On a Personal Note… From Backpacks to Cap & Gowns

In my last post I mentioned four things that happened in the month of September. I am now sharing a fifth – one that is woven into the fabric of who we are – back to school! And now, with homecoming photos showing up in my feed and online, I remember all the things I love with the fall season and back to school: fresh notebooks, new routines, and (dare I say it?) big dreams.

It adds a crackle of energy and excitement to the air. It’s more than sharpened pencils and first day photos. Back to school days lead us to graduation days, and I love to hear our students talk about what their early days were like. The stories are about the friends they made, the adventures they experienced, and the places that meant the most to them. We never think we are building core memories when we spend time with friends at the library studying for a test or in rooms prepping our latest project. These are exactly the stories I hear every time, though, and I am here for it.

These stories become a part of who we are, and when I capture a photo of a grad throwing their cap in the air, it’s never just an ending. It’s the beginning of something new that started in the fall. Graduation photographs are time capsules, holding all the school years that led to this one remarkable moment.

When I see the shoulders squared, the proud tilt of a chin, the quiet joy in the smile, I know from experience that it is the same determination that showed up in first grade handwriting practice or the middle school science fair project. Fall reminds us of these seasons and cycles that our lives go through: how learning, growing, and becoming are lifelong processes.

We live in a fast-moving digital world, where the images we capture often stay trapped on phones and tablets or in cloud storage. It is the printed and framed photographs on our desks and shelves that are the treasures that stand the test of time. These do not fade with a password change or get lost in an online scroll. They are the tangible reminders of where we have all been and what we have accomplished. It’s about who we are becoming every day.

Years from now, when you find yourself reaching for an album of photographs, you’ll see more than a photo. You’ll remember the sound of leaves crunching underfoot, the laughter of friends on campus, the anticipation in your heart as you zipped up your gown. You’ll remember how it felt to step into a new season – full of hope, a little uncertainty, and a whole lot of pride for the work you did to arrive where you are today.

That’s why graduation portraits matter. They anchor us, and they remind us that growth doesn’t happen overnight. It happens day by day, season by season, and year after year. From back-to-school mornings to graduation days, the arc of who we become is one of the most beautiful stories that we get to live. It’s the love story of who we are and how we got here.

So, as this fall unfolds and another academic year begins – let’s take a moment to appreciate where this journey is headed. There are essays to write and tests to take, lessons to learn and friendships to make, and there are the victories – the small ones and the big ones – waiting for us. All of this adds up.

When you stand in front of the camera, remember that this click of the shutter is capturing one moment in time. We are also telling the story of who you are and how far you’ve come. We are meant to return to these images again – a reminder that every ending is a new beginning.

Let’s capture your story and all the chapters within. You’ll treasure the timeless photographs we create for years to come.