A Disney-Loving Girl Steps Into Her Own Story
There are seniors who walk onto a session and instantly remind you why you love this job…and then there’s Sabrina, who’s been reminding me of that since she was in kindergarten. I’ve known her through 12 years of Girl Scouts in Troop 292, watched her come into her own on my very first KVP Creator Team, and honestly? She’s just one of those people you can’t help but adore. Maybe it’s the smile. Maybe it’s the quiet-but-not-quiet energy. Maybe it’s just her magical aura. Whatever it is, it’s unmistakably her.
Because she’s part of the Creator Team, this session was basically her warm-up lap. Add in the fact that she loves Disney Princesses, and it was like photographing someone on their home turf. She slipped into Belle, Snow White, and Jasmine inspired looks like it was nothing. Girls like her? They make the job feel easy.
Her mom asked me to recreate a photo from when Sabrina was little at Disneyland — the one where tiny Sabrina held Snow White’s hand. I took the original image, removed the actress, and replaced her with Senior Sabrina wearing a Snow White-inspired outfit. When I lined them up side by side…oof. My throat tightened.
Because as much as it was Sabrina’s moment, it was hers. And mine too — my own daughter is graduating this year, and these two have grown up in Girl Scouts together. It’s wild how a single photo can hold twelve years in one frame.
It was an adventure finding the perfect “Disney” locations in Phoenix and Sabrina wanted a Disney photoshoot. We started her Belle photos this summer at Bookman’s (because hello…books). Check out that blog here A Tale as Old as Time: Sabrina’s Enchanting Senior Photoshoot – Kim VanOs Photography
For Snow White, I wanted lush greenery, something woodsy, maybe a structure that hinted at a castle. Tiny detail: this is Phoenix. My expectations were ambitious.
The location I originally scouted had a NO TRESPASSING sign — and I’m a lot of things, but “getting arrested for senior photos” is not on my bingo card. So I had to find a different location the week of the shoot.
Cue the magic of downtown Litchfield Park:
-
A green stretch along the outside of the golf course
-
A corner beside the library with tall foresty looking trees
-
And my personal favorite…the front of a dentist’s office that, for reasons still unclear, looked like a storybook set
From there, we raced to the desert by the White Tank Mountains for the rest of her Jasmine-inspired images. Light was dropping fast, but we were determined.
Weather? Gorgeous.
Light? Perfect — until we hit the desert.
We were this close to missing sunset entirely. I pulled out my flash (aka my emergency “don’t panic” button), and those images turned out stunning. Sometimes you just have to trust your instincts and run with it.
There was a shot of her nestled into some bushes, looking off toward the light, and it was such a quiet, cinematic pause. One of those moments that makes you think, Yep. This. This is why I do what I do.
Props for this photoshoot:
Apples with her grad year written on them
I brought:A blanket that looked like a woodland rug
A little fake bird
And those red shoes? They’re iconic at this point. She’s worn them for other shoots, but they sealed Snow White perfectly. They’re bold, classic, and they made her look so grown up.
At one point, I pulled her parents in for a photo. Watching them tear up almost got me too. Almost. (Okay fine, it absolutely did.) Her mom and her are close. Like really close. You can see it in the little glances, the way they talk to each other…there’s a softness there that’s just beautiful to witness.
When I sent them a sneak peek of her photos these are the texts I got back.
“OMG THEYRE SO CUTE!!!” – Sabrina
“I keep looking it (the photo of her as a little girl that I added her teen photo in) them tearing up. LOL!” – Sonya
It was my desire to capture that pure, nostalgic Disney joy — but through the lens of a senior stepping confidently into her own future. I wanted 2025 magic, not 1992 theme park vibes. And yes, we nailed it.
Hey momma – Every senior session is different — and it should be. Let your daughter pull pieces from her childhood and pieces from who she is right now. The mix is where the storytelling happens.
.
Want your own themed inspired senior photoshoot? Plan early.
Themes live and die in the details — the right shoes, the right bow, the right location, the right props. That’s what makes it feel effortless.
There’s always this shift from the first click to the last — from nervous and unsure to relaxed and confident. Watching that transformation is honestly the best part.
Ready to Create Something Magical?
Book now for your Class of 2026 senior session — spots go fast.
