Part child.  Part adult.  Ready to leave the nest but still in need of the security of home.

They are finishing high school and looking towards college.  Often they are worried about exams and college applications or GPAs.  But I look further down their path of life and wonder at the miracles God will perform for them.  What adventures will he take them on?  Who will they meet? 

There is so much in front of them.  

So much greatness.  

So much love.  

So much life.

I am blessed to have watched some of them find their wings and fly.  I have loved and hugged them when they hurt.  I have listened when they are finding their purpose, their gifts, their loves.  

I love what I do.  I love my seniors.  I love my brides.  The families lives who have touched mine......

I am living in my gift.  I have purpose.  I am blessed.  

Caleb and Katya's wedding was no different.  Caleb's mom, Ann, is the sweetest lady on the planet.  She found me by searching the internet and we connected through email.  The fist time we met was at the wedding.

So this little slide show is for her as well as Caleb and Katya.  May your lives be forever blessed with love and happiness.

Vendors:

Ruth's Chris Steak House - Reception

Alleycakes of Neptune Beach - Wedding Cake

First Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville - Wedding Venue

When I saw their "We are pregnant" announcement I immediately messaged them asking to shoot their maternity photographs.  I was thrilled when they said YES!

We had such a good time.  Jeremy and Brittany are fantastic people!!!

He looks at her the same way he did on their wedding day!

I can't wait to meet Hailey!

They are going to make such great parents!

Congratulations Jeremy and Brittney!!!  Thanks for letting me be a part of two super-duper special moments in your life!

She can stare down my camera lens with a fierceness that is just crazy!  Yet her heart and her spirit are as beautiful as dew on a field in the spring.

She makes me laugh as she states her "fun facts" as we peruse the place very dear to her heart.

Her smile lights up just as quickly as her eyes smolder.

And she marveled at the sunset with me.  I am going to miss this sweet senior as she heads out of my Digital Photography class and into college life.  I'm secretly hoping I'll get to photograph an engagement and wedding too (shhhh.....don't tell her mom or another sweet woman named Rae)

Thanks for sharing your last half of your senior year with me Sarah.  Love you to pieces!!!

Abbi has a smile that will light up a room and a personality to go with it.  She is an amazing senior getting ready for the new adventure of life as a college student.  I will miss her in and out of our neighborhood with her bestie Bryanna.

Just look at those eyes!

Our favorite shots were when an unexpected fog bank rolled in.

The sunset turned into a mystery novel.

After testing out the still "freezing cold" Florida waters we set out towards home.  But the next night ended up with just a few more shots in her prom dress.

Abbi - I wish you all of God's richest blessings as you walk into the life He has planned for you!  You are amazing!!

She rocked it out from the first shot.

And never let up!

I can't wait to see what this senior does with her life.  She's got the entire world in front of her!!

Anyone who can brave the water temperature this time of year can do anything!

The sky is the limit!  "Oh the Places you will Go!"

He rocked my camera from the first shot.  I had so much fun with this senior who loves the outdoors and nature.  

He took me on an adventure through Guana River State Park in Ponte Vedre, Fl.  I loved the atmosphere.  This little old lady kept riding by us on the trails dinging the bell on her bike!  She cracked me up!

Sarah, his girlfriend was just as kind and sweet as he was.  They shared how they met and I told them my crazy story about meeting my husband.  I can't wait to go back.

Next time he's bringing his bike and I'm bringing a horn for it!  

It's not often I get the chance to photograph my sweet sister and daughter together.  We lives states apart.  It makes this shot from our beach trip even more special.

She's a ham in front of my camera.  I love her dearly.  "Hi sis!"

My dad and my brother-in-law chatting it up on the deck (pre-hurricane).

Me and mini-me!

My sweet brother and sister-in-law!  I love my brother.  He's the biggest ham.  Having him and his family there made missing mom a little less painful this first beach vacation!

My hand-held moon shot the night of the new moon and the night of the "broken toe".  I love the way you can see the rest of the moon in shadow but only a slice in light.  That is the pier you see in the rest of the photo and beach houses.

Have a great Thursday!  It's almost Friday!

Our family takes a sunset cruise each year and this year was no different.  We got a nice night's sail in before Hurricane Arthur came barreling down on us.  (photo credit - some nice lady on the cruise)  "Thank you!"

