Abby and I met up late last spring for a fun photoshoot to capture her senior year.
This beauty is my cousin and doesn’t live in the Quad Cities, but she came into town so that we could dive head first into the style closet to bring an editorial edge to her photoshoot. The idea for this shoot started when I was shopping at Aldi and I found a super cute pair of rain boots and a matching umbrella.  I reached out to Abby to see if she would be down for a photoshoot and she immediately said yes – I was so stoked!  Abby brought her graduation cap and gown so that we could get some grad pics and I LOVE the one where she is laughing – such an awesome shot representative of the fun and amazing person that she is.  For her third look, we were able to capture some photos in Abby’s beautiful yellow prom dress – the sky was GORGEOUS for these shots!  The fourth look that we experimented with started when I found this “SENIORS” shirt in Iowa City. I knew that it would be epic for a shoot and Abby brought her A game for sure – the photos that we have posted on our social media have been nationally featured multiple times. The last look that we ended the night with was all straight from the style closet.  We paired some retro leggings with a cool vintage jacket and threw in some Gucci inspired sunglasses that I had scored during a trip to Chicago.  I love how Abby was open to having me style her from head to toe and utilizing the accessories from the style closet really pushed her fashion quotient the next level.  Thanks for being so awesome and doing everything and anything I suggested (namely climbing on top of that crazy wall in the last look)!

Much love to you, my cousin!! xoxo

Moxie Design is an award-winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Meet Carson.
This handsome Geneseo senior and I met up last October on a day that was FREEEEZING cold.  Not only was it cold, but it was spitting rain and super windy, which could quite often force a session to be rescheduled.  I talked to his mom that morning and we both decided to just go for it and see what we could capture, knowing that we could finish up the session on a second day if need be.  Carson is one of the sweetest and most genuine people that I think I have ever met.  From the first few minutes when we met up in the bowling alley, to the very last shots outside along the river (where it is even colder and windier than usual) Carson’s smile never left his face.  He has such an amazing energy and is full of so much positivity that it is contagious.  I am so thankful that Sam and I were able to be a part of Carson’s senior pictures.  Here is a little about what he had to say about his session with Moxie:

“I looked at my senior session as just another thing I had to do on the road to graduation but I have to say, I had a surprisingly great time! Karen made me comfortable immediately and from there it just got better.  I felt like we became fast friends.  I had secretly hoped the session would be shorter than planned but I had so much fun with them that it flew by.  Karen and Sam were a blast to be with and I think you can see how relaxed I am in my photos.  As a high school bowler I knew I wanted some on the lanes. I also wanted wooded and urban – we were all over the board but Karen came up with the perfect plan to make it all happen! She had great ideas on exactly where to go for the wooded and urban shots I was looking for and we couldn’t be happier with the results.  I didn’t have any fears, I just thought the session might be a little long but it flew by and I had so much fun. This shows in my photos because I’m relaxed and having a genuinely great time!   Towards the end of the shoot we were just laughing so hard and Karen actually just kept shooting. One of these shots became one of our favorites. It’s a black and white with my sunglasses on and I have the biggest smile on my face! It is so genuine and really shows so much of my personality.  I would tell anyone that they need to book Karen for their senior session! This is something they will never regret. Their photos will turn out amazing because Karen is fun and goofy and will have you laughing in no time. You will look relaxed and natural in your photos and your true personally will come out. I love Moxie Design because my photos exceeded expectations!”

One piece of advice that Carson has for other seniors getting their photos taken?  “Trust Karen! She’s the expert. You might think a pose is uncomfortable or a background is somewhat different but remember that she knows what looks great through the camera.”

If he could describe his overall senior session experience in one word, he would choose  “unforgettable.”

Thank you for letting us be a part of your senior year, my friend!!  Thanks for being awesome!

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Each year, we work with 15 models who represent Moxie Design during the end of their junior year through their senior year.
One of my favorite parts of working with our model team are the mini shoots!  This past October was our first time doing a fall session with these awesome seniors and now I think that this will be something that we do annually because the photos turned out SO beautiful!
We met up at Blackhawk State Park to be able to capture a variety of looks, colors and locations within one park.  Ten of our models took part in this years fall minis and I absolutely LOVE how these photos turned out.

Now that my time with this model team is coming to an end, I just want to say how much I have loved getting to know you all. I can’t believe it was last February when we first met up for our prom shoot!! Even though our sessions looked a bit different this year, I have loved getting to know each and every one of you.  Cheers to your awesome futures!!

