“Uncommunicated expectations are premeditated resentments.” —Neil Strauss
For the month of September, I’m happy to share with you one of my favorite people, Sephera. She and my daughter have been best friends for years, and I’ve grown to think of her as my second daughter. It’s been an absolute joy watching her grow into such a kind and strong young woman. She’s easygoing, adventurous, funny, and always up for deep conversations. I’m so grateful she’s in our lives.
Sephera’s currently attending American River College majoring in interior design, working toward getting her realtor license and runs her own small business. She’s hardworking, creative, and will smash any goal she sets.
I’ve been lucky to photograph Sephera many times, and she’s such a natural at posing and taking direction. It’s honestly so much fun to work with her. For this photoshoot, we drove to the small, historic gold-mining town of Sheep Ranch, California. We were aiming for that timeless retro Americana look, reminiscent of a rural 1950s pin-up girl. A friend (thank you, Jason) suggested this place, and it fit the vibe we wanted perfectly.
My daughter was also part of this shoot (see one of their photos together at the end) and we had so much fun playing together. I’ve decided my favorite kind of shoots are these, where we get to be silly and tell a story. I hope you like the photos, and please take a minute to give Sephera some love in the comments.
*One small note: that’s a BB gun in the photos (same one we used for the Last of Us photos).
What makes you proud?
I feel the most proud when I’ve set a goal for myself and I see the benefits from completing that goal.
What makes you feel brave?
Knowing that I have people I can reply on gives me courage and helps me feel brave.
What gives you hope?
Seeing other women still excel in a world that was made difficult for us to live in gives me the most hope.
Bonus photos, just for fun:
These were taken with my Olympus E-M1 MarkII, using several different lenses and edited with Lightroom Classic. Let me know what you think, and check out the others in this series if you missed them.
What a beautiful tribute to Sephera! ❤️ It’s clear that she is much more than a family friend—she has truly become a part of your family.
Your words beautifully capture not only her warmth, creativity, and determination, but also the special bond you share with her and your daughter. The photoshoot in Sheep Ranch sounds like such a fun and memorable adventure, especially with that nostalgic 1950s Americana theme.
Thank you!!! You got it right! Sephera is amazing and it was so much fun to do these photos in this 1950s style. I’ve got some more ideas coming up that I’m thrilled about, so stay tuned!
These photographs give me the delicious feeling of having wandered into a deserted cowboy town and found someone still inhabiting it! The old sheep ranch is a marvellous setting—the peeling paint, weather-beaten timber, ancient Coca-Cola signs and petrol pump all seem to belong to another America. And Sephera is such a natural model: poised and confident, with a magnetic feminine grace that plays beautifully against all that decay and abandonment.
I particularly love #3. That low, warm light falling across her face and catching the edges of her hair is gorgeous. The deep shadow above and behind her makes the illuminated face seem almost to emerge from the darkness, while that patch of blue sky gives the composition just enough breathing room. Several of the later photographs make lovely use of the same golden light, reminding me of some old Western reinvented as a fashion shoot. The Coke bottle, vintage signs and even the BB gun become little pieces of visual storytelling. A wonderfully atmospheric and priceless series, Bridgette.
To Sephera: What a presence you have before the camera! You don’t merely pose, you inhabit every frame.
And I loved the bonus photographs too. They make the old ranch a character in its own right—the weathered gas pump and Chevron signs, those beautiful peeling blue doors, and the surrounding hills glowing in the evening light. The final photograph, shooting straight into the sinking sun with all that flare spilling across the old porch, seems a wonderfully atmospheric way to close the series: almost as though the sun were setting on this little surviving fragment of another America. It’s something I have always dreamt of shooting but never really could. Your series has given me a strangely cathartic satisfaction!
Your comment has made my day!!! Thank you. You see all the elements that went into making these shots work, the props, the light, the location and my stunning model. It was truly a dreamy shoot. We even had a moment when a stray dog wandered into the shot (didn’t use any of those here), and it felt like a perfect addition to the story. I love photography like this so much and it’s so nice when someone appreciates it the way you did here. Thank you!!!!
I’d have been remiss not to appreciate the project for what it is! You had clearly taken pains over the whole shoot. You found an amazing model and such a wonderfully evocative location, chose the right time and light, and then painstakingly framed and exposed each shot, deciding what to include and what to leave out. All that thought and effort has paid off beautifully.
You have no idea how much I appreciate you saying that! Thank you!!!
Very beautiful photos Bridgette! 🌹☺️❤️
Thanks! They were so fun.
She’s a natural, that classic pinup quality, more than half of which has always been attitude and poise.
Thanks for sharing these. 🙂
Agreed! She’s a natural for sure. Glad you like these.
Wonderfully done
Thank you!
Stunning photographs of a stunning lady.
I just love those photos. Sephera reminds me instantly of Doris Day playing Calamity Jane. You can imagine the cowboys in the bar whooping as she belts out ‘Windy City’. Great backdrop, well done both of you.
Aww! She does look like Doris Day! I’m so lucky to have such a beautiful model willing to work with me. And I totally see it! I’ll pass that onto her. Thank you!
You’ve photographed her beautifully, and made her appear to have no cares (stressful ones) in this world. Number 10 speaks volumes! That’s an incredible shot!
Aww! Thank you. It was such a fun experience and we are planning a halloween shoot in the next few weeks that I’m excited about. I’m so lucky to have her as my model.