Throw in some beads of wild purples and greens, and I’m like all about some festive stuff. I wish I could teleport down south. Stat. Let’s get moving, I’ve got some masks that need to be rocked out like asap. But alas, no teleportation possible as of yet. The second best option? Pictures, of course. Any day that needs to be celebrated deserves a little bloglovin’.

Today’s images are a little wild, wacky, and out of my norm, but that’s the best part. I love trying new things and testing the waters of all kinds of photo ops. Shooting primarily weddings (most noteably one of the many loves of my life), I work with couples on the regular. However, I decided to take it back to my roots on this one. Shooting one-on-one with girls is exactly how I started this whole photo journey- teaching myself which way was up on my D40 and such.  As much of a creative exploration as this most recent shoot was, it still had that good ole feeling to it- like going home for the holidays or rockin’ out to a classic Fleetwood Mac tune on a countryside drive (add that to my to-do list this spring!).

It just kinda felt like home, even though I’d been far removed from it in the years leading up to now. Long story short, I was stoked. No wait… not stoked. Let’s call the kettle black: I was just plain freakin’ out, ok folks? No pretty way to say it. I was pumped beyond belief.

But maybe it was the photo ingredients that had me basically losin’ my mind over this sesh.

You see, my lovely friends at Paul Mitchell Knoxville said they would join me on this editorial voyage. Then, as if my heart could bear anymore good stuff, Altar’d State said they would allow us to use their clothes. The whole creative collaboration couldn’t have been possible without my right-hand woman, Autumn Curtis, and my stylist extraordinaire, Jessica Killmon. With their powers combined, we were planning machines.

I could have fainted, but I was just way too busy thinking of the possibilities that awaited.  It was going to rock.

And in truth, it really did make me feel like I was back at Day 1, shooting friends the way I had in the past. It’s so wonderful to branch out and get that home-y feeling at the same time. What a mix. Such a perfect combination for a sweet,  southern gypsy dreamland.

HAPPY FAT TUESDAY Y’ALL! ; )

My reaction? Speak it Ms. Instructor Lady. Speak it.. I nodded my head in agreement while editing at my desk and said the words “Truth, sister. Amen.”

Yep. I talk to myself on the regular when it comes to working in my home office. I don’t have a dog (yet!), and my office buddy is the hula hoop I just bought at my local Wal*Mart. Best five bucks I have yet to spend. You should see me while I’m waiting on my computer to upload photos to online galleries.. I’m a hooping machine- dancing around my room to Spotify and laughing while I look kind of like an idiot to the people driving by on the busy Nashville street below. I would look way cooler if I actually knew how to do it. No worries, practice makes perfect.

My hooping breaks were pretty frequent, except for lately. I’ve fallen off the hula wagon, but with good reason.

The culprit: Narnia. I know. Totally worth it.

With the help of Southern Soirée, this styled shoot took my breath away. If I were to fall in love with an object, it would be this dress. And with two people? It would have to be Beverly & Beau.

I really would love to jabber on about everything in the shoot that had my heart literally oozing out of my chest, but you know me. I’m impatient to a fault, and sharing these photos just can’t wait.

Inspiration x Infinity = this session.

Venue: Mint Springs Farm

Props & Decor : Southern Events Party Rentals

Cake : Sweetface Cakes

Dress: B. Hughes Bridal

Event Coordinator: Southern Soirée

Invitations & Paper Goods: Prim & Paper

Midway through my winter hibernation, Jess & I tromped out into some nearby woods and shot a little solo session to shake off my wintertime blues. Even though we were shivering, I was happy just to be outside with my camera in hand.

Cold months seem to last forever when I’m yearning to get out & shoot. Thank goodness Jess was on the same page, and we decided to play outside & take some pretty pictures.

Hope you enjoy this fun wooded adventure session!

Big thanks to Cottage Antiques for providing the props. Love love love that store!

.jessie.

You may remember my Vday shoot last year with the fabulous Ms. Ella McCormick. If you missed it, check it out here. I can’t believe it’s been a year since I played in a field with this little lady. It’s crazy to see how much my style has changed since then with my photos!

Pretty things for shoots are the BEST eva. When Megan, Aaron, and I were planning this shoot, I was all about some tall wheat colored grass and an open field. Little did I know they would pull a James Bond and catapult themselves into the tree for the betterment of my photos. What a great couple to go all jungle gym on this session and score such a unique pose for me to shoot.

