My sunset grad sessions almost always happen at Centennial Beach. It’s my favourite spot for a reason: the light, the golden fields, the way the whole beach glows in the last hour before sunset. But every once in a while, someone comes to me with an idea so good I can’t say no to changing things up.
That’s exactly what happened with Maddy and her mom.
Maddy loves horses. She’s been learning to ride and spends some of her happiest hours with them. And her horse, Nitro, is a huge part of her life. So instead of the beach, her mom asked: what if we did Maddy’s grad session at the barn, with Nitro?
I didn’t hesitate. Some ideas are just too good to pass up!
This session meant even more to me because I’ve known Maddy’s family for a long time. Her mom was part of my Motherhood: Unfiltered sessions back in 2016, and we became genuine friends. Getting to photograph her daughter’s grade 7 grad – the milestone that marks the end of elementary school and the start of high school – was a really fun moment for me.
We met on a beautiful, sunkissed evening in mid-July at Poplar Meadows. Maddy is quiet and soft-spoken by nature, and honestly, there’s no better setting for a personality like hers than being around horses. She was completely at ease the second we started.
We began in one of the paddocks, where Maddy spent time with Nitro, just being together. That connection translated into some of my favourite images from the whole session. There’s a stillness and trust between a girl and her horse that you simply can’t pose.
From there, we moved to a riding ring, where Maddy climbed up and rode Nitro for a series of shots. I loved watching her in the saddle, completely confident and in her element. It definitely was a reminder of how photography works best when we’re capturing who someone already is, not asking them to be someone else for the camera.
To close out the evening, we brought in Max – the very first horse Maddy ever learned to ride on – for a few images of Maddy with both horses together. It felt like the perfect way to honour where her horseback riding journey started, right alongside the milestone she was celebrating that day.
If your grad is passionate about something unexpected – horses, dance, art, sports – let’s talk about building their session around it. The best photos come from the things they already love.
Eran Sudds is a Tsawwassen photographer who specializes in fun & natural sessions for you and your entire family. She is available for maternity, newborn, family portraits and headshots at locations in South Delta, or anywhere in the Lower Mainland. Contact her to book your session!
