Happy Birthday, Matt!

Today, Matt turns 26! This whole weekend, we've had the pleasure of celebrating his birthday. Saturday was our get together with his family. We all headed down to Joplin to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings. My chicken salad was awesome and everyone's wings look really yummy too! We played NTN trivia, which I loved doing when I was in college. During the middle of our dinner, they announced on the loud speaker that we were celebrating his birthday and he was rewarded with some vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup. I wanted to lie and say it was MY birthday too!

Sunday, we had a family dinner at his parents' house so his daughter, Hayley could join us. Kathy made a fabulous dinner of lemon pepper chicken, mac and cheese, and fried squash. We brought over some McAlister's Tea a DQ ice cream cake which was just as good as I remember as a kid!



I took this video just as Matt had gotten a drop of hot wax on his finger and screamed like a girl! haha

I hope you've had a good birthday weekend, Matt! :)

You guys can wish him a happy birthday on Twitter @nfldraftscout and @mpix.

Candids from Matt's Senior Session {southwest Missouri Photographer}

Matt G's (Fort Scott High) senior session went so well, I thought I'd post some more!

My boyfriend/office manager/assistant/second shooter, Matt M. took some candids of me shooting and also some of Matt G. from a different angle.

For not being a photographer, I think he did pretty well! What do you guys think?








By the way, Matt M's birthday is tomorrow...the big 2-6! For those who know him, make sure to wish him a happy 26th! :D

Matt, Fort Scott High Senior Portraits {Senior Photographer}

Matt is our first 2010 non-Street Team member. I love it when seniors are on the ball and don't procrastinate having their portraits taken! :D

Matt and his mom, Mary, came to us from Fort Scott. He is a referral from our Street Team member, Angel (thanks Angel...you'll be getting something in the mail soon!).

When discussing where the outdoor part of his session will take place, his mom mentioned the Lamar City Park. She continued to tell me that she used to have family reunions there as a child and has a lot of fond memories of the park.

After shooting a few studio portraits...





...we headed over to the park!



Next to the park, the was a fantastic old abandoned building. It wouldn't be a Jessica Edwards Photography session without some images with killer texture and an urban feel.




He was such a trooper by climbing up this wall to pose in this awesome doorway!




Thanks Matt & Mary for a fantastic session! I can't wait until you see the final prints! Oh, and I'm really excited about designing some graduation invitations for you guys. :D

Senior Rep Program Kit for Photographers {Senior Photography Marketing}

We've had some fantastic feedback from everyone who has purchased our marketing kits for senior photographers. We love hearing your success stories!

For those of you who may not have heard, we're offering 2 marketing kits:

Senior Rep Program (and how to use it on Facebook)
Blogging for Success

You can check out our website for full details. And for a limited time, if you purchase both kits, you get 20% off. Just mention that you found about about it from this blog post.

Be The Trend

Photographer's Cookout Summer '09 {southwest Missouri Photographer}

Last weekend was tons of fun! Saturday started at Carousel Park in Joplin for Miller's Lab's company event. We began our day eating then a ride on the Farris Wheel {which was Matt's first time}. I kicked Matt's butt at the go-carts and got drenched on the water boats. That was a nice relief from the heat, so I didn't mind too much! We ended the day on a swinging boat/dragon ride that gave me a headache and Matt an almost-anxiety attack.

We are both more mall people than outdoor people, so we cut out early and went shopping!

A couple of outfits later, we headed to Lamar to get ready for our cookout. We have missed our photographer friends, so we decided to invite them to the studio and hang out! It went even better than I'd hoped...it was SO much fun!

While Matt was grilling, I set up the flatscreen and Wii and Mike and I rocked out on some Guitar Hero.


Mike giving me the stink eye


We wanted to share the fun, so we passed around Guitar Hero.

Matt volunteered to go first.



Then he passed it to Scott


and then to Denise Golubski .


Oh, and sorry, Denise, for the guitar not being calibrated! ;)


Soon, the food was ready...and it was GOOD! Thanks to Scott and Angela Plauche for saving my fingers by cutting up the tomatoes for me!

After eating we hung out, chatted, and told stories about the Mpix Oklahoma Shootout (which I have yet to blog about...OOPS!).



Lynda Hammers caught me doing what I do...taking candids of everyone.



Even Duke had a good time!


I decided that I wanted to have a group picture to help remember the day.


We wouldn't be a group of photographers without changing up the pose a bit and taking another.


And then a goofy one!


It was tons of fun, and I can't wait for our next get together!

Audrey & Max's Playground session {Lamar, MO Photographer}

Last week, I had a great session with Audrey & Max. Max is a very energetic 5-year-old so we took advantage of that by shooting them at the city park in Lamar. I basically just let him run and play and shot him doing what little boys do. His mom brought along bubbles (which he wanted nothing to do with, haha) and a skateboard, which was a big hit!

In general, I'm a pretty indecisive person. I can never choose a favorite anything! However, for the first time in a long time, it was easy for me to choose a favorite image. Here it is...



This one is a close second


No, wait...this one is my second favorite


Or is it this one?


Ok, nevermind...all of the following is my second favorite!

Audrey & Max's Video

Here are most of Audrey & Max's images from their session. I really love these videos! What do you guys think?

Free Puppies {Harlan County, Kentucky}

My photographer friend, Melinda Dillman is giving away free miniature dachshund puppies. There are 2 available and are both boys. You can check out pictures of them and contact Melinda through her blog by clicking here.

Follow Us on Twitter!

Yes, I decided to jump on the Twitter bandwagon a few weeks ago. It's starting to grow on me!

For the photographers out there who tweet, follow our marketing page @BeTheTrend
Everyone else follow the studio @JEPhotog

Oh, and follow some of my favorite Twitters:

@mpix
@plauchephotog
@moosepix
@Heather_Roach
@lebleuphoto
@birdsongphoto

Blayne, Harlan County High {Class of 2010 Senior Portraits}

Meet Blayne! He's our first class of 2010 senior. He will be graduating from Harlan County High School, where he plays baseball.

His dad had emailed me a while back wanting to know if I would be coming back to Kentucky anytime soon. Luckily, I had been planning to go back for Memorial Weekend. I was so afraid that it would rain, because there was a 50% chance of storms Saturday and Sunday. It rained earlier that day, but cleared up about an hour before his session. Yay!

I had a few ideas of where I'd take his portraits, but that all changed when Matt mentioned something that I saw everyday when I lived there, but never paid much attention to. He mentioned the catwalk that crosses over US 119 in front of the old Cumberland High school. A light bulb went off above my head and I knew that's where I'd photograph Blayne!

We finished the session with some shots around the old high school and softball field. Check out what we came up with...