Venue:
The Landing Event Center at Joshua Farms
www.thelandingeventcenter.com

Styling by:
Kristal Childs
www.kristalchilds.com

Rentals:
Pursuing Eden 
www.pursuingeden.com

Cakes: 
Calavera Cakery
www.calaveracakery.com


Bridal & Bridesmaid's Gown: 
Dress Me Bridal Boutique
www.dressmetexas.com

Floral Arrangements: 
Fantasy & Fairytale Florals
www.fantasyandfairytaleflorals.com


Hair & Makeup Artist: 
Kylie Biddy
www.facebook.com/kylieeventglam

Bride: 
Zoe Watson

Groom: 
Tyler Lohr

Bridesmaid: 
Sera Allen

 

I kept the props simple with the back to school theme with an old fashioned desk, chalkboard, globe and books. My favorite part of the shoot was watching the little ones interact with everything - chomping on the apples, writing on the chalkboard, reading, playing with the globe - it was so adorable! 

On Tuesday, I've got another set of mini sessions coming up! These will be fully styled fall mini sessions (styled by the amazing Rashell of Sweet Pickins Vintage Rentals!). These will be a pumpkin patch themed session and you'll receive 10 edited images that you're free to print and post wherever you'd like! I still have a few time slots available so email [email protected] to book your session. Make sure to include some preferred time slots and I'll do my best to accommodate.

Can't make the fall mini session on Tuesday? I also now offer mini sessions at any time! Click here for more details.

Keep dreamin'!
Lindsay

1. Make a day out of it! One of the best things you can do for yourself is to commit a full day to your photos - live it up! If you're in the Longview area, come to The Dollhouse and get the full hair and makeup treatment before your photos. 

2. Bring your pets! I LOVE taking photos with pets, it's so fun and it really brings so much joy into your photos because no one is happier than when they're with they're best friend, right?

3. Take photos with your bestie! You and your best friend (or two!) can book sessions back to back and I'll even take some photos of you both together. What's better than you and your best friend dolled up and taking photos that you can cherish forever?!

4. Get creative with your location! PLEASE don't take your photos in a plain studio (unless your photographer has it styled and that's the look you're going for) - get outside! One of my favorite parts about Longview is the incredible wisteria we have when it's in full bloom. There's a small window so if you want wisteria, make sure to book ASAP. You can also go to a cool record shop, the zoo, an arcade or be like Kayla and take your photos at the FAIR! Be whimsical, be fun and be yourself!

5. Wear something you're comfortable in! Yes, a super trendy outfit looks great in photos but it's much more important to wear something you love and feel comfortable with. If you're uncomfortable, it will show in every photo. Pick something fun and cute that still looks like something you would actually wear on a daily basis!

6. Think outside the box! Your photos don't have to be typical or look like anyone else's - want super avant garde photos? Do it! Hate graduation cap and gowns? Leave them at home. There are no rules, just be yourself.

7. Shoot in the golden hour! This seriously cannot be emphasized enough. I almost exclusively shoot in the golden hour, and for good reason - it's the MOST flattering light on every single skin tone, you don't have to worry about squinting in your photos and you end up with fantastic, glowy images. Not sure when the golden hour is? It's about an hour before the sun goes down - you can always google it if you're not sure!

8. Use props tastefully! My best friend has a senior photo of her and about 20 purses because she "collected" them at the time. As hilarious as this photo is, please don't do this! If you want props, choose 1-2 that really represent who you are. I love this photo of Londyn and her violin because it's a crucial part of who she is and it looks natural. 

9. Look up some poses online....but don't freak out over them! Now that Pinterest exists, it's easy to get wrapped up in what everyone else is doing. Look up a few great photos and poses to bring with you or have on your phone but don't feel like EVERY photo needs to be perfectly posed. Be yourself, have a few poses ready and the rest will come naturally.

10. Choose a photographer who will be willing to bring your vision to life! This isn't meant to be braggy, but not all photographers are created equal! Make sure to scope out their portfolio and if their images look like something that fits with the look you want, then contact them!

Hopefully these tips helped you out! Don't forget to Pin this post so you have some great ideas for your Senior photos once you're ready to take them.

I'm currently booking 2016 Seniors and spots are already filling up! My dear partner in crime and makeup artist, Molly of Dollface Makeup Artistry won't be available late spring of 2016 so if you want the full Dollhouse treatment make sure to book as soon as possible to secure your spot! 

