So!

I spent a week in Nashville this past week.
‘Twas a week full of sweating, photographing, working out, talking, meeting new people, white Christmas lights, tearing up, the Holy Spirit, motorcycles, ice cream, hair growing (yeah, I’m growing all the hairs on my head out until they’re long), meeting with fellow Hallmark alumni, coffee shops, turning a year older, etc.

While in Nashville I had the opportunity to photograph Miranda James, as featured below.  I met Miranda when I was in Athens, Ga (see photoblog from that trip here) and she kind of rules. She’s easy to talk to, loves music, is open to loving everyone, and just all around a super nice girl.  I was stoked to shoot her in Nashville (as opposed to anywhere else) because it seemed more like an environmental portrait to me (and I love those. Shooting people where they’re at has more weight than shooting them in a random location- even though I’m into that too!)

Without further ado, I present Miranda (whose skin glows and her eyes pop! So beautiful!)

–and there are other portraits down there as well–

Just a little behind the scenes action right here…I prefer to have big, brawny men help me reflect and to double as a bodyguard…

About these next photos…they were taken around 4pm and it was supposedly the hottest day in Nashville (though I feel like everyone says that every day). Either way, it was INSANELY boiling outside. I was in shorts and a tanktop and I was drenched and dizzy.  And here’s Miranda: in stockings, a three quarter sleeve dress, and a leather jacket. WORKING IT.

This is Gabriel, the brawny man who was helping me in the behind-the-scene photo.  He is a great man, a great musician, and a great presence in my life. 

He played a show out in Centennial Park. At that show I made friends with three little kids. We ran around, fanned ourselves, and I let one of the girls take photos with my camera.  The photos that I am in are ones that she took. 

So hot. So dang hot. And what an awesome idea to wear BLACK on such a hot day. Way to go me.

Now let’s take time to talk about cicadas…
I can think of no other sound that I want to fill my ears. I sleep with my bed against the open window just so I can hear them as loud as possible. And they shed their skin! There’s so much to learn from them. I don’t want to get all metaphysical with you (I mean, I will if you want…), but LOVE is shedding skin. Selflessness. And it helps me to attach that thought/belief to the dried out cicada skins you see left on tree trunks.
But, on a purely sound aesthetic level- I am completely enamoured with their sound. I am very aware of it and very in love with it.

Portrait photography is my jam. And so is Wedding photography. But right now, for this particular blog post- I LOVED shooting Miranda. I loved editing Miranda. Love love love photography and people’s faces and freckles and stray hairs and catchlights! I love it all.