Meet Makia. This beautiful UTHS senior and I met up last fall for her senior session. From the very first test shot that I did while setting up lighting, Makia came alive in front of my camera. She is the most beautiful girl – both inside and out – and we had so much fun during her shoot! Some people just know how to move while being photographed and Makia is definitely that way – her session was more like an editorial model session than a high school senior photoshoot. In the middle of her session, we stumbled upon a pool table and were able to incorporate it into her photos, which was incredible. At the end of the shoot, she had a stunning dress and we found a modern setting for that and those shots are Hollywood red carpet perfection.

Here is a little about what Makia had to say about her session with Moxie: “My senior photo session with Moxie was AMAZING. Not only was it a blast but we made the best of every little obstacle that came our way. I had recently had foot surgery around my photo session. I made sure to let Karen know and she accommodated the whole session for me and made sure I was comfortable throughout the whole shoot! She had me fill out a questionnaire previous to the shoot and even brought me my favorite soda/candy! She was so sweet the entire time. The photos came out absolutely stunning and I’d do 1000 more shoots with Moxie. I’m in love with my photo results and even my actual photo session itself was amazing. Super appreciative for Moxie and the crew! My biggest fear/worry for my shoot was the fact that I had just had foot surgery. But Karen knew exactly what to do and how to make sure I was comfortable. It was genuinely amazing. My favorite part of my senior experience was being able to get photos in my prom dress. The photos are absolutely amazing and Karen really knew how to get all attention on the dress in these pictures. My favorite photo was in my prom dress with my arms on a railing and being able to show off the entire dress. It’s an amazing photo between lighting, posing, and setting. The most memorable part of my session was how genuine Karen was and how helpful they were when it came down to my foot. You can tell Karen genuinely cares and puts her all into her work. Moxie genuinely takes the most stunning photos. I’d love to do more shoots with her. Not only are the photos amazing but the photo session is a blast and even if you’re unsure how to pose or smile or have your hair she will completely help you out! I love Moxie Design because Karen takes the most stunning photos I have ever seen.”

One piece of advice that Makia has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Don’t be nervous! Karen is super sweet! If anything just bring some makeup with you to touch up! Or hair stuff if you style it! She really takes her time with the photos and you don’t have to worry about anything at all. If you have any concerns just make sure to let Karen know ahead of time!”

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, Makia!!
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 Katelyn. We met up with this future clarinet performance major last fall and it was so incredible to be able to shoot at the Davenport Junior Theatre! After we left the theatre, we used the outside of the grounds to take some really cool and unique images. Katelyn has the most incredible and unique style – I loved all of her looks and the variety that those outfits gave to her final gallery. Finding out that Katelyn is majoring in clarinet performance at NYU was so exciting and made this silhouette image that we took along the river so special.

Here is a little about what Katelyn had to say about her session with Moxie:
“I love Moxie Design because Karen’s photos feel like art! My session was amazing! I had tons of fun during the shoot and I felt super comfortable to try new things to get great pictures. The preparation for the session was super in depth too, so I felt confident that it would match my vision. I wanted a mix of dramatic glam photos and fun photos that could reflect on my personality. Moxie Design gave me the best photo experience that I could have had! I could tell I was cared about and that I was going to get the best pictures before I even got to see them, and they were. I really wanted the photos to be an accurate reflection of me. I was worried that I would be totally awkward and have no clue what to do with my body. Once we started going though it was super easy because there was lots of guidance on what to do and little suggestions to make the poses look good.  I loved taking pictures in the small creek. It felt so silly to walk down in the water wearing a nice dress, but the pictures from that turned out great. The most memorable part of my session was changing in the pop-up dressing room! When I had to change clothes in a location without bathrooms I changed in the famous dressing room and got to sign it too.”

One piece of advice that Katelyn has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Don’t be nervous! It was so easy to take a lot of photos and the time flew by. Trying to relax and just enjoy the moment made the experience a lot of fun.”

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, Katelyn!!

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 Colin. Madeline and I met up with this Assumption High School senior last fall for his senior session. We started out downtown where Colin was super honest with us that he was doing this session for his mom (we hear this alot with our senior guys). We captured so many amazing photos downtown! Colin has amazing bone structure and super intense eyes, so it was really fun to capture those elements in his senior pictures. The best part for me was to see Colin come alive during his football photos. I love that he sent me some ideas about how creative he wanted to get with these and we had a blast capturing them. I remember I was having him spike the ball down on the ground as hard as possible and one time, it almost hit me in the face -he had some pretty wicked power behind that ball!! I can’t post this blog feature without mentioning that one of Colin’s football photos was chosen as a part of the Hot 100 High School Senior Photography awards – an international contest where they select the best high school senior photographers from around the world. AMAZING!!

