One of the added bonuses of my job is forming real friendships with my couples. Watching them grow into families, and more often than not…getting to document their milestones through the years. Jennings was a friend before my love of photography grew into a career, so photographing her isn’t just like photographing an old friend…it’s the real deal. She’s someone I grew up with, hung out at middle school dances with ( wow..do I even remember middle school?!), and now share a passion for photography with. I know what you’re thinking…I recognize that laugh. Yep, she’s shown up on this blog a few times over the past year. Who could forget her southern beach wedding with a reception to end all receptions?

Not only did she become a wife in 2010..she became a business owner. I love seeing friends follow their passions & Jennings is really putting her heart into her photography. Her sweet hubby Brennen gave her a one-on-one session with me as a birthday present & we spent the better part of a Saturday talking shop & creating a business plan for her. We focused on establishing her look, finding her niche, resources to help take things to the next level, and even did a live edit of a few of her recent images. There’s so much to love about Jennings. She’s carving her own path & focusing on all the right things. Being true to herself, her art & her clients. I love the authenticity of her work…she’s not trying to be anyone else. All of my photographer friends out there would agree..that’s hard to find these days. At one point during our session we were discussing her wedding pictures & I mentioned how much I love the image of her & her dad laughing together in the hotel room before the ceremony. As I told her what I loved about that image ( the fact that you can almost hear them laughing..) I watched her eyes well up with tears. It was one of those moments where it all comes full circle & you realize how precious even the smallest moments are. It made me see how perfect she is for this job. Her clients are lucky to have someone with such a huge heart photographing them. Big things are on the horizon for this southern gal, and she knows I’m here to help anytime she needs a word of encouragement..

Sooo.. ( if you’re still with me, you deserve a medal ) the day of our one-on-one, we got a little surprise… in the form of a major snowstorm. Well, major for the south…around here school closes at the first sight of a snowflake, so 4-5 inches is considered a blizzard :) Jennings & I were so wrapped up in shoptalk, we didn’t look out the window until it was time to start shooting & there was a bonafide winter wonderland outside. Aside from almost killing my gear ( I don’t recommend shooting in the snow without a water housing, btw..) it was one of my most memorable sessions to date. Jennings decided to make it a sisters shoot, so she had her sis Bennette join us. These two are so close…I love the connection they share. Thanks for the laughs, ladies…xoxo.