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Welp, Junior year was insane. Hopefully senior year isn’t as crazy. Cross your fingers it doesn’t get any weirder—I mean how could it. Let’s create something amazing instead! Something to look back on other than cancelled plans and face masks. You have one hell of a story to tell future generations, let’s document it.
“I got you Boo.”
-Me, to every senior client past, present, and future
Today was the last day of National Pizza Week, and we almost missed it. Disaster, I know.
If you’re in Oklahoma, we are having some cracked out weather rn. Thunderstorms, tornados, ice and snow, in about 18 hours. So yeah, my daughter and I were at Sam’s getting cereal. Lord help me if I run out of cereal on the weekend. My children might die. As we shopped we could hear the rain coming down hard, so naturally we took our time and waited for it to pass. It’s getting closer and closer to the time she usually eats lunch. As any mama second guesses every decision (no? just me? cooooool), do I wait it out and make her something at home—and risk a PISSED off 5 year old? Or bite the bullet and make her dreams come true and let her get her own giant slice of cheese pizza and way too big half lemonade/half tea. OH.THE.DRAMA.
The rain slows, and we head to self check out. It’s National Pizza Week. I have to let her. I got her to wait to eat until we got home, and I asked if I could take her picture. She was pumped. This super shy thing, comes out of her shell when a pizza slice the size of her head is involved.
No, she did not eat all of it. There was more left than actually pictured. Yes, her shirt says exactly what you think it does. We made it over Christmas break. She loves it, and plans on wearing to more even though the holidays are over. At any given time you’ll hear her singing THAT ONE LINE, as well as “Hair toss, check my nails, baby how you feeling? IT’S SUMMER!” I’m totally cool with heriot knowing all the lyrics just yet.
Happy National Pizza Week friends. Hope you got to enjoy some pizza…hopefully better than the cheap $2 pizza I bought my daughter. She loved it, and that’s all that matters.
xo, L.
Truth? New year; Same me. But I’m gonna try to be more organized and blog every.session. Eek! First blog of the 20’s—Here we go!
Sweet Baby M was the cutest little squish at her in home newborn session. LOOK AT THOSE CHEEKS. I mean come on. Plus, ALL THAT HAIR. My own babes had the littlest bit of fuzz for hair when they were born, so yeah. I was in love.
What I love the most about lifestyle newborn sessions is that it’s so natural. They can stretch, yawn, go cross eyed for a second, cry, find their fingers, smile, burp, spit up, poop and it’s all game for the final images in their gallery. I think Baby M hit every one on that list in the 90 minutes we had together…a couple things she did more than once. Read: she pooped four times on me. LOL! Brand new babies are perfect and amazing all on their own. A beautiful start—yet sometime messy and chaotic, to a new story.
How does that saying go? “Where you are now, is exactly where you were meant to be.” Baby M’s story is just that for her and her family. Even in the hardest days, this family’s story is one of love and life. Watching Mama soak in her new baby, seeing a new chapter of her own story unfold, is one that so many can relate too.
Baby M, you are loved more than you know. I’ll leave you with a favorite short story of mine.
xo, L.
If you were born with
the weakness to fall
you were born with
the strength to rise
-rupi kaur
Sometimes it’s hard to find the right words to say. I’ll be honest I’ve been putting off blogging Addie’s session, because how am I gonna make a 13 year old girl see how amazing she truly is…via blog post.
This is not a letter to my 13 year old self, or advice for Addie, it’s just some thoughts.
So, for me, I feel like people see me differently than I see myself. The way I see myself isn’t always in the golden sunset light I’m chasing. I see my flaws loud and clear. To hear someone say otherwise is a surefire way for me to 1-deflect, 2-find another flaw to discount myself, or even as low as to 3-question the authenticity of the person. So for me to post on-FREAKING-line, how cool I think this 13 year old is, it’d probably be devastating.
I remember being a teen. I remember losing my voice per say. I remember the hard, the fun, the rises and falls. I remember some of those moments as a teen shaped who I’d grow into as an adult. Some moments I’d go back to in an instant; others you couldn’t pay me or even promise me the world to go back. The bad comes with the good; and it flows like a river as a teen. But it’s our choice to see it as the bad or the good.
