Marie Grace Photography: Blog

Sigourney Iowa Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight: Miss. Jenna; Oskaloosa Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Mon, 15 Jun 2020 18:57:59 GMT

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Last but not at all the least, there's Jenna.

Where do I even start?

Jenna's soul is deep. I knew it from the moment I first worked with her. I didn't know why, but I saw it.

I learned why over time.

When we first worked together Jenna was very quiet. She was an observer. She watched and took it all in. But as the year progressed, she grew and bloomed. Her guard has dropped little by little every time I've seen her, and I will treasure the opportunity I've had to earn her trust and to get to know her.

The very first time I got to work with Jenna was waaaaaay back in the winter months of early 2019. She was one of the models for the Bridal Dreams prom dress styled shoot in the snow. It was COLD. Very, very cold! But all three girls, including Jenna took it in stride!

From there Jenna decided she wanted to be a part of the Class of 2020 MGP Senior Model team and it made my heart so happy that she wanted to be apart of it! From there we had multiple shoots together from styled shoots to group shoots with the rest of the team.

For now, let's learn a little bit more about Jenna from her questionnaire!

Me: What are your major accomplishments your senior year? What are you most proud of?

Jenna: "I am most proud of receiving a huge scholarship that I dreamed of. I’m also proud of getting to work with a local interior designer so I get an inside look of what it will look like for me."

Me: I know the year isn't quite over just yet; do you have any big plans to finish out the year? Is there something you are looking forward to before graduation?

Jenna: "Well I was really looking forward to prom this year and I’m crossing my fingers it will still happen."

Me: Were you involved in any sports or extra curricular activities? If yes, please list them below.

Jenna: "I was involved in dance my freshmen year and I managed the girls swim team my junior and senior year. I also decided to play tennis this year but that has been put on hold for now."

Me: What's your plan for this summer?

Jenna: "I plan on working a lot to save up money for college but I am holding to have an amazing summer with my friends before we all go off to college."

Me: What does the future have in store for you? Have you already picked your school? If so, what major? (Or explain whatever future plans you have below).

Jenna: "I plan on going to Iowa State University for Interior Design."

Me: What are your absolute favorite images/sets from your senior session?

Jenna: "I love all of the picture but some of my favorite have to be worth my niece and the ones in the sunflowers."

Me: Is there anything else you would like shared?

Jenna: "It has been so fun to be a senior model for MGP and I would encourage everyone to do so if they have the chance."

And now let's look back at the very best year (and a half) ...

At the beginning there was the Bridal Dreams Snow Session.

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Following this was the Lighted Styled Session.

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And then there was her MGP Senior Model Announcement.

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Next there was the floral Styled Session.

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The Americana Styled Session came next.

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Her BFF Session followed.

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Her next session was her Sunflower Session (which was also one of my favorites).

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And then the other half of her session..

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The following shoot was the Christmas Pajama Pizza Party Session.

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Next up was the Print Competition Session

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And then there was the Bridal Dreams Prom Dress Session at The Studio in Des Moines!

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Jenna; I cannot thank you enough for giving me the chance to get to know you. You are incredibly strong and smart. You are a light, whether you see it or not. I believe so much that you were put in my life for a very big reason. You, my dear, are meant for big things.

I wish you all of the very best luck as you head off to Iowa State this fall!

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2021 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney Iowa Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight: Miss. Jazmine; Montezuma Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 15:37:37 GMT

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Today's Senior Spotlight is focused on none other than the fabulous Miss. Jazmine who has now graduated from Montezuma High School!

Remembering back to Jazmine's session and what I remember most was how chilly it was but how well she handled the cooler temperature! We started out at her place near the water (with the cutest little doggo ever) since she is such a lake girl and then traveled around Diamond Lake for some images and then ended up on the ball diamond to finish up the session!

I love Jazmine's personality so much! I love that she knows what she wants and she's not afraid to go after it. She is so strong, even if she doesn't feel it. She is quick to hand out a compliment and to make everyone feel better and I absolutely adore that about her too.

I loved her outfit choices, she even brought her own awesome hat (and we all know how much I love hats)! She had everything on hand from cozy trendy to edgy and fun! Just wait until you see them all!

For now, let's learn a little more about Jazmine!

Me: What are your major accomplishments your senior year? What are you most proud of?

Jazmine: "I am most proud of how our class is handling this Covid-19 and not being able to be together. We aren’t together but we stick together."

Me: I know the year isn't quite over just yet; do you have any big plans to finish out the year? Is there something you are looking forward to before graduation?

Jazmine: "I’m just hoping we get to graduate! I’m honestly looking forward to walking across the stage with my 2020 class."

Me: Were you involved in any sports or extra curricular activities? If yes, please list them below.

Jazmine: "Softball, Track, Cross country , Basketball, Vocal, Speech and drama, Band."

Me: What's your plan for this summer?

Jazmine: "To have fun with family and friends. Be ready for college."

Me: What does the future have in store for you? Have you already picked your school? If so, what major? (Or explain whatever future plans you have below).

Jazmine: "I will be attending DMACC fall of 2020 to become a dental hygienist!"

Me: What are your absolute favorite images/sets from your senior session?

Jazmine: "My favorite photos were the ones where I was in the yellow shirt in the tall grass."

Me: Is there anything else you would like shared?

Jazmine: "Stay strong class of 2020."

And now let's look back on the images from her session!

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Look at their matching hats!

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One of my favorites! ;)

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Even though it was chilly, it was still an amazing session. I am so happy that I had the opportunity to meet and work with Jazmine and her mom for her senior session. Jazmine is truly a blessing and will do GREAT things.

Best wishes as you head off to DMACC this fall Jazmine!

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2021 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney Iowa Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight: Miss. Brianna; Montezuma Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Wed, 27 May 2020 12:55:40 GMT

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The Senior Spotlight today is for the one and only Miss. Brianna!

And the one and only she really is.

Brianna is another one of the Class of 2020 MGP Senior Models and she has been a BLAST to have around this year. I knew from our very first meeting that she would be absolutely perfect for the team. Her showing up in her little hippie style made my photographer heart just melt. And her sarcasm and quick wit always has me rolling, too!

Every session I know B will be at will be a good one. She is a leader when needed and isn't afraid to try whatever I ask her to. Her style is always on point. ALWAYS. It makes me so sad to think that our time together has run its course, but I know that Brianna is on to such big things!

Brianna is a graduate of Montezuma High School and here is a little bit more about her..

Me: What are your major accomplishments your senior year? What are you most proud of?

Brianna: "I never got my senior sport season but working out with my track coach after school is something I was proud of. Seeing the results of the hard work paid off."

Me: I know the year isn't quite over just yet; do you have any big plans to finish out the year? Is there something you are looking forward to before graduation?

