Madison loves SHOES – in case you can’t tell from her portraits.  She also loves horses.  One of her special interests with horses that really touched my heart is her volunteer work with “Stirrup some fun.”  This is an organization that uses horses as therapy for special needs kids.  In addition to being beautiful and giving, she is also smart.  In fact, she was Salutatorian for her class.  She will be moving on to Mercer University pursing a degree in pre-pharmacy. 

Congratulations Madison!  Thanks for selecting me as your Senior Portrait artist.

Madison’s Graduation Announcement:

Kristin LOVES horses as you can tell from her senior portraits.  Her horse’s name is Bella and they were both perfect model’s!  Bella and Kristin are pretty amazing at barrel racing too.   The love Kristin and Bella have for each other was wonderfully powerful.  The images really captured this special relationship.   Kristin is beautiful and can pull off so many different looks with such ease.  She can transform from modeling in the studio to a pasture with Bella without missing a beat.

She has such a spontaneous personality and is tremendously grounded.  Her mom and I have worked together for years on many projects for the Claxton Enterprise and I understand how Kristin’s work ethic, creativeness and attention to detail comes natural.

Congratulations Kristin, and thank you for selecting me as your Senior Portrait artist.  I look forward to following you and Bella with high expectations for you both.  Best of luck at GSU!  We are thrilled to have you in the ‘Boro.

Kristin’s Graduation Announcement:

Alex loves fashion and has a flair for modeling.  Last summer, she was a part of a program at the Savannah College of Art and Design.  She plans to attend there after she graduates also.  {Lucky girl!!!}

We photographed Alex on Jekyll Island.  Jekyll is very special to her since she grew up near there.  She was brave enough to include her standard poodles in the session.  They made amazing props.  We all braved the heat and crazy weather to create Alex’s  images.  One of the images we created for her won “Most Photogenic” at Miss Glenn Academy.  This is a testament to how beautiful she is.

We had so much fun creating Alex’s senior portraits.  She is so beautiful, smart and personable.  I am so glad she chose me as her Senior Portrait Artist.

Best of luck, Alex, as you enter the next chapter of your wonderful life!  With a degree from SCAD, and all your beauty and brains, I feel sure we will be seeing your name in lights…SOON!

Alex had us design a “personal yearbook” for her that we had hand-printed in Italy. We included the album pages in the video below:

Alex’s Graduation Announcement:

  Dalton and his dad have had a true labor of love in restoring his classic ‘72 Chevelle.  This is a real muscle car.  Just listening to its’ lope idling makes you want to drive fast – very fast.  What a cool experience to share with your dad.  We incorporated all things old in his session and included locations at his families’ farm and favorite fishing hole.  Dalton and his sister Meagan are very close and we wanted to incorporate their special relationship in the session too.  It is always wonderful when siblings share special moments like this. 

I will remember this session for lots of wonderful reasons and one crazy one.  The old house we photographed at was haunted and the spirits were none to pleased we where there.  As I watched the precious last light of the day dissipate the spirits worked hard on my equipment (both sets my primary and secondary cameras and flashes all went down) but we prevailed and created these awesome memorable images.

Dalton, you are wonderfully talented, creative and kind.  I was honored that you chose me to be your Senior Portrait Artist.  I will enjoy watching you handle fast cars, “haunts” and college life with ease!

Congratulations Dalton and best wishes to you!

Goodness!  I really can’t believe you are a Senior!!!

LOVE the locations we did on Sydney’s sessions!  Since Sydney’s passion is fashion we had to showcase her fun outfits.  Some of the locations were in Savannah and some were in Statesboro.  {Being our niece does have it’s privileges!}

I am excited that Sydney is going to Georgia Southern in the Fall!  Since her Dad is in the Military, she has lived away much of her life.  We can’t wait to have her in the same city soon!

Sydney, we are SO proud of your academic achievements!  Your study ethic is amazing.  Keep making good choices!

Fly high as an Eagle this Fall!!!

Love you to the moon and back!!!

Sydney’s senior yearbook ad:

Sydney’s graduation announcement:

Hagan’s family has a very special place in my heart…

Not only have they been clients for like…forever…. his parents travelled to France with us 10 years ago.  What an amazing way to celebrate their anniversary, huh?  Portraits in Provence and Paris!!!  We created SO many epic images during that trip.  {even a sunset dinner on the Eiffel Tower!}   One of the images I created of them was even published in a book!!!

Hagan wanted his Senior portraits created on his family’s farm in Screven County.  What a great venue that turned out to be!  Honestly, if the sun hadn’t set I might still be there photographing!  {maybe his brother John will choose that too when he is a senior in a couple of years!}  The old houses, the hay bales, etc. all created just the right backdrop for the look he wanted.  I grew up going to my granddaddy’s farm and with his cows so driving through the pastures of cows really made me miss my granddaddy!  Oh how Hagan will treasure these images when he gets older.  If you read my blogs, you know how sappy I can get about family and what it means.

