Madyson chose the beach for her senior session and I was thrilled! I knew it was going to be amazing because she specifically chose Fort DeSoto Beach for her senior pictures. Fort DeSoto Beach is one of my favorite beaches to photograph at. It’s truly a photographer’s paradise to me. There are so many locations within this one location. From the fields, tall grass, drift wood, and lush tropical trees, to the historic military fort, long pier, white sandy beaches, and of course the breath-taking and glowy sunsets… it lacks nothing. I was so excited for our afternoon at the beach!
Madyson’s day started out with nothing but full sun. I’m a fan of full sun… so it was perfect as far as I was concerned! Even more… it was slightly cool on her senior session day, so the temperature felt perfect since we were out in the bright sun! We started out by the tropical green trees and took advantage of some shaded areas before we ventured into the direct sun, in the most beautiful fields…
Tropical Trees and Sand
Madyson chose a variety of outfits for her session and each was specific to the location in which we were shooting. I always encourage my seniors to bring 4 outfits and their cap and gown so that they will have a great variety of photos in their final gallery of images. She chose the cutest outfits, starting with her aqua colored pants and white shirt. I loved how it contrasted against the green trees, white sand, and blue water. I’m always in my happy place at the beach (even when I’m not photographing amazing seniors).
Next up, we headed into the most glowy field areas for some stunning photos of Madyson. She embraced all of it. There was a light breeze, which brought movement into her photos. It’s always a beautiful element to have in photos. We both were so happy!!
Glowy Fields
We were about half way finished with her session when we headed over to the stairs at the fort. I loved her choice of dark blue dress pants and her white blouse. And, we can’t not acknowledge her amazing shoes!! This girl… she always knows how to make her outfits pop. Perhaps it could be because of her experience in the pageant world, or she’s just a self made fashionista… either way, she looked fantastic!!!
The Fort and Stairs
After this set of photos, it was time for the grand finale photos out on the beach! I knew that the sunset was going to be breath taking because of how clear the sky was and how intense the sun had been that day. What we weren’t expecting was just how strong the wind would be when we walked across the boardwalk and onto the beach.
There is always a sea breeze at the shore line. But we weren’t expecting it to be such a strong, gusty wind!! It was a little nuts! But, Madyson, with her adventurous spirit, was there for it! She was going to make the best of it, and she did! She was laughing so hard, which made me laugh so hard. She was FREEZING because the sun was setting. We kept wrapping her up, taking off the jacket to take pictures and then wrapping her up again. Actually, Madyson, her mom, and I completely embraced the unpredictability of this moment! It was so fun and special! We were there for a purpose and we were determined to finish strong and make this unexpected moment as beautiful as possible!
Well… we did just that! These photos on the beach are some of my very favorites from the day. Maybe because I know what we went through to create these photos (while trying to keep poor Mady warm), but these photos turned out just beautiful! (Also… I have a thing for windy, black and white photos! So, you can bet that there were several gorgeous black and white photos in her final gallery as well).
Windy and Glowy Sunset Photos on the Beach
But, as Mady’s session came to a close and the final rays of sunlight faded from the sky, I couldn’t help but feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity that I was trusted with to capture these moments for Mady and her mom. These are forever memories that they will always cherish. I felt so honored to have helped them to create these moments… even if it meant freezing on the beach! (haha). This “photographer’s paradise” (as I called it earlier) had, indeed, provided the perfect backdrop for Madyson’s senior session. What a great day!!
Class of 2024 & Class of 2025
CLASS OF 2024: If you are ready to book your senior session, I would love to work with you! I still have a few dates in May for your senior photos. You can contact me by clicking here. I can’t wait to talk to you soon.
CLASS OF 2025: I am currently booking late summer and Fall sessions for you as well! Contact me by clicking here. We can get you on the books while there is still time to get your preferred date. I can’t wait to meet you.
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