you select Focus Photography to capture your senior portraits? Before I came to Focus, I was looking in depth at another photographer, when I took a look at the Focus website. I was really impressed by the combination of creativity and professional quality of your images. At first, I thought the prices were out of reach, but then I realized that the prices for the other photographer were about the same, if not higher, and plus, Focus’s images were better. I’m so glad I chose Focus!

We’re glad too! So, how did you like your images? I am so pleased with how my pictures came out. I think you really captured me at my best. My mom almost cried when she saw a few – that’s a good sign!

The anticipation was definitely worth it. In many of the images, you were able to capture my serious side, something that does not often show itself. I also liked how some of the pictures weren’t exactly portraits, but more like pieces of art that happened to have me in them.

Do you have a favorite?There were so many awesome photos, so it was really hard to choose a favorite. The one my mom and I finally decided on is in sepia, and it is a close up. I don’t actually remember you taking it – I think I had just finished blinking, because my eyes are just slightly closed and I’m looking down at the camera. I love it because I have never seen myself look so glamorous!

The most memorable moment of the shoot was when Will made me stand in the stream with my dress on. Right as he was about to take a picture, a bunch of ducks swam right into the middle of the scene! They were so cute!.

I had a lot of fun photographing Abbie – thanks for reading the story and checking out the images –Will

Sarah Foster’s Senior Session

Will — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 12:33:55 +0000

I wore a pink-purple sweater with lighter jeans and a formal black dress with white and red silk that I actually wore 4 years ago for my Bat Mitzvah! They came out absolutely incredible!! .

Sarah's mother Maxine describes her as an old soul. After photographing her, I was astonished by her presence - the way she could just stare into the camera and hold the viewer's attention.

But even with her classic beauty and 'old soul', her answers to our interview questions are refreshingly normal. I'm thrilled to introduce you to Sarah Foster.

Tell me a little about yourself. I'm a senior at Westbrook High, and I'm involved in marching band, jazz band, theater, and tennis at my school, and the Portland Youth Wind Ensemble and Orchestra outside of school. I am also in the National Honors Society at my school, which is so much fun! Music is pretty much my life, though.

Why are you excited for your senior year? I think the best thing about being a senior this year is that I've already got 3 years of high school under my belt.

When I first started high school, I was shy, had a limited circle of friends, and was never interested in trying anything new. Now, in a really important transition in life, I'm more outgoing, love making friends, and am really interested in trying a little bit of everything.

It's just made this upcoming year that much more exciting, and I just can't wait for it to really kick in!

What's after Westbrook? I've been looking at some really great colleges that have a little bit of everything because I'm interested in doing a little bit of everything, from music, to ecology, to theater, to nutrition, and plenty of other things.

Do you have a favorite band? Well, I have one absolute favorite band, Streetlight Manifesto, which I would recommend to EVERYBODY, but I also love Coldplay and Jason Mraz.

Where do you like to shop?
I think my favorite store was Borders until they decided to close down. I'm a huge bookworm.

What's your idea of fun? I think snowboarding and music are the coolest things ever!

I have one absolute favorite band, Streetlight Manifesto, which I would recommend to EVERYBODY, but I also love Coldplay and Jason Mraz.

Working with Will (at Focus)was incredible! Not only was he a lot of fun, but he really knew what he was doing. You can tell that he always wants to take pictures that compliment a person's individuality and the poses and styles he comes up with are creative and unique. It was really a blast working with Will, and I'm SO glad I got the opportunity!

Everything about the images was spectacular...

I was shocked at the results because they were absolutely incredible and way beyond my expectations

My photo shoot was done in the studio and downtown Portland. I absolutely loved the effects of the setting downtown because I never thought I would have so much fun and look so great lying on the streets of Portland.

So you enjoyed being photographed? I LOVED the session!! Will was so much fun, and there was no part of it that was uncomfortable, even though I'd never done a photo shoot before. Like I said, I never had so much fun lying on the streets of Portland, not that I do that often, anyway.

How do you like your images? Everything about the images was spectacular. Even though I had taken pictures in different outfits, I was afraid a lot of the pictures would be similar. That's why I was so surprised when I'd finally gotten to see them.

I had a different expression, pose, outfit, or setting in almost every picture, and every factor contributed to the overall story and impression of the picture.

I was shocked at the results because they were absolutely incredible and way beyond my expectations!

Now the most important question: How do you like the way you looked in your images? I LOVE THE WAY I LOOK IN MY PICTURES! I really saw for the first time how much a certain color or angle of the shoulder could make such a huge difference in the way a person looked or the impression they gave off. We had a very difficult time choosing pictures.

