--- title: The Infamous High-School Yearbook Photo description: David and Mercedes Rizzo share the experience of helping their daughter, who has autism, take her senior portrait. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/danielle-grad-F.jpg --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/05/23/the-infamous-high-school-yearbook-photo/#) # The Infamous High-School Yearbook Photo May 23, 2018 6:30:31 PM  |  by [David and Mercedes Rizzo](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/david-and-mercedes-rizzo) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/danielle-grad-F.jpg) [!["The infamous high-school yearbook photo" by David and Mercedes Rizzo (CatholicMom.com)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/danielle-grad-1.jpg)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/danielle-grad-1.jpg) Copyright 2018 David and Mercedes Rizzo. All rights reserved.[/caption] Who doesn't remember their high-school yearbook photo? Some people love their picture. Others cringe when they just think about theirs. Long hair, short hair, straight hair, frizzy hair. The draped photo, the bow-tie photo. Whatever the style, the infamous high school yearbook photo follows you through your life. You think of your classmates years later as they looked in their senior portrait. At your 25th reunion the name tag you wear contains the same iconic photo. You may be gray or bald now, but the picture on your name tag hasn't aged a day since senior year. Our daughter Danielle sat for her senior pictures recently. It wasn't an easy photo shoot because her autism made it hard for her to know what was going on and what she was supposed to do. She had a difficult time understanding the photographer's commands. Phrases such as *tilt your head slightly to the right*, *look this way*,* look up*, and *look down* were fired at her. [!["The infamous high-school yearbook photo" by David and Mercedes Rizzo (CatholicMom.com)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/danielle-grad-2.jpg)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/danielle-grad-2.jpg) Copyright 2018 David and Mercedes Rizzo. All rights reserved.[/caption] She tried hard to cooperate but she was clenching her teeth, half smiling, and blinking. The shots just weren't any good. The photographer had to delete them. We wanted her portrait to hang on our living room wall next to the photos of her brothers and to show the beauty that she is. We were feeling frustrated. So was the photographer -- and Danielle too. No one wanted to come back another day for retakes. We had gone to a lot of work to glam her up. She was ready with her hair curled, her lipstick on, and wearing a new dress. With a few prayers and a very patient and persistent photographer we ended up getting several good shots after all. [!["The infamous high-school yearbook photo" by David and Mercedes Rizzo (CatholicMom.com)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/dani_rizzo2.jpg)](http://catholicmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/dani_rizzo2.jpg) Copyright 2018 David and Mercedes Rizzo. All rights reserved.[/caption] Now, Danielle has her infamous high school year book photo for many years to come. Congratulations to the Class of 2018! --- *Copyright 2018 David and Mercedes Rizzo* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2F23%2Fthe-infamous-high-school-yearbook-photo%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2F23%2Fthe-infamous-high-school-yearbook-photo%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2F23%2Fthe-infamous-high-school-yearbook-photo%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=The%20Infamous%20High-School%20Yearbook%20Photo) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2F23%2Fthe-infamous-high-school-yearbook-photo%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2018%2F05%2F23%2Fthe-infamous-high-school-yearbook-photo%2F%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![David and Mercedes Rizzo](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/Contriubutors/DAVID%20AND%20MERCEDES%20RIZZO.jpeg) ### [David and Mercedes Rizzo](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/david-and-mercedes-rizzo) David and Mercedes write and speak from a faith perspective as parents of a child with autism. They are available to speak, and have appeared on radio and other media. Visit [DavidAndMercedesRizzo.com](http://davidandmercedesrizzo.com) to learn more. Follow them on Facebook at [Autism With The Rizzos](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Autism-With-The-Rizzos/281489198616138?ref=tn_tnmn). Authors of *Praying For Your Special Needs Child*, (Word Among Us Press) and [*Spiritually Able* and *The Adaptive First Eucharist Preparation Kit*](http://www.loyolapress.com/search-result.aspx?s=rizzo) (Loyola Press). ## Related Blog Articles [ "Everyone Has The Potential To Give Something Back" Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/04/25/everyone-has-the-potential-to-give-something-back/) [ Let's Take A Picture Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/11/28/lets-take-a-picture/) [ The Tradition Is That Of A Winner Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/10/24/the-tradition-is-that-of-a-winner/) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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