this session is dear to me for so many reasons. the best way to sum it up though is to repeat what i said on my facebook page about this beautiful woman: i secretly believe every "pro" photographer has them. the people who believed in you before you actually knew what you were doing. i'm not talking about your spouse or your family, or someone who loves you and knows you in real life. i'm talking about those strangers out there who somehow noticed your work when you were still mostly messing around. they believed in you before you even believed in you. then the thing that makes them more amazing---is that they continue to do so. they actually stick around--and they get behind every thing you do -always encouraging, always supportive. and even though you know you don't always deserve it, you are so so grateful, because without the kind words, you may not have kept going.

valerie was/is all that and more for me. then she had to go and become a way more amazing photographer than i am

(http://www.colibriphoto.com/project/)

awhile back i had the huge honor of photographing her family in NYC. it was so hard for me to choose an image from our session to fb preveiw because there were so many lovely ones---but i think this simple capture does a great job of showing the inner and outer beauty of my good friend valerie. xoxoxo canon eos 3, tri-x.