Brianna: "Track was what I was most looking forward to all year but I am holding on to some hope that we’ll get a bit of a season."

Me: Were you involved in any sports or extra curricular activities? If yes, please list them below.

Brianna: "I have been involved in Track & Field all throughout high school."

Me: What's your plan for this summer?

Brianna: My plans this summer is to make some memories with my friends and all those I grew up with before leaving to meet all new people."

Me: What does the future have in store for you? Have you already picked your school? If so, what major? (Or explain whatever future plans you have below).

Brianna: This fall I’ll be attending University of Iowa to major in Speech and Hearing Sciences with a minor in American Sign Language."

Me: What are your absolute favorite images/sets from your senior session?

Brianna: "Some of my favorite pictures are in my grandmas dress in the awesome sunset, the pictures I got to honor my dad, and my pictures out on the track."

Me: Is there anything else you would like shared?

Brianna: "Alley, you are the BEST! Thank you for being so awesome and making this whole experience something I looked forward to!"

Ok excuse me while I go get a tissue to dry my eyes real quick...

From the beginning..

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To the LuRoo & Co Styled Shoot..

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Then her BFF session (with her little nieces)..

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To the Americana Styled Shoot..

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Her Senior Session..

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To the Rock N Roll Styled Shoot..

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Then there was the Christmas Pajama Pizza Party Session..

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And then finally, the Bridal Dreams Prom Shoot at The Studio in Des Moines!

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Thank you so very stinking much for being a part of this team Brianna. You make my heart happy and it has been a blessing to get to know you and your momma.

Much love to you as you go on and take on this big big world. You got this.

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2021 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney Iowa Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight: Miss. Julia; California to Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Thu, 21 May 2020 17:27:40 GMT

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The Senior Spotlight for today is focused on Miss. Julia! Julia has graduated from San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, California!

I was fortunate enough to work with Julia and her family while they were back in Iowa visiting last summer! A California girl getting senior portraits done in Iowa is a change of pace and I had a really great time getting to know this family a little bit!

Julia was definitely quiet, but her smile really lit up any space we were in! I adored her outfit choices and even though she was on the shy side, she definitely owned each set she was photographed in.

We started her session in the morning in Montezuma at a fellow photographer's space to use her piano (thanks Jo!) From there we picked a few spots in the Montezuma area to photograph at! It was a wonderful session even though a storm was threatening near the end!

Here is a little more to learn about Julia:

Me: What are your major accomplishments your senior year? What are you most proud of?

Julia: "Although my senior year did have a rough start with my mom’s accident, it really has brought us together more. I am proud of myself and my family for overcoming all of these obstacles and growing closer over these past months."

Me: I know the year isn't quite over just yet; do you have any big plans to finish out the year? Is there something you are looking forward to before graduation?

Julia: "I’m looking forward to deciding what college I will be attending next year; I have yet to hear back from 11 colleges."

(She ended up choosing Santa Clara University!)

Me: Were you involved in any sports or extra curricular activities? If yes, please list them below.

Julia: "Dance and Youth & Government"

Me: What's your plan for this summer?

Julia: "This summer I am excited to visit Iowa to see my dad’s side of the family and spend more time in our newly renovated house there. Additionally, I look forward to my family’s annual trip to our cabin in the Sierra Nevada’s built by my great grandfather."

Me: What does the future have in store for you? Have you already picked your school? If so, what major? (Or explain whatever future plans you have below).

Julia: "I applied to 14 colleges this fall and am still waiting for all of my admission decisions to come back. Because of my love for math and sciences I have decided to pursue an mechanical engineering degree."

Me: What are your absolute favorite images/sets from your senior session?

Julia: "I had one set where I was wearing a blue checkered shirt and standing in a field of flowers that I really loved."

And let's take a look back at her session now, too!

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Thank you so very much for letting me work with you and your family, Julia! It was absolutely wonderful getting to know you and your family during your session! I wish you all the best as you head off to Santa Clara (HOPEFULLY Covid-19 allows) this fall!

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2021 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney Iowa Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight: Miss. Alyssa; Mount Pleasant Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Thu, 14 May 2020 12:53:28 GMT

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Today's Senior Spotlight shines on Miss. Alyssa who will be graduating from Mount Pleasant High School in Mount Pleasant, Iowa!

Alyssa is another member of the MGP Class of 2020 Senior Model team and it has been so incredible to have her be a part of it all! It has been a lot fun to watch her take part in all of the different shoots and to see her personality come through! Alyssa is a little reserved and shy at first, but when she gets comfortable she is a lot of fun to be around!

Alyssa has been a lot of fun to spend time with during photo shoots; she is quick with the sarcasm and she goes along with all of my crazy ideas and pretends she doesn't think they are crazy! :)

We've had quite a few different photo shoots together and I think my favorite one with her was probably her individual senior session. Traipsing through the mud to get to a Missouri Crossing always sounds good in theory, until you have to do it. And then the current is a little strong and almost takes you out. But those are memories, right, Alyssa?

She's a beast in the discus ring and I am incredibly bummed for her to miss out on her senior track season. But this girl still has big things coming!

Alyssa did fill out her questionnaire pre-pandemic and some of her answers reflect that.

Alyssa's Spotlight:

Me: What are your major accomplishments your senior year? What are you most proud of?

Alyssa: "This year I am proud of myself for trying new things. I auditioned for a school play and got a part. I have also been broadening my horizons and learning more about my community as I volunteer at the Henry County Heritage Trust Museum every week."

Me: I know the year isn't quite over just yet; do you have any big plans to finish out the year? Is there something you are looking forward to before graduation?

Alyssa: "I am looking forward to competing in the 2020 track and softball seasons. I have also gotten a part in the upcoming school musical. During my high school years I have learned that I love performing. I can’t wait to portray my character on stage!"

Me: Were you involved in any sports or extra curricular activities? If yes, please list them below.

Alyssa: "Yes, this year I participated in school activities such as a football manager, fall play, spring musical, show choir, track, and softball. I have also spent time this year volunteering at the local museum."

Me: What's your plan for this summer?

Alyssa: "This summer I plan to take a trip to Washington D.C and New York City with the music department from my high school. I plan to finish my high school career by playing softball. I also want to spend my summer with my family and friends before I start my life’s new adventures."

Me: What does the future have in store for you? Have you already picked your school? If so, what major? (Or explain whatever future plans you have below).

Alyssa: "I plan to attend Hawkeye Community College to participate in their track program and begin my educational path to become an elementary teacher."

Me: What are your absolute favorite images/sets from your senior session?

Alyssa: "My two favorite sets from my senior session were the pictures that were taken behind What Cheer tavern and the images that were taken at my great great grandparents farm. I loved the rustic backdrop of both sites and including a piece of my family's history at the farm."

