Jamie

Today was suppose to be a happy post. I'm getting ready to head to Ohio for an engagement shoot, to spend the 4th with my family, and then flying to Jamaica Mon. morning to shoot a wedding next week, and then off to the Outer Banks to shoot another wedding the following week. Sounds wonderful and exciting, but instead my heart is heavy. I am so sad to tell everyone that this morning our Jamie has lost her battle with cancer. She was only 17. She had a long, hard battle that robbed her of many things. But we can take comfort that she is now with our Lord Jesus Christ.

"When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 1 Corinthians 15:15-55

Chris & Jennifer - Engagement Shoot

Every time I do an engagement shoot, it seems like I say "this is my favorite one". I just love doing them so much. But I have to say, this shoot had everything in it that gets me excited! A couple that both look like 40's movie stars (doesn't Chris look just like Ryan Goosling from "The Notebook"? It's one of my favorite movies, so I was super excited to do this shoot!) And not only did I have the perfect couple, but I found the perfect spot. As I was out looking for on old train one day, I came upon a photographer's gold mine (an old train, an abandoned warehouse with brightly painted rooms, graffiti walls, and grunge everywhere (sounds horrible, but for me, it was a treasure!) It was so secluded that as we were shooting, a deer came out to watch us. He watched for a while as we played around on the train. Then he invited a few more of his friends. It was so cool! They all just stood there watching us for the longest time. Then it got a little scary. Because right after the deer left, 2 coyotes came out and followed them. I could handle the deer, but the coyotes really freaked me out. I was just hoping a bear wouldn't follow. (I keep forgetting I'm not in Ohio any more!)

Jenna & Nathan- wedding

Jenna & Nathan were married a long time ago and have had their pictures and slideshow for a while, but I never got a chance to actually post it on my blog. It's always fun to be able to share it with your friends over the internet, and they kind of missed out on that. So....here ya go! Hope you guys have a wonderful time in the Bahamas!!!

Erlanger Residents Party!

Photobooths are fun for any event! This one was on the Southern Bell Riverboat in Chattanooga. The event was put on by Erlanger Hospital for some of the doctors and their familes. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of it!!

Modeling Shoot for "L"

"L" wants to be a model. I would say her chances are about 100%, wouldn't you? She looks like something right out of a magazine!  Hope you had fun!!

I'm on a billboard!!

How fun is this?!  One of my pictures is being used for an ad on a billboard!  My beautiful bride, Ashley, and her handsome groom, Donny will be on a billboard somewhere in GA between Ringgold and Dalton.  (Which I think is really fun, because they live in this area, so their friends and a family will be able to see it.)  But what's even more exciting, I think, is that my sister-in-law, Tara and her family are on there too!!  How exciting is that?!  My nieces will be thrilled.  I love, love, love this picture of them.  I wish I could take credit for that one, but all props go to Tracy!  It will be fun to see when it goes up in a couple of weeks.  I'll be out of town doing destination weddings, but I can't wait to get back and see it!

Morris Homecoming

I had the awesome opportunity to photograph another beautiful adoption homecoming! The Morris' are an amazing family and are dear friends of ours. I remember when we were in the long process of waiting to go to China to get Malia, Kelly would call me and we would cry together on the phone. She knew God had given them a broken heart for orphans (particularly the children of Ethiopia), but just wasn't sure what that meant for their family . With already having 6 biological children, most people would think it would be insane to want more! But when God calls you to something, very rarely does it make sense to the rest of the world. And as hearts were being broken in their family, 3 Ethiopian children (a sister and her two baby brothers) were waiting for a family whose love was big enough to take them all in. It's so amazing how God works all the pieces of our lives together to make a beautiful picture. I have to warn you, you may want to grab a couple of tissues before watching this slideshow ;)

New Orleans - 1st post

Wow 2 post in less than 24 hours!  I haven't done this in a while.  I still have a couple of slideshows I need to post, but needed to take a little break.  I wanted to post a couple of the many, many pictures I took when I went to New Orleans (way back in Oct.).  It's just now that I have been able to get to them.  I had the awesome privilege of going to a workshop where I was able to shoot beautiful models, side by side with some of the most famous photographers in the wedding industry!  I am so blessed to have been able to do this.  It was a total blast and I got tons of pictures.  I'll try to work on a few here and there (between my clients' shoots) and post them.  I have so many it was hard to choose where to start.  Of course, some of my favorites were with this sweet model.  I have a thing for photographing Asian beauties (for those who may not know, my baby is Chinese).  She was a sweetheart and absolutely gorgeous!  I'm thinking about using some of these on my website.  Any suggestions on which ones might be keepers?  I think I'm lovin' #1 & #4.

Tracy & Brad - slideshow

I'm still not posting like I used to, but I promise it will get better. (I know my blog has been a little boring lately). I'm finally caught up with my editing, book designing (almost) and ordering for everyone, and after a very, very stressful last few months, I am now ready to start looking toward and great season. I've got lots of fun shoots coming up and am finally at a place where I'm excited about my job again! I know a couple of you have been dying to see your slideshows. So that's what I'll be trying to work on today. This is Tracy & Brad's slideshow (hope you guys like it!) They had the reception of the year!! Such a fun couple!!

Amazing Race

Yes, I'm back in the world of blogging again!  Still finishing up with some way past due weddings, but I'm starting to get a little of my life back!  So, I just had to take a minute to share this video with you.  It's funny.  Let me set the stage....Natasha and Ben (my daughter & son-in-law, for those who may not know) took a little trip a couple of weeks ago to N.C. to audition for "The Amazing Race".  We're all big fans of the show (a good friend of Ben's was on it a few years back.  If anyone is a fan they may remember Chuck and Millie (from season 3, I think).  Anyway, this is sooo down Tasha & Ben's alley.  They love adventure and are super competitive (you can tell by the video, lol).  So they went to audition and they were interviewed for the local news channel.  I cracked up when I saw it.  The "take-charge wedding planner personality" came out in Tash.  I love what the anchorman says right after the clip!  Too funny!

Tracy & Brad's Wedding

Tracy & Brad's wedding was beautiful. They are such a fun couple (Tracy is always laughing, I love that! And check out the picture of Brad kissing the car...typical guy!) And their reception was nothing short of fabulous! They left no detail undone (and there were lot's of details!). You could tell that this couples' focus was not on themselves, but on their guest. They went above and beyond to make the night a fun-filled time for their family and friends. Just to name a few of the things they provided..... an awesome blue grass band (they were a group of boys, I think the oldest of them was around 14 or 15, and they were amazing! I could have listened to them all night), a solo artist to sing their first song (also amazing!), along with the best DJ's in town, an ice cream bar (catered by Clumpies), a photo booth, a mini antique car show (provided by Emerson Russell), and get this...a separate tent with a cigar bar (they flew in a guy from CA to hand roll each guest their own specialty blend cigar) and then topped it all off with an amazing fireworks show!!! It was the party of the year!!! And it was so fun for me to be a part of it! I have to give a shout-out to Jenny & Beth from Emerson Russell's Catering. They did a wonderful job in making this such a great party! I'll post the slideshow soon.

Jamie & Josh's Slideshow

Well, it's been almost a whole month since my last post! I know, I know, I just don't even know what to say. I feel like I've been paralysed (the last 6 months has not been very fun). But, after months and months (literally) of searching, I finally found a guy who specializes in the exact problems I've been experiencing with my computer. (I've been dealing with people who "think" they know how to fix it, but then when I start working again, there's no difference. The issues are still there. This has been ongoing month after month.) Anyway, I'm so ready to be excited about my job again! And I think I finally found someone to help me get there. But just because I haven't posted anything doesn't mean I haven't been working. I've been busy, busy editing, shooting, and designing books and filling orders. I have a lot to post. But before I move on, I need to post Josh & Jamie's slideshow. They have been WONDERFUL in being so patient (as has all of my clients- honestly, I've worked with some of the most wonderful couples and families, I feel so blessed).

I want to also post Jenna & Nathan's slideshow (Jamie's sister). Even though their wedding was a long, long time ago, and they already have their slideshow, I never got to post it on my blog (right at the time I did their wedding is when my computer issues started and I wasn't able to post their show.) So I want to give them equal time. But in fairness to Jamie, I'll post Jenna's in a few days ;)

It's good to be back ;)

Jamie & Josh - Wedding

I know everyone who checks my blog is probably wondering what in the heck is going on (especially Jamie & Josh).  I'm so sorry I have been moving at a snail's pace.  But I'm still dealing with the same computer issues that have slowed my post processing down ever since fall!  Every time I think I have it behind me, I realize that it's still not corrected!  There are still issues I've been dealing with that, at times, makes me feel paralysed in my work.  It's beyond frustrating!  And I just want to say, once again, thank you to all of my clients who have been so gracious in waiting on me.  I still don't have the problems fixed, but I finally think I know where to get help!  Say a prayer for me!  

On a more positive note.....I want to write a little about Jamie & Josh.  I was so excited to do this wedding.  I think I said in my last post, that I love their style (check out the boots Jamie wore, I loved, loved, loved her look)!  My only regret was that I didn't get to shoot near enough......and that it was cooooold!  I mean cold!!  The bride got frost bite on her fingers and my camera kept freezing up!  That part was not fun.  Oh, and I got my car stuck in a snow bank as I was trying to get the couple quickly to a location where we could get some sunset pictures in the snow.  I was really bummed that we couldn't get the pictures, and totally embarrassed that I got my car stuck.  It was a pretty stressful time.  But Jamie and Josh, and everyone there, were so great!  And we ended up getting some awesome shots anyway.  I actually had quiet a few mishaps that whole weekend (my car broke down on the way to Ohio and I was stranded in Kentucky 2 nights before the wedding....and did I mention it was cold?). Lots of stuff was going on, but we got through it all....and I do have to say, it was worth it. ;)

I need to take a little break from editing wedding pics to post a couple of these cool looking seniors.  It's kind of funny how I got these.....I was in Ohio this past weekend for an amazing photo shoot.  I had the privilege of photographing the homecoming of 3 beautiful kids from Ethiopia!  (I've got tons to tell about that, but I'll get to that later).  Anyway, after shooting the homecoming of our friends, I went directly to a senior shoot I had scheduled.  As I was finishing up with that, I just happened to run into some of my old clients and their buddies on the way to prom!  They came to the exact same location I was shooting to get a couple of pictures with their cameras!  How convenient was that?!  Of course I couldn't leave without snapping a few shots.  

I'm finishing up Josh & Jamie's wedding and will be posting them soon.  Then, Tracy & Brad's wedding, the adoption slideshow, and lots, lots more.

Jamie & Josh - Engagement Session

I had the great pleasure of photographing another beautiful Marcum girl. I've grown to love this family! And Jamie and Josh were so much fun to photograph because, well, just look at them. They look like models! I wanted to photograph them from the first time I met them. And their style is just the kind my camera loves! ;) I didn't need to do anything but just sit back and shoot! (Speaking of shooting, it reminds me....you'll never guess what this cute little, petite girl did for her bachelorette party....she went the the shooting range! Believe it or not, she's a CSI! Too cool!) I'll be posting their slideshow soon.