"The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. 
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow death,
I will fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
 - Psalm 23

Much like the grandiose oaks in these images, growth takes time, growth takes waiting for the fruit to come, and the reward comes to those who wait, persevering until the end. There was a beautiful 300 year old oak in my back yard growing up. I love playing in it's shade and climbing the low-hanging branches. It was for me a kind of stability. I knew it wasn't going anywhere. I could depend on it's strength. Our seaside city was prone to hurricanes, but no matter the force of the winds, it remained firm. It had weathered many a storm. It's roots were deep in the earth and so it stayed firm, never budging or showing any signs of damage. That kind of endurance, waiting out the storms of life, digging my roots deep, is what I hoped to express through these images. This editorial reminds my heart of deeper truths - to find the beauty that lies in the waiting and the joy that can be found for the patient heart. Storms may come, but my soul's roots are digging deep in faith in One who can stand the test of time. 

I've found myself going in a fresh, different direction this year. It is exciting and terrifying at the same time. When I consider just how many other artists there are in my field, it can be disheartening. Beautiful shots are really a dime a dozen. So I've been digging deep. What fuels my art? Surely it is more than merely capturing "beautiful moments" because beautiful moment are everywhere. I have years of experience under my belt now, but I never want to stop reaching, learning and growing at my art. For me it all comes back to vision, my lens for viewing the world and everything in it. I am an artist. It's who I am at my core. Intuitive. Seeking deeper meaning. New ideas flow constantly. Daily inspiration is a must or my soul shrivels up. I view life like poetry, like a piece of music I am working to compose...never finished, always adding another line or refrain. It dawned on me a few months ago, my visual art should represent my musical and poetic bent in more of a real way.

I'm so thrilled that my dear friend Kaylie's wedding is published on Style Me Pretty today. Visit their blog to see the full day in all its glory!

I never want to reach satisfaction with my art. That may seem counterintuitive, but if I am ever able to find it then I will have succumbed to complacency. It can be a frustrating dichotomy between finishing a project and never quite feeling like it is truly complete. Regardless of what I'm working on, I always look back and see ways I could have made it better, created something even more beautiful. Going over the could be of art can be maddening at times, but I've learned to allow my imperfections to push me to better my craft.

When Samantha contacted me about taking some images of her home, I knew it was going to be special. The Tiptons poured so much love into this early 1900's home in the historic district of our city. They spent countless hours renovating and choosing just the right pieces to make their spaces sing. Their home is simply stunning. I could have stolen all their ideas! It's no wonder they are saddened to leave this beautiful place when they move soon. It was such a pleasure to get a little glimpse into their lives in this amazing house.

Apparently these two are quite the popular couple! They've been published twice in the past few weeks. You can find them in the latest issue of Tulle Mag and featured on Elizabeth Anne Designs! Thank you lovelies for the features!

A few months ago I had the privilege of traveling up to Indiana to photograph Jon and Amy McLaughlin and their sweet little girl Luca. It was for the 2nd issue of The Influence Magazine. The fabulously talented lady in charge, Hayley, invited me up to collaborate for the magazine. Amy and Jon were so gracious to welcome us into their beautiful home! I'm warning you that you're going to fall in love with their cute place! If my husband would let me paint our floors white I'd to it in a heart beat. I loved seeing how they created such a chic and cozy home. It's also a pleasant surprise to meet people in the music industry who are so down to earth and authentic. Jon is an incredibly talented singer-songwriter and is coming out with a new album soon! (You can check it out here!) I remember listening to his songs as a music major in college. I have to admit that I was so jealous of his talent on the piano. I used to think listening might motivate me to practice my classical pieces, but alas it did not. I still enjoyed listening nevertheless. Industry has to be my favorites. The beginning piano part gets me every time!

Clean lines, whites and simplistic beauty - There's really nothing I love more. Plus, these colors are definitely my favorites. I will forever adore blues and greens paired with white.

I wasn't quite ready for Autumn until yesterday, although our home says otherwise. This past weekend we went out to pick pumpkins and sunflowers with friends. We had a blast doing fall activities, even if it was sweltering the entire weekend! Monday was my birthday, so I took a few hours off to organize and rearrange a little to make room for the cute pumpkins we acquired over the weekend! Changing things up in our little space always makes me so happy! I love finding new ways of making things beautiful, even if it is purely for my own enjoyment! (Ask my mom, I've always been one to arrange things!) I was hoping that maybe the decor would give the weather a hint. It must have worked, because I was pleasantly surprised when I awoke to a beautiful 60 degrees this morning! I opened the windows, worked with coffee in hand and even pulled out a sweater! It was glorious. I envy all of you who actually experience the Autumn season! This Florida girl only knows really hot and slightly less hot.

I've been dying to share these photos since the moment my time with Karis and Luke ended. This was my first day-after session, and now I'm addicted. I'm so in love with everything about these images. Karis looked absolutely stunning in her gown, which was perfectly complimented by Luke's black attire. Can you image anything more romantic than kissing atop those rocks? It felt like the whole scene jumped out from the pages of a fairy-tale. The whole affair still has me completely enthralled.

I'm so honored to have Karis' gorgeous bridal session featured on Style Me Pretty today! You can view the entire post here. I was so enthralled with every little detail from our day together. Karis is the epitome of an elegant Southern bride, so we chose the Wesley mansion at Eden Garden for her bridals. It fit so perfectly with her look. The elegant and sturdy pillars complimented the delicate lace of her Sottero & Midgley gown. The grandiose moss-covered oaks fell in line with her classic chapel-length veil and jeweled details. Her lovely locks felt reminiscent of the 1920′s. I couldn’t have been more in love with the whole feel. Looking at the image above always makes me feel like I've entered into a different age.

The first day of Autumn is this Sunday. The last few days of Summer are at an end and honestly, I'm a little sad to see them go. It's been a beautiful Summer of change and growth, full of travel and adventures. I think part of the reason I'm not ready for fall is that I turn 25! Eek! It just seems so old! Yes, I know it's not really! Maybe once I have a pumpkin spice latte I'll be more excited about the season change. Of course around here, the heat stays regardless of the season! Are you guys ready for Autumn?

This editorial was such a labor of love for me. When I first dreamed this up, I wanted to marry two of my favorite things...Southern tradition and European charm. I'm so thankful I was able to work with such a talented group of vendors who made this vision come to life! I'm thrilled to pieces with the end result. I this shoot is a beautiful representation of classic elements that bring out simplistic beauty. In case you missed the feature on Grey Likes Weddings, you can see it here.

Summer has always felt like freedom, even though my days of carefree days are long gone. I always feel the pull to go somewhere, on some adventure and do something new. I think Lady Summer is a dancer who frolics through fields of flowers until Autumn calls her in again. Lady Summer is beautiful with her nonchalant and unencumbered ways. She is full of life and youth. She is invigorating.