11 Years Later: Adelay’s Senior Photos at Liberty Line Farm
I first photographed Adelay and her family somewhere around 2011, back when she was just a little girl. For several years, photographing their family became an annual tradition. I got to watch the kids grow and document those little stages of life that never seem particularly historic while you’re living them. And then, around 2014, they moved away. Life did what life does. Years passed. Kids grew up. And I hadn’t photographed their family since. Until now.
Take a trip down memory lane and check out some of Adelay’s past family sessions:
And then come back here and look at her senior photos again because HOW DID THAT LITTLE GIRL BECOME A SENIOR?!
From Family Photos to Senior Photos
When I found out I’d get to photograph Adelay’s senior pictures all these years later, there was absolutely no way a 2½-to-3-hour drive was going to stop me. So I packed up my gear and headed across Pennsylvania to Liberty Line Farm in Milton, PA, where we created her senior photos in a place that feels very much like her. Adelay rides horses, so photographing her at the farm made perfect sense. Rather than choosing a location simply because it was pretty, we were able to create senior portraits surrounded by something that’s actually part of her life. And those are always my favorite kinds of sessions.
And Then We Recreated a Little Piece of History
While we were together, we also made time for an updated family portrait. That’s when they told me something that stopped me for a second: The last professional family photos they’d had taken were the ones I photographed in 2014. Twelve years. Kids who were little aren’t little anymore. Everyone has changed. Life has happened. And yet there I was, standing behind the camera photographing all of them together again. That’s the part of this job that means more to me the longer I do it. When I first started photographing families, I knew I was creating photographs for them. What I don’t think I completely understood yet was that I was documenting their history.
The Photos Become More Important With Time
We always think we’ll remember. What they looked like at eight. The missing teeth. The awkward stages. How tall they were compared to Mom. The way siblings interacted before everyone grew up and started creating lives of their own. But eventually the details get fuzzy. The photographs don’t. That’s why seeing Adelay and her family again after all these years felt so special. I wasn’t meeting a brand-new senior client. I was picking up a story I’d started photographing more than a decade ago. From family photos in 2011, to their last session with me in 2014, to Adelay’s senior year in 2026. That’s a pretty incredible timeline to get to document.
I hope it isn’t another 12 years before the next family photo. 😉
Let Me Tell Your Story
You don’t have to know yet which photos will mean the most to you 10 or 15 years from now. That’s kind of the magic of it. Maybe I’m photographing your senior now. Maybe I photographed them when they were five. Maybe this is the first chapter we’ll create together, and hopefully not the last. Whether your senior wants horses, sports, city streets, their family farm or something completely their own, we’ll create photographs that actually feel like them. I’m based in Blairsville, Pennsylvania and photograph seniors throughout Indiana County, Western Pennsylvania and, clearly, wherever a good story takes me. 😉
Ready to plan senior photos that will mean even more years from now? Reach out and let’s start planning your session.
FAQ: Senior Photography With Jen McKen Photography
Do you travel for senior photography sessions?
Yes. While Jen McKen Photography is based in Blairsville, Pennsylvania and regularly photographs seniors throughout Indiana County and Western Pennsylvania, travel sessions are available. Adelay’s session took me roughly 2½ to 3 hours from home to Liberty Line Farm in Milton, PA.
Can we choose a senior photo location based on a hobby?
Absolutely—and I encourage it. Locations connected to a senior’s actual life can make the photographs much more meaningful. Farms, athletic fields, downtown streets, family properties and other personal locations can help tell a story rather than simply provide a pretty background.
Can we include family photos during a senior session?
Depending on the session and location, absolutely. Senior year is a huge milestone for the entire family, and sometimes it’s the perfect excuse to finally update the family portrait—especially if your last one is more than a decade old. Ahem. 😂