Um… did I tell you guys that you are pure awesome for doing that? You’re like the cat’s pajamas…. or the bee’s knees. You rock. End of story. : )

There are two huge reasons I am madly in love with this session (well besides the couple- Megan & Aaron are preetttyy great), 1) the rainboots. I love the boots Megan has on. She brought a pair of heels, but when I saw her hop out of the car in these, I just couldn’t resist. “Rock em out!” I said.  I am all about breaking out of the norm 2) Aaron’s scruffy beard. Megan texted me and asked what I thought about a furry face for the shoot. Once again, a “rock it out!” thing for me. I mean, have you seen my man? I am all about some facial hair…. speaking of my man…. We did our own little shoot just the other day!

I wanted to share because it is the day of LOVE… and this is mine <3

* INTERRUPTION! insert quick personal note… Happy Valentine’s Day BD!!!! I <3 you so much… thanks for being my guitar playing, joke making, laugh causing, hug giving, BEST boyfriend eva. I don’t know what I’d do without you. Forget this one day only thing. So glad we celebrate this stuff year round. You’re my numero uno. xoxo

Sorry for the lovey dovey sapiness, folks. What can I say? This shoot just has me feeling all warm and cuddly. Just had to give a shout out to my boo.

Back to the photo purpose at hand,  I love any reason to be festive, and this is like the ultimate way to celebrate: taking photos!!

Ready for this cupid love story? I know I am!

.jessie.

Sorry for the sapi

I met Beverly at photo workshop in Nashville, and when she asked me to photograph her and her hubby Beau, I was stoked. When Beverly told me about her outift and this amazing handband she was working on, I started losing sleep. I have a tendency to do that when I get uber pumped about session. I’m a freak of nature when it comes to sleeping patterns, anyways, but give me something to look forward to and I’m like a kid on Christmas Eve.

When we stumbled upon this old house with these amazing blue accents, I was floored. It provided the perfect background for the romantic morning session, and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the way all the colors tuned out! Bev and Beau looked absolutely fabulous, and I was in love with how they interacted. I think that’s one of the most amazing things about getting to photograph couples day in and day out.. it’s contagious people. You see lovebirds getting giddy and it rubs off like a magic marker tattoo. When their session was over, I was giggling and cracking jokes and smiling from ear to ear. Seriously, I think I hop on cloud 9 when I meet up with clients for these kinds of session.

As if things couldn’t get better, these two are using these images for their music website! Yup, that’s right- they two in a band called Blair West based out of Nashville, TN. You mean they are adorable AND they rock out the stage together? #inlove

Time for some photo fun to perk up your Monday…. suh-weet. Anything to overlook Mundane Mondays.. I’m there!

.jessie.

If you’re new to the mini session extravaganza, you should know one very important thing: WE HAVE FUN! Beth and I are like super stoked to play with kids and make you feel pretty.

Here’s some photos from past mini sessions..

When?

What?

These sessions are photo awesomeness packed into 30 minutes. It’s perfect for the little ones and husbands. Why? Cause they LOVE these short sessions… haha : ) Get in, get out, get lots of photos to fill the frames. Happy mom! This isn’t just for families, though. I’m all about shooting couples, and I’ve also just had clients come by themselves to get some shots for their portfolios or significant other. It’s a pretty sweet way to spend the day.

What happens if it rains?

The rain date will be April 14 & 15. Please make sure you are available on this weekend, as well. I know it’s almost a month later, but this is the earliest weekend I have available with the exception of April 6 & 7, and this is Easter weekend. I felt the following weekend would be best for most families.

Where?

The location will be in Putnam County in the Baxter area. Addresses and directions will be mailed out prior to the sessions. I welcome out-of-town clients, too! I’m excited about spending this day with as many people as possible.

Who?

YOU! Come on, whatcha doin in March? Let’s get some pictures taken!

How will sign ups take place?

This the doozy. As some of you know, the last sessions filled up an hour after they were announced. Filling up so many spots at once was difficult to do through email. I will be doing things a little differently this time.

If you would like to sign up for a session, please email me here: jessie@jessiehollowayphotography.com.

The email will need to include:

1)Your name

2)What kind of session (i.e. family, kids, solo, couples, etc)

3)Your contact phone number

As I receive the contact numbers, I will phone each client beginning with the first inquiry and spanning through the inquiries in order. I will contact each person until slots are filled.

Please be patient. I can’t stress this enough. I will go in order. Please give me time to go down the list. If you don’t hear back from me right away, please don’t worry. I am just filling slots and I promise I will get to you in a timely manner.