Do you have a favorite image?
Both my mom's and my favorite picture was the head shot of me in my purple sweater.

Would you recommend us? To upcoming seniors, I just have to say that you should try to do the most with Focus as you can! Go to the beach and the studio and just have a blast with it!

Both Will and Lucia are AMAZING people and I'm really glad I met them! Don't be nervous, I can guarantee that you'll be surprised at the amount of fun you can have and the amazing results you'll get!

I would definitely recommend Focus to anybody!!

I LOVE THE WAY I LOOK IN MY PICTURES!... I would definitely recommend Focus to anybody!!

it was great getting to know Sarah. She did a combo session with both a studio and a downtown segment (roughly an hour for each). Sarah - anything else? THANK YOU GUYS SO SO SO SO MUCH!! I was worried I wouldn’t get good pictures taken anywhere, but this shoot exceeded my expectations SOO much!

Steven Snyder’s Senior Session

Will — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 04:49:19 +0000

I met up with Steven at the Portland Jetport – not one of the usual places we photograph. We were meeting there after Maine Aviation’s usual hours, and the building and tarmac were empty except for Steven and two beautiful flight instructors, and I thought I understood why Steven enjoyed spending his free time in an airplane

But once we were out on the tarmac, I could see that it was single-prop jet, and the freedom that it offered, that keeps Steven going back to the airport. But I’m sure the flight instructors don’t hurt.

Tell me about flying. I have been flying airplanes since I was in 10th grade and it is fantastic!!! You can’t beat the feeling of serenity and freedom to be with the sky the sun and everything in between!!!!

That’s why my photo shoot took place at the Jetport as well as the studio. I wanted my portraits to represent something that I really enjoyed but also I knew that my parents wanted a few images that were more formal.

My plans for after high school are to attend college and take more flight lessons.I know that ultimately I want to have a career centered around flying in some capacity.

I came to Focus because my sister did and her pics were great!

I love how Will makes your photo shoot around you and he has some great ideas. What a great person to work with, he is easy going and a lot of fun….I am very happy with how my photos turned out. Will has a fantastic sense of humor…

I loved all of my portraits, but my favorite was the one where I was standing in front of the full length of the plane..

Thanks for looking. — Will

May Ye – Senior Interview

Will — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 00:55:14 +0000

For the first entry of our Class of 2012 interviews I chose a classical pianist that you've probably never met - May Ye. Not only does her family live in Waterville (which is already quite a hike for most followers of this blog), but May goes to school in Michigan!

But eventually, you probably will hear about May, as she will undoubtedly take the classical world by storm. So before she plays at Carnegie Hall, I thought I'd ask her a few questions about herself.

Here are May's answers to my questions.

Tell me a little about yourself: I'm a senior at the Interlochen School for the Arts, which is located in Interlochen, Michigan. I am a classical pianist and am actively involved in the numerous musical activities put on by the arts boarding school I attend. I'm also a member of an award winning oboe, bassoon, and piano trio, as well as a member of the school choir. And, I am a member of their welcome committee for new students at the IAA.

What are you most excited about for your senior year? For me, the best thing about being a senior will be hearing back from conservatories after passing prescreenings, a step in the audition process for musicians, as well as learning of my acceptances.

I'm also excited about the senior trip to Mackinac Island and it's famous Mackinac fudge.

Have you started making plans for after high school? Of course. I will be applying to conservatories to focus on piano, and furthering my musicianship. After completing my undergraduate studies, I would like to further my education in eventually pursuing a doctorate degree in collaborative piano. I love working with other musicians, and it is my goal in my life to be able to form, perform, and travel with a trio of my own!

The coolest thing I've ever done is participating in the Fischoff National Chamber Music competition and being able to meet so many talented fellow musicians.

Who are your three favorite bands? My three favorite bands are Michael Franti and Spearhead, Blue King Brown, and Project Trio (a collaborative group of a cellist, bassist, and a beatboxing floutist).

Where do you like to shop? My favorite store is Urban Outfitters.

What can you tell us about the clothing from your session? I love the causal look of my white sweeping cardigan draped over my green t-shirt and jeans. The cardigan really paired with the calm water and foamy waves, really brought a nice flow to the images. Lying on the pieces I'll be playing for my auditions, my skin-tight, rumpled, grey dress looked stunning.

We're a long way from Michigan - Why did you come to Focus? I found Focus Photography online and was instantly impressed with the high quality work you do. I had seen many of my other friends use photographers whose professional work did not compare to your quality, creativity, and uniqueness.

