If 2016 was a doozy, 2017 was something else. I offered donation-based elopement photography for couples moving their wedding dates up before the inauguration, and was able to raise over $1600 for various progressive/climate science/social justice organizations. (Then began donating a portion of every paid elopement and wedding to more organizations, ending up with over $2200 raised and donated over the course of the year!) I marched with over 50,000 other Texans at Austin’s Women’s March. I was honored to shoot weddings for colleagues, weddings for family, weddings for international pen pals, and weddings for new friends.
Despite the unsteadiness of our rolicking news cycle, our home life has been calm. Like many Texans, I was worried about my family in Houston when Hurricane Harvey hit the Gulf Coast, but luckily my family was fine and childhood house was spared. I read over 120 books, visited both coasts (LA and NYC!), and dragged my husband to see Hamilton. (Can you believe he refused to listen to the soundtrack before seeing that stage production? I don’t get it, either.) The lows were low but the highs were definitely high. I’m happy to be here with all of y’all.
Without further ado, here are some of my favorite photos from the past year. Wedding, engagement, travel, it’s all mixed in there. Maybe you will see yourself in there. Or maybe you will want to see yourself in next year’s compilation; contact me if you do :)
A great collection.
The two grooms photos get me EVERY TIME. Love each of them!
Such an incredible year. I love all the different stories you told with your photos. And of course, I love the LA images and that I got to see you on that trip!
Great collection Elissa! An uplifting way to close the door on 2017.