Essie – Big Goals, Best Hair, and a Dog Named Bowie


Let’s talk about Essie — Lakeway Christian senior, my senior influencer, athlete, future lawyer, and owner of the most gorgeous long hair I’ve ever laid eyes on. She pulled up to her session like she walked out of a shampoo commercial and brought the cutest little sidekick with her… Bowie the Aussie Doodle.


Now let me tell you about this dog. The eyes? Mesmerizing. The energy? Unmatched. The obedience? Questionable 😂 — mostly because they forgot the leash. But did Bowie mind? Absolutely not. He was out there living his best life… until a squirrel showed up and he decided that was his main character moment. And off he went. No warning. Just zoom.


We shot at The Carriage House in Jefferson City and oh my word — jaw-dropping. This was my first time there and I’m already obsessed. Between that gorgeous venue, the breeze (okay, slight exaggeration — it was HOT and HUMID), and Essie’s stunning outfits, it all felt like a Pinterest dream.


Essie’s got some serious drive. She’s planning to head to University of Kentucky — which totally runs in the family. Her sister’s there studying nursing, and both her parents are UK grads. No pressure or anything. And did I mention she wants to be a lawyer? Because yeah. She’s not playing.


Her mom came along for the ride (and by ride, I mean: wrangling Bowie mid-squirrel crisis), and it was the sweetest vibe watching her take it all in.


Oh, and because we don’t play it safe around here — we may or may not have crawled under an electric fence to chase the perfect field. No one got zapped (miraculously), and yes, it was totally worth it.


Essie plays both volleyball and beach volleyball, and she told me she’s seriously sad to leave Lakeway Christian. You can just tell she loves it there — like really loves it. She’s got that mix of charm and ambition that just works.


And fun fact? She’s the kind of girl that can model through 90% humidity and a rogue dog and still look like she stepped out of a magazine. Girl’s got range.

A series of connected photographs show two people sitting in a grassy field at sunset enjoying each other's company.
A fluffy goldendoodle dog wearing a bandana shows affection to someone kneeling on grass during golden hour.
A person wearing a denim and floral ruffle top poses outdoors against a natural green background during golden hour.
A woman in a floral dress and white cowboy boots poses near evergreen trees in golden evening light.
A young woman in a denim and floral ruffle dress stands beside evergreen bushes in a garden setting.
Person in light blue dress and white boots poses playfully along a white fence on grassy field with trees in background.
A small child in blue sits on a white wooden fence with trees in the background.
A serene country scene of a white wooden fence running along a grassy field at sunset with scattered trees in background.
A person wearing a ruffled brown top and jeans stands in a sunlit field during golden hour.
Person in casual attire poses against sunset in grassy field wearing brown top and light denim jeans.
Someone with long wavy hair wearing a brown ruffled top and jeans stands in a sunny field at sunset.
Person wearing a ruffled top and jeans lounges in a sunny meadow with a joyful expression at sunset.
Person in blue jeans sitting in a grassy meadow during golden hour sunset.
Someone relaxes in a grassy field wearing a ruffled brown top and jeans during golden hour.
Woman in ruffled top and jeans poses casually by a white fence on a sunny day at a rural farm property.