The Stephanie Newman Photography Journal

Sydnee’s late summer senior session at Whitetail Woods was a beautiful celebration of her achievements and the journey ahead. As we captured these moments together, I was reminded of the importance of embracing change and cherishing the memories we create along the way.

I have known Ali since she was like 6 or 10. I know that’s a huge age gap, but I honestly can’t remember when I first met her. I’ve slept since then. Ali and her family used to attend our church and was in Sunday school and church plays with my oldest. So, like I said, I’ve known her for a LONG time.

I’m starting to wind down with my summer senior sessions for this year and one of those sessions was with the beautiful Bella! Bella is a senior from Bloomington Kennedy High School and wanted a little rustic and nature to her photos I suggested meeting at Whitetail Woods.

As summer draws to a close and the Class of 2024 prepares to embark on the next chapter of their lives, it’s the perfect time to celebrate the unforgettable moments of high school. One standout senior, Isabel, recently had her senior portrait session at Whitetail Woods, capturing the essence of her journey as a vibrant member of the color guard. Nestled in the heart of nature, Whitetail Woods provided the ideal setting for Isabel’s portraits. The lush greenery and stunning landscapes served as a picturesque backdrop, highlighting the beauty of summer. As the golden sun filtered through the trees, it created a warm, inviting glow that perfectly complemented Isabel’s bright personality. Isabel’s dedication to the color guard is evident in her spirit and enthusiasm. As a member of the team, she has spent countless hours practicing choreography, perfecting her technique, and performing at competitions. Her passion for dance and the art of performance shines through in every twirl and spin, making her an inspiring figure among her peers. During the photo session, Isabel brought her color guard flag along, showcasing her love for the sport and adding some extra fun  to the images. 

So this senior is my kiddo. I knew this day would come, but I wanted to be in denial about it all. I actaully was nervous about doing his pictures. Don’t ask why. You’d think I’d be more nervous about doing complete stranger’s senior pictures and not my own kid. But I was. I think we may have both been nervous because we were both giggling and laughing a lot the entire time. I wanted to take maybe an hour to do his pictures and we ended up staying out for 2 hours. It probably didn’t help that he was being a sassy teenager.

Madelyn’s session was a little cloudy and threatened to rain on us. Which clouds are not the end of the world, it actually helps a little bit in diffusing the light. I just didn’t want the heavens to open and downpour on us. Depsite having clouds all around us, Madelyn brought sunshine throughout her session.

I’m always a little nervous doing shoots with senior guys because they’re either really quiet and it’s hard to have to connect with them during their session or we have a great time and we struggle getting through the shoot because we’re having a good time. At Zach’s session we had a great time! He was so friendly and talkative throughout his session

Kaitlyn’s session is my first spring senior session and I want to do more spring senior sessions! Check out the gorgeous flowering trees in the background. LOVE!! I’ve shot at this park a couple of times in the past but never in the spring when the foliage is so different than late summer early fall.

The weather was playing games with us all day the day of her session. It threatened to rain most of the day, then part of the day and then finally, just a little bit of the day.

You’ve found the perfect photographer for your senior session, you’ve booked a date with them and spent time figuring out the perfect location for your session that speaks to you and your style of what you want your session to look like. Now the hard part, choosing what to wear. It is a HUGE decision that can make or break your senior portrait session! If you wear something that you don’t feel confident in, or that doesn’t photograph well, it can ruin this amazing experience for you. So, here are some great tips on what to wear to help you feel confident and that photographs well.