Senior portraits across Chicago's North Shore.
Natural. Unhurried. Real.
Senior portraits that actually look like you.
Every session is built around who you actually are — your style, your personality, the locations that mean something to you.
Not a preset package. Not a formula. Just great photos that look like you at your best.
You don't have to know how to pose.
You just have to show up.
Here's what I hear from every single senior before a session: "I'm so awkward in front of a camera."
Here's what I hear after: "that was way more fun than I expected"
I gently guide you through the session so you don't have to worry about what to do or where to look. What you experience is a conversation, a few good laughs and surprising amount of fun that you might not have thought possible. What you get back are images you'll be obsessed with.
Bring what you actually wear. Bring the music you want to listen to. Tell me what you want — or don't, and I'll figure it out. Either way, by the end you'll forget the camera was ever there.
Before everyone scatters ..capture your time together
Senior year ends. The friend group that has defined the last four years — maybe the last eight — disperses to different cities, different coasts, different lives.
What makes these sessions beautiful isn't just the scenery. It's the people. The arms around each other. The mid-laugh moments. The look between two friends who have been through everything together. That's what I'm capturing — and that's what you'll still be looking at decades from now.
Individual portraits are woven throughout, so everyone goes home with images of themselves too. But the real reason to do this is the group. The proof that this time happened and that it was good.
"Nicole captured iconic photos of the graduates beyond what I could have imagined."
AIMEE, Northwestern University Graduation
I'm not just your photographer, I'm your neighbor
I live in Wilmette. My kids grew up at New Trier. I know Gillson Beach, Crow Island Woods and all the perfect local spots — not from just scouting locations, but from a life spent here.If your child went to Carleton Washburne School, I may have already photographed them. I've been photographing their 8th grade graduation for years. And when seniors lost their prom and graduation in 2020, I spent that summer photographing New Trier seniors for free at the beach. That's the version of local I mean.
WHAT TO EXPECT
01
A Conversation First
After you reach out, we'll have a quick call — to get to know each other, talk through your senior's personality and vision, and find the right approach for her. I want to know what she loves, where she spends her time, what she'd wear on a Saturday. The more specific, the better.
02
Planning Together
Before the session, I'll send a planning guide: location recommendations, what to bring. You'll know exactly what to expect. I've done this enough times to anticipate what you'll need before you ask.
03
The Session
Unhurried. Directed. Specific. Sessions run 60–90 minutes depending on the package. I gently guide you — posing, movement, light, so that you don't need to worry about what's next. Just relax and enjoy it.
04
The Gallery
Waiting for your photos is the hardest part. I plan editing time immediately after every session, so most galleries are ready within a week. Never more than two. You'll get a link to a culled, edited gallery — every image hand-selected and one I'm proud of. You'll be able to order wall art and professional prints straight from your gallery.
THE INVESTMENT
THE PORTRAIT SESSION
One location, one hour, one-two outfit changes within one location. 25 high-resolution professionally edited digital images of your choice. Week-end sessions add $50. A strong, cohesive gallery.
$550
THE SIGNATURE SESSION
The full celebration. Ninety minutes to two hours with the option of two locations (studio, beach, park, village), multiple outfit changes, and a wide range of looks. Includes a complete curated gallery — every image worth keeping from your session, fully edited, typically 50–70 photos — plus a $400 professional print credit to purchase wall art, prints or a curated album directly from your gallery.
This is the package for seniors who want the complete experience, not just the photos
$1,200
.
FRIEND GROUP
Minimum 5 people. 60–90 minutes. A full edited gallery of 55–75 images shared with the group, with individual portraits woven throughout. One session. One afternoon. Photos you'll still have decades from now.
$200 per person
Questions You Probably Have.
When should we book?
As early as possible to give you the widest range of choice— ideally spring of junior year for summer or fall sessions. Getting your photos done the summer entering your senior year works well and allows you to be ready for Rush applications in the spring of senior year. Some seniors prefer to wait until after they know their post graduation plans or specific college and they take their photos in the spring / early summer of senior year. What's most important is to book at a time when you can enjoy the process.
What should I wear?
Bring 2–4 outfits you love and actually would wear. The goal is for every outfit to feel like you — not like you dressed up for a photo shoot. It's great to have different looks that show different sides of you - one casual, one more formal (popular choices for girls - jeans and a cute top, boots, long dress, short beach dress), (popular choices for guys - jeans and a t-shirt, button down, linen pants, sweater). If you would like to include a LinkedIn headshot as part of your gallery make sure your bring a professional shirt, jacket or blouse.
Where will we shoot?
That depends on your personality, the look you want, and the season. I'll make specific recommendations after our initial call — or if you have a location in mind, share it. After living here for so many years and photographing hundreds of seniors, I am very well versed on a wide variety of locations in the North Shore--ask me anything. We can also take photos in a private studio as a second location too.
Do you shoot in Chicago?
I don't — and honestly that's part of what makes these sessions special. I stay on the North Shore because I know it intimately. If urban is your vibe, Evanston's streets deliver that energy without the drive. Our beaches and parks are genuinely stunning. And the village character of Wilmette and Winnetka photographs beautifully for anyone who wants something more classic. Everything you need for a great session is right here. If the city skyline is non-negotiable, I'm probably not your person — but if you're open to the North Shore, I'd love to show you what's possible.
Do you shoot senior guys?
Absolutely. The approach is the same — directed, relaxed, real. I promise to make it significantly less uncomfortable than they're expecting.
How long until we see the gallery?
I know how exciting it is to get your gallery, so I always plan editing time right after the session to get them back to you as soon as possible. You can expect to receive your gallery approximately one week after your session, and never more than two.
Do you do Rush Photo sessions specifically?
Yes — and a lot of seniors book specifically for this reason. Rush is about making a genuine first impression: approachable, confident, at your best. That's exactly what every session I shoot is designed to capture. Whether you need photos for your Panhellenic profile, rush introductions, or social media, you'll walk away with a gallery that shows who you are.
Photographing a Northwestern Graduation Session?
I have a dedicated page for all Northwestern Graduaton Sessions