Here is a little about what Colin had to say about his session with Moxie: “My session with Moxie was amazing. I was really only excited for the sports shoot, I’m not much of a photo guy but my mom really wanted some senior photos. I was nervous Karen was going to make me smile and do weird poses but it wasn’t the case at all. Instead, it was very laid back and natural and I even had fun. Even some of the poses I thought would be awkward look great in the photos. The favorite part of my Moxie experience was the sports shoot. Karen used the ideas I had sent her and made them all about me. I really got to have fun and I think I even taught Karen a few sports terms. My favorite photo was the one with my jumping and three goal posts in the background. I was really like the angle she shot from so it looked like I was going thru the goal posts. I love Moxie Design because her photos are fire.”

If he could describe his overall senior session experience in one word, he would choose  “Surprising (I admit it)” <– best answer ever!!

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

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 Kaden. Madeline and I met up with this handsome senior last fall for his senior session and it was incredible to be able to shoot 90% of his session at his parent’s beautiful property. We had so many amazing spots to shoot at and around! We were able to capture the things that are important to Kaden – football, track, his truck and we ended the night with some really fun motocross pictures. The sky at sunset was breathtaking! Kaden, thanks for being up for all of my crazy ideas and for allowing us to capture your senior pictures!

Here is a little about what Kaden had to say about his session with Moxie: “It was a great experience!! Karen is one of a kind! Her photography skills are like no other!! I don’t like having my picture taken, but Karen made the whole session fun and easy. It was great that I was able to get some action shots on my motocross bike! I like all of the motocross shots. (I like all of the shots, but the motocross ones are my favorite)! I enjoyed being able to stay at home for the session. It made me more comfortable. I love Moxie Design because Karen is amazing!”

One piece of advice that Kaden has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Use Moxie Design!!” (Love this, Kaden)!!

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

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

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. 

Meeting up with Chloee last summer was a blast! We started at the gym for some volleyball images and Chloee let me experiment with different and angles, which resulted in some really incredible photos. We went to a downtown setting afterwards and were able to capture some really amazing backdrops -a great mix of modern and urban with an ivy wall sprinkled in. We hit up a park that had a great grassy area, flowers and a creek where we went on a water hike to find the perfect lighting. When we met Chloee’s dog for a few pictures, I couldn’t believe how photogenic and adorable this pup was! I remember saying that it looks like she was smiling! We ended the night with Chloee wearing a sparkling emerald green dress and paired it with a beautiful hotel downtown. Working with Chloee was such a fun afternoon and her photos turned out absolutely stunning!

Here is a little about what Chloee had to say about her session with us: “My experience was really great! Karen was super friendly and made me feel really comfortable in front of the camera. The whole experience was really fun and I loved how my pictures turned out!  I went for a lot of different looks from floral and nature to classy and sparkly. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to find locations that fit what I wanted my photos to look like. The pictures turned out great and everything that I wanted for the backgrounds turned out perfect! It was so much fun when we were taking pictures in the revolving door at the hotel. It was really fun to run around and around. The most memorable part of the session was walking through the creek and finding all the right angles to make the sun hit perfectly. I was super comfortable the whole time and Karen was very friendly and let me express myself creatively through the pictures. She was really flexible to everything that I wanted to do. I love Moxie Design because I was able to express myself and how I wanted my pictures to look with someone who was constantly hyping me up and made me feel very confident.

One piece of advice that Chloee has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Make sure to figure out how you want your different outfits to look with your background and the different colors you want to incorporate.”

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, Chloee!!

