Prior to opening my business over ten years ago, I was a high school English teacher. I taught 9th and 11th grade students for nearly fifteen years. During that time, I learned a thing or two about working with teenagers. As a St Augustine portrait photographer, I have learned that once kids enter that tween and teem phase, it can be a bit of a challenge to get them to participate in a family photo session. They do not want to have their photo taken, let alone hug and kiss their parents for an hour. You should not let that deter you from scheduling your family photo session. Now, more than ever, you want those family photos. They are still young and changing at a rapid pace, and these may be their last years living under your roof as a close family unit.

Congrats! If you are reading this blog post it means that either you or your child are about to enter his/her senior year. This is an exciting moment in life. Many people like to document this occasion by hiring a photographer to capture images that represent that final year of high school. In some cases, the photos are used for the yearbook and in others they are captured as a memento for you and your family members to share.

A sweet 16 is such a special occasion for a young lady. It is also a great opportunity for you to capture updated portraits of your child. Your daughter is on the cusp of adulthood and it is important to capture images that document the all of the whimsy and light heartedness of this stage. Before you know it, she will be off to college. It is also a great opportunity for your daughter to dress up, have some fun, and enjoy the limelight for an hour or so. I mean, who doesn’t want to feel special?

I know that right now everything retro is trending, but long before this trend, I have always had a passion for all things vintage. I like to take on personal projects every few months and for this project, I wanted to shoot something fun that had subtle nod to the 80's. Maybe it was my love of Xanadu or my favorite childhood doll, roller skating Kimberly, that inspired me, but as I rode past Marvel on the Boardwalk, an idea struck me. I needed to shoot a session that involved roller skates and ice cream. I mean, can you think of anything more fun than ice cream and retro roller skates?

I immediately thought of my beautiful niece for the session and she graciously agreed to lace on some skates for the photos. My niece recently turned 16 and we had not yet documented this milestone, so this was the perfect opportunity to finally capture those photos.

When my goddaughter was born 16 years ago, it was my first experience with a newborn. At that time, I was a mere 28 years old and , quite frankly, knew nothing about babies. I remember getting the phone call that my sister was in labor. I was teaching at the time and after the last bell of the school day rang, I left the school and drove straight to the hospital to meet my parents, who were already waiting there. I can remember sitting in that waiting room for what felt like an eternity and then finally hearing the news that she was born. There are not many moments in my life that are etched as clearly and vividly as this moment, but I will never forget walking down the hospital corridor to the glass paned nursery and seeing that tiny little miracle for the first time. I didn’t know much at that age, but I knew that she was the embodiment of love and God all in one…and a true blessing.

Now, here I am 16 years later and she is a stoic and beautiful young woman. It is like I blinked my eyes and here we are. There is not much this girl can’t do. She is a stellar athlete and scholar, a master baker, crafter extrodinaire and, above all, she is kind, patient and strong beyond compare. We are all so proud of her.

It has been many, many, many years since I celebrated my 21st birthday, but I can still remember the anticipation and excitement for the huge milestone birthday. It is a moment that is pivotal for young adults and is one that should definitely be commemorated.

I can hardly believe it, but my niece is about to turn 21. It feels like yesterday that I met her for the first time at my husband’s block party. She was the sweetest and most adorable child and it as been a pleasure to watch her grow into a kind and beautiful young lady.

Most families who book me have younger children, but I do also photograph teenagers. In fact, prior to owning my business, I was a high school English teacher; so, I am very familiar with how to interact with this age group. Capturing family portraits is important to do at every stage of your child’s life, but I would argue that it is even more important to schedule a photo session when your children are in high school and before they head off to college.

Most families who book me have younger children, but I do also photograph teenagers. In fact, prior to owning my business, I was a high school English teacher; so, I am very familiar with how to interact with this age group. Capturing family portraits is important to do at every stage of your child’s life, but I would argue that it is even more important to schedule a photo session when your children are in high school and before they head off to college.

I know many of you moms with adolescents have some trepidation about scheduling a family session at this phase. You might be thinking, “my child would never smile for the camera” or “there is no time to schedule a session because of all of the sports/activities”. I implore you; please make the time to schedule a session; if not with me, with any photographer. If weekends are too hectic for you because of activities, you can schedule one on a weeknight or even a weekday when the kids have off from school.

Even though I love working with newborns and toddlers, a huge part of me is still connected to my career as a high school teacher and I truly miss working with my students; so, whenever I work with teens, I feel like I get a small part of that life back. Plus, I love that you can really get creative with these types of sessions and customize them to match the client's personality.  

Equestrian Portrait Session