Sarasota's Premier Senior & Headshot Photographer

Sunday Sunrise | Lido Key | Joyful Sarasota Photography

Joyful Sarasota Photography ~ it’s what makes my heart happy.

Because there’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it’s sent away.

~ Sarah Kay

I don’t think living near the ocean will ever get old. Waking up on a Sunday morning and getting to see this …is a blessing I won’t soon take for granted. Come with me next time, won’t you?

Landscape photography was my first love, so I took a break from portraits today to visit Lido Beach on Longboat Key in Sarasota FL at sunrise. It was so peaceful and beautiful…the turquoise water, a light breeze, and all the little beach creatures coming out to say good morning. There were many different varieties of shore birds, including Black Skimmers, many of which were nesting with their babies. I also saw a crab scurrying along the beach. There is nothing quite like the sound of the ocean to bring you back to center. It’s such a primordial feeling. The immensity of it can be overwhelming if you let it. There is something different about the beach in the early morning. The soft, pink light. The stillness. Too early yet for the littles to be out with their buckets and shovels and giggles. Peaceful. It was an inspiring start to my Sunday.

Allowing your thoughts to drift miles and miles away is easy when the noise of everyday life is muffled by the sounds of the ocean. This is authentic. This is joy. When was the last time you allowed yourself to unplug and just be?

She would be half a planet away, floating in a turquoise sea, dancing by moonlight to flamenco guitar.

~ Janet Fitch, White Oleander

be joyful,

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1 comment

Tara RossJuly 4, 2015 - 2:14 am
Love these! My pictures are so different. I love how you and I have different styles. 🙂ReplyCancel

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You pulled out your phone to grab a quick photo and suddenly you`re the worst person in the room. You`re not doing anything wrong. You just want to remember this. And yeah, that`s a little inconvenient for her right now.

Swipe through for the one shift that actually helps, no camera settings, no tricks, no bribing.

And if you want more of this, the free 5-day email series is at the link in my bio. Five short emails about how to take better photos of your teen without turning every moment into a whole thing.

8 0

Open post by michaelaristainophotography with ID 18069420140304764

You pulled out your phone to grab a quick photo and suddenly you're the worst person in the room. You're not doing anything wrong. You just want to remember this. And yeah, that's a little inconvenient for her right now.

Swipe through for the one shift that actually helps, no camera settings, no tricks, no bribing.

And if you want more of this, the free 5-day email series is at the link in my bio. Five short emails about how to take better photos of your teen without turning every moment into a whole thing.

I hear it every single time. “I’m not really a photo person.”

And then golden hour hits and she can’t stop laughing and I catch the shot and she is absolutely a photo person. Always was.

That part never changes, no matter how many sessions I do.

If you have a class of 2026 or 2027 senior, let’s start dreaming up her perfect session. Link in bio.

30 1

Open post by michaelaristainophotography with ID 18089400478967990

I hear it every single time. “I’m not really a photo person.”

And then golden hour hits and she can’t stop laughing and I catch the shot and she is absolutely a photo person. Always was.

That part never changes, no matter how many sessions I do.

If you have a class of 2026 or 2027 senior, let’s start dreaming up her perfect session. Link in bio.

Your teen isn`t being difficult. They`re being a teenager.

There`s a reason they shut down the second you pull out your phone. And once you understand it, getting photos of them actually gets easier.

Swipe through to see what`s really going on, then grab the free 5-day email series at the link in my bio.

Five short emails. Real shifts. No camera gear required.

10 1

Open post by michaelaristainophotography with ID 17944164987154637

Your teen isn't being difficult. They're being a teenager.

There's a reason they shut down the second you pull out your phone. And once you understand it, getting photos of them actually gets easier.

Swipe through to see what's really going on, then grab the free 5-day email series at the link in my bio.

Five short emails. Real shifts. No camera gear required.

Swipe through. If any of this sounds familiar, you`re exactly who I made this for.
Free 5-day email series for moms of teens who want better photos without the pressure. Linktree: Snapshots to Stories

10 1

Open post by michaelaristainophotography with ID 18062495213487334

Swipe through. If any of this sounds familiar, you're exactly who I made this for.
Free 5-day email series for moms of teens who want better photos without the pressure. Linktree: Snapshots to Stories

She showed up knowing exactly who she was. That energy, that confidence, that specific kind of ‘I’m not trying to be anyone else’ - it made my job easy.

This is what I love most about senior sessions. When a senior walks in feeling like herself, the photos just follow. We moved around, laughed a little, and by the end we had a whole gallery that actually looked like her.

Not a generic senior portrait. Her.

If your senior has a session coming up - or you’re just starting to think about it - I’d love to hear about her. What is she into? What does she want her photos to feel like? Let’s start there.

19 2

Open post by michaelaristainophotography with ID 18075455198184605

She showed up knowing exactly who she was. That energy, that confidence, that specific kind of ‘I’m not trying to be anyone else’ - it made my job easy.

This is what I love most about senior sessions. When a senior walks in feeling like herself, the photos just follow. We moved around, laughed a little, and by the end we had a whole gallery that actually looked like her.

Not a generic senior portrait. Her.

If your senior has a session coming up - or you’re just starting to think about it - I’d love to hear about her. What is she into? What does she want her photos to feel like? Let’s start there.

Here`s what I hear most after a session wraps up: "I didn`t expect to feel like that."

And honestly, that`s my favorite part.

Not the gallery reveal, not the final edits. The moment a mom sees a photo and says, "That`s her. That`s really her."

Senior portraits aren`t just a box to check before graduation. They`re a record of who your daughter is right now, in this specific, fleeting, irreplaceable season of her life.

The way she carries herself. The style that`s completely her own. The look she gives the camera when she forgets to feel awkward and just exists.

That`s what I`m always chasing.

If your senior is class of 2026 or 2027, my calendar is filling up and fall books faster than most families expect. Where are you at in the planning process?
Drop a comment or send me a message. I`m happy to chat, no commitment needed. 🤍

17 5

Open post by michaelaristainophotography with ID 18119401981724823

Here's what I hear most after a session wraps up: "I didn't expect to feel like that."

And honestly, that's my favorite part.

Not the gallery reveal, not the final edits. The moment a mom sees a photo and says, "That's her. That's really her."

Senior portraits aren't just a box to check before graduation. They're a record of who your daughter is right now, in this specific, fleeting, irreplaceable season of her life.

The way she carries herself. The style that's completely her own. The look she gives the camera when she forgets to feel awkward and just exists.

That's what I'm always chasing.

If your senior is class of 2026 or 2027, my calendar is filling up and fall books faster than most families expect. Where are you at in the planning process?
Drop a comment or send me a message. I'm happy to chat, no commitment needed. 🤍

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Contact

Michaela Ristaino Photography
michaela@ristainophotography.com | 941-957-8088 | Sarasota FL