Sweet Haven

I got to entertain one of my granddaughters while her mom got ready for our annual family gathering on Christmas Eve. Fortunately, Haven was already dressed for the occasion, and Gia (that's me) happened to have her camera handy. She is an exquisite little person, with a personality fueled by pure sunshine. Here are a few of my favorites from our impromptu mini-session.

Ryan

I have three daughters so I can say this: you know how mommies tell their young daughters that when they grow up they need to pick a great guy? Well, I met the prototype last week (sorry Ryan, but you are!) Not that I'm trying to get my daughters married off; all three of them are quite a bit older than Ryan is, and two are taken! But I left the shoot thinking about what a likable kid he is. Okay, he's really not a kid. But when someone is younger than your children are, they're for all practical purposes still in the kid category :) Anyway, Ryan is a senior at Cedar Park High School, and is on the golf team. I spent an afternoon with Ryan and his mom at the UT Golf club last Monday, and we all had fun clowning around on the course. Ryan hasn't committed 100% to a university, though it's looking like he'll be heading to A&M in the fall. For that reason, when we passed a small longhorn emblem on the course, I asked him to strike an Aggie pose. That way, if someone gives him grief someday about doing his senior photo shoot at a UT facility, he can whip out that picture and save face! These are the kind of people who make my job easy - I really enjoyed getting to know them. Thanks Ryan and Jody, for letting me be a part of this momentous event. Hope you have a fantastic holiday!

Meagan and Ellen

There are few things in this world more precious than true friends. Ellen and Meagan have been best friends since before they started kindergarten, and from the minute I met them I figured they could probably keep us all entertained with the stories they have to tell. Ellen is a Drum Major in the Cedar Park High School band, and Meagan is the First Lieutenant of the Cedar Park High School Celebrities. I spent a mild, breezy afternoon with these two and their awesome moms, and had a wonderful time. Graduating from high school is such a cool passage, and I'm always grateful to be invited to capture the scene before the graduates head off to college.

These two brought some stellar things to the shoot with them. Ellen wore a necklace that her grandmother gave her - a gorgeous turquoise piece that rocked every outfit she wore. And Meagan has shoes, shoes shoes; those of you who know me probably guessed that I was very excited about the shoes, because, well, I love photographing unusual shoes! There was never a dull moment because these women love to laugh.

Thanks Ellen and Meagan! I loved hanging out with you and your moms. Hope you enjoy this "preview" of your senior portraits!
Meagan may have a closet full of fancy shoes, but Ellen is all about these shoes that she wears every day!Best friends share everything, right? So why not hair?