And now let's look back at the last year..

From her announcement session..

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To her BFF session..

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To the Americana session..

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Then there was the Rock N Roll shoot..

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Next up was her Senior Session..

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After that, the next session was the Pizza Pajama Party..

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The next session together was the prom shoot at The Studio in Des Moines..

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Thank you so much, Alyssa (and Jennifer) for letting me work with you for the last year and a half! It has been so fun getting to know you better and I know that you are going to conquer many things in the coming years! I am excited to watch and cheer you on from the sidelines!

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2021 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney Iowa Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight: Mr. Jace; Cedar Rapids Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Wed, 06 May 2020 20:38:10 GMT

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Today's Senior Spotlight is shining on Mr. Jace, who will be graduating from Prairie High School in the Cedar Rapids area! Jace will be attending Kirkwood this fall!

Jace had the privilege of having two different sessions; the first focused on his favorite hobbies (firefighting for Fairfax FD & bowling) and during his second session we worked on his nicer outfits! It was so fun both times we worked with Jace (and his entire family)! Jace has quite the village of love and support surrounding him, he's a lucky kid!

His first session was definitely toasty, especially for him! Can you imagine getting in full firefighter gear on in upper 80* weather and then trying to look nice for pictures? Of course Jace handled it like a champ and ALWAYS had a smile on his face! His second session we were definitely blessed with better weather! He is SUCH a gentleman too, always offering to help at every turn! Just thinking of him makes me smile!

Let's learn a little more about Jace from his Senior Spotlight, shall we?

Me: What are your major accomplishments your senior year? What are you most proud of?

Jace: "I am proud of the good grades I worked hard to achieve in school. I'm also proud of our bowling team's 4th consecutive trip to State in February, along with my season average of 206, bowling anchor for most of our meets and tournaments."

Me: I know the year isn't quite over just yet; do you have any big plans to finish out the year? Is there something you are looking forward to before graduation?

Jace: "I hope I can finish out my Firefighter I certification. Classes at Kirkwood twice per week started in early November and were to finish in April."

Me: Were you involved in any sports or extra curricular activities? If yes, please list them below.

Jace: "Yes, the Prairie High School Bowling team. Go Hawks!
I'm also a volunteer firefighter for our town. FFD Proud!"

Me: What's your plan for this summer?

Jace: "I plan to work and continue to save money for college. I'd like to get some fishing in as well as a few games of bowling."

Me: What does the future have in store for you? Have you already picked your school? If so, what major? (Or explain whatever future plans you have below).

Jace: "I plan to attend Kirkwood in the fall, enrolled in their Advanced Welding Technologies. I will also continue my involvement with the fire department."

Me: What are your absolute favorite images/sets from your senior session?

Jace: "I like my firefighter pics the best, of course. 😉 My mom says I look the happiest and most satisfied in them."

And now let's look back at Jace's Senior Sessions!

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This kid pulls off a black & white really well!

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SEE! :)

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Can't you tell he's just so in his element here?

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A BIG, HUGE THANK YOU to the Merta Family for making the last year (almost two years??) so fun! It has been such a blessing to get to know all of you! And I can't wait until it's Teagan's turn to see what we come up for his session!

Good luck to you Jace, as you continue on past high school. There are so many possibilities out there and I know you will chase them!

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2021 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney Iowa Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight: Mr. Brayden; Sigourney Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 15:39:43 GMT

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Today's Senior Spotlight is for Mr. Brayden!

Brayden will will graduate from Tri-County Community School next month!

I had the privilege of meeting Brayden last year when he tagged along for a friend's session and then he had his session the next day! I loved his personality and he was willing to go along with almost all of my ideas! Although I feel like his choices in socks were a little questionable, I still enjoyed hanging out with him during his session! He definitely has some of my favorite guy sport images, too! Also, I need to note that he had THE BEST outtakes of any dude senior session I have ever taken. Just wait until you see!

We stayed around the Keokuk County area for his session, using small town buildings for a lot of our backdrops. I love how we have that option in our small communities!

Brayden had filled out his questionnaire pre-pandemic, so some of his answers may reflect that!

Me: What are your major accomplishments your senior year? What are you most proud of?

Brayden: "I’m very happy about how my football season went. I am also very happy about my grades and being accepted to ISU."

Me: I know the year isn't quite over just yet; do you have any big plans to finish out the year? Is there something you are looking forward to before graduation?

Brayden: "I plan to go out for track and baseball hopefully we end the year strong in those. I’m looking forward to the senior class trip that is going to Tennessee."

Me: Were you involved in any sports or extra curricular activities? If yes, please list them below.

Brayden: "Yes. Football, Basketball, Track, Baseball, National Honor Society, and Speech and Drama."

Me: What's your plan for this summer?

Brayden: "I plan to play baseball and get ready to move to college. Spend some time with my friends before I leave."

Me: What does the future have in store for you? Have you already picked your school? If so, what major? (Or explain whatever future plans you have below).

Brayden: "I am going to ISU to major in Animal Ecology. I want to work at a national park."

Me: What are your absolute favorite images/sets from your senior session?

Brayden: "My basketball ones for sure and also the ones by the lake."

Me: Is there anything else you would like shared?

Brayden: "I loved getting my pictures taken it was a wonderful time!!"

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I ask almost every guy to do the neck scratch and almost every single reaction is looking at me like I'm crazy. But I love how GQ it turns out to be!

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All of his outtakes were during his transition from smiling to serious face. They CRACK ME UP!

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Thank you so much, Brayden, for choosing MGP for your senior portraits!

Best wishes as you head off to ISU this fall! Enjoy your summer as much as you can!

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2021 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney Iowa Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight: Miss Hannah; Marengo Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 13:57:36 GMT

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Today's Senior Spotlight is for Miss. Hannah!

Hannah will be a graduate of Iowa Valley High School in Marengo, Iowa this spring! She is also one of the Class of 2020 MGP Senior Models! She has been a thrill to have on the team; I love her style and her personality so much! Hannah isn't afraid to be herself and she has a take-charge mentality, which is so refreshing in this day-and-age (Do I sound old when I say that? I feel like I sound old when I say that).

I could always count on Hannah having fun during photo shoots and she was always one to strike up conversation with the others, too! Hannah is SO very smart and I am beyond excited to see what she does in the coming year(s)!

Let's learn a little bit more about Hannah from her Senior Spotlight!

Me: What are your major accomplishments your senior year? What are you most proud of?

Hannah: "This year I had the honor of portraying Mother Superior in the musical Sister Act. I have also been invited to Allstate as a non-performer for large group speech. My group entered our short film Daisy. I am excited that I have been excepted to the University of Iowa."

