Allie's Lincoln Senior Session | First Day Vinyl, Zesto, Pioneers Park & Harvest Home
I first photographed Allie when she was a baby.
This year, I photographed her senior session.
Her mom, Sarah, and I go back even further. We grew up together in Wahoo, at one point living about a block apart when we were little. So when it came time to plan senior photos for Allie, now a senior at Lincoln East High School, I wasn't starting from scratch. I already knew a lot of her story. My job was to make sure her Lincoln senior pictures told it.
That meant this session needed to cover a lot of ground.
A Session Built Around Allie
We didn't pick one pretty spot and call it good. We spent the day moving through Lincoln and out into the country, with each stop showing a different side of her: a record store, an old school ice cream stand, Pioneers Park, where her dad met us with her three pups, a quiet pond, the flower fields at Harvest Home, and a gravel road at sunset.
Senior year has a lot of sides. Her photos should too.
First Day Vinyl: Starting With an Edge
We kicked things off at First Day Vinyl with a slightly edgier look to match the vibe of the shop.
We dug through the racks and found a record from her favorite artist, Sturgill Simpson, and worked it into a few shots. The store also has a great listening area with black chairs and a record player, so Allie sat down, settled in, and we used that space too.
Starting somewhere that feels like her matters. It's a lot easier to relax in front of a camera when you're surrounded by something you actually love.
Zesto: Old School Lincoln
Next up was Zesto, the last one left in Lincoln. Walk up window only, picnic tables, and that fun vintage sign sitting at just the right height for photos.
Allie wore a blue tank and jeans here, which matched Zesto's colors almost too well. She grabbed a cup of ice cream and enjoyed it while I worked around her. Those in-between moments, when someone forgets about the camera for a second, are some of my favorites in any gallery.
Fun fact: Before we left, we stepped over to the brick building next door to recreate one of Sarah's own senior photos. Allie thought we were ridiculous. Sarah and I were all over it. That side by side is going to mean more every year.
Pioneers Park: Pups & a Little Fishing
At Pioneers Park, Allie's dad met us and brought along all three of her dogs. We got photos of Allie with her pups first, because if your dogs are part of your everyday life, they belong in your senior pictures.
Then it was just Allie. She changed into a long white skirt and a burgundy tube top, and the look fit the park beautifully. We moved to another spot, swapped the skirt for jeans, kept the tube top, and grabbed a few shots tucked into the trees.
Then, as we walked toward the pond, we stumbled right into someone else's big day. A proposal! In all my years of sessions, that was a first. We spent the next few minutes very carefully tiptoeing around, doing our best to stay out of the other photographer's shots.
Our last stop in the park was a small pond. Allie pulled on her boots and fishing shirt and brought out her fishing pole and tackle box. This is exactly what I mean when I say story over aesthetic. A fishing pole isn't a trendy prop. It's a piece of who she is.
Harvest Home: Pushing Through the Heat
From the park, we headed out to Harvest Home, a flower farm that has been a favorite spot for my senior girls this year.
Allie started in the white skirt again, this time with a blue and white striped tank. Then she changed into a long sleeve top and shorts in a matching pattern that were so cute.
Now, a little honesty about the weather. We had rescheduled Allie's session three times. This was date number four, and we decided to go for it. I didn't expect it to get as hot as it did, and the humidity was rough.
So we adjusted. Since we drove between every location, Allie had time to cool off in the car along the way. While we were at the farm for about an hour, we took a real break between outfit changes so she could sit in the AC and reset.
That's not lost time. A senior who feels okay looks okay, and nobody needs to tough it out to get good photos.
Horses, a Gravel Road & Golden Hour
As we were leaving the farm, we spotted horses just down the road. Some of the best moments in a session aren't on the plan, so we pulled over, got out, and took photos with Allie in the ditch and the horses in the background.
Then the sun started going down, and we weren't about to waste it. Allie changed back into her blue tank, jeans, and boots, and we shot on a gravel road and in front of a big green field. (Beans, I think? We'll go with beans.)
Sarah jumped in as my assistant for this part, holding light wands so Allie stayed lit while we kept all that color in the sky behind her. It was the kind of ending that makes a hot, sticky day completely worth it.
It's About More Than Pretty Locations
Looking back at Allie's gallery, the locations are great. But they aren't really the point.
The point is a record from her favorite artist. Ice cream at a Lincoln classic. Her three dogs. A fishing pole. A recreated photo of her mom at the same age. And a girl I first photographed as a baby, now standing on a gravel road at sunset as a senior.
That's what a senior session should capture. Not a version of someone, but the actual person, exactly as they are right now.
Planning Your Own Senior Session
Every senior session I photograph is built around the person in front of my camera. We'll talk about what you love, where you spend your time, and what you want to remember about this year, and then we'll plan the locations around that.
And on session day, I'll walk you through the whole time. If you want to try a pose or a spot, just say so.
I'm Kate DeCoste, a portrait photographer based in Lincoln, Nebraska, photographing high school seniors, families, and branding clients across Lincoln, Omaha, and southeast Nebraska.
If you're looking for Lincoln senior pictures that actually feel like you, I'd love to hear your story. Reach out here to start planning your session.
Quick Answers
Where was Allie's senior session photographed? Allie's session took place in Lincoln, Nebraska, at First Day Vinyl, Zesto, Pioneers Park, and Harvest Home flower farm, finishing on a gravel road at sunset.
Why use so many locations for one senior session? Each location showed a different part of Allie's life, from her love of music to her dogs to fishing. Multiple stops let a gallery tell a fuller story.
What happens if it's really hot on session day? We plan around it. Driving between locations and taking short breaks in an air conditioned car helps seniors stay comfortable and look relaxed in their photos.
Where does Kate DeCoste offer senior sessions? I photograph seniors in Lincoln, Omaha, and throughout southeast Nebraska.
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