Behind the Lens (and Away From the Chaos)


Earlier this month, I traveled solo to Come Friday Cottages on the Bay in Bacliff, Texas, to photograph a dear friend’s wedding. While I captured a love story by the coast, my husband Michael held it down back home with our two wildlings — completely solo. (Sorry, babe. I owe you birthday redemption big time.)


The 3-hour trip took me from my usual Central Texas pace to a quiet coastal retreat where I stayed for two nights, graciously fed and housed by the bride's family. With limited cell service, I found myself more disconnected than expected — which made me miss my family even more. But there’s something beautiful about stepping away from the noise and focusing completely on the craft.

A person in a cozy white knit sweater holds up sunglasses while wearing burgundy-tinted hair and dangle earrings.
Woman in white knit cardigan and brown sleeveless dress standing against light colored wall.
A black camera with leather strap sits beside a potted succulent and black circular case on a white surface.
A selfie progression showing a person in a brown polka dot top with burgundy hair smiling at different angles.

I captured over 9,000 images during the weekend (yes, you read that right).

After hours of culling through memory cards and selecting the most meaningful shots, I narrowed them down to a curated gallery of 750. A sneak peek was ready within a week, and in just another, I delivered over 100 final portraits — both in color and my signature black & white edit.


One thing no one warns you about when growing a photography business? You’re constantly expected to create content — not just for clients, but for social media, branding, behind-the-scenes, and marketing. It’s a lot. Call me old-fashioned, but I still trust my friends’ recommendations more than the internet… and now, I am one of those friends people find online.

Black and white close-up of hands with wedding ring and lace dress details.
A series of black and white wedding photographs showing romantic kisses between newlyweds.
An elegant white wedding dress with lace bodice and flowing tulle skirt hangs by a window in dramatic black and white lighting.

Since coming home, I’ve jumped right back into my teacher-on-summer-break-but-not-really role — juggling motherhood, wife life, editing, and yep, gearing up for professional development for our new math curriculum tomorrow.

Suddenly, adult interaction doesn’t sound so dreamy anymore…


All jokes aside, this journey continues to stretch me in the best ways.

Every wedding, every portrait session, every moment behind the lens reminds me why I do this — to tell stories, to capture love, and to live in the beautiful chaos of it all.