Keep Dreamin'!
Lindsay

Brittany is a natural beauty but hair by Summer and makeup by Molly simply enhanced that beauty. Longview was showing off that day and we had perfect weather and the golden hour - basically the best combination for a photo shoot!

I met Brittany last spring in a wedding where she was a bridesmaid and I was thrilled when she asked me to do her wedding photos! It's always fun to get to work with friends of past clients, especially when it's a sweet girl like Brittany. I know you can see it in the photos, but I just have to mention that Jake absolutely adores Brittany. Their love is so sweet and I cannot wait to photograph their wedding photos in October at the beautiful Nantucket!

Chelsea radiates joy and has such a fun spirit - I remember during her wedding her father said that everyone just LOVES to be around her and it's so true! Everyone who meets Chelsea instantly connects with her awesome sense of humor and her ability to find something in common with just about anyone. I'm so glad Chelsea is a part of my life - there's no one else I'd rather watch the Wedding Singer with and I'm thrilled that she has found the one God created for her.

Molly of Dollface Makeup Artistry and I had the pleasure of working with Mackenzie and Allyssa, our models, a few months ago for their Senior photos and we instantly knew we wanted them both to be a part of a styled shoot...we just had to choose the themes. Finally we decided on Goldilocks and The Secret Garden and realized those shoots would be perfect for the very first Lindsay Steele Workshop. I won't get into the behind the scenes details of the workshop just yet, that will come next week, but for now, enjoy these images from one of the most inspiring days of my life!

Goldilocks was to have more of an avant-garde feel, so the attendees would have a more varied portfolio instead of just offering two shoots that looked like fairy tales. I love that Goldilocks wasn't as much of a literal interpretation - Rashell NAILED the styling and the dress from Rent the Runway was breathtaking. And don't even get me started on that hair and makeup!

The Secret Garden was all about the romance - from the floral wall to the soft lilac dress, the braid in Mackenzie's hair to the swing, the whole shoot screamed dreamy romance. Rashell and her team put together the most incredible floral wall - it was unspeakably beautiful and I couldn't have asked for a better setup. It really looked like our little Garden Nymph stumbled right into a secret garden.

Thanks so much to Mackenzie and Allyssa for being beautiful, flexible and easy to work with. Thank you to Molly (makeup), Summer (hair) and Rachell (styling) for bringing my vision to life. I truly couldn't do what I love without the help of amazing, creative, talented, kind humans like you. And of COURSE thank you so much to our attendees! I hope each and every one of you learned so much and walked away with tons of incredible photos to add to your portfolio.

Keep Dreamin'!
Lindsay

Workshop Host: Lindsay Steele Photography
Makeup Artist: Dollface Makeup Artistry
Hair Stylist: Summer Dailey, Stylist
Vintage Rentals, Floral Wall Creator, Set Design & Stylist: Sweet Pickins vintage rentals
Secret Garden Dress: Erin Fetherston via Rent the Runway
Garden Nymph: Mackenzie Kendrick
Goldilocks Dress: Marchesa via Rent the Runway
Goldilocks: Allyssa Alexander

Today I'm showcasing Lauren, a SUPER sweet and smart girl. And of course, as you can tell from these photos, she's an absolute beauty. Lauren is so laid back, and that combined with a DREAMY golden hour made for the perfect Senior shoot. In addition to being smart and gorgeous, the girl was also Homecoming and Prom queen...is there anything she can't do?! Lauren will be attending Letourneau this fall, and I can't wait to see what life has in store for her. 

It's never too early to book your sessions, seniors of 2016! I know it sounds crazy but I book up really quickly, especially October-May so the sooner we can get a date on the calendar, the better!

Keep Dreamin'!
Lindsay

1. Boost your portfolio! Show the world you can think outside the box and attract your dream clients. Once I started doing styled shoots, my clients started to get more innovative as well. They knew I could handle the challenge of bringing something really fun and whimsical to life for them.  

2. Engage your creative side! Work your creative brain - practice makes perfect and this is an awesome way to get your brain to push itself more when it comes to creative photos.

3. Experience an entire styled shoot from start to finish! (styling, hair, makeup, setup, everything!) and learn how to create your own styled shoots, bringing stories to life.

4. Meet other photographers! Chit chat, get to know each other and form your very own tribe. A support system is incredibly important, especially in a competitive industry like photography where people can be pretty ruthless.

5. Learn how to network with businesses! Get the secrets behind establishing yourself as an expert and teaming up with awesome brands.

6. Gain insight that will apply to ALL types of shoots! We're going to be talking a LOT about lighting and posing for your clients body type - these are skills that are INCREDIBLY important and will put you leaps and bounds above other photographers.

