2018 Recap & Favorites!

Well HELLO there! It has been awhile but I am still here! :) At the beginning of 2018 I set a goal for myself to blog every wedding that I shot this year… and if you follow along with me you may notice that did NOT happen. 2018 threw me a few curveballs, including the addition of another job that I am absolutely loving! I am having to re-learn how/where to budget my time and will be making a few changes to my business in the upcoming year to ensure clients receive the greatest experience possible. In lieu of individual posts, I want to post a year-long recap with a few of my favorite images.

Many people reading this have been following my photography journey from the moment I announced I would be starting a business back in 2015. I’ve tried to be fairly transparent with the process that this has been for me and this post is no different! Placing images side by side that were taken up to ELEVEN months apart has been so helpful for me to see inconsistencies in my work. However, many of the images also made me feel proud as I remembered the intentional, educated decisions that I made to capture that specific moment as beautifully as possible.

I did something a little crazy earlier this year… I unfollowed more that 300 photographers on Instagram. I realized I was starting to feel the pressure of conforming to trends/styles that weren’t my own and comparing myself to others who have been in business three times longer than I have. Yall! SO UNHEALTHY. I started to question everything about something I once did simply because it made me feel so alive. So I began stepping out of my comfort zone and pursued creating images that made my heart feel so full at times I could barely stand it. (If you’ve been on the other side of my camera you know exactly what I’m referring to… and there are usually some squeals involved.) The result? Personal growth, shared joy, and a deep satisfaction in my work knowing it was from the depths of my very own heart.

If you’ve made it this far in the “wordy” part of this post (thank you!) here are a few take-aways from BGP’s 2018 season: I love joy. True, genuine expression of how people feel in a specific moment. I saw huge growth in my ability to make bold decisions about locations and lighting to create the images that I wanted. I pushed myself and worked hard to learn how to use off camera flash- on manual. It has been an absolute GAME CHANGER for reception photos! I bought my very first film camera (that’s a story for another blog)! Oh, and I obviously LOVE veils! I couldn’t get enough of them this season and intentionally incorporated them into portraits. Wow, what a year. I will always look back on 2018 as a milestone for my business. This was the year I truly felt my knowledge, desire-to-serve, and skill fully merge to define “Bethany Grace Photography!”

To be truthful, it was extremely difficult to narrow down the photos below to an even barely reasonable amount. Some images may look familiar to you, others have been caged up in my hard drive begging for daylight. I would hate for this year to pass without sharing them. I hope they bring you as much joy as they bring me!

Happy New Year!

Rachel Baldwin | Senior Session

When Rachel’s mom told me she wanted her senior session to be with the horses that mean so much to her, I was simultaneously excited and terrified! I have always been mildly fearful of horses because I really just don’t know how to read them. My fear quickly turned into complete enchantment the moment I laid my hand on the warm, fuzzy nose of a stunning gentle giant.

The rest of the evening felt like a dream. A jaw-dropping mountainscape for a backdrop and beautiful, joy-filled high school senior as the subject. It was a recipe for pure perfection… and that is exactly what we got!

Sharon + Miley | Mini Session

Even if we've never met, you probably already know that I love dogs. Unashamedly LOVE them. So when my sweet friend Sharon asked me if I would be up for a dog-mom session, the question practically answered itself! It was so cold on this April morning (Spring, where are you!?) but we had so much fun hanging out with smiley Miley! Brace for cuteness!

Nicholas Nary | Senior Session

Senior sessions are always fun because I still remember that season... trying to finish high school strong but bursting with the anticipation of what's ahead. Nich is heading off to Liberty University in the fall and had a few fun ideas of his own he wanted captured to commemorate this season of life! Needless to say... this was a session filled with a LOT of laughs!

The Thompson Family | Family Session

This session has me ready for springtime and sunshine! We had an absolutely beautiful day to capture 5-month-old Jase's Easter pictures and family photos!

Kevin + Abby | Lifestyle Session

I made a top secret trip last week for a very special session! 

I couldn't be more ecstatic for these sweet friends of mine welcoming their very first baby this September. Congratulations, Abby and Kevin! Baby Williams is so blessed to have you as parents!