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 Caleb.
Oh my gosh, where do I start about this rockstar senior?
A little back story, my husband, Matt is a cinematographer and many years ago, worked with Caleb’s incredible family. When he found out that I was working with Kim (Caleb’s amazing mom) coupled with the fact that we were getting permission to shoot in a theater, he volunteered to come along to help us create some photographic magic. I pride myself on painting with light in my photos, and I learned that art from Matt, so when he wanted to come along for the shoot, I was pumped. We met up at the theater and immediately I felt like Kim and Caleb were family. The time at the theater was awesome and then we headed to a few downtown locations in hopes of giving Caleb a big city vibe in his final gallery. We laughed so many times during the session and had an absolute blast! I love when my job brings me to meet incredible people who then become friends, and Caleb and his family have definitely become life long friends! Here is a little about what Caleb had to say about his session with Moxie:

“My senior photo session was life-changing. Senior pictures were something my mom had talked about for a long time and I knew they were important to her. They were not to me, they were something I was doing for her. I have always cringed when I would see pictures of myself and would nitpick everything about them. I knew these would be no different. And then in walked Karen and her assistant for the day, husband extraordinaire Matt! My life changed. Karen had sent me a questionnaire beforehand, which I begrudgingly filled it out, and she did her homework! She came to the shoot with so many ideas to make my pictures unique and to capture ME. She helped me find a confidence behind the camera that I didn’t know was possible. Within minutes I felt like I had made lifelong friends. The entire experience was filled with laughter, conversation and I enjoyed every single moment. A couple weeks later we had my reveal session and something happened that I could have never predicted, I couldn’t find a single picture I didn’t like. Not one thing to nitpick. Having Moxie Design do my senior photo session helped me see myself in the best way possible. I was definitely going for a city vibe with my pictures. I love big cities – the hustle and bustle – the architecture – all of it. I figured living in the QC that I wouldn’t be able to have that look. I was wrong! Karen knew all the places to take me where it looks like I am in the city. She will take a random wall and staircase that you would have never given a second glance and make photographic magic. I was so worried to have my pictures done because I am super critical of myself. I had never liked a picture of myself before and I knew that this would be no different. I shared my concerns with Karen and she assured me that she was a photographic dermatologist and that she knew how to pose me and work with our environments to get the best looks. When all was said and done, my worries were all wasted because Karen is the MVP of photography – it is her sport! My favorite part of the day? Besides getting to hang out with Karen and Matt because that was a favorite experience in itself, I would have to say shooting at the theatre where I have performed for the last 7 years. I have so many great memories there and Karen knew that it was a special place to me. She created so many looks in that space, did out of this world details with lighting and made me feel like a star. I loved how she can see so far beyond what the normal eye can and used it to make my pictures more than I could have ever imagined. My absolute favorite photo from my session is me sitting on a set of iron stairs with my back against the railing and wearing my favorite outfit. I love the background, the aesthetics and how Karen made me look like I was out here living my best life in the big city! I think one of the amazing things about Karen’s photos is that every one I show them to has a different favorite! There were so many memorable parts of my session. Up until the moment that I met Karen I had no desire to do my senior pictures, but by the end of the shoot I was sad it was over. Karen’s vision for what my pictures could be absolutely blew me away. The way she had me interact with the different environments that we shot in was nothing short of incredible. I had a few outfit changes, but she made so many looks with them! Working with Moxie was a core memory made. There’s days and experiences that you always remember because they made a positive impact on your life. That was my senior photo experience. From the day of the photos to the reveal, it was something I will always look back on with a laugh and a smile. I love Moxie Design because they elevate photography to more than anyone can dream!”

One piece of advice that Caleb has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Trust and honesty. Karen knows exactly what she is doing. If she says stop and do this just trust her and do it. I guarantee you the results will blow your mind. And be honest with her! I told her things that were making me insecure about the whole process and she had me completely at ease in moments.”

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

Thank you for all of the kind words, Caleb!! #lifelongfriends
Congrats on your upcoming graduation!!

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 Braiden. This Moline High School senior and I met up last fall for his senior session on a warm afternoon. I have been friends with his awesome stepmom, Audrie, since high school so it was a blast to be able to work with her on the shoot. We kicked things off at a forest location and then made our way to a few different off the beaten path spots to capture some really unique images. I loved discovering new areas during Braiden’s shoot – including the I-74 bridge! I had walked across it once before, but not during a shoot, so it was really fun to incorporate that at the end of his session. Braiden is so handsome and really genuine and once we got to talking, we had so much fun! His photos turned out amazing and I was so happy to hear that we nailed the vibe he was going for.

