This was one of the most fun shoots I have had in a while. It was a family affair, and the brothers kept me laughing the whole time. It was early morning and we were cold, but that didn't stop us from having a blast in our head shot session!!I love shoots like this that go off without a hitch and you end up wanting to go hang out for longer and get to know each other! I am so grateful for my job because among other things, I get to meet cool people like this!
Amy is one of those people that makes you feel alive when you are around her. Her energy and joy are contagious, and I appreciate her so much! She is a total go getter and has her own business called Solutions from A to Z and she will whip your life into shape in any number of ways! Call her, you'll see what I mean. I am grateful that she trusted me with a very important portrait session commemorating a big transformation in her life!!
I was so excited to have the opportunity to fly to St Louis and take my cousin's senior portraits. We had the best time together shooting and wandering. I feel so blessed not only to do what I love, but to get to take portraits of people that I adore and have known their whole lives....like this lovely one !
I had a great trip to Virginia to photograph this lovely young lady (who happens to be my cool step sister) for her modeling agency comp card. She needed a variety of looks including head shots and full length shots. I love doing portrait photography sessions like this, because we got to try out a bunch of different looks. We also had to shoot mid-day, so it was a fun challenge for me to find just the right light in our outdoor locations!
I had the pleasure of taking some head shots for Women's Foodservice Forum recently, and this portrait wasone of my absolute favorites! I just adore this person, and love working with her! She has the most beautiful smile as you can see! This head shot session was totally impromptu in the midst of a conference I was shooting for them. It was a perfect example of how you can utilize the most unexpected locations to capture beautiful shots using light and unique backgrounds. These were shot outside the conference under and overhang near the catering cart. Who'd have thought??
Where do I even start with this experience, with these amazing women? Being in the room with these people, even without being on a mat, was still like practicing yoga. The love and connection in the room was palpable, The teachings shared by each of the amazing teachers were so inspiring. It wasthe perfect thing to do on a Sunday! I am so honored to have had the opportunity to offer my services to support this amazing organization. Please check them out and get involved if you can. You can find them if you click here: EmbodyLove. Namaste
Jule is the coolest!!!!!!Check her out on her website here! We had the best time shooting some head shots for her, one of which ended up in Origin Magazine when they featured her! She is a beautiful soul and an inspiring teacher of NIA. If you haven't experienced NIA or Jule's teaching, please check out her classes at Move Studio in Dallas.
Jessica needed some new head shots for a school application. I love shooting portraits at the opera house, and this day we had perfect light for our head shot session!
I had so much fun with this young lady. She was so easy to work with and had the best attitude ever! Ifell in love with the rest of her family too, so the whole day was great! We shot some portraits of her for a sign in book for her upcoming Bat Mitzvah celebration.
On a lost bet this brave woman hired me to shoot some portraits taken to submit a comp card for a modeling agency. I think she was a little nervous at first, but as we got shooting around Deep Ellum, she became like an old pro! We had the best time, and I applaud her bravery. I think she is stunning, and was so honored to be able to shoot some portraits for her next adventure!
Where do I start with my mom? She is a Hawaiian girl, born and raised. She is a badass. I really do bow down to her badassness (yes, mom I know that is not a real word). She gave birth to 5 10+ pound babies and lived to tell about it. She raised 3 step sons as well. She is strong and capable and the most accomplished multi tasker you'll ever meet. She can make an amazing dinner for 10 with about an hour's notice. She loves like nobody's business and takes nurturing to the level of art form. She is generous (sometimes to a fault). She makes everyone feel comfortable and loved. She is wicked smart and reads about a book every other day it seems like (Oh and she WILL correct the sh*t out of your grammar). The only thing she was ever super strict about was manners. She insisted that we needed to be just as comfortable at a 5 star restaurant as at a back country barbecue . She easily glides between these 2 worlds with grace and humility, and we learned by watching her. She taught us acceptance and compassion by living those things every moment of her life (still does). She taught us that worry is futile and is probably the calmest person I know in a crisis. She is an amazing artist and her creativity has been woven into ourlives. From hand painted lunch boxes to decorated love notes within them to elaborate hand made costumes. These days she paints and makes the most gorgeous hand-bound books you have ever seen. OK now,back to her badassness....I remember going to a feed store (did I mention she is an accomplished horsewoman??) with her when I was little, and watching all the dudes in the store watch her in awe as she slung a 50lb horse feed bag over her shoulder and walked out. Need a dress, she can sew you one. Need to fix some plumbing, shes your gal.Need to build some stuff? She can do it. Oh yeah, do you need anyone to run your cattle ranch for you? She can do it all from round ups to delivering calves for a distressed heifer in the rain. She has the patience of Job and has singlehandedly made more people than I can even count feel like they matter when no one else did. She SEES people, and makes sure they know that. She glows. She radiates love. She remembers EVERYones birthdays. I am so blessed to have this mother, and I am eternally grateful . She is in me every day. I can feel her gentle guidance in all that I do from helping raise my step-daughter to speaking to people I don't know, to doing about 50 million things in a day and doing it with ease. I mainly feel her in the way I love and express love. I catch her words coming out of my mouth and her lessons flowing through me out into the world almost everyday. She is a true example of teaching by living. She is a stellar human. I hope you all get to meet her. Those of you who know her, know exactly what I am talking about. Here she is in all of her 65 year old glory....I love you Mom!!!!!!!!
