Holding Onto the In-Between Years
A Raleigh Senior Photographer’s Heart
When I started the Teen Squad, it wasn’t because I wanted to create another program.
It was because time was moving too fast.
As parents, we feel it.
One minute they’re little.
And the next, we’re talking about senior year, last firsts, and what comes next.
The Teen Squad was created to help us slow it all down.
To hold onto the in-between years.
To capture our teens as they are right now — before this season slips quietly into memory.
Ansley joined the Teen Squad in 9th grade.
She stayed through 10th.
And again through 11th.
Three full years of growth.
Three years of confidence building.
Three years of friendships, laughter, and becoming.
And now… we’ve officially kicked off her senior year.
At our Senior Team meet and greet, Ansley looked at me and said,
“Last first session.”
Those words landed straight in my heart.
Because suddenly, this year feels different.
This is the last full year before everything changes.
The last season of high school.
The last time these moments look the way they do right now.
As a Raleigh senior photographer, I see this story play out over and over again.
These photos aren’t just for today.
They’re for the day your teen is grown.
They’re for the quiet moments when you miss this version of them.
They’re for remembering how fast they changed — and how beautiful that growth was.
This is why NC senior portraits and Teen Squad sessions matter so deeply.
They capture more than smiles.
They capture confidence.
Connection.
And who your teen is becoming in this exact season.
What makes Ansley’s journey even more meaningful is the relationship that has grown with her family over the years.
Her mom shared these words, and they truly mean more than I can express:
“For the last few years Ansley has been a part of Jenn’s Teen Squad, but really Jenn has been a part of our family for years. Not only has Ansley had the opportunity to gain a lot of confidence and friendships from the Teen Squad, but our family has gained another family member in Jenn. She has taken our family pictures since Ansley was a little girl. We have shared funny moments, laughs, and so much joy with Jenn. She goes above and beyond to capture the perfect moments with all of us. To try to put into words how much we love Jenn McKinney Photography would mean I would be here all day. She has become family, now and forever. We are extremely grateful!”
This is why I do what I do as a North Carolina senior photographer.
Because these years matter.
Because confidence matters.
Because time doesn’t slow down — but photos help us hold onto it.
Ansley, getting to walk alongside you from early high school into your senior year has been such a gift.
Your story is exactly why the Teen Squad exists.
✨ Now booking the 2027 Teen Squad
If you’re a parent of a 9th–11th grader and feel your own version of time speeding up, I would love to help you capture these years before they’re gone.
Spots are limited, and this season fills quickly.
