Boho Zoie, Celebrates One, downtown Bay St. Louis

Zoie is the most charming little wildflower and her parents exude all that I know will keep her passionate spirit safe.  Families like this one are so rare and so priceless and yet they continually find their way to me.  The trust Zach and Kerri have in my ability and direction is evident in how little they tried to micromanage the session.  I don't think I ever heard them tell Zoie to smile and say cheese.  She was obviously born free, and they seem to know that letting her run free means they'll never lose her.  It's refreshing to see this, and their love was beyond charming. 

Conceptually, we wanted to ditch the typical smash cake or tutu and do something a little more OG.  I, of course, wanted to take Zoie to the streets of Compton, but, since THAT was out of the question, we settled on the streets of Bay St Louis, where we shot their maternity session.  The fall weather here in South Mississippi is hit or miss, but they lucked out with a beautiful evening. After making a short block, the birthday girl decided she was ready to choose a little tucked away corner and play with some of the fun things I had for her and well, the rest is the beautifully documented history below.  

Thank you, Zach and Kerri.  I am beyond grateful for the time that I get to spend with the both of you and your little darling.  I hope that these photos are cherished for all of the years to come. 

Francie and Kerby, Gulfport, Mississippi Engagement Session

Francie had me at first e-mail, when she introduced herself and her fiance', Kerby.  I don't think I have ever booked a more adorable pair of names.  And that is really all couples are, in the beginning, a duo of letters, formed by their mothers, to represent some sort of soul I have to try to capture love between.  Well, I have not been inspired to post a blog about a couple in a very long time, until now.  This picture perfect pair lived up to every ounce of anticipation their names gave me. 

I discount engagement sessions so that people are more inclined to meet with me, work together, laugh and talk and just feel one another out.  I want to be a good fit for a couple just as much as I want the business, if not more.  I realize that I have an eclectic personality of thug life mom swag that not all people will understand.  The only way I know how to shoot is out of love and it's hard for me to do my best when I don't feel like I mesh well with someone, or I feel like they don't trust me and it makes it difficult. I don't like difficult.  (Obviously, being that I chose the career that leads me to working the fewest amount of hours in a day) Shooting these two was so above and beyond enjoyable for me, I could have done it every day for a week.  Yes, just a week, let's be real. 

I am grateful for every single client that I have.  I learn a little more about myself with each personality that I come across and that is a powerful part of this business that I am in.  Francie and Kerby cast wind into the sails of my purpose, and people like them don't come around often.  They resonate love and laughter and are so genuine in every tiny whisper or when laughing out loud.  I cannot say enough about how great it has been to get to know them, or how much I am looking forward to their upcoming wedding.  I hope that these photos do their love justice and as always, thank you both for trusting me to capture you during this exciting time. 

Nothing But a Me Thing

It will please some of you to know that I almost titled this post "What's My Name, Bitch?" it will please the rest of you to know that I realize not everyone has spent as much time listening to gangsta rap as I have and begrudgingly decided against it.  As you can see, I went with a classic rap pun instead.  Although the Gore family attempted to halt the influence that rap music would have on my impressionable mind with the start of parental advisories, I still copped the N.W.A album and no one can save me now.   All jokes aside (because surely I must be joking) hip hop solves most of my problems.   There isn't a song that makes me run faster than Outkast's B.O.B. and if I am trudging through late night editing, El-P and Killer Mike become my personal life coaches.  I have embraced my body, am a better parent, realized the worth of my craft and have stopped working for free (If it don't make dollars, it don't make sense) ALL thanks to hip hop.  When I began this journey, I mimicked the street photographers of New York's style with my candid portraiture.  I was influenced by heavy hitters like Ricky Powell and his coverage of the beastie boys. There was no pinterest to turn to for ideas when I began shooting, just inspiration from what and who I had in my life. 

“Why is this lifestyle/wedding photographer rambling on about hip hop”

— every mom reading this

Being a mother of three, I have very little time for the things that I enjoy.  Recently, my boyfriend husband said to me,

"Do you even hobby, bro?"

and I was like,

"bae"

Ok, so maybe that is not exactly how that went, but hopefully he read that and was cringing.  It's hard to dime out a self-proclaimed narciopath, but twisting his always eloquent words into basicdudebro convo? That will surely get him. As I was saying, being a mom of three, I really don't have time for the "me things".  This is because my "me things" truly were "g things" and I can't round up bebe's kids and haul them to the Big Krit show.  I did hit up J.Cole with my twelve year old.  All was well until he played G.O.M.D and I was scanning the audience for any other children to peep the look on their mothers faces.  Going to concerts, trampling through old train yards, trespassing in abandoned buildings, finding some adventure that usually involves talking my way out of trouble or hopping a fence aren't things with a place in my day to day.    I am trying to make writing a hobby and writing about hip hop and saying words like "bitch" is liberating.  Most days, I imagine myself in a Mercedes G Wagon. Especially when I whip out of the car rider line, with my daughter smiling, happy to be out of school. Or just happy to see me, Heather "Riff" Rafferty and her GMC Envoy with the duct tape bumper. 

Please nod your head to the playlist below the next time YOU'RE in the car rider line, working out, at your desk, rolling deep with your friends, doing dishes or just need to go back to a simpler time.   

Creased khaki classics by Heather Rafferty on Apple Music