All Dressed Up

Two Friends + Fancy Clothes + Chill Vibe = The Perfect Day

When one of my lifelong friends, Lindsay, told me that her eldest daughter was going to the Homecoming dance with a friend, my first thought was, "Surely we're not old enough for this to be happening.... didn't Lindsay and I JUST go to our OWN prom with all of our friends?!" (We're going to move past the part where that was, in fact, more than twenty years ago...)

Ahh, the days of printed photos in scrapbooks! This was taken at Camp Kirkwood when we were Lindsay's daughter's age. She had loaned me that Gap shirt and bucket hat and it was one of the first times in my entire life that I actually I felt cool. But I digress...

My second reaction was just pure elation over the fact that this event needed to be memorialized in photos! As a former high school teacher, I know it can take a lot of trust for teens to stand in front of a camera. But sweet Channing and her extremely well-mannered and likable friend, Von, were such fun to hang out with before they headed off to the dance.

The Setting

Everyone who lives near Wilmington tends to think of "the Riverwalk" as the beautiful stretch of downtown shops, restaurants, and scenery along the Cape Fear River. And absolutely zero shade to "THE Riverwalk" (because I LOVE grabbing a latte from Port City Java and wandering that path for a few hours at a time)..... BUT.

Have you been to the precious little park and scenic walkway that we've got going on across the bridge in Belville (aka Leland)?? It's gorgeous. Aaron and I have spent MANY an afternoon walking the boardwalk with the dogs or taking our nephews to play on the playground. So I was so excited when Channing and her mom decided to choose The Brunswick Riverwalk at Belville for the photo session. Seriously, if you haven't been before, it's time for you to plan a picnic!

The Warm Up

We started out at the scenic overlook. It was fun to play with the different levels of the decks as Channing and Von figured out how to loosen up for the camera.

Isn't this brilliant girl stunning?!

Ever the gentleman, Von shook hands with every adult along for the shoot! We loved his calm, kind vibe.

A Little Stroll

To help these teens shake off some of their nerves, I had them take a stroll back and forth along this adorable bridge (you might recognize it from Aaron's headshot on our homepage!). This was a fun moment because I was able to get Channing and Von to start making each other laugh.

I love the giggles they both think they have to stifle.

Can I also say that I'm SO happy for this generation of girls that they can wear Chucks with dresses?!

Just the nicest guy!

Wildflower Wonder

I was over the moon for these orange wildflowers, so I had them strike a classic high school dance pose with these as a backdrop. Love that dreamy bokeh effect!

The Boardwalk

After a short trek on the trail, we made it out to the boardwalk and truth be told, these are some of my favorite shots!

Portraits of a Young Woman

Channing possesses a serenity that I certainly didn't at her age. It was such a joy to get to see her through this lens!

Lean On Me

This is my favorite shot from the whole day. It's so nice to see the kind, easy friendship between these two. I love how Channing's eyes pop next to the blue of Von's shirt!

The Fam

The 90s kid in me loves a good black & white family photo! Just missing big brother (who was at work) and a little fireball toddler who belongs to Aunt Megan.

Big Sis, Little Sis

Channing made a special request at the end to get a picture with Eisley. Such sweet sisters!

We always love a chance to take a walk by the water, especially when we get to spend the afternoon with such beautiful friends. Even though they're too young for the titles, Channing & Von are ZCC's vote for Homecoming Queen & King!

Your Turn!

Does your teenager have a special event coming up? Why not let ZCC help you mark the occasion? Leave us a comment or drop us an email (zencoastcollective@gmail.com). We'd love to hear from you!

You can also let us know that you're ready to capture the magic of your every day by CLICKING HERE to book a photo session, make a reservation for holiday card services (don't miss out! slots are filling up fast!), or inquire about bespoke memory books and calendars. We can't wait to help you add a little Zen to your lives!

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