BY JADE MADE

SENIOR SESSION WITH CORT


Every time I pull into their drive outside Allerton, Iowa, it feels familiar in a way that goes deeper than years. This home place holds the kind of history you don’t stage. Working cattle. Raising horses. Long days that start early and end dusty. It’s the quiet space in between rodeos, hauling, and showing. The place that keeps you grounded while everything else keeps you sharp. Cort’s senior session wasn’t about props or poses. It was about letting him move through the spaces that shaped him. We jumped around the home place, letting the land and the light do what they do best. There’s a steadiness here. A rhythm. You can feel how growing up in a place like this builds responsibility early and character even earlier.


This family is truly some of my OGs when it comes to my passion for photography and storytelling. They were there before things looked polished. Before brands, before labels. Back when it was just a camera, curiosity, and a love for capturing real life as it happened. Getting to grow alongside families like this, watching kids turn into young adults, is one of the greatest gifts of this work. Cort, best of luck to you as you step into what’s next. Your faith and determination are exactly what it takes in this wild world. If this home place has taught you anything, it’s how to work hard, stay humble, and keep showing up even when the dust hasn’t settled yet.

These are the stories I’ll always say yes to. The ones rooted in land, legacy, and becoming.


A series of outdoor fall engagement photos showing a couple walking and embracing on a path surrounded by autumn trees.
A series of small thumbnail images showing horses and riders in outdoor settings during autumn.
A rustic collage of autumn barn scenes with fall foliage and wooden structures in warm earthy tones.
A scenic autumn forest path with golden yellow leaves and tall trees creating a natural tunnel effect.
A collection of black and white and sepia toned photographs arranged in a horizontal filmstrip layout.
Four rustic outdoor scenes showing people enjoying rural activities in autumn and winter settings.
A series of autumn-themed photographs arranged in a horizontal strip showing outdoor scenes and architecture.
Horse and rider practice jumping techniques in an outdoor arena with multiple obstacles.
A series of small thumbnail images showing horses and riders performing in an equestrian arena at night.
A series of outdoor lifestyle images showing horses and riders in autumn fields during golden hour lighting.