Here is a little about what Braiden had to say about his session with Moxie: “I love Moxie Design because I was treated like a celebrity. It was a great experience overall. I wasn’t sure what to expect and was a bit worried at first but Karen is funny and made me relax and let me know there was nothing to be nervous about.  I was looking for something kind of urban and she caught that vibe along with shooting on the new I-74 bridge which she hadn’t even done yet. It was cool that she was willing to explore that knowing that I wanted to shoot there. I was worried that I wouldn’t look right or that it would come across how nervous I was. I also was worried about changing clothes so I didn’t bring that many outfits. Karen made everything fun and alleviated all my concerns. She has a pop-up changing room and she comes equipped with all the hairspray and everything you could need. It was fun hanging out and walking all over the place to get the right shot. She even laid down in the water to get one shot that I wanted (and it was cold)! We had a lot of fun. I don’t think I can pick just one but I do like all of them on the bridge and the one where she had to lay in the water. It had an industrial/urban vibe and that’s exactly what I wanted. My stepmom went with us and she knows Karen so it was cool to watch them talk about the shots and where we were going to go. It didn’t feel rushed or awkward at all. It was just like hanging out with friends and that made the shots better, I think. You should definitely try out Moxie. Don’t be nervous, don’t be worried about anything. You can bring the outfits you want and you’re going to look amazing. Karen is willing to do whatever it takes to get the right shot.”

One piece of advice that Braiden has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Relax and have fun. They’re just pictures and you’re going to get a great shot when you least expect it. Trust the process. It will turn out great and you’ll feel like a rockstar.”

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

Thank you for letting us capture your senior photos, Braiden!

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 Rebecca. This supermodel and I met up last fall on a really dreary day. We considered rescheduling the session, but Rebecca pumped for the day and so we decided to move forward with it! We arrived at the park and it started raining, but we found a tree covered area and shot for a long time without getting wet. We used a maroon umbrella on the way back to the car and I captured some really cool shots where the umbrella leveled up the editorial vibe of the shots! We headed to a parking garage to capture an incredible black dress and some shots with Rebecca’s truck – those shots are stunning! Then it was time to head to Moline High School for soccer shots and we ended the night on the golf course where the rain stopped and the sunset was nothing short of spectacular. Max and I had so much fun with Rebecca and her awesome mom and her final gallery of shots looks like the portfolio of a professional model.

Here is a little about what Rebecca had to say about her session with Moxie: “I loved working with Karen! She was such a good hype-woman and a great problem solver when it came to the rain. I recommend her to anyone taking their senior pictures. I love her style and how she brought my vision to life. She was amazing to work with even after the photoshoot and she was very organized and fast when it came to editing my pictures. I was looking for a more forestry vibe to my shoot. I also wanted my sports involved in my shoots. It started raining and I was worried that it was going to ruin my makeup or hair. We thought of different places to take the pictures and the outcome of the day was amazing. My favorite part of the session was working with Karen. She was so amazing and I loved every minute. Being able to bring my dog into some of my pictures was amazing. Karen worked so well when my dog wasn’t cooperating, but the pictures still turned out amazing. I loved my session so much! From when I got my hair and makeup done to when the sun was going down, the whole experience was amazing and I can’t recommend Karen enough! I love Moxie Design because Karen executed my vision perfectly of what I wanted my pictures to look like. My pictures came out amazing and I’m so glad I went with Moxie!”

One piece of advice that Rebecca has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Make sure you have a collage of what you want to do during the photo shoot. Either on Pinterest or some other photo app. It makes the day go by a lot smoother if there are examples of what you want done.”

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

Thank you for letting us be a part of your senior year, Rebecca!! I can’t wait to see what your awesome future holds!!

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 Cameron. We met up with this handsome PV senior and his parents late last summer. Having worked with Cameron’s family before on senior sessions, I knew that we were going to have so much fun. We took some time downtown to capture some modern and urban vibes and I love that he chose to wear a suit for some formal shots – they turned out to be such incredible photos! We then went to a park along the river where we had a forest setting, along with the Mississippi River to serve as a backdrop. I loved being able to capture Cameron’s Jeep in some of his photos and will never forget how much we all laughed trying to get the perfect shot – so much fun with both of his parents helping out! We ended the night on the PV field to capture soccer and football pictures and the sky was incredible!

