Horses and Donkeys and Dogs…Oh My! A Very “Texas” Senior Session

How I love this crazy human! Mackenzie has been one of “my kids” for a long time, and I was so excited to capture her senior portraits. At her consultation, we chose the 1850 Settlement for her shoot because it was the perfect mix for this Texas girl: landscape, old Texas style, color, a bit of glam…and we could include her pups! We knew it would be a blast. That was a given. We just didn’t know HOW much fun we would have.

Let’s break it down – gorgeous senior with fabulous hair and a gorgeous smile? Check. Dogs? Check. Fun story objects? Check. Perfect weather? Check. “Grease” themed boomerang? Check. Check. Then she spotted the sheep…..and the horses….and the donkeys…..AND she’s over the fence. Love. This. Girl.

Mackenzie not only brought her sweet dogs to her senior session, but we got some shots of her wrapped in a beautiful, cozy camo blanket that was a gift from her grandmother. Mack loves hunting and the outdoors, so this was a lovely way to work that into her shoot.

Mackenzie has played soccer throughout high school, so we definitely wanted to include that. We might have staged one of her shots as an “@mattnellor” moment, competing with one of her classmates who definitely made soccer way cooler than anyone else this year.

And then, she spotted the sheep and donkeys. Yep, she went right over the fence…

After we finished just totally celebrating how perfect all of this was for her and how happy she was that they all came over to play, it was time to get serious. Okay, maybe not serious, but definitely time to get some stunning shots of her in her beautiful red dress.

Chat with Mackenzie:

J: This is such a crazy time…how are you feeling? What are you looking forward to after the quarantine/shelter at home time passes?

M: Right now I am looking forward to being able to hang out with my classmates again and for everything to go back to normal

J: What have been some of your favorite memories of your senior year?

M: I have two favorite memories from senior year. They were going to ACL and passion with my best friends!! ACL was just filled with fun, excitement, and good music. Passion was a growing experience, and I am so glad I got to go with my best friends.

Traylor family, thank you for choosing me for Mackenzie’s senior portraits. We could not have had more fun, and I am so thrilled to have her on my 2020 JDP senior team. Her infectious energy, laid-back vibe, and easy laughter are just amazing to be around.