by Shelly | Jul 19, 2014 | musician, senior gals, senior portraits |
Creating Shana’s senior portraits made me SUPER happy for several great reasons.
First, she and her mother came to my studio just a few years after I photographed her older brother as a senior. It’s just so encouraging to receive that extra vote of confidence when clients come back again.
Shana first caught my eye and attention when she was a typical Freshman and a member of the Taylor High School Color Guard. I’ve photographed that group since before she entered high school, and it’s been fun to see her become such a sweet, gentle, and self-assured young lady.
She always had a big sparkly smile for me both from the stands and from the field when I was covering the high school football games. Well, maybe she wasn’t looking for the camera from the field. She was concentrating on her show — as she should be — but I loved watching for her because she was definitely one of my favorites.
She’s probably one of your favorites too, if you’ve had a chance to get to know her.
I’m very excited to watch the next phase in her life as she heads to North Texas State where she will study … WAIT FOR IT . . . .
WAIT FOR IT — WAIT FOR IT–
Where she will study PHOTOGRAPHY! That’s it! A girl after my own heart!
So, Shana — I expect you to bring back your portfolio and come visit when you get home at Christmas time because I want to see what you do! Deal?
by Shelly | Jul 14, 2014 | senior gals, senior portraits |
Oh, Morgan! What an absolutely BEAUTIFUL Senior!
I’m so glad that I have had a chance to get to know this young lady over the last couple or three years. She’s not only modeled for me before, but she has also helped me at the studio and assisted at events and photo shoots. I’m thrilled that she’s graduated but I AM GOING TO MISS knowing I can pick up the phone and count on her when I need her.
We started Morgan’s senior portrait session with an in-studio hair and makeup session by Cintya Hernandez-Velderrain. While Cintya comes to my studio for our clients, she also makes Katy women beautiful on a daily basis at her Hair and Makeup Studio located in Sola Salon on Westheimer Parkway. She’s even done MY Hair and makeup — and I was THRILLED with the results. I love the way she emphasizes our best features and still keeps us looking like ourselves. She’s fairly new in town, so it’s still not too hard to get in to her schedule, but that probably won’t last long.
Too bad I can’t swing having her here in the studio to shoosh my curls and polish my image every day… but of course, she CAN be here for YOUR portrait session or special event. Can’t beat that! Just ask about hair and makeup services when you call to schedule your session.
Morgan won a special award through FFA this year for her work in Equine Science, and she plans to further her studies in that field at Blinn and then at Texas A&M.
Ahhh…. someone to live out another of my dream careers. I’ll be watching!
by Shelly | Jul 3, 2014 | senior gals, senior portraits |
Katt and her family traveled a long long way for her senior portraits.
Okay — they were in Houston anyway, but they planned their trip so that it would include time for a senior portrait session in our studio. Oh, my. We had a great time creating stunning images unlike ANYTHING that her classmates back in Midland, Texas would have.
Some of our best sessions begin like this one did . . . with my senior in the magical hands of Rachael Elise Walker of Elise Artistry.
Rachael spends a full hour or more right here in the studio with our seniors, enhancing all their best features and creating a high-fashion look that’s sure to turn heads for the rest of the day
— and for years to come in our heirloom portraits.
Katt looked absolutely SUBLIME in her edgy black and silver-sequined prom dress, especially once she put on those attention-getting yellow platform heels.
WOW! Talk about PUNCH!
Katt rocks her high-fashion look so naturally that, you might be surprised to learn that she knows her way around the barn, too. In fact, we shot her portraits the same day that she sold her two beloved steers.
I was really really proud of her for keeping her emotions in check, because I KNOW I would have been a big blubbering mess if I were the one wearing those yellow shoes.
FFA was a big part of Katt’s high school career, and she especially wanted to make sure that we captured some images to remember an FFA classmate who had lost his life to cancer just a few months earlier. We created a little storyboard for his parents featuring Katt, a sentimental souvenir Batman cape, and of course, her bright orange “Team Chuck” bracelet.
Her aqua lace top looks like it was just MADE for my beach-house, doesn’t it?
Just keeping things cool and breezy! That’s all.
If you think Katt looks familiar, and if you’ve followed my blog for a while, you might actually remember that time I photographed her and the rest of her family a while back.
They are a SUPER GREAT FAMILY, and as an added bonus, we got a guest appearance by her sister, Liz. So whaddaya do with fun loving sisters when they’re in the studio together?
You put them in “THE BOX” and let them play.
Congratulations on your graduation Katt — and best wishes for a super college experience at Tarleton State this fall.
by Shelly | Jun 27, 2014 | senior guys, senior portraits |
Congratulations to Will on his grand exit from High School.
I first met Will when he was in junior high school, and let me tell you, he started earning my respect from the get-go. He ALWAYS the handshake, the smile, and the , “nice to meet you,” mastered.
Will’s a smiley, friendly, yes-ma’am kind of guy, and I could always count on him to flash me a great big smile, whether it came from behind a tuba on the marching field, during Homecoming Court Introduction, during Senior Recognition Hat Night, or on stage modeling a fine Texas-Style tuxedo during the school’s Spring Fashion Extravaganza.
Will genuinely seems to enjoy life; and everyone who knows him has something great to say about him.
During his high school years, he has been a great leader in the Taylor High School Band, and he’s participated actively in the “Best Buddies” program where he partners up as a friend and mentor for a student with special needs. As I mentioned above, Will was elected to the Homecoming Court last fall, and THEN — he was also voted “Mr. Congeniality” at another event this spring. WHO KNOWS what else he’s done? I’ll bet the list is much longer.
But he is still humble — and oh that smile! BOOM! SWOON!
Now that graduation is completed, Will is enlisting to serve in the US Coast Guard.
I don’t know about you, but I LOVED the movie, “The Guardian.” Yes, it’s become an old movie, but I’m no spring chicken myself. I hope things aren’t quite as dramatic for him as they were for Ashton Kutcher and Kevin Costner, but it does make me feel a little bit better that we have young men like Will (and Ashton and Kevin) looking out for the rest of us.
Congratulations on your graduation, Will. May the angels watch over you and bless you and keep you safe in everything you do. You ARE a gift to everone who knows you.
PS — PLEASE keep smiling! 
by Shelly | Jun 24, 2014 | senior gals, senior portraits |
The ADORABLE Ilyssa is now officially a Taylor High School Graduate, and I’m thrilled share a few images from her senior portrait session.
You’re gonna absolutely fall in LOVE with this sweet, casual, and very laid back girl.
Personally, I think she was born for the camera. She stepped right into the lights and immediately took posing direction like a pro.
We completed her entire session with several outfits right here at the studio where we offer a quiet and private place to change outfits between scenarios as well as an ever-changing variety of exclusive custom-designed background sets
In just a few short weeks, Ilyssa will head to Austin for Rush and then for classes at The University of Texas at Austin — my own Alma Mater.
Since I tend to think of my seniors as my own kids, I couldn’t be prouder of her choice! Hook ’em Horns!
