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. 

Meet Moxie model Caiya. We met up with Caiya at a downtown location on a beautiful summer day. She had some amazing outfits – all with such variety, which led to her final gallery being incredible. Right off the bat, I remember I asked her to do a runway walk and she absolutely nailed it! Next, we went to her grandparents farm and it provided the perfect backdrop for her remaining looks. I remember at one point, I was laying down on this country road and asked Caiya to do a hair flip for me. On the count of three, she turned so perfectly, that in the behind the scenes video we were taking, you can hear me say “that looked just like a shampoo commercial!” We ended the night around her grandparent’s lake, where we captured this incredible reflection shot. We captured SO MANY BEAUTIFUL images that day and had a lot of fun!

Here is a little about what Caiya had to say about her session with Moxie: “My senior session with Moxie was great! I wanted a casual and natural look for my shoot. I like nature and a little cityscape and Karen and I planned great locations to achieve it. During the shoot, my biggest fear was one of the shots we took at the lake. I had to lay on my side on the very edge of the dock , with my hair resting just a couple of millimeters above the water. End result was a beautiful photo! My favorite part of the Moxie experience was working with Karen and Emma! Being at my grandparent’s farm to shoot was something I’ll always remember. One highlight of the farm shoot was being out at the lake, and Karen went to her car, grabbed her waders, and said, “I always keep them in my trunk in case there’s a good water opportunity!” I was a bit skeptical of having to lay on the dock, but I trusted Karen and the shot was great! Working with Moxie is a great experience! Karen and her team make the process so easy, fun, and memorable!”

One piece of advice that Caiya has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Trust the process!”

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, Caiya! It was so much fun getting to know you over the past year!!

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 Moxie girl Jae. This beauty has been so much fun to work with over the past year and always has the most positive attitude and is never without her smile! I have loved getting to know her (and her awesome mom, Lara) and know that whenever I have Jae on the other end of my camera, that we are going to be having a great time. The day of Jae’s session, she brought the most beautiful flower bouquet along to capture with this gorgeous white dress and those photos turned out absolutely stunning! I’m still low key fan girling over this orange toned floral jumpsuit that we captured – it was incredible! We were even able to meet her adorable pup for some photos! We ended the night with Jae wearing this jaw dropping green dress that had so much movement – it was a blast to experiment with having Jae twirl in it!

Here is a little about what Jae had to say about her session with Moxie:
“I had an amazing experience with my session! From the very beginning I felt so comfortable and I had fun the whole time. There was zero stress at all because Karen was so organized and made the whole process easy. I wanted my pictures to be whimsical and fun with lots of natural backdrops. I was worried going in to the session that I would have a hard time posing and wouldn’t look natural on camera. Once I got there, this fear was completely eased- Karen told me exactly what to do and made sure that every pose was perfect. I loved that I was able to bring whatever props and extras I needed to make my photos more personal to me. It was so fun that I was able to have my dog in a few pictures. Some of my favorite photos are the ones I never would have expected to like! There are a few from my original session of me laying down with my hands near my face that I am obsessed with, and I also love the ones where I have a long green dress that’s been tosses into the air. In the winter, I really liked the pictures where I put on the fur hat, even though I didn’t expect to like them very much. These are all so much fun because they’re totally unique to me. It was just so amazing. There was no sense of awkwardness or feeling of self-consciousness, it felt like I was just spending a fun afternoon taking pictures. I love Moxie Design because my session was super fun and my photos turned out amazing. Karen made the whole process stress-free and I really got to personalize my sessions to be exactly how I wanted!”

One piece of advice that Jae has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Take a chance on doing something unique! Whether it’s bringing your own props to make your photos more personal, or just listening to everything Karen suggests, trying a new idea will absolutely pay off in the final product.”

If she could describe her overall senior session experience in one word, she would choose  “comfortable.” (Awe, I LOVE that answer, Jae!!)

Thank you for representing Moxie over the past year! I have absolutely loved getting to know you and your sweet mama!!

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. 

