Liv really wanted to do her senior photos at one of the Gloucester beaches. It was an important place for her. The problem was that even on a weeknight, there were photographers telling me that parking was nearly impossible. I heard stories of photographers and seniors driving around for an hour hoping to snag a spot.

So I called a mutual friend who has a house up on Gloucester to ask for advice on parking. And. she. offered. their. boat.

As I drove up 128, it just kept raining.

Senior sessions and rain never work out. Hair is ruined. Makeup is smudged. Clothes are dotted with rain. Camera gear gets destroyed.

I didn’t know how this was going to go.

We got to the Borselli’s house and it looked like it was slowing down. As we headed down to the dock, the rain started up again. I was ready to pull the plug. But Liv wanted to do this.

All of a sudden, the light was perfect.

Liv was my student when she was in fifth grade. Since then, she has appeared in a lot of my photos! She’s always willing to volunteer when I need some help practicing some new techniques!

She’s a talented singer who loves to play ukulele. Liv loves music and art and fashion. And she has such a playful personality.

We had some fun getting a few photos with her mom.

Changing weather

I sent her below deck to get changed and when she came back up, the rain started again. So we went with it.

We kept cruising through the harbor, towards clearer skies, and the rain stopped again. Soon, the most glowy sun appeared on the water behind her.

We sailed past some absolutely beautiful homes, properties, and protected lands in the harbor.

To the Beach!

Finally, we decided to go for it and book it the beach, where it looked like it was finally clearing. We were going so fast over those waves and across the water, hair was whipping everywhere, rain was stinging us, it was freezing, and I was so afraid that I was going to lose a camera! But we laughed and giggled the whole way out there.

When we approached the beach, Kevin and Ben pulled the boat as close to shore as possible. Liv and I had to jump out in thigh-deep water. As we hit the warm ocean water, a gorgeous sunset was making an appearance.

Liv loves the ocean and is really interested in Marine Biology. She was in her element on the beach.

She waded her way back to the boat for a third outfit, having to make her way back onto shore with a long skirt! We only had a few minutes with that sinking sun.

As daylight ended, the sky was pink and purple. And our session was sadly coming to an end.

We had an awesome cruise back to the dock. The lights from the homes and the boats lit up the harbor. Kevin pointed out various homes and shared fun stories as he let his son Ben stay at the helm.

This was absolutely a thrill. Senior portrait sessions need to be fun and adventurous. Dream big when planning yours. Ask for favors. Don’t be afraid to take risks. And let the evening roll out to make it a fun and memorable night!

Cara Parker is a Massachusetts photographer who serves busy families, seniors, and couples.

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