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Meet Sophie.
This North Scott High School beauty and I met up in the fall of 2020 for her senior shoot.  I knew heading into Sophie’s session that we would capture some amazing shots as I LOVED her wardrobe selections.  She had these super awesome tights that literally took her senior photos to the. next. level.  Sophie really wanted to incorporate some art and color into her photos, and when scouting her, I stumbled across this amazing mural that was kind of tucked away from everything, but was still close to other locations along with a park where I knew we wanted to shoot as well.  This girl has a killer smile, an awesome fashion sense and is absolutely gorgeous!!

Here is a little about what Sophie had to say about her session with Moxie:
“Karen made my session so stress free and fun! I was worried about how I would look in the end but Karen made me feel like a model, something I have never felt before.  My favorite part of the day was how much fun Karen was to converse with – she made me feel special and comfortable.   My pictures turned out so amazing and I would recommend her to anyone who asks!  She made sure I was satisfied with my pictures and locations.  I wanted to show my creative side with colors and art so Karen picked out the perfect spot with a mural. I also wanted to incorporate my car in some way because I love my car with all of my heart and I’m so glad she let me include it.    It was truly amazing how she coordinated all of my outfits with the perfect location! Her assistant Sam was very funny (even if she wasn’t trying to be) and her and Karen together make the perfect combo of fun and professionalism.  Go to Moxie it’s seriously so worth it! Karen takes the time to truly know you and makes the whole session so much fun, plus you get snacks when you pick up your bag!  I love Moxie Design because it’s the most fun experience I’ve ever had!”

One piece of advice that Sophie has for other seniors getting their photos taken?
“Stay confident and trust your photographer!”  <– BEST. ADVICE. EVER!!!

If she could describe her overall senior session experience in one word, she would choose  “11/10”

Thank you for letting us be a part of your senior year, Sophie!!

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Meet Aidan.
This handsome Geneseo senior and I met up early last September for his senior pictures and it was unseasonably cold and spitting rain for his entire session.  We started off doing some bowling shots under a bridge overhang to keep Aidan dry in hopes that the weather forecast was correct in that there was ZERO precipitation appearing anywhere on the radar map.  Unfortunately, I don’t think it ever stopped misting and I remember we took a couple of warm up breaks where Aidan and his mom could get into the car and crank the heat.  I kept asking Aidan “do you want to reschedule?” and he repeatedly would say “no, let’s keep going.”  I loved his positive attitude and the fact  that he incorporated bowling and long boarding into his pictures!  Here is a little about what Aidan had to say about his session with Moxie:

“My overall session experience was great. Everyone was very nice. The weather was bad, but we made the best of it.  I tried to make the session as much like “me” as possible.  I really didn’t have any fears or worries going into the shoot and I would say that my favorite part of the session was getting the photos taken in my suit.  The most memorable part was the rain!  Karen and Sam were very kind and helpful and my pictures turned out fantastic.”

One piece of advice that he has for other seniors getting their photos taken?  “Don’t be nervous, just have fun with it!”  Great advice, my friend!

Thank you for letting us be a part of your senior year, Aidan!!

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Starting Moxie nearly 8 years ago, I had so many questions, worries and concerns – would I be successful? How would all of this come together? Would people actually pay me to take pictures of their families?
I remember back to when I first started taking photos and I was doing every type of shoot except for weddings – newborns, families, couples, corporate shoots, headshots, engagements, you name it.  I was taking the first steps of actually living out my dream and I was petrified, so basically, anyone that wanted me to do work for them was an immediate “YES!”  One night, my husband asked me what I wanted to make my specialty and then what would the steps be to make that happen?  I remember asking him “why do I need a niche?  I’m actually doing pretty darn good with my business.”  He then told me that if I didn’t focus any one thing, that I would never be the absolute best with any specific market.  That if I focused solely on my favorite type of shoot, that I could perfect posing, lighting, etc. and be the “go to” photographer in that genre.  The very next week I shot my first senior and it all clicked.  I absolutely loved everything about it – the fashion aspect, posing only one person and having so much fun from start to finish, laughing and experimenting with different locations and poses. It was way different than hours of waiting for a newborn to sleep or trying to bribe a family with five kids to all want to look at the camera at the same time.  So I started shooting as many seniors as I could and made a business plan of how I could take my business to the next level.  That’s when Matt mentioned that he thought I should meet Cameron at Haus of Heir with the idea of a potential partnership in having my girls go to HOH for hair and makeup prior to their sessions.  What happened next was magic.  At first, I would say fifty percent of my girls would add hair and makeup on to their sessions and when they did, the difference was amazing.  Not only did they show up to the session looking flawless, but their self confidence was already through the roof – and that is because of our amazing family at Haus of Heir.  Taylor, Ramiro and Cameron are not only the owners of Haus of Heir, but literally a huge part of the Moxie family.  Their uber talented staff never disappoint and always leave my girls feeling their absolute best, which seriously kicks off each and every session on the right foot.  Now, roughly six years later, nearly every girl that I work with goes to Haus of Heir before their senior session.  The beauty of the artists and creators at Haus of Heir is that they literally leave all of the decisions up to my girls – they can go from looking totally natural (but camera ready) to taking it next level GLAM for those that want to add an editorial edge to their senior pictures.  What most of my girls end up doing is somewhere in between totally natural and supermodel bold, and I love when they arrive to set with an extra spring in their step.  I cannot thank our Haus of Heir family enough for helping me to create a business that I absolutely love and take pride in, but allowing me to partner with a company that helps to take my work to the next level.  I love and appreciate each of you so much!!

