Holly Obousy and I first met at the Physique Showdown this past April. Holly is an NFF Bikini Pro and a bodybuilding judge, so she spends most show weekends on the other side of the stage lights — evaluating physiques instead of showing hers. We kept in touch after that show, and when the Dallas Showdown came around in June, we planned a session for the morning after: Sunday at Lynn Creek Park on Joe Pool Lake in Grand Prairie.
It was a beautiful morning — warm light, a light breeze, none of the Texas heat yet. Everything about this shoot lined up.
A Natural in Front of the Camera
Some athletes need a few frames to warm up. Holly didn't. She judges this sport, so she knows exactly what a polished pose looks like — the lines, the angles, where the light should land. I barely had to direct her at all. We clicked right away, and the session moved the way the best ones do: less instruction, more shooting.
Second frame of the morning, and she was already warmed up.
Three Looks on One Shoreline
We started at the sand volleyball court in leopard print, moved to the grassy bank in royal blue — the color popped against all that green — and finished under the trees with a black top and a long white skirt, my favorite look of the morning. One park gave us three completely different sessions without ever getting back in the car.
That's what a good location does. Joe Pool Lake has the sand, the shoreline, and the shade all within a short walk, and a morning there can carry a whole portfolio.
Royal blue against the green — the physique shot.
Down to the water’s edge for the last of the blue look.
The Start of Something
This was our first session together, and it couldn't have gone better. We've shot several more times since — lifestyle, stage weekend, more portraits — and every one of them has run the same way: easy, fast, and fun. Holly, thank you for trusting a brand-new pairing that morning. Many more to come.
The last frame of the morning — and still my favorite.
If you're a competitor coming off a show — or you just want an outdoor session like this one while the light is perfect — I'd love to plan it with you.