The 2013 Portrait Favorites
Whew, what a year of growth and self-exploration 2013 was for both me personally and my business. Since the holidays are over and I refuse to let the post-Christmas blues get me down, I've decided to start a yearly tradition in which YOU get to vote on YOUR favorite portraits of 2013! The client voted favorite portrait will win a $25 gift card to Gap, Jcrew, or Anthropologie (winner's choice). Most of these are from my 2013 portrait sessions, with the exception of a couple from 2012 that I just couldn't not include, since I've never done a giveaway of favorites before. Also, because my favorite portraits are the ones heavy on emotion, I've converted them into black and white. While I love a color portrait, I believe that the black and white allows you to fully observe the beauty of emotion I was trying to capture in each photograph. Here's how it will work: To vote, simply state your favorite of the twenty listed in the comments at the bottom of the post, that's it!
One vote is allowed per reader; however, you may share the post and get as much friends and family to vote as you'd like! The contest starts today and goes through this Wednesday, January 8th at midnight. The winner will be announced on Thursday's blog post.
Disclaimer: This does not include my weddings, so if you were one of my brides, don't feel left out, I've just decided that weddings did not belong in this category. Instead, I think I may do a summer giveaway especially for brides in the future.
1. Waller - Lifestyle Family Portrait
2. Dunckleman - Lifestyle Portrait
3. Blanchard - Lifestyle Family Portrait
4. Callie - Senior Lifestyle Portrait
5. Nelson - Lifestyle Engagement Portrait
6. Kaylyn - Lifestyle Senior Portrait
7. Rebecca - Lifestyle Maternity Portrait
8. Franklin - Lifestyle Family Portrait
9. Waguespack - Lifestyle Engagement Portrait
10. Ducote - Lifestyle Family Portrait 
11. Fabre - Lifestyle Family Portrait 
12. Franklin - Lifestyle Newborn Portrait 
13. Blanchard - Lifestyle Family Portrait 
14. Dunckleman - Lifestyle Portrait 
15. Bailey - Lifestyle Senior Potrait 
16. Owen - Lifestyle Family Portrait
17. Waller - Lifestyle Newborn Portrait 
18. Cefalu - Lifestyle Family Portrait 
19. Harrison - Lifestyle Portrait 
20. Minear - Lifestyle Family Portrait
To vote, simply enter YOUR favorite in the comments below. Contest ends at midnight on Wednesday, January 8th. The client voted favorite portrait will win a $25 gift card to Gap, Jcrew, or Anthropologie (winner's choice). Happy voting!
A Southern Louisiana Wedding - Ashley + Matt
A girl born and raised near the mossy trees and cypress knees of South Louisiana, Ashley knew in every ounce of her being that her heart desired the most traditional Southern Catholic wedding with hints of all things reminding her of her sweet childhood and heritage. Both food lovers and raised near the bayous of South Louisiana, these sweet Southern elements came easily. I love the soft tones, mossy grey hues, and natural light that filled Ashley and Matt's day.
Ashley gifted her parents sentimental tokens of her appreciation on the morning of her wedding day, and for her mother, that meant Love You Forever by Robert Munsch. I'd like to imagine this book holds sentimental value for a few of us. I don't think I'll ever forget my own personal memories of the countless times my granny read it to me as a child...
Her wedding party was small and her colors were classic--all making for a timeless compilation of color and emotion to encompass the day.
Ashley and Matt did not opt for a first look, however, her dad hadn't seen her dress or any elements of the day, so she had a very special moment with him.
Ashley and Matt had a traditional Catholic Mass, followed by a traditional South Louisiana reception. If you know anything about South Louisiana weddings, you know this means the dance floor wasn't empty. (;
Both Ashley and Matt's mothers were not shy of a good time, and our cameras were thankful.
Ashley and Matt, thank you for choosing us to be a part of your day. I hope for you nothing less than a lifetime of love, cherished moments, and happiness.
Ellis is Two!
It makes my heart smile so big to see the babies I've photographed since the newborn stages grow. It adds something so unique to the experience for me to watch their little personalities develop. You might remember Little Miss Ellis from her fabulously styled First Year Sessions. Not only do my babies come with so much personality for photographs, but they also have the best little people clothing choices, ever.
I've been quite into the rustic fruit feel for my Fall sessions and Ellis' sweet Southern peaches paired with her white linen dress unfolded exactly as her momma, Jennie, and I had hoped for from our styling consultations! I hope you enjoy this sweet girl as much as I have over the years!
Jennie, Brandon, and Ellis, I've enjoyed capturing your little family's first years more than you'll ever know. It fills my heart with so much joy to watch these babies grow. I can only hope to document you guys for years to come.
Shrimp Quinoa Salad + Cupcake Angelfood
After the past two weeks of chicken, I was ready for a light, summer meal this week for date night in, so I decided for this tasty quinoa salad from Iowa Girl Eats. Side note: If you've never visited her blog, do it! She's got some great recipes and healthy life motivation. I tweaked the recipe a little, but I really love the simplicity of throwing this salad together and the option to serve it warm or cold. I also made this salad for a girls night in with some of my friends and it was a super hit!
Quinoa is something new that I've tried to start cooking with more, as a healthier alternative to white rice and pasta. If you've never cooked quinoa before, fear not! It's as easy to cook as rice and has your typical grain taste, nothing crazy. On top of that, quinoa has some GREAT health benefits. It's high in protein, which makes it a great choice for a grain. It also contains tons of fiber, almost twice that of other grains. You can read more about the health benefits of quinoa here.
Serves: Approximately 5 people
Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp (sauteed in a little oil and garlic) 1/2 cup dry quinoa 1/2 cup red onion, chopped 1 orange, peeled and segments chopped 1 avocado, chopped 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup frozen corn, thawed 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped salt & pepper
For the Lemon Vinaigrette: 2 lemons, juiced (need 1/4 cup juice) 2 garlic cloves, microplaned or finely minced (I substituted garlic powder) dash of sweetener (agave nectar, stevia or honey) salt & pepper 6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
- Cook quinoa according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
- For the Lemon Vinaigrette: combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid, and shake to combine. Or, add lemon juice, garlic, sweetener, salt and pepper into a small bowl and whisk in oil.
- Combine cooled quinoa with red onion, orange segments, avocado, beans, corn, cilantro, salt and pepper. Pour Lemon Vinaigrette over the salad and stir to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.
And because we're still having peak summer temperatures over here, I was definitely in the mood for a white wine paired with the summer feel of this dinner, so we had Angel Food by Cupcake Vineyards. I'm not huge on super sweet whites, which is what I thought this would be the first time I tried it, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's a white blend, and while it is on the sweeter side, it has a lot of Chardonnay characteristics, with flavors of the toasty vanilla I love. Think of it as Chardonnay's more optimistic little sister. (;
If you're still looking for some easy, tasty summer recipes or drinky drinks to beat the heat, I highly recommend trying these!