Here is a little about what Cameron’s awesome mom, Tracie, had to say about their experience with us: “I have had four kids that have had their senior photos taken by Karen and they have all been fantastic. You can truly see the passion she has for what she does during the experience and through the final product. Karen is able to capture the essence of four years of high school and the culmination of a senior year that creates the most perfect storybook of memories. We had the perfect day! Cameron’s photo session was amazing! Karen is so personable and makes the experience so much fun. Laughing is definitely part of the photo shoot! I love being a part of it. I could help out if his hair was out of place or if a branch needed to be moved out of the scene or if a behind the scene video was a must to capture the production of the multiple people and props that were used to make a particular photo happen. It is always amazing to me how Karen can find the most creative spots and backgrounds to take a picture. When the photo is being taken it looks like a nice spot and your kid looks good, but when I actually see the finished photo I am always like wow my kid looks great and the sky, the landscape or the city street in the background looks so awesome! Of course the biggest fear is always the weather, but whatever may come that day doesn’t matter. Karen is literally so creative she can make the magic happen whatever the circumstances. There is no way I could pick one favorite photo from Cameron’s session! We have so many wonderful choices that I truly love! I know before my reveal session that I am just going to pick the package with all of them on the flash drive because that is how good they turn out! I love Moxie Design because of the passion Karen has for what she does and the experience she creates for everyone involved and so many incredible pictures!”

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

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 Ava. We met up with this beauty late last summer for her senior session and had So. Much. Fun! Ava is the most beautiful and kind human and she was so easy to work with! She nailed the mandatory Moxie runway walk on her first take! We were able to use a variety of locations all within the same proximity to give her a forest vibe, some tall grass areas, flowers and even a creek! We ended our night at the Soule Bowl for some cheer photos and Ava’s tumbling skills left me speechless – We even got a shot of her mid backflip and it was incredible!

Here is a little about what Ava had to say about her time with us: “My overall experience was AMAZING! Karen is truly one of a kind! Her photography skills are very different from others. Between the place/poses, she did amazing and is very unique with it all! I love Moxie Design because Karen truly cared about the outcome of your senior session! She will make you feel so confident through the whole thing and be your friend by the time your shoot is over. Karen made me feel so confident and beautiful during my session. I was going for a natural look with the field and creek! My biggest fear about the photoshoot was being awkward and nervous! The outcome was absolutely awesome. Karen sure knew how to make me feel comfortable through the whole process. My favorite part of the Moxie Senior Experience was the laughs and smiles throughout the shoot. It made me feel like I was taking normal Instagram photos with a friend! My favorite photo(s) from the session were the ones in the field with the red dress and white cowgirl boots. I feel that it expressed who I am. “Young, Wild, and Free!” The most memorable part of my session was Karen coming up with random ideas for pictures!”

One piece of advice that Ava has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “To be yourself the whole entire time and use your big BEAUTIFUL SMILE!”

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

We loved working with you, Ava!! Congrats on your upcoming graduation!!

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. 

It is no secret that I love working with my model team and it’s also pretty common knowledge that my favorite shoot of the year is always our annual thrift store challenge. Each year, our models have a limited amount of money to spend on a head to toe outfit that must be purchased from a resale shop and then they can choose to style their look for the session. The hard part of this shoot is trying to perfectly match each model’s look with a different backdrop, while not repeating or reusing any of the same spaces, ensuring that everyone’s photos look different.

This year, our votes went down to the last minute of the challenge! Over 5,200 votes were cast and in the closest race to date, Elias and Emily went head to head! At the time we closed voting, only six votes separated the two and Elias and his salmon colored look took the top prize! Looking forward to working with Eli on his spring session in April!!

I can’t wait to see what our Moxie models will choose this summer!!
So happy to share my five favorites with each model (and a couple of extras of our winner)!!

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 Lexi. Emma and I met up with this Davenport Central senior last July on a warm summer day. Lexi arrived looking so pretty in this floral pattern blush colored dress. The park setting where we were was perfect for this look – and then we went into the waterfall area, which was incredible! We then headed downtown for some urban shots and ended the night on a hill where we were able to capture some pretty cool sky photos in another gorgeous dress! We had so much fun with Lexi and her amazing grandma that day!!

Here is a little about what Lexi had to say about her session with Moxie:
“My time with Karen was super fun and stress free! I was looking for a classic and simple look for my senior shoot. I was worried I wasn’t going to get enough pictures, but there are so many amazing shots that I love! After every shot Karen would make me feel so pretty. She was a great hype girl! Karen is so great to work with. She makes it so easy and simple. She does so many things to make you feel special. I love how my pictures turned out! I love Moxie Design because my experience was so special!”

One piece of advice that Lexi has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Just enjoy the process!”

