sweet Dara.

dear sweet Dara. where do i even begin?

as a photographer, you meet many other photographers. and when you meet one, it's almost like you can look in their eyes and you just know, you can read it in their eyes. you know that you're going to be friends, that you're going to relate, that your passion for photography will bind an amazing friendship that will be cherished. it always starts at photography, but that is just the start. you become more than just photography buddies, you become friends. the kind friends that when you point your camera at them to prove to them they're beautiful, you end up showing them their beautiful soul as well. you show them their internal beauty. they're the kind friends that when they reach for your hand, they grasp your heart. they become special friends that are held in a special spot in your heart. well Dara is extra special.

first, i'll tell our story. Dara doesn't know this, but our story started this summer. my cousin talked about her a lot this summer. and then she showed me her facebook page. but you see, i am terrible. i critique work like none other. since i'm a photographer, i look at other photographers work and tear it apart. but see, mine isn't just dang amazing either, so in truth i really shouldn't do it. but i do. and it helps me focus on my own work and improve. anyway, back to the story. so Dara was an amateur. that's what i had figured. i picked apart her pictures. butttt here's the thing. i saw her potential, her talent. i must have, because man alive you don't even know how many times i found myself facebook stalking her. i was keeping track of her work, following her in a sense. now let us fast forward to the school year.

Dara and i started out this school year going to the same school. we had texted each other for awhile before the school year started. she was new, i was new, we could share that journey together. so once school started, each day we passed each other many a time in the halls, giving each other a small smile maybe, but that's it. then my cousin (the one that showed me Dara's facebook) was determined to introduce us. Dara knew who i was and vice versa, but we hadn't talked. so one day, my cousin brought Dara over and introduced us. but to this day, i still can't believe how i acted on that first day. i had been in a pretty deep conversation with another friend, so when Dara came to say hi, it was a quick glance up, a grin, a hello, a tiny bit of small talk, and then i dove back into my other conversation. i can't believe how rude i was! after that first day, Dara probably thought that i was straight up arrogant and rude. and i felt bad. i was kicking myself. i had just missed the chance to make a friend of a lifetime. or had i?

one day i ended up riding Dara's bus to school in the AM. and somehow, i landed myself a spot right next to her! and i'm so glad it worked out that way. because that bus ride started the deep friendship we share today. that day we talked. not the small talk junk, no. we actually talked! and to this day we still have the ability to talk. about everything. we understand each other so well it's crazy. we are so dang similar. just two girls, both with a passion for photography. a passion that has bound a friendship so so tight.

Dara, bless her soul, is such a sweet girl. she has a passion for life, a great sense of humor, a contagious smile, a heart the size of Texas, an immense love for God, an awesome taste in clothing (this girl's got style!), one word: her hair, shes so easy to talk to, with an amazing positive attitude, and she just has a happiness that spreads for miles around. serious.

and trust me, i'm not forgetting to share a very important part of Dara with you. this girl has an amazing talent. please take a little bit of time to check this girl out. her WEBSITE is under construction right now, and little does Dara know, i check every.single.day to see if she's published it yet. and her work can also be found on her FACEBOOK page. please please please check out her talent. her passion shows. it definitely does.

not only that. this girl has a beauty that shines from the inside out. take a look for yourself.

and beware.. there are lots of photos! but please wade through them all. this girl is gorgeous!

favorites.<3

ERRG! this looks so much different on the blog. grrrr.

love this one, too. <3

and this is Dara, always lighting up the world with her beautiful smile. and her contagious laugh.

actually, this might be my very favorite. [LOVE] this one.<3 (this one looks weird on the blog though.. hmm.)

and now you can see why i fell in love with photography all over again. from the subject to the location to the lighting, everything about this session was amazing. please go visit Dara's pages and check out her work. she definitely has a gift for photography.

dear sweet Dara. i love you so much. thank you for being my friend. <3

xoxo.bree

her facebook page and website can be found here.