Horseshoe Bend in Page, Arizona at golden hour is nothing short of magical. Add in a gorgeous bride and groom and 60 of their closest family and friends bathed in the warm desert light and you have something like a dream. Sheri + James said their joyful, tearful “I dos” earlier this month canyon side and I had the honor of being there to capture it all.
Here we are in the heart of a frigid winter (even for us Floridians at times) and I’m dreaming of warmer days. So why not share a peek into Alexa and Jordan’s seaside Sanibel Island wedding from this past summer. Revisiting these images is like a treat! I can almost hear the lull of the waves and the rustle in the palm leaves and nearly feel the sweet summertime sun on my skin…
In reflecting on the last year I took some time to note things that had given me life or drained me in the past. (It’s an effort in aiding in decision making for this “decision fatigued” gal right here. And the idea is all thanks to Emily P. Freeman and her “The Next Right Thing” podcast!) Something that undeniable breathed life in to my work and inspiration was the process of shooting creatively with film. (You can check out my past blog post about the process and love affair by clicking here and here.) So I set out to spend more time behind my film camera pointing it at beautiful things and lovely light by marking down a few “inspired styled shoots” in my calendar. This is the very first of them…
Anna Grace’s Senior Session at Dark Hammock Legacy Ranch was nothing short of a dream…
This pair and their wedding celebration was so near and dear to our hearts. What an honor it was to be there to capture another GCBI couple's wedding day (officiated by my husband)! And what a sweet blessing it is to know their deep love for the Lord and each other. (Bonus was getting to see and catch up with so many amazing GCBI alumni. Plus the absolutely gorgeous Ohio weather sans humidity for a few days too!) Congrats Liz and Kevin!
xoxo, Caroline
Exciting news for Caroline Maxcy Photography! Which mainly means I'll have a baby belly in tow (and more than likely a photo assistant or two) for my fall weddings and sessions and I'll have a little "artist in training" in tow in the new year and beyond!
3 years waiting and praying
36 months of hope and patience
1 year with the kindest fertility specialist
Countless vitamins, supplements, prescriptions, shots, ultrasounds, blood tests, diet adjustments, yoga poses, etc.
2 failed IUI procedures
1 successful that ended in miscarriage
Months of healing
1 pandemic, postponed treatment & “shelter in place” order later...
led us to you.
Baby girl we’ve been waiting and waiting and praying and praying specifically for you.
We’ve watched as you’ve grown from the size of a whispered prayer to a poppyseed, to a pear.
We can’t wait to welcome a new year with you!
Baby Girl Fox Arriving December 2020
“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” James 1:17
Keelan’s stylish senior session in the charming seaside town of Boca Grande was definitely worth the afternoon trip to Florida’s sunny west coast. We explored the little island all the way from it’s quaint and colorful downtown, to the shade of the majestic, tree lined Banyon Street to the white sand beaches of Florida’s gentle Gulf. I loved capturing this little part of Keelan’s story as she prepares to head off to Liberty University in the fall. And I so loved how she danced through it all.
It seems like a lifetime ago when in early March we were sneaking in this engagement session with Megan and Matt visiting some of Highlands County’s prettiest spots (including the dreamy Highlands Hammock State Park, a golden field, an orange grove in bloom and a lakeside sunset stop). Its oh-so-good to be easing back into it all because if there is one thing I’ve noticed over this past few months it’s that life hasn’t stopped moving forward in joyous, momentous ways. Of folks near and dear to me I can count at least five engagements, three impromptu weddings/elopements and a handful of little ones being welcomed into the world amidst the chaos of a pandemics and protests. Though our world may be forever altered by this time our love presses forward resilient and in many cases stronger than ever. We are pausing and listening and learning and praying and in so many ways striving to live out Philippians 2:3-4 daily, working to “regard one another as more important than yourselves… not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” And while the timing has shifted and the settings may look different we have so many reasons to celebrate “us” together. Bold, passionate, wildly different, made in His image, us. I’m so excited to be turning my gaze towards and capturing a little more of that each and every day.
