Zaya Rae's 1 Year Session

This little miss turned 1 year old a few weeks ago and I was excited to photograph her. It is always amazing to see how kids' personalities grow and develop in that first year- and Zaya Rae reminds me of my Liv- sweet and spicy all in one. :)

She had a Hawaiian themed birthday party and I loved the onesie her momma got from Baby Squishy Cheeks and the adorable felt flower crown from Fancy Free Finery. And of course, we had to get big brother Shaddix in on the action- he has grown so much as well! 

We ended the shoot with some ice cream at Holly Hop Ice Cream Shop here in Lubbock- it was the perfect spot to celebrate this little one!

big announcement!

I'm so excited to announce that my camera workshops (yes, that is plural!) are now available online! I've recently launched TWO courses on Skillshare:

The How To Work It Series

This course is designed to teach the beginner how to shoot their camera in manual mode and truly understand how to work it!

Here's a little preview:

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- AND -

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The Workflow Like a Pro Series

This course takes you through my workflow in Adobe Lightroom and shows you how I organize files and edit them.

Here's a preview of this class:

Both of these classes include 4 video lessons, PDF notes and my heart and soul :) 

If you've never used Skillshare before, they are currently doing a promotion where you can get 2 months for FREE! Yes, that is right- you can go through my entire course for FREE for the next two months. It's kind of wonderful.

Click below to get signed up!

Andrew + Savannah • Wedding at the American Wind Power Center

I first met Savannah and Andrew in January, when we had the pleasure of photographing Savannah's sister's wedding. I remember watching them laughing together on the dance floor and thinking that there was some serious chemistry between them- and it turns out, I didn't know the half of it- an engagement was coming right up. :)

My parents had 3 daughters (I am the eldest), and so after meeting Savannah's family, which was the same, I felt an instant affection. This has been an incredible year for them- and probably one that they never could have predicted- all 3 girls married in the span of 5 months! And let me tell you, they did it with flair and so much love- wisely hiring Jill Leven to coordinate the two that were in Lubbock.

So, being such a special season, Savannah's mother asked if they could do a special shoot before the ceremony with all 3 girls in their wedding dresses. I loved it- it was the perfect way to celebrate and remember. The rain held off for us for just long enough to capture those photos. 

Speaking of rain, it was there. Alllll there....alllll day. But I have to tell you- it mattered not! Savannah, Andrew, and the rest of their families were so laid back and easy about it all, which made it just wonderful. The couple chose to get ready and do their first look and portraits at her parents' home. Upon entering, we saw Savannah casually talking with Andrew and the rest of their families. It was a relaxed atmosphere, and you could feel a buzz of excitement about the whole house. I am so thankful they trusted us- because we eventually ended up under their carport to shoot some portraits to keep everyone out of the rain. God still provided us great light and some green to shoot against. :)

The ceremony at the American Wind Power Center was an intimate one, including just family- and then the couple welcomed many more guests at the reception which featured the most delicious lemonade I have ever tasted, many familiar faces, and the most stellar entertainment-  the Caldwell Entertainment Players.

Enough talk- on to the photos- and also- check out that perfectly pink dress! Gorgeous! Congratulations you two!

Venue: American Wind Power Center

Event Coordination: Jill Leven with Eat, Drink, and be Marry

Hair: Ashley Williams, Roxi's Hair Studio

Makeup: Brenda Becknell

Dress: Bella's

Cakes: Jennifer Cisneros and Simply Decadent Bakery

Catering: Jeana's Feedbag Catering

Entertainment: Caldwell Entertainment Players

Floral: Dayspring Designs

Quartet: Ellsworth String Quartet

Linens:

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Madilyn • Frenship High Senior

Madilyn's shoot was on one of the windiest days yet this spring, and she handled it like a champ. I always say that sometimes the West Texas wind can give us some "good" drama- and I love so many of these images because Madi was willing to work with the wind rather than worry about it. :) I kept thinking I was looking at Jessica Biel while shooting- do you see it?

