Dad and daughter did a mermaid photo shoot for her birthday and the results are so sweet

Arkansas photographer Desirae Deal may have gotten the most magical job of the year. She helped transform a little girl into a mermaid for a photo shoot to celebrate her eighth birthday. Her dad was right by her side through it all — and also dressed in a mermaid costume!

Deal took to Facebook on July 9, to share the loving shots she took of this father-daughter duo. The photos show just how far this dad was willing to go for his daughter’s special day.

“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,” Deal wrote in her post. “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 [sic] her. I have no doubt that this story, this priceless memory, will be talked about and cherished for generations to come.” 

This dad matched his daughter perfectly. They both wore pink clamshell tops and crowns adorned in pearls. An all pink tail finished the daughter’s look, while dad’s tail shifted between pink and blue. The two splashed in the water and smiled brightly together at the camera while posing on rocks. 

But the magic doesn’t stop there. In the comments of that same Facebook post, Deal linked to a behind-the-scenes video of the photo shoot. In this clip, the dad puts his face in the water and then throws his head back to create the perfect cascade of water for one of the shots. 

This father happily dressed in a mermaid costume is most certainly a #GirlDad, a social media hashtag that became popular earlier this year after the deaths of basketball star Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna. Bryant called himself a “Girl Dad” in an interview a few years back.

“Girls are the best,” he said. “I would have five more girls if I could. I’m a girl dad.” 

The #GirlDad hashtag promotes dads bonding with their daughters all over social media. One of my favorites is a clip from the Cartoon Network show “Craig of the Creek” where dad Duane does his daughter Jessica’s hair.

The #GirlDad also brought attention to the short film “Hair Love.” In this animated short, a father bonds with his daughter by helping her style her natural hair before a visit with her mom.

We’d say the sweet father in this mermaid photo shoot certainly embodies what it means to be a #GirlDad — men spending quality time with their daughters. We hope this cute pair has many more fun adventures together!