2013 Year in Review

This was one of the hardest blog posts I've ever done.  I started going through the sessions and picking my favorites and quickly realized that I would end up with hundreds of images.  So, instead of choosing that way, I thought it would be better if I thought back to the sessions and chose images that I remembered loving without going through each session.

Now, before I post the images…I'd like to get sentimental on you, if I may.

I sincerely hope you and your family have a New Year full of blessings, laughter and more!

Neely's Photography has had a wonderful year and it's all because of you! We've had so many sessions full of fun and great memories! I am so grateful for everyone that has booked sessions, liked the Facebook page and supported Neely's Photography. This year I have met new, wonderful people and have been able to reunite with great, old friends. I am truly flattered and honored to photograph those important memories and moments for you. Without you guys Neely's Photography wouldn't exist!

I cannot wait to see what the next year has in store. I am excited to meet sweet couples as they travel together through engagement into marriage. I can't wait to photograph families and watch them interact and grow together. I look forward to meeting seniors as they're preparing to venture into their new lives after high school. I am anxious to meet and photograph all of these people and more! As I always am, I will be honored and excited to be a part of your story with you, whatever it may be! I hope you had a Merry Christmas and thank you again so much for your support! You all truly mean the world to me!

See ya next year! ;)

You can view all the sessions by clicking here --> Sessions from 2013 (When you get to the bottom, click "older entries" and it will take you to another page of sessions from 2013)

Without further ado, here are my favorite images from 2013 in no particular order (actually, they're in alphabetical order, lol)… (Imagine me backing away like Vanna White and curtains opening)

To see more of my favorite images from 2013, please click read more!

Kramer Family {{Family Mini Session // Southwest Missouri Family Portrait Photographer}}

Where do I begin with this beautiful family?

Jessica has been one of my absolute best friends since we were 5 years old.  Can you imagine the kind of memories we accumulated over that many years?  Some of the times I've laughed the hardest were times that we were together...and not many people ever understood what was so funny...but we were hilarious to each other.

It had been almost 7 years since we'd seen each other so I was so, so happy to see her and meet her family.  Her girls were THE BEST. I have never met two happier kids in my life.  They smiled for me every time I lifted the camera and did every single thing I asked of them.  I couldn't have asked for better subjects to photograph.  I could go on for hours about how precious they are, but I'll hold back.

I think that their pictures turned out gorgeous...but what else could you expect from a family like this?  I had such a hard time narrowing down my favorites, so I basically didn't and just posted them all. :p

I hope you enjoy their pictures.  Leave them a comment and let them know what a lovely family they are!!

To see more images from this beautiful family's session, please click read more!

Tyler + Chelsey {{Couple Mini Session // Southwest Missouri Couple Portrait Photographer}}

I had such a great time with Tyler, Chelsey, and their pups!  The dogs loved the big open field!! It was so funny to watch them run as fast as they could from one end to the other.  And if you want to see pure joy, look at the last picture in the post. :p

As soon as I met Tyler and Chelsey I could tell they were a couple that loved to have fun together.  They love each other and love to be silly with one another.  I love when I meet couples and I can see things like that about them in just a few minutes of meeting them. 

Here are some of my favorite images from their session!!

To see more adorable images from this session, please click read more!

Essary Family {{Family Mini Session // Southwest Missouri Family Portrait Photographer}}

Savannah and I use to hang out and have so much fun a lot when we were younger.  It had been forever since we'd seen each other, so I was very excited when she wanted one of my mini session spots!!

I had SO much fun with them!! I could really tell being around them that they're a family that loves to be together and when they're together it's always a good time. I really think you get a sense of this when you look at their images.  Spencer cracked me up the entire time.  He told me that my lens looked like an eyeball, so I'd ask him to look into my eyeball.  Every time I did, he'd say eyeball but it sounded more like "Eyebooowwwllll!" It was so funny! And don't think I even have to mention how adorable he is. That's already obvious. :)

Here are my favorites from their session!! Be sure and leave them comments to tell them what an awesome family they are!!

To see more images from this awesome session, please click read more!

Dwight + Allison {{Couple Session Southwest Missouri Couple Photographer}}

This session has been featured on

Man guys, lately the sessions I've been booking have been really, really amazing and every session becomes my new favorite!

Contrary to what you might believe, this beautiful couple are not models that I hired for a session.  They're a real couple who just so happen to be my family.

I was very excited when Allison contacted me a while ago for some pictures of her, her husband and Bear.  For a lot of reasons, but the main one being that Dwight is my cousin and a part of my family that, sadly, I don't see often.

When she sent me pictures of their outfits and told me what she wanted her session to be like, I got even more excited because I knew it was going to turn out awesome.  And I could not be happier with how their images turned out.

Leave them some happy comments below! :)

I'm also going to add a fun little image that I did for myself.  I have been wanting to do a double exposure for a long time and when I saw this image, I thought it would be the perfect one to try it with! Personally, I love how it turned out! What do you think?

Oh! One more thing!! Dwight is a very talented contractor! Check out his website here: http://www.sperbercontracting.com and like his Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/SperberContracting