Mayla was just a toddler when I first met her but she was, as she is today, ready to grab onto life and do ALL the things!
She was sweet and smiley and full of energy. So it makes sense that her mother describes her now as someone who “has so many patches on her letterman jacket that she looks like a NASCAR driver.” She is a busy lady.
I get the sense that she doesn’t want to waste her time. She wants to get everything out of life that she can, and not miss a thing.
Several months after her senior portrait session, we sat down to talk about this transformative year
Bringing it all Together – The story of Mayla’s Senior Photo Session
Luck was on our side. There were stops and starts and pivots. Yet, ultimately, we ended up exactly where we needed to be on a lovely, late-summer day with ideal weather.
Mayla has countless fond memories of growing up in this magical place, so it was her dream location for her senior session. However, it was located in the forest, and the forest was CLOSED. A dilemma. Then, as if someone waved a cosmic magic wand, it opened back up at 7 am on the day of her session. Clearly, it was meant to be.
Probably due to our excitement, Mayla’s mom, Chrissy, and I managed to jump in our respective cars to discover empty gas tanks. Both of us did the math and skipped the gas station, not wanting to be late. Later, we each admitted that we were counting on the other to bail us out if things went south.
The session was a blast. Mayla remains the stellar human she’s been since childhood. According to Chrissy, she now plays “all the sports.” Flag football, softball, ski team – she “has so many patches on her letterman jacket that she looks like a Nascar driver.” And she doesn’t hold back on the playing field. We had to strategically hide a dramatic-looking turf burn on her leg! She plays violin, is self-driven, and has serious goals.
She sounds really Type A, doesn’t she?
But she is DE-LIGHT-FUL with a capital D. She’s kind-hearted, appreciative, intelligent, and encouraging, helping you rationalize your mistakes. Example: When I fretted over accidentally stepping on a plant, Mayla reassured me that it was OK because I was eliminating “ a fire hazard.”
Anytime we “gossiped,” only kind words were spoken. She doesn’t throw shade.
We laughed about accents, reminisced about her family’s camping trips, climbed a big hill, and ultimately reveled in a glorious sunset.
Happily, no emergency roadside assistance was necessary! 🙌🏻
Flagstaff Family Portrait Photography • Flagstaff Maternity Pregnancy Photographer • Flagstaff Newborn Photographer • Flagstaff Child Photographer • Flagstaff Senior Portrait Photographer • Flagstaff Couples Photography
Kristen Dacey Iwai of KDI Photography is a full-time professional portrait photographer based in Flagstaff, Arizona with decades of experience. Making portraits of families, pregnancy, newborns, babies, children, and high school seniors in her downtown studio and on location, she serves clients from Flagstaff, Sedona, Tuba City, Winslow, Payson, Page, Williams, Prescott, Mesa, Scottsdale, Phoenix, Arizona
