A Beautiful Night in Neenah | Catherine’s Senior Session



After eight weeks off following surgery, I was so excited to finally get back behind my camera for a senior session—and I truly could not have asked for a better first session back!


This beautiful girl, Catherine, was my first senior session after surgery, and what a way to return! From the very beginning, everything about her session was perfect. First, I have to say how much I loved her outfits! Every single one was beautiful and perfectly chosen for each location we visited. Her outfits added so much variety to the session and complemented each setting perfectly.

Young woman in white ruffled dress smiling in a lush garden with pink roses and greenery.
Young blonde woman in white dress smiling among white hydrangea blooms, wearing a delicate cross necklace outdoors.
Young woman in white ruffled dress posing by wooden garden arbor with roses, long wavy blonde hair.
Smiling young woman in white ruffled dress posing by wooden arbor with red roses in garden background.

 

Starting at Scheig Gardens


We started the evening wandering through the gardens at Scheig. August is such a beautiful month for flowers, and the entire garden was in bloom. There was no shortage of gorgeous spots to photograph Catherine!


One of the things I love most about Scheig is that you get so much more than beautiful flowers. There are also some amazing structures and architectural elements throughout the gardens, which give the photos so much variety. Between the flowers, greenery, and structures, there are endless possibilities for beautiful senior portraits.


If you have never wandered through the gardens at Scheig, I highly recommend taking the time to explore them. It is such a beautiful spot!

 

Smiling young woman in white dress sitting among pink coneflowers, wearing a cross necklace and bracelet.
Young woman in white outfit sitting in front of lavender flowers, smiling outdoors.
Smiling blonde woman in white dress standing among vibrant purple and yellow wildflowers in a lush garden.
Young woman in white ruffled midi dress and sandals smiling beside pink roses in a garden.

 

Exploring Neenah


From Scheig, we headed to Neenah to hit a few of my favorite locations.


Our first stop was the Marketplace parking lot. I know a parking lot might not sound like the most exciting location for senior pictures, but trust me—there is a beautiful backdrop behind this building! The ivy, brick walls, stairs, and flowers create so many different looks all within one little area. I love locations that give us plenty of variety without having to go far.


We also made a quick stop at my favorite alley in Neenah for a few shots before moving on to our next location. I love finding those unexpected little spots that might not seem like much at first glance but photograph beautifully.

 

Young woman with blonde hair sits smiling on black stairs, wearing a black top and light blue wide-leg jeans.
Smiling blonde woman in light blue jeans sits against a lush green ivy wall, wearing a gold cross necklace and pearl bracelet.
Smiling blonde woman in black crop top and jeans leaning against brick wall in urban alley setting.
Young woman in wide-leg jeans and black crop top poses against brick wall in urban alley setting.

 

Arrowhead Park


Our next stop of the evening was Arrowhead Park in Neenah. We captured photos in a beautiful grassy field, and Catherine's dress was absolutely perfect for the setting.


She had so much fun twirling, laughing, and simply enjoying the evening, which resulted in some of my favorite images from the entire session. Those natural, joyful moments are exactly what I love capturing during senior sessions.




 

Smiling blonde teenage girl in white lace top sitting in golden field at sunset for senior portrait.
Young woman in white crop top and pink floral maxi skirt posing in golden hour sunlit meadow.
Smiling teenage girl in white floral maxi dress standing in golden hour sunlit field with wavy blonde hair.
Young blonde woman smiling in a golden field at sunset, wearing a cross necklace, lying in tall grass.

 

Lake Winnebago at Kimberly Point Park


Finally, we headed to Kimberly Point Park for some photos along Lake Winnebago.


I absolutely love water shots, and one of my favorite things about this particular location is the rocks. They add such a fun bit of texture and dimension to the images while giving us a completely different look from the gardens and downtown locations.


There are so many fun ways to use this area, and the lake made the perfect backdrop for some of Catherine's portraits.

 

Smiling young woman in floral skirt and white top sitting on rocky shoreline by water.
Smiling blonde teen in floral maxi skirt and white top poses on rocky shoreline at sunset.
Young blonde woman in white ruffled dress smiling at beach during sunset.
Young woman with long blonde hair sits on rocks by the ocean in a white and pink floral maxi dress, smiling.

 

The Perfect First Session Back


This session truly turned out perfectly. After being away from photography for eight weeks while recovering from surgery, I couldn't have asked for a better way to ease back into senior sessions.


A beautiful girl, gorgeous outfits, amazing locations, perfect August weather, and a night filled with laughter—it really doesn't get much better than that!


Catherine, thank you for being such a joy to photograph and for making my first senior session back so special. I couldn't have asked for a better girl to work with or a better evening to return to doing what I love.

 

Dallas is a high school senior and branding photographer serving Appleton and the surrounding areas of Hortonville, Greenville, Neenah, Menasha and beyond.