The First Time You Changed Me Have you ever looked back and been able to pinpoint the exact moment your heart cracked open just a little wider, letting in someone who would quietly, beautifully, alter the course of your life? For me, that moment came in the form of a redheaded, freckle-faced 9-year-old named Lola....
“There is freedom waiting for you, On the breezes of the sky, And you ask “What if I fall?” Oh but my darling, What if you fly?” ― Erin Hanson Dear Lola, Today you are 15! What?! FIFTEEN! How did that happen? How is it possible that it’s been 6 whole years since we met? It...
And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. ~ Anais Nin Dear Lola, Today you are 14! How did that happen? No longer the little girl I met 5 years ago, you are blossoming into every bit of...
Dear Lola, You are 13 today! THIRTEEN! How could I have possibly known when we met nearly 4 years ago what a beautiful young woman you would grow into? How could I have known that you would nestle your way into my heart and stay there for good? How could I have known that the...
MAKE A WISH | TWO YEARS LATER | SARASOTA TWEEN PHOTOGRAPHY Dear Lola, Two years ago today I was a bundle of nerves getting everything ready for your big Beauty Revived day. I picked up a trunkful of cards and gifts sent from around the world, confirmed that the salon was ready for you, and...
Senior Year. (gulp) Nobody claps for the mom who`s holding it together while her kid gets ready to leave.
So I will.
This season is a lot. The pride and the grief show up in the same breath, and that`s not something people talk about enough. If you`re in it right now, I see you.
#SarasotaSeniorPhotographer #SeniorMom #ClassOf2027 #SarasotaMoms #SeniorPortraitPhotographer #SarasotaFL #MomLife #SeniorYear
That thing where you`re just scrolling, minding your own business, and suddenly you`re wrecked over a photo of them missing their two front teeth?
Yeah. Senior year does that. Every time.
Be honest, how many times has this happened to you this month? 👇
#SarasotaSeniorPhotographer #SeniorYear #ClassOf2027 #SarasotaMoms #SeniorPortraitPhotographer #SarasotaFL #MomLife #seniorphototips
🚩 Red Card Offenses: Senior Photo Edition
I’ve seen it all. Swipe through so it doesn’t happen to you.
Fall books up fast, Class of 2027. Let’s talk. Link in bio.
Before I ever pick up a camera, I want to know one thing: who are you, really?
I send a questionnaire. I get mom on the phone. I want to know the giggle, the vibe, the thing you light up talking about. That`s what the photos are built on.
This is Sydney. Beach-waved hair, that laugh that shows up when she talks about her boyfriend, somehow both little girl and grown woman at once. I knew all of that before we ever met on location.
Some seniors walk in with a vision. Some need a minute to warm up. Both are exactly right, and both deserve someone who`s actually paying attention.
I wrote a new blog post with 5 questions worth asking any photographer before you book, because the best photos happen when someone knows you first. Link in bio 🔗
This is what it looks like when a session actually goes somewhere.
Not four poses. Not a checklist.
Four real moments from one afternoon with a real teenager who showed up a little unsure and left feeling like herself.
That’s the whole goal, every single time.
If you’re starting to think about senior photos for fall, I’d love to talk about your daughter before anything else. Not a booking link, not a checkout page. Just a real conversation about who she is.
That’s where the good photos start. Link in bio if you want to grab a fall date before they’re gone 🌾
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.#sarasotaseniorphotographer #sarasotaphotography #sarasotaseniors #classof2027 #goldenhourportraits
Sydney, this one`s for you.
You belong on the beach. Your mom knew it. I knew it about thirty seconds after we started talking. And these photos? They prove it.
Sometimes the best sessions are the ones that almost didn`t happen.
Sydney, you were an absolute joy. That smile, that hair, that sunset that showed up just for you. I could not have planned it better if I tried.
If you have a Class of 2027 senior who belongs somewhere specific, let`s go there. Link in bio.
Michaela Ristaino Photography
michaela@ristainophotography.com | 941-957-8088 | Sarasota FL
