There have been countless seniors that I have had the privilege to work with and document their final year as they are making that momentous transition from school years to adulthood, yet it Always amazes me how, despite going through the same school year and the same transition, they all so strikingly stand out on their own.
It’s true. There is not one senior that I have worked with has blended in with the others in my mind. Every session is different and has its own unique highlights and excitement, just as the person themselves does.
I know every photographer says that they love their job, but this is one of the REASONS that I love mine.
Here then, is Augusta, another bright and shining example of this (and not just because she’s our cousin. Ha.)
Augusta and her mother traveled a couple of hours to meet us up at our uncle’s ranch for her session. We were running a bit late that day due to a friends emergency, and the day was kind of gloomy and gray, so her mother and I both were concerned about the light – and the ever-present wind- but I knew that we could make the most out of their trip, so we met up to get rolling.
When we got there, Augusta was rounding up the horses to get her favorite one for pictures, so she ran in to get changed really quickly, and lo and behold, in that amount of time, the wind stilled. The clouds parted and the greatest, glowiest sun came out!
Ahh, it’s times like that that I love Montana.
You can see the images that resulted below, but in our conversations with Augusta, she mentioned that after high school, she is studying Veterinary Medicine and looking to work in a veterinary office, but with the ultimate goal of starting her own veterinary practice.
That is such an appealing field to me. To work with animals, yes, but also because there is such a need for vets! In our small town, we do not have a local vet, so if there is an emergency with a small pet or a large animal, the only options are an hour to an hour and a half away. It would be quite a luxury to have a vet in our own town!
I looked up the statistics, and in the next 6 years, the veterinary field is supposed to outnumber the medical field in terms of growth.
BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) says that veterinary occupations are expected to add 51,700 new jobs and grow at a rate of 19 percent over the 2016–26 decade, almost 3 times faster than the 7-percent average projected for all occupations.
That’s compared to Employment for Human healthcare occupations that are projected to grow 15 percent from 2019 to 2029. While healthcare occupations are expected to add more new jobs than any other occupational group, this is due to the larger amount in general of healthcare options to apply for, while veterinary medicine is a much smaller pool. Per capita, though, the results show the exponential growth expected in the veterinary field.
In a time where pilots are being laid off en masse and teachers and professors are struggling with what to do, the 2019-2020 season and current events have led more people than ever to adopt an animal into their homes. As those adoptions have increased, so has spending on their pet’s needs. Whether its dental, grooming, health and wellness, people are spending on their pets. And with due reason. As we as humans become starved for affection, physical interaction and touch, spending time with an animal -whether it’s going for a walk, playing fetch in the backyard, or simply cuddling on the couch- that companionship is more in demand now than ever.
So, we are proud of Augusta for having these goals before her, and we are confident that she is going to find success in her passion, especially pursuing it at this time!
Augusta expressed appreciation for her amazing mother and her siblings, who have encouraged her and supported her in her goals, and who are always there to help her in planning for her future.
Augusta, we hope that the next year brings nothing but good for you! Be safe as you continue your education. Don’t underestimate what tenacity coupled with common sense can do for you, especially in the volatile time that we are living in! We hope that these pictures give you something to look back on and be proud of- that you were a graduating senior during a historic pandemic, and that you PREVAILED in spite of it!
We hope you enjoy these, the rest are soon to follow!!! 🙂