Below are some of the hair and makeup looks that Haus of Heir did for my girls during the crazy year of 2020.  Can’t wait to see what magic they will create in 2021!!

I met up with Hailey early last fall for her senior photo session at this amazing horse stable.  The entire area looked like it was from a fairytale and the sky views we were able to capture there in her photos are priceless. Hailey is so sweet and we had a blast getting to know each other during her session.  It was a bit cold on the day of her shoot, but at the end of the day, she got into the water at Wildcat Den State Park (no shoes in a cute little dress) to capture some beautiful shots.  Having photographed multiple seniors with horses this year, I learned a lot about how they are supposed to look in photographs.  Hailey’s Grandma was absolutely awesome because she did anything and everything she could to get Bob to look at the camera and have his ears in proper form.  Grandma had me cracking up with her dances and whistles and it set the tone for the rest of the shoot.

When I asked Hailey about her shoot, she sent me the following as to how a typical convo would go when someone asks her about her senior photos – it really warmed my heart!!

Me: Shows friend my senior pictures from Moxie Design.
Friend: OMG those are the best senior pictures EVER!!! Who was your photographer?
Me: Karen from Moxie Design!

Here is a little about what Hailey had to say about her session with Moxie:
“My overall senior photo session experience was extremely enjoyable.  I never knew you could have so much fun doing a photo shoot! The kind of look I was trying to portray during the shoot was definitely striving to be able to showcase my passion for my horses and nature. My biggest fear about have my senior pictures take was that it would be awkward and that I would be extremely self conscious about my overall appearance. However, the outcome was a once in a life time experience that I will never forget- Karen made me feel comfortable and confident.  My favorite part of my Moxie Senior Experience was getting to take pictures with my best friend, my horse, Bob.  Our first location was at our barn so that my horse would be in a familiar environment so that he would be comfortable. But, my second location was at Wild Cat Den State Park and I choose this location because I love nature and the amazing bridge there. The most memorable moment of my session was taking pictures with my horse and my grandma behind the scenes. I love Moxie Design because they are friendly and make you feel like the best possible version of yourself.”

One piece of advice that Hailey has for other seniors getting their photos taken?  “Always take into consideration what your photographer has to say about posing and angles. They are the professional and don’t be afraid to try something new or unnatural those just might turn out to be the best photos.”

If she could describe her overall senior session experience in one word, she would choose  “exciting.”

Thank you for letting us be a part of your senior year, Hailey!!

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Sometimes in life you meet people that you just instantly click with and they become more like family than acquaintances or friends.  That was definitely the case with Aleigha and her amazing mom Jennifer.  I was so excited for Aleigha’s shoot as we were going to be incorporating a lot of items from the style closet into her shoot AND we were heading to her grandparent’s farm as one of the locations for her session.  I LOVE when we are able to experiment with accessories on a shoot – a simple accessory or two can completely change the look of a photo and Aleigha was ready to experiment with a bunch of different looks.  When we pulled up at her grandparent’s farm, Jennifer opened the hatch on her SUV and it was like the angels started singing.  Not only did we bring along a bunch of things to incorporate, but she had so many options that were all pressed, organized and it literally looked like Charming Charlie on wheels.  We started shooting with horses and then were able to shoot in their stable, which made for some awesome and totally unique images.  From there, we headed to this super cute area in Fulton and I will never forget, I was showing Aleigha how to lean into this fence line from a posing persepctive and I came in contact with a huge burr bush.  I had hundreds of tiny burrs everywhere – in my hair, on my pants, covering my shirt – I literally was finding them all night long and into the next day!  After our time at that park, we were given permission to shoot at this awesome vintage gas station, which again, gave such a unique and editorial feel to Aleigha’s images.  We ended the night with some cheer photos at Clinton High School and when we left, I felt like we had captured some awesome images, but knew that we had made two new friends that we would have for life.

