Title: Spring Recap, Maypole Madness & Wine from Trader Joe’s

Behind the Scenes with Annette & Christina on Wine Down and Focus

Spring hit us like a whirlwind this year—and we’re breaking it all down on the latest episode of Wine Down and Focus! From non-stop rain to back-to-back senior sessions, to photographing a one-of-a-kind Maypole graduation event, we’re diving into all the behind-the-scenes chaos and fun that made this season one to remember.

We also tried something new (because, of course, we did): a bottle of Trader Joe’s Platinum Reserve Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon. At just $14.99, this bold cab from Napa had us sipping, snacking on sharp cheddar, and sharing honest thoughts—oakiness and all.

Senior Season Mayhem

As senior photographers in the St. Louis area, spring is usually our busiest time of year. But this year? It was wild.
Tons of rain meant we had to reschedule senior sessions left and right. And with graduation looming, we were cramming in cap & gown sessions, order meetings, and edits like crazy. If you're a photographer, you know the juggle. If you're a parent—thank you for your patience.

Pro tip: If you're thinking spring senior photos = flowers, it's really mid-May at the earliest. March and April just aren’t pretty here in Missouri!

Maypole: A Photographer’s Dream... and Nightmare?

We also experienced the Villa Duchesne Maypole event for the first time—something truly unique to St. Louis Catholic high schools. Imagine a group of seniors in white ball gowns, dancing in a choreographed ribbon circle around a tall pole. Beautiful? Yes. Easy to photograph? Not even a little.

With over 20 photographers all trying to get the shot, ribbons flying, girls in motion, and trying to find “your” graduate in the sea of satin and blonde waves... it was like Where’s Waldo in heels. But it was also stunning, traditional, and such a cool experience.

Wine Talk: Trader Joe’s Finds

Our wine pick this week: Platinum Reserve Yountville Cab from Trader Joe’s.
It’s bold, a little oaky, and surprisingly smooth for the price. We paired it with multi-grain crackers and sharp cheddar, and honestly—it held up. If you see it in stock, grab it. We talked about AVAs (American Viticultural Areas), wine aging, and even gave a shout-out to Reverse Wine Snob for the review we referenced.

Editing Tips We Love

We also shared our favorite editing tricks—like when Lightroom's AI can now remove leashes from shelter dogs (yes, really), or how Photoshop’s sky replacement feature can transform a dull background into magic—especially when you capture your own sky files at the lake (tip: save your good cloud pics!).

Coming Up…

We're lining up some awesome interviews with fellow photographers this summer, covering everything from building a niche to dealing with burnout. We’ve got newborn sessions, pet rescue photography, and more senior madness on the horizon.

And yes—we’re already dreaming of a little escape to the lake for some much-needed R&R (and maybe another bottle of TJ’s wine).

Listen to the Episode:
You can find Wine Down and Focus wherever you get your podcasts.
And while you’re at it, leave us a review and share the episode with a fellow photographer friend—we’d love to have them join us!

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