The Barefoot Senior

Chelsia Reid is a beautiful, intelligent high school senior from Jayess, MS. If you are familiar with Jayess at all, you will understand that she is also country through and through. She brought shoes for every outfit, but if I recall correctly, she only put on one pair for a few photos. She just prefers to be barefoot, and April 14th was a perfect day for that. We trekked all over Jayess, stopping when we discovered a place worthy of being in this beautiful girl's senior portfolio. Chelsia has a love for Elvis and traveling. Though she seems shy and reserved when you first meet her, she opens up pretty quickly, and will soon have you laughing along with her. Congratulations Chelsia on this major milestone in your life. Best wishes on your future!!!

Uncooperative Equipment

To say that my camera equipment was uncooperative on the warmest Sunday in months would be a bit of an understatement. As I met Mickey and Lacey Bennett, and their beautiful daughter Halle Easter afternoon, the batteries that I had fully charged the day before had completely depleted. I drove home to get another set of batteries, and returned ready to begin the shoot. Though my camera would now turn on, my shutter would not close, thus preventing me from capturing a single shot. I drove home again to retrieve my back up camera (which I normally bring to every shoot), and returned, this time with all pieces in working order. This beautiful family was so understanding, and continued to keep smiling (all but Halle, who decided quickly she was not in the mood). We shot for approximately 45 minutes trying everything in our power to get this little girl to smile. She refused. Talk of SpongeBob, bubble gum, horses, and lip gloss--all to no avail. Though she wouldn't smile, her piercing eyes were so evident in every photo, and the love her parents showed for each other and for her showed through in nearly every image. I am happy to have had the opportunity to capture this wonderful family, and hope that this isn't my last. Let me know what you think.

Nikki Russell. CHS Senior 2010.

Nikki Russell. A girl with an incredible love for life. Anyone that ever has the pleasure of meeting Nikki never forgets her. She's hyper, giddy, loud, funny, and beautiful to boot. I've known Nikki for several years now, and have had the pleasure of watching her mature immensely. To say she's had a less than perfect life may seem harsh, but it's made her who she is today. Because of that, she will be, without question, one of the strongest seniors to graduate from Columbia High School this year. Being elected as a Senior Homecoming Maid was a highlight she won't soon forget. I'm super proud of her, and am excited to finally share her photos with you. Best of luck Nikki. The world is out ther. Capture it!

The Unexpected Couple

I met Travis my freshman year of college. He was vice president of the fraternity I pledged for. To be frank, he scared me a little. I was the good, little pentecostal kid, and he had long hair, gauges in his ears, and more tattoos than I could count. When I really got to know Travis, I realized there was a lot more under all of that. Nichole came to Carey my sophomore year as the good girl desiring to live life to the fullest, (and become my children's future dentist) and I never in a million years thought she and Travis would be friends, much less more. I had a great friendship with both of them throughout my time at Carey, and was more than a little shocked when Facebook announced they were "in a relationship". I watched their relationship blossom over time, until it came to the point that I couldn't imagine them not ever being together. I was ecstatic when Nichole messaged me over Christmas telling me they were engaged! It was shortly after that she called asking me to shoot their engagement photos. Travis is not too keen on photos, but agreed to do them if I would be the photographer. I couldn't say no, even if I had wanted to. We met Saturday in downtown Hattiesburg for an afternoon of catching up with each other, and them acting up for the camera. We had a wonderful time, and I am super pleased with the results. I love them immensely, and can hardly wait to see them say "I do" this coming June. Best wishes guys! I love you both!

Let It Rain

For after all, the best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

No quote rang more true than this on September 12, 2009, when Molly Jones and Josh Reid were joined as one at Temple Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. The morning started off hot and muggy, with a scent of rain in the air. We scheduled outdoor photos of the bride and groom first in hopes of catching a few before the sky opened and ruined the clothes. Such was not the case. The moment we stepped outside to begin, the rain came. We attempted it several more times throughout the morning until we decided outdoor photos weren't possible. The wedding began at 2:00pm with the chiming of the hour. The bride, more lovely than ever, lifted her dress, showing her baby blue converse tennis shoes, and made the walk down the stairs to prepare herself for the greatest moment of her life to date. Everything was in perfect order. As the music began, the doors opened, and scattered gasps were heard throughout the sanctuary. She was stunning. The bride and groom surrounded by family and friends made their commitments to love, honor, and obey...forever and always. Following the ceremony, guests made their way to the reception. The reception hall was decorated beautifully, and the food was terrific. The bride's cake was a beautiful 6 layer white, with huge brown bows around every layer. In true "Steel Magnolias" fashion, the groom's cake was a red velvet in the shape of an armadillo. The couple chose "At Last" as the music for their first dance, before saying goodbye to their guests. Congratulations Molly and Josh. I wish you the very best in life!

The First of Six Brides

Whitney Duren was the first of six daughters born to Billy and Tracey Duren. The love that these wonderful parents have for their girls is truly immeasurable, and I know that Whitney was able to feel it every step of the way in planning this most special day, her marriage to one Ryan Jordan. I attended the rehearsal to get a better feel of what was going to happen during the ceremony, and the family requested that I attend the dinner to follow. After eating, family and friends began to tell memories they had of Ryan and Whitney, and how they knew they would last forever. The love that everyone in that room had for this couple was amazing. The wedding day dawned hot and muggy, as is expected in Alabama at the beginning of August. But this wedding party of 24 did not let that get to them. They were troopers all the way through. Although we weren't able to shoot any of the outside photography we had planned thanks to the rain that happened for most of the day, the shots we captured were beautiful, and the wedding went off without a hitch. The wedding party was escorted to the reception 30 minutes away in a black and white hummer limo (as everything that day was black and white), and were welcomed by several hundred guests, catfish, fried shrimp, and gumbo. The dancing began shortly thereafter, and continued for several hours, until the bride and groom said goodbye to their guests and were whisked away to begin their new life together. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Jordan. I am honored to have had such a small part in your big day.

Whitney Duren's Bridals

Whitney Duren married Ryan Jordan in the most perfect of ceremonies Saturday, August 1, 2009 in Wilmer, AL. We met just over a month ago to do her bridals, and I've been holding off on showing them to the world, so her groom would not see them. She was an absolutely beautiful bride, as you will see in the photos below. We met in Downtown Mobile and shot most of these in the Battle House Hotel, and then ended the shoot by getting a few outdoor photos. Ryan and Whitney are an amazing couple, and I wish them all of the best in this world.