Cate Connery Bury

Photographic Portrait Artist

Request Your Discovery Call

Let Her Feel Celebrated.

Let Yourself Feel the Joy.

Because senior year isn’t just a milestone — it’s a moment of becoming, and you deserve to honor it with intention.

Senior Year: What Matters Most

A short, practical resource to help you stay focused on the moments that truly matter.

Frequently Asked Questions

GETTING STARTED & BOOKING

How long does the portrait experience take?

Most family and relationship experiences take about an hour, guided gently so you never feel rushed. I value your time deeply — my high-achieving, busy families appreciate a calm, efficient experience that still feels intentional and connected. I work professionally and decisively so we can create what we planned without wandering for hours, while still allowing enough time for the portraits that matter most.

Senior portrait experiences are different by design.
The ICONIC Senior Experience typically takes approximately two hours, allowing time for outfit changes, multiple locations if desired, and space for confidence and personality to unfold naturally. Seniors are never rushed, and the experience is paced intentionally so it feels meaningful, empowering, and true to who they are becoming.

Why do we need to meet before the experience?

Your planning consultation is where we shape the emotional heart of your experience — your story, your relationships, and the artwork you want to live with. This ensures your experience is calm, confident, and fully aligned with what matters most.

What if my kids won’t behave?

As a former teacher and a mom of three, nothing surprises or frustrates me. Kids don’t need to be perfect — they need to feel safe, supported, and free to be themselves. I guide gently, adjust the pace as needed, and help families settle comfortably into connection.

What if my husband or partner isn’t excited about portraits?

Many partners arrive feeling unsure, and that’s completely normal. The experience is calm, guided, and simple — not stiff or performative. I help everyone relax into natural connection so they can simply enjoy being together, even if being photographed isn’t their favorite thing.

Do we get the digital files?

Yes. Corresponding digital files are included with the artwork you choose to purchase in print. You’ll select your favorites during the ordering appointment, and those files are delivered first before printed artwork is ordered.

How much will this cost?

Every client’s artwork needs are unique. Some families want a single statement piece, while others choose a fuller collection throughout their home. We’ll talk through what you’re envisioning during your consultation so you feel informed, supported, and confident moving forward.

BEFORE THE EXPERIENCE

How do I reach out to book?

You’ll submit an inquiry form, receive a welcome email, and then either schedule your call or we’ll call you directly — whichever you prefer. This first conversation helps me understand your story and what matters most to you.

What happens during the planning consultation?

We meet in your home (or by phone if needed) for about an hour. We talk through location, clothing, emotional tone, and the artwork you’d love to live with. You’ll leave feeling understood, prepared, and excited.

How far in advance should we book?

Most families book a month or two ahead. Some experiences — especially those tied to seasons or milestones — are often reserved further in advance.

What is required to reserve the date?

Your portrait experience fee and your artwork deposit are both required to hold your date.

When is the date officially reserved?

Your date is reserved as soon as your experience fee and artwork deposit are received.

BEFORE THE EXPERIENCE

How should families dress for the Aurea Collection?

Dress for the Aurea Collection is approached with the same restraint and intention as the work itself. Clothing should feel refined, considered, and timeless rather than seasonal or trend-driven.

Families are guided toward choices that reflect continuity and quiet formality, pieces that would not feel dated with time and that sit comfortably within established interiors. The goal is not coordination for its own sake, but harmony, clothing that supports presence, dignity, and permanence.

Thoughtful guidance is provided so each family feels confident that what they wear aligns naturally with the tone and longevity of the Aurea Collection.

How do families know when the timing is right?

Timing is rarely urgent. Families often recognize the right moment when a season feels complete yet still close. When the desire is not to remember quietly, but to honor formally, the timing tends to be clear.

Is the Aurea Collection focused on the entire family, or can it honor a specific relationship or milestone?

The Aurea Collection is not limited to one structure or moment. While it may honor the family as a whole, it is just as often created to recognize a specific relationship, a single child, or a meaningful milestone within a family’s life.

Some families choose Aurea to honor a particular season of motherhood, a bond between parent and child, or a chapter that feels complete and worthy of formal recognition. Others return over time as new milestones or relationships call for the same level of reverence.

What defines Aurea is not who is included, but the intention behind it. Each piece exists to honor what matters most in that season, whether that is one child, one relationship, or the family story as it is lived at that moment.

How does one begin if Aurea feels aligned?

The first step is a quiet conversation. This allows space to consider whether the season you are in is one that deserves formal recognition and whether Aurea is the appropriate way to honor it. There is no urgency, only intention.