Me: I know the year isn't quite over just yet; do you have any big plans to finish out the year? Is there something you are looking forward to before graduation?

Hannah: "This year I am looking forward to my senior year of high school soccer and individual speech. This year I am entered in the categories of story telling and acting."

Me: Were you involved in any sports or extra curricular activities? If yes, please list them below.

Hannah: "Over my four years in high school I have been involved with soccer, choir, drama, small group and large group speech, student government, Speech Leadership Advisory Panel, FFA, FCS club, and silver cord."

Me: What's your plan for this summer?

Hannah: "This summer I plan to work in order to save for college. I would also like to do some traveling to different states with friends."

Me: What does the future have in store for you? Have you already picked your school? If so, what major? (Or explain whatever future plans you have below).

Hannah: "This fall I will be attending the University of Iowa. I plan on majoring in Business and Theater. I would also like a minor in Spanish. I am not entirely sure what I will use my majors for, but I do know that I enjoy helping others and working with children."

Me: What are your absolute favorite images/sets from your senior session?

Hannah: "I love the pictures from my main shoot. I would also love to see the pictures from the prom photo shoot."

Me: Is there anything else you would like shared?

Hannah: "I plan on studying abroad while in college, and I can’t wait to experience new things in college."

Ok, now I'm ready to look back at the last year with Miss. Hannah!

First up is from our very first shoot together!

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Here our some images with her BFF, Mady, who is also a 2020 MGP Senior!

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She was also part of our Americana shoot!

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And then there was her senior session, downtown Iowa City!

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And this is when we were trying to get Hannah to be a rep for Nike.

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Then we did one of my favorite group shoots, the Rock N Roll Session!

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We also had our Christmas Pajama Pizza Party!

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And then our final shoot together, for now, has been the Prom Photo Shoot at The Studio in Des Moines!

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I have had SO much fun getting to know Hannah (and her mom) over the last year. She is truly a blessing!

Hannah: I know you are going to do big things in your life! Follow your dreams with determination and grace! I will be here cheering you on!

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2021 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney Iowa Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight: Mr. Adam; Cedar Rapids Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Mon, 13 Apr 2020 19:23:33 GMT

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Today's Senior Spotlight is focusing on Mr. Adam from Swisher, Iowa! Adam will be a graduate of Prairie High School in the Cedar Rapids area this May!

Adam and his mom found me through another MGP senior (and his mom) and I am SO glad we had the opportunity to work with each other! I LOVE Adam's personality and how he wasn't afraid to have some fun with his session! Like, for example, when I was just joking and asked him to go down a slide! Those images became some of our favorites!

It did end up being pretty chilly for Adam's session. In fact, I remember seeing some snow on the ground in spots here and there around the farm where they lived! They had such a cool spot for images, we decided it would be best to start at the farm and then we ended in Cedar Rapids. By the end of the evening I think I can fairly say that we were all FROZEN, but we were having so much fun! I think some of my favorite images were also at the ball field in Swisher. You could tell that was Adam's comfort zone for sure! He did make me work a little to get a few smiles out of him, but it was totally worth it!

Enough of my chatting though. Let's learn a little about Adam from his spotlight!

Me: What are your major accomplishments your senior year? What are you most proud of?

Adam: "I recently was inducted into GNHS (German National Honor Society). I committed to Iowa State for the fall of 2020. I also took the ACT and received a 32 which has assisted me in scholarship preparation."

Me: I know the year isn't quite over just yet; do you have any big plans to finish out the year? Is there something you are looking forward to before graduation?

Adam: "I'm just looking forward to preparing for the next chapter of my life and all the little unknowns that accompany it."

Me: Were you involved in any sports or extra curricular activities? If yes, please list them below.

Adam: "Just Wiffleball. The 2020 season looks to be the biggest in my league’s history."

Me: What's your plan for this summer?

Adam: "Run the Wiffleball League. Work to build up savings for college."

Me: What does the future have in store for you? Have you already picked your school? If so, what major? (Or explain whatever future plans you have below).

Adam: "I intend to be a civil engineer at Iowa State, with a minor in German and maybe environmental studies."

Me: What are your absolute favorite images/sets from your senior session?

Adam: "My favorites probably would be the truck, the Blitzball photos, and anything black and white."

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Which one do you like better? Color or black and white?

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Now these images are pretty special to this family. Adam's pickup belonged to his grandfather and he definitely takes good care of it!

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I LOVED this tree!

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Remember the slide I mentioned in the beginning?

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This was only mildly terrifying.

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I think if you ask Adam and his mom, this is probably one of their favorites!

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And again, color or black and white? I love them both!

A big THANK YOU to Adam and his family for letting us into your lives and for showing us around your favorite places! It was a perfect (even cold) session!

I wish the very best to you as you head off to Iowa State this fall! Enjoy your extra time off as much as you can right now!

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2021 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney Iowa Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight: Miss. Claire; Knoxville Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 14:52:51 GMT

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Where do I even start with Claire?!

Miss. Claire is one of the class of 2020 Marie Grace Photography Senior Models and each and every one of these girls has a very special place in my heart, especially Claire. I have had the privilege of getting to know Claire pretty well over the last year as we have had multiple portrait sessions together. Her personality and sense of humor SHINES. I know for sure whenever Claire is around, there will be laughing. I appreciate a whole lot that she laughs at my jokes and then she will hand some right back to me!

It will be hard to watch these girls go off at the end of this year. My heart hurts for them and I wish so much they could be enjoying a few more of their lasts being seniors in high school, but I know they are taking this in stride and they are making the best of this situation!

This is definitely going to be a longer blog as we will look back at the entire year of Claire being with MGP. It is SO bittersweet to look back on these memories, but they definitely make me smile!

Before we get to the images though, let's get to know Claire just a little bit more..

Claire will be a graduate of Knoxville High School!

Me: What are your major accomplishments your senior year? What are you most proud of?

Claire: "My major accomplishments my senior year was being captain of my dance team society! Also maintaining my grade point average and being nominated and winning homecoming queen. I am most proud of being captain of the dance team and the cross country team because I felt I have learned about myself and how to be a leader through it!"

Me: I know the year isn't quite over just yet; do you have any big plans to finish out the year? Is there something you are looking forward to before graduation?

Claire: "I am looking forward to my spring beak vacation to Cabo, Mexico!!"
^^I bet she didn't think she would get such an extended Spring Break!

Me: Were you involved in any sports or extra curricular activities? If yes, please list them below.

Claire: "I was involved in the Knoxville Dance Team, cross country team, musical, national honors society, camera club, and student senate."

Me: What's your plan for this summer?

Claire: "My plans for the summer is to work and hang out with my friends and family before I leave for college!"

