Hazel’s mom Liz reached out with something special in mind — even though Hazel and her family now live in Nebraska, she wanted Hazel’s senior portraits to take place somewhere close to her heart, a place filled with childhood memories: the Franklin, TN neighborhood where she grew up. Hazel envisioned senior photos that stood apart from everyone else’s back home and felt as unique as she is—images that reflected not only who she is now but also where she’s from. Together, they planned a trip back to the place where so many of her earliest memories began. Keep reading to see more and explore Hazel’s Franklin, Tennessee senior photos featuring vibrant flowers and a gorgeous fountain.

When I met with Hazel and her mom, they were accompanied by some of their former neighborhood friends- Hazel’s entourage if you will. They carried bags, snapped some behind the scenes phone images, and held lenses, all while Liz assisted (best reflector holder EVER!). It was such a joy to watch her friends show up and surround her with love and support.

To say Hazel is a decorated athlete would be an understatement! She dominated in sports her junior year. Competing in both track and field, and volleyball, she’s the 100 Meter and 200 Meter State Champion, and earned the prestigious Journal Star Girls Athlete of the Year. But beyond the medals and academic milestones, Hazel has a heart of gold. She loves spending time with her family and friends. After high school, she plans to study something in the creative arts field at an out-of-state college. From the moment we started at the neighborhood clubhouse, it was clear that her senior session would be something fun and uniquely Hazel.

Neighborhood Clubhouse, Flowers and Gardens

Surrounded by bright pops of color from blooming petunias, Hazel’s classic style shown through in a crisp white top, jeans, and fern green heels (YAY for big sister’s closet!). Just steps away from the clubhouse, wrought-iron archways opened into a quiet, grassy area with park benches lining the pathway — the kind of space just screaming for photos to be captured here.

After a quick outfit change into a darling white dress paired with the cutest Betsey Johnson blue floral heels (thanks again sis!), we headed to the Clubhouse porch. The tall white columns and intricate railings were the perfect backdrop with Hazel’s outfit. The soft light diffused beautifully during this time of day. And we couldn’t leave without snapping a few family photos.

The Fountain

After our time spent at the Clubhouse we made our way to the fountain — a location that stopped me in my tracks. Liz told me it was designed after the famous fountain in Forsyth Park in Savannah, GA. It added the perfect blend of classic Southern charm to her photos. While we were there, Liz, Hazel, and her family friends searched for their family bricks. When builders created the neighborhood, some of the original families placed their names on bricks that now surround the fountain. Watching them search for and find their bricks, even weathered with time, was so much fun!

The Lake

To close out our time together, we headed down to the lake. Hazel changed into a soft baby blue Aritzia dress and vanilla cream platform sandals — the perfect outfit to finish out her senior session. She twirled, laughed, saw a few ducklings, and soaked in the last few minutes of her session just as the sun was setting over the horizon.

Liz and Hazel, it was so wonderful capturing this fun and nostalgic senior session. I hope you both had as much fun as I did. Hazel, I hope you have an amazing and fun-filled senior year! Good luck in all of your athletic events and if I’m ever in Nebraska, I’ll be sure to let you know!

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