This shoot. Where do I start? How about the VERY beginning! We had just landed and were in our rental car when I noticed that it was only 2:30pm and it seemed DARK to me. The clouds were heavy and the rain was coming. I knew about the rain but the dark clouds and dreary skies had me worried about LIGHT. If we started at 5:30…. two hours before sunset, by the time 6:30 rolled around, I would be struggling to keep this couple under cover and also exposing properly without a flash.
So, like any worried, natural light photographer, I texted Melanie and asked if there was ANY way that they could move the shoot up to 4:30! She agreed that it would be a good call and immediately checked to see if Jonathan could meet us early! He was able to leave work in a hurry and we met up in a quaint little park just outside of the city where a photographer friend of Melanie’s had told her about a blooming tree that we should check out! It was MAGICAL!!!! Just amazing!!!!!
You all know that I love blooms… but this tree just took it to a whole new level! The blooms on the ground made for a bright, light pink glow all over and I was in a photographer’s heaven!!! Not only were there blooms on the ground but there were also blooms on low-lying branches to shoot through!!!! What a DREAM!!! I’m so excited to share these images with you!
Jonathan and Melanie met this past fall and they just KNEW they were meant to spend the rest of their life together. Coming from someone who dated their high school sweetheart for 8 years, this is incredible to me! What an awesome story they will have to share for the rest of their lives! We loved getting to know Jonathan but we already knew how much we adored Melanie because she is a past KJ Workshop Attendee!!! It’s such an honor to be invited back into Melanie’s life for this sweet season. Her sweet spirit and calm demeanor makes her so easy to love. I can’t wait to see her as a bride and capture their gorgeous Texan wedding!!!!
If you’ve ever walked into a photo session and silently panicked about where to shoot… If you’ve ever crossed your fingers hoping golden hour would save you… If you’ve ever opened Lightroom thinking, “I don’t even know how to fix this lighting…”
Three years ago, Michael and I helped launch a school that would completely reshape our family’s life, and the lives of so many others. This past weekend, we traveled to Austin, Texas, for the annual Acton Academy Owners Conference, and I left with so much to share.
I haven’t done one of these Where I Am updates in a few weeks, and honestly? It’s because life has felt full and fast…but also slow and sweet in ways I didn’t expect!
You know those images that just glow? The ones where the lighting feels effortless, the tones are dreamy, and everything looks polished—even if it was taken in a less-than-perfect spot?
This week’s Where I Am is short, sweet, and exactly what it’s meant to be: a quick check-in on life, faith, and business.
Some sessions are special because of the people. Some sessions are special because of the place. And then there are sessions like this one… where everything comes together to create something truly unforgettable.