A young girl who recently turned 8 didn’t want the usual ‘birthday candles type’ of celebration. Instead, she wanted something more creative – a day where she can live her mermaid dreams!
Professional photographer Desirae Deal, the owner of Lamar, Arkansas-based Desirae Deal Photography, helped Aspen transform into the magical creature by doing a photo session for her. The day was going really well, but when the girl’s dad, Michael, came at the end of the session, things got even better.
In an interview with CafeMom, Desirae explained that as part of Aspen’s birthday celebration, her grandmother got her a mermaid session. When Michael arrived at the venue, his daughter asked him if he would play in the water with her. But Desirae had a better—yet crazy—idea.
“I said ‘Well you know I think I have a mermaid tail that he could wear,'” she recalled. “It just went from there. Once she knew it was a possibility, there was no changing her mind.”
Although unplanned, Desirae said Michael didn’t hesitate “in the slightest” when asked if he was willing to be all girly- girl and don a shell bra and fishtail. The dad confidently rocked his mermaid costume and did every pose he was asked to do just to make his daughter happy.
Desirae said it was the “most fun” session she’s ever done, and it’s easy to see why. As for Aspen, the mermaid session was so much better than just blowing birthday candles!
Desirae shared the nautical duo’s mermaid pictures on her photography Facebook page, and it quickly went viral. So far, the adorable photo series has garnered 28K likes and 158K shares.
“I had the honor of doing a mermaid session for this sweet girl’s 8th birthday, and all she wanted was for her Dad to join in on the fun,” she wrote in the caption. “Let me tell you he did NOT disappoint! The laughs, the joy, and the memories they created were the absolute best gift he could’ve gave her.”
She concluded the post with a beautiful reminder to all parents.
“Take the pictures. Play with them every chance you get, for they are only little for so long.”
You can tell that Aspen was having the time of her life just by looking at the smile on her face. Surely, she will cherish this priceless memory with her hilarious dad forever.
“The reactions have been overwhelmingly positive,” Desirae said of how the internet responded to the photo series. “I think playing with our children is something everyone around the world can relate to on some level, whether it be thinking of our own children or bringing back memories from childhood ourselves.”
Desirae began her photography journey after his first son died at three months old. Sadly, she only had a few images of him. The tragedy led her to take pictures of her three children as often as she could. Desirae took up graphic design at Arkansas Tech University and used her knowledge to improve her editing skills.
“My style is fun and vibrant, but the real magic is in the memories. I strive to capture more than just an image. My goal is to provide an experience and memory that will last your family a lifetime,” she wrote on her website.
And that’s exactly what she was able to capture during Aspen and Michael’s photo session – an unforgettable bonding experience.
It’s so awesome to see parents go above and beyond to make their kids happy. Michael didn’t care if he would look funny wearing the mermaid costume; what’s important to him is that he makes his daughter’s day.
Dads like him are truly worth celebrating. It’s also a good reminder that there so many ways to celebrate aside from merely blowing those birthday candles.
Share this story and tag your dad/husband in the comments if you want them to recreate this mermaid filming with the little girls in their lives!
Thank you to Desirae Deal Photography for allowing us to share her beautiful photos. Be sure to visit her sites: Facebook, Website.