Adrianna and I met last spring during our prom session at Within by CDI. I remember when she walked in, that she had the most beautiful blueish aqua dress and this incredible smile that lit up the entire room that we were working in. During Adrianna’s main session, I loved that we were able to include her adorable pup in some of the photos! We captured those photos at the park and then braved a waterfall to capture some unique images. At the end of her session, it was so windy that when we tried to throw poms for her dance photos, they kept flying out of frame. It was a really fun way to end the session on the PV football field!

Here is a little about what Adrianna had to say about her time with Moxie: “My session was so much fun. I felt at ease and was able to enjoy myself. I felt confident and enjoyed myself the entire time! The vibe I was going for in the shoot was something softer with lots of florals. I also wanted some city vibes for variety. I was a little worried that I wouldn’t like the way I looked in my photos due to angles and other factors, but because of the confidence I had (and Karen’s experience) I loved every photo. My favorite part of the day was being able to get my hair and makeup done before my pictures. It helped me relax rather than stress about my time and focus on myself and feeling confident. The most memorable part of my session was being able to include my dog in my pictures. I have had my dog since I was five years old and being able to include him in my senior pictures was an experience I will never forget. Karen worked so hard to make sure I felt comfortable during my session. She was so encouraging and helped me picked the perfect locations for all my outfits. I felt stunning the entire time and working with her again for my smaller shoots was something I looked forward to, because I knew I would love the way they turned out. I love Moxie Design because Karen made me feel confident!

One piece of advice that Adrianna has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “I would tell them to make sure they feel confident in their outfit choices and to include anything you think you might want. It’s better to have extra pictures than to regret not getting pictures with certain items.”

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

I have loved having you as a part of the Moxie model squad, Adrianna! Cheers to your 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. 

I met up with this gorgeous girl last spring at our prom photo session for our Moxie model team. Emma is SO STUNNING! Her blue eyes sparkle and her smile radiates pure joy!! When we got together in June for her full senior sesh, it was a perfect day. Her mom had brought along a gorgeous white butterfly bench that we were able to incorporate into her photos. We were able to use locations that really showcased Emma’s awesome outfits. At our first stop, we were so excited to be able to meet her super sweet pup, Dawson. When we went to our second spot, Emma didn’t hesitate when I asked if she wanted to get into a creek and trek a hundred yards down to a gorgeous secluded spot, which ended up being one of my favorite photos from her gallery.

Here is a little about what Emma had to say about her session with Moxie: “I love Moxie Design because Karen takes pictures to a whole different level of photography! Karen’s pictures are outside the box and working with her was amazing! Karen was fun and engaging so this made the session fly by! I felt very comfortable working with her and she helped me out of my comfort zone, was very nice and made me feel confident about myself. I did not have a fear or worry about the photos. I have not seen a picture yet that has not been amazing from Karen. I enjoyed the scenery of the different locations and trying different poses that I have never done before. I also liked the fact I got to incorporate by dog, Dawson, in the photos. Karen is fun to work with and she will make you feel confident about yourself. If you do not already have a senior photographer you should work with Karen.

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

I have LOVED having you as a part of the Class of 2024 Moxie model team, Emma! Congrats on your upcoming graduation!! 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. 

Our Moxie model team is comprised of a group of amazing local high schoolers who we are able to work with from the spring of their junior year through the winter of their senior year. I LOVE our Moxie model team! Each year, we kick off our year of working together with a formal editorial prom session, where we partner with local QC businesses (Shout out to Haus of Heir who does INCREDIBLE makeup for this sesh, QC Celebrate who allows us to borrow beautiful dresses for the day and Moments Tuxedos who provides our guys with their suave tuxedos. Each year, we seek out a new location that we hadn’t done our group shoot at previously and last year we were super lucky to be able to shoot at both the Axis Hotel as well as Within by CDI. Both locations were UNBELIEVABLE and provided so many backdrops to ensure that no model’s photos look the same. To my Class of 2024 model team- I have loved working on every shoot with you over the past year! From the thrift store challenge, to winter minis and fall photos, all of the sessions went fully beyond any expectation that I had going into them and I cannot wait to see what your awesome futures hold! I will miss you!! xoxo

We are in full swing of finalizing details for our 2025 Model team, I cannot wait to introduce them to you… soon!

