Bella and BB ~ Steele Homecoming 2024

As I look at Bella’s senior year homecoming pictures, it hits me in the face: the reality of the 11-year-old little girl who has grown into a beautiful young adult. My daughter and her boyfriend happened to meet up with Bella and some of her friends for homecoming pictures this year, so of course, I called her mom and told her that since I was bringing the camera, I would pull Bella and BB aside for some pictures of just the two of them. Both of these beautiful kids have killer smiles, so they made my job way too easy.

I also couldn’t help but snag a Daddy-Daughter picture.

Chloe and Cavan ~ Homecomming 2024

One of the best things about being a photographer is the fact that I don’t have to wait for others to send my pictures of my personal kids and their friends. I also don’t get the traditional studio-style poses that we got when we were kids. While those were great, I got to create real, authentic images and memories for these kids with their dates. As a photographer, my ultimate goal is to provide photographs of how my clients felt in those moments.

KANSAS STATE, HERE SHE COMES!

Lovely Bella, this young lady is more than a pretty face with a killer smile. She is the real deal and radiates from the inside out. Bella is one of the kindest souls I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I’ve been her family’s photographer for some years now and am blessed to be able to call them friends. I volunteered with her mom on our Parent-Teacher Club, and our boys played youth football both with and against each other.

Bella is a member of the FFA and serves as an officer for her dance team, the Medallions, at Steele High School. Over the summer, she visited all her favorite colleges and was thrilled to receive multiple admission letters. After careful consideration, she decided to attend Kansas State University. There she will be studying Pre-Vet/Animal Science at the College of Agriculture.

Having had the privilege of photographing this family many times before, I was absolutely thrilled to receive the request to capture her college announcement. As mom walked up with tears in her eyes, ready to celebrate her beautiful girls accomplishment, I couldn’t help but also picture Bella as the sweet 9 year old little girl that I met years ago.

Congratulation Bella, I couldn't be more proud of you.

Steele Cheer ~ Senior Addition

I was so excited to receive a message from the Booster Club for Steele High School. They needed a photographer to capture some images of their seniors for the football program, and a few other things that they add pictures into. Some of these kiddos I’ve known since they were little, so it is both exciting and hits you in the face all at once to see how much these kiddos have grown, and watch them as they gear up for their last year of high school. We got some great group shots in and a few hung back for some individual and group shots, including their mascot Glycerin. Let me tell you how well that girl works in the crowd. She’s insanely fun to watch, and her vibe in front of the camera didn’t prove any less. I hope to see some of these amazing kiddos in front of my camera again for more senior sessions. Here are a few of the shots we got this past weekend.

Summertime

It’s hard to believe another school year has come and gone. The end of the 2023-2024 school year marks 5 years in education for me, and I also got to see my first group of kindergarteners move onto 5th grade. Our campus only goes up to 4th; after that, they move on to Intermediate school. I can’t begin to tell you the amount of pride I have in those I’ve gotten the pleasure of teaching for five full years. I’ve grown right along with them, and they have taught me more than I have taught them.

My children have grown as well. The theme for my youngest two children has been patience. My daughter has had to learn patience due to tearing her ACL. She had to sit and watch her team while waiting for surgery, and then continue to remain patient as she healed. Ironically a year later, our youngest son tore his ACL, which has put him out of football for the coming Jr. High season. Just before, he and his buddy had started a car washing business in our neighborhood making pretty good money. He’s been very bummed out to have to take a break from doing that until he is cleared to be able to move around without his brace. Our oldest joined the Army and left for Basic training in September, graduating in November. I think he is surprising himself with how well he does in AIT. His training is 11 months long, and he anxiously awaits where his first duty station will be. Wherever he lands, I know he will be amazing.

This leads me to goals for the summer. While Chloe will be busy with both school cheer and All-Star Cheer, my husband and I have decided that our theme of the summer is Intention. Making sure our time with our kids who are still at home is spent making memories and not just sitting around the house. Lucas has already found a new passion for cooking. He loves baking with his Dad, and is constantly asking to be in the kitchen. His favorite meal to cook is breakfast, and his newest dish that he loves to cook is crepes. Maybe we should start vlogging some of his meals and processes. For now I will leave you with this picture of his strawberry crepes.

