Whimsical Senior Portraits at Cantigny Park | Samantha

When Samantha told me what she envisioned for her senior portraits, I knew we weren’t creating a typical senior session. There would be flowers, flowing dresses, an easel—and, at some point, paint absolutely everywhere. I was ALL IN!

Samantha came ready to create, and Cantigny Park gave us the perfect setting to let her imagination run wild. Her mom, Janet, and boyfriend, Carl, were right there with us—carrying things, helping with ideas, and enthusiastically agreeing when we decided Carl should probably get covered in paint too. He was such a good sport!

As an artist, Samantha didn’t want to simply bring a painting and hold it for a few photographs. She wanted to actually create. We set up her easel among the flowers, pulled out the paint, and let things get wonderfully messy. By the end, the paint had made its way from her palette to her hands, her dress, and Carl. These images are colorful, joyful, and so completely Samantha.

But one of the most meaningful ideas was also one of the simplest. Samantha brought some of her childhood stuffed animals and created a portrait of herself walking away from them. I think every parent understands the bittersweet feeling behind that image. One minute, they’re little and surrounded by their favorite stuffed animals. The next, you’re standing in a garden watching them take their senior portraits.

That’s what I loved most about Samantha’s session. Her vision wasn’t about recreating something she had already seen—it was about making her Cantigny Park senior portraits feel like her. Artsy, whimsical, imaginative, and unafraid to get a little messy along the way.

Sam, thank you for inviting me into your vision and trusting me to create it with you! Janet and Carl, thank you for jumping into the fun and helping us make it all happen. I cannot wait for you to see what we created together! Now grab a blanket, snuggle in, and enjoy, your sneak peek is live!