I believe being able to speak with clients directly will make this process move much more smoothly.

How much?

Sessions are $100 for a half hour and $50 for the master disc. You will get a print release with your final disc and the ability to access a print credit.

Deposits to reserve slots are requested to be mailed immediately following sign ups. The deposit amount for each session will be $50.

Side notes…

These sessions are for single/immediate families only. It’s requested that extended families book separate sessions.

These sessions are intended for lifestyle clients only. It is requested that engagements, bridals, or other wedding related sessions be directed toward private session inquiries.

Please be aware of what kind of session you are looking for and the conditions in which we will be shooting. It will be early March and chilly. It’s probably best to avoid booking newborn sessions or extremely young babies for this session. We will be shooting outdoors.

I think that’s it! I’m sorry to overload everyone on the front end, but I am hoping that this will make for a smooth booking process tomorrow night!

Registration begins at 6 pm on the dot! No early bird specials for this one folk, I will be contacting the people who email me @ 6 pm and on.  Sorry to be so precise, I just want to be fair!

Thank you again to everyone for their support! If you’re excited about mini sessions, leave me a note below in the comment section. I love to hear from you guys. <3

.jessie.

I can’t possibly begin to tell you how much I LOVE all of the 2012 products. If you want to see all the new goodness for Lenny & Eva ladies, check out their new website! You will fall in love, too. : )

I could not have gotten these images by myself. I have some thank you’s to hand out…

Bethany- My love, I wouldn’t have been able to set up and style this session without you. Your artsy vision and fun-loving attitude completely put me at ease and made for one amazing session. Everything you brought for the shoot was perfect! I love the cigar box guitar and the patchwork pillow. You have eternally reserved a little special place in my heart. It has your name written all over it. Thank you babe. xo

Erica, Kelsey, and Megan- Holy cow. You girls ROCKED it. ( and you too, aaron!) For reals… like totally lost my mind editing these images. Could you three be anymore awesome? Don’t think so. I loved your outfits, your hair, and the way you modeled the product. I hope you all love the photos!

Sam- My hair queen, where do I begin? We’ve chatted back and forth about working together before this shoot, and I’m so glad you agreed to help us with this. You took mine & Kellie’s vision and made it come alive… like get out the hammer. Nail hit. On the head. Need I go on? You rocked it. You’re amazing at what you do. I love your gypsy-like styling out of the car on the tree farm. Snuggle up with Bethany, you have a little home in this ole heart of mine too. <3

and Kellie- Wow. What an amazing thing you have created. I feel so lucky to be working alongside someone whose creativity is so contagious. Everything took such a huge turn when you took me on to help, and I know you are a huge reason why. I am so proud of you and this amazing company you have created! Thank you for believing in me and my ability to do this. I can’t believe here we are posting and displaying these images. Time flies! What an awesome journey this is… Awesome sauce.

Alrighty… Now por las pinturas! Hope everyone loves them, and if you would like some L&E for yourself, find stores near you here!

-jessie

Okay, okay. I’ll admit it…Berk told me to turn but I assured her I knew where I was. What? I did! I swear I thought I was direction savvy. My iPhone saved the day- Google Maps to the rescue!

Honestly, for as much fun as we had, getting lost was so worth it. There’s some kind of spontaneity that comes out of searching for locations in new places. We actually ended up finding our last location from getting lost. The photos of the lampshades in the field with those blues and purples are some of my favorites from this session.

I told Mckenzie and Berk that everything happens for a reason and we got lost just to find this awesome field. I mainly was comforting myself and my bruised ego about being a driving queen. But nonetheless, an awesome location..

These two ladies were a blast to work with. I actually met Berk through a high school friend, and they got married not too long ago ( yay for lovebirds! ). So, when Berk messaged me about  taking her little sister’s senior photos, I could not be more excited.

Solo sessions were actually some of my first sessions when I started shooting. I love working with girls one and one. It has such an editorial vibe, and I can always be super creative. I find that all of my senior clients say this to me at the beginning of their shoot : Yeah, so… I’m pretty much up for anything. Just let me know.

They crawl on top of roofs, they take chances at poison ivy, and they go on adventures with me.

I must admit, right now I feel like a pretty lucky girl to be working with such awesome people.

Berk and Mckenzie- It’s finally here!! The blog post is up, and I am so excited for you two to check these out. Please share them with your mom : ) I’m excited for her to see them, too..Congrats on being a senior, Mack : ) You are going to have one awesome year!

-jessie