Easter Weekend in the Bluebonnets

Every spring, families in Texas flock to these beautiful flowery fields. This year in Texas, the Bluebonnets were out in abundance. It seems as though they have been somewhat dormant over the past few years. This year I was so excited to see just how many fields were completely blanketed in this beautiful blue hue. It has been a few years since I have decided to host some mini-sessions. The Texas Bluebonnet symbolizes bravery, sacrifice, and admiration. They bloom for a few weeks, and you can usually find some beautiful Indian Paintbrush wildflowers towards the end of their blooming season. Many people think that the Indian Paint Brush flower is a red or orangy-looking version of the Bluebonnet, but they are very different.

Over the Easter weekend, I was delighted with the privilege to get in at least one more session with the Espinoza family. We stayed on the outskirts or in the already bare areas of the fields, so we wouldn’t trample them. Here is a little peek of what we captured.

Late March in the Bluebonnets–

Bluebonnets don’t stick around for very long. Usually, once the Indian Paintbrush flowers start coming out, that means that the bluebonnets are going to start fading away. The orange Indian Paintbrush flowers are just as beautiful and vibrant as the Bluebonnets, and when they are out together they are just stunning. These flowers hang around for about a month.

Mrs. Bryant contacted me for a mini-session with her granddaughter, and of course, I had to have her and grandpa jump in with a few. Little Karter was adorable and shy, but loved playing in the bluebonnets and cuddling with her grandparents. Here are a few images from their session.

Friday Evening in the Bluebonnets

While Friday started out a little on the damp side, by the end of the day the weather was beautiful, warm and breezy! That evening I got the privilege of photographing these three cutie pies and their parents. The Bluebonnets this year have bloomed in such big, beautiful, full patches. There are blankets for them. I’ve dreamed since we moved to Texas in 2013, of seeing fields as full of these flowers as we are seeing this year. Claire is from Texas, while her husband, Tom is from San Jose, California. The boys were having so much fun running around in the big open space, and their sweet little girl had such a good time posing for the camera. She is so sweet with her brothers. I hope you love this little peek into this beautiful families session.

Spring Has Sprung

Spring in Texas has officially sprung. You can see the signs just about anywhere you drive in Texas. What are those signs you ask? The iconic Bluebonnet has made its annual appearance. So what does any Texas parent or photographer do? They tell their kids to dress in something nice, you grab your camera, and off you go. It was such a beautiful day. I haven’t taken any pictures of my kids in the bluebonnets in quite a few years. This year instead of coming up with a New Year’s resolution, I came up with a word. My word for this year is Intention. With my oldest out the door and doing his adult things, my daughter is a sophomore in high school, and my youngest in junior high, I am focusing on making sure we are spending our time together with intention. So not only did I grab my younger two children, but we also brought the puppies with us. It was so fun to watch them run and leap through the flower field.

Jayden - Steele High School - Class of 2024

It’s hard to believe that May is right around the corner once again. Parents are trying to soak in every ounce of time with their soon-to-be high school graduates. For parents, this time is exciting, while at the same time has us holding on to our kids being kids as tightly as we can. For family friends, we look at their kids in awe and wonder how they are indeed old enough to graduate. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing the Brett family since I moved to Cibolo. Alissa and I served on our kid’s elementary school PTC board before I began teaching. I loved her from the minute I met her. With life being forever busy with kids in sports, I always get extremely excited when my dear friend asks me to come photograph her family. Her first baby is getting ready to graduate. Jayden is such a kind and sweet young man. Like other teenagers, Jayden loves movies and video games and has enjoyed attending football games. During his high school career, Jayden played the violin in the Orchestra, and was invited into the National Honor Society, and HOSA. He was also a part of the school’s JROTC. When asked what he would have done differently he says he wishes he would have joined the JROTC sooner, and added that he encourages incoming freshmen to get involved in clubs and other organizations that the school has to offer. What’s next for Jayden? He is going to get to live at home while attending Texas State for Nursing.

For those of you still looking to have your soon-to-be graduates’ senior pictures done, let me help you check that off of your list. Let’s get you on the schedule!

Early Spring in Gruene

Nothing makes me happier than when family friends ask me to capture memories for their own families. Being trusted with such an important job means the world to me. This family just so happens to be the family of my daughter’s best friend Lilla. Her mother Pilar messaged me a few weeks ago super excited that her oldest daughter Taylor and her husband were going to be in town, so it was the perfect time for updates. Off to Gruene, we went. The weather was a little brisk when we arrived, but it quickly warmed up. These three ladies are absolutely beautiful inside and out. It was my first time getting to meet Taylor and her husband Brandon, and Taylor is every bit as sweet and warm as her mother and little sister. It brings me such joy to bring this little sneak peek to all of you.

