Behind the Scenes: A Unique Senior Session with Lee Grace Photography | Ann Arbor Senior Photographer

senior sessions are beautiful. and fun.

And then there are the sessions that feel like you are documenting someone's entire personality, energy, and story in one evening.

Makayla's senior session was exactly that.

As a Southeast Michigan senior photographer, one of my favorite parts of what I do is getting to know each senior and creating a session that feels completely unique to who they are. Senior pictures shouldn't just be pretty photos, they should feel like you.

And Makayla's session was the perfect example of that.

Makayla is a Class of 2027 senior from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and from the moment we started planning her session, I knew this was going to be something special.

She is the kind of person who feels like an old soul living in a 17-year-old body.

Her love for record stores, bookstores, theater, acting, and all things unique immediately gave me the vision for a session that felt a little vintage, a little artistic, a little edgy, and completely her.

She has this effortlessly cool hippie/grunge style, a confidence beyond her years, and a mature presence that made photographing her such a joy. She wasn't just showing up for senior pictures, she was bringing her personality, her interests, and her story along with her.

And that is exactly what makes senior photography so special.


Young woman browsing vinyl records in a music store, holding an album cover among shelves of CDs.
Young woman in red top and Dr. Martens sits on floor of vinyl record shop holding an album.
Young woman in red top and black jeans browsing vinyl records in a cozy music store.
Woman in leather jacket resting head on vinyl records in a music store surrounded by bookshelves.

Starting the Session at Encore Records in Ann Arbor

For the first part of Makayla's session, we headed to one of the coolest spots in Ann Arbor: Encore Records.

The second we walked inside, it felt like the perfect match.

If you know Makayla, you know this location couldn't have been more fitting. Encore Records is filled with character, history, and nostalgia. From their incredible collection of vinyl records and CDs to tapes, reel-to-reel recordings, Blu-rays, sheet music, books about musicians, and music memorabilia, every corner had something interesting to discover.

The atmosphere was exactly what we wanted; creative, authentic, and full of personality.

The staff at Encore Records was absolutely amazing. They were so welcoming and excited about our vision. They even allowed us to use some of their props throughout the session, which made the experience even more unique.

Being able to photograph Makayla surrounded by the things she loves made these images feel so much more personal. It wasn't just a backdrop, it was a reflection of who she is.

Young woman in black leather jacket and red top leaning against graffiti wall in urban alley.
Woman in red top and black jeans posing in a colorful graffiti-covered alleyway with arms outstretched.
Young woman in leather jacket and grey jeans sits against graffiti wall with urban street art backdrop.
Young woman in red crop top and black blazer walks through graffiti-covered urban alley tunnel.

Getting Creative at Graffiti Alley in Ann Arbor

After leaving Encore Records, we had mom drop us off at Graffiti Alley just around the corner for the next part of the session.

And let me tell you...

This location was MADE for Makayla.

The colorful walls, bold artwork, and urban textures perfectly matched her edgy, artistic style. The only challenge?

The wind.

At times, it felt like we were standing in a full-on wind tunnel! But honestly, even that added to the fun and gave us some amazing movement and energy in the photos.

Makayla absolutely rocked this location.

The vibrant colors of the alley paired beautifully with her style, but the thing that really stole the show was her eyes. Her blue eyes stood out against all of the bright colors and brought so much life and emotion into every image.

This is why I love senior photography so much.

When we choose locations that truly fit someone's personality, the photos become more than just pictures, they become a representation of who they are during this exact season of life.

Young woman in white crop top and flared jeans poses confidently in stone archway corridor.
A young woman sits smiling on a stone ledge outdoors, wearing jeans and a white top, with trees and a building behind her.
Young woman in white crop top and blue jeans sitting on steps, smiling over shoulder, wearing studded heels.
Young woman with long brunette hair and bangs leaning against a rustic stone wall outdoors.
Young woman with freckles, bangs, and long brown hair poses outdoors in golden hour light wearing a white lace top.
Young woman in crop top and wide-leg jeans poses on stone path in front of historic brick building.
Young woman in jeans and white crop top walking in front of a historic stone university building archway.
Young woman in white crop top and wide-leg jeans poses confidently on stone courtyard near historic arched building.
Young woman with dark hair in white tank top and jeans leaning against a tree near a stone building.
Young woman with long brown hair in white corset top leans against stone wall outdoors.

Ending the Evening at the University of Michigan Law Quadrangle

To finish out the session, we headed over to the Law Quadrangle at the University of Michigan.

And honestly?

It felt like we stepped into another world.

The architecture, the stone buildings, the beautiful details, and the historic feel of the area were absolutely breathtaking. We were all joking that we could have stayed there all evening just relaxing and taking in the atmosphere.

It had such a peaceful, magical feeling, almost like we had stepped into a scene from a Harry Potter movie.

The architecture surrounding the Law Quadrangle is truly stunning. Every detail, from the gothic-inspired buildings to the beautiful courtyards and arches, created the perfect timeless setting for the final part of Makayla's senior portraits.

Then came the golden hour glow.

The sun started shining through the trees, creating the most beautiful warm light. Everything came together perfectly; the location, the light, and Makayla.

She looked absolutely stunning.


The People Behind the Memories

One of my favorite parts of senior sessions is that I don't just get to meet an amazing senior; I often get to meet the people who helped shape them into who they are.

And let me tell you... Makayla's mom, Kailey, was such a joy to have along for this adventure.

From the very beginning, she was completely on board with our vision and was such a huge help throughout the entire evening. She was the ultimate senior session sidekick! Dropping us off at locations, circling the block so we could maximize every minute of our time creating, and cheering us on as we brought Makayla's vision to life.

She was so much fun to have by my side!

One of my favorite moments from the night was watching Kailey and I get more and more excited as we were reviewing the images. There were many, many, moments where we were both just laughing and saying, "Wait... these are AMAZING!"

And they truly were.

Seeing a mom light up while watching her daughter shine is one of the most special parts of being a Southeast Michigan senior Portrait photographer. These sessions are about celebrating the senior, but they are also about celebrating the families who have supported them through every step of the journey.

Kailey, thank you for being such a fun, encouraging, and wonderful part of Makayla's senior session. Your support, excitement, and willingness to help us chase every creative idea made the entire experience even more memorable.

These are the moments that remind me why I love what I do.

Creating Senior Pictures That Feel Like You

One of my favorite things about being a Michigan senior photographer is creating sessions that aren't cookie-cutter.

Your senior pictures should tell your story.

They should capture your interests, your style, your personality, and the things that make you different.

Makayla's session wasn't about fitting into a certain trend. It was about celebrating exactly who she is; a creative, talented, unique, old soul with a love for music, theater, books, and experiences that feel meaningful.

And that is what made this session unforgettable.

To Makayla

Thank you for trusting me with such an important season of your life. Your confidence, creativity, and genuine personality made this session such a joy to photograph.

I hope when you look back at these images years from now, you don't just see your senior pictures.

I hope you see you.


xoxo

Kheerstin