moving forward... michelle mckibben photography...

Derek, Hailee & Brenley (destination, wedding, portrait and commercial photographer)

2011-11-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how gown up these guys are getting! They look so handsome and Brenley is sooo cute, and smart! It's been a while since I've taken their pictures, but we tried to squeeze in a super quick shoot while I was home. It was hilarious. We tried to squeeze it in right before the sun went down (so we were loosing light fast), Brenley didn't have a nap and did not want to have her picture taken, they were running late for football practice, and on top of that, I got pulled over by the park police! It was a memorable night lol!

Sabrina (set 3 of 3) (destination, wedding, portrait and commercial photographer)

2011-11-08T06:12:00.000-08:00

And this is set 3 (of 3) from Sabrina's shoot (be sure to go to the last 2 previous posts to see the rest of this little doll's shoot!)

Sabrina (set 2 of 3) (destination, wedding, portrait and commercial photographer)

2011-11-08T05:29:00.000-08:00

This is set #2 (of 3) from Sabrina's shoot. She really does look like a little Pocahontas! (Except that she's holding her bow and arrow backward! lol!) I didn't notice until I was editing the pictures. Bryan will be so disappointed in me for not catching that!

Sabrina (set 1 of 3) (destination, wedding, portrait and commercial photographer)

2011-11-08T05:06:00.000-08:00

This is the second time I've gotten to photograph this little beauty (I was thrilled when her mom called to book a session!). She looks like a dollbaby. That long wavy hair and those big brown eyes remind me of Brianna when she was little. I got so many different looks with her I thought I'd break them down into 3 different blog posts... so this is 1 of 3.

Another fun shoot with Autsin Hicks (destination wedding, portrait and commercial photographer)

2011-11-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

I had a great time in Ohio spending the day with my favorite country singer, Austin Hicks, and his family! I love these people! I truly consider them family. :) These are just a few of the many, many images we got for Austin's new album covers and promo package. It's so exciting to see how his career is soaring, and I can't wait to see what this upcoming year will bring!

You can check out some of his upcoming singles here...

http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_7693859

Beautiful Bella and Lila Kate..

2011-09-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting to edit beautiful little Bella and Lila Kate. They were part of my fun summer sessions I did while in Ohio. Bella is every bit the little girl... a true little princess. So what a better fitting session than to do a princess tea party in the woods! This was sooo her ;) And her little baby sister... couldn't you just pinch those cheeks off?!

Photobooth

2011-09-12T15:20:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when you have a birthday party and your mom is a photographer ;)

Kayleigh (destination, wedding, portrait and commercial photographer)

2011-08-31T16:48:00.000-07:00

Although we had a rough start to Kayleigh's photoshoot (like getting kicked out of the park and frantically trying to find another location before loosing precious light, being hot and sweaty, dragging props deep into the woods of our second location and then getting attacked by ants) we ended up having a great shoot anyway. It was worth all of the frustration. Kayleigh was so easy to photograph. A true natural in front of the camera. (And those legs! Gosh they just went on forever.) I couldn't help but get great pictures. :)

Zac - (Destination, wedding, portrait and commercial photographer)

2011-08-31T02:39:00.000-07:00

Just got in from another week in Ohio. Had to squeeze in one last trip before school starts here. We got a whole extra month off this summer because of the tornado damage to a couple of the schools, so we were making the most of it. It was wonderful, but now it's time to shift our focus a bit. I always hate to see summer coming to an end. It's my favorite time of the year, even when the temperatures are crazy hot, I still love every minute of it!

This is one of my awesome seniors, Zac. This is the second time I've spent photographing him and both times has been so much fun. What a sweet guy! He's got so much personality and such a great sense of style. So much so, that he was one of my wardrobe stylists for the SHINE project. Yep, all those GAP looking models from SHINE... Zac was one of the people who made them look that way!

Lyndsi - (destination, wedding, portrait and commercial photographer)

2011-08-19T05:10:00.000-07:00

I had a great time photographing Lyndsi on her grandma's 500 acre farm. I could tell this girl has farming in her blood. As beautiful as she was, she didn't think twice about getting down in the dirt. I loved it! I could tell that this shoot was totally who she was. And I loved spending time there. It made me a little homesick to see the farms and crops back in Ohio.

