Hello, Beautiful

This is Lindsay. Feel free to call her Gorgeous.

Kishan's American Post

I lied. I can't double up. The last post got too long and this guy is just so cool. In fact, I think he'll probably get two posts. Yeah, that's how cool he is.

We'll call this his American post. It's him wearing jeans, American Eagle, and roaming through downtown Vancouver. America's Vancouver. The first part of our session started with skirts, saris, and musical instruments shipped straight from India. I can't wait to share it.

Kishan is pretty amazing. Whoever said that the only things high school students care about are dances, football scores, cell phones, and cars has not met Kishan Patel. Kishan does not fit the mold. And I think he likes it that way. He knows who he is, what he wants, and has enough confidence to get there. He speaks four languages, plays too many instruments to count, spent over a month in India last summer without his parents, and is a walking encyclopedia on all things Indian. His musical accomplishments are impressive, but I wll share more about those later.

So, yeah he's got the brains. But he's also got those deep brown eyes and an infectious smile. Some might say it's not fair. Rumor has it there's quite a few moms and grandmas out there who are hoping their daughters might catch his eye.

Whew! What a month!

How did I get to be so lucky? I've had a slew of amazing clients lately. And you know that whole 7 degrees of separation thing? Well, for the past month I've seen it in action.

It all started with the Jensen family. Robin saw their pictures and then found me. After her family session session she referred a friend who then referred two more friends. And of course they each received a referral gift from me.

This month, I'm shooting 7 families who all came to me by referrals. My business is primarily based off word of mouth so it means the world to me when you send your friends over. Seriously, thank you all for having so much confidence in me. I have the best clients!

I'm a little bit behind on this blog, so I'm going to attempt to do some doubling up.

Here are a couple amazing senior guys I shot last week. Both are musicians. Both are friends with Whitney. That last little bit? Well, because the came to me through Whitney, I knew I was going to like them. If they were friends with one of the happiest girls I've met, I figured I'd have some fun with them too.

Alex is brilliant. He may not know it or may not yet have figured out a way to apply his brilliance, but he will. I asked him the age old question "so, what do you want to do with your life?" His reply was awesome. Simply put, he wants to invent things. And not just anything. He wants to apply new laws of physics and make a pretty rad collapsing bicycle. His passion is to improve upon things we use everyday to make them more efficient. Umm...yeah. I think I was just trying to find ways to skip math class.
He also plays in a rock band. So, that makes him cool and smart. Nice combo.

Meet Kayla

Her mom and I had a couple of quick conversations about where we should do Kayla's senior session. When I emailed the third time just making sure I knew exactly what Kayla was looking for, her mom's response brought a smile to my face. "The truth is," she said, "Kayla's going to look great wherever we go."

"Great?"

Thinkin' that might have been an understatement.

"Gorgeous" is more like it.

Kayla made my job easy. With her size 0 frame, dark hair, and sparkling blue eyes, my camera fell in love.

She's quiet, but has an easy smile. As we walked through Portland we talked about school, an after school program she's a part of that the police department runs, cosmetology, and how she has a knack for making things look good.

Kayla will graduate this spring with aspirations to pursue interior architecture where she'll nurture her artistic side and spread those creative talents.

Meet Kelsey

Sidenote: I'm sitting here in my new office with my 5th grader by my side. He's working on an essay and I'm typing for my blog. I love this. I love his desk next to mine. I love our time. Together.

Note to self: Do not do a photo shoot in the Pearl on an empty stomach. On a recent Thursday Miss Kelsey and I headed over to the Pearl for her senior session. Portland is a gem. The sights, sounds, and smells make my heart rate quicken and my soul come alive, but every restaurant we walked past made my stomach growl louder. No, Portlanders, there was not an earthquake last Thursday it was just my tummy responding to the meca of dining opportunities that lie within your reach. The Pearl Bakery, Irving Street Kitchen, Sin Ju, Andina, Bridgeport Brewery..... can you tell I'm hungry now? I must have a problem.

Kelsey rocked her senior session. The clothes she brought were perfect and the light that evening made her eyes shine. I just love the seniors I've gotten to meet and Kelsey is no exception. As she heads into her senior year, she's focused on making a difference and giving back. Instead of being consumed with herself, she's decided to help mentor a handful of younger girls from her church. Kelsey, you're awesome!

C'mon Get Happy

Pure joy. That's what she is. She rolled out of the car laughing and didn't stop until we finished. Serious looks were out of the question. It wouldn't have been her anyway. When we tried she only laughed some more. She's light. She's grounded. She knows what she wants. And she's got life lassoed into her happiness harness.

Whitney, I hope your senior year is fantastic. You will change the world. I know it.

Meet Lindsey

It took us awhile but we finally connected. I guess that's what happens when you're trying to work with a superstar. Lindsey and her horse travel the Unites States competing in shows and blowing away the competition while they are at it. She wouldn't come right out and say how well she did at World's, but when you're being recruited by major colleges for their equestrian programs I'm guessing the chances are she placed pretty high. Add in the fact that she's a cheerleader and some of you might be wondering if it's really fair for a girl to be this beautiful and talented. I'd give you an answer but somehow I just keep getting lost in those gorgeous blue eyes.

For all you high school seniors out there, if you go to Hockinson High School make sure to mention Lindsey's name when setting your session date. You'll both get a bonus for doing so!

This Girl Rocks

I love this girl. Come to think of it, I think I still owe Momma Hawk Hunt big time for hooking me up with her and another rep and I'm sure more reps in the future:) I feel like playing a little game. Hey, Momma Hawk Hunt if you're out there and respond within the next 24 hours I'll hook YOU up with a Christmas Mini on the 15th.

Now back to this girl that I love. Tiffany rocks. She's a great athlete, has her head on straight, loves the Lord, and manages to get through life while waiting for her equally amazing beau to return home from Iraq. She's the kind of girl every mom wants for a daughter, ever coach wants for an athlete, every boyfriend wants for a girlfriend... you know, I could use a sister who actually lives in town. Are you available for adoption?

Dancing Her Way

She came bounding over to my car with a grin on her face and an obvious excitement for the shoot to begin. After we checked out her clothes, drug out the vintage chair, and finally started shooting I became more and more amazed with this beauty. Kara is beautiful -jaw dropping, crowd stopping beautiful- there is no denying that, but it was the easy giggle, hilarious attempt at running in cowboy boots, and up-for-anything attitude that had me loving her. Kara, don't ever forget how special you are and keep on wowing the world with whats on the inside just as much as they are wowed by what's on the outside.