What a giant breath of fresh air it was to capture Mandy’s gorgeous senior photos on the sunniest of Florida springtime days at the ranch. My first official session post pandemic lock-down. There certainly have been a lot of inconveniences for us all during this time and my heart goes out to those and their family members who have been physically effected by this disease. But aside from those dealing with the real life struggles of being diagnosed with the sickness my heart aches most for those missing, shifting and adjusting through once in a lifetime opportunities. New moms giving birth in lonely hospital rooms, wedding celebrations postponed or wildly scaled back, loved ones straining to watch via Facetime and livestreams and last but certainly not least seniors walking out their last days of grade school holed up at home, unworn prom dresses and graduation caps and gowns tucked away. If anything it has been such a joy to take a few moments to celebrate these incredible milestone with such gracious people. Thank you for the honor, you guys.
From hiking in the Grand Canyon to a cliffside Horseshoe Bend wedding to the breathtaking Zion National Park to surreal Death Valley to the sparkling Eastern California Lakes to a sunny Yosemite National Park our 10 day road trip last fall was truly magical. I understand that scrolling down through all of the below images could feel a bit like someone forcing you to look at all their vacation photos, while sitting on their couch waiting to eat dinner or something. But here’s the thing I can’t force you, though if you are a fan of sweeping, breathtaking National Park vistas captured in crisp fall western light I’d strongly encourage you to warm your scrolling finger up for the journey. Last fall my husband and I spent over 1000+ miles on the road together (I drove a total of two of those) spanning 4 States and 4 National Parks nestled between two weddings. When two couples near and dear to us starting talking about their October wedding dates out west, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. If they happened to pick two back to back weekends I was taking it as a sign that we needed to road trip between the two from the Grand Canyon to Ripon, Ca. And it certainly looked like there was some pretty neat stuff in between the two. 20 rolls of film later… I couldn’t help myself. It was the dear Lord that gave us near perfect weather in peak fall leave season. What. A. Gift.
It was probably last summer when my best friend started strongly suggesting we get a trip on the books for my 40th Birthday in February. “We can’t just let it come and go without doing anything. You’re turning 40!” she’d say. We cleared our schedules for a long weekend adventure and then… I just couldn’t commit. Where to go? Who could come? Would I want to be away from my hubby and family on my actual 40th bday? I drug my feet and it wasn’t until the beginning of my birth month (and after my miscarriage) before I could get serious about getting something booked. I dreamed of lounging by a pool, a turquoise water view and some lovely R&R with yummy food. Florida was filled to the brim this time of year and all our favorite resorts were either booked or only available at an exorbitant price. Then we noticed that fights to Puerto Rico from Tampa were crazy affordable and resorts weren’t nearly as expensive. We could fly to PR and stay a few nights at a lovely resort for less than booking a place in Florida. And it checked all of my boxes. Plus we ended up doing a mid week trip that got us back on the Saturday of my actual birthday. Which mean’t I could celebrate the day with the hubs and my family. We were in!
Ormond Beach, FL | January 2020 | Contax 645 , Fujifilm Pro 400h 120
2020 began with so many hopes held lightly. Can we even remember those days? I took a weekend away with a sweet friend to dream and plan and breathe by the sea. But all I could think about was the baby growing inside me. When we first arrived I thought to myself, “this is your first trip to the sea little one.” I thought there would be many. The trip involved little actual actionable planning on my end (I blame the pregnancy brain). But the life giving conversation flowed freely as it usually does in the presence of said friend. We sat and talked about her own unexpected journey to parenthood, her two precious children carried in the womb of other women, the four she carried herself for a time that were called home to Jesus too early it seemed. The fragility of it all weighed upon me. No matter how many specialists we see, diet changes we make, yoga poses we do it’s Jesus that makes that call. Like the mystery of the vast ocean before us and inside us, the push and pull of the tides, the treasures it gifts at its shores. We journey here and dip our toes in its cool embrace, this ever moving sliver of a foamy line in the sand. We stare hazy eyed at something beyond what’s before us and breathe it in. I’d go here again and again and again to stand in awe in the familiar unknown just to know how small I am, how big He is and how the amount of trips we’ll take to the shore—for ourselves or the babies we’ll carry there—are numbered and known only by our Savior Jesus. What a comforting reminder these days and everyday that we don’t have to know the answers or the reason or the plan. We don’t have to ache to know what is held in the grasp of tomorrow when we know Jesus today.
