.:kaylyn senior portraits:.

One of the things we love so much about photography is the people! I often find myself a little despondent after handing off the last book or disc of images to people we've photographed. I start getting sad that we no longer have excuses to interact with these phenomenal persons with whom we just bonded on some of the biggest days of their lives! I am stoked to announce that since Misty & Jerome got married on New Year's Eve of 2008 she has contacted me not once, but twice now to do photos. When their little one turned one year old in February we took photos at Jaylin's birthday party and now Misty's little sister, Kaylyn, is graduating from high school. Woo hoo! Ah, to be a senior graduating from high school again...

Kaylyn was totally laid back as her sister and Mom carried all of her clothes and shoes in a laundry basket with us around Mizzou's campus. Brian amused us all with his continual ramblings about the type of pizza he was hoping to con me into getting after we all got done shooting. I think he got started on that after Noreen, Kaylyn, & Heather all decided to hit the famous Shakespeare's Pizza (if you've never been there, you have to go) after they were done.

The building I had in mind for the black and white photo was, apparently, locked to the outside world on the weekends. Luckily, as we were arriving, a stranger walked in right before us and we grabbed the door. We looked totally inconspicuous with a laundry basket full of clothes, a gigantic camera, and a 4 foot tall reflector in the very large and brightly lit science building lobby. Needless to say, after I got a few shots I loved, we all left very quickly...

Kaylyn does every sport known to man (well, maybe not all, but almost all) in addition to joining her two older sisters as an acro star (if you're curious what "acro" means, it's short for acrobatics, Brian had to ask as our towns are much smaller than Owensville where they drove in from). You will notice in her photos that this girl is not only absolutely *gorgeous* but definitely has some strength in her. *Sigh* Maybe someday I'll be super flexible or super fabulous or super gymnasticy. Or maybe I'll just settle with being able to do my first pullup.

Thanks, Kaylyn, for being a rockstar!

Oh, and aren't these shoes a-MAZING? Her entire class (if I understood correctly) got a pair and decorated them. Class of 2010... that makes me feel old!

.:for lindsey:.

Even if it may be awhile before I get to write about how spectacularly amazing the two of you are... here's proof.

.:julie & wale:.

Today was wonderful. John, Brian and I met up in the black box theatre to try out lighting scenarios. I feel like I have learned so much since our last time in November! It feels surreal to think how far I've come at times and how little I knew before. One of the things that helped today is that we actually had a few volunteer models. I sometimes feel bad for the poor people who are guinea pigs for our lighting setups as, since we are still learning, there can often be a lot of tweaking and moving lights and checking settings, etc. But today before everyone got there we got a few setups done and played with.

Julie, a wonderful gal from my work showed up as a volunteer model and then a friend of mine from theatre also came, Wale Aliyu. Julie needed a headshot for an upcoming license she's going to get for our company and since she's so energetic and fun I invited her to come along so we could use her as a model. Wale has actually done some modeling prior to today and is so great to work with! It was so fun, every time I clicked, he moved and did something different. Maybe some people are meant to be models. I don't think I am!

I think my favorite shot has to be a tie between the first one posted above and then the second one of Julie below. Enjoy!

I don't know why I like this one above so much. It's a candid but something about it feels... surreal to me. You can see the umbrella on the left, unlit, the vague outline of someone in the foreground talking to someone else, and then the model, alone taking a breather but yet caught by light.

She's just so beautiful!

John looking somber, as he seems to do when the camera is on him. I gave him some special "effects". It's a very John photo. 2 lights, people!

And then, finally, me. Brian & John put together a setup to replicate one of a photo I'd fallen in love with. The girl was so serious, staring straight at the camera. She was in all black and her hair was a rim of angelic white light. Rather than edgy, I just look angry. Guess modeling isn't in my future!

What a fun day! (We missed you, Mike!)

.:misty & jerome:.

What a way to bring in the New Year! Misty & Jerome had a beautiful wedding at Firestone Baars Chapel on Stephens campus and a classy reception at Tiger Hotel complete with trees Misty & crew stripped & covered with glitter & tea lights and Jerome & friends breakdancing! They were such a laidback, joy-filled couple. Their spark and energy were so contagious and their little girl has to be one of the most beautiful ones I've ever seen! So here's to a new year and to Misty & Jerome!