little laur, baby lauren, LP, smalls, half-pint, lar.
if you know me in person, then you know lauren. if you only know me from the industry, then you’ve definitely heard of her.
(if you still don’t know who i’m talking about, then you are surely missing out.)

i reaaaaallly want to be in denial about posting these and thus acknowledging that my little lar is, in fact, a senior. but she is. and as crazy/exciting/sad/bizarre that is to me, i literally could not be more excited for this new season of life or more thankful for knowing her in the past few. this little day we shared of talking and driving and talking and eating with some pictures thrown in was such a perfect representation of how our friendship has come full-circle. LP has walked alongside me every.step.of.the.way in photography. she’s insanely talented (uh she shot her first solo wedding at like 14) and i don’t think she even realizes half of how brilliant she is. she’s a faithful second-shooter and the other side of my brain at weddings when i forget to switch cards or lock my keys in my car or forget the timeline. she’s been there to save the day every time, cheerfully and encouraging. but as much as we look like “photography pals” (or, like we have been often asked, it looks like i bring my sister/cousin/DAUGHTER?! with me to weddings), our friendship goes way beyond pictures.(should i even attempt to list our years of memories/trips we’ve shared?). other than spending sunday mornings watching documentaries and sorting through wedding photos, we actually never even talk about photography (and thats what i LOVE about our friendship). lauren is WISE beyond her years, full of fervor and honesty and has a seeking heart. she’s quick to laugh (especially at me, WINK) and eager to learn. she’s a friend to many, and a loyal and true one.  she’s an old soul and could probably sit for days having heart-to-hearts. she’s an artist in everything she does: from her handwriting and music selections to her adorable room. lauren is one of my dearest friends & is incredibly special to me…i can’t even put it into words. she’s five full feet of energy (and gorg hair) and in her heart heart HEART of hearts i know all she wants to do is truly know and love jesus & know and love people. basically, i’m obsessed with her.

smalls: you said you wanted laughing pictures, so:

LOVE YOU FOREVAH
(this is all so sappy)
xo mama

senior portraiture is just one of my favorite things. i lovelovelove highschool girls, and as the years go on, the more convinced i am that i want to really be involved with high schoolers in some way (i counseled with my church’s youth group at camp this summer and ADORED every second of it. but that’s a different post).  i have LOVED every year that i have done portraiture, but this season of seniors has been a little different and a lot more sentimental. when i was in highschool and helped out with our church’s junior group, these were the students that were seventh graders. my senior year, they were the freshman that we led in orientation, and i truly feel like i have watched so many of these girls grow up, specifically in their highschool years. (cue any and all of those typical i feel so old!! things that people always say)

heather is my best friend’s younger sister and her and her family are so special and significant to me. i have been so privileged to get to know heather in so many different settings over the past years–from sneaking off from friend gatherings to talk to her (and her best friend lauren) about silly jr high things as they hid away in her room, to years at hume lake and church leadership and weddings and highschool and just hanging out at the caughell household. i can sincerely say that heather is somebody with the loveliest, most beautiful hearts i have ever met. she has a gentle, genuine, positive energy about her. she is a faithful friend, an earnest seeker of the lord, a compassionate leader and her beauty literally flows from the inside out. she is so incredibly dear to me and to anyone who has the privilege of knowing her. i hope these pictures encapsulate a little bit of that heather we adore so much: