Mariah’s Tinker Nature Park Senior Portraits | Rochester NY Senior Photographer

Every once in a while, I have a session that leaves me staring at my computer afterward wondering how in the world I am supposed to narrow the images down.

Mariah’s senior portrait session at Tinker Nature Park was THAT session.

I have been a photographer for thirteen years, and I can genuinely say I have never had this much trouble choosing favorites from a senior session. Normally, I can start going through a gallery and quickly see which images are going to become the standouts.

Not this time.

Every time Mariah turned her head, changed her expression, moved to another area of the park or looked in a different direction, something completely different happened.

And somehow, every single one was good.

Senior Portraits at Tinker Nature Park in Pittsford, NY

Tinker Nature Park is such a beautiful location for senior portraits because there are so many different looks available within one session.

One minute we could create something soft and natural, and a few minutes later we had an entirely different background, different light and completely different feeling.

As a Rochester NY senior photographer, that variety is something I absolutely love.

I don’t want a senior gallery to feel like we stood in one spot for an hour and simply changed poses. I want movement. I want personality. I want different lighting, different compositions and images that actually feel like the person standing in front of my camera.

Mariah made that VERY easy.

Every corner of Tinker Nature Park seemed to give us another opportunity, but let’s be fair here.

The park was beautiful.

The light was beautiful.

But Mariah COOKED. 😂

That’s what the cool kids are saying now, right?

“I’m Nervous!”

One of the first things Mariah told me when she arrived for her senior session was that she was nervous.

And I hear this ALL the time.

My response was basically, “That’s completely normal, but I GOT YOU.”

Except, as it turns out, Mariah pretty much already had it handled.

Once we got started, she absolutely crushed it.

This is one of the biggest things I want every senior considering a portrait session with me to know:

You do not need to know how to pose.

You do not need to practice facial expressions in the mirror.

You do not need to know what to do with your hands.

And you definitely do not have to walk into your senior portrait session feeling like a professional model.

That’s my job.

Throughout your senior photography session, I’ll guide you through posing, movement, where to look, what to do with your hands and all of those little details that can feel awkward when you’re standing in front of a camera.

And then something happens.

You start laughing.

You loosen up.

You realize this isn’t nearly as scary as you thought it was going to be.

And before long, you’re just having fun.

That’s when the magic really starts.

When You Love What You Do

At some point during Mariah’s senior session, I mentioned something to her and her Dad that I have believed for a very long time:

If you love what you do, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.

Her Dad immediately told me that was his motto too.

We definitely understood each other. 😂

And this session was a perfect example of why I still feel that way after thirteen years of Destiny Burke Photography.

There I was walking around Tinker Nature Park, chasing beautiful light, laughing with Mariah and her Dad, creating photographs and getting way too excited every time I looked at the back of my camera.

Then I came home, started working through her images and realized I had another problem.

They were ALL good.

This is my job?

I’ll take it.

Class of 2027 Senior Pictures in Rochester, NY

Senior year is such a strange and exciting chapter.

You’re celebrating everything that got you here while also standing right at the beginning of whatever comes next.

That’s one of the reasons senior portrait photography is so important to me.

Yes, we are creating beautiful photographs.

But we’re also documenting who you are right now.

Your personality.

Your confidence.

Your style.

The little expressions your parents recognize instantly.

And hopefully, we’re creating an experience you’ll actually remember as part of your senior year.

Mariah’s session was exactly that kind of night.

She walked in nervous and walked out having absolutely dominated her session.

And I walked away knowing I was going to be in serious trouble when it came time to choose her teasers.

So… About Those “Few” Senior Portrait Teasers

Normally, when I share senior portrait teasers, I try to show some restraint.

Apparently, we threw restraint directly out the window for this one.

I tried.

I REALLY tried.

But every time I thought I had narrowed Mariah’s senior portraits down enough, I found another one.

And another.

So eventually I accepted defeat.

Here are all 85 teasers.

Sorry, not sorry. 😂

And don’t scroll away after the first few because somehow THEY KEEP GETTING BETTER.

This entire session is one of those galleries where I don’t even know if I could pick a favorite if you made me.

Mariah, you were absolutely incredible to photograph. Thank you for trusting me, especially when you walked into your session feeling nervous. You brought so much personality and natural beauty to every single part of this night, and I cannot wait for you to see the rest of your senior portrait gallery.

Happy Senior Year! ❤️

Looking for a Rochester NY Senior Photographer?

If you’re part of the Class of 2027 and still need to book your senior pictures in Rochester, Pittsford, Henrietta or the surrounding Western New York area, now is the time to get your session on the calendar.

Your senior portraits should feel like YOU.

We’ll choose a location that fits your personality, find beautiful light and create a session that gives you variety while still feeling comfortable and natural.

And yes, even if you show up telling me you’re nervous…

I’ve got you.

Destiny Burke Photography specializes in senior portraits, family photography and individual portrait sessions throughout Rochester and Western New York.

To learn more about booking your Rochester NY senior portrait session, visit:

www.destinyburke.com

Rochester NY Senior Photography

Destiny Burke Photography serves seniors throughout Rochester, Pittsford, Henrietta, Caledonia, Geneseo and surrounding Western New York communities. Senior portrait sessions are designed to create a fun, relaxed experience while capturing natural expressions, beautiful light and images that feel completely unique to each senior.

Here are some of the best images from Mariah’s Senior Session