A behind-the-scenes look at summer at Picture Lady Photography

Every June, I start getting some version of the same message:

"So… are you off for the summer?"

And honestly? I laugh every single time.

Not because it is a silly question - it makes total sense from the outside. You are not seeing me post session galleries or announce booking dates. You are not getting emails about fall availability just yet. It can look quiet over here.

But quiet and still are two very different things.

Summer is actually one of my most important seasons at Picture Lady Photography. It just happens entirely behind the scenes.

Here is what that really looks like.

Learning, Because I Never Want to Be "Good Enough"

One of the things I feel most strongly about as a photographer is this: the moment you think you have figured it all out is the moment you start falling behind.

Photography changes. Senior trends change. The way we tell stories through images changes.

So this summer I am heading to Idyllwild, California to attend the West Coast School of Photography, where I will be studying under Alison Carlino of Carlino Photography from Sugar Land, Texas.

The class?

High School Seniors & Sports: Lighting, Posing and Business

We are going deep on things like:

• Senior posing and session flow
• Lighting techniques for high school seniors
• Sports media days
• Creative lighting with gels
• Smoke and fog effects
• Building even better experiences for seniors and their families

I am genuinely excited - and yes, getting out of 110-degree Arizona heat for a few days is absolutely part of the appeal.

But here is what I want you to know: everything I learn there comes back to you. Every new technique, every creative idea, every improvement I make is for the Class of 2027, for the athletes I photograph, and for the families who trust me to capture something real.

That is why I keep going. That is why I keep learning.

Behind the Scenes: Running the Business

My business year runs July 1 through June 30, which means summer is also my reset season.

While things look quieter from the outside, here is what is actually happening:

• Wrapping up the 2025-2026 school year and archiving senior and sports files
• Opening everything up fresh for the 2026-2027 season
• Updating accounting and squaring away the books
• Organizing new portable hard drives (because your memories deserve backup plans - plural)
• Sending camera gear out for cleaning and maintenance
• Evaluating gear upgrades so I am always working with what serves you best
• Planning marketing for the upcoming school year

And one of my favorite parts? Meeting with athletic directors, coaches, and booster clubs to start locking in fall sports schedules, media days, and important dates.

Football season sneaks up faster than anyone expects around here. I would rather be three steps ahead than one step behind.

A Little Real Life in the Mix

Because it is not all business over here.

This fall, our family is welcoming a new grandchild - and I could not be more excited. I will be helping plan my daughter-in-law's baby shower, which has me equal parts thrilled and already deep in Pinterest rabbit holes.

My husband teaches, so once his summer school wraps up, we are hoping to sneak away with the camper for a few days of cooler weather up north before the school year kicks back into gear.

And if you know Arizona summers at all, you know there will be time spent out at the Salt River - kayaking, soaking up a little nature, and pretending the heat is not completely unhinged.

Real life makes me a better photographer. It keeps me grounded in what actually matters: the moments, the milestones, the people.

So… Am I Off for the Summer?

Not even a little.

I am learning. I am planning. I am organizing, upgrading, and getting genuinely excited about everything coming with the Class of 2027 and another incredible sports season.

The behind-the-scenes work I do in June and July is exactly what makes September, October, and November so smooth for the families I work with.

When your season arrives, I want to be completely ready for you.

No scrambling. No catching up. Just showing up for you at my absolute best.

If you are part of the Class of 2027 - or you have an athlete whose season is right around the corner - I am already thinking about you. Cooler weather is coming, and I cannot wait to get started.

~ Picture Lady