At 6 a.m., Houston woke to the not-so-welcome sound of rain tapping against the windows. This was the day of my very first photoshoot as the owner and photographer of Moments, Dear Photography- and rain wasn’t in the forecast.
My logical side told me, “The shoot is in three hours. The rain will pass.”
Anxiety, however, whispered, “It’s ruined.” I checked the radar. Took a deep breath. And decided to trust that it would work out. Spoiler alert: It did.
My client that morning was a dear friend, recently graduated with her associate degree. I was thrilled when she agreed to model for me-her graduation photoshoot would help me gain experience and expand my portfolio.We chose Discovery Green in Downtown Houston as our location. It’s one of my favorite spots: free for small photography sessions, full of natural beauty, and incredibly versatile. With urban paths, tree-lined trails, flowers, and water features, it turned out to be the perfect backdrop for graduation portraits.
Before the session, I created a vision board filled with soft, feminine inspiration- poses on stairways, under a canopy of trees, near flowers- images that felt like her. She brought that vision to life so naturally. Every time I reviewed the shots on my camera, I felt giddy. This is what I saw in my head- it’s actually happening! That moment when your vision becomes real? There’s nothing like it.
Now, let me tell you a secret: photographers get nervous too. So much can go wrong. That day, it was my SD card- reading an error right before we started. My heart sank. I replaced it quickly and triple-checked that every image was saving.The entire 75-minute session, my mind was racing in the background:
Are my camera settings right for this light? Which lens gives me the best background blur? Is that image overexposed? Is she comfortable? Is she enjoying this?
It’s never just point-and-shoot. It’s point-and-think, adjust, encourage, shoot, review, repeat.As I drove home from downtown, tired but happy, I felt nothing but gratitude. For my friend. For her trust. And for the chance to do what I love- help people collect and preserve their most meaningful memories.
That’s what this profession is about, right?
If you’re ready to capture your story, I’d love to be part of it.
Moments, Dear Photography is now booking graduation, maternity, newborn, couple, and family sessions in the Houston and South Houston area. If you live in Pearland, Friendswood, Alvin, Pasadena, Houston, Galveston or South Houston and are looking for a family photographer, fil out the contact form!
✨ Follow me on Instagram @MomentsDearPhotography (https://instagram.com/MomentsDearPhotography)
📷 Mention you found me through the website or blog and receive a special discount on your session. Let’s turn your moments into keepsakes. 💛
