Stories
Just Begin Where You Are.
Whether over coffee or in conversation, sometimes people that don’t know us very well seem to think we’ve figured something out that they haven’t. I don’t think that’s true, but if it’s anything, it’s this. We are weak, and God is strong. And at the end of each day,...
Saying Yes
“Let’s go; I think we just have to do it.” My husband, Jimmy, said. Tears welling up in both our eyes, over lunch in a place we tried new just that day; quaint, east side, hidden treasure...
Be Strong & Do Not Fear
Traveling on the Ticabus (Tee Ka Boos) from Costa Rica is already slightly daunting. You must watch your bags closely, watch your children, your passports, and constantly check to make sure they are all still with you. Our family of 5, just a few years before we would...
Practicing.
When I first began storytelling, I offered my services literally to anything I felt passionate about. These shots are from so long ago, when my children were tiny and we crossed the Mexico border often to visit friends. There was a clinic in one of the barrios there...
Dream Big | Love Does
This recent picture at the Dream Big Conference (Magnolia) reminds me of all I’ve ever learned not just about @bobgoff when I met and traveled with him some years ago, but of so many of those people we surround ourselves with every day. Are we paying...
LBK Young Life
I took at few shots Monday night at the Young Life Banquet and though we've experienced many banquets before, it was Jimmy and I's first one with the LBK crew. We are thankful for the local Young Life here, and how there is a profound simplicity to all they do. To...
A Collaboration, In the Spirit of Friendship.
Help Portrait 2015 last Christmas was by far the highlight of our year. We had planned to do this all year with our students, and at just the right time found the lovely community of Calle Naranjo super close to our International School here in Costa Rica. ...
The Gift of Life Change
Visiting Matagalpa, Nicaragua was up high on the list of things we've experienced that renew our strength, build our faith in how the darkest of circumstances will never eliminate anyone from experiencing renewal if there's an intersection with Jesus. In fact,...
San Juan del sur
Beautiful San Juan del sur. A great small and slow-paced surf town. Enjoyed our time there. Here's a few shots from Teethsavers at a nearby school, up the road from where we were staying, and our hike up to the highest point one day.
Vidas Jovenes Costa Rica
"There are still valleys to walk through during our remaining days. The disappointments, the frustrations, the discouragements, the dilemmas, the dark, difficult days , though they be shadowed valleys, need not be disasters. They can be the road to higher ground in...
Gulu & Sister Rosemary
I recently wrote Sister Rosemary a letter, sending photos, dreaming about another visit, thanking her for spending time with us, for how she lives her life and looks so much like Jesus. She's a woman that you can't help but feel changed by when you meet her....
New School for 250+ Students – Restore International
While in Uganda last month, we visited the new location for Restore Leadership Academy in Gulu. We approached this land and stumbled upon some beautiful children and women walking up and down the roadside and being there close to sunset caught some great images while...
Young Life Leader Retreat
A little over a week ago, we were blessed to go alongside the leaders to retreat this year to kickoff the season. Billy Suess, Andy Baxter and Michael Boone did a great job leading prayer, worship and guidance. The next morning, many of the leaders entered the main...
MLK Speech Day
On MLK Day, at our son's request, we hosted a MLK Speech Reading in our cul-de-sac. We made fliers and sent them with the kids to school and walked around our neighborhood inviting everyone for burgers and dogs while they lasted and to come join the reading and/or...
Earnest Wedding
A few shots from the wedding of Kelsey & Daniel. They had a few shots taken before the wedding with just a door in between them, and these were so fun to shoot. They kept holding hands and looking at the door, laughing, a little nervous, and excited to...
Kaeske Law Firm. A personable group worth knowing.
A few weeks ago, I shot in a law firm here in Austin. We had a great time getting to know one another a bit, using laughter for those not fond of the camera, and at the end of the day, we came away with shots they loved. Shots that showed who they were....
Kelsey Matschek Earnest
Pictures are currently downloading from our latest wedding, the Matschek-Earnest Wedding. All during the editing process, I kept finding shots I thought the bride would love, which is a good thing. But since this was the case, I kept texting the bride with...
Kids. Pandora. Art & Christmas…
a few days ago, we decided to make posters of Christmas words and decorate them. The kids did this while Christmas music played, and enjoyed the time. Today, I had to test a few things for a shoot I have in the morning, so I just asked the kids to step in......
This is Being Thankful…
“This is what thankfulness looks like.” I saw it several times on twitter as I checked in on our car ride to in-laws for Thanksgiving. Organizations like Noonday and Compassion International thanking those that make it possible for women to go to sewing school and...