Me: What does the future have in store for you? Have you already picked your school? If so, what major? (Or explain whatever future plans you have below).

Claire: "I am going to the University of Iowa this next fall! I’m going to major undecided but with interest in psychology, pre child-life, and speech pathology!"

Me: What are your absolute favorite images/sets from your senior session?

Claire: "I loved my very first shoot with all of the flowers and my solo senior session!! I loved going to the flower place in Winterset then going and getting ice cream!!"

Me: Is there anything else you would like shared?

Claire: "I love Alley so much!!"

Let's start at the very beginning..

Starting with this class, I decided to do a photo shoot if they chose to sign up as a model team member right after their consultation! This is something super fun for the kids and it warms them up a little bit to being in front of the camera! This was Claire's first time in front of my camera!

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Our next session was a spur of the moment floral shoot!

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The next session we did together was her BFF shoot!

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We met early summer for an Americana shoot, too!

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Aaaand then I believe the next session was Claire's actual senior session!

We started her session downtown Des Moines and then we ended the session in Winterset!

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It sprinkled just a little bit during her session.. this is the Claire that we all know and love!

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Can't you just hear her laugh?!

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And our most recent shoot together, the Bridal Dreams collaboration shoot at The Studio!

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Ok, I think I am going to cry a few tears now. Just watching how much this girl has grown in the last year makes my heart so happy.

Thank you so much to Claire and your family for letting me be a part of your last year of high school. It was such an honor to get to know all of you and I will miss our little meet-ups at the Walmart in Oskaloosa! :)

Wishing you nothing but the absolute best Claire. You deserve nothing less.

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2021 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney Iowa Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight: Mr. Holden; Sigourney Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 16:15:57 GMT

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Today's Senior Spotlight is focusing on none other than Mr. Holden from Sigourney High School!

Holden was actually really lucky last year and ended up with one of the few decent weather days for his session! I love how his images turned out and I think that his personality definitely shines in these! Holden has one of those 100 mega-watt smiles, and I loved how he would just go with the flow but he also had a lot of his own ideas, too!

Holden filled out his questionnaire before COVID-19 hit, and some of his answers reflect his plans before we knew the world would be put on pause! I still think they are great answers though, and I am DEFINITELY curious as to what his plans were for one of his answers!

So, let's learn a little about Holden!

Me: What are your major accomplishments your senior year? What are you most proud of?

Holden: "I’ve came out of my shell a lot and put myself out there this year and make it a blast."

Me: I know the year isn't quite over just yet; do you have any big plans to finish out the year? Is there something you are looking forward to before graduation?

Holden: "Prom I plan on doing something interesting but everyone will just have to see what it is if I do it."

Me: Were you involved in any sports or extra curricular activities? If yes, please list them below.

Holden: "I bowl through the high school and I recently got my Eagle Scout."

Me: What's your plan for this summer?

Holden: "I’m headed to Las Vegas for a week to bowl and get everything sorted for college."

Me: What does the future have in store for you? Have you already picked your school? If so, what major? (Or explain whatever future plans you have below).

Holden: "I’m going to bow in college not one hundred percent sure where I’m going to college yet, but I want to major in business."

Me: What are your absolute favorite images/sets from your senior session?

Holden: "I personally enjoyed the nature ones more than anything."

See what I was saying about that prom answer... I'm all curious!

But let's check out some of the images from his session!

We started his session at Keokuk County Bowl!

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And then we traveled over to the alley right next to the studio; one of my favorite spots! And these turned out to be some of my favorite images of Holden!

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If you can tell, he actually brought TWO bikes!

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We actually ALL had to get him to NOT climb this tree! We didn't want him to fall into the water.. yet..

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The dude can REALLY pull of pink!

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I love the big smiles!

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Ask him if his rear ended up getting wet for these!

He actually took a dare after this and ran into the water when we took the last image! I love how fun he was!

I had a blast with Holden and his mom during his session!

Thank you Holden (and Rhonda) for choosing Marie Grace Photography for your senior portraits!

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2021 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney Iowa Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight; Miss. Paige; Marengo Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 15:27:53 GMT

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It's that time of year again: the time for Marie Grace Photography Senior Spotlights!

I am a little behind where I would like to be with these, but I have a goal to get spotlight's out there for each of the seniors over the next few weeks!

First up: Miss. Paige from Iowa Valley High School in Marengo, Iowa!

We chose an October day for Paige thinking it would be perfect. The weather should be not to warm, not too cold and the coloring from fall foliage should still be pretty decent.

NOPE!

Poor Paige froze her tail off during her session. We opted for a sunrise session to get golden hour images and it was about 30* when we started, and windy! But Paige worked through it all and we got some amazing images of her!

We started her session in Keokuk County and then we ended her session over in her hometown! Even though the conditions were not what we had hoped, we still had an amazing time with Paige and her family!

So here is Paige's Senior Spotlight!

Me: What are your major accomplishments your senior year? What are you most proud of?

Paige: "A few major accomplishments I have obtained my senior year are being a Hills Bank Scholarship Recipient, getting elected as Marengo FFA President, getting elected to be President of my 4-H club, playing the role of Sister Mary Robert in Sister Act The Musical, and getting a division 1 at District Speech for Group Improvisation!"

Me: I know the year isn't quite over just yet; do you have any big plans to finish out the year? Is there something you are looking forward to before graduation?

Paige: "I mostly am just trying to complete as many scholarships as possible and to finish off the year strong. Even though I’m ready for school to be over, I am trying not to take anything for granted."

Me: Were you involved in any sports or extra curricular activities? If yes, please list them below.

Paige: "I was in involved in track, volleyball, FFA, speech, drama, 4-H, silver cord, National Honor Society, student council, Family Consumer Science Club, youth group, and choir."

Ya know, just a few things. ;)

Me: What's your plan for this summer?

Paige: "This summer I plan to not waste anytime because it is my last summer at home. Of course, I will continuously pack for college throughout the summer, but do lots of fun activities as well. I plan to go swimming, hang out with friends, and work on my fair projects!"

Me: What does the future have in store for you? Have you already picked your school? If so, what major? (Or explain whatever future plans you have below).

Paige: "I am planning to attend Iowa State University in the Fall of 2020. My major as of right now is Animal Science and I would also like to minor in Agriculture Business. After college, I would like to have an agricultural job of some sort."

Me: What are your absolute favorite images/sets from your senior session?

Paige: "Even though my session was very very cold, I really liked taking pictures on the path at Gateway Park in Marengo. I also liked the pictures of me wearing the Love Your Melon hat and blanket scarf."

Me: Is there anything else you would like shared?

Paige: "My senior session was so fun and I was very happy with my pictures. Alley is an amazing photographer!"

So.. let's take a walk down memory lane and see some of Paige's images!

