Erica M Photography »

My sister Eileen came to visit over her spring break from Boston College. She came to Wichita Falls. For an entire week. I told her she was more than welcome, but she might get a tad bored! We did a good amount of exploring, around the Falls, Jacksboro, and the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. This was the third time I’ve been, and normally I love it.

I don’t know how they usually do things out west but where I come from, parks mark trails. Not just trail heads. All the way up. All the way down. Colors. Shapes. Animals. Names. Something. Beware of hiking in the Wichita Mountains. All you have is worn away grass from previous hikers. Or vagrants. Well, my brave sister and I got all the way up and half way back down one such mountain until they path sort of fizzled out and we were faced with a lots of steep rocks heading into a dense forest. And this was as the sun was setting at about 6:00pm, but I can’t really say the time for sure. We weren’t wearing watches and didn’t bring cell phones. Not that there was any reception out there anyway. So the sun is going down, we’re freaking out, going up and down the side of a mountain to try to find where we went wrong. Impossible. I decided that I am not having a sleep over with the bison as comfortable as they might be to cuddle up to on a cold night. Legs shaking we hoofed it, haha, back down hoping we’d find the bridge we first crossed and not have to forge the river and loose 3 of our oxen. And my DSLR. We made it. Just as the sun went down. I say, “At least you weren’t bored!” She rolls her eyes.

I should really start calling Eileen’s sessions all-the-time instead of anytime. I think I photograph her more than anyone. (Maybe Fred, but he’s so darn goofy.) Eileen is gorgeous. I’m not biased or anything, I’m just her big sister.

I love the sunsets in the big Texas sky, their golden light lasts so long. As Lindsay said, there is nothing blocking it but the edge of the earth. It’s beautiful. So we got some great shots as the sun went down, Eileen in her adorable dress and pink chucks ;)

I am second shooting a bunch of weddings this season (first one’s this Saturday!) with Meegan Weaver of Photography by Meegan. In June I’m assisting her with Cherise and Shawn’s wedding and what better way to get to know them then come along on their engagement shoot! They were certainly up for anything Meegan threw at them and Cherise’s jumping idea was so fun!