Goodbye 2010!
December 31, 2010
There’s a question that I’m sure every teacher will hear at some point in his/her career, at least based on the number of times I’ve heard already in my short tenure.
“Ms. Snixie, is our class your favorite?”
I always tell my classes that I don’t have favorites, but that each class period is just different. I compare them to ice cream. Some days pumpkin is my favorite, other days it’s cool and refreshing mint chocolate chip. The next day it may be banana pudding or even rainbow sherbet. It all depends on my mood.
Pictures are often like classes. Although I have no one favorite, different pictures grab my heart at different times. These are 10 of the pictures that I kept coming back to in 2010. I hope you enjoy this look back, and I’d like to say a huge thank you to all my clients and friends. Even though this post does not include you all (I had to limit myself to 10 or it would never stop!), I am grateful for the opportunity to capture your lives.
Here’s to 2011!
Cheers to 2010!
Colin and Rachel
April 3, 2010
If you know anything about snixie photography, you know that Colin and Rachel are vital to my entrance into couple’s photography, and played a huge role in “snixie photography” itself beginning. It has been a delight to watch their love bloom and blossom from dating, to engagement, and now to marriage. It was a privilege to me to be one of Rachel’s bridesmaids, and I am so grateful to have the two of them in my life.
Before I left for student teaching, we met up for a quick (and I do mean quick) shoot in a field here in Columbia. Here are a few of my favorite shots!
Matt and Ashley…are in love
February 22, 2010
It was cold.
No really, freezing cold.
When I met up with Matt and Ashley at the USC Horseshoe, it was so cold that there was no one walking around. The wind was blowing and all three of us were shivering.
However, even the cold can’t dampen their love. Even though it was too cold to stay outside for 5 minutes, much less 45, they laughed and smiled and had fun.
And really, that’s typical for Matt and Ashley. I’ve known them for almost 4 years and their joy has always radiated. It’s obvious that their happiness and joy isn’t based on external circumstances, or being warm, but rather on Christ’s life in them.
Since this love shoot, Matt and Ashley have gotten engaged, and I am delighted that God has brought them together for a lifetime!
Congratulations again on the engagement!
Tyler and Alma…are engaged
December 3, 2009
He takes her hand, and it’s comfortable. She leans her head on his shoulder. Comfortable. They look and laugh and smile and hold each other and all the while it’s comfortable.
My favorite love stories begin with “Well, we were friends for awhile…” Alma and Tyler’s story starts like that. They both were involved in their youth group and pretty soon they became involved with each other. Friendship blossomed into love and now marriage. They’ll be tying the knot in January and I am so very excited to be there and capture the best moments.
For this shoot I was privileged to have my friend Justin shoot with me–he’s going to be joining me second shooting their wedding and I’m excited to have him along. His pictures are noted. 
First a few comfortable smiles.
Yes, Alma is that gorgeous.
I love this sign!
I photograph the most beautiful girls on the planet, I’m sure of it.
I get to photograph lots of good-looking men too.
I love taking ring shots. Love it!
Tyler and Alma made these cool signs with Bible verses on them. My view of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
Justin’s view.
And Genesis 2:18, 24.
Flip the sign over and it says…
Blowing dandelions was just too much.
Tyler’s turn
One of my favorites!
I love couples walking together.
Justin’s picture…:)
My view
Justin’s view
Justin’s shot.
Justin’s idea…Ephesians 5:22-23.
A little sass never hurt anyone.
Other favorite…gorgeous Alma.
(Here’s a secret…this picture was a lovely accident. I was actually just changing some settings on the camera and took this test picture!)
Seriously Alma…are you sure you’re not a model?
I love how sweet this picture is. LOVE it.
Gorgeous light, how I love thee!
Laughter out of kisses.
Yeaaaah girl.
And a few of Justin and myself in action, for fun.
Excuse my hot mess of hair.
Justin at work.
And taking the picture you saw above!
That’s the end. (And I promise I’m not that short, though I look like I’m 5′ 3″ here!)
That’s all for now!
Michael and Ashley…are engaged.
