That time I photographed a “senior prom” (but not that type of senior)

I’m talking about retirement home seniors!

I’ll start by saying that I’ve always wanted to do something like this. And the opportunity showed up at a time when I needed it most.

I was scrolling through Facebook when I came across a post looking for a DJ to host a prom at a local retirement home. I thought, that’s so sweet. I wonder if they need a photographer. I messaged the original poster and asked if they were looking for one, and she said YES.

The date and time of the prom just so happened to be on the same day I had a radiation appointment. (I had breast cancer removed just the month before.) I also had another doctor’s appointment earlier that day. I think in the past I would’ve skipped something like this under those circumstances, but if there’s one thing cancer has taught me, it’s Carpe Diem.

I was honestly so excited to do this. I knew it would take my mind off everything because photography always does that for me. And since I hadn’t done much of it in a while, this felt like the perfect low-pressure way to warm up and get back into it. No pressure, just fun, especially since I was volunteering. That didn’t mean I wasn’t going to give it my all, though.

Let me just say, they were having a good ol’ time! They even had a Prom King and Queen. There was one from last year, and they crowned a new one this year. Everyone was dressed up, smiling, dancing. The event coordinator even made aprons painted to look like dresses and tuxedos for the prom-goers to wear over their clothes. You could tell how much it meant to them to be seen, celebrated, and just have fun.

Saying yes to this opportunity turned out to be a gift I didn’t even know I needed. The smiles, the stories, the sense of community—it all reminded me why I fell in love with photography in the first place. Not just to capture moments, but to truly feel them.