This beautiful creature and I have been friends for YEARS, one of my very oldest friends. We met in college - which was a surprising amount of years ago for me. I'm not going to tell you the whole story, but it definitely involves nudity, it seems to be our bond, haha. Around this time of year, 6 years ago, she began a journey with a company that she continues to love and she absolutely thrives in it! Like REALLY thrives. There is literally nothing else that I can see her doing and I'm so happy that she has found her passion and is following her heart. I am thrilled to be able to document her anniversary and her love of all things rose gold and wine. Is she not the cutest thing ever?
Brittany {Session Review}
This gorgeous lady and I have been talking about a session for literally years. We keep putting it off and off for one reason or another and she finally bit the bullet and came in for a session. I had JUST finished the new purple room (literally at 10pm the night before her session), the room still smelled like paint. It was amazing shooting someone that I have known for so long and she was totally rocking it.
While the new space was challenging, she was SO gorgeous and so understanding of me fumbling my way around the new studio that it didn't even matter. We have these amazing images to remember our time by and she will definitely be back for more!
Summer {Session Review}
Finally getting around to blogging this amazing field session from last month! Lovely dresses, fields and rivers are some of my favorite things and this session included them all! I love everything about this girl, she's absolutely stunning. Many more sessions with her to come!
How I Got Started in Boudoir
I've had a few people ask me lately how I got started in boudoir specifically since it's such a specific and unique thing. The short version can be found on my about me page, but here's the full version:
It was YEARS ago, I was a struggling photographer that was saying yes to shooting anything. And I mean EVERYTHING. Kids, pets, weddings, large families, events, you name it, I shot it. And I hated it, but I wanted to grow and I thought that was the only way - and I ended up stumbling right into my calling because of it. So one of my long time friends was getting married and wanted a grooms gift for her husband to be but didn't want a stranger seeing her like that so she asked me to do it. Since I was still at the point of saying yes to every photography opportunity that came my way I jumped right on it! While we didn't even know the word "boudoir" at that point, we were excited to try it and see what happened. We met in a spare room at my parents house. It had this sponge painted green wall with a wallpaper border around the middle, ick. When we got there, we were both nervous but after 30 minutes, she had opened up, had confidence flowing out of her and was loving the experience. Before we left that room, I had decided that I wanted to make people feel like that every day for the rest of my life. I wanted to be the one to show them that they're gorgeous, the beauty that everyone else sees in them. And that was it! Just like that began my boudoir journey. I still shoot in that same room, even though it has been completely remodeled since then (thank God no more green). I've also added new rooms to the set, and I've grown as a photographer in general in the years since then but I love that I get to continue to make magic with my clients every week. Thank you all for trusting me with such an intimate experience!
New Studio Space
I don't know about you, but I'm a super great procrastinator. If I don't want to do something I will go to great lengths to avoid it. I'm not proud of it, but I do admit it.
When we first moved in to our house last June, we spackled the holes in a second room for the studio but it had a wallpaper border up and was a really dark blue that would need multiple coats of paint to cover it. I was DREADING it. And for an entire year I avoided it. I even went as far as steamcleaning the carpets of the entire house to avoid stripping wallpaper. This past month, I took no sessions so that I could focus on getting the room finished because it was time to stop looking at it and actually deal with it. I stripped the wallpaper, painted 3 walls a light grey/purple and one wall this gorgeous royal purple color. We bought a new headboard, sheets and a comforter and finally put the finishing touches on it literally the day before my first session back. And boy am I glad we finished it! Because it was amazing! The new purple room is now open for sessions and we are SO EXCITED
Giveaway Alert!
If you've been following our VIP group on facebook, you've seen our giveaway that's happening through the end of next month. Here are the details in case you missed it:
If you call in before September 30th and book a session for any date between now and December 31st you'll be entered to win! Get a start on your holiday gift giving for your significant other, get the perfect anniversary gift or book just because you deserve it! The larger the package you book, the more entries you will receive! The winner will be picked from all entries on October 2nd and notified via email. The lucky lady (or gentleman) will receive a 10x10 luxury album worth $800! If the winner picked a session that includes an album, they will be refunded the price of the album.
Tease Session: 1 Entry
Vixen Session: 1 Entry
Breathless Session: 2 Entries
Centerfold Session: 3 Entries
Contact me at KatieLarringtonPhotography@gmail.com to reserve your space!
