Love, Me Blog

Told you I had LOADS to share

Check out this adorable senior!  Taylor is the cutest thing ever … loads of spunk and personality with a killer smile and an infectious laugh!  She brought along her pride and joy, Mercy and I absolutely LOVE the images with her.  Talk about a dog that is ROTTEN   I have never seen a dog so loved.  Speaking of dogs, I’m becoming quite the animal photographer!  I love shooting animals with their “owners/ parents” … so cute.

Taylor is also an awesome singer/vocalist, which I think is about the coolest thing ever. Anytime I’ve ever played that game where you say what talent you wish you had, I always say I wish I could sing OR run reeaaallly fast

I love loved the locations for Taylor’s shoot.  A HUGE thank you to the James Wood family who allowed us to shoot on their gorgeous property.  I have more from another adorable senior whose photos were taken their as well.

I told you James Wood’s property was gorgeous!

A favorite favorite spot … I looove blurry concrete

and a special place for Taylor … the “secret” dock where her friends hang out.  Love that it is meaningful!

I wanted to share Taylor’s Canvas storyboard, which happened to be one of my very favorites of the year! Nearly every senior I photograph purchases one of these works of Art, and this digital representation does them NO justice.  I love that the design is classic and gorgeous and something that will last a lifetime! Oh and every one is absolutely 100% unique, so again, it reflects each client!

I loved meeting you Taylor (and Jodi!) Your session was so much fun and I wish you many blessing in your bright future!!

Erin is such a humble young lady … it wasn’t until half way through our session that I started finding out all of her awesome accomplishments!  At first I learned that she would be going to Texas Women’s to play basketball. I have a very special place in my heart for any basketball player … especially girls   I pray every night that Mia Grace will also play basketball (just kidding!) but I do hope she’s an athlete for sure. I need something to be competitive about!

So, Erin will be playing at Texas Women’s next year, so I asked if she got a scholarship and soon found out that the answer is yes, but not for basketball, but for academics, as she was the valedictorian of her class … yes, that makes TWO valedictorians and three college athletes I photographed this year! (Erin just happens to be two in one!)  It was really sweet to talk to Erin’s mom about her daughter. As a mom myself I really get the pride that wells up in our hearts as mother’s for our children.  More than being athletic and smart, the first thing Erin’s mom told me about her was that she had so much integrity. As I drove home that night I thought a lot about how I hope to be able to describe my own daughter when she’s 17. I really can’t imagine a better description than smart, athletic, and full of integrity ….

I know I always brag about my clients and the seniors I get to photograph, but I swear to you, I’m not lying!  It truly amazed me this year at the young girls and guys I had the opportunity to meet and Miss Julia was certainly no different.

I rememeber when Julia’s mom was booking her session and I asked her to tell me a little more about her and she said something like this …

“Well, Julia loves drama and has played Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz a few times. She’s also very smart, and will be Valedictorian of her class this year. She’s really involved with her church and takes her faith seriously … she’s also quirky and fun, has a wonderful smile and is a beautiful girl …”

Um, mom. I think you hit the nail on the head (and hopefully looking at these photographs this description fits the bill)

Julia’s session was another one of my very favorites.We bounced around all over and she brought a truck full of clothes (my favorite!)  Julia was also reeeally natural in front of the camera.  I remember giving her my normal “talk” in the beginning about how to relax and how I often make suggestions that are terrible, but that was all part of how I mold and pose and get natural looking shots.  After the first few shots, I remember thinking, “Well, that was a waste of breath because she obviously knows what she’s doing!”  She really made my job so easy.  Right before I was about to make a suggestion, she’d just do what I wanted. I love love when it just clicks ….

Congrats, Julia!  I wish you many many blessings as you go off to college in the next few weeks. I know its cliche, but your future is yours for the taking, so go out and capture those dreams … it was more than a pleasure meeting and photographing you.

More favorite sessions to share …

Meet Allie.  Sweet, kind and lots of fun!  The color in her session was amazing and I just couldn’t bare to show any in black and white.  While its inevitable to use some of the same locations over and over, I really strive, with my seniors, to shoot something unique to each one to make the session stand out. For Allie, we headed to the softball field. I loooove how those turned out!  Seniors 2011, make sure to brainstorm something unique about you for our session. I love collaborating for something fun.

Of course, I couldn’t decide, so I’m over sharing once again.  Congrats, Allie!  You were SO much fun to work with and I thoroughly enjoyed our time together.

Goodness gracious … updating the blog is LONG overdue.  I have so much to share with all of you, my loyal blog readers, but let’s just say these last few months have been some of the most life changing for my family.  I’ve been taking several photos along our journey, so I hope to start sharing some more personal type shots with you soon. Maybe eventually I’ll separate it all out, but for now, less work is definitely best!  In case you thought I hadn’t been taking on as many sessions, I’ll soon prove otherwise   I had the BEST 2010 Senior season and I cannot wait until my first senior 2011, here in a few weeks!

