There’s something so fun about photographing seniors who bring a little bit of their personality and passions into their session. Carly’s senior pictures at Conestoga House and Gardens in Lancaster, PA, were no exception.

Carly is a musician and writer, and she participates in both theater and choir at school, with her most recent theater role was playing a detective in a murder mystery. So when it came time to plan her senior pictures, she knew she wanted to bring along her acoustic guitar.

We originally planned Carly’s session for the end of August, but once we decided on Conestoga House and Gardens for her location, we needed to move things around. Conestoga House is a wedding venue, so weekends are reserved for weddings. They offer photography session rentals on Mondays throughout the day and Tuesday through Wednesday mornings, which means planning ahead is important if you want to use this location for your senior pictures. Conestoga House and Gardens is hands down my favorite location for senior pictures. Between the gorgeous gardens, historic architecture, and beautiful indoor spaces, there is so much variety here. It is definitely a more expensive location to rent, but in my opinion, it is 100% worth it. I love being able to create such different looks in one place, and Carly’s session was the perfect example of that.

We ended up scheduling Carly’s session for September 14th, starting at 5 p.m. While that might seem a little early for golden hour, it’s one of the better times to photograph at Conestoga House and Gardens. The sunset for that evening was around 7:15 p.m., and while I usually start my golden hour sessions around an hour before sunset, I recommend starting the session earlier at Conestoga. There is a line of trees in gardens that can block the sun as the evening progresses, so starting before traditional golden hour gives more time to take advantage of the beautiful light before it disappears.

For her session, Carly brought three outfits with her. She started in a white crocheted top paired with a brown maxi skirt. The combination was perfect for the gardens and gave us a soft, earthy look that worked beautifully with the greenery around Conestoga. Then, she changed into a lavender dress for a little more color and a completely different feel. We saved this outfit specifically for the black and white checkered floor room at Conestoga House and Gardens, which has so many beautiful windows that let in lots of light. The pop of lavender against the black and white floor and white walls was absolutely stunning. The color really stood out and gave us a completely different look from the outdoor pictures. One of the many reasons I love this location is the variety between outdoor and indoor looks without having to go anywhere else. Plus, I just adore the black and white checkered floor. Carly finished her session in a white flowy dress that was giving all the Stevie Nicks vibes. Between the movement of the dress and the beautiful garden setting, it was such a fun way to finish her senior pictures. It felt a little dreamy, a little whimsical, and completely Carly.

With Carly being a musician, this meant we also had to incorporate her acoustic guitar into some of her portraits. Props like a guitar add variety to the photos and give us a way to add personality. Music is a big part of Carly’s life, but she also loves to write. She enjoys writing argumentative essays as well as poetry, which she then turns into music. I think that is such a cool combination of creativity and storytelling, and it was fun getting to hear more about the things she enjoys while we did the session.

When Carly isn’t busy with school or her creative interests, she enjoys hanging out with her friends and swimming. She also loves music by Bruce Springsteen and David Bowie, which feels like a pretty fitting addition to someone who showed up in a Stevie Nicks-inspired dress. One of the things Carly is looking forward to most after graduation is the possibility of returning to Spain. She traveled there this past spring through an exchange program and absolutely loved it. Getting to experience another country and culture is such a cool opportunity, and I hope she gets to go back and make even more memories there. Of course, graduation also means the end of senior year, and Carly is more than ready for it to already be here. She’s taking on some of her hardest classes during her senior year, so I think a little excitement for that next chapter is completely understandable.

As we wrapped up her session at Conestoga House and Gardens, I loved getting to capture all these different sides of Carly. From her love of music and writing to her theater interests, her love of travel, and her dreamy final outfit, her senior pictures were a fun reflection of who she is right now.

If you're looking for a senior picture location in Lancaster, PA, that offers beautiful gardens, historic architecture, and unique indoor spaces, Conestoga House and Gardens is one of my absolute favorites. Because availability for photography sessions is limited, I recommend planning ahead if you'd love to have your senior pictures taken here. It's a location I'm always excited to return to, and Carly's session was another reminder of why I love it so much. If you would like to explore booking a session with me, click the button below.

Lancaster PA Senior Picture Photographer and Fantasy Photographer

Serving Lancaster, PA and Central PA areas

KarisaAnn Photography LLC