KATE NOELLE PHOTOGRAPHY » MY LIFE

Dallas

knoelle — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:59:50 +0000

After almost 10 months of going at 200%, I took a little mini adventure vacation for 3 days in October. My bestie Betsy Lackey invited me to meet her in Dallas for the Needtobreath & Taylor Swift concert…. on a whim. Usually, I don’t jump on whims that require lots of traveling and uncertainty, but this time, I did, and a few weeks later I found myself on plane to Dallas without knowing the “where’s”, the “how’s”, or the “when’s” that one might want to know BEFORE traveling. Sometimes in life, to prevent spontaneous combustion, a little unplanned meandering is required. Here is my photographic journal of sorts, documenting this unplanned and simply refreshing trip to Dallas….

“The years go by like stones under rushing water. We only know, we only know when it’s gone.” -Needtobreathe

New Year… New Look

knoelle — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:21:20 +0000

Hello! And Happy New Year! It’s 2012, which means lots and lots of NEW is happening. January is such a fun time…. it’s a time for reviewing the highs and lows of the previous year, taking notes on how to make the new year better than the last, and my favorite… dreaming. It’s an exciting thing to witness evolution of thought, being, and goals. Where I was, I am no longer.

I’ve been listening to Elevation Worship’s “All Things New” a lot lately…. and I’ve adopted it as my mantra for 2012. Last year was intense in both amazing… and not so amazing ways. But looking forward at the open road ahead, I can’t help but have hope and peace that whatever comes, He is near and deeply involved in the world around me. Hope is an exciting thing.

And with that, I’d like to share my ALL NEW website!! This has been a work in progress for quite some time… involving lots of soul searching and self-realization. It’s been almost 4 years now that Kate Noelle Photography has been in existence. Whoa…. (having a moment)

So, while my dream and vision have remained the same, my website’s look and feel has changed to reflect the changes I’ve undergone in the past couple of years. I’m excited at the unending spectrum of possibility this year holds, and I hope you’ll continue to journey with me on this crazy adventure of living life to the fullest.

Here’s a shot Christopher took of me at a shoot recently…

And here’s the all new look of Kate Noelle Photography’s Website! Head on over to www.katenoelle.com to check it out!

There are all new galleries featuring some oldies, but mostly new images…

There’s a new “Connect” page where you can find every possible way to connect with me via social media…. I hope you’ll find me so we can be friends!

And I’m also excited about an all new “Word on the Street” section where past clients have laid out their experiences with me as their photographer…. I love my clients!!

Creating Traditions

knoelle — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:21:41 +0000

Last week, I photographed Century High School’s Holiday choir concert. I’ve been present at most concerts with my camera ready for the past 3 years or so…. to help document the evolution of Century’s choir program and to show support for my dad. It’s really cool watching the students grow up and gain confidence with their voices as they move through the program.

This past year, my dad had the opportunity to write the Alma Mater for the high school…. and it’s been exciting for him to hear it sung at football games and pep rallies. How cool is that?! He wrote the song that will tie all alumni to each other throughout their lives…. the song that promotes unity and pride for a school. What an amazing tradition to be a part of…

I thought these few shots were really amazing from the concert… shots of my dad leading the choirs and the audience in the alma mater…. and students actually getting into the spirit of it…. I’m proud of you, Dad!

The End of “Movember”

knoelle — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 01:18:41 +0000

Last year, November marked the time of year when Christopher decided to sport a mustache. (You can view last year’s mustache here.) I thought maybe it had gotten out of his system, but one morning early in the month, I walked into the kitchen to find a mustached man eating Christopher’s breakfast. “Wonderful,” I thought. “Here we go again.”

Well, I’ll have you know that he was encouraged by our friends Jeff and Trevor, who spent the month of November “mustache-edly” clad in support of our dear friend John Riedl as he continues to battle cancer. “It’s for a good cause,” I told myself. And it was. These three endured many awkward stares, pesky leftover food crumbs, and repulsed wives…. and to celebrate the end, they decided to take some “gross mustache photos.” And they were indeed gross…. here’s the results of the shoot …. (Please Note: This is not normal attire for any of these men. They’re usually very respectable…..)

Once we were done with the gross mustache shots, we moved onto a more serious and pretty family photo of the Clinard Clan.

And then we got crazy again….

I’m sorry to see November already far past, but I’m glad to have a mustache-less husband for another year. Way to go boys… you did good.

First Christmas Together

knoelle — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 01:12:17 +0000

Aside from the mountain of work and the broken foot escapades, these past 5 months of married life have been pretty cool. Getting to know each other’s sleeping patterns, cleaning habits, and scheduling preferences has been a challenge, but a fun one because we get to do it together as husband and wife. I’ve always hoped and dreamed my first holiday season as a wife would include things like hearty laughs by a crackling fire with hot chocolate and gingerbread, decorating the perfect tree together, making Martha Stewart-worthy cookies for our family and friends, and staying up late at night watching the Christmas lights on our tree dance on the ceiling. I’m excited to make our own traditions and memories this year…. our first Christmas. And while I know nothing ends up going as planned, and nobodys’ holidays are perfect, I still can’t help but be giddy and smiley as we near the holidays.

We started off our holiday traditions with our annual Christmas tree hunting…. but this year, we got to hunt for our own tree! While the rest of my family ran off to find their tree, Christopher and I got to traipse around the farm looking for a tree for two. We found our tree and took some photos….