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, Lexi!!

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 Jessie. This gorgeous Assumption senior and I have had a lot of fun getting to know each other over the last year. Something that I love about Jessie is that she is never without her beautiful smile and welcoming personality. When you are around her, you feel as though you have known her forever and I love that! For Jessie’s main session, I was so excited about her outfits! We kicked off her shoot at a garden area that has a creek and the two piece white look she had on was PERFECT for that spot! I’m still fangirling over her head to toe lavender look that we captured at the incredible Old Oaks Winery. The views at sunset were breathtaking!! Having worked with both of Jessie’s older brothers, I knew that we would have a blast because her mom has become a dear friend and she is so much fun to be around!

Here is a little about what Jessie had to say about her session with Moxie:
“I had so much fun! Karen made me feel so confident and comfortable! She made the whole senior photo experience a memorable one! With my session I was looking for something natural with the flowers and landscape. My biggest worry about the shoot was feeling awkward in the pictures and that was not the outcome at all! It felt so natural and it was not awkward at all. My favorite part of the shoot was all of it! I can’t just pick one thing. The experience was one to remember. My favorite photo is the one where I am wearing my outfit in the creek with the hat! I think it is so cute and sums up what I love. The most memorable part of my experience was the whole thing. I’ll never forget it and it’ll always be a core memory. Working with Karen is seriously so much fun and you will never forget the experience. So many laughs and memories were made just in a few hours! I love Moxie Design because Karen made me feel confident.”

One piece of advice that Jessie has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Don’t be nervous or scared! You will have so much fun and it is not awkward at all.”

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

Thank you for being a part of the Class of 2024 Moxie model team, Jessie!! I can’t wait to see what your amazing future holds!! 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. 

I met Elias at our Class of 2024 Editorial Moxie prom session about a year ago. I remember when I took my very first photo of him and how it gave me goosebumps, which is the best compliment that I can give to someone that I’m working with. Some people are born to be in front of a camera and Elias is definitely one of those people. Not only is he super handsome, but he is kind, smart, genuine and absolutely hilarious. Getting to know him and his super cool mom, Jill, over the past year has been a blast! We hit up a bunch of different spots during his main session so that we could ensure that his final gallery had a huge variety to it. One of my most memorable moments of the entire season was when we were down on the river and Eli was about to get into the water, but there was an amazing tree area that we were capturing first. The mayflies were thick and HUGE – We are talking thousands upon thousands of bugs! Growing up on the river, I can honestly say that I have never seen anything like this in my entire life. Jill didn’t hesitate to grab my reflector and start fanning them away from me while I was shooting. It was so helpful and so hysterical at the same time, we were all laughing while trying to not inhale bugs!! Elias won the thrift store challenge this year with his killer outfit (I’ll be featuring that on the blog next week – keep an eye out for that). I’m super excited to shoot with him again this spring (more deets coming out on that soon)!! Eli, I am so incredibly grateful that you were one of our Moxie models representing the Class of 2024 and I have loved getting to know you. I can’t wait to see you on the cover of magazines and on billboards!!

Here is a little about what Elias’ awesome mom Jill had to say about their time with Moxie: “The overall experience was better than I could have imagined. It was…..fun!!! At no point was it stressful or awkward. We laughed and we talked and we enjoyed ourselves. The time flew and I felt like I’d known Karen for a lot longer than the few hours of our shoot by the time we were done.  We laughed and shared stories and got to know Karen and she got to know us. She made it comfortable for me and my son. She was open to our ideas and has such a gift for photography. Vision. Artistry. We feel blessed to have found her and we are glad we trusted her with our senior pics! I love Moxie Design because it is so much more than just having senior pictures taken. It truly was an experience that I will remember and am so glad I got to share with my senior.”

If Jill could describe her son’s overall senior session experience in one word, she would choose  “memorable.”

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

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 Elizabeth. This Geneseo girl and I met up last summer for her senior session. Having worked with two of Elizabeth’s siblings in the past, I knew that we were going to have a blast! We found some beautiful flowers to capture that worked perfectly with her outfits, and we incorporated Elizabeth’s dance background into multiple looks and locations. When we were in a stream, I remember Elizabeth asked if she could jump out of the water and I was immediately like “YES! YES! YES!” Elizabeth has been featured nationally multiple times and published in Dance Szn Magazine, which is so incredible!