7. One on One time with the experts! You'll have plenty of time to chit chat with Molly, Summer and me to pick our brains and ask any burning questions you might have about the process.

8. We won't all be shooting at the same time! You'll have your OWN time photographing the models to make sure you can get the very best shots. This will also ensure that we don't all have the exact same photos in our portfolio.

9. Learn how to bring wonderland to ANY location! Anyone can make an awesome shoot out of a picturesque location but here you'll learn how to make any space into the ideal dreamy backdrop.

10. Gain confidence in your ability and learn the value of doing something you love! These are two things that I have learned over the last few years that I can't wait to help teach you. 

BONUS! You'll also get a social media crash course from blogger and marketing guru, Valery Brennan featuring tons of tips you can use to grow your social media accounts immediately. You might remember her from our Edward Scissorhands shoot...

So have I convinced you yet? We have a few $350 seats left! Email me at [email protected] to reserve yours! SAVE $50 - tag your friends and share the post with someone who may be interested, if they book you BOTH save $50! (Maximum of two referral discounts per person). This workshop will include 2 FULLY styled editorial shoots with props provided by Sweet Pickins Vintage Rentals, makeup by Molly of Dollface Makeup Artistry and styling by Summer Dailey. 

Keep Dreamin' and I'll see you on May 31!
Lindsay

The only thing better than dreamy light is an absolutely darling couple and these two really fit the bill. Taylor actually designed my business cards last year and through mutual friends we've kept in contact since then. She's such an incredibly creative, talented, beautiful girl and I cannot wait to shoot her bridals! Dan is a pilot, and he's really mellow and easy to work with. Just like his fiancee....super photogenic! Their wedding will be at Nantucket in May and I know it's going to be my pleasure to photograph their big day.

Not only were Dan and Taylor absolutely lovely, they also brought along their precious dog, Lady. I mean just look at that sweet family!

Congratulations and best wishes to you, Dan and Taylor (and Lady)! I can't wait to photograph you again in May!

Keep dreamin',

Lindsay

Once we decided on a theme for our styled shoot, I put out a model call on Facebook. We got a lot of great entries but when Courtney Cameron sent us her photo, I immediately knew that she was our Little Red.

How breathtaking is Molly's artistry? I knew she was talented but this shoot really helped me realize how well we work together. She knows exactly how to bring my vision to life, even when I can't really explain it to her.

I tend to really worry when things don't go according to plan, so sitting in the living room looking outside the windows to watch the rain come down while Molly applied Courtney's makeup really had me freaking out. Jefferson, Texas was awfully dreary that day. Once we got outside, Courtney was a COMPLETE pro and it ended up being the perfect setting for our shoot. Then to top it all off, sweet Molly was such a champ and held the umbrella over my head while she got soaked.

I can't even tell you how excited we were when we were featured in Dark Beauty Magazine! Having our work alongside all of these other amazing creatives was just a confirmation that we were onto something big.

Keep Dreamin',

Lindsay

These two beautiful people have officially been married for a year! I had the privilege of meeting Valery a few years ago. She is one of my best friend's best friend's. I knew we were going to click when she showed me her "All you need is love" tattoo on the arch of her foot... (& that was like 6 years ago!). I'm super happy for these two and can't wait to see what the future holds for them. 

Her and her hubby are not only perfect for each other but they ARE SO PHOTOGENIC! I pray that i have many sessions like this for the rest of my life :) Had such a blasty blast with these two this past weekend at White Rock Lake in Dallas. Happy Anniversary, you guys! 

I had been interested in doing a styled photo shoot for a while now and finally built of the nerve and Facebook messaged a boutique in my in Longview, Tx. to see if they would be willing to give me a chance and use their clothes. They said yes, and it was on from there. I owe so much to the Welch family (They own Penny & Jack). Since then they have become two great women that I admire dearly. Rentals are from Pursuing Eden Vintage Redemption whom I have come to absolutely adore. These people gave me a way to express my creativity like I never have been able to before. This was literally one of the best days of my life. I owe these people so much. This shoot was held in January on the Jones' estate in Hallsville and is officially my new favorite golden hour location.

Models: Sara Rash, Brian Jones, Chelsea Spencer & Kyle Spencer
Womens Clothing: Penny & Jack
Props: Pursuing Eden Vintage Sales & Redemption
Makeup: Chelsea Johnson
Set Coordinator & Second Shooter: Brent Hetherington