WPPI | Las Vegas, Baby.

Ahhh.. this trip was lonnnng-awaited, but it finally came. A few months ago, I was encouraged to actually go to WPPI and not just dream of going like I have the past couple of years. WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers International) is an organization formed to serve wedding photographers. Speakers and photography vendors from all over the world meet up in Las Vegas for a week of sharing wisdom, knowledge, and experience. I left for this trip with an almost guilt for leaving when I had/have SO much to do. I was working my way to sickness (which I am now..bleh), but I kept going, not giving myself one ounce of a breather to recharge myself. Kate, my best friend and YWAM roommate from 3 years ago, emailed me an article that hit home: A Creator Makes Progress Through Rest. Please read it. At the PhotogUnite (a group of Christian photographers at WPPI) meeting, I learned how to depend on Him in my business and let others help me instead of taking it all on myself. Most importantly, I learned to understand the seriousness of resting.. as simple as not eating lunch in FRONT of my laptop while working, but taking an actual lunch break. I'm posting this at 2am..with flu-like symptoms, so I'm still learning.. obviously, but I'll get there. Baby steps. ;)

This quote is taken straight from Kate Noelle's blog, and it's so true.

"The bright side is what everyone else sees…. the flexible schedule, being my own boss, working in my pajamas, etc. The not so bright side is what very few people see…. such as working by myself most days, a packed schedule full of things a whole office of people would normally be working on, lots of taxes, etc."

I love that people see the bright side, but I sometimes feel like I need people to understand the other. This week I met some of those people. It was so refreshing and absolutely needed. I LOVE WPPI!!!!!

Here are some photos from the week. I hardly took ANY with my actual camera because we were so busy, but here are a random bunch from mine and Katie's phones:


1. I totally purchased a fedora. 2. An album company used names from LOST as their album cover couples. hah. made my day.

Saw the Grand Canyon on the flight over. :)

My tired Vegas buddy and my TOMS/suitcase.



I met sweet Bobbi from Bobbi+Mike. This lady is pretty fantastic.. makes everyone she meets feel loved. I like that. :) This wasn't our first encounter. Our first involved her RUNNING down the hall and giving me a full-on hug. Yeah.. that's how awesome she is.

[suhk-ses] WPPI 2011 from stillmotion on Vimeo.

I rested, and although I miss Kate Noelle more than words, it was a PERFECT trip. I'm so glad to be home and to see how my business changes now. It will be for the better.. stay tuned. :)

Paper Cut Couture | SPC Fashion Show

I love making random connections with people. I love finding out you both listen to the same music, both bought the same on-clearance shoes last week, both been to the same countries, both read the same books, or both know the same people. It's so common in Lubbock to see the same people in the same places, living out their routine and making connections on the way. One of my regular places is Sugarbrown's. [Please follow that link to their Twitter page, start following them, and drop a hint that @BetsyLackey is dying to be regular of the month. ;) Someday..] Sugarbrown's is one of my "offices", and I was working one day when a girl named Megan overheard a conversation I was having with someone. After the conversation, she confidently approached me and asked if I was a photographer. She does a lot of a graphic design work and was simply interested in another art. We got to talking for a while, traded information, and got back to work. After that day, we saw each other all the time at OUR office. One afternoon, Megan asked if I'd be interested in shooting a Fashion Show for the Design program at SPC. The dresses/pieces would all be made from paper. I was immediately intrigued, and I immediately marked it in my calendar. I was honored to capture the behind the scenes of the day, the different paper creations, the genius creativity of the makeup artists, and the execution of the entire show. Check out how incredible this crew is!

Meet the fashion coordinator, Mi-Sa Nguyen:

Texture & Color. I couldn't get enough.



Vera Wang meets Tim Burton. :)






The make-up artists were pretty phenomenal. They were constantly working.

I snatched a photo of me too. hah

















And finally, the appreciation through applause (this should have gone on for hours):


Thanks for letting me join you guys that weekend! You were all so awesome. Keep in touch!

Aycock Wedding | Stephen & Amanda

This blog post is long-delayed, partially and mostly because I can't even begin to share how special this bride is to me.

Amanda & I went to highschool together.. laughed together.. shared life together.. travelled together.. laughed together.. played basketball together (well, she played. I tried).. laughed together.. got in trouble together.. studied together.. annnnd laughed together. Amanda has the most contagious laugh of anyone you'll ever meet. There were countless times we would get in trouble because we were sitting at the back of class giggling about NOTHING. We would start laughing, and by the time we were in tears from laughing, we would totally forget what we were laughing at in the first place.

It is such a gift to be able to laugh at yourself. Life is too serious without that rare and valuable quality. It makes life fast because you're not dwelling on the heaviness of life (hey.. it's there.. you can't ignore it), but at the same time, when you look back, you remember the times you smiled and even laughed through life's inevitable hardship. Amanda taught me this, and that wisdom is precious to me. Ahhh, before I start crying from writing this post, I will share a quote from Garden State (if you haven't seen it, you must) and share a few RIDICULOUS pictures from mine and Amanda's high school friendship, and then finally.. some frames from the day she married her best friend: the one she'll grow old with, the man she dreamed about in high school. I'm still dreaming of mine. :)

"If you can't laugh at yourself, life's gonna seem a whole lot longer than you like...what do you do? You laugh. I'm not saying I don't cry but in between I laugh, and I realize how silly it is to take anything too seriously. Plus, I look forward to a good cry. It feels pretty good." -Sam (Garden State)

This is absolutely bold of me to post these. 1. She might murder me. 2. Let's face it. I had an awkward stage from elementary to past my high school graduation. Lucky me.

At the Lackey cabin:

Pretending to be cool in Italy..


I don't even know..


We vowed to never grow up.


Highschool retreat (yes.. i had flaming red hair):



Senior trip:


Then, she met her man..


I can hear her laugh looking at this. ha



Another dress shot. Sometimes, one isn't enough.


Stephen is a basketball coach in Plainview, and on wedding day, the soccer ball was all that was on hand in the church. I think it was sufficient for the afternoon. :)

A's mom is the sweetest woman on the planet.. I mean it.. she really is.


Another ring shot. Sometimes, one isn't enough. ;) Check out Amanda's Steve Madden gold glitter heels! She is a woman of many shoes.



The guys asked to do the "Tombstone walk". It was absolutely necessary. haha




Who's excited!?!?



This was a pretty memorable speech. ;)





Oh. & one more for the road.. hahah.



Stephen & Amanda, thank you so much for everything! I am so excited for you guys to continue sharing life together as husband and wife. :) May God bless your family with joy beyond comprehension (I know He will), and I'm so excited to hear about it. Your strength together is so beautiful. I pray it only grows as you allow Jesus to strengthen you individually. Manda, you're my hero. Don't forget it. -Bets