A Small Town Senior

With Melinda Kay Davenport

I have watched Mindy Davenport grow, literally, from the time she was born. I can hardly believe she is graduating from high school! Her sister, Ashley, has been one of my best friends since kindergarten. I still remember learning Ashley was going to be a big sister. Recently it was my honor to take her senior portraits and capture such a milestone for this beautiful young lady.

When discussing where to shoot, we realized we wanted to depict places from Mindy’s childhood. We did not want to just showcase props but rather portray objects that are sentimental to her.

Our first stop…Davenport Grocery.

Davenport Grocery, located on Hwy. 501 in Casey County, KY. Davenport Grocery has been in Mindy’s family for over 40 years. The doorway where she is seated (left) is the same doorway that her newlywed parents strode over many years ago when they lived in that part of the store.

Mindy loved the look of the vintage signs and the history surrounding the store. Davenport grocery is just a piece of small town country charm where a working man can still enjoy a cold drink, a thick-sliced bologna sandwich, and the news of the area.

Just a Davenport beauty.

Papa Robert’s old yellow truck…this was one of the first scenes Mindy requested for her shoot. She fondly reminisced about her father taking her and her sister to the bus stop in this yellow truck. Sadly, she was never able to ride in the truck with her Papa Robert. He passed away in May of 1994, just months before she was born in September.

This barn is located on a farm belonging to Granny Nelda, widow of the late Papa Robert.

You may be able to see in the photo on the right that Mindy has remarkable sunburst eyes. They vary form green to hazel and everything in between. Gorgeous eyes.

This field is across from her Granny Nelda’s house. She and her Granny had been admiring the vibrant colors in this part of the hillside during the fall season.