High school senior laying in the tall grass.

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Non-Traditional Senior Portraits | Alameda Photographer

October 22, 2025

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Looking for senior photos that go beyond
cookie-cutter cap-and-gown photos?

If your graduating high school senior marches to the beat of their own drum, and you wouldn’t change a thing about them—well then, you’ve come to the right place.

I specialize in non-traditional senior portraits for creative, artistic, and individualistic teens in the San Francisco Bay Area. These sessions are designed to capture who your senior really is—not who anyone else thinks they should be.

I know something about being the kid who doesn’t quite fit in. I grew up in the Midwest in the 90s as one of three other Asian kids in my high school. I was a bit of a misfit. Weird, on purpose and not. It wasn’t until my young adult years that I started seeing my weirdness as a good thing.

Now when I photograph seniors, I see versions of my high school self, kids who’ve never quite fit the mold, and the parents who wouldn’t change a thing about them.

Honestly? I get emotional at graduations for kids who aren’t even mine. Because I know what it feels like to finally embrace being different. And watching these incredible humans refuse to dim their light for anyone? It gets me every time.

So I’ve created this space where kids can celebrate their uniqueness as a superpower. These sessions are for the high school versions of myself, and for every senior who deserves to be seen exactly as they are.

My approach to senior photography is simple: forget the generic studio backdrops and stiff poses. We’ll find locations that reflect who your senior actually is. We’ll incorporate their interests, their style, their personality into every shot. This is their story to tell, and they get creative input every step of the way. It’s a judgment-free zone where being different isn’t just accepted—it’s celebrated. The result? Images that feel more like a fashion editorial than a yearbook photo.

To all the parents preparing your hearts for graduations and the reality of an empty nest on the horizon: this is your reminder that it’s never too late to celebrate these incredible humans you’ve raised. These aren’t just photos—they’re a celebration of the journey. The hiccups, the growth, the moments when your kid refused to conform and you supported them anyway. This is about honoring who they’ve become and the unique gift they’re about to share with the world.

If traditional studio portraits aren’t your senior’s vibe, let’s create something that actually feels like them. Something you’ll both treasure. I have limited spots available for The Class of 2026 graduating seniors in the San Francisco Bay Area. Let’s chat and celebrate the firsts of their lasts, together.

About Me

Real life is more than pretty pictures.
The beauty is in the journey, and it's absolutely
worth documenting all of it. 

I’m captivated by people and always have been; my B.S. is in anthropology. Early on, I appointed myself the family documentarian, carefully recording milestones and travels and learning along the way how much I love visual storytelling. I picked up my first professional camera when my daughter was born, knowing those early years with her were precious and full of changes. A photographer friend’s encouragement soon led me to make photography my career. Today, after many years and proud accomplishments, my passion for it only grows.

I can’t imagine doing anything else.       

WORK WITH ME

©Carmen dunham 2025

branding by Bella Maven 

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