This year has gone by so fast! I can’t believe we are at the end of 2023 and a new year is ready to start. One of my favorite things about 2023, was getting a new grandson! I don’t do much photography with babies. Seniors are much better at staying where I ask them to stay and looking at the camera and smiling. I do like to take photos of Eli. He is such a cutie! Maybe I’m a little prejudiced though! Here are a few shots I did with Eli to document his first Christmas. I try to get some photos of him with my “real” camera every time I visit him in Texas. He is growing and changing so fast. Can’t wait to see him again!
Eli the Elf
Merry Christmas! So what does a photographer do when they get a new grandchild and it’s his first Christmas! Document the heck out of it with lots of photos! I might have had a little too much fun creating these elf photos with my grandson, Eli. He is 7 months old. I had a lot of help (mostly willingly) from my family to be sure Eli was safe during the photo shoots and Eli mostly didn’t mind hanging out in the Elf costume.
I am already thinking of what Eli and I can do next year! I hope your Holiday Season is filled with lots of love and family and friends. See you in 2024!
Alix
Didn’t we just do your high school Senior photos? Has it already been 4 years? Nope, it’s been 3 because Alix is graduating from college in 3 years! Doesn’t seem like it has been 3 years either though.
I love to follow the Seniors I work with on their social media. I love to see them develop into adults and see where their lives take them. I was so happy when Alix’s mom reached out to me to take her younger sister’s high school Senior photos and asked if I could do some for Alix too. We did Victoria’s photos on our February trip to Texas, but Alix was sick then. I had another trip to Texas in April. On my way back to Kentucky, I stopped in College Station to take some photos of Alix at Texas A&M University.
Texas A&M has a beautiful campus. It was great to see Alix again. She graduates today. I can’t wait to see where her life takes her and all of the amazing things she is going to accomplish!
Kentucky?
Well, it’s been a minute since I wrote a blog post. I am thinking with our move (another cross country one!) it was a past time to do one.
A few years ago when Covid shut everything down, I did banners for 2020 Seniors. Several of them were for Seniors in Kentucky. We have family in Kentucky and two of my nieces were 2020 Seniors. One of the 2020 KY Seniors has a sister who is a 2022 Senior. I did a banner for both of them. I reached out to their mother and asked if they would like to do a cap and gown session at their high school. They said yes and brought along a friend. I am so excited to get to work with Kentucky Seniors! Bonus points for the janitor seeing us outside taking photos and opening the door and asking if we would like to come inside and do some photos. Heck yeah! The girls were so much fun to work with. Planning to do prom photos next weekend with them. Can’t wait to see them all dressed up!
Take a look at a few of my favorite shots of these Seniors from Irvine, Kentucky. They are 2022 Seniors from Estill County High School.
So, for now, I am in Richmond, Kentucky. I’ll be looking for 2023 Seniors to work with from Central Kentucky. Let me know if you, or someone you know, are looking for a Senior photographer! I would love to work with you!
Time for a change
Life happens. I have had a few songs running through my head the last few weeks- Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide (But time makes you bolder, even children get older, and I’m getting older too) and Motley Crew’s Change (Change, now it’s time for change, Nothing stays the same, Now it’s time for change). If you are old enough, you might be familiar with those lyrics.
I have been meaning to write this post for a while. I guess I have put it off partly because I have been really busy, but maybe part of me isn’t ready. I have never liked change, but it still happens. My boys have grown into men. They have grown up, moved out, and moved on. We are officially empty nesters! It has been over 28 years since I haven’t had a kid at home! We have no kids left in Katy. We have decided it is time for a change and time to move on. Katy has been great! It has been our home for 8 years now. We have sold our home (a lot faster than I thought would happen!) and are having a new home built in Colorado. I will miss my friends, church, and neighbors, but I think I will miss taking pictures, getting to watch families grow and capturing milestones the most. I have got to know so many people through photography and have made so many friends who started out as clients. You all have become near and dear to my heart.
In the wise words from Ferris Bueller- “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Don’t forget to stop and enjoy the little moments. One day you will look back and realize they weren’t so little after all. Take pictures. Take lots of pictures! Don’t forget to hand the camera off and let someone else take a few of you too.
This isn’t Goodbye, but a See you later.
(These are a few photos I took before my boys moved away at one of my favorites spots in Katy to take photos.)