I loved that Madi brought along her toe shoes and even though she's finished dancing, she was able to hop right up on those toes- gorgeous! Thanks so much for a great shoot Madilyn!

Trey + Katie • Wedding at Eberley Brooks

Katie and Trey's wedding was extra special for us because Trey is my cousin and we love them so! It was a big honor to me that they would choose us as their photographers- and of course made us want to work that much harder. Shooting this wedding was a complete pleasure- it's not often that our own kids show up while we are working (thanks Mom and Dad!)- but Katie's family and friends were also so wonderful and fun. 

Lubbock decided to have 40 mph winds the day of their wedding, so I was extra thankful for the beautiful interior of Eberley Brooks Event Center. It is so perfectly set up. My mom and many helpers worked hard on all of the florals, and the bridesmaids even made their own bouquets the night before- and it all turned out so beautifully. 

Mostly, though- and this is the part I enjoy about getting to see Katie and Trey often, because it hasn't changed since their wedding day- I loved getting to see how perfectly these two go together. Katie looks at Trey just the way you would hope a bride would look at her groom. There is a peaceful hope about her that I just love, and I'm so happy to see the man that Trey has become. They both love Jesus, and I can't wait to see what God does with this new union. 

Thank you for the honor, Trey and Katie! Congratulations- we love you!

kinsey • ttu grad

Gorgeous Kinsey is graduating this May from Texas Tech and we had the best time shooting around campus. She is a girl after my own heart- an English major- so we started out at the English building, which is one of the prettiest as well. :) I had the best time shooting with Kinsey and love so many of the images! Congratulations Kinsey!

Ryan + Ashley • Engagement at Texas Tech

I loved shooting Ryan and Ashley's engagement session where it all began for them- at Texas Tech! These two live in Houston now and made a weekend of it- visiting their old stomping grounds and getting some engagement photos taken. We had a gorgeous Lubbock morning to shoot and finished their session up at the place where they first met- and most anyone who went to Tech knows- Chimy's. Thanks, y'all, for a great session and congrats!

Sancho + Amanda • Engagement

It's not often that I get to take my couples out for some Burger King during their engagement session. So when Sancho and Amanda agreed to my idea, I was pretty excited. Why? Not because I felt like a burger (though they did look SO delicious after a couple months of dieting!)- but because Burger King was the place where these two met. Well, sort of...

Sancho + Amanda had been chatting on and off for a few weeks when it so happened that his truck broke down in a Burger King parking lot. Sweetly, Amanda came to his rescue and so they laugh telling people that they first met at Burger King. Well, when it came time to propose, Sancho set Amanda up and faked another truck "break down" at the same Burger King! She had no idea, and he proposed right there. So of course, we had to have a little BK in their engagement shoot.

Other than that, these two spent most of the shoot just looking sharp. I'm excited for their wedding next fall!

dustin + cassidy engagement

I was super excited to get to shoot this engagement session with Dustin and Cassidy. I've known Cassidy for a while- and after spending some time with Dustin, it is so clear he is her perfect compliment! When I arrived at the session, Dustin had just given Cassidy an early wedding gift- a diamond necklace to wear for the session. It was so sweet and thoughtful!

We had a fabulous time with these two- and knowing Cassidy- I made sure we wouldn't be doing any "boring" on this shoot. So we started out at one of my favorite spots with a little champagne and then headed back to her studio (Cassidy owns a super-successful dance studio) where things got a little...smoky. :) 

Thank you two for going along with all my wild ideas! Congratulations!

william • newborn

Sweet little William rather felt like staying awake during his session last week- partially due to an excellent night of sleep the night before (which I'm sure his parents appreciated!). He just did not want to miss out and I am betting that he will also turn out to be quite a curious little guy as well. :) 

I loved this session for several reasons- I got to photograph William's parents's wedding a while back and it is always a blessing for me to get to witness life's most beautiful moments with my clients- it's one of the things I love best about my job! Also, his nursery is decorated so perfectly. I loved all of the colors and textures. Such a peaceful and fun "boy" space.

Welcome to the world, little William!