Morgan {Session Review}
We can't believe how gorgeous this girl is!
Morgan has had a few sessions with us and every time she knocks it out of the park. This was her first session in our studio and it was such a pleasure to have her. I love repeat clients and it's always magic to get to do what I love with people I love. Plus she rocked our favorite outfit at the end of her session which is always a homerun. We can't wait to have you back.
Microfestivus 2017 {Staycation}
Another adventure we had on our Staycation was our yearly day drinking at Microfestivus! We started the morning waiting in line to be first in and met up with my best friend and her boyfriend while we were there. My brother was working the Chaos Mountain tent so we were able to see him for a while too. It rained for a few minutes, but most of the day was beautiful, there were drinks and snacks and we (of course) had Cheesy Westerns for lunch at Texas Tavern. What other choice was there? Those food trucks have NOTHING on a good drunk Cheesy Western. After the festival, we all went back to our house and ordered some wings to end the night as lazy as possible. This is one of my favorite days of the year every year and I love the people we go with! Can't wait for next year!
Falling Springs {Staycation}
During a free Saturday we had off together, we went up to Covington to Falling Springs to see the waterfall. We hiked all the way down to the bottom and up to the tippy top and it was gorgeous! Slippery, full of rocks, but so pretty. All it needed was a beautiful girl in it and it would have been perfect, but this was vacation and no ladies came with us. Sometimes you just have to enjoy the scenery instead of viewing life through a camera lens and I'm so happy we experienced it together!
Studio Redesign {Staycation}
While we have a break with no sessions to shoot, no pictures to edit and no pressing engagements, we have begun working full force on our newest addition to our studio. This room has been in the process for way too long and we are determined to finish it up before our next session - which is coming up super fast. The wallpaper border has been stripped and the first coats of primer are on to cover that blue. We can't wait to see the finished product and we are so excited to show you what we can do!
Morgan {Session Review}
I'm so happy my girls came back for another session with me! I have a soft spot in my heart for fields, rivers and gorgeous dresses and women. I can't believe the results every time, every amazing, beautiful time. We used a few dresses from the studio including our favorite purple mermaid dress. It just doesn't get any better!
Pamela {Session Review}
Since our creative meetup, I've been stupid excited and encouraged by the work that everyone is creating. It's awesome to see how the models are able to be captured so differently, and yet so consistently beautifully by each artist. There are so many great things to say about everyone that came out so I'm just gonna skip straight to the images.
Continuing along with images from our meetup last week, Meet Pamela: Such a beauty and so professional and talented for her young age. (I feel like everyone is so young now that I'm so old lol). She completely rocked her outfit and will for sure be coming by the studio in a few months for a session all her own.
Morgan {Session Review}
As an artist, it's really easy to get into a routine, get comfortable and then realize months or years later that something that was once your passion, is now your job. In an effort to keep my "spark" alive as well as learn from some of the best in the industry, I attended a meetup on Friday with multiple photographers and models in the area to network, build portfolios and try new things. It was amazing and so worth the time invested to be able to work with such talent.
Meet Morgan: Our dark haired beauty. She was amazing, had the cutest dress on and tried out my favorite white gown. Plus she has the sweetest puzzle piece tattoo that snuck into a few images. You'll be seeing more of her for sure!
30th Birthday
I can't believe I'm 30 Ya'll! To be honest it feels exactly the same. Every year it feels exactly the same it seems. I had blocked off the whole weekend from sessions so that I could relax but I take after my father and relaxing is really stressful for me when there's a to do list as long as my arm that needs to be done. So the morning of my birthday, I finished and delivered a session from the week before, vacuumed the whole house (and studio), did laundry and got ready for dinner celebrations.
We went to Carrabbas for dinner and it was fantastic! There were drinks, cake, dinner, presents and of course friends and family. I even got back home and to bed before 10 like the grandma that I am!
The next day I weeded my flower beds and finished up some art projects I had lying around in the morning then relaxed with my boyfriend until bedtime. I don't know what it is about this 30 Before 30 project that has me so motivated, but I think I might do a 31 Before 31 just to keep the motivation going!
Final 30 Before 30
That's right! My birthday is TOMORROW! Boy has it flown by. I didn't know doing 30 things would be so difficult! It got to the point where I couldn't put certain things on my list because I didn't have enough time to do them all! I still haven't lost those 10 pounds, but I'm not super worried about it, 29/30 is still super great! It has been a crazy great year for both myself and my business and I can't wait to see what 30 brings! Thank you all for sharing it with me!