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 Kennedy. I can’t believe it has been almost a year that I’ve been working with this supermodel! We first met at our prom shoot and Kennedy looked like she had just stepped out of the pages of a magazine (you can check out our prom blog post later today)!! She has a beautiful smile and this incredible energy and is always up for any idea or thought that we would throw her way. We started off her main session along the river, where she skis, and it was the perfect setting. Kennedy got in the water, balanced on a log in the water – you name it, she did it!! Then we headed downtown and were able to capture some really cool urban shots. We ended the night with her parents and grandparents on the top of a parking garage. It was really special to have her family there while we were working with her dad’s jaw dropping Cuda. Every time we got to shoot with Kennedy was like we were working with a professional model – she was born to be in front of a camera!!

Here is a little about what Kennedy had to say about her session with Moxie: “My experience was incredible! There were so many new poses to try and places to shoot. I didn’t really go into the shoot with one style in mind. Karen made that work and we tried different styles and places to make sure that there were some photos and ideas that I would like! Going into the shoot, I was nervous that I just wouldn’t look good. Or that my smile would be off, or my eyes wouldn’t look right. Once I saw the photos I realized I had nothing to be worrying about. Plus, Karen always made sure to speak highly and confident about a pose to calm my nerve and ensure me that it would look great! My favorite part of my Moxie experience would have to be the energy. Karen made me feel beautiful and got me hyped after every shot. There was such a positive atmosphere and Karen as so sweet and is always down to try something for a certain shot or style that you want. The vibe was wonder and we were all there having a great time! We got to incorporate my dad’s 1970 fully restored AAR Cuda. Karen did a great job shooting myself with this car. My family was there and I knew it meant so much to my dad! We had so much fun shooting with the car and the ski! I love Moxie Design because we got to have so much fun and try new things to get different pictures that I got to fall in love with!”

One piece of advice that Kennedy has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Don’t be afraid to try something new or go out of your comfort zone for a shot!”

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

I have enjoyed working with you over the past year, Kennedy! I cannot wait to see you in the pages of magazines and on billboards!

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. 

We met up with Kate on a beautiful day last spring- the trees were in full bloom! We were able to get all of our shots at the same location because it was absolutely perfect with all of her outfits. Since she was graduating a few weeks from the time we did her session, we were able to capture some cap and gown shots as well, which I always love doing. At one point, we were shooting on a log overlooking a little pond and I thought I would get into the water to get the perfect angle with the sun behind her. Thank goodness for hip waders, because I began to sink in this quicksand type mud- I couldn’t move my legs! I did manage to get out and the shot came out amazing, but it was scary there for a minute! Here is a little about what Kate had to say about her session with Moxie:

“I love Moxie Design because Karen helped me present my most authentic self. I thought that my session was really fun! I liked that I had a lot of say in where I wanted to go, what I wanted to wear, poses, etc. It felt very personalized and tailored to me. My favorite photo is in my prom dress on the bench. I’m staring right into the camera, with my hand on my temple and with a smoldering expression. I love it because it makes me feel like a model!  I thought it was really kind of her to bring me my favorite candy and drink to keep spirits up during the shoot. I climbed on a log in the pond to get a picture of me sitting on it, legs dangling over the water. Karen even waded into the water just to get the shot!”

One piece of advice that Kate has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Be authentic. Your pictures will look best if they reflect who you are. For me, it was important to have my natural curls, and to have a variety of facial expressions in my photos. Communicate how you want to come across, and they will help you polish that look and make those features pop.”

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

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. 