Ali-Bug (destination, wedding, portrait and commercial photographer)

2011-08-09T11:54:00.000-07:00

Two blogs in one day! I'm on a roll! I loved doing Ali's pictures! She went from being a princess in the secret garden, to diva playing dress-up, to rocker chic (we even had Lemonade Mouth cranking from my car stereo as she dance and modeled for me downtown!). And believe me, she's every one of those personalities! Oh how I miss her ;) She keeps me laughing!

Jessica - (destination, wedding, portrait and commercial photographer)

2011-08-09T10:42:00.000-07:00

This is one of my beautiful seniors, Jessica. Her senior shoot was exceptionally fun for me because not only is she beautiful (on the inside and out, such a sweet, sweet girl) and fun to photograph, but she came all the way to Ohio from GA just to get her senior pics done! It was so much fun showing her around my old hometown (and all of it's quirkiness). Hope it was worth the trip!

Abby (destination, wedding, portrait and commercial photographer)

2011-07-29T05:59:00.000-07:00

Abby is another one of the many beautiful kids God has blessed me to work with (and of course her little brother, Eli too). I know I always say this, but seriously, could they get any more beautiful? Seriously? She truly was a little tinker bell. What a fun time this shoot was (and you would never guess that it was a bazillion degrees outside). I even got a rabbit for the occasion! Haha Little Honey Bunny. We fell in love with her but had to leave her in Ohio ;( I have a feeling you'll be seeing her in many more pics though. It's just too bad the raccoon and baby fawn didn't work out. It would have been super cool.

Luke & Emma (destination, wedding, portrait and commercial photographer)

2011-07-25T14:27:00.001-07:00

What a busy last few weeks! It was so great to be back home. I spent the entire week working in my old hometown, shooting at some of my favorite places, with some of my favorite people. It really, really made me homesick. For some reason, this time was harder to leave than most. But I brought back with me a lot of good memories... seeing a couple old friends (not as many as I would have liked, though) and making some new ones (had a wonderful time hanging out with 'Rush of Fools' at, of all places, Young's Dairy!) The girls and I even spent the afternoon feeding goats with our new friends Kevin (from the band) and his beautiful wife Malory! Although I'm sooo disappointed that my schedule was so booked that I wasn't able to do pictures for them like we had planned :( So, so disappointed about that, but on the other hand, so, so happy that I had so many wonderful shoots with so many wonderful people! I can't wait to share them all! Since I took a little break from shooting weddings this summer, I was able to get back to photographing kids (which I love and have missed). Am I lying when I say I get to photograph the most beautiful kids in the world?! These are my little GAP models Luke and Emma (I'm serious, these kids should be getting paid for looking so cute!)

Baby Judah (destination wedding, portrait & commercial photographer)

2011-06-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

Photoshoots at the beach always make me extremely happy! But this one was particularly fun because, I finally got to meet baby Judah! Isn't he the cutest?! I do believe he's one of the most beautiful little boys I know!

And after putting so much work into the SHINE project, and then shortly after finishing that up, being hit with tornadoes and having to see the destruction around me every day, it was really nice to get away for a while. And a good photoshoot at the beach is just what my soul needed! The bad thing is, I've only been home a week and I'm already longing to go back!

Makin' our way to Anna Maria...

2011-06-08T09:34:00.000-07:00

It's been a crazy couple of months. After finally wrapping up the SHINE project, I went on a little Hiatus from shooting. Between tornadoes, and relief work, the end of the school year (with our new crazy school schedule we had due to the kids' schools having to combine because of tornado damage) I have to be honest, I felt like I was having a little trouble finding my passion (or the time to do anything about it). But the last two weeks have helped. The day after school was out we headed to Ohio for a great (but much too quick) time to see family and friends. Then straight from there to Florida to see some good family friends and take a few pics of their beautiful baby boy (I'll be posting those shortly), then off to my favorite little island (Anna Maria) for a couple of days sitting in the sand and listening to the waves of the ocean. But other than doing Judah's pictures, I only pulled my camera out one time during the trip. And that's only when we had to stop in the middle of nowhere to get two tires fixed. It was hot and we had a few minutes with nothing to do.... until I spotted this little beauty parked across the street! That got me a little excited. So, with my camera and two travel-weary girls in tow, we sprinted across the street to do a speed of lightening photoshoot (literally, 'sit there, snap, snap, ok let's go'). But it was enough to kindle a little bit of passion back in me ;)

