There are some birthdays that just deserve a little extra celebration, and turning 40 is definitely one of them.
When Felicia stepped into the studio for her 40th birthday session, the whole idea was to simply celebrate her and have fun doing it! This wasn't a session about a family milestone. This wasn't a session where she happened to be in a few photos. This was a session that was completely hers.
And to be very honest...I think we should be doing more of that.
So you think you need a reason for a traditional photo session?
Guess, what?? You don't. We tend to think professional photography centers around certain moments in life like graduations, engagements, weddings, new babies, family photos. But somewhere along the way, we forget that we are worth documenting, too.
A milestone birthday is a pretty great excuse.
Felicia's session was about celebrating 40, having fun, getting dressed up, and creating photographs that captured this version of her right now.
We played with different looks, lighting and poses throughout the session, but my favorite moments were the ones where everything relaxed and her personality took over.
That's usually where the magic happens.
What Does a Milestone Birthday Session Look Like?
Well, that's the fun part. There really aren't rules.
A milestone session can be glamorous and dramatic. It can be casual. It can include balloons, champagne, your favorite outfit, something you've always wanted an excuse to wear. Or it can absolutely be none of those things.
It can happen in a studio, outdoors, somewhere meaningful to you, or we can dream up something completely different.
The point isn't to recreate someone else's birthday photos. It's to create something that feels like you.
For Felicia, that meant a studio session with several different looks and plenty of room to play. We created classic portraits, some moodier images, and plenty of moments that simply felt fun.
And yes, we laughed. A lot.
Maybe the Milestone Is Reason Enough
One of the things I love most about photography is that its value changes with time. Today, these are photographs celebrating Felicia turning 40. Ten years from now, they'll be photographs of who she was at 40. Twenty years from now, they become something else entirely.
That's why I don't think you need to wait for the "right" reason to have photographs taken.
Maybe you're turning 30, 40, 50, 60 or 70. Maybe you got the promotion. Maybe you started the business (let's talk about that branding session!). Maybe you made it through a year that changed you.
Maybe you're entering a completely new chapter that deserves to be captured forever.
Or maybe life is good right now, and you'd simply like to remember yourself exactly as you are.
That's reason enough.
Your Life Is Worth Photographing, Too
We take thousands of pictures throughout our lives, but all too often we're the person behind the camera instead of the person in front of it.
A photography session gives you permission to change that for a little while.
Get dressed up. Celebrate yourself. Do something completely outside your comfort zone. Bring the ridiculous shoes. Pop the champagne. Tell me the crazy idea you've had sitting in the back of your mind.
We'll figure out the rest together.
Because professional photos don't have to be reserved for the milestones we're supposed to document.
Sometimes the milestone is simply realizing that this version of you is worth remembering.
Life happens. Let's remember it.
