Senior Photos with Emily


The day before Easter I had the sweetest senior session with Emily on Notre Dame’s campus, and it truly felt like the perfect way to kick off my spring season.


This was actually my longest session with a college senior on campus, and wow, was it worth it. Normally in a shorter session, I have to prioritize just a handful of iconic spots. But with the extra time, we got to hit every location on our dream list without rushing. It felt like we were able to soak in every moment and let the magic unfold naturally.


The campus was alive. With Easter weekend in full swing, there were families everywhere, little kids in their best spring outfits, and people heading in and out of the Basilica for the Vigil Mass later that night. There was such a joyful energy in the air.


We started in front of the stadium, where Emily wore a short dress for some classic Touchdown Jesus shots. Then she popped into the library to change into a long white dress, and we made our way to one of my favorite spots, Stonehenge. That spot always feels like a secret gem, and it did not disappoint. Somehow, we caught the campus right at peak of bloom season: white, pink, and even purple blossoms framed our photos beautifully. It’s hard to time spring perfectly in the Midwest, but mid-April gave us a little gift.

 

A graduate stands on a grassy lawn in front of a university building wearing academic regalia with a blue stole.
Graduation cap held up against a blurred building background with white columns.
Black and white panoramic image showing an ornate cathedral facade with arched entrances and gothic architectural details.
A graduate poses with their cap under blooming pink magnolia trees during spring graduation season.

 

I brought out my 85mm lens for parts of this session—something I’ve been wanting to do more with seniors. I normally stick to my 35mm, which I love and will always rely on, but the 85 gives you that dreamy, compressed background and lets me show off the grand architecture of campus in a whole new way. Especially when we’re working with iconic backdrops like the Dome or the Basilica, it gives everything that extra little wow factor.


Emily was an absolute natural in front of the camera. She told me her mom was a photographer when she was growing up, so she’s been posing her whole life, and it shows in the best way. That comfort gave us room to play and get creative. We experimented with motion blur, double exposures, and some offbeat framing that you don’t usually see in a traditional graduation gallery. It was fun. And freeing. And exactly the kind of session I hope for as a photographer. I even shot a bit of film! Film is still such a learning curve for me, but I’m slowly building that muscle memory.


This was my first senior session on campus this spring, and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to start the season. Emily’s session reminded me why I love what I do. Getting to slow down, capture someone at such a meaningful milestone, and create something that feels timeless and totally personal is my favorite thing ever.


With love & joy,

Becca


 

Graduate in white dress celebrates on university campus with raised pennant flag near historic domed building.
A woman in a blue and white dress poses for graduation photos in front of an elegant stone building entrance.
Three connected shots of a vintage balcony overlooking a scenic university campus with historic architecture.
Person in white dress ascends stone steps of historic building with yellow brick facade and Gothic architectural details.
Black and white photos showing a person posing elegantly on white columns of a classic building porch.
Graduate in a blue and gold honor stole poses for photos in front of spring flowers and trees on campus.
A composite photo showing a person in a flowy white dress dancing joyfully on a green lawn with a domed building in background.
Graduate in cap and gown poses in front of Notre Dame's Golden Dome building with spring cherry blossoms in bloom.
Graduate in blue stole and black gown sits on wooden bench surrounded by blooming white cherry blossoms in spring.
A person in a white dress stands along a brick path in front of a historic Gothic Revival university building.
Mural walls lined with hundreds of identical white ceramic maneki-neko lucky cat figurines in display shelves.
A person wearing a white sundress stands in a grassy park area with a lake in the background on an autumn day.
A woman in a flowing white sundress walks along a wooden dock by a serene lake on an overcast day.
Graduate in blue and white regalia stands in front of ornate stone building entrance with arched doorway and railings.
Someone in a black jacket enjoys spring cherry blossoms while taking photos in a scenic park setting.
Graduate wearing white dress and blue academic stole stands in front of grand gothic church archway on college campus.
A long arched hallway with stone columns and brick walls features a figure standing and leaning against a pillar.
A graduating student in a white dress and blue sash poses among leafless trees along a campus walkway.