Jolie contacted me after I photographed her friend Elena’s Wedding a few months back. She liked my style of photography and inquired about an engagement session. I knew from the get go that she was full of energy and life and that we were going to have a great session. I could just tell from the way she typed her emails. Everything was “Hey My Dear, Good Morning!!! & Hello Miss!! How are you!?” Those are refreshing to read, it was like I knew her before I even met her.
I’ve been waiting to post this session for a while now, the memory of this day will never be far from my mind.
Jolie and her fiance Albert booked a session and the plan was to photograph half in the French Quarter and half in City Park. Well just after we wrapped up our 30 minutes in the quarter, I walked back to my car to head to City Park. As all the fun photos I had just taken flooded my mind, I hopped in my car and fastened my seatbelt. I began driving from street to street and then BOOMMMMMMM!!!!! I had been in a really bad car accident. What just happened?
I’ve never been so scared in my whole life. I opened my car door and just starting bawling crying, before I could call 911, they were on their way. Who called so fast? Am I okay? Is he okay? My hands couldn’t even move quick enough to make the call. It was like as if the world stopped for 5 minutes, everything was slow and dreamlike. I was shaking. There were people on every side of the street trying to see what happened.
They say when you go through a trauma you brain starts to just take still images of whats going on. Well, I snapped out of it when I realized I was okay. I had a couple of bruises and the other guy had broken his wrist. The following day at Sunday Mass, I think I prayed harder then I ever had. I could have gotten aggravated and questioned why this happened to me? I could have wondered if I deserved this? Instead I prayed and said thank you. Thank you for allowing me to be okay and for it not to have been any worse. Thank you for protecting me. There was an unconditional love I felt from God that day, he was there the whole time. It was weird, right after the accident happened, I opened my car door and it was like the sky opened up and the rain came pouring down. Then all of a sudden just 1 minute later, it stopped..it was gone. Did that mean something? I felt comforted for that split second.
My car was totaled and it was painful to even think about for weeks after the accident. I’m just thankful that we were both okay and I am convinced that my faith is what pulled me through. It’s honestly what pulls me though everyday.
So we finally wrapped up Jolie and Albert’s Engagement Session this past weekend at City Park. We met just as the sun was going down so we got some great shots of the “fairydust” in the sky. (That’s what I used to call the sky when I was little, when it turns blue, pink and purple just before the sun sets.) Thank you both for being so patient with all the rescheduling due to the accident and once again because of the rain. We finally got it DONE! And dang…yall loook good! :)
This is Jolie’s email after viewing them:
Hey Chick!!!
I just left you a message. YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!
I am absolutely in love with your work. Girl, I thought I was drenched in sweat that day… MISS MAGICIAN!!!
I called the Mister and raved and raved… Phenomenal…
Can’t wait to order prints.
Have a great weekend vacation and let’s talk when you get back about the little nephew’s photo session.
I will be a loyal customer!!!
Thanks,
~ Jolie
Here are some of my favorite shots….. (Check out Jolie’s smile, her laugh is contagious…..)
