The Miss USA, Georgia Teen pageant is coming to town in November and this beautiful young lady is competing for the crown. She came to me about a month ago to have some head shots done for her portfolio submission and we had such a great time glamming it up in my photography studio in Milton.

She is set to compete as Miss Milton I believe. You would never know it by looking at these glamour portraits but she is one of the youngest contestants in the pageant and she has never before competed in a beauty pageant. As we commenced the portrait photography session, however, it was immediately apparent that she is a natural and a true professional.

With her big brown eyes, luxuriously thick brown hair and big, genuine smile, this teen is the epitome of the all-American beauty. And on top of all of that she is smart and incredibly sweet. She was talkative, funny, open and we had a great time picking out tops and earrings and laughing about my battle with that one piece of hair that kept popping up to steal the spotlight.

As a portrait photographer working with teens and children I see lots of kids who, like myself, are not comfortable in front of the camera and I have to work hard at getting them to loosen up and relax enough to capture the "real" person and avoid that "deer-in-the-headlights" look.

That was not the case with this girl. She would lift those eyelids and the camera loved her so much it practically released the shutter by itself. I just know that this ease and confidence will come through during the pageant and the judges will be as impressed with her as I.

Looking at this glammed up photograph you would never know that she showed up at my studio in jeans and flip flops looking like any high school teen, albeit a very pretty one.

I saved this photo for last because it is probably my favorite. Her mother was watching the shoot and I knew that she would want to have some photos that reflected not only the amazing beauty of her daughter but also the fun, sweet personality within. So I made her laugh, evoking some big beautiful smiles and voila -- her mom's favorite shot. And, because it makes me smile to look at it, it is mine as well.

Whichever photo she elects to use and whether she actually wins the crown, I know that her pageant experience will be successful and this beautiful young woman will go on to do amazing things. Good luck! I will be cheering for you!

Some of the most important years in a young person's life are those 4 years spent in high school. Those are the years that shape who we are, provide us with lifelong friendships and the knowledge and tools we need to help us become the adults we want to be.

That is why, as a photographer, I think senior portraits are some of the most important photographs I take. The senior who is the subject of the shoot probably doesn't yet realize how these photos will be treasured in years to come. He or she simply wants a photo that looks good and hopefully reflects who he/she is.

When doing a senior portrait, I throw the rules out the window and work with my subject to create a photograph that is not only a beautiful photo but is, in essence, an illustration of the personality and soul of the teen. Teenagers are so very interesting and intense and I find that each one has has a unique story to share.

This teen was such a blast to photograph. She had such a great personality and her own unique style that came through in every shot. Her confidence was refreshing and made the shoot easy as she was not shy about posing in public places even the very busy boardwalk/arcade area we chose to do most of her shots.

This young lady had several gifts but the one that is dearest to her is her musical talent. She plays several instruments, sings and writes her own songs. As we were shooting I asked her to play some music for me and she sat and strummed away and sang to me -- even sharing a couple of songs that are her original creation.

For a portrait photographer who loves doing teen photos anyway, she was a dream client. She was funny and witty and talkative -- the latter trait being one that is all too elusive in teens today (at least when they are around adults).

She was also helpful. As we were walking in front of the arcade areas, she spotted this interesting mural of directional signs and suggested that she pose in front of it. I hadn't even noticed it. The pictures we took here are some of my favorites -- the busy background, while normally not something I would choose, was perfect for the artsy-urban look we were going for.

Consistent with this teen's multifaceted personality and set of interests, she chose two very different locations for her shoot. While the urban-artsy setting was fun, this tranquil park setting was the delightful opposite. Quiet and very suburban, it brought out her more reflective side and she put aside her guitar to plop down in the grass and just be herself - no props, simple white t-shirt -- just "her".

Those bright blue eyes of hers are more than just pretty -- they are, as they say, windows to her soul and the soul of this teen runs deep. I think we have the pictures to prove it!

Thank you young lady for the opportunity to work with you and get to know you so well! Good luck with your future endeavors - I just know you will be a success.