Hope Photography - The Best of 2010

2010 has come to a close. What a glorious and amazing year it has been for us. We have met so many great people and witnessed so many beautiful moments that it just blows my mind. It's been one of the most successful and crazy years for our business to date. I always gripe about being so busy, but trust me, I know what a blessing it is for a small business to stay afloat in the turbulent economic waters of the last few years. Danielle and I obviously couldn't do this without the love and support of all of you, our frients/cliends (new words for 2011 combining clients + friends) and family. Thank you!

So just like this time last year, instead of showcasing our favorite photos from the year, we decided to turn the tables and we asked all 21 of our wedding clients and 40+ portrait clients to submit their favorite image that Danielle, Brittany and I took during their wedding or session. We didn't hear back from everyone, but I'll blame that on poor planning on our part… I mean, who wants to check their email over the Christmas holidays? And we heard from several clients who said they simply couldn't narrow it down to one favorite and gave up. That's a good problem to have, I guess. :)

Here are the 2010 client favorites with their reason why below each image (presented in the order we received the entries). Enjoy!

The Treadwells: This picture is my favorite because you took what was a humiliating moment for a parent and turned it into the most wonderful picture and most precious memory! As were most of his pictures, this one sure wasn't planned, but every time I see it I have to giggle because you thought it was a great moment to catch it on camera! THANK YOU GUYS! We will never EVER use anyone else to do our pictures!

The Millers: I like this photo, because we are all happy and healthy and full of life! I also am choosing this photo because we would like to send it in as our family photo with our adoption profile!

The Suttons: It is simply priceless! It captured our precious baby boy in the first week of his life. We will forever hold those pictures as his first professional picture shoot! You guys did an amazing job and we can't wait for you to do more of Baby Jackson!

The Burkhalters: It perfectly captured the spirit of three stair-stepped, smiling sisters holding on to & leaning on each other! We pray they will forever remain stuck on each other!!

The Efflers: We love it because the colors on the tree are bright and clear, and because it captures how happy our little family is together!

The Mobleys: It's my favorite image because you captured all of us (Shamus included) beautifully and naturally. The lighting and setting are just perfect and it's my favorite picture of all of us.

The Whaleys: We love it because they look like such BROTHERS in that one! Younger brother just taking off without hesitation, older one being cautious and "looking before he leaps"- true to both of their personalities. :-)

The Kirklands: It was really hard to pick just one. But, you caught us laughing at the kids and enjoying ourselves looking very natural which no photographer has been able to do before. Thanks guys!! You really had your work cut out for you with us!!!

Suzi and Matt Fairclough: We love this photo because it represents the fun and romantic side of our wedding.

Lori Lary and Clark Hornstra: We met at Patrick Sullivan's and I still get warm fuzzies every time I look at this picture!

Kaitlyn Taylor (senior session): I was so glad that Brittany thought to go up there at the last moment. The sunlight made my hair color stand out beautifully. I will never forget how much effort it took climb up that hill (where everyone in the city had obviously brought their dogs) and take great pictures. Thanks guys!

The Lamar Family: This picture captures our family so perfectly. It's not stuffy or overly posed. It's just...us. I love the subtle fall colors in the background as well. Thank you again for helping us preserve our family's history!

Kelly and Alex Buhler: I love all my photos so it's hard to chose just one! I really love the one of me and Alex with my grandparents. My grandma died not long after the wedding and I'm so glad that she could share out special day and that the whole family was together for our occasion.

[Editor's Note: So sorry about your loss Kelly. :( This photo just makes me realize how important our jobs is!]

The Bumbaloughs: To me it captures a lasting memory of how close the kids are now, their unconditional love, and it is my hope that they will remain close as they get older.

The Goforths: This captures the true Graham, always entertaining and wanting to be the center of attention. Thanks for all the great photographs!

Christine and Eric Lewis: We love the contrast between all the nature around us and we're standing there in a wedding gown and tux. We like how we are standing leaning towards each other, with my ring showing but not obviously trying to be in the picture, making the picture more relaxed overall. And we like remembering how we "escaped" the reception to run up the hill to laugh with each other in this little area that seemed private.

Danyelle and Michael Bachelder: We liked this one because it has the beautiful background of Whitestone, as well as our guns which was and still is the talk of our wedding and of course us on our big happy day. Thanks again for the awesome job you all provided we are soooo glad we found you guys.

