Making a Beautiful Day ♥

You would think…. during the “senior season” that auto pilot would kick in and the sessions would blur together in photographic similarity. But no! I am amazed at no matter how many senior sessions I do, each one is so very unique and special. They are all different, depending on the personality of the senior. This year has been a BLAST! I have had not only the most beautiful girls (no boys this year) to photograph, but they have all been so FUN (did I mention stunningly beautiful???)! Each one looking for a different feel to their photos. Each one expressing their own very individual and amazing styles and interests. My heart and soul are FULL with love for the girls — and for the memories I shared with them on “their day” !!

Tuesday night was one of those sessions that I am still floating from. Emily Carroll! I’ve known her and adored her family since she was just a tiny little girl. I still can’t believe she’s graduating! As I photographed her, I had these surreal moments when I looked through my lens and it was Emily, the adorable little girl I saw, crying over some childhood sorrow that had her crawling up in her mommy’s lap for comfort. The next moment, she looked like a glamorous magazine cover! So much love and admiration for her welled up in my heart as we “played”.

So… there are so many of her photos that I think are so amazing… I think this time, I’ll just include the video and share them all.

It was indeed a BEAUTIFUL day!!!!!!!!!

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Playing… I mean, WORKING, with Kelly :)

Surely it can’t be considered work when it’s so much fun, right? I was just thinking when my boys were seniors, the whole “senior pictures” thing wasn’t even a big deal. Maybe more for girls, but not so much for guys. But I still remember how emotional and bittersweet that whole transition of life was. You realize there will be one less person who will always be at the dinner table because they will most likely be away. No more “every night at a game or practice”, and you wonder: Will they have so much fun they won’t want to come back? Will it be the same? But then… you’re so proud and so excited for them. It is surreal the intense emotions!

The senior pictures portion of the transition is like a special day to pay tribute to how special they are — how beautiful and “princess”-worthy they are. And it’s a day to see how many ways you can put them in settings that say, “This is my baby at this time in her life, and I want to remember it and in some way hold on to it forever!” That’s the fun part!

Especially with someone like Kelly! She is an amazingly accomplished athlete, taking her Churchill team to the regional soccer playoffs as a goalie. So, although she is strikingly beautiful and feminine, she was willing to do anything! Climb up windmill ladders, lay on railroad tracks and in piles of bluebonnets. Switch outfits in the blink of an eye — certainly too fast for anyone to take notice 🙂 And best of all! She wanted her best friend, Ally, to be honored in her photos, which makes her SUCH a girl after my own heart! That dog was PRECIOUS!!!!!

It was such a fun day! And I love the end result that came from our connection! Best best BEST wishes, Kelly… and Mom, Laura! You guys have so much to be proud of!!!!!

Radiance in Person

I know I tend to gush about my clients. Each one is so genuinely special to me, and each one brings an experience that is unique — because each person is unique. I met Taylor years ago when a group from our church went on a week long mission trip together to Joplin, Missouri to help with the tornado relief. I especially connected with her because even as young as she was, she had such a radiant joy in her. There was something so rarely pure… and kind… and well… just beautiful!

So what an honor and a BLESSING to get to take her senior photos. Her mom, Kyle; and her sister, Brook and I traipsed all over our Northeast corner of San Antonio, fussing over our beautiful “Rapunzel” princess all the way. We had so much fun celebrating her glorious hair, making sure it was “just so”! It is so pretty, and I loved, loved LOVED the artistry it brought to her photos. But what I loved the most is how easy it was to capture the radiance that literally beams from her eyes and smile.

Off she goes at the end of the summer to Oklahoma State University where both of her parents graduated, Ten hours away from home. I have no doubt that the hole that her absence will leave in her family will be HUGE… I’m already praying for them. But Taylor? Ohmygosh… I have a feeling everything you touch will be as golden as you are!

Thanks for a most AMAZING memory of our day together! I just can’t even say how much I admire you — and how glad I am that you came into my life ♥

Her family is huge in to disc golf 🙂

Lookout OSU… a light is on its way 🙂

It’s all about your heart…

Stefanie and Homer

There’s a song… I used it for her senior video (I’ll attach it at the end): ♫ ♪ It’s not about your scars… it’s all about your heart ♪ ♫…. It couldn’t be a more perfect song to tell the story of Stefanie Miller and her beloved horses! Stefanie is one of the “mover and shaker” volunteers with my sister’s Equessense Horse Therapy program for disabled kids. But the amazing thing about horse therapy is that the “therapy” doesn’t stop with just the kids. EVERYONE, professional and lay person alike, finds healing therapy for their own soul

Loving Red Rock

through these animals. And, you could feel it in Stefanie’s life. Of course, she wanted her senior pictures with the horses she has grown to love so much, so we headed out there one spring evening, and captured this amazing, beautiful girl who wants to be a veterinarian, and who so obviously knew she belonged there… and she knew she had a wonderful purpose in the lives of those horses — and the kids — kids whose lives and joy are not about their “scars”, but are all about their hearts! Stefanie knew she was so much a part of all the magic that happened on those grounds. She was radiant, and it was such a joy being with her, celebrating this huge milestone in her life.

My favorite part is that Stefanie’s favorite horse is a sweet horse named Homer. He is completely blind. That is so like her to love a “scarred” one with a huge heart the most!

Stefanie… You are amazing! And it has been such an honor to celebrate your high school graduation with these photos. You are going to make an amazing veterinarian, so here’s to the beginning… or I should say… here’s to the next step in that beautiful journey!

All things for good….