xoxo, Caroline
A still life at home | March 2020 | Contax 645 , Fujifilm Pro 400h 120
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:27
I’ve started photographing seemingly random things around my house when I need to use up the last few shots of a roll of film. Peaceful still life’s from home. And I have to say these little treasures I’ve collected have been some of my favorites. Although I much prefer the company of people (extrovert over here) in these unknown times with talks of pandemics and quarantines I’m thankful to have a place of peace to call home. Not just in my house with restful, quiet scenes like this one atop my in-home office/sunroom bookcase but also in the arms of my Savior who calls us weary and burdened souls to come to Him and find rest anywhere, anytime.
xoxo, Caroline
Last week my plan was to be wrapping up some photo work, finalizing my packing and hitting the skies to Italy. We’d planned to join the Christian Travel Studies Program tour following in the steps of Paul. I had plans to introduce my husband to the country I’ve fallen in love with over the years. We planned to gorge on pasta and pizza and all the good, fresh Italian veggies. And we’d planned to get in a few extra fun excursions along the way including a day trip to the Amalfi coast where I stood awestruck exactly 20 years and half a lifetime ago proclaiming it my favorite place on the planet. / “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9 / The Lord (and the Coronavirus) had other plans and our trip has been postponed, which honestly is a relief amidst all the Coronavirus unknown and quarantines these days. Rearranged plans, flight waivers and tour vouchers are a small thing and while they maybe disappointing and totally unexpected they come as no surprise at all to our Lord. Nothing is a surprise to Him. Which is the biggest relief all around especially in those harder "postponements" we’ve been walking these days. This season has been a difficult road of postponements and heartbreak all at once...
"What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light..." Matthew 10:27
Today we are standing in the fragile light of postponed parenthood. My husband and I have been walking in a 3 year long journey of delayed fertility. Then on this past Christmas morning our world's changed with a faint pink line on a pregnancy test. We were finally parents and we walked into the new year and new decade carrying our child, our future family and our hopes fulfilled. That fragile joy of the first trimester filled our every moment of every day. Then just at the end of January we got the news no new parents want to hear. We were losing our baby. Less than a week later our precious first baby slipped from our earthly embrace and into the arms of our Savior. Parenthood postponed.
Somewhere in the midst of all of that I turned 40 you guys. What was supposed to be a bday and pregnancy announcement (I may have already had the wording all worked out with something along the lines of “the best bday gift is coming Sept. 2020”) instead the celebration was something with a little less fanfare surrounded by my nearest and dearest and a few oversized balloons. The big 4-0 launches me into a new decade and into an entirely new stats bracket for fertility. Which I can only laugh at. The Lord has done crazier things and that’s what we are praying for with open hands and surrendered hearts just after our prayer for His will in our lives on earth as it is in heaven.
There is so much more to this story. So much to tell of the Lord’s goodness in the journey. Chance meetings, unexpected new friendships with refreshing encouragement, tiny miracles and opportunity after opportunity to share of the glory of the Lord along the way even if it’s been through unexpected tears and choked back words of questioning in the new unknown. Reminds me a bit (in a way more toned down, less persecuted way) of Paul’s journey. From imprisonments to shipwrecks (to viper bites!) his story was unexpected and I can only imagine didn’t go quite as he planned. And yet all along the way he preached Jesus. And in the wake of his journey were new believers and so much new hope. Kinda like it’s the way The Lord drew it up.
Today I pray that we have the courage to share Jesus and His story in our lives. That we have the eyes and maturity to not only frantically search out purpose in the postponed but rest in true peace even in the unknown. Knowing that we walk according to the plans of the all knowing Jesus. May our lives and our stories be fully and completely His and whole heartedly for His glory.
And for Italy, I have hope that we will see you again soon if the Lord wills. But in the meantime we will have to settle for Dominos delivery for dinner and reminiscing through old photos like this one of the Florence’s majestic Duomo at sunset.
xoxo, Caroline