Thank you! Tell us about your session. I had a studio session as well as a session on the beach. I wanted some unique, artistic, and creative images. I was impressed with my how session went. At first I was nervous, but in short time, I was able to loosen up and smile and laugh naturally.

I love my images. The quality of the portraits captured is truly very impressive. The techniques Will, Lucia and Ali use to make me stand from the background, and how everything flows so nicely together really gave my images the great quality that they have.

How was it working with us at the photoshoot? I really enjoyed working with Will during the shoot.

He certainly helped me to relax and feel comfortable. I was impressed with how he would snap images at times I wouldn't think he would to create a natural look.

What about your presentation appointment? Choosing my yearbook image was simple, as it was a unanimous vote among myself and my parents.

Lucia was very helpful and supportive in the selection process, and the viewing process was simple, easy to follow, and enjoyable. I very much enjoyed my slideshow.

And most importlantly - do you like your pictures? I love my images. The quality of the portraits captured is truly very impressive. The techniques Will, Lucia and Ali use to make me stand from the background, and how everything flows so nicely together really gave my images the great quality that they have.

I am very happy with my appearance in the images. Your editing techniques are phenomenal, though they still make me appear natural.

What would you advise other seniors? I highly recommend you to other rising seniors. I suggest the combo-session I did with the studio and beach portions.

The variety you get in your pictures is great. Will is very talented at making a lot out of one place. For example, at the beach, I got pictures with flowers, rocks, and water.

May had a combination session, both in the studio and at the beach. Please let us know if we reserve a similiar appointment for you. Thanks for checking this blog post out - I'd love to hear what you have to say in the box below. --Will

Marina’s Senior Photo Shoot

Will — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 02:37:04 +0000

Hands down, one of the best senior photo shoots I’ve ever done. Marina had an incredible variety of expressions and looks, and the combination of beach and studio sessions let us capture all of it. I hope you like the images as much as I do – Will

Erica’s Downtown Session

Will — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 01:21:38 +0000

Erica hails from Camden Hills, and we were thrilled to show her around the streets of Portland. Everybody lays on the sidewalks here in Portland, I told her. She has amazing eyes, and did an excellent job at her shoot.

Miss Teen Portland – Phoebe’s Senior Photoshoot

Will — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 02:51:06 +0000

This is a great senior photo shoot in the studio and at the beach with the winner of the Miss Teen Portland competition.

Briana’s Senior Photo Shoot at Fort Williams

Will — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 21:15:55 +0000

I met Briana when she was thirteen and had just had her braces taken off. Her mother brought her in to the studio for a Hollywood session, and her images were stunning. Since then, we’ve been excited for her senior session, and Briana’s images totally rock!

Marissa’s Senior Photo Shoot

Will — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 01:51:41 +0000

This is Marissa – a high school senior from Lompoc, California. We were fortunate to be able to work with her and her family while they were in Maine for a summer vacation. We’re hoping her family keeps coming to Maine in the summers so we’ll be able photograph Marissa’s sister in two years for her senior portraits!

Mandie’s Senior Session

Will — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:00:32 +0000

Matt at the Beach – a Senior Photo Shoot

Will — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 02:30:38 +0000

Most of the time, people think our beach photoshoots are all about the sand, and with women, we definitely use the sandy shore more than with men. Guys look better against the solid, rugged, chiseled rocks of the shoreline. Matt would probably look solid and rugged anywhere, but the rocks provide a great visual harmony for these characteristics.

Emily’s Senior Pictures

Will — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:12:53 +0000

The beautiful Emily at Fort Williams park. This is Emily’s senior session, and her images are terrific!

Tabitha’s Senior Photo Shoot

Will — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 03:05:20 +0000

This is Tabitha, and we played in downtown Portland, and on the docks of the waterfront. By the time we left the docks, a group of boat hands and fishermen had gathered to try to figure out what we were doing shooting by the fuel lines….

Gaige’s Senior Portraits

Will — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 02:29:01 +0000

This is a senior photo shoot we did on the streets of downtown Portland and it’s waterfront.

Meaghan’s Senior Photo Shoot

Will — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:38:38 +0000

Meaghan and I got to work together in our studio, in downtown Portland, and at the beach on a beautiful evening. Thanks for looking – Will

Caleb’s senior pictures

Will — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 00:58:21 +0000

We did Caleb’s senior photo shoot at Fort Williams, so we could work with the ruins and the rocky shore.

Randy’s rockstar session

Will — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:00:00 +0000

The rockstar is Randy – a senior from Cheverus who had the best guitars. This is a studio and Fort Williams photo shoot.