- Read 15 books
- Purge my house and have a giant yardsale
- Attend the Color Run and attempt to run (at least a little)
- Finish stripping wallpaper in preparation of repainting our guest room
- Organize my office to make it a place that I actually WANT to work
- Finish watching every episode (on Netflix) of Shameless, Criminal Minds and OITNB
- Lose 10 pounds
- Throw out at least 30 clothing items I haven't worn in a year
- Keep my orchid alive
- Celebrate my new age with a boudoir shoot of my own
- Attend a concert that I've always wanted to
- Treat myself to something unnecessary, but wonderful
- Clean out my inbox so that I have 0 messages in it
- Invest more in my friendships
- Hand out more business cards
- Break open the Maker's Mark
- Offer more unique products
- Finally get a dainty photography piece of jewelry
- Finish re-doing my back deck
- Turn my basement into a craft studio
- Celebrate July 4th with my family
- Buy and paint a vanity for the studio
- Hang old family pictures in my home
- Spend a Saturday yardsaleing/antiquing
- Send more handwritten notes
- Pay it forward
- Help get a gardening table set up
- Spend an entire week without eating out or buying lingerie (two of my money weaknesses)
- Update my website with newest sessions
- Enjoy my last few days of 29 with friends and family
Handwritten Notes {30 Before 30}
One of my goals in both business and in life is to have meaningful relationships and I think a lot of that has been lost through technology. It's so easy to go catch up on someone's life by clicking on their facebook page and never even talking to them. My goal is to begin sending out more handwritten letters through snail mail to give friends, family and clients a little present between all the bills and coupons that get put in their mailboxes. It doesn't have to be much, just a thank you for your business or a happy birthday or even just an I miss you card. I think it's the little things that make such a big difference and I want to be that difference. Join me? We can make it a trend.
Celebrate the 4th of July {30 Before 30}
With the busy photography season upon me, I was determined to have a "vacation" even if it was only for a day to the lake. My goal was to have everything edited that I owed people and nothing pressing at home that would make me feel guilty for taking an entire day away. So I worked hard all week, got everything edited and delivered, laundry done and the house semi cleaned so that I wouldn't be thinking about all the things that I should be doing while I was away. Scott and I drove up to the lake around lunch time and spent the entire afternoon floating, swimming and hanging out with family with absolutely no guilt! And I might have accidentally thrown some of my cousins in pretty dresses and into the lake for an impromptu session. I swear, I just can't help myself.
Mermaid Session {Session Review}
When one of the prom dress stores in town has a giant sale, I of course have to go check it out. I took my best friend out for support and she pressured me into buying this amazing purple dress even though it was something that I would probably never wear and it was a little more than I wanted to spend (what are best friends for except to encourage bad decisions?) I already had a session planned for that evening with, miraculously, one of my friends who was the same size as the dress and is always up for anything that I suggest. We met up at the park, got her in the dress and into the river. The water was freezing but she was a champ wading out to the rocks and sitting in the cold water for the sake of art. What a lovely session it turned out to be! I can't wait to try this dress again, it's one of a kind.
Viewfinders {30 Before 30}
Here's a quick flashback for you!
Remember those red viewfinders with pictures from like Sesame Street on them!? Well now we at Katie Larrington Photography offer the new and improved adult version of them! Introducing our newest product, the Viewfinder! It holds 7 of your favorite images with 1 for the middle. It comes with your choice of a black, red, yellow or white viewfinder. Extra reels may be purchased as well if you are having a hard time choosing only 7 images. I can't wait to see which pictures you choose for yours!
Vanity {30 Before 30}
Not only did I get to cross something off my 30 Before 30 list, but I also added a SUPER adorable new piece to my studio! I was on Craigslist a while back cause you can actually find some super awesome things on there and I came across a listing for a vanity. It was an antique white with these handpainted roses and white plastic handles and a big round mirror on top. While my first thought was "wow, that looks exactly like something my grandma had" my second thought was "wouldn't that be so cute painted in the studio!?" That second thought won out and we bought it, brought it home, Scott helped me paint it and get it all set up upstairs and it was a SUPER huge hit! It is going to have a very nice home here. Come see it soon!