Senior Portraits in Blowing Rock with Haley & Her Horses

This senior portrait session is magical. It’s the stuff photography dreams are made of. Blowing Rock is beautiful. The horses are amazing. And, that warm summer glow is on full display leaking light into my camera. But the most magical force in this session belongs to Charlotte Latin Senior Haley B. She is a horse whisperer. Haley is the reigning National USEF/USHJA Riding Champion in both Hunters and Jumpers. She is also a scholar and she’s going to the University of Virginia in the fall.

Meet my friend Haley B. Her connection to her horses shines through in these images. Photographing them brought me pure joy, as did exploring downtown Blowing Rock with Haley and her sister Hannah. I took Hannah’s senior portraits last year and loved spending this perfect summer morning with this rockstar duo.

Haley is a senior at Charlotte Latin School in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is a member of Latin’s Cum Laude Society and is on the Headmaster’s List for the fourth consecutive year. Her graduation is set for May 2021, followed by a summer of equestrian competitions before packing up for Charlottesville. To say that this has been a tough year for seniors is an understatement, but Haley found some silver linings. Because of Covid-19 restrictions and online learning, Haley was able to spend more time with her horses without sacrificing missed school work.

It turns out that horses aren’t the only animals in Haley’s life. She and several school friends created hilarious social media accounts this year to profile the aggressive squirrels on Latin’s campus. This favorite memory along with her art classes provided much needed creative outlets amidst the school’s competitive academic rigor.

UVA School of Architecture

In the fall, Haley will attend the University of Virginia (UVA). She plans to get a Bachelors of Science in Architecture followed by a two-year Masters program. UVA is one of the only “4+2” architecture programs with automatic entry into the masters work for students who do well in undergraduate. Architecture combines Haley’s love of art/design with her mathematical and engineering abilities. She hopes to design affordable housing and environmentally sustainable structures to benefit urban low income populations.  

I’m so proud to know you Haley. There are very few architecture programs in the United States and all are incredibly difficult to get into. This is such a huge accomplishment. I know the college admissions process is crazy this year, but you continue to shine through it all. I hope you are so proud of this and ALL of your equestrian wins this year too. I’ll be anxiously awaiting to hear if you join the club riding team at UVA. Until then, I’ll cherish these pictures we created together. Thank you for sharing your light and your loves with me.  

Enjoy a few favorites of these gorgeous senior portraits with horses!

Portraits in Downtown Blowing Rock, North Carolina

Portraits with Horses at Blowing Rock Equestrian Preserve

Thank you Haley and Hannah for spending this gorgeous summer morning in Blowing Rock with me. Thank you for introducing me to the Blowing Rock Equestrian Preserve and your beautiful horses. Haley always had a vision for photographing her senior portraits with horses. I’m so honored that she allowed me to help bring that vision to life.