Behind The Scenes

Welcome to our blog page, where we’ll be bringing you into the world of Storybook Studios. We are artists, image creators, magicians if you will…but most importantly - we create personalized artwork. We pride ourselves on the art-work we craft, to find out more keep following our blog.

Graduate in a red cap and gown, wearing a black mask, with a gray background.

Mar
30
2026

What to Do If Your Teen Hates Having Their Picture Taken

What to Do If Your Teen Hates Having Their Picture Taken (A Guide for Chesapeake Area Parents Who Don’t Want to Force It) There’s a moment that happens more often than you’d think.A mom reaches out about senior ...

Young woman in floral dress sitting on a stone bench in a garden.

Mar
23
2026

The Moment Moms Don’t Expect During Senior Pictures

The Moment Moms Don’t Expect During Senior PicturesIt’s not the smile. It’s not the outfit. It’s not even the final photo.When most moms book senior pictures, they’re thinking about the milestone. 🎓The yearbook photo. ...

Woman in a flowing red dress jumping joyfully on a beach at sunset.

Mar
9
2026

When Should Seniors Take Their Senior Pictures? (A Guide for Class of 2027 Families)

When Should Seniors Take Their Senior Pictures? A Guide for Class of 2027 FamiliesSenior year feels far away… until suddenly it isn’t.For many Chesapeake families, the biggest surprise about senior portraits is how early they ...

A young woman in a pink and white dress stands in front of greenery. News banner mentions Fairfax Co. schools and deepfakes.

Mar
5
2026

The Dangerous Rise of AI Deepfakes Targeting Teen Girls

The Dangerous Rise of AI Deepfakes Targeting Teen GirlsRecently, I was contacted by Aimee Cho from NBC4 Washington regarding a growing and deeply concerning issue affecting teenagers online: AI-generated deepfakes.You can read the news story ...

Woman in an elegant black gown stands in an ornate room with red walls and decorative curtains.

Mar
2
2026

The Difference Between Basic Senior Pictures and a Custom Senior Portrait Experience

The Difference Between Basic Senior Pictures and a Custom Senior Portrait ExperienceWhen most people think of senior pictures, they imagine a quick session, a few poses, and a gallery delivered a couple weeks later.And while there’s nothing ...

Mar
2
2026

'Take a Peake' Job Shadowing Day

Take a Peake Job Shadow Day at Storybook Studios Such a fun experience hosting seniors from Chesapeake Public Schools 'Take a Peake' job shadowing day! They were all genuinely interested and asked great questions. we discussed creating art for ...

Woman in a blue dress standing by a brick wall with bare vines.

Feb
24
2026

Senior Photos for the Girl Who Doesn’t Feel Confident (Yet) 🤍✨

Senior Photos for the Girl Who Doesn’t Feel Confident (Yet) 🤍✨Not every senior walks into a photoshoot feeling bold.Not every girl loves being in front of a camera.And not every senior sees herself the way everyone else does.If your daughter ...

Woman with long red hair smiling, wearing a black shirt in an indoor setting.

Feb
16
2026

Casey 2.0: Creating From a Place of Strength, Not Survival

For years, I’ve photographed women stepping into their strength through our women's empowerment portraits and over-40 photography sessions in Chesapeake, Virginia. What many people didn’t know is that behind the camera, I was living ...

Feb
14
2026

The 40 Women Over 40 Project

A Portrait Project Celebrating Strength, Reinvention & Real BeautyThere’s a moment that happens for so many women.The kids are older.The career has shifted.The marriage changed — or ended.The body feels different.The mirror feels ...

Feb
11
2026

What Happens Before the Shutter Clicks ✨

What Happens Before the Shutter Clicks ✨The part of the portrait session most people never see.When someone tells me,“I’m not comfortable in front of a camera,”I smile. 💛Because that’s actually who these sessions are ...

Person in a flowing blue costume stands on a field with a bright sun overhead. Stadium lights are visible in the background.

Feb
2
2026

We need the WEIRD, the ODDBALLS and the RULE BENDERS

We Need the Weird, the Oddballs, and the Rule Benders(Not Another Beige Follower)Somewhere along the way, “fitting in” started to sound like the goal.Be agreeable.Be quiet when needed.Don’t rock the boat.Don’t stand out too ...

Jan
29
2026

Teen Mental Health, Confidence, Belonging, and the Silent Weight of Bullying

How confidence, connection, and belonging play a critical role in teen well-beingTeen mental health is something many families worry about—but often don’t know how to talk about.When we hear about teen suicide, it can feel shocking, ...

Jan
26
2026

Why Do Some Girls Turn Mean in Middle School

Why Middle School Is Such a Hard Time for Girls and FriendshipsShort answer: it’s not because girls suddenly become mean — it’s because middle school is where insecurity, identity, and social power all collide at once.Here’s ...

Jan
21
2026

Friendship Shifts in Middle School

Middle school has a way of changing friendships — sometimes slowly, sometimes almost overnight. 💔➡️💜One day your daughter has a close-knit group she feels secure in. The next, dynamics shift. Inside jokes change. Lunch tables rearrange. A ...

A girl sitting inside an old window with black ballet shoes

Jan
13
2026

🌱 When Confidence Drops in Middle School: A Guide for Chesapeake & Virginia Beach Moms

Middle school has a way of changing things — sometimes almost overnight. 💔➡️💜Girls who once laughed easily may grow quieter. A child who loved being in photos suddenly avoids the camera. Confidence that once seemed natural can begin to fade, ...

Jan
12
2026

13 News Now Feature on the Fearless Spirit Project

Back in 2019, Channel 13 News reached out to feature the Fearless Spirit Project. After getting approval from the parents, they joined us at one of our photoshoots. The reporter and cameraman were incredibly kind—they kept saying how ...

Jan
11
2026

The Very First Fearless Spirit Model Crew Session

The video below takes you behind the scenes of the very first Fearless Spirit Model Crew session. 🎥✨When some of these girls arrived, they were so shy they could barely speak to me. For a few, even making eye contact felt hard. 💔 That ...

Jan
6
2026

Behind the Scenes with the Fearless Spirit Model Crew ✨

If you’ve ever wondered what really happens during a Fearless Spirit Model Crew shoot… this is your peek behind the curtain.Yes—there are beautiful photos. But the magic? It lives in the moments between the ...

Person in black outfit lying on blue surface surrounded by yellow and blue flowers, hair fanned out.

Jan
3
2026

The Drone Session

For this Fearless Spirit Model Crew session, I tried something completely new—I photographed the girls using a drone 📸✨We set everything up outside on our studio patio, where the girls laid in different poses surrounded by flowing, colorful ...