Sarah Schwab
The beautiful Sarah Schwab. She's off with her new husband now, living the life of a newlywed, and loving it. Here's a few shots from her portrait session before the wedding.
Sisters…
If you have a sister, you can remember how you felt at one point about them when you were younger, and how you may have looked up to them, wished they would leave you alone, or how your life seemed to be measured somehow by who they were or were not. I watch my girls...
Andrea & Ryan
Each time I take a picture of people I'm close to everything in me wants to share the beautiful part of who they are and how I'm impacted by knowing them. Andrea & Ryan are very special to me, and in ways I'll never be able to fully express here. Andrea...
Sarah & Matthew
As I type, the pictures are still exporting in various forms for web and print, and galleries are uploading. Shooting a wedding for people you love is an interesting mix of wanting perfection and trying not to cry during the ceremony thru my lens as the Officiant and...
It’s that time again.
Time for school, for schedules and a great need for priority in our lives. It's Young Life season again, kicking off Monday, September 12th. With collectively 28 College leaders mentoring our middle and high schoolers, NW Austin Murchison (and area private schools)...
Another Austin Favorite…Taco Xpress
It’s never too late to come home.
I just learned today, that a friend in Mexico was baptized. Daniel at Casa Bugambillia, a clinic in Mexico, has been cared for and loved well by these people. When we met, he was paralyzed from a gunshot to the neck. His road has been long and anything but easy. I...
Laguna Gloria meets Katie Maennle
I remember this shot. We took hundreds of shots this day of the brightest designs by Katie Maennle, and we hit Laguna Gloria as our second location. Movers brought furniture to move furniture around for us, and two girls in from New York did an amazing job styling...
The Power of a Picture…
As we walked the streets one day with our friends in Mexico, we came upon this scene. I love the story of a single photo... In a state of severe poverty is how we found her, living next door to another family we were visiting. Dirt floors, no plumbing, but some...
Missing Z and the People of Mexico
Today and within the last several days, I've been reading through drafts and looking through photos for the book project for a very talented writer, Audra Outlaw, and remember our many adventures as she interviewed many that have impacted our own stories. As she heads...
Meet Claire Fields…
Walking into Beehive, you immediately see how unique this place is. Claire greets me and already has a plan in mind. She wants to be photographed in her grandmother's chair. Beautiful and creative, she's got amazing style. I loved this place and loved getting to...
Pure Joy…
As we anticipate the CRAVE book this fall, time to put a few shots out there for Austinites to meet some of Austin's greatest women. Possibly Austin's most colorful and unique toy store, Toy Joy, is not only an escape into playtime, but the owner's pretty wonderful...
Who Won?
So last week, we enjoyed the LAST game of the season for our son's baseball team. Ever notice how they never end the season as they began it? They always end much more courageous and bold than they started out, even though many of us parents had to drag...
Snow in Austin…
Snow came in the wee hours Thursday night declaring a snow day on Friday... Work and School both canceled, and off we went with our sled to the neighborhood hill where the community meets one time a year, if we are lucky. The entire day was pretty glorious enjoying...
Brooks & other Outlaws
Sweet Baby Brooks... His two big brothers and Mom and Dad Outlaw are in complete and blissful love... I was able to photograph the family last week. We started the day with family photos in PJs in Mom and Dad's bed, and worked our way to a series of family shots....
Day with a Cowboy…
http://www.vimeo.com/17230693 I spent a day with my father and my 95 year old Grandfather at our ranch in New Mexico. An amazing day of riding in a truck with my grandfather and him telling me stories of his life way back as a teenager on to now, and how he misses my...
Vogue Bride…
Mrs. Emily Heger, Vogue Bride. That's really all I need to say. Just look at her! She's amazingly beautiful but has a heart to match.
Weddings! Weddings!
I had an amazing privilege of photographing a wedding at the Mansion at Judges Hill with the MOST beautiful flowers I've maybe ever seen at a wedding, along with the gorgeous bride. I thought part of the sweetest things at this wedding was how obvious it was that Mel...
Scott Lambie
As we entered the Experience Africa night with Wilson Bugembe and heard his story, we made our way over to Scott Lambie afterwards. Scott moved to Africa not too long ago from Austin, and was visiting Austin for various reasons. We had previously sent his wife, whom...
Wilson Bugembe
Yesterday, after cleaning out my car full of crayons, drawings, Star Wars figures and water bottles, I drove over to pick up Audra, then on to pick up our new friend, Wilson. Having met Wilson the night before to hear his story, this was a very quickly planned outing,...
