Sarasota's Premier Senior & Headshot Photographer

November | Project 365 | Sarasota Portrait Photography

November
-John Updike

golden butterfly sits on a reed on a foggy day in florida

The striped and shapely
Maple grieves
The loss of her
Departed leaves

The ground is hard
As hard as stone.
The year is old.
The birds are flown.

And yet the world,
Nevertheless,
Displays a certain loveliness–

The beauty of
The bone. Tall God
Must see our souls
This way, and nod.

Give thanks: we do,
Each in his place
Around the table
During grace.

Visions of November. Of Thanksgiving.

Oh, November! Where did you go?

You just got here! It was a full month, a good month. Lots of things to be grateful for. I started singing with Sarasota’s professional choir Gloria Musicae, I led another hugely successful 30 day photo challenge, my sister moved to Sarasota (YAY!), and I cooked my first even Thanksgiving dinner.

I’m so proud of the Fall Frenzy 30 participants. They really knocked it out of the park. Want to check out the #FallFrenzy30 images? You can see them all on Instagram here. Stay tuned for details of the next 30 day challenge in early 2016.

As for me? I am heading into the final stretch of my first 365 project. 31 days left. If you’ve been following along you’ll know that while I didn’t initially have much faith in myself, I’m sort of rocking it. Now I’m trying to decide if I’ll continue into 2016.

Here are my photos for November. I hope you enjoy them!

Soft and sweet. November in Florida.

Moody skies and finally Fall in Florida.

November skies.

Visions of Italy. When do we go back?

The Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota FL

A bag from Furla = happy me.

The Vatican…..and wooden spoons?

Cinque Terre, Italy. So beautiful.

Street photography in Italy. My new passion.

The holiday season is upon us. Grateful for good friends and family to share it with.

Thank you for taking this journey with me. Be well, friends.

be joyful,

Ready to book your Photo Session? I am currently booking Senior Sessions for the Class of 2016 and Holiday Family Sessions.

Contact me here for more information or to secure a date.

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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