OTHS HOCO game
Homecoming season in Texas is so fun! If you aren’t from Texas, it seems a little strange. The girls wear mums and the boys wear garters. If you are thinking a little mum that you would pin on your dress, you would be wrong! They kinda remind me of what a horse wears after he wins a race. These things are huge! They include ribbons, streamers, bears and all kinds of trinkets. The football game probably looks like all homecoming games- there is a King and a Queen and football. There was no dance this year due to Covid, but there were lots of mums to be seen. I took a few photos while at the game.
If you would like to see more of the photos I took of Tompkins and for free media sized, digital downloads, you check those out HERE .
You can check out the photos and get free media sized downloads from the Morton Ranch half time show HERE .
OTHS Falcon Band- 2020
I always enjoy watching a marching band. It reminds me of my high school days that I spent in band- although band is way fancier now than in my day, and of my time watching my son perform. The talent and dedication these students have is amazing! I love it when I have a Senior who is in band and I have a good excuse to hang around, watch their performances, and get some photos of them doing their thing.
I was at the football game Friday and at the Katy Marching Festival to catch some photos of two of my Seniors. I usually will watch all the bands perform and take photos, but it was cold and rainy at the competition so I only stayed for Tompkins. I don’t like to be in the cold and rain, but especially don’t want to get my equipment wet. The Falcon Band never disappoints. Their shows are always amazing. I love the snippet from the 2015 Star show that is in this year’s show. I know that things look different this year because of Covid, but these kids still put in many hours of work and practice to perfect their show.
If you would like to see more of the photos I took of the Falcon Band and for free, social media sized downloads, you can check that out here .
Fun Fact- I met my husband many years ago when we were both in band!
Madison
Madison- Katy High School 2020 Senior
The Brannon Family
The Brannon Family
Gio
Gio- 2020 Senior from Morton Ranch High School in Katy, TX
Julie
Check out this little Wonder Woman’s session!
The Gabourie Family
Check out a few of my favorite photos from the Gabourie Family!
Meet Jordan
Meet Jordan!
Indoor Percussion Competition
Photos from Saturday’s indoor percussion competition
What a busy weekend! Drummers, Soccer Players and Dancers- Oh My!
Photos from the past weekend Senior events I attended.
OTHS vs 7Lakes wrestling
OTHS vs 7Lakes wrestling
Spencer & Easter
Photos from Spencer and Easter’s session
Williams Family
There is no better compliment to me than your repeat business and your referrals to your friends and family! This is the 4th time this year I have had the chance to capture this sweet families moments. The first time we worked together, was for family photos a year ago. The twins were around 5 months old. They were so cute! They are still so cute! We did photos for their one year birthday and for big sister’s birthday. Toddlers that are one and a half are a lot busier than 5 month olds. I wanted to choose a safe locations away from any roads so the babies would be safe. They can move fast! We started our session at Mary Jo Peckham park. It’s a cute little park tucked away from traffic with pretty rocks, ducks and a little pond. It was all going great until one of the twins chased a duck right into the pond. Mom was quick to the rescue! He didn’t seem to mind being wet, but we ended the session before we got a family shot. We met the next morning at a different park, away from the water. The kids were great! But it is hard to get that many little ones to sit still and look at the camera and smile. I did do some photoshop on the group photos to have a few of everyone looking and smiling. I think they turned out great!
Note to self- no photoshoots with toddlers near traffic or water!
OTHS vs Cy Falls (playoff game #2) →
Check out some of the highlights from the OTHS vs Cy Falls game!
Mayde Creek Football Game
I had a mom reach out to me to take some photos of her daughter before her high school marching came to an end. The weather was iffy, but I am always up to taking some band photos! Just a little side story- did you know I met my husband when we were in high school? We were in band together! He played percussion and I played flute, trombone and baritone. I love to watch the drummers. They always seem to have such passion when they play. Anyway, sorry to ramble there, but I do love to watch and take pictures of marching bands! Mayde Creek is such a warm and friendly band! Their parents welcomed me and took me right in. Their directors were very kind and just asked for me to share the photos with them so they could share them with others. I am happy to do so! I do include going to activities and taking photos of my senior clients in their Senior photo packages, but if you are not one of my clients and would still like someone to go and take some photos so you can sit and enjoy the performance, let me know! I can do that for you!