Florina

When Florina reached out about graduation photos, I assumed it would be like most graduation sessions, celebrating a degree and capturing a few memories in a cap and gown. It wasn’t until we started talking that I learned the story behind why these photos meant so much to her.

Florina recently earned her Master’s degree in Human Resources Management, all while serving in the U.S. Army and raising four kids. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, she actually graduated while she was deployed overseas. She was originally stationed in Kuwait, but when tensions escalated with the start of the Iran war, her team was relocated to Jordan for their safety. Because her deployment lasted longer than expected, she missed the opportunity to come home and walk across the stage with her graduating class.

Anyone who knows me knows I’m always looking for a reason to celebrate life’s big moments, and this one deserved to be celebrated. Since she didn’t get the graduation ceremony she’d worked so hard for, we decided to create one of our own with a graduation session at the Colorado State Capitol.

It was one of those classic Colorado summer days where the heat had all of us questioning our life choices, but Florina absolutely powered through it. She brought her cap and gown, and for part of the session wore the most gorgeous flower crown that added such a fun, elegant touch to her photos. Between the Capitol architecture and all of the excitement she brought to the session, everything came together so beautifully.

One of my favorite things about photographing people is hearing the stories that led them to where they are today. Looking at these photos, you see someone smiling and celebrating a graduation. But behind every image is a woman who balanced military service, motherhood, graduate school, and an overseas deployment, all while continuing to push toward her goals.

Florina, thank you for trusting me with such an important milestone. It was an honor to help celebrate an accomplishment that deserved every bit of recognition. Congratulations again on earning your Master’s degree! I hope these photos always remind you not only of what you achieved, but of everything it took to get there.