trey + katie • engagement

We all knew when Trey brought Katie to Christmas last year that it was the real deal. :) Sure enough, (and lucky for us) they are engaged this December! 

It was so much fun shooting my cousin's engagement session- and I could not be more excited for him and Katie. It is always extra special when I get to photograph my own family's big life events. These two went on their first real date at Yellow House Coffee, so we started out there. I was soaking up every bit of the gorgeous golden sunset for their shoot. Thank you guys for enduring that cold wind for a little while with me!

carson + mary • wedding • eberley brooks

Ever since I met Carson and Mary a few years back, I totally wanted to shoot their wedding They were both so easygoing and fun- didn't take themselves too seriously and consistently made each other laugh. I've known Carson's family for a while- and just love all of them so much! So, Shawn and I were super excited to get to capture their big day. 

It was a gorgeous, perfect autumn day. Carson and Mary said "I do" at Lakeridge Methodist and then had their reception at Eberley Brooks- which is such a beautiful venue! True to their style, the reception was laid back, full of good things to eat, and dancing, of course. We loved getting to photograph it all. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. McCabe!

The new How To Work It Workshop! (Pre-Registration now LIVE)

So, I finally just went for it. Here's a quick video about it:

Ya'll- I am about to BURST with overwhelmed excitement (and truthfully some holy-moly-is-this-really-happening-anxiety) right now! This has been something I have been dreaming of and working on for so long now and I can't believe we are just about to DO THIS THING. But, it's time! So here goes!

For several years now, I've been teaching in-person workshops for beginners who want to learn to really harness their DSLR camera and shoot in manual mode. In other words, I LOVE teaching people how to work their fancy cameras! Time and distance have made it difficult for me to put more workshops together and for a long time I've dreamed about putting the whole workshop online.

This camera course is for the beginner- people who were given a nice camera or chose to invest in one and just have not had the time to learn to shoot it. I've designed this course to be flexible, easily understood, and interactive. 

How To Workshop Attendees will receive:

• Access for 1 month to a private website where you'll be able to watch 5 video teaching lessons. Each lesson covers one or more important functions of your camera you'll need to understand in order to make a perfect exposure. 

• Printable PDF notes for each lesson.

• Access to our private Facebook group where we will share our photo assignments, give/get feedback, and have a couple of Live group sessions.

One of the best things about the new online format is that you will be able to do it at your own pace. You could potentially finish the entire course in 1 weekend, or you could do 1 or 2 lessons a week and draw it out a bit. If you feel you'd like to go over a lesson again, you can! 

It's important to me that all attendees are able to really harness the camera and equipment they already have and make the best use of it. 

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Pre-registration is NOW OPEN until November 9th!

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Our first workshop will begin in just a couple of weeks- November 15, 2016. If you pre-register between now and that date, you will receive $25 OFF!

I'm happy to answer any questions you may have about the workshop- feel free to leave a comment here on this blog post. 

Can't wait to see you there!

josh + hannah • wedding at spirit ranch

Josh and Hannah had the most beautiful autumn wedding at Spirit Ranch. I could not get enough of the rich plum and bright orange colors and how they complimented Hannah's lace dress. These two are high school sweethearts, and so it was extra special to photograph it with my high school sweetheart. :)

As always, I love shooting at Spirit Ranch and Market Street killed it with the florals! Congrats Josh and Hannah!

marisa • lcu grad

Marisa is very special to our family- she worked for Culture Clothing for two years and when she wasn't working at the store, she was babysitting for us. We had no idea when we hired her just how much gumption she had. Marisa is incredibly hard-working, full of integrity and loves Jesus. I love seeing the excitement in her eyes when she talks about her new future as a teacher. 

Thank you for giving us so much of your time and talents over the past couple years, Marisa! Here's to many wonderful adventures!

elizabeth • newborn

I got to photograph sweet Elizabeth a couple of weeks ago and I could not stop gushing at how precious she was, how much her big brother loved her, and all the beautiful details in her room. Just wait until you see!