We met up with Braden last spring on an unseasonably cold and windy day. I remember when we were out at the lake location, I was trying to get a wide shot of Braden with his fishing gear (which he nailed, by the way) and it was so windy that he couldn’t hear me giving him instruction! We were using multiple off camera light sources and even with someone holding the stands that the flash units were on, they were blowing all over the place. I loved that Braden incorporated fishing and soccer into his session, and that he was open to putting on a suit for more formal shots – they turned out incredible!

Here is a little about what Braden had to say about his session with Moxie:
“My session with Moxie was very good. I was hoping to focus on some of my favorite hobbies with the professional shoot. The most memorable part of the day was that I had a big bruise under my eye and we had to put on makeup so you couldn’t tell it was there. My favorite part was seeing how the pictures turned out! I love Moxie Design because even though the weather was cold the pictures turned out great.”

One piece of advice that Braden has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Incorporate things that you enjoy doing.” (Great advice, Braden)!!

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

Thank you for letting us be a part of your senior year, Braden!! We loved working with you!!

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. 

When my beautiful cousin flew in from California over spring break for her senior session, I was so excited to work with her!! We shared a lot of laughs and were blessed with some unreal (and very unseasonable) warm temperatures – Hooray! Mia is so gorgeous, super smart and one of the most kind and genuine souls out there. I loved the variety in her wardrobe looks, so we hit up a bunch of different spots to ensure that her final gallery was as amazing as she is. So excited that she is heading east to Iowa for college!! Mia, I cannot wait to see what incredible things are in your future!!

Here is a little about what Mia had to say about her session with us: “My photo session experience was one that I would definitely love to do again. Karen did an amazing job at helping my inner confidence come out and making me feel comfortable and excited during the shoot! She made sure that my “good side” was always featured, and she was innovative in the poses she recommended! All of the locations that Karen planned out went perfectly with the outfits that I had chosen! Not to mention, the photos came out looking absolutely stunning and exactly how I envisioned them! I was going for an urban look, a softer flowy look, as well as a formal and elegant look.  My biggest fear was that I wouldn’t feel confident, and I wouldn’t be able to put on a genuine smile because of being anxious or uncomfortable.
However, Karen ensured that I was comfortable with the angles she shot at and she hyped me up throughout my shoot! She made me feel confident and cracked some awesome jokes that put the best smile on my face, capturing those in my photos! Karen was so creative with the backgrounds, and how I posed and interacted with the scene around me. She understood my styles and the vision perfectly, and crafted beautiful shots that I couldn’t have imagined! She would compliment me when she felt she’d taken the perfect shot, and I was so confident, motivated, and excited throughout the entire shoot! Karen made me feel beautiful throughout the entire session. She was encouraging, motivating, and amazing throughout the whole shoot. By the end, she felt like one of my biggest supporters! I enjoyed all of the laughs that we shared. I had fun every minute of the session, and I loved hearing her tell me that she got the perfect shot. I was on Cloud 9 the whole time! If I were to tell my best friend about my photos, I would tell them to book that ticket from California to Iowa. It will be worth every penny. The experience I had with Karen was one that every photographer should strive to have with their clients. I would recommend it to everyone who is looking for suggestions, and I would most definitely book another shoot with Moxie Design!””

One piece of advice that Mia has for other seniors getting their photos taken? “Wear what makes you feel confident, beautiful, or handsome! Karen will make your vision come true. Channel your nervous energy into excitement, because this will be an unforgettable experience! Pose, smile, and have fun!!!”

When we asked Mia what her favorite photo was from her session, she replied: One favorite photo? There were so many perfect, stunning pictures that I couldn’t possibly pick one. Among my favorites, there is a shot with me in this tan hat, with a green dress on, and I had a “laughing” smile on. It captures my real smile, and I love looking back on that moment because it was a very fun little one. I also had amazing pictures come out when I had on a blazer on with a pink crop top underneath. Karen nailed the background at the Figge Museum, and there’s a picture where I lean over a glass handrail, and it’s from a side angle. It’s a perfect picture. Every picture brought something different, and there wasn’t a single photo from the shoot that I disliked.  Moxie Design provided a comfortable, fun, and unforgettable experience with stunning results!”

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

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

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.