Here is a little about what Aleigha and her awesome mom Jennifer had to say about their experience with us:
“Our Moxie Senior Experience was the best decision ever!!! I will remember my photo shoot forever. Karen and Sam made everything easy. From start to finish, I felt so special and confident. The entire process, from the initial meeting, through COVID restrictions, the Moxie Closet, ideas and collabrations – the Moxie process is a well-oiled machine. The day of the photo shoot felt like a day spent with my best friends. The end result were pictures that my family and I will cherish forever.  I had a variety of looks I was going for. I had particular items from great grandmothers and grandmas that I wanted to incorporate into my pictures. I wanted very different looks for each shoot based on my interests: Cheer, Horses, Casual, Mod, and Retro. Karen provided great feedback and made each look happen. It was amazing. I did not have any worries, but I was concerned because we added my horses to the photo shoot and one was not on his best behavior. Karen was very patient and the end results were absolutely amazing. The shoot was so much fun, but I also loved the anticipation of the Reveals. My whole family was so excited. The first picture came and it was so awesome. My original locations were my grandparents farm because it is one of my favorite places and Eagle Point Park in Clinton. When the DeRecho hit our town a couple of weeks before, we had to find new locations at the last minute. We chose Heritage Canyon in Fulton and there is a beautiful old gas station in our town that worked perfectly for my Retro shots. For my cheer pictures, we used the CHS Football Stadium.  As for a favorite part, it was all amazing but Karen made me laugh so much when she was playing with my grandpa’s dog and then one of the horses became obsessed with her and kept following her around and freaking her out. Her and Sam just felt like family immediately.   If we were to tell our best friends about our experience with Moxie Design, we would say DO IT!!!!!! You will have the best time ever and take advantage of the Moxie Design Closet. I love Moxie Design because I have timeless pictures that my family and I will cherish always.”

One piece of advice that they have for other seniors getting their photos taken?  “Mix it up and try new things. Because we scheduled the shoot 9 months in advance, there was plenty of time to think about what I really wanted to express and find wardrobe pieces that were unique. Definitely take advantage of the MOXIE Design Closet…….it was so fun “shopping” for free.”

If they could describe their overall senior session experience in one word, they would choose  “memorable.”

Thank you for letting us be a part of your senior year, Aleigha!!

xoxo,

Karen

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Meet Kohler.

This Bettendorf senior and I met up in the fall for his senior session and we shared a lot of laughs.  I have gotten to know Kohler’s family over the past few years working with his siblings and so I was so excited for his shoot.  I will never forget a hilarious thing that happened right before his session – Sam and I were waiting at the park for Kohler to arrive and we knew that we would be featuring his awesome Jeep at the end of his pictures, so when a Jeep pulled up toward us with a license plate that had part of his name on it, I had no doubt that it would be him arriving.  I began enthusiastically waving and although we couldn’t see the driver clearly, he waved back, but kept on going.  I sent Kohler’s mom a text saying that I think they may have just driven past us and she said “We’re not there yet!!”  It was sheer coincidence that we were at the same place as someone driving a nearly identical Jeep!!  Sam and I laughed so hard that our sides ached and a few minutes later, Kohler arrived with his parents.  We continued to laugh all the way through his session until the sun began to set and then we were able to capture some awesome Jeep photos with beautiful sky color.  Kohler was a trooper through it all and did anything that I would suggest without question.

Here is a little about what Kohler’s mom Jennifer had to say about his session with Moxie:
“Kohler’s session was great! This was our third senior to have a Moxie Experience. Each one was personalized and unique to each of our Seniors. Karen does an amazing job!  We were going for a natural and outdoorsy shoot with Kohler’s pictures. We wanted him to feel comfortable enough to be himself and for that to be captured in the photos. That’s exactly what we got and love all of the photos!  Karen always incorporates something of importance to the Senior into the shoot. For Kohler it was his Jeep and those are some of our favorite pictures.  Karen is the best!  She has a way of allowing her subject to be themselves and their personalities are captured on film. I love Moxie Design because Karen is the ultimate photographer for a senior shoot!”

