Edie Grace is OUT of SCHOOL for the summer and she is SO EXCITED!  Friday was Pinewood’s last day of school.  Edie Grace is officially a SECOND grader - YIKES!  So where did that year go?  She had a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Teresa Perkins, and teacher’s assistant, Ms. Lisa Oliver.  Edie Grace received a few honors at honors day which you see her and Mrs. Perkins proudly displaying here.  She also wanted one LAST picture in her first grade desk.  But, of course, the best part of the end of school is the SUPER end of school party.   One of Edie Grace’s classmates’ parents were brave enough to host the class to a water party at their home.  The party was a BLAST!  Edie Grace will miss her friends this summer - but is looking forward to staying on top of her AR reading so Mrs. Perkins will be proud. 

Edie Grace has a full slate of fun summer camps she is looking forward to.  Her third year at the recreation dept. camp — which allows her LOTS of trips to Splash in the Boro, several art camps, of course, another year of High School Musical Camp, and to mix things up, a week of Clown Camp.  She needs a personal assistant to keep up with her summer activities.  Edie Grace will keep you posted on her summer fun.

  Ellie is a senior at the Charter Conservatory school in Statesboro.  She loves her horse as you can tell.  Does this look like the cover of a magazine or what?  We spent a great afternoon with Ellie at Evermore Farms where she stables her horse and the images are phenomenal.  Ellie is very creative and wanted something less traditional, but classy to announce her graduation.  This is her actual graduation invitation.  Pretty cool, huh?   

Seniors and their parents choose me as their senior photographer because they are uniquely different from their peers.  They deserve more than the cookie cutter photographs captured by the school photographers.  They have accomplished great things and have worked hard to prepare for the next adventure - COLLEGE!  They demand that as their artist - that I take the time to learn more about them and tell their story through portraits as uniquely different as each of them are.

I have been doing this successfully for years.  However, my clients have been forced to conform to announcing their achievement in graduating in the same old cookie cutter way that ALL of their classmates have.  In fact, not much has changed with traditional graduation invitations since I graduated from high school.  Come to think of it - not much has changed since my parents graduated from high school.

Last year we said enough - and introduced options as creative as the seniors I am blessed to photograph.  The end result has been staggering.  This “LORI GRICE DIFFERENCE” has been so out of the box that it has created a buzz around the schools that has even stunned me.

Well, leave it to me to push the envelope.  2009 Seniors will have even more unique and creative options.  I do limit greatly the number of seniors I work with so I can insure creative difference for each senior.  Sign up NOW if you would like to be included as a 2009 Lori Grice Senior.

I photographed Ellie’s sisters’ senior portraits a few years ago and she shared the creative edge that Ellie does.  They are so much fun to work with.  I feel we did a great job in capturing who she is as she steps over yet another great milestone.

Congratulations Ellie!

Kristen is graduating as a home school student.  It is interesting how many of our clients and friends are choosing the home school route these days.  With the advances in technology like the Internet - this is a much more viable option.  Kristen and I had a blast creating these beautiful portraits which tell her story.  She is smart, beautiful and lots of fun and I think it shows through these portraits. 

Congratulations Kristen!

Karlee is a senior at Claxton High School.  This year I photographed Karlee and her cousin’s Senior pictures.  Her cousin’s sister is getting married this year and I did her engagement session a few weeks ago.  Karlee has a very spunky grandmother who LOVES Lori Grice portraits!  She pushes (or pulls) the girls into the studio every chance she gets.  Did I mention that I really L-O-V-E their grandmother?  Congratulations Karlee!

This is Jordan’s graduation invitation cover.    I just don’t remember my classmates being as pretty as the Seniors I photograph.  Must be something in that “bottled” water, huh???

Seniors have such an advantage… the world is now truly at their fingertips!  When I was in college microfiche and the card catalog were still our primary research tools.  Did I just say that out-loud???  Now how will I pass for 29???

Check out more of Jordan’s pictures on a previous blog by clicking here.

Can you believe it???  It is Memorial Day, the official kick-off to summer.  Many schools got out this week and here we are.              Boy time flies!

I found this today and wanted to share it with you (an excerpt from Daily Guideposts):

I will give you rest—Matthew 11:28

LORD, I’m feeling overwhelmed.  Everyone wants something from me.

“Come unto me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Heavy laden, that’s me.  It’s not just my workload; it’s all the anxieties that weigh me down.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.”

A yoke.  How fitting for someone who feels like a big ox, slowly trudging back and forth across a field with no sense of achievement.

“For I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your soul.”

I wish everyone were as gentle as You, God, but people can be so hurtful.  Are you serious?

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I know, Lord, You don’t expect miracles out of me, just faithfulness.  I do tend to take more responsibility than I should, so I’m going to turn this over to You and let You help me with my load.  You’ll have to empower me.  I’m giving it to You.   I’m going to bed.  Good night, God.

Help me through this complicated and ever-changing world, Lord, for the sake of those who look to me for help.

written by:  Daniel Schantz and published in Daily Guideposts in 2005

With diesel hitting $ 4.75/gallon today and unleaded expected to hit $ 5.00 by the end of July, Daniel’s “complicated and ever-changing world” prayer is even more prevalent today.  What are your thoughts on how each of us can make a difference?  Many gave their lives for our freedom…what small thing could we do in gratitude for that sacrifice?

I have been photographing these handsome young men since they were little boys.  Their parents own Dingus Magees restaurant.  Each year, I photograph their staff for a portrait for the wall of the restaurant.  Each year these guys were part of this project.  You can watch them grow by visiting the restaurant and checking out the staff pictures.  Even though these guys are twins - their personalities are very defined.  It makes me feel old when I capture senior portraits of clients whom I photographed since they were babies.  It also makes me proud to see what phenomenal young men they have grown into.

Best of luck Corey and Slaton! 

Yes, I do photograph guys for senior portraits too.  Christopher loves sports - specifically baseball - if you did not notice.  He is a senior at Tattnall High School in Glennville.  GSU baseball coach Rodney Hennon was kind to allow us to sneak on to the GSU baseball field for a few of the images.  See —guys can be fun also!

Congratulations Christopher!

Hannah is the baby girl and now she is graduating!  She is the third of three beautiful girls.  All of them have allowed me the honor of photographing their senior portraits.  Hannah is as beautiful and talented as the other two.  Mom and Dad must be VERY proud of all of them.    They are always so much fun to work with.  Hannah was no exception.  (YES, I was a bit scared doing the bow & arrow one–but it was my idea so I had to “face” my fear head on!!!)

Congratulations Hannah!

Ashlee is a graduate of Statesboro High School.  We were shooting at one of my favorite places in downtown Statesboro and this cat crawled up in her lap.  She was such a great sport and shared the chair with the cat.   (I sometimes forget that everyone is not a cat person like me)  Ashlee’s brother modeled for me in ‘05 when I did his senior portraits.  Ashlee really got into the session and the results was amazing.

Congratulations Ashlee!