When Cameron emailed me to take his senior photo’s, he said “I would be ecstatic” if I would be able to do them. And I wrote back & said, “I would be ecstatic to take them!” 😉 Just our first communication via email made me excited to meet Cameron! Plus, I had taken his older sister Lauren’s senior pictures & they had been a blast 🙂

Cameron is super talented & involved in many different things. One of my goals in senior sessions to incorporate those things is special to each senior & for Cameron it was his guitar, baseball, 4-H a few other things!

One of Cameron’s dreams is to go to UCLA at some point in his college career. As we talked about locations for his session, I was totally on board with using a local park for part of his session but I didn’t feel like it was entirely capturing Cameron & his dreams. It finally hit me that we should do the second half of his session on the top of a parking garage! I wanted to have the city sky-line in the background & really showcase this season in Cameron’s life as he graduates from high school & continues to pursue his goals. He was TOTALLY on board for the parking garage portion & I was even more excited for his session! I had the song “The City is Yours” from the Annie soundtrack stuck in my head while we were up there 😉 –

This is just the start of your story
If you got guts you get glory
Anyone can make it even you
And now’s the time you gotta stand tough
Cause if you work hard you can rise up
Anyone can make it even you
So take it all, the city’s yours, it’s worth fighting for, it’s all yours
So take it all, the city’s yours, it’s worth fighting for, it’s all mine, it’s all yours

Cameron, I’m super excited for you in pursuing your dreams! You can make it! Thank you for such a memorable session! You’re an awesome guy & well loved by many. I pray the Lord guides your dreams & your future 🙂

I LOVE this bag the Cameron designed & made himself! And it’s made out of soda tops!

A personal favorite of mine 🙂

Yesterday, Noah’s senior session was featured on my blog & today, you can meet his older brother Zach! Zach’s session was just two days after his brother’s & I totally enjoyed hanging out with him! Both boys were so fun to spend time with!

Zach has a fun & creative side to him & I loved focusing on that during his session. Zach has been a lifeguard for several years & has played guitar for quite a long time too. I loved that Zach had a couple poses he wanted to incorporate in the session! He’d say, “What about taking a picture over here…” I loved that! I think one of my favorite things that happened in his session was when he walked down the middle of the street in Uptown Normal! Cool stuff 😀 Zach definitely has a fun style & I think this session really captures his personality & who he is!

Zach, you’ve got a lot going for you. But remember, you’ll never go wrong as long as you listen for the Lord’s voice & follow Him. I think you’re an awesome guy & I know the Lord has a great plan for you!

Noah is just a super nice, thoughtful guy. Easy going & really easy to talk too. And really smart too! Noah is graduating this spring a couple years before he even needs too 🙂 We had his entire senior session at McGraw Park & I enjoyed getting to talk to him & hear about his interests & stuff he likes to do. Which include taking a Japanese class at Heartland! (Isn’t that awesome?!)

Meet Noah!

That picture on the right is a favorite of mine 🙂

Noah’s family has two beautiful retrievers, Pazel & Zahavi. They’re gorgeous, friendly dogs & we had a lot of fun trying to get them to look at the camera 😉 As you can see, it was a lot of work haha 🙂

But it happened!

Noah, congrats on this new journey you’re embarking on! I know if you give your plans to the Lord & listen for His leading, your plans will succeed. All the best Noah!

It is the season of senior sessions & especially boys! Just in the past 4 weeks, I’ve had FIVE senior sessions for guys. Ryan,’s session was just a few weeks ago & we had perfect spring weather for it. I had enjoyed meeting with he & his mom to go over details about the session & was looking forward to capturing Ryan in this season of his life.

Ryan is just a super nice guy. He’s graduating from Normal West & has a love for soccer. He & his family have lived alllllll over- including Hawaii). I enjoyed comparing notes on various places since I’ve moved a lot as well. During Ryan’s session we talked about soccer, movies, his upcoming prom & his job at a local nursing home. Friends, meet Ryan!

Such a handsome guy!