Peter’s Senior Photo Shoot

Will — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 02:49:00 +0000

This is a senior photo shoot at Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth.

Honda 600 F2

Will — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:11:42 +0000

This is Sam. He came in to my studio yesterday for his senior portraits, with a couple of polo shirts and a sweater. Fairly typical ‘mom wants me to wear this stuff’ attire. He also had a motorcycle helmet. So, I could take some nice studio shots mom wants, or we could play with the motorcycle, a grungy parking lot by the water, and some cool photoshop work. Hmmm, tough decision. (Okay, you’re right, I shot both, but imagine that I’m a rebel, living la vida loca, always going for the edgey shot. See, you like me better already, don’t you.)

Thanks for looking – Will

Lexi’s Senior Session in Portland’s Old Port

Will — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:30:45 +0000

Okay, if you’ve ever glanced at our blog before, you’ll know how much I love working in the Old Port in Portland. I like the contrast of a pretty woman on a grungy street, the variety of colors I can show in my backgrounds, and the visual interest of a working harbor next to a boutique zone. All of these images are taken downtown, and are just a few of my favorites from Lexi’s session.

Nicole at the Beach – Senior Portraits

Will — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:59:53 +0000

Waterville is a cute town, home to both Colby College, and yesterday’s senior Nicole. It’s not ridiculously far from Portland, but it probably takes an hour and a half in both directions to get here. When gas was below three bucks, we didn’t worry about it, but this summer we have to be more sensitive. This year, we offer same day processing for families coming in from a distance, and Nicole was the first senior to use it. We worked at the beach in the morning, and she and her mom had lunch (and did a little shopping in town), we had her presentation appointment. They got a day in the city, one day convenience, and some rockin’ good beach images for Nicole. Congratulations!

Samantha’s Studio Session

Will — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:14:31 +0000

I’m thrilled with the images from Samantha’s studio session! As photographers, we sometimes complicate images, with too many artisitc embellishments, or busy backgrounds, or worse – props (no jumbo foam letters spelling “SENIOR” here). Samantha’s images are pure, these are all about her beauty. I hope you like them as much as Sam, her mother, and I do.

Nice job, Samantha. Thanks for looking.

Portland photographer wins state honors

will — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 04:52:38 +0000

Did you see this in the press herald’s art section?

Maine Chapter of the Professional Photographers of America Awards Will Wenzel, of Focus Photography, Top Prizes for Portrait Shots

February 1, 2008 (FREEPORT, MAINE) –

Old Port photographer Will Wenzel has won top prizes for excellence in portrait photography from the Maine Chapter of the Professional Photographers Association.

“These are prestigious awards,” Wenzel said, “and I’m proud to have earned the recognition of my peers.”

Wenzel won the Kodak Gallery Award for technical and visual excellence in a portrait, as well as a Court of Honor Award – the top prize given by the chapter – for excellence in technical and visual impact in a portrait. All told, Wenzel walked off with a Blue Ribbon, six Red Ribbons, and the Judges Choice Award, in addition to the pair of portrait prizes.

“What I’m most proud of is that all seven of these images were created for our clients at Focus, and not just created for competition” said Wenzel.

The Maine Professional Photographers Association award the prizes Jan. 29, at its annual awards banquet, held this year at the Hilton Garden Inn in Freeport, Maine.

Wenzel is the principal photographer at Focus Photography, Maine’s only boutique portrait studio, located in the Old Port, one of Portland’s oldest and most historic neighborhoods.

Okay, I’ve got to tell you, I’m feeling a little pleased about this. We always try to give each of our clients the best images we can create, but to have only client images do so well in competition, really says a lot for our clients. Here’s a few of the cool people we got to work with this year, who’s images received awards this weekend:

Laura’s Senior Sessions

will — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:54:27 +0000

Okay, this is Laura’s second appearance on this blog. As one of the Trash The Dress participants, she had great images in a waterfall. But I haven’t shown you any of her other sessions, and she’s way too cool to not share. Look at the incredible variety of looks she has – from sweet and innocent with her puppy, to blazingly hot in that red dress.

Incredible stuff from Laura. Thanks for looking – Will

Malcolm and his soccer ball – Senior Portraits

will — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 07:39:19 +0000

So whenever we get male athletes in the studio, we try to keep a ball in their hands to keep them from getting fidgety. With Malcom, he didn’t bring a ball to his studio session, but made up for it by bringing it on his downtown session. He could have made a ton of cash if he’d set a hat down for donations. But will he help lead Cheverus to a perfect season?

Thanks for looking. You can learn more about our fourteen different senior photos sessions by following this link.