If you are looking for some family updates, a milestone session, or Senior pictures, I would love to work with you. Send me a message and we will get you onto the schedule.

Medici Family ~ 2024

My first photo session of the year was perfect. We went out to Gruene, Texas for an early morning shoot; probably one of my favorite areas to photograph in our area. It has plenty of hidden areas that are perfectly rustic. Although it was a brisk 47 degrees out, this family came out and was so fun to work with and photograph. I’ve known Jessica for a few years through working with her on my campus and I have taught a few of her children. They are a spunky bunch and you can tell that they love being together. The older kids were ready to jump and do whatever I asked of them and had a great time doing so. The younger two are very sweet and shy, but John Paul also loves to be silly. Their German Shepherd, Axsel was a real trouper and was such a good boy throughout the entire time we were there.

Here is a little sneak peek of our morning. Click on the pictures for the carousel to move.

Watermelon Mini Session with Paisley

I’ve been anxiously waiting to be able to photograph this sweet young lady for quite some time now. This sweet little girl is about to turn TWO. Over the last few weeks we ended up having to reschedule her session three times because the weather was just not on our side. Mom and I were a little worried today when we walked outside and saw that it was a little overcast, however today was the day; the day we got to venture out to Gruene, Texas, and have a watermelon snack and play with Mommy. She happily sat with her took little nibbles of her watermelon. She did not like that I ended up taking her shoes off, but Grandma knew just the trick to drying her tears and helping her return to her cute adorable smiles. Paisley is at the stage where she doesn’t want to stray too far from mom, but she loved running after her, and running to hug her. I loved watching them together, Mom’s smile while snuggling her baby and the way Paisley snuggled into her mommy was the sweetest thing ever. Stacy thank you so much for letting me spend part of the morning with you! Here are a few of my favorite shots, ok ok, there’s more than a few, but I can’t help it. She’s so cute!

If you would like your own Watermelon Mini Session, message me, and we will get you booked!

~Rowan

Baby Holly

It’s so exciting to welcome new babies into the world, it’s even more exciting when it is one of your co-workers. It’s been some time since my last newborn session, but my sweet team mate, Kristen and her husband Ryan welcome a wonderful little girl named Holly into the world last month. I was blessed with the opportunity to go photograph her in an at home session. I’ve been so excited for my friend to become and mom, and I loved watching her be just that during our session. Holly is a sweet baby, and wanted nothing more but to be snuggled up close to mommy. Here are a few images from our time together, and I can’t wait to go get some baby snuggles again soon.

Steele High School Senior ~ Tyler Switaj

I’m so blessed to be able to be the photographer for this families high school Senior for a second year in a row. Last year, I was able to photograph their son Zack, who happened to swim with son while they were in high school. Moving to this year, Tyler is the third son of a very dear family friend. He found a wonderful job this year working at a horse ranch in Seguin, Texas, and just looking at these images you can see straight away how therapeutic this job has been for him. Tyler, like his brother Zack, is autistic. Being able to care for these animals has brought him so much joy and he couldn’t help but give each of these horses huge hugs and we moved through his session. Just as you could see his attachment to these gorgeous equestrian beings, the horses were equally attached to him. They were happy to follow him around the corrals, and just be with him. It is no wonder as to why he chose his place of work, to be where he wanted his senior pictures taken. There was an incredible sense of peace while we were there. I hope you enjoy this sneak peak of his handsome guy and his favorite friends.

Robyn and Kelly

I’m so excited that Robyn and her fiancé Kelly took advantage of my Sweetheart Mini Session. I was so happy to see my friend again. Robyn worked at the same campus as I did before I came on as the Art teacher. She worked I as the SLC lead teacher with my husband and quickly became one of my favorite people. She is one of the sweetest people I have ever met, and exudes light. She’s the kind of person that you just feel better to be around her. She has since moved onto a different campus doing the same job, and I miss seeing her dearly. She and Kelly are soon to be married this fall and I couldn’t be more excited for them. We ventured out too Gruene, Texas today for an early morning shoot, and oh was it chilly. I haven’t gotten to meet Kelly before today and can’t wait to see more of her, and more of them together. There is a sweet image of them sitting on a bench, where I asked them to close their eyes and I just to happened to capture Robyn gazing at her soon to be wife and you can see the immense love and forever crush that she has for Kelly. For that reason it became my favorite image of the day.