Addie, I think you’re pretty freaking cool. Like waaaaaay cooler than I was at 13. I’m pretty sure you were awesome from the moment you were born. Honestly, age 13 to 22, are kinda the sucky years. But they can also be pretty awesome. In the moments that do suck, I hope you choose to see the good. I choose to remember the friend who spoke up when I didn’t have a voice, the people who had my back when I didn’t think I could go on; and the ones who’d fight for me.
ANYONE who tells you they had it made or knew what they were doing at 13…peaked or is going to peak in high school. I know this isn’t your style, but I think it fits.
I will fight
I will fight for you
I always do until my heart
Is black and blue
-Don’t Give up on Me, Andy Grammer
Without further ado, Addie.
PS My 5 year old is OBSESSED with you. Not gonna lie, I’m not showing her you flipping the bird quite yet ;)
Three completely unrelated things happened this week and it made me want to have a Ted Talk. So welcome to my Ted Talk! Thanks for listening!
Time. I've been trying to edit whenever I get free moment these past few weeks; and it's hard. You get it. Your time is valuable to so many who depend on you. It makes your day to day hectic. Or life can just be too crazy. But my family still needs me, and daily things sometimes get put on hold.
I'd love to meet the mom or dad who works full time or stays at home full time to raise children, who says, "Yes we're free; We have nothing going on!" 😂
Riiiiight. Maybe after practice, lessons, tournaments, school, activities, homework, feeding the children (all.the.time) and lord knows what else. Hell, I feel like I have barley enough time to finish a REPLY text, before I get interrupted...and NEVER get the text sent. I don't know about you, but come Friday after work or Saturday morning, there is nothing else I want to do, besides NOT cook dinner and sink into my bed and watch my favorite movie.
But here's the thing. We only have so much time.
The three unrelated things:
1. My town had a teen killed in a car accident. When I heard, the boy's name and age wasn't given. My heart sank like anyone else's and I prayed it wasn't one of my seniors. He wasn’t a client of mine. But for someone, somewhere, he was. Almost daily I can go in a photography group, and find a story of “These are his last photos.” “She passed before we could get the session scheduled.” I could go on.
2. I had an inquiry for an extended family session. It was the first time this potential clients children were going to meet their (just shy of 100!) great grand mother. In her email the client wrote, "the sad likelihood that this is the last time we all will be together."
3. My middle child, and his wiggly tooth. He has been waiting and waiting for that first wiggly tooth to fall out. He's in first grade and feeling the pressure of not missing any teeth. 🙈 You know, once the first one falls out, they all start going. As much as I love those toothless grins, I LOVE more that we got photos of his (probably last) smile with all his baby teeth. I know he's growing up, but losing those baby teeth confirm how much time as really passed.
So yes, jumping into jammies, getting take out, mixing up candy corn and popcorn, and watching Harry Potter with my family on the couch sounds incredible. But the time we take to remember what's valuable and means the most to us, is worth YOUR time. The couch will still be there tomorrow. It'll be fine without us for one night.
Last thing, I promise. When I scheduled our family photos, it was a bit out of our budget. I went back and forth over if I wanted to spend that much. Then my budget conscience husband, came in with the ringer. "They're only this little once." He's right. Once in a life time.
Recent clients who made the time (and made the couch wait!) for the ones we love most, pictured below.
Have you been to Mad Eats in Owasso yet? If you haven’t, you can stop reading and just go now. I’ll wait. :)
But in case you’re like me, and the only free moments you get to yourself are at the end of the day; You’re probably in bed, exhausted with a million and one things on your mind and aimlessly scrolling on your phone is so much more appealing than leaving the house. Please enjoy the deliciousness of Mad Eats milkshakes via this adorable sister session. No shame.
