This week has been chock full of boy sessions! Busy, busy time of year. I love it! So Mr. Jake is a senior at Morton Ranch HS. He’s an athlete:  baseball player and football player. I know I’ve mentioned this before but photographing athletes makes my job easier. They are used to being photographed and take direction really well. They are usually confident, too. This makes for a great subject to shoot! Jake was the perfect model. He was exhausted from baseball practice and mom said he doesn’t like being photographed. But I don’t think that is evident in these sneak peeks photos! Good luck next year at Blinn College, Jake! Congratulations!

Rewind to August 2006.  A doe-eyed, freckled, fair-skinned, long-haired brunette sits in my 8th grade English class, so eager, so enthusiastic. This little darling is special. She likes to write. She loves to read. Highly unusual for this age. She can talk to adults, yet she can be silly with the rest of her adolescent peers. Her writing is original, so much that it wins a Scholastic award. She’s outspoken, witty, non-conforming. I love this girl! She graduates from middle school, I quit teaching. We keep in touch. She assists me with my photography and unknowingly prepares me to be a future mom of teenage girls. I watch her grow and change, but I still remember the bright eyes, the sly smile, the intent look on her face when we were knee-deep in class discussions or creative writing.

I knew this time would come fast! I just wasn’t prepared for how fast. I’m sure her mom and dad feel much the same way. But alas, it’s time for Miss Hannah to embark on a new phase of her life. I wish she could stick around forever, but more than anything I want her to be happy and glow with the same intensity I saw in her as a 13 year old student. I hope she never loses that spark.

These were so much fun to take! I love finding new spots in Houston and experimenting. I knew Lauren would be up for it, too. I’ve photographed her several times in the past and she’s always super easy to work with! Notice the “We Love Houston” sign designed by Houston’s own artist David Adickes (www.adickes.net). Rumor is the sign will soon be installed off Interstate 10 at Shepherd Drive. Adickes is also known for his sculptures of President heads as well as the Sam Houston monument and the Beatles.

I especially love all the color in these photos. Lots of orange, blue, and pink. Congratulations, Lauren! And thank you to sister Nicole for helping out. Nicole, you’re next!

James, look at how handsome you are!!! Wow! I could have spent all day at this location photographing Mr. James, a senior at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory School. His clothing choices were fantastic and made for some very nice shots. Check out the orange shirt images. . . unbelievable! He has a great smile and an even better serious look. He wants to go to Vanderbilt but has many other options, just in case. He told me he is interested in pediatric surgery. There is no doubt in my mind that whatever James decides to do, he will shine! Congratulations to you, James! I can’t wait for you to see the rest of your senior photos!

I absolutely loved this session. Shannon, a senior at Katy HS, was a fantastic model. It was my first time to meet her, but we clicked and it shows in the photographs. There are so many things I like about her. She is comfortable in her own skin, which is rare for a lot of people. She’s artistic–a painter, dancer. She can get dirty but she still likes being a pretty princess. There are so many layers to her which I found very intriguing to photograph. For her “princess” photos, we found a wooded area with a lot of greenery. The grey clouds (Yes, grey! We thought it would rain!) really brought out the green colors in the grass. Overall, it was a beautiful photo session! Thanks to Dad for carrying the chair and mom for being so patient and sweet!