A Senior Session in the Storm

Sometimes the best sessions happen when everything doesn’t go as planned.

This senior session had been on the calendar for weeks. The forecast looked perfect all day — bright skies, warm air, no chance of rain. Then, about thirty minutes before shooting time, the storm rolled in.

I knew this family was busy and that rescheduling wasn’t an easy option. So I just said what I always say in moments like this: “Trust me.”

We started shooting under cover, tucked away from the rain, and eased into things. The wind picked up, the clouds deepened, and the light got moodier by the minute. At the very end, I asked if they’d be up for stepping out into the drizzle — just for a few frames. The mom hesitated for half a second and said, “I’m not sure everyone would be this patient and trusting.”

But she did trust me.

We went out into the dark, stormy sky, and the photos were pure magic. The way the light hit the pavement, the raindrops catching the glow of street lamps, the senior’s hair whipping in the wind — everything came together in a way you couldn’t plan if you tried.

It’s one of those sessions that reminds me why I love what I do. Photography isn’t about controlling every variable — it’s about reading the light, feeling the moment, and knowing when to push a little further.

As a Birmingham AL senior photographer, I’ve learned that the weather doesn’t have to be perfect for your session to be. Sometimes the most meaningful images happen in the middle of the unexpected.

And this one? It’ll always be one of my favorites.

When you’re ready to plan your own senior session, rain or shine, I’d love to help you create something that feels like you.