Emily’s First Communion Portrait Session at Catholic Church of the Nativity

Emily's First Communion Photos at Catholic Church of the Nativity

Forgive me if my eyes are leaking a little over these pictures. It’s been five years since I photographed Haley’s First Communion Photos.  Two years ago, it was middle sister Hannah’s turn. And now I can’t believe it’s already baby Emily’s turn. I’ve been photographing Emmy since the moment she was born.

I cannot even begin to explain what an honor and privilege it is to be able to capture so many children as they grow. When I look at Emmy, I see so many beautiful moments as photographs in my mind, and I feel pretty lucky to have been a part of those moments with her.

Looking for a photographer in Spring Hill, Franklin, and Columbia in Middle Tennessee? I photograph families at all stages, from newborns to seniors. See my website for more information or to book a session from my online calendar. I would love it if you would consider following me on Facebook and/or Instagram.

Fun Teen Photo Session in Downtown Columbia

Teen Photo Session in Downtown Columbia

OK I know I’ve chosen too many preview pictures for this fun teen photo session in Downtown Columbia. Narrowing down my selection is never something I excel at and it’s even worse when it’s for the child of one of my best friends who I’ve known for most of their life.

I’ve found that parents typically have a big gap in photos of their kids when it comes to the teen years. We take lots of photos of our little ones, but it gets so much harder as they age. For one thing, teens can be very reluctant to let their parents take everyday pictures of them. But here is a secret: getting dressed up and having a professional photographer take photos of you and your friends is much more enticing than letting mom and dad do it.

(Full disclosure: My own teens usually do NOT want me to take their photos, but I’ve never had any trouble with other people’s teens. Go figure.)

I am so pleased with how these turned out. Michelle suggested the session as a way to celebrate Sam’s 15th birthday. Sam was given the freedom to decide what to wear and what friends to include in the session. I love photographing friendships at any age and loved watching the group interact with each other. We really had a great time roaming around Downtown Columbia. I hope Sam loves the photos as much as I do.

Looking for a photographer in Spring Hill, Franklin, and Columbia in Middle Tennessee? I photograph families at all stages, from newborns to seniors. See my website for more information or to book a session from my online calendar. I would love it if you would consider following me on Facebook and/or Instagram.

Hannah’s First Communion Portrait Session at Catholic Church of the Nativity

Two years ago, I shot Haley’s First Communion Photos.  This time, it was middle sister Hannah’s turn.  

It’s always emotional for me to photograph special milestones for children I’ve known all their lives.  But for Hannah, it felt especially so.  I started this journey to becoming a professional photographer by photographing sessions for friends of mine who would ask. It just so happens that Hannah was the very first newborn I ever photographed.  Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing and if I were able to shoot it over again today, I imagine the photos would look very different (and I hope much better).  But most of all, I remember how it felt. 

I remember a moment where Hannah’s dad was sitting on a bench and holding her on his lap and talking to her as I photographed. She looked up at him with such wide, loving eyes and it was the sweetest moment.  Later, Brian said that he felt that was the moment he really bonded with her.  And I was able to be there and capture it in photos. It was really a milestone in my journey to becoming a photographer because it was the first time that I really felt like I was a part of something special, and not just taking snapshots. 


That was almost eight years ago, and now here she is looking like a young lady and celebrating her First Communion.  I just can’t.  Before I know it, I’ll be shooting her prom /graduation/wedding photos.  How do we slow down time?

But also, isn’t she absolutely stunning?  💕

Alicia’s Quinceanera Part 2: The Celebration

As I said in my blog post the other day, I have soooo many pictures of beautiful Alicia’s Quinceanera last week that I decided to split it into two blog posts.  The first post focused on the formal pictures we did before her celebration at the lovely Homestead Manor. But today I want to share photos from the actual event itself, which was a beautiful celebration of this lovely young woman. 

Alicia’s mom Nery did such an amazing job planning this special day for Alicia.  It was so perfect down to every last detail.  The event was held at the Hilton Garden Inn of Franklin / Cool Springs, TN. The hotel did a fabulous job with the event and no detail was overlooked.

The absolutely stunning cake was made by Pink Blossom Bakery. Isn’t’ it just gorgeous? It tasted as good as it looked.

As I stated in the first blog post, Alicia’s Makeup and hair was done by Kari Flournoy at Nashville Hair & Makeup. She looked stunning.

For entertainment, the DJ for the event was Osborne Studio & Sound, and the grand finale performance was by Sol Azteca Mariachi Band. I LOVED the band.. It was so much fun and all the kids really enjoyed it.

I cannot even tell you how much fun it was to photograph this event.  Just being a fly on the wall able to observe these kids having so much fun just enjoying life was truly an honor.  And my favorite part was the Mariachi Band at the end…they were absolutely fantastic! 

Alicia’s Quinceanera Part 1: Formal Pics at Homestead Manor

I have soooo many pictures of beautiful Alicia’s Quinceanera last week that I decided to split it into two blog posts.  This post will focus on the formal pictures we did before her celebration at the lovely Homestead Manor. I will write a second blog post in the next couple days that will focus on the fun party pics with Alicia and all her friends, so be on the lookout for that one! 

When I was discussing the event with Alicia’s mom, she knew that she wanted to get some outdoor portraits with Alicia and immediate family before the celebration began, but we went back and forth trying to decide where the best place would be to do that, which would be not too far from the event location in Cool Springs, but didn’t require a lot of walking. I am so glad we decided on the Homestead Manor, because it was just perfect. As I was editing these, I kept feeling a Cinderella vibe with Alicia’s GORGEOUS dress, set against the beautiful mansion, and even a lovely carriage.  

Alicia looked absolutely stunning (her hair and makeup was done by Kari Flournoy at Nashville Hair & Makeup), as did her gorgeous mama, sister and grandmother. There was so much love for this young lady on her special day, that it made it truly a joy to be a part of and to photograph.  

Stay tuned for lots of fun pictures of the actual Celebration, including a Mariachi Band!!