Chloe, the dog, always comes with the captain.  If you ever get a chance to travel to Beaufort, NC Lookout Cruises does life on a sailboat right!

The Worthy Boys!

As we shrugged off what we thought was going to be a blow by from a Category One hurricane we watched as the ocean grew angrier each hour of the day.  Here's a couple shots during the day of the night it made landfall...

Sand at 40mph...

The hurricane slowly turned into a Category One hurricane as night approached.  We soaked up water coming in from all sides of the house and wondered if we would lose power (most importantly air conditioning) during the night.  The windows shook.  The glass doors waved as if saying hello.  Things were a little hairy!  

The eye finally made landfall around 3am.  Of course my husband and boys were there to watch it happen.  

We survived an exciting night and the next day dawned a beautiful sunny day with waves built for boys!

As always, I did not want to leave.  Dot's Spot (as the family calls the beach house) is a place filled with many, many memories.  God was so gracious this year to give us a vacation we would never forget!  Did I mention the broken toe?  That happened day one!  Be blessed......

Julie

I'm thankful for the flood of memories that yesterday brought back to my mind and the special time I was able to share with such a beautiful family!

I was blessed to be a part of Lauren and Jason's wedding with Frank Donnino this past weekend.  

Frank, with over 30 years experience, was kind, thoughtful and a great mentor.  I was blessed to shoot over his shoulder, capture details and beautiful moments from the entire wedding.  He has quite a few tricks up his sleeve that made my experience enjoyable and fun.  Although I will not give away all his secrets (you might want to shoot with him yourself), my favorite trick was a tiny small flashlight he attaches to the side of his external flash by velcro so that his camera has an easier time focusing when shooting in dark venues.  Something else this offers is a little light that signals guests on the dance floor to either look your way or pose!  I loved it!

Lauren was a beautiful bride.

And the details of the wedding were stunning!

Frank's assistant, Gwen, and I had a blast capturing details as Frank concentrated on Family Formals.

This was my view through the palm fronds...

I enjoyed including Frank in many of my shots!

I do really like this car!  You?

And the shoes…..oh la la!

Thank you Frank for all you helped me with, taught me and for welcoming me into your clan!  You are the bomb!

You can view a sample of my wedding pictures here:  http://mybaldphotographer.pass.us/011114/c-jKDBv960840  and the entire wedding here:  http://mybaldphotographer.pass.us/011114/

Frank's amazing photos can be seen at My Bald Photographer - go check him out!

A former cheerleader and now dance instructor, it didn't take much for her flash that smile.

She rocked the camera as if she had been in front of it her entire life!

There it is again, that gorgeous smile.  The sunlight loved her....

And so did I.  We had a great time!  My fantastic neighbors let us explore their backyard which is fabulous.  I have a feeling I'll be sneaking back there a few more times!!  Thanks Natalie for letting me be a part of your life!

Because of that I get tickled shooting little boys.  When my client called to set up a fun shot downtown I was thrilled.  

I met them expecting to offer my services, my vision, my smiles....something precious that I would see through my lens and instead they touched my life in a way that left me forever changed. 

This sweet family has seen challenges in life I may never see, yet you would never know anything about the road they have traveled.  Mom is happiest woman I've ever met.  All smiles.  All laughter.  Her joy comes from Above.  She makes everyone around her laugh and smile.  She takes middle schoolers under her wing and mentors them through some of the toughest years of their lives.  She loves them with a genuine and sincere love.  Dad is a fun-loving proud papa!  You can tell he cherishes his family!

I know they have found their joy through one another and through Jesus.

I am so happy to have captured this part of their lives for them.  Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this day.  Your children are precious!

WAR EAGLE!

Shhhhh......such a secret.

We all stuffed ourselves into their home for the big announcement.  

But first there was a cookout and this ominous thing staring at us from the counter - 

Homemade with lots of love, she made us wait until everyone had hamburgers, hotdogs and other yummy food that her husband had prepared on the grill.

And finally the big reveal....

Boy?

or 

Girl?

Then I had to have my fun.  I scooted all the iphone shooters away for a couple of quick snaps.....

My absolute favorite of the day ^^^

Then a serious one with his parents...

And finally the cutting....

It's a......

BOY!  

Congratulations to both of you!  Adam and Lindsey, you will make wonderful parents.

( "pst"....I knew it all the time)