One piece of advice that Jenn has for other seniors getting their photos taken?  “Choose one thing you are passionate about – whether it’s a sport, hobby, or item from a pair of shoes to a car. Karen will capture that passion.”

If Jenn could describe Kohler’s overall senior session experience in one word, she would choose  “Impressive.”

Thank you for letting us be a part of your senior year, Kohler!!
Karen

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Each year, we go through tons of applications to select our models to represent the upcoming senior class. The Class of 2021 team was AHHHMAZING to work with and I can’t believe that our time together is coming to an end.  We met up with our models for our annual group editorial prom session last February  at the gorgeous Hyatt Place and Bend Event Center in East Moline. With tuxedos and dresses provided by QC Celebrate and makeup perfectly applied by our family at Haus of Heir, this shoot was a slam dunk of gorgeousness. We just finished posting our Class of 2022  model announcements yesterday on our Instagram story, and I can’t wait to get to know our upcoming fifteen models  over the course of the coming year!  Cheers to all of you amazing seniors and your super bright futures.  I will miss you all!!

xoxo,

Karen

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Last March, we wanted to do a fun competition to determine the cover model of our Pricing Guide for the Class of 2021.  Having a lot of blazers/ ties/hats in the Moxie Style Closet, we decided we would do a Menswear Challenge.  The rules were simple:  Each model had to wear something that would be typically deemed “menswear” and arrive at our location at their specified time for the photo shoot.  We would then post our favorite shots on social media and the person with the most votes after 48 hours on social media would become our Pricing Guide cover model.   Huge shout out to all of the girls for showing up with their supermodel games and major props to Kayla for winning the challenge!!  I have to send out a big thanks to the TaxSlayer Center for allowing us to take over the building for a few hours on a Saturday – what an awesome location to be able to navigate!  What we didn’t know while we were doing this shoot was that it would be our last official indoor session of 2020 because the following week, the world as we knew it would seemingly shut down because of the Covid pandemic.  I will forever remember this shoot as the last one before our new list of safety precautions came into play (masks, constant hand sanitizer, social distancing, the sanitization process for each item that we use from the style closet, etc.). Enjoy the photos from the Challenge below!!

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Meet Ethan.
This Davenport Central senior and I met up early last fall for his senior session.  I was so stoked for his shoot because I had worked with his sister a few years back and his family is so. much. fun.  Also, when we did Ethan’s wardrobe consult, I knew we would score some awesome shots because his fashion sense is absolutely amazing. When we planned his route,  I knew that I wanted to shoot outside of a building in Moline that coordinated with a jacket of his and everything else kind of fell into place.  We shot at some urban locations and some areas that were more modern getting a variety of looks for his photos.  We were literally laughing from the first five minutes until the very last shot.  Thanks for being so awesome, Ethan!

Here is a little about what he had to say about his session with Moxie:
“I wasn’t quite sure what style I wanted to go for so I just picked some favorite outfits and ran with it. I was so nervous, but Karen was so funny and nice that it made it comfortable for me to let loose and have fun.  I was scared that I would be too shy to get any good shots because I had never had professional pictures taken, but Karen was so cool that it all just felt natural.  I loved that I was able to show my true style-  I got to show a range of my fashion sense and Karen was able to capture my vibe perfectly.  As far as locations go, this was all Karen… I sent her my outfit ideas and just a handful of poses I liked; otherwise I left it to her to pick locations. I figured she was the expert so I let her do her thing and I think it was the best thing we could have done because it turned out amazing.  I liked that Karen let me take some pictures with my sister… we were able to recreate an identical photo Karen took of the two of us at her senior picture shoot 3 years ago.  Karen is super friendly and made me feel totally comfortable. She has excellent skills and my pictures turned out amazing. I love Moxie Design because the experience really made me come out of my shell for a night and get some awesome shots.”

One piece of advice that Ethan has for other seniors getting their photos taken?
“Trust Karen, don’t be afraid to experiment. Let her take the lead and you will not be disappointed. She takes the time to get to know you and your vibe and the end result is perfect.”

If he could describe his overall senior session experience in one word, he would choose  “inspiring.”

Thank you for letting us be a part of your senior year, Ethan!!

