The History of the DOP REP Team | Class of 2027 | Apps are NOW OPEN! | Maryland Senior Photographer

If you've been following me for a while, you're very familiar with my DOP REP program, but if you're new here, you've probably seen all of my recent posts and thought, "what the heck is a DOP REP?" So I thought what better time than now to provide a little bit of history behind this team.

When I first started my photography business in 2017, I was primarily doing family photos, mainly because my friends and family were my only clients and most had young kids. I had one friend ask me to do senior pics for her son, and I wasn't really sure how to approach the session, so I started browsing Pinterest and Instagram to check out posing ideas prior to my shoot. I discovered that senior photography in other parts of the country was HUGE. Photographers, especially in the midwest, were making senior photos a big deal. The outfits, the locations, the poses were all next level. I loved it!

In the beginning of 2019, I began brainstorming ways to grow a senior portrait business here in Harford County.  I noticed that a lot of these photographers across the country had model teams - groups of seniors who got to represent the photographer's brand and model in different themed shoots. Some called it an ambassador program. Some called it a model team. Some called it a street team. I thought this might be a really unique way to establish myself in the senior market because no one in Harford County was doing anything like this. Fast forward to the Summer of 2019. I reached out to the owner of my daughter's dance studio and asked if she could refer 5-6 girls who might be interested in being part of a pilot program that I decided to call my "DOP REP Team." In August of 2019, I invited 6 dancers into my home and explained the guts of the program - for their senior year, they would help spread the word about my brand in exchange for a discount on their senior portrait session for every senior they referred. They also got to participate in fun, creative shoots throughout the year and got to keep all the photos from those shoots as well!

The very first DOP REP Team - The Class of 2020

The group started to get noticed via social media and in the Spring of 2020, I launched a formal online application process for this team.  Since then, I've had a team for every graduating class. Over 150 seniors from all over Maryland have participated in this program and we've done over 20 shoots together. It's now become more than just a way to enhance the DOP brand, but it's become what the DOP brand is known for - a positive community of seniors who are all about raising one another up, building each other's confidence and documenting their senior year in the most creative way possible. 

Every year, my reps get to participate in several shoots throughout the year. I always host a big meet-up to in January to kick-off the year with the new reps! We go over all of the expectations of the group and we also do a team shoot and individual headshots for each rep. I've also started partnering with local boutiques, most notably Girl Hero located in Greenspring Station, to take my styled shoots to the next level. This year, we partnered with Girl Hero to do a fun Americana Shoot in Ocean City, MD.

A few years ago, we did a fun Ravens-themed shoot when the Ravens were headed to the AFC Championship game.

Every year, I set out to think of new themes and ideas to keep the content fresh and creative.

We always wrap up each year with a graduation shoot to celebrate as a team. This shoot by far is my favorite. I build such a bond with the group throughout the year, it's always such a proud moment to see them headed to their next big thing. Last year, we partnered with a bus company in Harford County to celebrate!

Applications just opened on November 17, 2025 for the Class of 2027 (they close on November 24, 2025)​. If you're currently a junior, you can click here to apply! If you're currently a junior and interested in applying, but still have questions, be sure to check out the answers to my frequently asked questions here.