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Thank you, Paige, for choosing Marie Grace Photography for your senior portraits! It has been so wonderful getting to know you and your family!

Wishing you all of the best as you finish this year and head off to Iowa State this fall!

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2021 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

The Studio at One Source Events

Sigourney, Iowa's Professional Photographer

A Black Tie Affair; Des Moines Iowa Senior Styled Photo Shoot

(Marie Grace Photography) — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 17:06:16 GMT

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Winter for a photographer is typically slower than any other season. So why not take that time to learn, to try new things and to grow?

I'm not going to lie, this winter has not been slow for the business like a typical winter (which I am eternally grateful for), but I am still trying to sneak in time here and there to work in new projects.

Like this shoot, for example! The senior model team was able to choose their own theme for this shoot and they chose "A Black Tie Affair." Fancy prom dresses, guys in sharp suits.. What more could a girl want?

I rented this BEAUTIFUL space (The Studio at One Source Events) in Des Moines, Iowa! The studio is seriously fabulous! If you're ever in need of an indoor studio space in that area to rent, I would recommend here! We also teamed up with the gracious ladies over at Bridal Dreams in Oskaloosa, Iowa for gown rentals! Not all of the girls in the model team were able to make it over to pick out a gown, but 3 out of 5 were able to work it out and were modeling their gowns like stars!

In order to keep things fresh and to keep growing, I challenged myself to use a different lighting technique than I typically do. I did this lighting mostly at the end, when I was ready to push the limits a little bit! Instead of doing the soft beauty lighting off to the side, I lit my subjects from above which can lead to an edgier type of image!

So let's check out what we all came up with, shall we?

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5 out of the 6 lovely seniors on the team this year!

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I've always wanted to do this shot and Jenna's dress from Bridal Dreams was perfect for the shot!

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This gown that Claire is wearing is from Bridal Dreams!

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This gown that Jenna is wearing is from Bridal Dreams!

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This gown that Brianna is wearing is from Bridal Dreams!

The biggest of Thank You's to:

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Alyssa, Hannah, Claire, Brianna, Jenna, Wyatt & Payton

Sloane; for beefing up those arms and holding my light stand

And all of the parents and everyone else who made this shoot possible! It was SO much fun and I cannot wait to continue these fun projects to see what we can come up with!

Much love,

Alley

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney Iowa Professional Photographer

The Bahlmanns; An Iowa Country Pinterest Worthy Wedding

(Marie Grace Photography) — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 15:16:34 GMT

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Ahem, does this thing still work?

It has been a real hot minute since this blog site has been used, and I am so excited to share this wedding as a welcome back!

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Where do we even start?

I absolutely adore how these two love each other. And how they're not afraid to share it with the world. Not in 'turn your head in the other direction,' kind of affection. But how they are just so stinking easy to get a ridiculous amount of good portraits because they live their love out loud and I don't even have to ask them to pose.

Their wedding day that they shared with their family and friends was nothing short of perfection. I am sure there was chaos and stress, but all I could see out of the two of them were pure joy and happiness. We were fortunate enough to get some amazing portraits of their day before the rain clouds came in (and even some amazing shots with the dark sky in the background) and everyone was nestled inside the reception area when the rain decided to start falling.

Their wedding ceremony was held here in Sigourney, Iowa at the wonderful Mr. & Mrs. Iosbaker's gorgeous property. I cannot say enough how beautifully everything was set up for the day. Everyone knocked the decorating out of the park and it felt like a little fairy tale right in the middle of town. Just wait until you see the pictures.. my whimsical words do not do the vision justice.

Let's just get into that, shall we?

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If you saw my Facebook post from the other day, you know how much I adore ring detail portraits. And these were some of my favorite!

The florals around their reception area were gorgeous. And don't get me started on the navy blue and rose gold tones. Makes my Pinterest loving heart so stinking happy!

Is this not the most gorgeous set you've ever seen?!

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All of the old chairs gave the space just the right amount of vintage!

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The ceremony site:

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The bride getting ready:

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Her dapper groom:

And the very first look:

I really adore this image!

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Ok well how stinking adorable is his reaction?!?

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Yeah these two definitely win the most adorable couple ever.

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You might just find me under a willow tree for the rest of my life.

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After the bride and groom portraits, we dove right into family and wedding party portraits!

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And then, it was time for the ceremony!

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Typically we try to sneak in golden hour/sunset portraits after the ceremony, but mother nature just wasn't having that. But how cool is that dark blue sky with those willows? I LOVE these so much!

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It was then time to tuck inside the tent as the rain started coming down!

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It was a beautiful day for the couple (even with the rain that just wouldn't quit). I hope they love these images and they cherish them for a lifetime.

Congratulations, Drew + Dani. You two are perfect for each other.

Just engaged and interested in wedding photography? Let's chat!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney, Iowa's Professional Photographer

Lu Roo & Co + Marie Grace Photography Giveaway; Oskaloosa, Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Wed, 29 May 2019 18:15:42 GMT

CherishedMoments

Another Lu Roo & Co collaboration with Marie Grace Photography was the "Gimme Some Lovin'" giveaway. Late last winter, we opened up to have women nominate someone they know and love or even themselves to win a pampering session! As women ourselves, we know how important it is that we take care of ourselves and take time for a little self care. Of course, that's always easier said than done. Sometimes there just isn't enough time. Or enough help. Or enough money.

We get that.

So we wanted to give back to five women in the community. To give them a little time to feel special and appreciated. To feel seen.

Each of these five women won the opportunity to have a spray tan, professional hair and makeup done, TWO ENTIRE (yes, from head to toe) outfits and a photo shoot.

The nominations poured in. In fact, I believe there were over 200. It was so humbling to go through them and read the stories of the nominations. And it was SO hard to choose. So, so hard. Somehow we managed to get it done, and we set the date to have the lovely ladies come in for their pampering day.

On a gorgeous May Saturday, five incredible women came in to the store. And each one of them touched our hearts. Their stories had a mix of struggle, determination and sheer heartbreak. But on this day they got to feel appreciated. They felt beautiful. And their smiles were so big.

It was an honor to be a part of this collaboration and I am grateful to all of the businesses and to the 5 wonderful, strong women.

"The world needs strong women. Women who will lift and build others, who will love and be loved. Women will live bravely, both tender and fierce. Women of indomitable will." -Amy Tenney

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The girls with the spirit of giving back herself, Miss. Stephani.