Remember that one particular “everyone’s favorite” Bible verse — the one so comforting when things don’t seem to be working out very well? Romans 8:28: “ALL things work together for good for those who love God….” Ok… so that would include me… and, I had a very sweet opportunity for God to make good on that promise while photographing little 3-month old Elliana. She is so CUTE! And when she arrived at my home studio for her photoshoot, ohmygosh, she lit up the dark gray overcast day with her radiant smile and sparkly eyes. She was still so very tiny for 3 months (still in the 9-lb range), and it didn’t take long before she decided that she would rather NOT pose for pictures, thank you. I mean…. she “pleaded” with us to quit messing with her, and she quite plainly told us in no uncertain terms that she was not having fun, so “STOP IT”. My heart went out to her! I never ever EVER want to make a child’s experience with me horrible. It’s why I never schedule anything else on a baby shoot day. It takes so much time and patience to NOT make them uncomfortable and aggravated. But, it seemed the only thing that could calm her down was when her daddy took her into another room, just the two of them, for a few minutes. Hmmmm….. you see the challenge?

Sooooo, what did I do? I kept calm (believe it or not)… and I prayed :). I prayed for Ellie. I prayed for calmness. And I prayed, “Okay, God… what should I do?????”. And I snapped pictures every moment I even thought I could do so without upsetting her. In the end, I have to admit, I was afraid to even download the pictures. I was afraid there might not be any that would bless Elliana’s mom and dad and make them feel like we captured their precious, heart-stopping baby girl!

But then… the moment of truth. I couldn’t believe it! Somehow, amidst the tears and cries, we got some beautiful photos. Photos that you would never know were snapped in sporadic instances when she wasn’t sad. Photos that caused me to think, “When did I take THAT one?” “Really???”. It was such a beautiful moment to see that 🙂 And I didn’t forget to thank God for making all things work out for good! He DID!!!! 🙂

A Whole World Full of Special

Good-bye, beautiful Princess!

I was so incredibly blessed and humbled by having 2 occasions in one week to photograph the most beautiful children… no… I’ll say instead, the most beautiful “PEOPLE” on Planet Earth. They were two separate groups of special needs children. My heart is still tender thinking of their faces. Their tears. Their laughter. As well as the sacrifices their families and teachers make to ensure that the kids have hope and joy in their lives — and that they reach their full potential. That part happens so much in part by gifted special education workers. Michelle Griffin, Judy Hendon, Summer Teel… moms and dads of these amazing kids, you are my HEROES, and I truly mean that!

The first event was a memorial tribute to the most amazing horse, Princess, who gave her life serving special needs kids through the Equessense Horse Therapy program. She was a kind, sweet, majestic animal who was so beloved that some of the children (and ummmm…. her owners, caretakers and photographers as well) are still reeling from the loss of her. She had gotten a bad infection in her foot, and sadly, the massive antibiotics she had to take to save her foot, caused a deficiency in her good bacteria, and she developed a tummy infection and colic. She and the Equessense team fought so hard! Last weekend was their chance to say good-bye. They wrote notes to her and put them inside balloons that were released up to Heaven where she now runs in a striking display of color and emotion. Gosh… did I say their little faces are still emblazoned on my mind? My heart is still broken for their broken hearts??? Like Princess, they are so pure, it is painful thinking of anything causing any of them to suffer! I hope I was able to capture for them their sweet, amazing hearts, and their loving tribute to their beloved Princess.

The second event was more lighthearted, but still amazingly tender for me. I was invited to photograph a class of special needs children during their field trip to the zoo. By the end of the day, I seriously wanted each one of those kids to be my own child! And I couldn’t help thinking how wonderful life would be if we could ALL enjoy life and simple pleasures as much as they do. They weren’t even as concerned with seeing the animals as they were the flowers, the water, their reflections in glass, the popcorn… you name it… they soaked it ALL in with such delight your heart just filled up with love! I heard amazing stories of each child. Their struggles, but also their progress has been so awe-inspiring! I believe God gives them their special-ness as a gift. To keep them separate and protected from some of the stresses, anxieties and biases that we all so easily get sucked into.

So thankful for my “job” (Really???? Is this work???? Nahhhhhhhhhhhh! 🙂

To you, Princess!

Lawyers are so fun. . .

And amazing… and a joy to hang out with! And, the only reason I even mention this is because before being delivered (literally) into the life I enjoy now as a photographer, I spent many of my years working for attorneys in different capacities. Not to say that some of them weren’t nice. There were some that were very nice. But for me, I always felt a little more like a puppy living in a nice cage at a shelter — plenty to eat and not treated horribly, but… you know… we’re “there”… and sad.

Not anymore… Now, one of my favorite things to do is hang out with these particular lawyers. The lawyers and staff of The Weisinger Law Firm. They have brought redemption to everything and everyone legal. Yayyyy! THANK YOU, CHARLIE! Course, it doesn’t hurt that I’ve had the pleasure of falling in love with their most photogenic little newborn either! OhmyGOODNESS that is a beautiful little boy!

So, one bright, sunny February morning, we headed to Main Plaza in San Antonio, and took new website photos for the Weisinger Law Firm to include their new attorney, Amanda Batsche and Olivia, who is taking on a professional role with the firm as well.

Between the true “professional” shots, we laughed, giggled and played on the Riverwalk. I love the personality of this law firm. It is highly professional in every sense of the word, yet there is a warmth when you walk in their office, and it is casual and down-to-earth, and “real”. I would say ANYONE needing any type of estate planning, guardianship, or probate work would be comforted and blessed by the experience of The Weisinger Law Firm !