40th Birthday Photo Shoot – Milwaukee – Sarah in Studio

A 40th birthday portrait session can be whatever you want it to be.

When Sarah came back to my Milwaukee studio to celebrate turning 40, we created a portrait session that felt completely like her: glamorous, playful, a little dramatic, and full of personality.

This was our fourth time working together, which made the session especially fun. We built several distinct looks around different sides of her style, from black tulle and menswear-inspired pieces to rich jewel tones, lace, leather and a little old-Hollywood drama.

If you’re considering marking your own milestone this way, you can explore my Milwaukee Birthday Photoshoot experience here.

SARAH ON TURNING 40 IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA

“I just turned 40, and I thought it was the perfect moment to capture some amazing photos!

I cherish the few pictures I have of my Grandmother, who would always hide from the camera with a “Please, no pictures.” That thought really stuck with me, and now I want to make sure there are plenty of pictures of me in the world for me and my loved ones.

It’s also important to me that women embrace themselves at all ages and stages of life.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jennifer multiple times, and she actually photographed my wedding twelve years ago! This was our fourth shoot together, so I was already comfortable with her, but she put me immediately at ease from the start of our first session.

I often hear people say they couldn’t possibly do a photoshoot or wouldn’t know how to pose, but I always respond, “Not with Jennifer!” She has this incredible ability to connect with everyone, making the entire experience relaxed and enjoyable. Her ability to create a fun and inviting atmosphere is incredible, and she makes sure you know exactly what to do.

I was beyond excited to see the final photos and absolutely blown away by how they turned out! The entire process was wonderful, each moment filled with joy and special memories. Plus, Katrina was great and worked her magic on my hair and makeup—I couldn’t have been happier with how it turned out! This whole experience has been such a blast!” ~Sarah

A BIRTHDAY SESSION WITH PLENTY OF RANGE

Sarah’s session is a perfect example of how much variety we can create in a single portrait experience. We moved from dramatic black tulle and lingerie-inspired looks to tailored suiting, jewel-toned gowns, playful styling and portraits with a little more edge.

There wasn’t a single “birthday theme” running through the photographs. Turning 40 was the occasion. The session itself was built around Sarah.

CELEBRATING A MILESTONE OF YOUR OWN?

Birthday portrait sessions can be glamorous, playful, understated, editorial, celebratory, or a little of everything. If you’re thinking about marking your 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th or another milestone with photographs, you can see the full studio experience, ideas, investment and frequently asked questions on my Birthday Photoshoots in Milwaukee page.