Courtney Lee tried-out and scored the leading role in her school's play, The Beatitudes.
Getting ready for it has been a BIG deal around here.
She was the Queen Bee.
And she was amazing.
I was so nervous I couldn't sleep last night.
And Josh was so nervous he was sweating before it started.
But she nailed it.
The whole thing was quite entertaining but I was fixed on Courtney Lee.
And so was Annie (who sat in the isle with me while I took pictures.)
I wish I could say I did her hair but I'm really lousy with hair (so someone from the school did it.)
And she looked lovely.
And as you can imagine, I was feeling crazy-proud.
Afterwards, she received a ton of 'contratulations' and some flowers from her Dad.
Congratulations Courtney Lee (I have a feeling this won't be the last time I see you on stage.)
Sweetness personified!
Congratulations to the star, and also to proud mom and dad!
Just the beginning!
Posted by: janel | April 15, 2010 at 08:06 PM
Adorable!
Love the last photo with her flowers!
I know you are proud of her!
Posted by: Lauren | April 15, 2010 at 08:18 PM
She looks truly beautiful and totally at east up on stage. Congratulations!
And how do you get such great pictures with what must be really poor lighting?
Posted by: Michelle | April 15, 2010 at 09:47 PM
Way to go courtney lee!
Posted by: libbi | April 15, 2010 at 09:59 PM
hooray for courtney lee! looks like she did an amazing job. such amazing poise for a girl her age. and LOVE the flowers from her dad. :)
Posted by: michelle | April 15, 2010 at 10:07 PM
Way to go Courtney! It is so awesome that you took on that role and hopefully we will hear about you playing others! *hugs from Texas!
Posted by: Nancy Wyatt | April 15, 2010 at 10:32 PM
Oh she looks beautiful. Prettiest Queen Bee I've ever seen I'm quite sure! Congrats!!
Posted by: Mary Ann | April 15, 2010 at 11:01 PM
Sooo cute. How lucky they are to have you capture this for them. Congrats to the little star and you and Josh. She looks like a natural.
Posted by: Shannon Laux | April 16, 2010 at 02:34 AM
Courtney Lee you are the bees knees! Congratulations to all!
Posted by: Brandi | April 16, 2010 at 04:15 AM
She looked lovely! What a cute, cute costume and a beautiful (and talented!) little girl.
Posted by: MichelleG | April 16, 2010 at 04:25 AM
Your photos are great as usual- I love how (almost) all the kids are wearing antennae! Congrats, Courtney Lee!
Posted by: AVinNYC | April 16, 2010 at 04:38 AM
Fantastic pics - how did you manage to shoot in such low light without your images becoming 'noisy' and pixelated?
Posted by: jack | April 16, 2010 at 04:48 AM
She is a BEAUTIFUL Queen Bee!
Posted by: Alison | April 16, 2010 at 05:00 AM
Well done Courtney Lee! (:
She looks so adorable in these pictures.
A true little star in the making!
Posted by: Sophie | April 16, 2010 at 05:01 AM
Oh....She is such a cute little girl. I wonder if they consulted with you about what colors would look best in pictures before picking a play. The pictures are to die for. I LOVE that last one of her. That is a lifetime photo for sure.
Posted by: Monica | April 16, 2010 at 05:22 AM
Way to go Courtney Lee!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: {vicki} | April 16, 2010 at 06:03 AM
She is too cute! Congratulations on a job well done! She looks beautiful, poised, and so happy. Love these - thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Stephanie @ La Dolce Vita | April 16, 2010 at 06:53 AM
Very Cool...Bummer we missed it. Brooke and Taylor would have loved to see it I'm sure :)Congratulations Courtney, you are an amazzzzzzzzing girl!
Posted by: Misti | April 16, 2010 at 06:55 AM
Awesome pictures! What lens did you use?
Posted by: HopeS | April 16, 2010 at 07:00 AM
YOU must be so proud and those of us who watch kids performances are jealous of the gorgeous photos you got. We have such bad lighting in our school that it is nearly impossible to get t great photo. Courtney Lee looks so super cute!
Posted by: colette | April 16, 2010 at 07:18 AM
Amazing!! Supposed that you were not allowed to use flash.. how?? what setting???
Great job, girl!
Posted by: Jennifer | April 16, 2010 at 07:20 AM
I love her costume! She looks so confident on stage. I'd be so scared!
What are you shooting with?
Posted by: Kelli | April 16, 2010 at 07:36 AM
It's so amazing when you see your children up on stage, isn't it! Congratulations, Courtney Lee! You looked radiant!
Posted by: Lori Craig | April 16, 2010 at 07:49 AM
She looks gorgeous and totally at home on the stage - way to go, Courtney Lee!
Posted by: Cate O'Malley | April 16, 2010 at 07:56 AM
it is SUCH an amazing feeling to watch your kids find their "thing"....the one thing they love more than anything....and you can tell that courtney has found her "thing"....it gives me goosebumps :)
Posted by: tanyawebster | April 16, 2010 at 08:04 AM
She's beautiful and looked like she had done it a hundred times. My dd loved the stage, too, and we had so much fun with it when she was growing up. Great preparation for those college interviews, too.
Congratulations, Courtney Lee!
Posted by: pam | April 16, 2010 at 08:53 AM
Adorable!
Posted by: Melanie C. | April 16, 2010 at 09:02 AM
fabulous job on the photos. once again, YOU nailed it. which we shouldn't be surprised about but, theater lighting/photos are tricky!
would you mind sharing the settings you used? thanks. :)
Posted by: cj savage | April 16, 2010 at 09:22 AM
Way to go Courtney!! Pictures are so cute!!
