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At one point during my shoot with Landon I turned to him and said “I have no idea what senior portraits are supposed to be”. He said, “I don’t either. Except for the portraits in a studio with a 2012 sign”. I decided it was a good thing neither of us had any real expectation. Rather than trying to conform to an ideal, we spent the afternoon walking around the French Quarter with his family, getting to know each other and taking a few photos along the way.

As far as I am concerned, the experience was an absolute pleasure. Judging by the emails from Landon’s mom, I’d say they enjoyed themselves as well. And hey, bonus, they like the photos! Amy’s emails to me were so amazing that I decided to share them here. Appreciation is a beautiful thing…from every angle. Big smiles and thanks go out to the McGee’s!

Hi Julia,

We could never thank you enough for the amazing experience you made possible on our trip through New Orleans. You went above and beyond and we loved every minute of our time with you. You should hear Landon describe you to his friends…you KNOW you’re cool when a teen-aged boy raves about you to other teenagers I loved it because I’ve been telling my family about you for so long and they got to see for themselves why I think you’re amazing. I’ve been around so many typical “wedding professionals” over the years…and the day I met you and watched you work, I saw something so dramatically different, that your work has stuck with me. You know why? Because most wedding vendors are crafty, creative, motivated people…putting so much energy into networking and creating a business image that the actual craft takes a backseat. But you? You’re the first person I’ve ever met that is an artist first…living life by your own rules with no apologies…and creating ART…amazing art that makes me think and touches my emotions. And you are SO humble and kind…you just put people at ease. That’s the reason I wanted you to photograph Landon. His personality is so complex and artistic and I knew no one else would capture the “real” him the way you would. And I was so right!! Thank you for putting a few pictures on FB for us to see so quickly. We were speechless when we saw them. Thank you so much for spending your afternoon with us…we’re ALL Julia Bailey fans now

Take care,
Amy

Julia!

If we could get to New Orleans, we would HUG YOUR NECK!! Thank you so much for capturing Landon as he really is. Seriously, every picture represented a part of his personality…you captured them all…the thoughtful face, the content face, the “I’m about to say something funny” face, the joking face, the way he stands, the way he holds his head, the funky glasses he chose, the size of his Adam’s apple (haha)! You have no idea how much these pictures mean to us. They capture him as he is one last time before he leaves home to embark on the next phase of his life. You have given us a gift and we will think of you every time we look at these photos and remember that day in New Orleans. I’ve heard people in the past describe the way certain pieces of art moved them and created intense emotions…and I had never really had that experience…until I met you and saw your work. Your photography can move me to tears and make me smile…make me think and amaze me. I beg you to continue following your heart and capturing these moments for people for as long as you feel inspired. You’re creating a legacy that will live on in your photographs. Whether you agree or not, the McGees don’t know a more beautiful woman than Julia Bailey…that’s just what happens when you mix an authentic heart with some crazy gorgeous hair and a great smile

Amy