November 26, 2009
me and you and you and me
no matter how they toss the dice, it has to be
the only one for me is you, and you for me
so happy together
The Monkees never had it so right–if there are any two people perfect for each other, it’s Michael and Ashley. After all, their engagement shoot was at the same playground where they got engaged, at the church where they both do youth ministry…they’re fun and joyful and very excited to get married to each other. I was so glad to be part of a couple that was so full of life that obviously comes from Jesus (John 15).
Sass-ay!
The bling!
What else do you shoot in at a church? The church bus.
Absolute favorite.
Oh, Ashley…beautiful
I, being the smarty I am, said “you two have matching eyes”. They responded “Yup, and that’s why we’re getting married.”
Adooooorrraaable.
The one request? A jumping picture. I’ve seen a lot of them, and this one is pretty awesome.
And one last demonstration of their crazy fun awesomeness–these are from their handshake. Who has their own handshake? Michael and Ashley, that’s who.
Thank you both!
Joe and Ana…are in love.
November 26, 2009
Yeah. That’s my man.
Very few words are found as often on Ana’s lips (with the exception, perhaps, of “I digress”). There’s no mistaking what’s going on.
They are in it.
Theirs is a deep love, a stick-it-out love, a love for the long haul. It’s found rarely, and especially rarely found so young. And yet, it’s theirs, because of God’s grace.
I have the fantastic privilege of getting very photogenic roommates. First was Rachel. Now Ana is my roommate. And not only am I friends with her and Joe, but I get to take their pictures…again.
Joe and Ana recently celebrated their two year anniversary. We didn’t take these pictures on their anniversary, but it was close enough to count.
(and get used to these faces…you’ll be seeing them for years to come)
Perhaps my favorite of all time.
Um, hello gorgeous!
“Ana, look pretty!”
Dear world: this is a fantastic woman.
They whirled around at the exact same time.
Joe explaining…something.
(I’m sure Joe would say “that’s my woman” too)
One of the best dips I’ve ever seen.
STUD.
Joe and Ana love baseball.
I just love this one–it’s a favorite.
Air baseball…
Really, really ridiculously good-looking.
Um, yes.
After the sun had set…
Drew and Janae…are in love.
November 25, 2009
His eyes light up.
He looks over at her, sometimes when she’s not even looking at him, and his eyes light up. In that moment he is completely vulnerable. He’s saying “you have a part of my heart that no one else does. I could talk to you for days, spend hours at a time with you, and stare at you the whole time. You’re beautiful and lovely and you’re mine and I’m thrilled that you are.”
That’s the look that makes me love photography. And Drew and Janae’s shoot was filled with them.
You see, Drew saw Janae her first week of school and immediately was head over heels. He decided to do whatever it took to get this girl to be his. So he did. And Janae? Well, she knows a good thing when she sees it. So one year later, I had the privilege of shooting a Love Shoot with them, a surprise for their one-year anniversary.
Let’s start with some fantastic light, shall we?
Jay and Joy
September 28, 2009
My favorite part of taking Jay and Joy’s pictures was the willingness they both had to trying some unconventional places where we took their pictures. We went to a laundrymat, an abandoned motel, a college that is not ours, a seminary that is also not ours, a street, and a small diner. In all of this the afternoon was filled with laughter and joy and the kind of delight that I find only comes when the couple is in love.
So here they are…Jay and Joy.
Why hello, beautiful eyes!
Yeah, Joy…you’re smoking.
Funny story–the police thought I was taking a picture of them for a second. Jay and Joy had to assure them that I wasn’t!!
Thank you for the privilege of shooting you!!
Joe and Ana
December 23, 2008
Joe and Ana are a prime example of the fact that you don’t have to wait until engagement to take great pictures. It was coming up on their one year anniversary, and Ana had been asking Joe about taking pictures, since they had none together (besides the occasional snapshot of a friend). Unbeknownst to her, he had been planning with me to take their pictures for awhile. With some conniving and secrecy, we tried to meet up in Myrtle Beach for their shoot.
Unfortunately on the way, I realized at some point they had passed me in their car. I was driving right behind them, and my car is exactly a blend-in Toyota Camry type of car. Joe and I had to secretly text each other to figure out how I could get to the location first. With a tiny bit of speeding, and luck in that Ana didn’t notice, I arrived at Brookgreen Gardens. It was a beautiful location, and the look on Ana’s face when she saw me said it all.
It was a pleasure to shoot them, and I look forward to doing it again!
