MENU

Why 25 Is the New Milestone Age for Portrait Photography (Pets Welcome!)

By: Tracy Allard

There’s something quietly powerful about turning 25.

It may not come with a cap and gown or a wedding ring, but 25 has become a meaningful milestone for many women. And here’s why:

  1. You’re starting to feel grounded in who you are. You're not the same person you were at 18 or 21. At 25, you've lived more, learned more, and you're starting to feel confident in your own skin.
  2. It’s a celebration of your own making. Unlike senior portraits or wedding photos, this isn’t about someone else’s timeline. A 25-session is about you choosing to mark this season, just because it matters to you.
  3. You’re building a life worth remembering. Maybe you’ve landed your first big job, started your dream side hustle, moved into your own place, or adopted a furry best friend. These moments deserve more than a selfie.
  4. Your pet is part of your story. For many women, their dog or cat has been there through breakups, promotions, late-night takeout, and early morning walks. Including them in your portraits is part of what makes this moment so real and so special.
  5. You’re at the beginning of your legacy. A 25 session can be the first in a series—marking chapters as they come. One day you’ll look back and see how beautifully you’ve evolved.

So let’s celebrate the chapter you’re in right now.

What Makes 25 a Milestone Year for Portraits

This is the year you might get your first real apartment by yourself or purchase a home, adopt a pet, launch a business, or finally start calling yourself an artist, an entrepreneur, a writer - whatever makes your heart beat a little faster. You deserve to freeze-frame this moment in time before life shifts again, as it always does.

What a 25 Session Looks Like

Every session with me is tailored, but here’s what you can expect from a 25th-year shoot:

  • A pre-session consultation to chat about your vibe and vision
  • Styling guidance so your look matches your personality (and your pet's if they’re joining!)
  • Location ideas that reflect who you are whether that's a city scene, cozy in-home setting, a sun-drenched field, or your favorite local spot
  • Time to breathe and feel comfortable, so we can capture natural, authentic moments
  • Beautiful, high-end products like albums, prints, or wall art so this experience lives beyond your phone

You don’t need a graduation cap, a ring on your finger, or a big announcement to make this session matter.

You just need you.

Including Your Pet in Your 25-Year Portrait Session

If you’re anything like most of my clients, there’s a four-legged best friend who’s been with you through so many of your "firsts."

Maybe it’s your rescue pup who curled up next to you after hard days, your cat who’s the queen of your apartment, or the senior dog you grew up with who still follows you from room to room. Our pets are family, yes, but they’re also living, breathing reminders of this season in your life.

Including them in your 25-year portrait session isn’t just cute (though, yes, it’ll be adorable). It’s meaningful. Because 10, 20, 30 years from now, you won’t just see a younger version of yourself. You’ll remember the full life you had in that moment; fur, laughter, and all.

Lottie (L) and Maggie (R)

Let This Be the First Chapter

What if this became the first in a series? A new tradition of marking life’s chapters on your terms. Portraits at 25. Then maybe at 30. Or 35, with a toddler in tow or a dog with a little gray around the muzzle. That’s the beauty of this kind of session: it can be the beginning of something meaningful.

So if you’re 25 (or close to it), let this be your sign.

Celebrate this season. Mark this chapter. Honor the woman you are now and the life you're building—furry friends and all.

Because even when life isn’t picture-perfect, it’s still worth remembering beautifully.

Tracy Allard of Penny Whistle Photography is a Master of Photography, Photographic Craftsman, and Certified Professional Photographer, holding the M.Photog., Cr.Photog., and CPP degrees from the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), designations held by fewer than 2,000 photographers nationwide and a hallmark of consistency, technical skill, artistry and professionalism. 

Penny Whistle specializes in both on-location and studio photography providing pet, family, and high school senior portraits as well as corporate headshots and commercial photography services in her studio located in historic downtown Carrollton as well as on location in Coppell, Grapevine, Southlake, Flower Mound and surrounding communities in Dallas – Fort Worth, Texas.

Contact Tracy about booking your own 25 session
Previous Post

Related Posts

Brenda and Eve

January 10, 2020

Warning: This Might Make You Hug Your Dog - 5 Ways Pets Make Our Lives Sweeter

May 6, 2025

The Origin of the Rainbow Bridge

August 26, 2022

Dramatic Lighting

January 17, 2020

Archive

Go
Contact Form
CALL US
Contact Form
CALL US
CLOSE
Contact Form
CALL US