Once upon a time in my past life, I was a camp counselor at Camp Mystic for Girls. I was a counselor there for six years. Camp Mystic is a magical place where every summer, girls return again and again to spend either two weeks or a month of their summer with their cabin-mates, which stay the same all of their years spent there. I was always the counselor who was left alone on my co-counselors’ nights off with dozens of children under the age of 10 to corral. My cabin almost always had the privilege of getting out of rest hour early for commissary due to the fact that I consistently threatened to throw anything they left on the cabin floor out the front door. I taught swimming and diving as my activities, training girls to do inwards and gainers and one-and-a-halfs despite their fears and worries. I met and watched amazing young women grow up before my eyes and to this day, thanks to social media, I still keep in touch with many of them. One of them lives in Mexico City, one studied abroad in London, some are married, a few are engaged, a few already have children. I am so proud of all of them and who they have become.
And then the day came that one of them got engaged and then asked me to photograph their wedding and that made me feel incredibly, unbelievably esteemed.
You wouldn’t have to press me hard to say that Halie was always one of my favorites. She has turned into the beautiful, smart, engaging woman I expected her to become. There has always been a spark of laughter in her eye and to no surprise, she’s found the most amazing partner for her life. Price is charming, respectful and clearly loves her. I am so honored to photograph their wedding, which will be held just down the street from Mystic at Camp La Junta, and even more excited to share their Austin engagement session, during which I basically just made them go everywhere. At least we did have cocktails first though. Thanks for accomodating me, y’all and thanks for the highest honor you can bestow on your camp counselor.
If you’re wondering, the umbrellas are an art installation on Aldrich Street in the Mueller neighborhood.
