I’ve been writing/drafting up a storm here lately, but this eve, I have less words and a whole array of photographical eye candy. It has been so healing to create through my lens again. 2018 – and especially 2019 – were the most stressful 2 years of my life. During that time, I lost my voice in every which way. I gave up so many pieces of myself, and my camera was one of them. Art and creating something beautiful, put simply, are soothing to my soul. I’ve always called myself a “Moody portrait artist”, because my style is really a blend of the candidness of humanity, with a heaping tablespoon of aesthetic expression. AKA: I love capturing people AS THEY ARE, while also making them look dang good.
There MUST be something about thunderstorms that spark total magic. It had rained before this engagement shoot back in March, and it rained during part 1 AND part 2 of Rachael’s senior shoot. The common denominator? Magic. That’s all I can say!
Not only is Rachael one heck of a knock out in her senior sesh, but she also just so happens to be my cousin. The fact that she is a flipping SENIOR makes me want to cry, and also makes me feel like life is half over, as in: It makes me feel old. And now I sound like a mom. Moving on! It truly lavishes my heart in pure JOY when those who know me personally, trust me and choose me to freeze time on them for an hour or so. Rachael has been my camera’s subject since I was a baby high schooler, barely even scratching puberty. When I saved every nickel and dime for my first DSLR when I was 14, she was the perfect guinea pig + model to practice my newbie photographical eye with.
And now, nearly a decade later (yeah; feeling old and mom-ish again), we still collaborate pretty darn well. We took the first portion of her photos in the beautifully historic Charleston, SC last summer for vacation. Last week, threatening thunderstorms and all, we finished it all out.
At first glance, Rachael is this alluring, artistic, can rock any type of funky wardrobe and eye makeup kinda girl. But don’t let her vibrant red hair (ok, so its original roots had some color since Charleston, hence our Raleigh photos), long lashes, and eclectic style fool you. She is multi talented, multi skilled, has the driest, wittiest humor, and one insanely smart brain. We have way too much fun when we hang out, and inevitably end up laughing at some sort of dirty joke or story, probably have our Enos in hand if we’re vacationing, and at some point, she will make fun of my former crushes’ names from when I was in HIGH SCHOOL. Yes; her mind is sharp as a tack. And especially with not letting the names of men twice my senior being lived down, when I was a teen. It’s crazy how time flew from me being the “babysitter” to a younger cuz, to me now asking if I can borrow her makeup, or ranting about politics on our Insta DMs. Again, #old. She has accomplished all thing from sports, to theatre, to recently being accepted to NC State and majoring in Biochemistry.
Yes. You heard that right. MAJORING in Biochemistry. Don’t get me wrong, Pathology and Anatomy were fun…but Biochemistry? I’ll just leave it that this is why a special breed of humanity was created to be enthused by this stuff. Rachael happens to be one of them! And with her tenacity, grit, and perfect blend of zeal, she will go far. Thank you, Rachael, for letting me photograph you these last 10 years. When you’re home for break, we’ll take some more, and of course, you can make fun of my former crushes’ names, per usual. 😉
