Being a professional artist takes work and that is why it is so important you are passionate about what you do. There will be lots of room for failure and for giving up but your passion and love for what you do is what will keep you going through everything. Look through these tips to make sure you are on the right path to positioning yourself to be an artist and an authority in your industry.
Read MoreI think it is the perfect time to share this in-home session in Bentonville, Arkansas from a while back. ❤️ Destiny and Jason requested a few photos in their unicorn onesies and I was stoked! This is how I am picturing everyone in self-quarantine right now. 😂
Read MoreI love swapping stories with others about how they got their start in whatever they are passionate about. I remember when I was 15 or 16, I borrowed my sister’s point and shoot digital camera. My best friend and I got dressed up and I took pictures of her individually and us together. We had such a good time and felt so confident. I have no idea where those photos are now but that was so much fun. ❤️Then when I was 19 I bought a film camera from goodwill. I bought some film and my friend show me how to load it. I started photographing everything.
Read MoreYears ago I found my sport. I went to the movie theater to watch Whip it. It was a movie about roller derby. As soon as I left the theater I went home and googled the nearest roller derby team to me and I was at practice soon after. I was too young to play at first. At the time you had to be 21 and I was 20 I think? So I could only practice for a while but I had definitely found my sport.
Read MoreToday I am sharing some of my favorite bridal portraits. ❤️ These were taken at The 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa in Eureka Springs, Arkansas last October. Kim was such an amazing bride! I loved every detail her and Adam curated for their wedding. It was such a beautiful day! The Crescent hotel has a gorgeous, moody, romantic, and emotional feel to it. I loved using various areas of the property to take photos. Kim’s dress and flowers were absolutely gorgeous!
Read MoreI took a bit of a mental health day today so I thought I’d share a photo of a butterfly. ❤️ I took this photograph years ago after a wedding in Arkansas.
Read MoreToday I am sharing a couple of portraits of my mom. The idea for to take these portraits came after I had a dream about photographing my dad who passed when I was 12. I didn’t get a camera until I was about 15 so I never took any proper photos of him when he was alive. In my dream everything felt so real. He was right there and I was finally given the chance the photograph him. I was nervous and I was asking him to stay still as I adjusted my lens. I remember thinking, in my dream, about which lens would be the best and how important these photos would be.
Read MoreI have photographed Jasmine numerous times at this point and it is always such a good time! Her bff, Jae, always tags along and those two together is always a hell of time! For the past two years I have photographed Jasmine for her birthday in-person in Arkansas. We used Onyx Coffee Lab in Bentonville, Arkansas as a location for the first one and a super cool brewery in downtown Rogers, Arkansas for the next one. This year an in-person shoot wasn’t a safe option and we were some states apart so she booked a virtual session. I will start with that one and then post the photos backwards in time.. :)
Read MoreToday’s post features a couple I am so excited to work with! We did their engagements in January at Matkin’s Greenhouse in Bentonville, Arkansas and I can’t wait until their wedding! They were hilarious! Plus they might love Beyonce even more than I do. I didn’t think that was possible! :D
Read MoreY’all! It has been 30 flippin’ days since I first started physical distancing. I never would have imagined that this series would have lasted this long. I thought since we are 30 days in why not give you some real gems: photos of me as a kid. :D I obviously did not take any of these but here they are now existing on the internet. :D :D :D
Read MoreToday’s post features another South Beach fixture. The first time I went to South Beach I saw him selling magnets and I thought he was just so interesting so I asked to take his photo. It was dark outside but the lights on Ocean Drive were perfect for this shot. Then when I moved to South Beach a few months sort of a year later, I looked for him every time I walked down Ocean Drive but I didn’t see him until around December. The first photo below is the one I took on my first trip to South Beach. The following photos are photos I took when I finally caught up with him again a year later and he was just as interesting! I love his style!
Read MoreThis couple in particular is extra special to me. This is my brother and sister-in-law. They are the goofiest, kindest and most loving people. I visited them in Oregon a couple of winters ago and I had so much fun! They come to Arkansas from time-to-time to and it is always so great to see them. 💕I was stoked when they wanted to set up a session! Hannah showed me one of the major benefits of super long hair: the perfect split mustache (see below). 😎 I can’t wait until this pandemic is over and I can go get some tacos with them in Oregon. 💕
Here are a few from their virtual session on Friday.
Read MoreWhen Jack was about three or four he took interest in my camera. Each time I photographed him, I would let him take a couple of photos too. He has photographed his parents, me, and eventually his younger brother and sister. The first photo below is of him and one of my old cameras. The photos after the first one were taken by him. ❤️
Read MoreToday’s post is a continuation of yesterday’s blog post about Matt & Leah’s wedding 💖Leah had a first look for her dad on her wedding day and I hope you brought tissues. 😭It was the SWEETEST thing! They both cried and hugged so much.
Read MoreI was so happy when her and Matt chose to me photograph their wedding ❤️ I had no idea what I was in for, y’all! 😭Her wedding was perfect! So many happy tears! So much love! And every detail was so damn adorable! There was so much thought and love that went into that day. Every person who was at that wedding was also amazingly lovely! Her now husband Matt was such a sweetheart and they were so sweet to each other.
Read MoreI blogged about Dominique on day 8 of this blog series. I shared an article about her where she talks about what it was like growing up trans in Arkansas. This photo is from my very first solo exhibition in Bentonville, Arkansas at the Visual Poets Society Gallery. There was a section of the exhibition that featured photos of her from our greenhouse photoshoot. ❤️ This photo is of her dancing in front of her section. ❤️❤️❤️
Read MoreThis is my friend, John. He is another fixture of South Beach. Every time I see him when I am walking to get groceries, he always says “Oh hi, auntie! It is so good to see you, auntie,” with a big smile. During normal times, you can catch him sipping some Cuban coffee or walking around South Beach.
Read MoreThis boudoir session was a welcome distraction from the pandemic. I got to try on different looks, get all of my make up back out and then spend some time making art with another photographer (Cassandra of Inspired Studios Photography) She took some great shots and then after I finished with her I took some of my own too. :) My boyfriend also took a couple. Overall it was a great experience! I will share both Cassandra’s photographs and mine plus my boyfriend’s at the bottom too.
Read MoreThe internet is a weird but sometimes awesome thing. On my very first trip to Miami Beach in December 2018, I really wanted to do a photoshoot while I was there visiting. I scoured instagram looking for someone in Miami/Miami Beach who might model for me. I have used instagram to find subjects for a variety of things for magazines, model calls, etc. It is a super useful way to connect. I came across the instagram of a young woman who was studying marine biology.
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