For now, though, I wanted to share a favorite senior session with you. Meet Natalie!  Some of you may remember my “Thankful” post about Ms. Nicole. Well, Natalie is Ms. Nicole’s sister!

Natalie is just gorgeous, inside and out … and smart, and sweet, and and and. Truly, she has such a sweet spirit about her and was so laid back and relaxed the whole session.  That looong hair and those huge eyes are a killer combo, not to mention I was THRILLED to learn she wanted images with her horse, Speedy. I just love equine photography, and Speedy is a gorgeous horse. Thank goodness, Natalie’s mom, Sondra was with us during the session … she’s the local horse whisperer and got Speedy to be on his very best behavior. As a cute side note, when Cadence (Sondra’s granddaughter) saw these images of her Aunt Natalie riding bareback, she told her mom that “Mom” (aka: grandma) was going to be sooo upset Love that! Cadence loves horses as well.

Here are so many favorites. Her entire session was just gorgeous.

Natalie, thanks for an incredible session!  Good luck at TCU next year … you will shine I know!

Yes, two posts in two days. You just get ready! lol.

When Rachel told me her favorite place to shop was Urban Outfitters, I got reeaallly excited for our shoot.  I love love quirky/ vintage clothes, but I reallly love when it completely fits the person wearing them. It was obvious, this was totally HER.

On a side note to all my clients, I am always hesitant to give specific advice on what to wear, because there is nothing I dislike more than people being uncomfortable in what they have on. I dont want your friends and family to look at the images I take of your family and say, wow, that looks nothing like you!  A great example of this is my own family planning for our upcoming shoot with the UBER talented Jamie Kutter.  I love it when guys wear cool clothes (chucks, the whole loose tie on a short sleeve button up, etc.) BUT, if I made Mike wear something like that, he would hate the images forever. It would be too forced.  We are working on some things, like I bought him some BKE jeans and he FINALLY got some new shoes (thank the LORD).  Same goes for the cowboy boots and dresses trend. I love it and it photographs really well, but not every girl can pull this off!

So, just keep all of these things in mind when you put together your outfits for shoots with me   Look like the best version of YOURSELF, and leave the rest to me.

Anyway, back to Rachel.

I totally love these images. Your going to think I did something to her eyes, but I actually had to make sure I didnt touch them because they are naturally this GREEN.  Gorgeous.  She made my job look incredibly easy because she was such a natural in front of the camera. I even got to shoot on her families property at the end of our time together. I love finding at least one new location with every senior. It’s getting tough, but I am still on a roll. And I can’t not mention Rachel’s mom, Sheri, who was so great during the shoot.  Hanging out with these two was so easy and fun and I felt like I’d known them for years.  I love it when this happens!

So, check her out and leave her some love while your browsing!

This was her MOM’s dress … how cool huh? I think this is my favorite shot.

I have had the BEST, most talented, most beautiful, most fun loving, awesome seniors this year …

seriously, I’ve had several soon to be college athletes, a couple of valedictorians, homecoming queens/kings, prom kings/queens, talented singers and musicians … the list gos on and on and on.  It’s been so fun! Most of all, though, I have had a complete blast at each session and really feel so hopeful about our future. I know when I listen to the news, its all doom and gloom these days, but man, I feel really confident with the lineup of young men and women that will soon be influencing our world.  Cheesy I know. But its a cheesy kind of day for me

So, I’ve been MIA.  Lots of big news ahead if you haven’t already caught wind, but I’ll make the official announcement soon enough.  Until then, I really just want to share what I’ve been up to and more importantly share some of these awesome soon to be graduates with you.

Here’s Blake.  One of the guys that braved a long session with me! I couldn’t have asked for a more laid back evening with him and his mom.  Blake will soon be playing a little football at UNT (go eagles!).  I knew I’d be cool with my dad, husband and brother if I did a little name dropping when I got home, since Blake’s dad has one of the most highly coveted jobs by 10-15 year old boys everywhere. And, of course, it worked like a charm! (for at least 10 minutes ) Apparently it would have been much “cooler” if I actually frequented sports radio and the Ticket, instead of being a serious poser. Isn’t it true that about the time that little boys realize that being a pro athlete is actually a lot more difficult than wishful thinking, they decide they want to be a sports broadcaster when they grow up … until they realize that actually,  in order to land that gig, they’ve gotta have both brain and braun?  At least around my house growing up, this was the case!

All I know is, Blake’s got a bright future ahead of him. Charm and athletic talent is one serious combo if you ask me!  Congrats, Blake!

