Poppy's Nick Drake-Inspired Senior Session at Churchill Valley Greenway

Poppy’s fall senior photo session was a perfect example of what creative high school senior photography in Pittsburgh can look like when collaboration leads the way. She is graduating in 2026, and from the start, this session was designed to feel personal, artistic, and true to who she is rather than following a traditional senior photo formula. Her mom reached out to me as a referral, and once Poppy shared her inspiration and interests, we began shaping a session that felt more like a creative project than a standard photoshoot.

a high school senior wearing a black turtlneck sits holding a guitar in front of an outdoor studio at churchill valley greenway

alternative high school senior plays an acoustic guitar in front of an outdoor studio at churchill valley greenway

Music is at the center of Poppy’s world. She plays guitar, is in a band, works in tech theater, and regularly goes to concerts and local shows. When asked what she loves most about herself, she shared that it is her relationship with music, and that answer became the emotional foundation of her senior portraits. Her dream session was inspired by Nick Drake, particularly his album covers and nature-focused imagery, including a specific photo of him holding mushrooms that she wanted to pay homage to. We also took our best attempt at recreating the Bryter Layter album image by Nigel Waymout, too.

high school senior recreates iconic nick drake image and holds little flowers in her hand instead of mushrooms

alternative high school senior sits on a set of stairs in the middle of a field in fall at churchill valley greenway. the image is warped because it was photographed on a wide angle lens

high school senior with alternative style stands on steps at churchill valley greenway and looks over at some goldenrod. There is a big moody tree in the background and it is autumn in pittsburgh

a photo collage showing the progression of a re creation of nick drake's bryter layter album cover — *The key to nailing down this re-creation was making sure the lighting was perfect at our outdoor studio! The rest was accomplished afterwards in photoshop with much help from the clone tool!*

We set up an outdoor studio at Churchill Valley Greenway that allowed us to work intentionally with light, space, and atmosphere. The fall colors and muted tones of the landscape worked perfectly with what Poppy was aiming for and gave us the flexibility to recreate the Nick Drake inspired images in a way that felt organic and authentic rather than staged. The quiet textures of the environment paired beautifully with her alternative personal style, which leans toward earth tones, with influences from 80s and 90s goth, new wave music, and classic band photoshoots.

alternative high school seniors sits on the ground and leans on a chair in front of a studio backdrop in a field at churchill valley greenway in pittsburgh

high school senior stands in front of an outdoor studio and rests her guitar on a chair at churchill valley greenway in pittsburgh

This fall senior photo session blended creative portraiture with a calm, thoughtful approach, resulting in unique senior pictures that feel expressive and honest. This is the type of experience I love offering to creative high school seniors in Pittsburgh who want their photos to reflect who they actually are. I am currently booking Class of 2027 senior sessions and would love to collaborate with seniors who value artistry, music, and individuality in their senior portraits!