Austin Icon, Broken Spoke…
During the workshop last weekend, we spent a long time shooting at the Broken Spoke with models. Lighting is insane. It's terribly dark and we did everything manually, which in turn is the only way to go. I had a great time, made some friends, and here's a...
Beauty in Everything…
I had the pleasure of spending a portion of my Spring Break last week at Casa Bugambilia, located in Matamoros, Mexico. I spent time there capturing the great work Casa B does for the people of Mexico. They provide needed health care, they house residents with...
Engaged. Happy. Beautiful.
I had the best time last weekend photographing the sweetest couple. 2nd street, 4th street, the footbridge and the 360 cliff were all locations we hit. This couple holds a special place in my heart. Mark and Emily are immersed in ministry with high school kids,...
Z. One story, big impact..
If you're lucky enough to meet someone in your life that can change your perspective, count that as a blessing. From the outside looking in at our relationship with Z, it would appear we've nothing in common, but he has become a dear friend. We were there last...
Children of Matamoros
While wondering the streets with our new friend, Larry, at Casa Bugambilia, in Matamoros, we traveled across some children. I spent some time talking with them, and taking pictures of them, trying to make them laugh and smile. We were told the area where they live...
Family in Need…
We visited a family on the last day of travels in Matamoros while there working on a book project, and bringing needed items to a wonderful clinic there, Casa Bugambilia just a day earlier. When our friend, Ryan, found this family, they were living in a shack,...
Tidbit Girls….
Some of the nicest girls I've ever met, really. The girls of Austin Tidbits were a joy to work with, and aside from the fact that they are beautiful and the camera loves them, they are incredibly gifted at what they do. Here's a shot I liked of Amy.
Mayan Ceremony – Last day in Chichi
Our last day in Guatemala certainly was one of the most culturally rich events. We took our shuttle with our new friend, Julio, to Chichicastenango. As we headed into Chichi, we saw Chicken bus drivers drinking Tecates in the drivers seat conversing with other bus...
Panajachel
I'm in Panajachel alone today while the others are in Santiago where they caught a boat this morning. I've been editing all day and listening to music I understand, and having just a little bit of time alone. At this very moment, I'm looking out a window where I see...
Day 3 of shooting. Up early tomorrow for Panajachel
Today was a good day. We got to sleep in until 7, and we walked to breakfast at Cafe Escolonia Nursery, which happens to have a Cafe inside. We shared some stories and goals we all had, and it was nice to see how many of us here actually compliment one another's...
The Right Thing.
We left the courthouse that summer day. Legal papers were signed, statements made under oath, sworn commitments to the Judge. We would care for these two new kids in our home to the very best of our ability. It was legal now. As we went through...
Our First Year Back.
June 24, 2017, we got on a plane and left Costa Rica. It was one of the saddest moments of our lives, second only to the loss of my sister and her husband. 365 days have passed and we too often have let the circumstances take more away from who we are and who...
Be Strong & Do Not Fear
Traveling on the Ticabus (Tee Ka Boos) from Costa Rica is already slightly daunting. You must watch your bags closely, watch your children, your passports, and constantly check to make sure they are all still with you. Our family of 5, just a few years before we would...
Grief on the way to Healing
The first time I ever visited a place of extreme poverty, the most unexpected thing was how I lost all my words when trying to explain or share the experience. In the moment, I was only taking it in, and nothing could have prepared me for what I would see there...
Capernaum, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Here’s a few pictures from our time here with Capernaum (Special Needs) Young Life. The kids and their leaders put on a talent show in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Jimmy, the kids and I had a beautiful time with these sweet kids, their leaders, and the community. These...
Jeannie Hampton
I’ve been many things in my life. A daughter, a sister, a girlfriend, wife, mother and guardian. I’ve been a businesswoman, seminary student, a dropout, a photographer, a sparsely published writer, an entrepreneur. I’ve been lost, reckless and rebellious, and I’ve also been found. I’m a redemption story, an idealist, surrendered in my own messy way. This is a space I created to gather the stories I need to write. I want to share my ‘jumping off’ places and rough landings. When I wanted to say no, but said yes. I want to share the journey of our family choosing to leave the states, and about what we learned about missions and the life of a follower of Jesus. I want to share that we can still live beautiful lives in the midst of incredible grief. I write about what I continue to learn about God, Doubt, Life, Missions, Family, Grief and Hope and the list grows. I live in the Austin area and have loved this place and called it home for over 18 years. After many years of living internationally and many moves, I’m ‘home’ living on a few acres 20 minutes north of Austin, in a quaint and lovely place, called Georgetown.