I also loved that she already has her own copy of Pride & Prejudice and will know the story of another special Lizzy who had a playful heart, a sharp mind, and a great love story. :)

my favorite camera lens + the new how to work it workshop!

A week or so ago, I asked my Facebook friends what camera or photography-related questions they had- any question at all! It was so much fun to get a conversation started on the topic I geek out on. :)

Several people wanted to know what my favorite lens was- and here is the answer:

So there you go! 

Also, did you notice the little slide at the end of the video?!? It's something I'm kind of excited about- a dream I've been working on for quite some time- the NEW How to Work It Workshop!

I've been teaching in-person camera classes for a while now, but the more kids we add, the less time I have to make the workshops happen! I've also seen an increase in the amount of people that want to take the course that aren't able to make it to Lubbock. SOOOO......it's going online!

We are still working out some tweaks, but registration should open in the next few weeks!

IF YOU WANT TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE WORKSHOP GOES LIVE, CLICK HERE!

Hope this video was helpful!

clay + krista • wedding at the legacy

I always tell couples that one of the things I love about weddings are all the things you can't plan. That's right- me, a self-professed control freak- likes the unpredictability of weddings. Really. 

I'm not saying I enjoy added stress in any way- but I do love how little surprises allow us reflect on the most important things, rather than all the other stuff that sometimes gets in the way. Krista and Clay's wedding day had a couple unexpected twists that came in the form of wardrobe malfunctions. Just as Krista was almost into her wedding dress, the zipper broke. And at almost the same time, across the hall, one of the groomsmen realized that the sole of his shoe was no longer actually on his shoe. Rather than panic (she could have and no one would have called her crazy), Krista waited gracefully as her team of helpful family and friends made it work. Thankfully, Nesley (the wonderful coordinator at the Legacy) had a giant fix-it kit that not only took care of the zipper, but the shoe as well. It was probably only a 20 minute span, but I was amazed at how Clay and Krista just didn't let if faze them. They were still getting married. And that's what mattered. 

We loved shooting this wedding. I adored the florals by Candelaria Designs and the gorgeous merlot color of the bridesmaids' dresses- perfect for a fall wedding. Krista's father officiated their ceremony and it made it extra special, and I just loved photographing all of her tiny cousins who were having the time of their life on the dance floor. 

Thanks for choosing us, Clay and Krista! Blessings and may you always choose to focus on what is most important!

grady + saraneil • wedding

There is such beauty and intimacy in a small wedding- especially one at the St. Paul's Chapel here in Lubbock. Fewer guests mean less rush, less worry, and the promise that there will be time to enjoy all the faces who have come to see you wed!

Shawn and I loved getting to photograph Grady + SaraNeil's wedding a few weeks ago. It threatened rain all day, which led to some beautiful cloud cover, and then the sun came bursting through just before sunset. It was incredibly refreshing. 

Grady + SaraNeil are the type of people who make you feel comfortable just being around them. SaraNeil is smart, and sweet- and has the best laugh- especially when she is laughing at Grady. Grady's love for his bride is pretty obvious when you see them together. Photographing it all was just wonderful.

Thank you for inviting us in on your special day, and congrats!

bobby + rishonna • wedding • autumn oaks

Bobby and Rishonna booked me before we ever got to meet in person. I was excited to get to work with them, because it is really an honor when someone chooses to trust me in that way! 

I'm going to go ahead and use the term "power couple" for these two. :) It's not long after you meet Bobby and Rishonna that you realize they are two of a kind. These two are both incredibly respectful and kind to everyone, hard-working, and ambitious (all of which will definitely add up to a great marriage). They had a gorgeous wedding at Autumn Oaks, and I have to tell you that my favorite part was when Bobby's father brought in his gift to his new daughter-in-law- a shetland pony! I think every woman and little girl in that room had their jaw on the floor- I mean who doesn't want a real pony at some point in life?!?

Thank you two for trusting us with your wedding images, and for allowing us to experience such a wonderful celebration! Congrats!