A Sandestin Senior Session for a South Walton Local

Getting to capture the moments and milestones of the people in our community is such a blessing. I love what I do, and when I’m selected by one of our locals, it is truly an honor beyond the definition of mere words. Jake is one of our very own South Walton locals, a Senior graduating in 2023, and as a Destin senior photographer, I was so grateful to document this chapter for him along the Emerald Coast.

Capturing Jake’s Passions: Tennis, the Marina & the Beach

This southern gentleman is originally from Louisiana (like me!) and he loves fishing, the beach, and tennis. Naturally, we needed to incorporate all of that into his senior session. We started out in a sunlit brick courtyard in the heart of the coastal village – leaning portraits against the warm brick walls, smiling shots along garden walkways lined with hedges, and a few quiet moments by the tiered fountain. Jake wore a light blue button-up for this first part of the session, and the soft afternoon light wrapped around him beautifully.

Marina Portraits at Baytowne Wharf

From there, we made our way down to the marina at Baytowne Wharf, surrounded by tall masts, dock lamps, and rows of luxury yachts. Jake changed into a relaxed Hawaiian print shirt for this part of the session – it was such a fitting nod to his love of the water. We captured standing portraits beneath the dock lamps, casual seated shots at the edge of the pier by the wooden pilings, and a few black-and-whites that turned out timeless.

Tennis Court Action Shots

Since tennis is such a big part of Jake’s world, we headed to the courts for a set of athletic portraits. He pulled on a green athletic shirt, picked up his racket, and showed off everything from a powerful mid-serve action shot (ball in flight) to quieter moments seated cross-legged at the net post with the racket and balls beside him. A black-and-white frame of him balancing a tennis ball on the strings turned into one of my favorites of the day.

Sunset on the Sandestin Beach

We ended the session at the beach for another wonderful Emerald Coast sunset. Jake switched into a crisp white button-up for sand-and-surf portraits, and he also grabbed a casual olive tee for a few golden-hour frames near the dunes, sea oats, and a stack of yellow Ocean Kayaks. From barefoot shots at the shoreline to seated portraits in the soft sand as the sky glowed pastel behind him, this stretch of the session was pure Sandestin magic.

A Few Frames with Mom

And of course, we had to get his stunning momma in on a few images. Something about moms and their baby boys – even when they aren’t so much babies anymore. Thank you for letting me share their moment with you. I hope it blesses you as much as it did me.

All the best to you in 2023, Jake.

Book Your Destin Senior Session

If you have a senior in the Class of 2026 (or beyond!) and you’re looking for a Destin senior photographer who can capture their personality, their passions, and the places that mean the most to them, I would love to hear from you. From Sandestin and Miramar Beach to 30A, Santa Rosa Beach, Seaside, and Rosemary Beach, the Emerald Coast is one of the most stunning backdrops in the country for senior portraits. Reach out here and let’s start planning a session your senior will treasure for years to come.

High school senior boy in a light blue button-up leaning casually against a sunlit brick wall with arms crossed
Senior boy standing with hands tucked near a sunlit brick wall in a coastal village
Senior boy with arms crossed in a confident stance against a brick wall
Senior boy leaning against a brick column with a soft smile in a coastal village courtyard
Black and white portrait of a senior boy leaning against a brick wall with arms crossed
Black and white close portrait of a senior boy at the brick wall
Senior boy posed at the edge of a sunlit brick wall
Senior boy standing beside a wooden bench in a brick courtyard with a splashing tiered fountain
Senior boy with arms crossed standing at the edge of a brick courtyard with garden hedges
Senior boy seated on a low brick ledge surrounded by garden flowers
Senior boy in a casual seated pose on a brick walkway lined with hedges
Senior boy smiling broadly while walking along a green garden path
Senior boy seated against a slender palm tree on a sunlit brick walkway with a clay planter beside him
Black and white photo of a senior boy along a brick garden walkway lined with hedges
Senior boy standing centered in a brick alley between two coastal village buildings, arms crossed
Senior boy in a close-range standing portrait in a brick alley with palm fronds nearby
Senior boy in a Hawaiian print shirt standing under a tall dock lamp at the marina with luxury yachts behind
Senior boy in a Hawaiian shirt posed beside a dock lamp by a moored yacht
Senior boy in a Hawaiian shirt leaning against a dockside utility box with a yacht behind him
Senior boy in a Hawaiian shirt standing on a marina dock with masts and rigging behind
Senior boy in a Hawaiian shirt in a confident standing portrait on the marina walkway with yachts behind
Senior boy in a Hawaiian shirt seated at the edge of a dock by a wooden piling, with yachts behind
Senior boy in a Hawaiian shirt seated on the dock in a relaxed pose
Black and white marina portrait of a senior boy beside a chalkboard sign on a wooden walkway
Senior boy seated on a wooden marina bench with yacht rigging visible behind him
Senior boy in a green athletic shirt standing on a tennis court holding his racket
Senior boy in green athletic shirt in profile at the tennis net holding racket and ball
Senior boy mid-serve on a tennis court with racket overhead and ball in flight
Senior boy standing court-side with racket in hand by the chain-link tennis court fence
Black and white photo of a senior boy with a tennis racket held in front, balancing a tennis ball
Senior boy seated cross-legged at the tennis net post with racket and balls beside him
Senior boy seated in soft sand beside a stack of yellow Ocean Kayaks
Senior boy resting in the dunes near sea oats and a wooden walkover
Senior boy in olive tee standing in soft sand near beach kayaks at golden hour
Senior boy seated in the sand looking out toward the ocean at sunset
Senior boy seated in the sand smiling at the camera as the sky glows behind
Senior boy standing barefoot at the shoreline in a white button-up at sunset
Senior boy walking along the surf line in a white button-up at sunset
Senior boy standing on the beach in a white button-up under a pastel sunset sky
Senior boy walking toward the surf at the edge of the Gulf in a white button-up at sunset

About the Author: 30A Photographer Santa Rosa Beach & Destin

Hi, I'm Amanda Eubank — a premier Emerald Coast photographer specializing in family, senior, engagement, maternity & newborn portraits along Florida's most iconic coastline. For more than a decade, I've been capturing the natural beauty and easy magic of Destin, 30A, Santa Rosa Beach, Rosemary Beach, Watersound, Seaside, Watercolor, and the surrounding sugar-white shoreline. Every gallery is tailored to reflect the people in front of the camera — warm, candid, and connection-driven — designed to feel less like a photo shoot and more like a memorable time with your favorite people. Whether you're planning a vacation session or marking a milestone, I'd love to create timeless, emotive images that feel like the trip itself. I'd love to hear from you.

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