Grace at Seventeen
This Spring, I had the immense pleasure of photographing the daughter of a long-ago friend of mine. My friend is Kim, and this is Grace.
Kim highly values photographs, as I do. I remember that 20+ years ago, she had an eye :) And Grace has taken two years of Photography electives in high school, so we were 3 of a kind. We had our Planning Session via Zoom. and had communicated via text & email about outfits & locations, so we didn't actually meet in person until the day of our shoot, and that felt surreal. Kim & I are the same but older. How did that happen?? But seriously, it is so comfortable to be with her, she loves me and I love her, and although it has been several years since our last in-person time together ( I had brought my daughters to meet Kim & Grace & their many horses! ) the relationship is like no time has passed.
I met my mother daughter pair at the place where nearly all of my shoots get to start, at a Gene Juarez Salon. JC set Grace's hair according to Instagram photos Grace had brought on her mobile, to get just the right look for this day. Her hair would flow and bounce for hours :)
We had decided our outfits in advance, so there was no stress over what-to-wear in the days just before our shoot. Grace had it all wrinkle-free & in the car. However, one item that is a little difficult to plan ahead, is a location where cherry trees would be blooming beautifully ON THE DAY that we shoot ~ so the three of us had been keeping eyes open, watching the blossoms wax and then wane here and then there. We knew we may not have cherry blossoms on THE day, but we were hopeful. Grace is the one who found our location ~ ideally situated at a small church :)
Thank you, Lord!
The trees were our first stop, barefoot, with swishy dress, and to me, it felt like heaven.
Grace's next location choice was a riverside park, on our way to her home. The water was low. The mountains were white. The river rocks were laid bare, and huge tree trunks from winter storms had been piled high. I love that two younger girls stopped me on my walk to the river ~ they'd noticed my camera and were excitedly telling me about a log fort they had made near the bridge, and were hopefully suggesting that I could take some amazing photographs there :) How fun is that!!! However, I was too swept away having the fun we did, and neglected to look for the fort! Another time :)
Grace. Thick knit white sweater & jeans. & rain boots :)
And look! My friend Kim agreed to jump in! Mother-Daughter shots!
Grace wanted to shoot at her home. They purchased this home about 18 months ago, and of their menagerie (they had operated a horse rescue) they brought 3 horses, several cats, 2 dogs, and pygmy goats :) The 5 acre property has a ranch arch over the entrance - with their last name on it!! Almost, one letter different, but still ;)
I was able to meet Sam:
He's been in this family nearly as long as Grace has!
and Grace's own pup, a young squiggly wiggly kinetic sweetheart named
Georgia May
Recently, the family has installed this pretty blue-grey-green flagstone patio ~ a great place to enjoy various views of their property.
It was a fun place to shoot Grace in her Docs.
Doc Martens :)
I love these chunky boots too :)
Grace's Mum, Kim, and I had been in a very tight knit Bible Study together, starting 25 years ago, and lasting several years. We were small, about 5-8 people meeting in the group as it fluctuated over the years. It covered our lives as singles post-college and then through dating and into our first years of our marriages, and then through our first children... I'm more than thankful for the grounding these women gave me back then. Our friendship bloomed out of our shared commitment to the Lord. I remember Kim's mission trips, I remember her deep-dive into love, her wedding, her Mom passing, her baby girl born... that was about the point where all us Bible Study Girls were swept up into our family lives and we might see each other once or twice a year or less now, but the love and appreciation is strong. That "iron sharpening iron" we shared in our Bible Study was our formation as young adults... Strong love. God's daughters. Sisters in Christ :) It was beautiful to pray with Kim & Grace at our shoot.
I love this little movie-memory of my day with my beloved friend and
Grace at Seventeen!