This happens to be Christopher’s reaction to my incessant documentation of our “firsts”…. we’re working on it….

And the happy couple with our tree…

Then we met up with my family and took some more photos. This is what I like to call a “perspective of the Christmas tree” photo…. If the Christmas trees had eyes, this is what we think they might see…

And… on another note… I’ve successfully fulfilled one of my “good wife” duties… making my first homemade holiday wreath! What do you think? I’m pretty excited about it and I’m sure I’ll continue to share as more holiday adventures unfold.

knoelle — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 01:00:02 +0000

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours.” - Henry David Thoreau.

Dooney and Bourke

knoelle — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:49:05 +0000

Whenever I get the chance, I like to expand my photographic vision and try on something new for size. My bestie Betsy Lackey bought a Dooney and Bourke purse from a Buffalo Exchange we visited in Dallas, so I shot a few to showcase her newest accessory. It was pretty easy since she’s ridiculously photogenic and BEEEEautiful. What do you think? I kind of love this photo….

Balancing Real Life

knoelle — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 23:56:02 +0000

Today has been a “cave” day, and I’m so grateful for it. I’m thoroughly enjoying editing, culling images, uploading, emailing, and FINISHING things. This year has been so crazy and I find myself wondering where the balance is between getting things done and living joyfully through the “real life” stuff that happens. I suppose the answer would be grace– grace given to me for taking a little longer to deliver things, giving grace to those who don’t understand, and giving myself some grace when I realize I can’t be perfect. I’m learning more and more that control is a fallacy, and I’m deluding myself thinking that somehow I can control the way life goes. Things happen, uncontrollable things, and the only thing I CAN control is how I react to it. Sometimes the hardest part of moving past the bad “real life” stuff is wrapping your mind around the “I CAN do this” and letting that carry you through.

Jon and Gabriella’s “I Do” | A German-Canadian DIY Wedding

knoelle — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 07:36:36 +0000

This post is loooooooooong overdue, but so worth it. Last year, I had the privilege of photographing two friends’ wedding in Winnipeg, Canada with my bestie Betsy Lackey. We flew in and spent time catching up with old friends, explored, and enjoyed the Canadian autumn weather. It was such a fun visit, and such a fun wedding! We originally met Jon and Gabriella when we attended a YWAM Discipleship Training School in Germany. She was the spunky adventurous girl with the dark eyes and perfect hair. He was the uber uber cool musician/photographer with a stern German demeanor and a hilarious sense of humor. Together, they were the couple all the students hoped to be like one day…. fun, sweet, super cute, AND godly. And on a gorgeous September day at the beautiful Pineridge Hollow in Winnipeg, they became man and wife with all their friends and family there to celebrate with them.

Gabriella and her mom did practically everything for the wedding themselves and it was literally one of the BEST “Do it Yourself” weddings I’ve ever seen. They arranged the flowers and bouquets, made the DELICIOUS cakes, did all the center pieces and decorations, and made all the SUPER CUTE boutonnieres….. Those women amaze me with their many talents. Here are my favorite shots from the day…. (please note that I’ve included a LOT of detail shots because they were THAT fabulous…. I hope you don’t mind.)

Jon and Gabriella, thanks for inviting me into your lives as friends. Your wedding was beautiful and your relationship is something to strive for. Betsy…. let’s do this again soon…

Fears vs. Dreams

knoelle — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 20:49:29 +0000

What’s your biggest fear? What’s your greatest dream? Have they always been the same fears and dreams? Why is your biggest fear… your biggest fear? Donald Miller, in a recent blog post, said, ”The great lives are lived in the places we most fear. If we fear being rejected, the great story has us standing at the door with flowers in our hands, if we fear losing love, the great stories have us letting that person go rather than clinging to them. If we fear taking a chance on a dream, the great stories have us quitting our jobs.”

I’ve realized I have one life, a very short one, when considering all there is to do and see. The choices I make unfold the story of my life, and I’ve made it a priority to press into my dreams regardless of how scary they are. I haven’t aways been this determined, or intentional, and it’s not easy. But I’ve realized that I truly am living a story…. now…. in this moment. In the moments when I have the opportunity to choose between what’s easy and what is right, between what puts me out of my comfort zone and what keeps me feeling safe, I’m making a choice to live a good story or not.

I once feared I’d never find the right person to marry…. I could have easily said it was my greatest fear. I also feared letting someone delve that deeply into my heart, because there was a chance they might break it. Two fears rooted deeply within me that could have easily prevented me from seeing my dreams come true. I dated Christopher despite those voices of fear trying to convince me otherwise… I let myself fall in love even though I knew I could have my heart broken…. and I said “I do” as I promised to love him forever, understanding we’re both susceptible to human error. I made choices to take chances on a dream… and I married someone who’s better than any dreams I could have dreamed.

I once feared. I still do. But what scares me more than those fears is the idea of letting my dreams slip away un-pursued. And as Langston Hughes put it so eloquently, “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams go, life is a barren field, frozen with snow.”

A photographer by the name of Jeremy Cowart, someone I look up to immensely, has recently taken up a project by the name of Fears vs. Dreams along with To Write Love on Her Arms. If you’d like to check out the video they made, you can view it here. It’s pretty powerful….

Here’s just a few shots from our wedding day…. you can view more on our fantastic photographers Gavin and Erin’s blog…

Photo Credit, Used with Permission: (Gavin Wade Photographers)