Meet Abbi...High School Senior 2012

I've realized that I've never really blogged my sessions like most normal photographers do.  I don't do a lot  of things that normal photographers do but I've decided I should really take advantage of this internet thing to show off the fabulous people that I've gotten to know thru photography.  And I'd like to start with Abbi.


I met Abbi and her parents and sister a few years ago and her mom and I became instant friends when I worked with her for a day.  I was thrilled when I found out Abbi was interested in pursuing photography and she was the perfect choice for a summer assistant. 


Abbi is the girl that every mother hopes her daughter will grow up to be.  That was my very first impression of Abbi after spending just a few hours with her. 

As we were planning her Senior portrait session last fall I was thinking about how lucky I was to photograph this beautiful girl and how much fun we were going to have at her session.  And her portraits did turn out beautiful...

But her session ended up being about so much more than photos.  One week before her Senior shoot was scheduled Abbi's father died at their home, very unexpectedly from a heart attack.  The girl that seemed to have everything...a close Christian family, a smile always on her face, the perfect little life...now had to experience one of life's worst devastations.

Abbi and her mother decided to go ahead with her Senior session just a week after the tragedy.  I was a little nervous about this but they were the ones helping me thru the session...they would discuss it when they wanted to and when they didn't we just enjoyed a beautiful teenage girl on a lovely fall evening.

This was her fathers' jacket and she included it wonderfully into her photos...

She also included fun stuff like an awesome dress and a great pair of shoes...

I've spent a lot of time with Abbi and her family since last fall and I can't express enough of how my first impression of her has only been confirmed again and again.  She's stood so strong on her faith and has continued to be an example to teenagers in everything she does.  I realize she's not perfect but her fantastic attitude and her sweet spirit have never wavered.  I'm just honored to have been a part of this time in her life.  

Abbi has ended up being my cover girl for a lot of my Senior marketing.  I've used her portrait on lots of my promo pieces and website and I can't wait to start using her fabulous album as one of my samples...

This may sound weird, but Abbi's experience has given me so much more respect for the service I provide.  When Abbi and her mother and her sister look back on those photos I took on a lovely fall evening, I believe they'll be seeing so much more than just pretty pictures.