Kendall & Star: A Senior Portrait Session with Horses in St Augustine, Florida

Back in the day, a little horse named Thunder and I were quite the dynamic duo. We'd set up makeshift jump fields in the paddock, using lawn chairs and precariously balanced 2x4s. Who needed a saddle? Not us! Sure, we'd occasionally end up eating a bit of dirt, but those tumbles probably toughened me up for the small business journey ahead of me in life. It takes daily grit to run this small photography business after all!

Photographing Kendall and Star brought back a flood of memories from my Thunder days. Maybe it was their strikingly similar coat color, both being tobianos. Or perhaps it was the undeniable bond between Kendall and her horse. The evening light at Peak Performance Horses set the perfect stage for our shoot. We explored the vast front pasture, adorned with ancient oak trees and a serene pond. There was even opportunity to capture reflection images in that pond before the gentle breeze picked up.

Observing Kendall and Star together, it was evident how deeply they enjoyed each other's company. As I created images, I couldn't help but admire their bond. It's moments like these that remind me why I love what I do—capturing the unspoken connection between horse and rider.

Shortly after our session, Kendall embarked on a new chapter of her life—college. But being a true horse girl, I have no doubt she'll find her way back to St Augustine, FL and Star's side whenever she's back home visiting family. You can't keep a horse lover away from their four-legged friend for too long!

As Kendall moves forward, I'm grateful for the opportunity to freeze these precious moments in time. Each click of the shutter is a testament to the enduring bond between a horse and its rider—a bond that transcends distance and time. There is no better way to book mark all the things that Kendall loved in her senior year of high school.