Kinley's 8 year

Her momma asked me what my favorite thing to photograph was.  I told her it was the 8 year olds.  For many of these little ones, turning eight marks a big step in their lives.  I love the sweetness of the age and the privilege of helping them document such an important step.  I love that I can get right up in their faces and that the outcome is a picture that makes you feel you can see right into their souls.  

Kinley was a trooper.  Her mom and I drug her to a few different places and forced her to look lovely and smile for the camera.  Yeah right....this little beauty loves the camera.

Nothing is quite as distracting for a little girl as a field full of ladybugs!

It was very important to Kinley that some of the pictures show the pearl earrings she was wearing...so Kinley, this one's for you sweety.

You might think this one is for her momma, but it's really for me.  If I can get a mom in the picture with their little one, it makes me so happy.  Moms are usually the one behind the camera, snapping away.  They are always reluctant when I say it's their turn to have the lens pointed at them, but I can't get enough of the tenderness that shows so clearly through pictures like these.