I admit it. I came to this session with so many mixed emotions. When Savannah said she wanted auntie Gloria to do her senior photos and no one else, I felt such pride that she – the cool, sassy, smart and funny Savannah Kofton wanted me to capture such important milestone in her life. And to be honest, senior girls are one of my favorite subjects to photograph! I always say that they are like mini-brides: they are playful, joyful, excited about their future… and FUN! SO FUN! So, of course, I began looking forward to this day for weeks!

I’ve known Savannah for 12 years – she was my flower girl! I’ve seen her become the amazing woman she is. I couldn’t wait to get her in front of my camera! I got to her home early to help her with her hair, talk outfits and locations – can you say VIP treatment? 🙂 She showed me what she was wearing and then I saw the gown she didn’t get to wear for junior prom. My eyes lit up! “You gotta wear that!” I’m so glad she said yes.

Then the fun began! Downtown New Bedford was the first amazing location that highlighted the beauty of her red dress! I got teary eyed when I began shooting… I mean… just look at her.

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I live in Rhode Island, and I’ve been to New Bedford a handful of times (my husband was born there). I was familiar with the cobblestone streets and the picturesque buildings, but I had never ever seen this area. I was blown away. Savannah knew exactly the look she wanted for her photos and she just took me there. As an artist herself, she wanted to incorporate art in her photos. I usually gravitate towards more natural settings with lots of natural light, subtle colors and nature, but this backdrop made me all giddy – it’s so different, so cool, so Savannah.

You can tell by her smile how much fun this was. We kept joking about the $10,000 smile, and that was my cue to get her giggling.

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That day the light was dreamy. We planned her session with golden hour in mind. We got some gorgeous back light early on, but when we got to the beach for her final outfit, the light made her look like she was glowing!

I always encourage my senior girls to bring things they love to their session to incorporate them in their photos. Some girls bring sports equipment, others bring their ballet shoes or instruments. Savannah brought MAUI!

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Another amazing New Bedford location: Fort Phoenix. You can’t beat beach photos, and this place has everything: rock formations, beach, greenery and the perfect sunset. I knew immediately these were going to be mom’s favorites 🙂

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Thank you Savannah for letting auntie Gloria be your photographer. I will hold this day in my heart forever. The world is yours!