Nalivia wanted a dreamy birthday photoshoot for her big 17! She knew she wanted to keep it in studio instead of shooting outside, and honestly that gave us the chance to build something a lot more intentional.

What I loved about this one is that her ideas already had so much personality in them. She brought her baby chicks, which are actually her pets, and that instantly made the shoot feel more dope. She also brought a Canon AE-1 film camera as a prop and a wooden stool, which both fit the vibe so well and gave us even more to work with.

On my end, I handled the set pieces that helped tie everything together. The morning of the shoot, I went out and picked up the florals, moss, and the extra details we needed to shape the set. I already had the large gold frame in studio, so once everything was in place, it was really about styling it all in a way that felt soft, playful, and polished on camera.

That’s probably my favorite part of a shoot like this. Taking a client’s idea, adding my eye to it, and figuring out how to turn a bunch of separate elements into something that actually feels finished. The florals gave us that softness. The moss and frame helped create that dreamy little world in studio. And her props made sure the shoot still felt like her instead of just a pretty setup.

The baby chicks were such a big part of the concept and I’m so glad she trusted that idea. They made the images feel sweet, unexpected, and a little whimsical in the best way. The Canon AE-1 added that extra bit of character too. I love when props don’t just fill space, but actually help tell the story of the shoot.

This gallery feels playful, dreamy, and a little surreal, which is exactly why I love it so much. It has that birthday magic to it, but it still feels clean and elevated. That balance is always what I’m after. I want the photos to feel creative, but still refined. Fun, but still thoughtful.

Nalivia, happy birthday again. Thank you for trusting me to help bring your ideas to life ! This was such a good one.

And if you want to see a little more of how it all came together, I also shared some behind the scenes from this shoot on TikTok, which I’ll link here too.

If you’ve been thinking about doing a dreamy birthday photoshoot, let this be your sign that studio photos can be just as imaginative as anything outdoors when the vision is right. Hit me up, let’s chat!