Williamson County, TN

JB Brookman has lived an interesting life.  He’s called the West Coast home and worked in places like Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Africa.  He’s had the opportunity to photograph stars like Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, and Elton John. He's photographed the Los Angeles Lakers, UCLA Bruins and San Diego Chargers on the Sports side.  And he’s beaten cancer…twice. 

But if you spend any time with JB, you’ll quickly learn that exotic photo shoots with A-list celebrities aren’t his driving passion.  What really gets him excited—and often emotional—is the impact that his photography makes in the lives of Nashville-area high school students.  “Parents tell me that their teen’s life was changed through the experience with our model team.  It’s far bigger than just paying someone to snap a senior portrait,” JB shares. 

That sounds like quite a claim, since many think of senior photos as a one-time event.  But Brookman’s studio, SENIORITY, takes a unique approach: instead of focusing only on senior photos, SENIORITY takes a “model team sisterhood” of girl athletes on a photographic journey through their final years of high school.  The studio (which includes Jen, his wife, and six year-old daughter Crosbie) orchestrates an array of photo sessions for the model team.  Each session captures memorable group and solo portraits at iconic, beautiful locations throughout the greater Nashville area.

A quick glance at JB’s portrait work reveals a unique combination of modern photography trends and well-known middle Tennessee landmarks.  But the focus always remains on the unique beauty of the person on the other side of the lens. One of his stated goals is for each team member to become confident in her own unique beauty.  “Negative words aren’t spoken during our shoots,” JB reiterates, “so the focus remains on family, faith, encouragement, and positivity.  A true sisterhood develops within the model team.”

The end result?  A library of breathtaking photos that capture some of the most important years of a teen’s life.  More important than the photos, however, is the effect that the model team experience has on each person.  Brookman recalls journeying with model team members through bullying, rocky family dynamics, self-doubt, and the death of loved ones.  He adds, “I served in church ministry for over 25 years, so I’ve seen the connection between positive identity and decision making.  It’s important to me that these young adults know who they are and what they’re about before they go off to college or a career venture.  Their ability to make wise choices and their sense of self-worth will last just as long as their photographs.”

To learn more about JB, or to apply for the SENIORITY model team, visit SeniorityPhoto.com or call 615.454.8637.  Instagram users may also check out JB’s latest photography by following @SeniorityPhotoNashville.

*Story by Scott Hancock