CAPTURING PAISLEY: Crowns and Gowns Series

Welcome back to the Crowns & Gowns Series, where we celebrate the extraordinary young women on my Teen Team as they step into sixteen — each with their own passions, their own stories, and their own kind of magic.

This week, it’s time to turn our attention to Paisley Nader.

If you’ve been with us for a while, you may remember Paisley from one of our very first shoots together last year — a quiet, soft-spoken girl standing among the flowers in a garden. I remember watching her gently warm up to the camera, unsure at first, but slowly finding her rhythm. Even then, before she said much, there was something special about her presence — a gentleness, a sincerity, and a spark I knew would only grow.

And grow it did.

Over the past few years, I have seen Paisley become a girl who is not only incredibly photogenic, but confident, expressive, and comfortable in her own skin in the most beautiful way. She shows up to every shoot ready to try new things, ready to push herself, and ready to let her personality come forward — and it comes through in every single frame. It has been such a privilege to watch that transformation.

But what truly sets Paisley apart is the blend of passions she carries so gracefully.

She’s a dancer, and anyone who has danced knows the kind of commitment that requires — the late nights, the discipline, the poise, the grit. You can see those qualities in everything she does: her movement, her patience, her focus, the way she steps into each moment with intention. Dance hasn’t just shaped her; it shows in everything she touches.

And then there’s a whole other chapter of her story — photography.

Paisley has begun carving out a path as an up-and-coming sports photographer, following her passion with the same dedication she brings to every part of her life. Watching her light up behind the camera is just as beautiful as watching her in front of it. She sees people in a way that only true artists do — with curiosity, with heart, and with the desire to capture real stories. It’s inspiring to witness someone so young diving into their craft with such determination and love.

Her Sweet 16 may have been back in September, but the heart of this season — this year of becoming — is something worth celebrating long after the candles fade. Sixteen is not just a birthday; it’s a shift. A stepping into yourself. A moment where everything you’ve learned begins guiding everything you’re reaching for. Paisley is right in the middle of that beautiful becoming.

Her Crowns & Gowns session felt like a celebration of all these parts of her — the quiet girl in the flower garden, the dancer with discipline in her bones, the photographer chasing her light and the young woman confidently stepping into who she’s meant to be.

Paisley, you are a breath of fresh air — gentle and strong, soft and determined, creative and brave. You bring warmth, depth, and authenticity to every space you enter. Here’s to your Sweet 16, and to all the incredible chapters ahead of you. Keep dancing, keep creating, keep seeing the world through that artist’s eye of yours… because you truly make it a more beautiful place.