Sugar and spice and everything nice …

Honestly, that is the first thought that came to mind when I sat down to write about Mallory.  She truly is sugar sweet and was so much fun to photograph!  I was so excited to hear from her momma, Juli, because we had spent all last year together sharing the same table during bible study at IBC. Juli and I instantly clicked last year, along with the other awesome women at our table and I have sorely been missing her this year.  It truly is such an honor, Juli, to meet and photograph Miss Mallory … so thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know you would simply say you are blessed to have such great girls, but I know it truly is also a testimony to wonderful parenting as well as having an awesome example in you! You should be very proud! I only hope my little crazy girl grows up to be as sincere and sweet as Mallory.

Mallory, along with being sweet, is a star soccer player and is also attending OU next year along with her older sister! She seemed a little shy at first, but I think she was just being modest about how photogenic she is! I just LOVE so many of the images we created together …

Here are ‘some’ favorites.  I hope they make you smile during this difficult time for your family (read below). Praying for you!

This next photo pretty much sums her up Even mom said, that is just “so her” … the best compliment any photographer can receive by the way!

On a side note:

This family experienced a severe tragedy over Spring Break, when Juli’s niece, Taylor lost her life in a fatal ski accident while she was on vacation with her family.  Every time I’ve been around Juli and Mallory I ask questions about this precious little girl, whom I never had the opportunity to meet, who saved six lives with her organ donation.  And, every time I ask, I get quite emotional. As a mother I cannot fathom what this grieving family is going through.   If you want to read more and learn how this little girl’s life is SO BIG, go read about her by visiting her website http://www.taylorsgift.org/.  (and grab tissues)

Well, I didn’t get this sweet girl and her momma a sneak peek up in time, so they’ve already seen all of Brenna’s images, but I still wanted to share a few favorites with all of you! It’s fun to see what families choose … every time a few are the same and few are totally different from what happen to stick out to me in the beggining. The fun part is that I dont show anything I dont love, so in the end, I’m always happy with what people choose. The only time I am ever unhappy is if mom or dad don’t get an image they really love just because its not the typical image your “supposed” to get for the wall or elsewhere.

Brenna and I had a great time bouncing around my studio for her session.  What a great great girl she is … so sweet and friendly and POLITE.  I think being a polite is a characteristic that is often overlooked and unfortunately not as expected as it used to be.  I’m here to tell you that I believe being a polite and considerate person will get you far in life and that was one thing that really stood out to me about Miss Brenna.  There is something so pleasant about being around a 17 / 18 year old who is kind hearted and respectful. Miss Brenna, thanks for a wonderful session and I wish you all the best at ACU this fall.  God has such a perfect plan for you and I hope you walk through every door he flings open …

LOVED her shoes

Her favorite verse is Philippians 4:13, ” I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me …” which also happens to be her birthday … how cool is that?

Many people can give a great first impression, as Kirsti did, during our session. I already knew going in that she was a star basketball player, but after just spending a few minutes with her I could tell that she was super sweet too.  I usually get in my car after a senior shoot and think, man, I am seriously meeting the coolest and most talented teenagers around … and then I get all cheesy and think about the fact that they are our future leaders.  From my view, despite what they say all over TV, it seems to me that we are in great hands.

While, lots of people are great at first impressions, I’d say a measure of a person is more reliable when you find out what their friends say about them when they aren’t around. We all had that friend in high school that all the parents loved, but we really knew the truth about all the trouble they were getting into (and getting away with)  While I knew I had Kirsti pegged as a great girl who was super sweet and athletic, I’ve had the awesome privilege to photograph some of her peers recently who validated what I already knew.  And, well, let me just say that the verdict is in, and it is apparent that Kirsti is all that and more than she appears on a first impression!  Most of the time, if I’ve photographed girls or guys from the same high school, I may mention a name in the beginning just as small talk, but any time I mentioned Kirsti’s name, I got to hear all about what a wonderful person she was … both from her peers and their parents.

So, instead of me giving you my unreliable first impression, I’ll just toss out some thoughts, phrases, stories I learned about Kirsti during a a few two minute mentions that I had photographed her from a few different sources.

One said she was a “great role model for younger girls” …

another said “oh, I think she’s just so beautiful …”

and another told me about the humility she possesses … (as in she once scored enough points during a basketball game to single handedly beat the other team, and when her peers would say something to her about it, she’d just sort of laugh and not say a word)

HELLO, I used to play a little bball back in the day, and let me just admit that I’d STILL be talking it up if I had a story like that!

and I’ll just say … I completely agreed with all they had to say!

Lana, you should be VERY proud and Kirsti, sorry girl if this all embarrassed you!