A change of plans to the perfect photoshoot!
february 24th, 2025
Yesterday’s photoshoot was a whirlwind, but honestly? It turned out even better than expected!
James and Liv, longtime clients (and now friends), had booked their session at a local distillery, and we were all beyond excited. We’d locked in the location a month in advance, and I arrived 30 minutes early—ready to introduce myself, check the lighting, and get everything set up. But when I pulled into the parking lot… it was empty. Like, eerily empty.
No big deal, I thought. The place wasn’t open to the public yet, but we had been promised exclusive access at 1 PM. Surely, someone would be inside, waiting to greet us. I walked up to the door, tried to enter—locked. Knocked—nothing. Called—voicemail. I waited. Called again. Still nothing.
By the time James and Liv arrived, it was clear: we weren’t shooting here today. I explained the situation, and we brainstormed our options. We decided to wait until 1 PM just in case… but then 1 PM rolled around. Still locked. 1:20 PM. Still locked. So, we pivoted. We started calling around to see if any local venues could take us in super last minute.
And by the grace of God, we found Barrel 239 in Winter Haven—our unexpected hero of the day!
The moment we called, they welcomed us with open arms. When we arrived, the bartender was so kind, introducing herself right away and asking how she could help. She even offered to make mocktails as props for the shoot!
Side note: There was a sweet bystander at the bar who overheard our conversation and told us that if we needed real drinks as props, he’d happily take care of them for us. (What a legend.) Then, as we were wrapping up, the bartender let us know that he had actually covered our tab! The kindness of strangers never fails to amaze me.
As for the shoot itself? Absolute magic. I used my Sony A7Sii with my 85mm 1.8 and 24-70mm 4.0 lenses, plus an external flash—though thanks to the gorgeous natural light from the venue’s big front windows, I barely needed it.
James and Liv didn’t have a strict vision in mind and told me they trusted my expertise—which, honestly, is the best compliment a photographer can get! We played around with different looks, and the final images captured their love and joy so beautifully. There’s even a little bit of a Yellowstone vibe in some of them!
So while the day didn’t go as planned, I truly believe it turned out exactly as it was meant to. Huge thank you to Barrel 239 for saving the day and to everyone who played a part in making this shoot so special!
location: Barrel 239
MUA: Sam Ulmschneider
Lashes: Glam By Isenia
