Monday, January 1, 2018

My Favorite Images of 2017

Every year this is one of the hardest things for me to do. I agonize over this task because I love so many of the photos I've gotten to take over the course of the year. And this year was no exception. The first cut of this group was over 60 photos, and I agonized over removing each photo to try to get down to 10. And I (finally) did! And then I found one more that I just couldn't cut. So yes - I can actually count to 10. I just couldn't cut any more. Click through the photos for descriptions of each. And thank you so much for to joy and honor of allowing me to create these images in 2017. I'm looking forward to a 2018 full of memories and even more images to share!


This was a shot shot early in the summer of Madison, a Brenham High School cheerleader. Her cheer portraits were awesome, but it's this shot that I just love. I don't know whether it's the frozen motion or the troll hair or the silhouette, but I think it's fun.

This amazing sunrise was shot in Cancun, Mexico in April on the morning of Katie and Johnny's destination wedding. It was the perfect beginning to an amazing day - a day that was supposed to be rainy and ugly but that turned out gorgeous!

This is one of my absolute favorite shoots of the year. This was from Kayci's 14-year-old portrait session. She has a quirky, elegant style that is just beautiful. It was a tough choice between this shot or the one where she's holding a painted turquise pineapple. But those eyes...

We shot Katie's bridal portraits on an overcast day at the Zilker Arboretum in Austin, and I think the weather added a beautiful, elegant moodiness to her photos. She was such a beautiful bride!

This photo, shot in late January in West Texas, was one of the most beautiful sunrises I've ever seen. But it literally only lasted for a minute. Almost as soon as the sun crested above the horizon a thick layer of clouds rolled in and the day turned cloudy and gray. I was glad to have been there to witness this brief burst of color.

This photo was shot in March at Brenham Crossfit. I didn't know it when I shot this, but this man was in the midst of training to compete in a Crossfit competition. He worked out so hard that he just laid on the floor while he regained the strength to get up.

Hannah knew exactly where she wanted to shoot her senior portrait - in front of her favorite mural in Houston. I absolutely love the color of this photo and her decision to wear her prom dress in front of the wall. It has an elegant and very sweet feel that I just love.

Alex and Laurie just got married in December and I haven't shared these yet because of my sabbatical. But their engagement photos are some of my favorite ever. This image was shot at thre Veritas Wine Bar in College Station. I just love the elegance of this image, from the color of the wall behind them to the reflections of the bar top. I'm looking forward to sharing more form this session soon!

This image was shot in Durham, North Carolina in March. This little guy was hesitant to have his picture taken. But most 7-year-old boys love to jump and play, so I got him to do just that. I simply love the action in this photo and the joy on his face as he launches himself into the air.

This image was shot in Carborro, North Carolina in March. My favorite part of this image was that just as I pushed the shutter a burst of wind came along and sent his bowtie flying sideways - a perfect addition to the shot that I couldn't have planned.

This is the shot I just couldn't leave out. It was shot in April near Canton, Texas, Several strong tornadoes ripped through the countryside, leaving paths of destruction in their wake. This is a country homestead that was destroyed and all the leaves stripped from the trees, leaving a dead and otherworldly-looking scene behind. I was stuck that among the bent-ver fences and tangles of barbed wire and debris that an old tractor sat in the field, undisturbed. Smoke in the air from burn piles nearby gave a hazy glow to the sunset, and even though seeing such distruction breaks my heart I still find the contrast of dark brokenness and the light of hope beautiful.

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