Good luck in college Hagan!  I know you will do GREAT!!!

Hagan’s graduation announcement:

Alma Freeman is a client and a friend. She was diagnosed with Breast Cancer 10 years ago. After many surgeries and treatments, she thought she was cancer free. This March, she began having complications with her kidneys and her vision. She later learned that her cancer had returned. Please join me in praying for Alma and her family and also getting involved with as many of the fundraising opportunities as you can. Alma is a hair dresser at Split Ends in Statesboro and is unable to work while she is fighting cancer again. Her daughter, Emma, is in Edie Grace’s class.

• Monday, May 13th from 5-8pm at Chick-Fil-A (Statesboro). Please pick up a card at Bulloch Academy before you go to Chick-Fil-A.

• Thursday, May 16th “Shopping for a Cause” at Chops on Main. Come shop for jewelry, cosmetics, and monogrammed items. Also, a percentage of all food purchased that evening will be donated to the fund.

• Monday, May 20th from 10am-6pm at Split Ends. Come get a hair cut or purchase hair products and help Alma.

• Anytime: Any Sea Island Bank location is accepting donations for the Alma Freeman Medical Fund.

• Join Alma’s CaringBridge page: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/almafreeman

It has been really cool to photograph Victoria for almost her entire life!  Watching her grow UP…{literally UP…she is SIX feet tall!} has been really fun.  Victoria has so many talents.  From guitars to guns, honestly, I don’t think there is much she can’t do.  I love a girl that can out shoot guys day in and day out. 
{Smart Dad to teach her that, huh?}

Victoria’s parents are so involved and supportive.  They have always been such role models to me.  Constantly encouraging her to reach for the stars.  I hope we can do 1/2 as good of a job on Edie Grace.

I love the quote Victoria used on her graduation invitations:

“Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.”
      ~John Wayne

Victoria will be attending Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton in the Fall.  I know great things are ahead for her!  She is AMAZING!

Victoria’s Senior Yearbook Ad:

Victoria’s Graduation Invitation:

Where do I begin writing about Justin…

Justin’s Mom, Joy, came to Marvin Pittman when we were both in the third grade…so to say we go “way back” is an understatement!  Growing up with Joy was a bit of an adventure…from Band to Y-Club to church…there may be a story or two!

I have literally photographed Justin his entire life.  That has been an adventure also…and I have loved EVERY minute of it!!!  We have done countless sessions through the years in various locations.

Being a part of a families’ life is not something I take lightly.  Becoming your own personal historian is a big responsibility.  When Joy said she would like to use images from Justin’s 6 month session and his 5 year session for the Graduation Invitation we were able to pull them from our archives. 

I love that Justin’s Senior session was photographed at his house and own his families’ land.  There is just something special to me about “home”. 

Makes me feel a little old to know the next “big day” I will photograph Justin will most likely be his wedding…  it better be someone REALLY special because Justin truly is one in a million!

Congrats Justin!!!  So proud of who you have become and all you have accomplished!!!  Can’t wait to see where this next chapter in life will take you!

Justin’s Graduation Invitation:

Here is a video of some of my favorite images from Justin’s Senior Session:

I have known Amanda since birth and her mom and dad all of my life.  One of my favorite places to eat in downtown Statesboro for years was her grandmother’s restaurant, Craig’s Deli.  I can still recite the menu.  Of course, her family is now known for their family business Ellis Meats, also in Downtown Statesboro. 

Amanda is a wonderful combination of her mom and dad.  She is such a joy to be around.  Amanda has many loves including fashion, reading, history, horses and the beach.  We chose to celebrate these loves with a session at Jekyll Island.  From the millionaires cottages to driftwood beach we encompassed so much of the island.  We ended the day incorporating a “wild” horse.  One of my favorite images of Amanda is with the horse at sunset on the beach.  I was excited when she chose that image for the inside spread of her graduation invitation. 

Amanda’s family means the world to her.  She even included her big sis Meg in her session.   What a sweet way to honor their relationship!  I love it when Seniors include siblings or even the whole family in their sessions.  Often, when they go off to college it gets harder to coordinate schedules so the Senior year is a perfect time to create priceless family portraits.

With so many fabulous location and clothing changes I was able to create a  personal “yearbook” from the session.  What a wonderful heirloom it is sure to become.  One day her own children or grandchildren will get to relive her session through her album.  I am grateful to Amanda for selecting me as her Senior Portrait Artist.  Congratulations Amanda and best of luck as you begin college.

Here is Amanda’s actual graduation invitation designed by our team:

Here is Amanda’s Senior page in her yearbook designed by our team:

Here is the “personal yearbook” – album our team created for Amanda. This album was hand-printed in Italy:

Here is a short video celebrating Amanda’s Senior Year.  At the end of the video we have included her personal yearbook – album designed by me and hand printed in Italy: