Senior & Family Portraits • South-Central Virginia
Portraits made for the wall, not the phone.
Guided senior and family portraits across South-Central Virginia. Planned with you from the first conversation, photographed anywhere from Chatham to Smith Mountain Lake, and finished as artwork your family will keep.
Portraits That Hold Up
Every session is planned with you and guided from start to finish. Outfits, locations, the light, the little details you'd never think to ask about. On the day, you just show up and be yourself. Emily handles the rest.
Senior Portraits
Editorial sessions for guys and girls. A magazine spread, not a yearbook page. You're directed the whole time, so you end up looking like yourself on a really good day.
Family Portraits
Relaxed, guided sessions that photograph your family the way you actually are. The laughter, the leaning in, the in-between moments nobody planned.
“A portrait isn't finished until it's hanging on your wall.”
Recent Work
Recent sessions from across South-Central Virginia. Seniors, families, and the places that make this region worth photographing.
Start With a Conversation
Tell Emily about your senior, your family, and the session you have in mind. She'll read it herself and get back to you within 48 hours, usually with a few questions about timing, style, and locations.
Get in TouchWhat Families Say Afterward
If you are looking for a senior photographer, I absolutely cannot recommend anyone better than Emily. It wasn't just the photographs (which were simply incredible) but what we loved most was the experience. From start to finish Emily gives your senior an experience that truly celebrates their personality, their beauty and their character. We felt so special and as if we were the most important client she ever photographed (which can't possibly be true but nevertheless feels nice). It's a bit of a drive from Roxboro but there is nothing that compares and I would do it again in a heartbeat, it was so worth it! Thank you Emily for starting Abby's senior year with a moment that really celebrated her. We are so grateful!
I started following Emily's work several years ago. I knew from that moment I wanted her to take Brentley's photos. The whole experience was top notch. We absolutely loved the town of Chatham. Every spot Emily picked for the shoot was perfect. Then Emily's family farm was beautiful and that setting gave us the country girl pictures that we envisioned. Thank you so much Emily for making Brentley feel so special. We never felt rushed and the experience overall was the best ever! Thanks again and we will be using EKP again when my baby boy graduates in a few more years!
I've known that I wanted to take my senior pictures with Emily since the 6th grade and I'm so glad that I finally got to. I was really nervous going into the shoot, but after only 5 minutes I felt totally comfortable. The entire experience was even better than I dreamed it would be, and it is definitely a highlight of my senior year. Emily did everything that she could to make sure that my session was perfect and I couldn't be more grateful. I've always heard people rave about their EKP experience and now I can do the same. It was truly amazing.
My oldest daughter had her EKP senior experience last year and we were so pleased that we came back with our youngest daughter this year. Both girls were nervous going into the shoot but Emily made them feel so relaxed and comfortable and with her guidance they looked as if they were experienced models. Emily made the senior experience amazing. After only a few minutes together you feel like you have known her forever. I highly recommend EKP for your photography needs.
Questions, Answered
- What areas does Emily Kathryn Photography serve?
- Emily is based in Gretna, Virginia and photographs across South-Central Virginia: Chatham, Danville, Lynchburg, Smith Mountain Lake, Forest, Altavista, Evington, and the communities around them.
- Do you photograph senior guys as well as girls?
- Yes. Senior sessions are built around the person in front of the camera, whether that means a suit, a letterman jacket, a truck, or a fence line on the family farm. Every session is directed the whole way through, so nobody has to guess what to do with their hands.
- What happens at a session?
- It starts with a planning conversation about locations, outfits, and the feel you want. On session day Emily guides everything: where to stand, how to move, when to relax. Afterward you see the finished gallery and choose what becomes prints, albums, and wall art.
- How far in advance should we book?
- For seniors, spring of junior year is the comfortable window for a summer or fall session, and fall dates go first. Family sessions book a few weeks to a couple of months out depending on the season. Later works too, it just means fewer date choices.
- Do you photograph families too, or just seniors?
- Both. Senior portraits and family sessions are the two halves of the work: editorial senior sessions for the class ahead, and relaxed, directed family sessions where everyone ends up in the frame.
Let's Plan Something Worth Keeping
You don't do this every day. Senior year won't wait, and family seasons move even faster. Tell Emily what you're picturing, and she'll take it from there.
Get in Touch