Missy Speaks (senior session for Laura): I like this one because it is such a soft picture of a very sweet girl. You see her personality so much. She is shyly looking down, has her cross necklace on that shows her faith and a little smile to show her humble joy. And lighting was great!!Thanks for making the session so much fun and easy for Laura and for the GREAT pictures!

Whitney Hall and Jonathan Alexander: The posture is very "us." We feel it truly captures our personality as a couple. If you were to see us on any given day, this is probably what it would look like. :)

The Herrings: I love the way that you captured the different identities of each of the girls with that specific pic! I love how the sun is shining through behind the girls. I especially love the water that has risen as they jumped in the wet grass! Thank you for marking the moment with our family!

Tara and Steven Jenkins: We wanted our guests to be surrounded by the beauty of the Smoky Mountains. This picture captures everything we love about the Smokies. And who doesn't like to soak their feet after wearing heels for 12 hours?

Alyson and Dusty Young: It looks like something from a storybook and it's so adorable!

The Leonards: We liked this photo because the picture turned out so natural in the scenery and in the pose. It really captured the love that Cooper has for Olivia while he is holding her as her big brother, almost as if protecting her and stating "she is my little sister". It also shows Olivia's bright personality and how her smile lights up the room. Thank you for that memory.

The Conners: I really love them all. If I have to pick a favorite it would have to be this one because of the expression on Wyatt's face. It's priceless!! Not sure what he was laughing at, but I'm thinking that it was from Danielle dancing, in the middle of the street, singing "She hit the floor, next thing you know, shorty got low, low, low...." Thanks guys, for an awesome family shoot and for such a fun year being your Ass. Pho. (aka Associate Photographer). :)

The Smiths: This is our favorite photo because...well, its a damn good one :) We have great eye contact, hands on baby belly and the background is to die for really, but most of all... you all captured our love for each other and the greatest love of all - our son Jax! Thanks gals!

Maleia and Nick O'Neal: We love that the new church and steeple are included. The clouds really add to it because they look awesome. And you can see my gorgeous bouquet as well as the details to my gown really well!

The Yarnells: You all caught a perfect moment. The laugh is real...the lighting is incredible. It's a photo we will treasure forever.

The Bishops: This picture shows Ellie Kate's true joy and spirit. She's such a happy girl and it shows here!!!

The Martinezes: She looks so peaceful and this is still the expression on her face when she sleeps. I love it. I also love the colors of the white with the red basket behind her. It's not only a great picture of my adorable baby--I think it looks like baby art too.

Katie and Will Burkhardt: This photo was instantly our favorite. We just love everything about it. It captures the beauty of Whitestone and makes us look pretty darn good too!

Cari and Seth McNelly: Well first, there are TOO MANY AWESOME PHOTOS of our wedding day to say just one is our favorite, but we picked this one because it's of us alone with "our tree" and the bright lights from the tree in the background look positively magical. Our wedding day was so phenomenal and so perfect in every way that it too was magical so this photo, to us, best depicts the magical feeling of our big day. :)

The Hurts: We picked this one because it accurately reflects our family in a natural setting. The expression on each one of our faces truly represents our personalities.

Slosh (Sloan+Josh): We love this photo because it captured such a beautiful, private moment between the two of us. Wes and Danielle made it so easy to be ourselves, and we think this picture really shows the love we have for one another.

The Hefferns: This picture just captures where Elliot is at this point in time perfectly. He's busy and always on the go, but always just as sunny and happy as can be. Oh, and those blue eyes get me EVERY time.

Jessica and Randy Fly: It's peaceful, pretty, love in God's prettiest place on Earth.

Traci and Eddie Lail: I think the smiles we have here seem to be shining from within.  You know what I mean?  You can see our smiles and happiness in our eyes as well as our facial expression.  I guess there is truth in happiness. ;)


There you go! Thanks to everyone who sent us their favorites! It's always interesting to see things from the client's perspective. Danielle and I sometimes love our photos for entirely different reasons. We might just look at the lighting and composition, but only the clients know what they were thinking and feeling when we captured those moments. That's why I love doing our year-end roundup this way. I hope you enjoyed it! :)

Happy New Year!!



PS! We accidentally left one out! And I feel horrible because the bride is one of our biggest fans! Sorry Krystal, you know we didn't do it on purpose! Here's your favorite...
Kristal and Charles Powers: I will never forget the look Wes got on his face when I said I wanted to stand on the swing. And when he said "Just so you know if this goes horribly wrong remember it was all your idea". I got a priceless image that I absolutely LOVE... oh and nothing went wrong at all!

Thanks Kristal! And again, sorry you slipped through the cracks. :)