SHINE - 2011 PART 1 (wedding, destination, portrait photographer)

2011-05-16T13:39:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy to finally be posting these pictures from our SHINE 2011!!! There were so many sneak peeks to show each kid, that I had to post this in 2 separate posts! This is part 1 of 2 parts. You won't want to miss seeing any of these amazing kids, so make sure you go to my 'older posts' to see the rest of thier beautiful faces and to hear more about our event! It was awesome!! ;)

SHINE - 2011 PART II (wedding, destination, portrait photographer)

2011-05-13T16:07:00.000-07:00

This post is long over-due. I've been so excited to get these pictures up on my blog, but other work projects, life in general, and most recently the destruction of things around me (if you haven't heard, we've had some nasty tornados rip through our town) has caused it to be a very slow process. But I'm so happy to finally be sharing these beautiful faces with you. With all the sadness that's been around us lately, I think we need to see something that makes us happy. And I hope that's what these images do for anyone who sees them. I hope they warm your heart like this project and these kids have mine.

This is from our second year of doing SHINE! If you're new to my blog and don't know about the SHINE project and how it got started, you can read more about it here and here. These beautiful, beautiful kids are cancer patients that are currently undergoing treatment @ T. C. Thompson Children's Hospital. And with the help of Ashley Williams (from T.C. Thompson's) and an incredible staff of volunteers (who blew my mind at how good each one was at what they did) we were able to give these kids a day to 'SHINE'! Thank you just isn't enough to everyone who helped make this dream a reality. This project was even bigger and better than last year's! We had an awesome day of fun, with hair, make-up and wardrobe stylists, parent massages, lots of good food, music and gifts, and even a few very lucky moms got total make-overs! It was over the top!

I have whitnessed first-hand (through the SHINE project and most recently through the devesating tornados) the goodness of people, and love in it's purest form. (It's through brokeness that God sometimes reveals himself to us the most. "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18) I am overwhelmed at the love that was poured out the day of SHINE. Not just from the volunteers to the kids, but what we got in return was priceless. The stregnth and courage that these kids have in the midst of their battle is amazing. As I've said before, I'm not a writer, so I'm struggling for the words to say just how beautiful these kids are and how rewarding this project has been. All I can do is let the pictures speak for themselves. (And there are a lot of pictures! So many I had to make them 2 different posts. So don't forget to go to the post above to see all of the kids and the slideshow!)

And, I do want to give credit where credit is due... So again, this is a HUGE thank you, to these volunteers and businesses that gave so generously to this project.... (I'm sorry I don't have everyone's last names, but we all know who you are)...

Hair, Make-up and Wardrobe Styling....

Brianna, Livia, Ashley, Misty, Emily, Sarah, Kim, Zac, Natasha, Jessica, Makayla

Parent Make-overs (haircuts and make-up)...

Robert, Sherry

Parent Massages....

Ross Penny and his staff with Chatt State, VA College

Cool Music and Sound System...

Benny

All around help, from catering food, set build-up and tear down, to loving on the families and everything in between....

Sharon (my mom), Bill (my dad), Bryan (my husband), Ben, Tom, Bettina, Jo-Ann, Woody, Sierra (sorry if I mispelled), Ashley, Megan and even Malia!

Business in Chattanooga that graciously and genreously gave...

Charming Charlie (for lending us almost $2,000 worth of jewerly and accessories!)

Platos Closet (for allowing us, once again, to wipe out their inventory of awesome, fashionable clothes!)

Chick-Fil-A (for not only donating a ton of food, but for also, and most importantly, supplying a dancing cow!!!)

Bi-Lo (for donating a beautiful (and yummy) cake!)

And the food...so much good food...thank you to all who donated!!!

Busiess that donated to the family gift packs....

(There's so many, I can't list them all now, but I will provide all those names soon.)

Chattanooga Bug-A-Paluza!

2011-04-17T02:18:00.000-07:00

My favorite of the day! Love this!

I have no doubt that if Bryan were with me, this baby would be going home with us. It matches my bus...