These sisters are the sweetest pair! We shared secrets, skipped, twirled and of course made friends with the friendly staff at Mad Eats. We had so much fun, you can see the sugar high in the last couple photos. What you can’t see is the wind…while we were shooting outside it was very cold and so strong. We ended up on the opposite of the building I wanted to shoot but keeping the girls happy and not shivering was worth it.
Thanks for letting us play Mad Eats! You’re the best!
I know, right.
We fancy.
If you are ready to stop scrolling (drooling) over Mad Eats shakes…they have boozy shakes too. And pie. And all day brunch. I mean YUM.
SUGAR. HIGH.
Thanks a bunch Mad Eats!
We had permission to shoot at Mad Eats. If you’re a newer photographer or don’t know; please, please, please go through the right channels and get permission first when shooting at private locations and businesses.
xo, L.
You’ve heard it all before. As a photographer I get told secrets…and I love it! I’ll venture to say you might not find another photographer in Tulsa who loves it more than me. We find out before anyone else about some of the most exciting seasons of peoples lives! As someone who loves—I mean LOVES to surprise others, this is like me getting to live vicariously through Oprah—but with a camera. In my mind, “You’re getting engaged! You’re getting a grand baby! You’re getting a great grand baby!” Usually, not all at the same time, but you catch the drift. Seriously, the fun of it all is too much.
When I get one of these special secrets, I’m usually just so excited for the clients. I can keep secrets, no problem, but damn, if I am not BURSTING on the inside waiting for the official announcement from my clients! Although, when I personally know the client, it’s a whole other level.
This was one of those times. Jess is a teacher at my son’s school. Jess is hands down, just adorable in general, PLUS she wanted to bring their fur baby and incorporate her in the shoot. We shot this all the way back in January or February in Tulsa. It was like the skies parted and the cloud of a long winter vanished. Yes, baby announcements are the best surprises!
Downtown Tulsa is one of my favorite spots for sessions. The light is fabulous. The architecture is interesting and there is always something going on. I seem to notice or encounter a few odd occurrences when I’m downtown, Tulsa or otherwise. This baby announcement session was no exception. But isn’t that what makes it fun and memorable? Hopefully, right, lol.
The weather was great. The light was magical—thank you Tulsa! Obviously, the love and excitement for this baby was palpable. I loved hanging out downtown with this sweet little family. Baby boy will be here very soon, and I know his mama, daddy and big sister cannot wait to meet him! Enjoy!
I have a lot of pictures on our walls at home. I like to rearrange our wall art and photos every now and then. During the last revamp I took down my gallery wall, and limited myself to one framed photo of each kid…shocking, I know. It’s been that way for about a year, and I think it’s time to rearrange again.
I’m still working on my boys, but I got my youngest to play around for about 2.5 minutes with me. I can see a gallery wall coming together with just that couple minutes. Now to pick which one(s) make the wall. Sigh, decisions, decisions.
Sofiya was SUCH.A.MODEL. She needed hardly any direction—she just posed away! She’d smile <snap>, sassy <snap>, hair flip <snap>. Dang girl. You killed your senior photos. So impressed!
Mommy & Me session at the Restore House in Broken Arrow, OK
Read moreI fell in love with Lainee and her sweet family the moment I read their client questionnaire. Amid all the junk going on in the world, work, family and our personal lives, the last thing Lainee wrote in the questionnaire was spot on. I get bogged down by life but her words are ones to truly live by.
"Our life is exhausting. Especially this year, but there is SO much to celebrate. That's what I want, pictures to celebrate what our life is like today, because honestly for us, we don't know what life will look like next year."
So much love to this family. I admire your honest and beautiful words <3
xo, L.
Tyler's sister is a friend of mine. One day she showed me Tyler & Kassi's Facebook photo announcing their pregnancy. I was immediately in love with how ADORABLE they were and knew they were the PERFECT models for a location I'd been hoping to try out.
Kassi is one brave chick and didn't even bat an eye at basically rock climbing at 37/38 weeks. Congratulations to this gorgeous couple!
xo, L.
I don't always shoot seniors...but when I do, I hope they are always as awesome as this chick! She is straight up sunshine. <3 Hope your year is amazing!
