Meet Natalie: Pembroke Hill Class of 2027 Senior

Kansas City Senior Portrait Photographer | Sarah Ireland Photography

Every once in a while, I meet a senior who makes me rethink what "well-rounded" even means. Natalie is one of those seniors.

She's a member of my senior model team this year, and she's a student at Pembroke Hill in the Class of 2027. When she sent me her info, I expected the usual list of activities and interests. What I got instead was a summer spent in Paris, dreams of becoming a doctor, and a genuine love of powerlifting.

Natalie is absolutely darling, girly but also strong and confident. She's a wonderful addition to the team.

She Spent Her Summer Chasing Fluency in Paris

While a lot of her classmates were filling their summer with the usual routines, Natalie packed her bags and spent it in Paris working on her French. Not the classroom kind of language practice. The real kind, where you're ordering coffee, asking for directions, and slowly realizing you're actually thinking in another language.

That's not a small thing to do at her age. It takes a certain amount of independence and curiosity to choose that for yourself. I was so excited for her to get that experience, one that I actually had when I was just a few years older than she is now. It's been fun to see her trip photos on her IG and feel nostalgia from my time in Paris.

high school senior girl in a blue dress standing beside a reflective glass wall, smiling outdoors.

high school senior girl in blue top and white pants talking on a phone outdoors by a sidewalk cafe

high school senior girl in a mint green dress standing on stone steps in front of a columned building

Smiling Kansas City high school senior girl in a teal dress leaning by a decorative metal gate outdoors

high school senior girl in a mint green dress sitting by a stone column in a temple corridor

high school senior girl in a mint green dress standing by large stone columns in a at the Nelson Adkins Museum

Senior Portraits Should Look Like You, Not Like a Template

This is something I say to almost every senior family I work with in Kansas City and Johnson County. A great senior session isn't about hitting a checklist of poses. It's about figuring out what makes someone genuinely themselves and building the shoot around that. We move, we play, we twirl and have fun.

When there is a camera in your face, it can feel awkward. When we allow ourselves to be silly and play, that is where we find the natural shots. What makes your senior look like they're still your sweet child, but also beginning the change to become one amazing adult.

The beginning of her Senior Model Experience with Natalie and the rest of the team has been so fun. I'm loving the squad this year and love to create these beautiful sessions to reflect who each senior is at this moment in their life. This generation is awesome, smart, and they work hard for their dreams. It's so fun to celebrate them.

If You're a Pembroke Hill Senior, Let's Talk

If you're part of the Pembroke Hill Class of 2027, or a senior anywhere around Kansas City who wants portraits that actually reflect who you are, I'd love to hear your story. My studio sits between downtown KC and Corporate Woods, and I work with seniors throughout Johnson County and the Kansas City Metro who want something more personal than the standard senior picture package.

If any of this sounds like you, or you're just curious what a session built around your own interests could look like, reach out and let's talk it through.

Sarah Ireland Photography specializes in senior portraits, wedding photography, and corporate headshots throughout the Kansas City metro area.

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