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"She made broken look beautiful and strong look invincible. She walked with the universe on her shoulders and made it look like a pair of wings." - Ariana

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"A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey... But a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong." -Unknown

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"And one day she discovered that she was fierce, and strong, and full of fire. And that not even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fears." -Mark Anthony

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"This is for the woman alone, wide awake but tired. This is for the woman who sits in darkness under the moon reading this with tears in her eyes. You're strong. You're good enough. You will be ok." -r.h. Sin

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"Be bold enough to use your voice, brave enough to listen to your heart, and strong enough to live the life you've imagined." -Unknown

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And my personal favorite:

"I am a woman with thoughts and questions and shit to say. I say if I'm beautiful. I say if I'm strong. You will not determine my story - I will." -Amy Schumer

I hope each and every one of these ladies remember how special they felt this day. Whether they were one of the nominations or whether they helped to make this day special. Hold that feeling and keep it with you, always.

A HUGE THANK YOU TO:

Stephani & Colette of Lu Roo & Co

Brooke Bryan of Sully Tans

Monica Hudnut of Impressions Salon

Amy Ferguson-Miller

Jalessa Hohensee

ChyAnne & Dylann Huyser

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney, Iowa's Professional Photographer

Lu Roo & Co + Brianna Styled Shoot; Oskaloosa, Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Wed, 29 May 2019 18:11:20 GMT

CherishedMoments

Way back in April when the sun shined and it didn't rain 6 out of the 7 days of the week, Marie Grace Photography teamed up with Lu Roo & Co out of Oskaloosa for a styled shoot with Miss. Brianna, who happens to be a 2020 MGP Senior Model!

The ladies at the shop let us get creative and have free reign over the outfits and it was SO stinking hard to choose! They helped us finish up and style a few outfits, too! I think by the time Brianna arrived, we had picked out at least 12 different outfits for her to choose from. Poor girl had to narrow it down to 3 from there!

We had a ton of fun hanging around The Alley in Osky! It is such a cool spot and it happens to be conveniently located just outside of the boutique!

Here is the first outfit Miss. Brianna chose:

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How perfect are those stripes?! And those shades!!

Aaaaand her second outfit choice:

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The 70's are coming back with this outfit and I AM HERE FOR IT!

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F.I.E.R.C.E.

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And finally, the third outfit choice:

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I actually really love the wind and hair movement here!

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If you love this last outfit, there are still some available! Click this link to find your size: https://lurooco.com/collections/dresses/products/get-carried-away-two-piece-set

This shoot was so much fun! We all stepped out of our comfort zone a little bit and did something we wouldn't normally do!

Another BIG THANK YOU to the ladies at Lu Roo & Co for being generous and awesome, as always!

Want to be a part of an MGP Senior Model Team? CLICK HERE to get in touch with me!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney, Iowa's Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight; Miss. Riley | Montezuma Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Thu, 09 May 2019 18:36:17 GMT

CherishedMoments

Today we will also be featuring Miss. Riley from Montezuma High School on the blog!

Riley contacted MGP for her senior session pretty late in the year and I was so stinking excited to create some awesome sports images with her! If anyone knows anything about Riley, they know how important sports are! Her name is all over the school holding different records for the many sports she plays! What a legacy to leave behind! She will also be heading on to DMACC this fall and will be playing basketball there! I feel like I know someone famous now. I'll probably be name dropping her like crazy!

Riley was wonderful to work with! She was up for anything and kept up with my humor and landscaping! :D

But enough chit-chat, let's check out these images!

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Who said track portraits were boring? Especially when you have that much hardware!?!

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Peep the snow pile in the background. Thanks for the beautiful weather, Iowa.

Mostly just kidding. We lucked out and really did have a gorgeous day for Riley's shoot!

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BEAST MODE.

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These were, by far, my favorite sports portraits I have ever taken. Riley is amazing!

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I can't thank you, Riley & Jennifer, enough, for letting me work with you guys! I loved having the opportunity to get creative with these portraits!

Best wishes as you finish this one week, Riley! You will kill it at DMACC next year, I am sure of it!

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2020 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney, Iowa's Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight; Miss. Megan | Sigourney Iowa Photographer

(Marie Grace Photography) — Thu, 09 May 2019 17:45:19 GMT

CherishedMoments

Oh Miss. Megan.

Where do I even start?

Your personality makes me smile (and laugh when I am around you). You have a heart of gold, even if you keep it shielded from most people. Your perseverance, both physically and mentally, at such a young age is something to admire, even if you don't see it.

And most of all? You are worth so much more than this little "town." You will move on from this tiny, no where area, and you will spread your wings, and you will fly. I have zero doubt. Your mind will flourish when you find your home and your people.

I have the highest hopes for you, Megan. Because you deserve them.

Sure, you will stumble still. You'll lose your way for a minute. But you're still just a baby. Let yourself live. Let yourself experience life the way you were meant to.

You are worth it.

Alright. Enough with the deep. Shall we take a peek at how beautiful Megan is?

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Doesn't her makeup look 100%?! She did that herself!

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We snuck in some family portraits for the Edmundson's too. How perfect is this spot and this tree?

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She just loves him and Ben is doing a good job at tolerating it for a minute. Aren't siblings fun?

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We snuck in a cute one with mom too in their matching outfits. And yes, Megan is that much taller. :D

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A big thank you to the Edmundson family for letting me work with Megan. It was an honor. Much love.

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2020 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney, Iowa's Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight; Miss. Ella | North English Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Fri, 03 May 2019 01:25:36 GMT

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As we near graduation date, we have to sneak Miss. Ella in for her senior spotlight, too!

Where do I start with Ella? I LOVE her personality and her confidence. L.O.V.E I.T.

When planning Ella's senior session, we got a bit unlucky with some rain here and there, so she totally braved and ROCKED a sunrise session. You read that right people, SUNRISE! Can you imagine, getting up, hair and makeup done before the sun even shows it's beautiful face?

And it worked out so beautifully! Ella was a trooper from the very first shot. She even got in the water for me before the sun came up! It also worked out to have her BFF there as my assistant that day, and I totally didn't even know they were close! How cool is that?!

Shall we get started and see all of the pretties?

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This was juuuuust before the sun was about to peak through the trees. It was super foggy that morning and I love how the fog just sat on the water in the background. Picture perfect!

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Sincere giggles are my favorite!

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See the sun peaking through the trees back there?

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Did I mention she pulls off serious face REALLY well?

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I am in LOVE with this country chic look!

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This one was one of my favorites! It's actually hanging in the studio!

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It had rained the night before and trees just sparkled. When the sun popped through the area behind Ella just glowed. It was perfection!

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She has the prettiest smile!

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Come on! Tell me that doesn't just make you smile?!?

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Look at those SHOES!

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So. Stinking. Perfect!

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Ella - Thank you, thank you, thank you for letting me be your senior photographer. It was an honor.

I hope you're never afraid to go after whatever sets your soul on fire. You are good enough. You are worth it. Take the chance and take flight.

