Exciting news — I’ve officially stepped into the world of travel photography!
Over the weekend, I took a road trip down to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for a senior session, and let me just say… what a way to kick off the offical start of senior season. As a photographer based in Virginia and Maryland, the 6–7 hour drive wasn’t too bad, and I made it an overnight trip to make the most of it.
The shoot was with the gorgeous Meghan Koelbel — someone I actually went to middle school with and hadn’t seen since 8th grade (so over 8 years now!). Reuniting for this huge life mile marker was surreal in the best way.
As soon as we stepped onto campus, I immediately started regretting all of my past college decisions 😂. The UNC Charlotte campus is breathtaking. Everything was so bright and alive — vibrant greens everywhere, even on a spotty, cloudy day. It was such a contrast to Maryland this time of year. And the architecture? Every building is made of brick, which made for the most beautiful backdrops.
Meghan transferred to UNC Charlotte from Belmont Abbey after her sophomore year, and she told me how much she loves it there. She said she wishes she’d had the chance to live on campus — and I don’t blame her one bit. The housing buildings alone looked like luxury apartments from the outside; I can only imagine what they look like on the inside.
The campus is also huge, with endless locations perfect for senior sessions. There are these gorgeous signs (I think there are two versions of the UNC Charlotte sign, and according to Meghan, one is definitely better than the other — lol).
There's also a little overlook spot with a great view of campus where we shot some amazing moments. Of course, no senior session is complete without a classic champagne pop. We did it at the overlook spot, and it was hilarious and perfect, as always. I love coaching seniors through their first champagne pop — it’s such a fun breather, always good for some laughs, and hands down one of my favorite parts of any session.
One of the coolest parts of the shoot? Meghan showed me a spot on campus where there's a compass design on the ground. If you stand right in the center of it — near a building with a tin roof — your voice echoes, but only for you. People standing outside the circle can’t hear the echo at all. It’s wild. We tried it and I was mind blown.
To top it all off, Meghan brought her cat, Jack! He was such a trooper. He mostly chilled in his carrier, meowed a few times as he adjusted, but honestly? He nailed it. The photos with him turned out amazing and added such a personal, unique touch to her session. Total team player.