How adorable is this couple? Robyn and Kelly, I loved my morning with you both. I hope you love your sneak peak and your gallery.

~Rowan

Zack Switaj ~ Steele Knights Senior ~ Class of 2022

I was so excited to get to take this young mans senior pictures. Zack has swam alongside my Aiden and I was SO HAPPY that he wanted to be photographed at the pool. I have wanted to photograph a senior in the pool for a few years. We had a ton of fun, and I love how his eyes lit up when I asked him to hop into the pool in his clothes with his tie still on. He told me “It feels so weird to be in the pool with my clothes on! Now I have a great idea for Wacky Relays!” His favorite memory from his high school career was when he became a Co-Captain for the team. His most valuable lesson is to never give up. He says “Seriously! Just DON’T!” and his advice to incoming freshman is to keep setting goals you can crush, and then make new ones. Don’t forget to “Swim Fast” He told me today that “We don’t leave our opponents in the dust, there’s a reason we tell them to Eat our Bubbles”

I remember the first time I ever laid eyes on this handsome guys. He had orange everything, from head to toe. Goggles, swim backpack, puffy jacket, jammers (what their long swim trunks are called), you name it. He loves the color orange. He is also quite the chef, and his swim coach often has him bring in some of his baked deliciousness in for the team. When you ask Coach Fain she says that “Zack always keeps me in check as a coach, helping me remember details and being ready to help do anything needed for the team. Of course there’s the amazing baked goods he’d give for special occasions and the thoughtful gifts throughout the years. He always made me feel appreciated.” Not only is Coach Fain their coach, she happily becomes their school mom ready to cheer them on and support them however she can, regardless of the path they choose.

Once he graduates in a few short months (still not sure how that is only two and a half months away), Zack will be heading to Roger Williams University in Rhode Island to major in Marine Biology. Given his love for the water, I just know he is going to settle in happily.

Now, I don’t know how I’m going to manage to post just a “few” favorites, because each of these images is my favorite for their own reasons. I was introduced to very funny and silly side of him. His mom warned me that he may not be up to being photographed because it’s not really his favorite thing in the world, but he really opened up and enjoyed his time in front of the camera.

Ok, I definitely chose more than a “few”.

Jenn, Tim and Zack, I hope you love this little peak. xoxo-Rowan

Stars Vipers Cheerleader ~ Chloe Rakers

Took this gorgeous young lady our for a photoshoot in her uniform about a month ago, while we were at Cheersport in Atlanta. It was a really fun competition to go to. They gym of course brings their photographer in for some headshots, but with a mom for a photographer, she’s always looking for me to take pictures myself. Partly because she can be herself and act silly in them. . For a parent that’s always exactly what we want the portraits of our kids to be, a true representation of who they are. We were able to grab one of her cheer sisters to get in on the fun too. These two have been cheering on the same team for three years now. Chloe has a fabulous sense of humor, and is also kind hearted and loves to take care of others. She’s an animal lover and is obsessed with her yorkie, Ollie. So here are her pictures, don’t forget to leave her some love in the comments.

Lucas Rakers ~ His turn in the spotlight and some brotherly loveLucas

Lucas just turned 11, and it’s been a little while since I took any pictures of just him. So while we were out shooting Aiden’s senior pictures, we brought Lucas along to snap some of him also. Lucas is really feeling the fact that Aiden is a senior and may be leaving the nest soon after. While Aiden has said he’d like to live at home while attending community college first, Lucas is still aware that Aiden is already spending less and less time at home. He waits up for him to get home from work and every time he sees Aiden, he is always asking him to play a game with him, just so he can get what ever quality time he can with him. Quality time is definitely Lucas’s love language and he gives the best hugs in the world. He gets really excited to receive board games and movies, because to him that means the family is going to play with him and have a movie night. He loves Legos but only if it means his brother will build with him. Aiden’s love language is touch, he really loves hugs and cuddles. Even at 17 he will cuddle with me on the couch. Lucas’s love for quality time and Aidens love for hugs makes for a pretty awesome pair, because when they aren’t arguing their hugs and bonding time are pretty sweet.

I hope you enjoy this gallery, its one of my new favorites.

~Rowan