We HAD to incorporate a little soccer in his session 😉

Ryan, I enjoyed hanging out with you! I’m SUPER excited for you as you take this new path in life & being a new season in Iowa City. All the best to you!!!

Lucas, Lucas 😉

About 6 years ago, I was a youth leader at my church (First Assembly of God) & Lucas was just coming into the youth group. I actually thought about going back through the photo’s I took of when I was a youth leader at the youth group & try to find some embarrassing picture of Lucas buuuttttt I decided against it 😉 Not even sure if I have any actually! 🙂 Just teasing you Lucas!

But we sure did get some good pictures the other night!

Lucas doing what his sister calls his funny face on the left 😉 & then laughing about her reaction on the right 😉

If you know Lucas, you know that he likes to goof off & have a good time 😉

This one should be an ad for Hollister or someplace!

And my fav!

Lucas, you’re a good guy. You’ve got a whole new season of life coming up here pretty soon. I pray that you will keep the Lord as your focus & He will make your paths straight. You’re amazing Lucas!!!

About a year after my family moved to Bloomington, IL, I started volunteering as a youth leader in the youth group at First Assembly in Normal. For almost 4 years I spent one evening of my week with the awesome teenagers that went to that youth group. Gabriel was in Junior High when I started & I watched her grow up through Junior & now into Senior High School as a senior graduate! When Gabriel’s mom emailed me a couple months ago regarding a possible session for Gabriel, I was SO excited & hoped our schedules would work out & they did! Gabriel is very involved with her parents 15 year old Tae Kwon Do business– “where families kick together” & has not only won many awards in Tae Kwon Do but she teaches it as well.

Gabriel has many other qualities other then Tae Kwon Do. She’s SUPER sweet. She thinks before she speaks. I’ve watched her observe situations & take her time in responding, a very awesome & rare quality. Gabriel has a love for doing hair & makeup & is currently already taken classes in those areas. She plans to pursue cosmetology as a career after high school.

Each one of my senior sessions this year have been amazing. And Gabriel’s is no exception! See for yourself!

Personal favorite of mine!

Of course, we had to incorporate her passion for Tae Kon Do 😉

And though she be but little, she is fierce. – William Shakespeare

Gabriel, I’m so proud of you. It’s been an honor to watch you become the wonderful young lady you are. Keep Christ first & all your goals & dreams will come in place, with the Lord’s leading.

View more at www.facebook.com/youweremadetosmile

I was super excited about Megan’s Senior Session! We’d met up with her mom a week before to discuss all the details of her session including where her session would take place. Megan wanted pictures in a downtown setting & then somewhere with a lot tree’s & natural surroundings. During her consultation, Megan’s mom got the idea to have the second half of Megan’s session at her grandparents property on the edge of Towanda. The evening of her session the weather was a little chilly & I was super curious & excited as we drew nearer to Megan’s grandparent’s home. It was even MORE beautiful there then I ever could have imagined!

What I desire for each & everyone one of my senior high graduate sessions is to make the session THEM. Megan’s was definitely that! Her grandparents property was simple a perfect setting & Megan’s personality & beauty is enough to make any session go perfectly! I literally squealed with excitement during the session because of all the fun we had!

Megan, you are truly beautiful. Even though we were only together a few hours, I can tell that you have a caring heart. And you don’t want to be like everyone else. You want to stand out. Please Megan, DO! The world needs you! Use your voice to say things that need to be said & use your heart to know when to say them. Keep loving those around you & don’t be afraid to be who the Lord has called you to be.

Megan was killin it just within a couple minutes of her session. PS I told Megan this, but I was VERY excited to photograph her for many reasons, but one was because she’s a redhead. My mom is a redhead! I loved how her red hair stands out with the red background & brick!

She requested a picture in front of the watermelon 😉 My kind of girl! And we made it happen.

Her big smile is coming out! Love it!!! And don’t you just LOVE Megan’s boots? The girl has style!

Another fun one with sissy!

Stunningly serious.

View more at www.facebook.com/youweremadetosmile