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Something that I absolutely love is working on an editorial session that pushes the envelope of a standard senior session, so when Ky and Ali expressed interest in doing a laundromat session, I was in.  When planning the shoot, I thought it would be cool if we incorporated some soda and color coordinated straws into the shoot just to take it to another level.  In my opinion, as a general rule, the more accessories or styling that you do with a shoot, the more interesting the photos turn out.  What ended up happening is that we used Sprecher’s soda as our main prop and the company saw our images on social media and then actually used a photo from our shoot – talk about exciting!!

We met up last year at a laundromat over in Davenport and had a really fun afternoon.  My son, Jackson, has said he wants to be a photographer when he grows up since he was four years old, and has asked countless times to come on a photoshoot with me.  Because he knows both Ky and Ali, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity for him to join in the fun, so we made it a family outing.  Luckily, Matt came along so he ended up being my main assistant as Jackson’s seven year old attention span definitely didn’t last much past ten minutes, but both Abby and Jax got to see a glimpse into what it is like to do a photo shoot and talk about it to this day (some behind the scenes photos are below)

***Behind the scenes with my family helpers***

Shout out to Ky and Ali, members of our model team, for going along with our shenanigans and having fun with this. Miss you both!

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Meet Grace.
I was eagerly anticipating Grace’s session as I have worked with her awesome family for years.  What I wasn’t expecting was for Grace to get out of the car and look like she stepped off the pages of Italian Vogue.  She had some seriously awesome outfits and I still remember how much I was in love with her eyelashes!  Grace literally showed up to the shoot and blew me away.  Any suggestion that I had or crazy idea that I threw out there, she was like “Okay, let’s give it a try!”  Within the first five minutes, she was jumping and giving me some seriously fierce model looks (one of which ended up scoring a national feature by a high school senior publication).  On top of that, Grace was so much fun to work with – we had a lot of laughs and were blessed with a gorgeous sunset at the very end of her session.

Here is a little about what Grace had to say about her session with Moxie:
“It was amazing, I felt like a movie star. Karen was so professional and made me feel so comfortable.  I was going for a downtown/urban shoot but wanted to incorporate some nature also.  We shot at some locations that Karen suggested downtown and also at a garden – they were perfect and made my pictures and the day very memorable.  My favorite part of my shoot was how many pictures that Karen took.  Karen is fantastic!”

Thank you for letting us be a part of your senior year, Grace!!

xoxo,

Karen

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Meet Haley.
This beauty has been a part of the Class of 2021 Moxie model team and I have loved getting to know her over the past year.  Our first model shoot was at the Hyatt hotel last February and I remember a very specific moment when Haley was sitting up on the bar and we were setting lighting and I looked up and knew that this girl was meant to be in front of a camera.  When we met up for her session, I was so excited that she brought her two sweet pups to the park – they were adorable!  From there we went to downtown Davenport and Haley blew me away with her natural modeling ability.  We lucked into the fact that one street we were shooting on was closed off because of construction, so we were able to get some poses that we never would even attempt  because we had security in the form of barricades.  When we finished up downtown, we were able to capture her mad figure skating skills.  I remember at one point I wanted to get a certain shot and was laying on the ice.  I told Sam that the next time we do an ice rink shoot, I should wear a full snowsuit (that ice went right through my leggings) so Sam got a huge piece of cardboard for me to lay on so it wouldn’t be so brutal – it still makes me laugh to remember that moment.  Without question, Haley is absolutely breathtaking and she brings an energy with her that is contagious and amazing to capture on camera.

Here is a little about what Haley had to say about her session with Moxie:
“My senior session was amazing. Karen and Sam are both really easy to work with, and they made me feel very comfortable the entire time. I was able to be myself and get all of the pictures I wanted to. We also had a lot of fun and laughed the whole time.  I was scared that I wouldn’t like my facial expressions, but all of the pics turned out great.  I loved how personal it was and I also love how I was able to get such a variety of pictures.  The most memorable moment of my session was wearing my prom dress in a park. There were definitely some odd looks from the other people there.  I recommend Moxie Design to anyone for senior pictures. They create such a personal experience, and always make sure you are satisfied with the result. I love Moxie Design because they were able to make my senior pictures everything I ever dreamed of.”

One piece of advice that Haley has for other seniors getting their photos taken?
“Don’t be afraid to be yourself. The pics turn out way better when you look like yourself and aren’t trying to force poses/facial expressions.”

If she could describe her overall senior session experience in one word, she would choose  “magical.”