Posted by: gina f. | April 16, 2010 at 09:37 AM
Fantastic! Congratulations Courtney! You look divine!
Posted by: TerriB in Oregon | April 16, 2010 at 09:46 AM
way to go!!!!!
Posted by: lori | April 16, 2010 at 10:41 AM
Awwhhhh.. another sweet moment!! Congrats Courtney Lee!!
Posted by: teresa b | April 16, 2010 at 11:46 AM
HI I really want to take your workshop
u emailed me earlier this week with the Audit details but then I couldn't get through to u again? I get a error message 404, 406 when I go to snapshotsofagoodlife.com if u happen to read this please email me again Thanks
Natasha
Posted by: natasha klein | April 16, 2010 at 12:03 PM
she is so lovely.
a queen indeed!
Posted by: anne | April 16, 2010 at 12:13 PM
Awesome pictures, and she's soooo cute! So excited to be taking your photography class this June and learn your secrets. Thanks for sharing! Kathryn
Posted by: Kathryn Benfiet | April 16, 2010 at 02:25 PM
Beautiful pictures of the beautiful Bee Queen.
Posted by: Carrie P | April 16, 2010 at 02:50 PM
I LOVE HER!!! That Courtney Lee! :)
My Mikaela (10 3/4) wanted a part in the school play this year too.. Oliver Twist, but was SO nervous and almost didn't do it (most of her friends weren't). I gave her a nudge (living a bit vicariously through her no doubt).. "if you don't go for it now, you won't and then you'll look back and wish you did and not have the guts (as that older kid, or adult). So she did. AND LOVED IT! And so did I! I signed on to help with costumes (ironing, etc.) and was hooked to the point of not missing a single moment. I was able to make every dress rehersal and helped with make-up. Got to know the kids and I'll tell you.. it was SUPER fun! I brought Chloe along, and we clipped a bit of material around her for a cape and she fit right in musical warm ups. It was HYSTERICAL! I don't know who is more excited for next years play ;)
Congrats COURTNEY!!
Posted by: Tammy Mellish | April 16, 2010 at 03:24 PM
OMG! How beautiful and proud!
Posted by: Susan Dingess | April 16, 2010 at 05:18 PM
The last photo of her with her flowers is awesome!! Congrats to Courtney and congrats to mom and dad!!! I am sure you were both beaming with happiness and pride!
Posted by: Heather | April 16, 2010 at 06:22 PM
That has to be the darn cutest thing I have ever seen.!
Posted by: Nikki M | April 16, 2010 at 06:59 PM
She looks lovely and SOOOOOOOOO PROUD!! Glad to hear that she nailed it!!
Posted by: Dawn | April 16, 2010 at 09:22 PM
These are so stinkin' cute!! She looks so confident and comfortable up there on stage. What lense are you using? Also....are any of them straight out of the camera?
Posted by: Ann | April 17, 2010 at 11:29 AM
Please email me about your workshop I can't seem to see that webpage and u mentioned I could pay right away :)thanks
Posted by: natasha klein | April 17, 2010 at 05:14 PM
oh man, wish you would put a video clip on! would love to see
that little cutie in action!
tara
Posted by: tara pollard pakosta | April 17, 2010 at 06:58 PM
OMG, Congrats Courtney Lee!!! You look absolutely amazing - I wish I could have seen the play!!! There will be lot more of this - enjoy them!
Nice photos, Mom.
Posted by: Sharli | April 17, 2010 at 07:28 PM
Yeah for Courtney Lee!
Her hair looks great and so does she!
Posted by: Melanie | April 17, 2010 at 07:54 PM
Dear Courtney Lee~
Trying out for the lead in a school play is a BIG DEAL! And you GOT THE LEAD!!! From the looks of these pictures, you did a fantastic job. You should be very, VERY proud of yourself.
CONGRATS to you!!!! :)
Ms.Kristal in Lousiana
Posted by: Kristal Jones | April 17, 2010 at 08:33 PM
She is lovely. Keep doing what you are doing. She has a great family supporting her.
Posted by: Judy Webb | April 18, 2010 at 08:46 AM
What a beautiful Queen Bee she makes!! Congrats Courtney Lee!!
Posted by: Carolyn Hall | April 18, 2010 at 09:11 AM
from what I have learned from you just from stalking your blog for the past 3 years I was able to take these pictures....
http://andreaphotograph.jalbum.net/Jacy%20Senior%20Pictures
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!
-love #1298 on your waiting list (aka andrea)
Posted by: Andrea Elizabeth | April 18, 2010 at 12:06 PM
She looks gorgeous! Great job!
Posted by: Huyen | April 18, 2010 at 05:45 PM
Hooray for Courtney Lee!
Karen- I am thinking this would be a perfect a la carte lesson sometime - how to shoot performances in low light with theatre lighting. Seriously! Beautiful photos of your beautiful girl!
Posted by: Julie Staub | April 18, 2010 at 07:52 PM
Lovely, simply lovely! She's a beautiful girl!
and I really need to suck it up and get a 70-200/2.8 lens....I'm pretty sure that's what you used to get those beautiful photos!
Posted by: julip | April 19, 2010 at 08:08 AM
So great! Way to go Courtney!
Karen, I was wondering if I could email you...I am goign on the Mykonos trip and wanted to ask you which lenses you would recommend that I bring with me? I could use your advice...
Thank you :) [email protected]
Posted by: Erika | April 19, 2010 at 10:58 AM
so great! Congrats Courtney! I love proud parent moments like this! Someting you both will remember for always.
Posted by: Suezi gurzi | April 20, 2010 at 09:38 AM
Well done Courtney Lee - getting up and remembering your part isn't easy. You must have worked really hard.
Posted by: jill | April 23, 2010 at 12:39 PM