Keegan’s St. Louis senior session had everything — a professional kitchen with real flames, dramatic bass portraits on the Eureka High School stage, and golden hour magic at Forest Park with the Apotheosis of St. Louis as a backdrop. This is exactly the kind of session that reminds me why I love what I do. Keegan is not one thing — she’s a culinary arts student AND a musician, and we made sure every single side of her showed up in these photos.

Two Passions, One Unforgettable Day

From the moment Keegan and I started planning her session, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a typical senior shoot. She came to me with two completely different worlds — the professional kitchen and the concert stage — and I knew immediately we had to bring both to life.

What unfolded was one of my most creative and dynamic senior sessions of the entire year.

The Kitchen: Where the Magic (and Fire!) Happens

We started at Keegan’s South tech school, where she is training to become a chef — and she showed up completely in her element. In her chef’s coat with her name embroidered on the chest, standing behind a flour-dusted stainless steel counter, she looked like she was born to be there.

We got the classic rolling pin shot with flour scattered across the prep counter — polished, confident, professional. Then Keegan tossed flour into the air and the result was pure joy — curls everywhere, flour flying, the biggest smile. That photo says everything about who she is.

And then came the moment that stopped me in my tracks. Keegan turned on the burner, and that pan erupted into a wall of flames taller than her head — and she just stood there grinning like a total boss. That shot is one of my absolute favorites of the entire senior season. It is her in one frame.

The Stage: A Musician Who Commands the Room

Next we headed to the Eureka High School auditorium, where Keegan plays bass in the school band. The red velvet curtains, the dramatic stage lighting, the dark performance hall — it was the perfect setting for a completely different side of her personality.

Standing alone on that stage with her bass, Keegan transformed. In her all-black outfit with the bow in hand, she looked like a concert performer — powerful, focused, and completely at home. The shot of her playing mid-bow against those deep crimson curtains is breathtaking.

Forest Park: The Grand Finale

We ended the evening at Forest Park as the sun was going down — and the sky gave us everything. Keegan changed into a stunning black and gold floral gown, brought her bass, and we made our way to Art Hill.

The shot in front of the St. Louis Art Museum with the warm sunset sky behind her is cinematic. And then — the one that gives me chills every time — Keegan standing in front of the Apotheosis of St. Louis statue at twilight, bass at her side, the blue dusk sky above, that iconic silhouette of the statue looming behind her. It is dramatic, it is powerful, and it is completely, perfectly her.

A Note About Sessions Like This One

Keegan’s session is my favorite example of what happens when a senior fully commits to showing who they really are. She didn’t play it safe. She brought the chef’s coat AND the bass AND the gown. She let flour fly and flames roar and stood on a dark stage and owned every single moment.

These are the photos she’ll show her kids someday. Not because they’re pretty — though they absolutely are — but because they’re true.

If you’re a St. Louis senior with passions, a calling, or a skill that makes you you — I want to build a session around it. A kitchen, a stage, a field, a gym, a studio — wherever your story lives, that’s where we should be shooting.

Ready to Tell Your Story?

📅 Now booking Class of 2027 senior sessions in St. Louis! Let’s start planning →

Can I include my instrument in my senior photos? Absolutely — and the results are always incredible. Keegan’s bass photos on the Eureka stage are some of the most dramatic and personal portraits I’ve ever made. Your instrument is part of your identity, and it adds a depth to senior portraits that nothing else can replicate.

Can we shoot at my school for senior photos? Yes! Shooting on location at your school — especially a performance space, kitchen, or athletic facility — creates portraits that are deeply personal and completely unique to you. Keegan’s stage shots at Eureka would not have been possible anywhere else.

Can I do something creative and unexpected in my senior session? Please do. The flour toss and the flambé shot in Keegan’s session are two of my favorite images of the year — and neither of them would have happened without her willingness to just go for it. I love seniors who bring ideas, props, and personality. The more you your session is, the better the photos.

Do you photograph seniors from Eureka High School? Yes! I work with seniors from schools all across the St. Louis area including Eureka, Wildwood, Chesterfield, Ladue, MICDS, Whitfield, and many more.

Can we do multiple locations in one senior session? Absolutely — Keegan’s session covered three completely different locations and looks in. My sessions run 3–4 hours and are designed to give you variety, range, and a gallery full of images that show every side of who you are.

Keegan, thank you for trusting me with this chapter of your story. You showed up as your full, incredible self — and it shows in every single frame.