Thank you for being a part of our model team,  Haley!!

xoxo,

Karen

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Meet Becca.
This Geneseo High School senior and future Bradley University student and I met up over the summer for her senior session.  When I read through Becca’s pre-session information sheet, I was so excited that she wanted to do some dance photos.  When we were choosing locations, I really wanted to get a few silhouette images, but I had no idea that Becca was a jumping all star and that her photos would turn out to be such magic.  We were blessed with a sunset that went from purple to orange and the colors absolutely popped!  Not being an athlete, I was in awe of Becca’s talents and her ability to nail her poses within the first couple of takes.   I will never forget when we were at a stream at the beginning of her session and she asked if she could do a jump in the water… UM, YES!  I knew from that moment that we were going to capture some serious amazingness.  We also experimented with some glitter and those photos turned out super awesome!  You are a rockstar, Becca!!

Here is a little about what Becca had to say about her session with Moxie:
“I really enjoyed my shoot. Karen made me feel super comfortable in front of the camera, and I had so much fun.  I was worried that my dance photos were not going to turn out as well as I hoped they would. However, Karen absolutely blew me away with how awesome my action shots turned out.  I enjoyed Karen’s flexibility. We had so much fun trying out our different ideas. She was open to everything I suggested.  I used a flowery setting for my “normal” poses and then used a few colored walls and the WIU campus for my dance poses. The contrast in locations really make each photo unique, and I really liked that.  I had a specific jump I wanted Karen to shoot. After she took the photo, she showed it to me to make sure that the jump was perfect. I was so happy that she was able to capture all that dance means to me in a single photo.  Moxie is one of the best experiences any high schooler could have. Karen makes your session feel absolutely wonderful. I have memories that I can keep forever. I love Moxie Design because it is an experience I will never forget.”

One piece of advice that Becca has for other seniors getting their photos taken?  “Try anything in your shoot. I got wet in my shoot and tried all kinds of things, and that truly made my photos even more exciting. Keeping an open mind and taking risks will help Karen to truly capture who you are.”

If she could describe her overall senior session experience in one word, she would choose  “wonderful.”

Thank you for letting us be a part of your senior year, Becca!!

xoxo,

Karen

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Meet Andrew.
This Geneseo senior and I met up late last summer for his photo shoot.
We knew we were going to be shooting around Geneseo, but I had no idea that we would find such awesome spots for his session.  Andrew was so fun to work with and was up for any crazy idea that I had, especially when it came to his football pictures.  My favorite part of the session was when we were shooting Andrew with his truck at sunset.  When he sat in the drivers seat of his truck, he immediately relaxed and truly  became himself and we were able to capture some pretty awesome sunset images.  I remember after I posted his first social media preview photo that someone had commented that Andrew looked like he came off of the side of an Abercrombie and Fitch shopping bag, and I think that may be one of the coolest comments that we have received in our 8 years of shooting.

Here is a little about what Andrew had to say about his session with Moxie:
“My session with Moxie Design was smooth, fun and memorable.  The whole experience was great! We used Richmond Hill, Downtown Geneseo and the Geneseo High School Football field.  I was afraid that the weather would be bad but it turned out to be a beautiful day.  What I won’t forget about my senior session was enjoying making the memories, smiles and quality time together. Karen loves what she does and it really shows – she does great work!”

One piece of advice that Andrew has for other seniors getting their photos taken?
“Enjoy every moment and remember this is all for you.”  <– Amazing advice, Andrew!

If he could describe his overall senior session experience in one word, he would choose  “amazing.”

Thank you for letting us be a part of your senior year, Andrew!!

Karen

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

Meet Eleni.  This gorgeous Geneseo senior and future Iowa State University student and I met up on one of the windiest days last fall.  Winds were constant at 20 mph gusts blew up to 45 mph that afternoon and even though we considered rescheduling, we came to the conclusion that we would give it a try with the help of mom being on hair duty and constantly having a brush and hairspray handy.  We also met up in a foresty location to start her session so that we would have some natural protection from the wind.  What ended up happening was absolutely amazing. Yes, the winds were still coming in full force, but they actually worked in Eleni’s favor 99% of the time, giving her hair movement and leaving her looking like a supermodel.  Something that I have to mention in this blog post is how in absolute awe I was when Eleni and her amazing mom Katie pulled up for her session.  If you are familiar with the Four Seasons boutiques, you know how awesome they are.  Well, they were started by Eleni’s grandparents and are still a family business.  Eleni was able to use a literal dressing room on wheels for her shoot – her looks were perfectly pressed and hanging in the back of the van, which was where she was able to change her clothes each time and regroup a bit to get out of the wind. Huge thanks to Katie for making that happen!

