An Equestrian Senior Session at Sunset | Dara Stichert, Class of 2019 | Wisconsin Senior Photographer

I was looking forward to this senior session for MONTHS. It meant that I got to travel back to my hometown to photograph Dara at her family farm, Stichert Farms, in Chili WI and it also meant that I got to meet her horse Mike. Isn’t Mike just the greatest name for a horse? I love it when people name their animals total human names, like when someone names their golden retriever Frank. I think it’s just the coolest thing ever!

I always shoot around sunset for senior portraits if I can, but no one could have imagined the amazing orange sunset we would be lucky enough to experience during Dara’s equestrian senior session on this gorgeous September evening. Dara is a senior at the same high school that I attended, Marshfield Senior High, and I actually went to high school with her older brother and cousins. It was so funny to be back on the same farm where I spent a few weekend nights around the bonfire……shhhhhh don’t tell my Mom ;)

I’ll never forget how kind and sweet both Dara and her mom were during our session. And the feeling I had when mom hugged me and said “thank you, you’ve made a dream of Dara’s come true tonight” and that stuck with me the whole ride home. Because I believe the magic really happens during a session when the client and the photographer are equally as excited and happy to meet and work with each other; and I believe that’s what happened this time <3 See you for yourself below and if you’re Class of 2020, hit me up so we can get you on the books this summer/fall!