The Teenage Years Are Beautiful


We spend so much time documenting the little years—the tiny hands, first birthdays, missing teeth, and all the milestones that come with childhood. But somewhere along the way, our little ones become teenagers, and suddenly we don't take nearly as many photos of them. And honestly? The teenage years deserve to be documented just as much.

Whether it's a Quinceañera, Sweet Sixteen, senior session, or simply a session to celebrate who they are right now, I love creating an experience that lets teenagers show off their personalities, interests, creativity, and everything that makes them uniquely themselves.

For this beautiful session, we created a day that felt completely personal to her, starting in the studio and ending at the beach.

Ballerina in white bodice and red ombre skirt performs splits on floor with arms raised in bright white studio.
A ballerina in a white and red ombre dress performs an arabesque in pointe shoes against a white studio wall.
A ballerina in a white and red ombre dress sits on a metal chair holding pointe shoes in a white studio.

Celebrating Her Love of Dance


Can we take a moment to celebrate what a beautiful dancer she is?! I absolutely loved getting to incorporate her love of dance into her session and watching her personality and creativity come to life in the studio.

Dance is such a big part of who she is, so it was important to make space for that during her session! From the movement to the creativity, this was her moment to do what she loves and truly make the session her own. I love when we can incorporate the things that make each of my girls unique because that is what makes their photos feel so personal and fun!

Ballerina in white leotard and red ombre skirt poses gracefully on pointe in a bright white studio.
Young ballerina with curly hair sits on chair in white tutu, holding pointe shoes, smiling softly.
Young ballerina with curly hair sits on white cube, holding pointe shoes, wearing white top and red gradient skirt.

A More Casual Side of Her Session


After celebrating her love of dance, it was time to switch things up a little! We moved into a more casual look in the studio, and I loved seeing another side of her personality come through. This part of the session had a completely different feel—fun, relaxed, youthful, and all about letting her simply be herself.


Not every photo has to feel formal, and that's something I really love when planning sessions for my teenagers. Of course, we can create those beautiful portraits that Mom will always love, but I also want them to have photos that feel like them right now.


The casual outfits gave us the chance to have a little more fun, play with different expressions and movement, and create images that felt effortless and natural. Sometimes those are the photos that end up showing the most personality! I think that is one of the best parts about a milestone session like this. We aren't limited to just one outfit, one look, or one version of who she is. She can be the beautiful dancer, the creative teenager, the girl who loves fashion, and everything in between—all during one session.


Because when we look back on these photos years from now, I want them to bring us back to who she was during this season of life. Her personality. Her style. Her confidence. The things she loved. All of those little details that are constantly changing as our teenagers grow up. And honestly, this is exactly why I don't think we should stop documenting our kids once they get older! The teenage years are full of so much personality, growth, and fun—and they deserve to be celebrated just as much as every other milestone.

Young woman with curly hair sitting cross-legged on white floor wearing Charleston sweater and ripped jeans, smiling.
Young woman with curly hair smiling on white couch in gray hoodie and jeans.
Playful child lying upside down on a white armchair, wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, laughing with legs in the air.

Can We Do the Studio and Another Location?


One question I get asked often is, “Can we do part of our session in the studio and then head somewhere else?”

And the answer is... yes, absolutely!

I love helping my clients create a session that feels personal to them, and sometimes one location just isn't enough to tell the whole story! Starting in the studio and then heading to another location is such a fun way to create variety throughout your session.

The studio gives us a beautiful space to get creative, play with different looks, and create something a little more personal. Then, heading outdoors can bring an entirely different energy to your photos. Suddenly, you have a new backdrop, a new outfit, and a completely different vibe!


For her session, we started in the studio, where we celebrated her love of dance and captured a more casual side of her personality. But we weren't done yet...We packed up, changed the vibe, and headed to the beach!


A Little Beach Fun


And this is where her session took another fun turn! After our time in the studio, we headed to the beach for a completely different feel. The change of location gave us a new backdrop, a new energy, and the opportunity to create something completely different from what we had captured earlier in the day.


The beach brought movement, cotton candy skies, and that relaxed Miami feeling that we all love. With the ocean as our backdrop, we created another beautiful part of her session while still keeping the experience completely about her.

And that's one of my favorite things about planning these sessions—you can truly make them your own! Bring your personality, your style, the things you love, and the little details that feel like you. Your session doesn't have to look like anyone else's.


This is exactly how I love photographing my teenagers. There is no reason a Fifteens, Sweet Sixteen, or senior session has to follow one specific formula. Your session can include the things you love, different outfits, multiple locations, and all the little details that make this chapter of your life feel like you. Because the teenage years are beautiful, exciting, creative, and full of personality.

Young woman in knit tube top and wide-leg jeans standing among beach grass on sandy dunes on overcast day.
Woman in yellow maxi dress walking barefoot on beach at sunset with pink clouds reflecting on calm ocean water.
Young woman with curly hair sits on sandy beach wearing jeans and tan tube top with ocean waves behind her.
Young woman with curly hair poses among beach dunes and tall grass in a serene outdoor portrait.
Young woman with curly hair lying on sandy beach in jeans and strapless top, ocean in background.
Young woman with curly hair wearing a brown cowboy hat, brown top, and white maxi skirt standing in tall coastal grass.
Young woman in yellow dress dancing barefoot on sandy beach at sunset with hair flowing.
Young woman in yellow maxi dress standing barefoot on white sand beach at sunset with pink clouds.
Young woman in yellow sundress poses on a tropical beach at sunset with turquoise waves and pink clouds.