Here is a little about what Eleni had to say about her session with Moxie:
“My senior session was perfect! Karen made me feel super comfortable. She was encouraging and helped me feel confident in my pictures.   I wanted 2 different looks – sophisticated and woodland. I was amazed that Karen was able to identify 2 different locations in such close proximity allowing us to take as many pics as possible.  At first I was hesitant to not wear my glasses during my photo shoot. But, Karen encouraged me and actually my favorite pics are without my glasses! Karen is an expert and I am so happy with all of my pictures.  My favorite part was emulating my brother’s senior pics. Karen was able to create a companion look in my own style.  The forecast was for very windy conditions, I was really worried because I did not want my hair to look all wind blown & crazy. But, Karen knew where to go and we were able to get all of the pics we wanted even with the crazy wind!  I would encourage my friends to use Moxie because it was fun and all the pictures are amazing! It was hard to pick my favorites!  I love Moxie Design because my pictures are outstanding.”

One piece of advice that she has for other seniors getting their photos taken?  “Trust Karen! She is an expert & super sweet!”

If she could describe her overall senior session experience in one word, she would choose  “amazing.”

Thank you for letting us be a part of your senior year, Eleni!!

xoxo,

Karen

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come. 

One of my favorite shoots every year is ALWAYS the Thrift Store Challenge. I have been a lover of all things thrifting since I was a little girl. I remember going to garage sales with my mom, my Grandma and my Aunt Thelma in search of that perfect treasure.  A few years ago, I merged my love of thrift stores with an annual shoot with our current model team and the Thrift Store Challenge was born.  It shakes down like this – all of our models are eligible to compete.  They can spend up to $20 on their look (not including shoes) but every piece of clothing has to come from a thrift store.  This past year, we had eleven of our fifteen models choose to participate, which was by far, our largest turnout yet.  It’s always hard to scout the perfect location because you need to have a space that offers a ton of different background options, because even when doing mini shoots, I hate when you can tell that all of the photos were taken at the same place.  Then, we shoot each model for 10-15 minutes in back to back sessions and post our favorite three photos on social media.  For the next couple of days, the votes pour in and we tally them up at the end of the contest and the model with the most votes becomes the Moxie cover model for the upcoming year.  This year, there were nearly 6,000 votes cast and Ms. Bella won the Thrift Store Challenge.  I had to share her cover below- it’s so gorgeous!  Morgan came in at a very close second, so she became the Class of 2022 pricing guide cover model (which is also featured below).

I love how each year there are a certain number of models who choose to upcycle their thrift store finds (check out the cow pattern painted pockets on Emma’s jeans, Haley’s entire look was made from a dress if I remember correctly and the lace that Morgan added to her pants to pull her entire look together blew me away).  I love how some of our models choose to go with a super editorial vibe – Reese scored big with using a longboard as a prop, Bella rocked the heck out of her 70’s inspired outfit, Nick came in third place with his epically cool suit/boardshorts look and Faith looked amazing in her head to toe white outfit with amazing accessories.  Did you notice the fashion value in Madeline’s skirt and shoe selection? I am still dying over those shoes, girl!   Then there are the models who score the most gorgeous pieces that they look like they stepped out of the front of a Department store display. I LOVED Esther’s yellow dress, Maelyn’s adorable dress and T combo and Tiara paired a super cute vintage feel dress with a timeless denim jacket.

The thrift store challenge is done after all of our model’s senior sessions, so that definitely allows each of our seniors taking part in it to feel super comfortable with Sam and I, giving them a little more freedom in their poses and expressions. I LOVE working for a full year with our model teams and the Thrift Store Challenge is just the cherry on top of an already awesome sundae.  Thanks to everyone who participated this year!  Missing you all!!

xoxo,

Karen

Moxie Design is an award winning boutique photography studio that specializes in providing a boutique high school senior photography experience in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas including but not limited to Moline &  Rock Island, Illinois, Davenport & Bettendorf, Iowa.  Karen Bishop, owner of Moxie Design, has been recognized on both a national and international level as one of the top up and coming high school senior photographers in the industry.  Moxie Design will offer you not only images that represent the awesome person that you are, but an experience that you will remember for years to come.