There are senior sessions, and then there are experiences — the kind where everything clicks because it’s genuine and personal to the subject. Katie’s session was the latter, and I loved it. Katie lives just outside of Washington, D.C., but she flew all the way to Boston for her senior portraits in Concord, MA. Katie had a clear vision for her senior portraits: a New England session inspired by her favorite book and movie, Little Women. Not a costumed themed shoot — just a session that drew its atmosphere from a story she’s loved for years. She knew exactly what she wanted, and honestly, it was a great idea!
Orchard House | Louisa May Alcott’s Home in Concord, MA
We started where Little Women itself started — at Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House in Concord, the actual home where Alcott wrote the novel. We took a tour of the house first (genuinely worth it if you haven’t been), then stepped outside for a few quick portraits around the property.
Katie even picked up a very special edition of the book in the Museum Shop, and we decided to incorporate that into the session as well.
The Old Manse & Minuteman National Park | Concord, MA
From Orchard House we headed to The Old Manse and the grounds of Minuteman National Historical Park, just a short drive away. The landscape there is beautiful — wildflower meadows, mowed paths through tall grass, old wooden structures, and a wooden footbridge tucked into the trees.
Katie changed into a white midi dress here and carried her hardcover edition of Little Women. She walked the meadow paths, sat on the stone steps in the garden, and leaned in the doorway of a weathered building. The white dress against all that green worked really well, and the portraits from the meadow are some of my favorites.
Gibbet Hill, Groton
The next day — yes this was a two day endeavor and I loved it! — took us to a farm field in Groton, Massachusetts — the location where the heartbreaking scene between Timothée Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan was filmed in Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation. Rolling hills, a misty horizon, a church steeple in the distance, cattle grazing along the fence. It’s a beautiful piece of New England and you can absolutely see why the film crew chose it.
Your Senior Session Should Be About You
A lot of seniors end up in the same handful of locations with similar outfits, and the photos are lovely — but they don’t tell you much about who that person is. Katie’s session tells you she’s a reader who loves this story enough to fly to Boston and stand in the places that made it real. That’s worth capturing.
If your senior has a favorite book, a sport, a place, a passion — lets’s chat about it. I’d love to build a session around what actually matters to them, rather than what everyone else is doing. 
Class of 2027 — I’d love to work with you, and together we will come up with a plan for your session that reflects who you are. The best way to reach me is through the contact page on my website or by emailing me directly at cristen@cristenfarrell.com.
Cristen Farrell is a North Andover and Andover MA Senior Portrait Photographer serving families north and west of Boston, including Andover, North Andover, Boxford, Tewksbury, Methuen, Haverhill, Chelmsford, and Southern NH. She offers a variety of Senior Session packages, but a Custom Session is the way to go for the most personalized experience and greatest variety of photos. Cristen will capture you in a natural and authentic style, and you will have fun along the way! If you are looking for a North Shore Senior Photographer, a Merrimack Valley Senior Photographer, or a Boston Area Senior Photographer, reach out to Cristen by visiting the contact form at cristenfarrell.com/contact or emailing cristen@cristenfarrell.com. Don’t forget to follow Cristen Farrell Photography on Instagram @cristenfarrellphotography!
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