Over the years, I’ve had the chance to get to know Tyler’s family, which made this senior session especially enjoyable to photograph.
I’ve known them since the kids were young, which makes sessions like this a little hard to believe. It doesn’t seem that long ago that everyone was running around at family gatherings and school events. Now Tyler is preparing to graduate and head off to college.
Time has a way of speeding up when you’re not paying attention.
Back Behind the Camera
This wasn’t my first senior session with the family. In 2024, I photographed Tyler’s sister’s senior portraits at Norfolk Botanical Garden.
Now it was Tyler’s turn.
One of the things I enjoy most about photography is getting to document these milestones for families over the years. Weddings become family portraits. Family portraits become senior sessions. Before you know it, the kids you’ve watched grow up are planning their futures.
Built Through Hard Work
Anyone who has spent time around Tyler knows he isn’t afraid of putting in the work.
Between track, cross-country, and swimming, much of his high school experience has revolved around early mornings, practices, meets, and competitions. Those sports require consistency more than anything else: the willingness to show up day after day and keep moving forward.
That same mindset will serve him well as he heads to UVA this fall to begin studying pre-med.
Chasing the Last Light
For Tyler’s session, we met at First Landing State Park and timed everything around the evening light.
One of the reasons I enjoy photographing there is how quickly the scenery changes as the sun drops lower in the sky. The wooded trails, dunes, and shoreline all take on a different look during the last hour before sunset.
By the end of the session, the sky had settled into soft colors and the water reflected the remaining light across the beach. It was the perfect backdrop to finish out the evening.
Another Milestone
Senior portraits are always about more than yearbook photos.
They’re a marker in time – a chance to document who someone is before life starts moving in a new direction. For families, they’re also a reminder of how quickly these years pass.
Congratulations, Tyler. I hope your time at UVA is filled with new experiences, great friendships, and plenty of opportunities ahead.
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