A meaningful Wisconsin family session documenting a milestone moment as a family purchases and celebrates life on the mother’s childhood farm.

The middle years get a bad reputation.

The eye rolls. The sass. The attitude. The tongues out, the peace signs, the occasional middle finger when they think no one’s looking.

But here’s the thing — that’s the magic of it.

This stage of life sits right in the messy, beautiful middle between childhood and adulthood. Kids are figuring out who they are, pushing boundaries, testing personalities, and learning how they want to show up in the world. It’s awkward and hilarious and full of big feelings — and it absolutely deserves to be documented.

Downtown Phoenix is one of my favorite places to shoot, and Roosevelt Row is easily at the top of the list. This adorable family lives right in the heart of it all, fully immersed in the culture and energy of the downtown scene, so it only made sense to go adventuring through the city they call home.

Most of my senior girls want to frolic in flower fields — and don’t get me wrong, I love that shit.

But when Laina said she wanted an urban city session, I was all in.

Every stairwell, crosswalk, and street corner became our studio. City lights, passing cars, and pedestrians brought the whole thing to life. Magic was made that night.

When she saw her gallery she said, “I can’t even believe this is ME… I’m obsessed.”

Laina, thank you for trusting me with your senior dream session. I can’t wait to see where those dancing shoes take you next. ✨

The Canadian wildfires lit up the sky pink, but the real bright light of this shoot was Lilly. A boho flower child in cowboy boots kind of dream. Her kilowatt smile and adorable personality made this session top tier.

She was down for anything—from getting in the lake and getting her dress wet to running through a field of wild flower and prickers. Her ability to go with the flow and trust the process allowed us to create some pretty lovely images to commemorate her senior year.