Here is a little about what Elizabeth had to say about her session with Moxie: “I would highly recommend working with Karen and Moxie Design. I had lots of fun! I was a bit worried I wouldn’t know how to pose, but Karen made sure to give me ideas and options. I loved running around and trying new things. I was going for some nice smiling shots in normal clothes and some action shots in my dance attire. I enjoyed whenever Karen would tell me her idea a bit hesitant worried if I would try it and I was always so ready to jump right in which I could tell made her really excited. I love a photo of me sitting down with my pointe shoes. I look elegant doing something I love. I remember climbing a tree for Karen and her laughing at my efficiency. I love Moxie Design because Karen is so fun to work with!”

One piece of advice that Elizabeth has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Have fun! Play around with your looks. Incorporate the activities you love doing into it.”

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

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

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 Makenna. This Sherrard senior and Class of 2024 Moxie model is such a joy to be around! The day of her photos was such a blast! We utilized a bunch of different locations and her final gallery came out to be absolutely stunning! This girl did everything from walk a runway in front of people in a salon, to hike through the weeds and wildflowers to wading in the Mississippi River all in the name of good photography! The sunset on the day of her session was absolutely stunning and gave a very coastal beachy vibe, which coordinated perfectly with her dress!

Here is a little about what Makenna had to say about her session with Moxie: “My senior session was such a fun experience. I had so much fun taking pictures!  I was looking for a rustic and fun shoot. I was very happy with how my background and pictures turned out.  It was a lot of fun and I loved being able to learn new poses and get more comfortable in front of the camera. I would recommend Moxie to my friends because I had so much fun! I love Moxie Design because my pictures turned out great, Karen made me feel confident in myself and I loved the pictures she took of me.”

One piece of advice that Makenna has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Just have fun with it, do fun and natural poses and the pictures will come out so good.”

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

It has been such a pleasure getting to know you this past year, Makenna!

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 Anna. I was so excited to work with this Moxie girl because I had done her sister’s senior photos and I knew that we would have a great time! We met up at a park location on a beautiful spring day, knowing that we wanted to capture the moon at the end of her session, which I was super pumped about. Anna had some beautiful flowers that we were able to include in her session at the park – and she had the most beautiful looks! There was this white dress with these incredible blue wedges that tied up her calf that were to die for! We hit up a waterfall before going out to chase the moon (which is way harder than I thought it would be). Huge shout out to Anna’s awesome mom, Sarah, for being on board with all of my crazy ideas! For the moon shots, Anna had to amazing skirts that were so flowy, and really lent to some ethereal looking images.

Here is a little about what Anna had to say about her session with Moxie: “My time with Karen was great- I had a lot of fun! I wanted to do my shoot in outdoor settings with a floral, and summer/spring vibe. My favorite part was going to all of the different locations and being able to wear all of my outfits. If you choose to work with Moxie, the experience will be amazing and so will the pictures! I love Moxie Design because of how much effort will get put into your photos!”

One piece of advice that Anna has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Do something a little out of your comfort zones whether it be an outfit or a pose – if you don’t you’ll probably regret it”

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, Anna!!

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 Madison. We met up with this Geneseo beauty on a warm summer day for her session. We started off at a park where we hiked to a beautiful creek that had a surprisingly strong current that almost knocked us over! The photos of Madison in the water were totally worth it though – they are STUNNING! We were able to capture some track photos at the park as well before heading downtown! We ended the night at a beautiful private property that had so many photographic gems! There was a really cool vintage car, a beautiful lake and even a construction project that we used for a few shots! During her sesh, we met up with one of her lifelong friends and captured some graduation shots as well, so much fun! I was super excited that Madison’s sister, Morgan was able to join us for the session. Morgan was one of our past Moxie models and I loved being able to catch up with her!

Here is a little about what Madison had to say about her session with Moxie: “It was an amazing experience. I had so much fun and loved the fact Karen listened to my desires! I wanted my natural look and personality to come thru. I can say all the shots brought the best of me out. Going into the day of the shoot, the time commitment was my biggest fear, but Karen made the experience fun and it went by fast with all the different locations. My favorite part of getting my senior pictures taken with Moxie was Karen!! She is amazing!! She makes the time together so much fun and works to get amazing and unique photos. The most memorable part of my session was having my sister with me who was a Moxie model her senior year. She was able to put me at ease with the experience.

One piece of advice that Madison has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Be natural.”

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

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

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.