Mackenzie’s senior session was extra special for me. Not only is she one of my amazing senior spokesmodels this year, but her family also goes to my church, and I’ve known them for over a decade! In fact, I first photographed their family 11 years ago, just a year after I moved to Selma. So when it came time for her senior portraits, it felt like a full-circle moment.

We originally planned to start Mackenzie’s session at the playground at Riverfront Park, but our timing happened to coincide with Jubilee weekend—the busiest time of the year in our little town! Typically, the festivities wrap up by early Sunday afternoon, but this year, there were still too many people around for us to get close. So, we pivoted and headed to Bloch Park instead. As it turned out, this was the perfect spot because Mackenzie used to play there when she was little! Seeing her at a place that held so many childhood memories made the session even more meaningful.

Just a short walk from the playground is a covered bridge—one I immediately recognized because it’s where I took her family’s portraits all those years ago! We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to recreate a few memories there. We had also hoped to take a few photos at the building we used back then, but time hasn’t been kind to it—it was barely standing. Even though we couldn’t stand on that same porch, just being in the area brought back so many sweet memories from their family session.

We wrapped up Mackenzie’s senior session at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, a beautiful and timeless backdrop for her final outfit. She had just changed when the rain started to fall, making for a dramatic (but thankfully well-timed!) ending to her session.

Mackenzie, thank you for trusting me with your senior portraits and for being part of my spokesmodel team this year! It has been such a joy to capture this milestone for you and I can’t wait to see all the incredible things your future holds.