Hailey's "rustic neutrals" senior portrait shoot

"I got this dress this morning," is how you can give your photographer a heart attack.  Just don't tell me.  I don't want to know.  Let me think you've had this outfit ready to go for the last 3 weeks.  But yeah, that's what Hailey admitted when I told her that I loved it.  To everyone else: don't leave it to the last minute because you might not luck out like Hailey!  ​

However, let the record stand that Hailey was the originator of the "accessories in individual baggies" planning epiphany.  So when you get your two-day pre-shoot email from me with the last minute checklist of planning prep, and it talks about this, you have Hailey to thank!

During her planning call Hailey explained that she really wanted a rustic look for her shoot.  She was going to wear neutrals.  So instantly I knew that this farm and field would be perfect for her shoot.

"The photography opera!" is what her mom Micaelanne called it.  And by "it" I mean me, and the happy noises I make when I'm excited about a shot.  I was quite operatic at Hailey's shoot apparently.  But seriously, how can you *not* get excited when you see a shot that you know will turn out like this?

While we were at this farm, in between takes, we managed to see baby goats, ducks, chickens... it was seriously like our own little mini petting zoo.  

When we got the heck out of Dodge for the ultra rural part of the shoot the tall grasses were in their full spender.  This meant two thing:

1.  Hailey's sister, Rachael, would start throwing the little grass heads at Micaelanne's chest and, like a dart board, they would totally stick in her shirt.

2.  I, in a moment of inspiration, would pick an adjacent bundle of wildflowers for Hailey to hold and, in doing so, manage to rip the dang things out by the roots.  Here, hold this 3 foot tall bundle of stems with this clump of dirt!  Pretty!

But it all worked out.  Micaelanne made it out in one piece, I clipped the flowers down to a normal configuration, and Hailey got some lovely shots in the golden sunset.