This lovely girl just stole my heart. She is just so full of enthusiasm and grace. She had the most adorable outfits and the best attitude to go along with it all! I had such a great time with she and her mom. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to meet them and to shoot these fun senior portraits. I have chosen a few of my favorites, but man was that hard!
My amazing dad turned 80 in January. You would never know that he is 80 unless you looked at his driver's license. He has more energy, wit and vitality than many 50 year olds I know. I have been reflecting a lot on my parents lately, and how they shaped my life and influenced who I am today. To try and capture my dad and his humongous personality and list of accomplishments in one blog post would be impossible. I will make a meek effort here anyway.....He is larger than life and when he enters a room, you can feel it. He radiates charisma and a joie de vivre that is contagious. He will march into room full of his kids with a whistle and a laugh and love on all of us in his unique and expressive teeth gritting, knee grabbing way. He is one of the most generous people I know, and has helped countless peoplein quiet ways, but ways that make a huge difference to them. He, like my mom can seamlessly move between worlds and honor and connect with the people therein naturally and with ease. His life has been an adventure from the day he could chart his own course. Thankfully hebrought my 6 other siblings and me along for the ride, and by default taught us all how to create the same in our own lives. Like my mom, he taught us so much just by living his life. "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" (Helen Keller), should have been his motto. He sure lives that way. Passion fuels everything he does, and although a very practical man, practicality rarely enters the equation of his life's work. He follows his gut and his heart and as a result has painted a beautiful rich tapestry that is his life . My Dad has always followed his dreams, and has encouraged us to do the same. He gets his hands dirty and really learns how to do things. He is a gifted woodworker, amazing painter, talented photographer, and an expert pilot and sailor. His knowledge of the history of this country would stop a person with a PhD in the same subject in their tracks. He is always reading and learning and nothing is done half as*ed. It is a huge inspiration, and at times has been a daunting example to live up to. All of that aside, though, it all goes back to the beginning for me. My most treasured memories with my dad are in the wilderness and on the sea. I spent the first years of my life with him adventuring in the back country of Hawaii, and started sailing with him when I was little. Our shared passion for sailing connects us deeply, but mostly we are connected by a soul thread that we cannot explain. He is a soul mate to me and for that I am so very grateful. My dad taught me how to love fiercely and freely. I know my dad's heart, and for that I am so grateful, for despite his sometimes tough exterior, he is pure love. Happy Birthday Dad! I love you!
Ah how I love Harmony! We have been friends for over 20 years. I have watched her build her business from the very beginning. I am so incredibly proud of and inspired by her! She hired me to do a shoot with a gorgeous model from Brazil to showcase some of her latest designs. It was a great afternoon in the mountains!!
I got another amazing sister the day my brother married Annie! She is awe inspiring in all departments, but my particular favorite is that she is a pilot and flight instructor. She has been flying since she was a kid, and is very accomplished in aviation! She is also a talented writer. She needed some new portraits to commemorate the writing of her latest book and I was so happy to do a session with her when I was visiting San Francisco!
Haley is one of my favorite models! She volunteered to model for some demo shots I needed to do for my Senior Portrait Class at Spot Studio. It was a joy, as always to work with her!
Akasha was so much fun to work with. As you can see she has her own style and wears it well. She wanted and urban vibe for her senior portraits, so we wandered around Deep Ellum for a couple of hours finding cool backgrounds and textures to shoot against. She is a lovely young woman and I look forward to shooting her parents' wedding next June!
Harmony is a long time friend, and I have had the pleasure of watching her grow her business from her first handmade piece to the thriving business it is now. I am so proud of her and was so honored when she asked me to do some portraits for her for her business cards and promotional materials. Please check out her website, it is a feast for the eyes! She designs every piece herself, and each one is a treasure!
