Field Journal | A Summer Evening in the Big Horns
The Assignment
Bright, joyful, and full of life, Siena brings the same energy to everyday life that she does to the stage as a singer and musical theater performer.
As the granddaughter of one of my dearest friends, the opportunity to photograph her senior session felt especially meaningful. Before I ever picked up the camera, we met Siena and her mom at Arrowhead Lodge for burgers.
Three generations gathered around the table before the evening ever began, and the laughter shared set the tone for everything that followed.
The Location
The Big Horn Mountains, just west of Sheridan, have a way of offering something around every bend. Meadows, rivers, forests, and sweeping mountain views all come together in a landscape that feels both wild and welcoming.
The requested location was the perfect setting for a summer evening. Rather than chasing multiple locations, we simply let the evening unfold, moving only when the light invited us to the next place.
The Reflection
On the road, Siena found her stride.
Her laughter came easily as she walked with joyful purpose, simply enjoying the evening and the process.
I think that’s why that evening will stay with me.
We don’t always know exactly where our path leads, but we take the next step anyway—with hope, purpose, and, if we’re lucky, a little vivacity.
I’m grateful for friends who invite me into these milestones—for the conversations shared over dinner, the trust they place in me, and the privilege of preserving moments that become part of a family’s history. Those are gifts I’ll never take for granted.
More stories from the American West
Field Journal | Sheep Mountain at Day’s End
What to Wear + How to Prepare for a Wyoming Photo Session
Wyoming Badlands Senior Session | Cody, WY
Planning your own senior session?
Let’s find a place that feels like you, wait for the light, and make photographs that will become artifacts of a life very well lived.