Ella will be graduating from English Valleys High School here in just a few short weeks!

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2020 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney, Iowa's Professional Photographer

Senior Spotlight; Miss. Tianna | North English Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 18:15:50 GMT

CherishedMoments

This week we will have our senior spotlight shining on Miss. Tianna from the English Valleys School District!

Tianna is one of the sweetest girls I got to meet last year! It took her a little convincing to try new things (hello, HATS!) but she tolerated me ok (which can be quite a chore)! Seeing these images again is seriously making me miss the warm weather and blossoms. But, they will be here before we know it!

I asked Tianna what she was most proud of this year and she said, "Maintaining a 3.7 GPA and staying on the A Honor Roll!" How did I get so lucky to work with all of these smarty pants girls last year? This last year has kept her busy trying to maintain her GPA and having a hand in Wrestling Management!

When I asked her what she is most excited about this year, she said she was most excited to about turning 18! Which, let's all take a moment to wish her a HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY! :)

This summer Tianna plans on working and going on a vacation! As for her plans for the future, Tianna says, "Going to Kirkwood to get my General Education and figure it out from there :)"

Now, shall we look at her pictures and dream of flowers together?

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I think these were the very first well-lit frames! She's a natural!

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She can pull off serious and swee- small-smile pretty well, too!

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Ah yes, the hat. It's probably not professional to say "I TOLD YOU SO." But, "I TOLD YOU SO TIANNA!" :D

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How fun is this country girl set?

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LOVE THIS SET! This was a fun one!

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Couldn't help but throw that one in there, too!

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You can never go wrong with a flag scarf toss!

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Oh lookie there. Tianna looking cute in another hat!

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I asked Tianna which "set" was her favorite from her session and she basically said all of them (well, almost). I couldn't agree more!

Thank you so much, Tianna, for letting me be a part of your senior year. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for you!

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2020 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney, Iowa's Professional Photographer

West End Architectural Salvage Styled Shoot || Des Moines Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 00:42:19 GMT

CherishedMoments

Waaaaaaay back in January we teamed up with the every lovely Miss. Caroline and Miss. Erica for a styled shoot at the AMAZING West End Architectural Salvage in West Des Moines!

The Professional Photographer's of Iowa had put on a class at that location in 2018, and right then I knew I needed to do a styled shoot there. After working with Caroline and understanding her love for dance, I knew that this was it! After the craziness of fall season ended, we were able to schedule this shoot. Sometimes I really love winter (slow season), it gives us a chance to recharge and get creative. Think outside the box a little.

And that's just what we did. If you've ever been to West End, you know that it's a fully functioning coffee bar with FIVE floors of AMAZING and unique/antique treasures! If you have not been there, you need to schedule a day to go! You won't regret it!

These girls were so fun during this shoot! Of course I have worked with Caroline before (to see her senior session, CLICK HERE), but I got to work with Erica for the very first time and she was just as awesome! We all walked around the place like we owned it (not really), but the girls really owned it as they trotted around in their dance costumes!

I know almost nothing about dance. Like, nothing at all. I asked the girls beforehand what kind of dance they did so I could try to do research so I would know what pose to ask for but when I was looking it up, everything looked so similar! However, after we got there, the girls had NO problem taking the lead with pose ideas, and we even had a little fun with each of them picking out the other's pose!

You all will be seeing A LOT more of these shoots over the coming years. Not specifically dance shoots, but styled shoots with different themes. It's so fun to tap into our creative sides and explore more into what these girls are capable of! And that's what the MGP Senior Model Team gets to do!

Enough rambling.. Let's see these portraits!

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Ya'll. This one was HARD WORK! Caroline is amazing!

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Can we get all the heart eyes here for Erica?

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F.I.E.R.C.E

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I just want to be like Caroline when I grow up. Is that too much to ask?

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They even got to smile for a picture!

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The girls wanted to do a little pajama set, this was all their idea! And the chair worked out perfectly!

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And theeeen we went across the street to the parking ramp. That we eventually got kicked off of. The guy walked a little slow, so we had a few minutes for a couple portraits before he got to us.

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**Side note: I do NOT promote trespassing. I did not realize that we could not be on the ramp and we promptly left when we were asked to. Don't get the pitch forks out.

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To end the shoot, we reached into our inner boho for outfit inspiration! Caroline's pants were her mom's! How cool is that?!

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Thank you, thank you, thank you to Caroline, Erica and Susan for letting me get creative with you guys this last year. You all have been the foundation to where I intend to take my business and I am forever thankful for you.

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2020 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com

Sigourney, Iowa's Professional Photographer

Bridal Dreams Styled Shoot | Oskaloosa Iowa Photography

(Marie Grace Photography) — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 00:45:37 GMT

CherishedMoments

Here's a little story about business collaboration. Told to the tune of "Here's the story of a girl..."

Just kidding mostly.

Late last year, I decided to reach out the ladies at Bridal Dreams/LuRoo&Co to see if they were interested in working together. As it was December and Christmas shopping was at an all-time-high, I told them I would love to work with them when it was a little more convenient for their schedules. In January, Stephani and I met at Smokey Row in Oskaloosa for a meeting!

Let me just say (and I SWEAR I am NOT butt kissing), but Stephani has got to be one of the most kind-hearted business owners I know. She is always looking for ways to give back to the community and her customers. From the brief moments where I have worked with her, I can tell that she has the biggest heart. So, if you don't know her, you should. She's great!

There we discussed all of these amazing ideas we had and different ways to give back to the community. To start, we decided to throw together a prom dress styled shoot. We wanted to showcase what everyday girls from small town Iowa actually looked like in their gowns.

So we scheduled the shoot for a few weeks later, and in true Iowa fashion, we got blizzarded out. So we rescheduled for February, which ended up working out really well! It was still REALLY cold, and the girls we worked with were TROOPERS!

Stephani picked the dresses each girl wore and matched them all perfectly! Here are some portraits from the first dress set:

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See? They don't look *super* frozen! :D

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We were enjoying shooting so much that we lost track of time and had to hurry back to the boutique for a quick outfit change!

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ROSE GOLD/DUSTY PINK IS MY FAVORITE!!

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"Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us."

- Wilma Rudolph

I cannot thank Stephani and the ladies at Bridal Dreams for letting me work with them to create these beautiful images. Also, a HUGE thank you to Jenna, Abygail and Molly. You are each uniquely perfect.

Marie Grace Photography and LuRoo&Co will be teaming up together again in a few weeks to give back to six lucky ladies who will be pampered, have new outfits and will get a mini photo shoot, so keep an eye out for that!

Marie Grace Photography is now booking 2020 seniors! Click Here to get in touch with us!

Alley Tish

Marie Grace Photography

Sigourney, Iowa

info@mariegracephotography.com