Remember banana seats? I never had a bike that cool...

Raggae...makes me happy! ;)

Rust, glorious rust...a photographer's best friend. Must...have...this...!

It's a grill and concession stand!

Wow, I can't believe it's been 2 months since my last post. I have a lot of pictures to share! I know there are some anxious families from T.C. Thompson's Children's Hospital who are wanting to see some peeks of their kid's pictures. Thanks for being so patient. Just a couple more days and I'll have them up. I've posted some on my facebook page. You can go there and take a peek @ michelle mckibben photography (make sure to 'like' my page if you would like to get updates). But there will be lots more posted here, so hang with me ;) But until then, I wanted to share some fun I had with the girls this weekend. I've got a secret about myself.. another part of me that I don't normally show to the world. And I'm coming out of the closet right here on my blog... Yep it's true...

deep down inside me there is a hippie trying to get out! ;p I love anything vintage 70's (I should clarify, anything hippie chic, not disco). I'm not sure if it's because it brings back memories of my childhood or if it's a product of living in Yellow Springs for so long. I think it's a little of both. And what's fun is that my 13 year old, Makayla, loves it too. So, we had a fun time this weekend getting to explore our inner hippie at the Chattanooga Bug-A-Paluza! I just hate that Bryan and my dad couldn't have been here with me this weekend. They're the only ones who would have loved it as much as me. I just bought a vintage '77 VW bus last summer (the girls and I named her Lucy, corny, but fun) and have been biting at the bit to get her interior finished so we can take her out for some fun (and of course for some photoshoots). Once she's finished, you'll be seeing a lot of her I'm sure. But until then, I thought it would be fun to share some hippie love with you from this weekend. Here's a couple of my favorites, but there's lots more on the slideshow. Peace!

Baby Makayla Pumpkinhead ;)

2011-02-08T19:32:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that Baby-Makayla-Pumpkinhead is walking! That's what Malia named her the first time she came to our house. I have no idea where she came up with the name, but it stuck. Isn't she so beautiful?! And she has one of the sweetest dispositions of any baby I know (kind of like my own Baby-Makayla-Pumpkinhead). My older girls are afraid that when they have babies I won't like their babies (which would be my grand-babies) as much as I like this one. lol Well, we'll have to wait and see. She is pretty sweet ;)

Yea, she's a rocker chick...

2011-01-23T16:34:00.000-08:00

Our house has been a little noisy ever since Santa brought drums for our little rocker chick. So when she had a couple of friends over to play, and they wanted to put together a band.... well, you know I just couldn't resist. ;)

Dr. Josh & Laura (chattanooga weddings, destination & portrait photographer)

2011-01-12T09:08:00.000-08:00

If you know me or have read this blog for any amount of time, you'll know that my favorite place to be is at the beach. For me, there's just nothing more fun than to be shooting with sand between my toes! Especially when I get the chance to do that in January!! So after spending a few days with snow in Ohio, and then coming back to Chattanooga for more snow, I was ready to put winter behind me for a while. As I've been sitting at my desk the last couple of days working on these images, with 8" of snow outside my window, there were a few times I had to ask myself, "Was I dreaming? Did I really just take these pictures 2 weeks ago?" (I had to add a picture that Mak shot of me behind the scenes. Yep, I guess I was really there!) What a treat that was! I was so excited to get the chance to finally do some baby-belly shots with Josh & Laura! They only have a few more weeks to go before it's time for the baby to be here, so I'm sure Laura didn't feel the most glamorous, but I thought she looked absolutely stunning! I can't wait to go back to do some newborn shots! And from what we're experiencing right now with this freezing weather, it couldn't come soon enough for me! (Josh & Laura, thanks for everything, guys! I hope you like what you see so far. You have lots more coming! And I can't wait to see that beautiful baby!)

Friend's ;)

2011-01-07T18:45:00.000-08:00

What do you do when you have 2 bored teen-agers with too long of a holiday vacation, and nothing to do? (They are still not back to school!) And one of them just happens to have a mom that's a photographer? You guessed it... an impromptu photoshoot in my living room! After running around most of the month of December it's nice to finally be home and getting back into the swing of things. The holidays were wonderful, spending time with my family in Ohio (one of my favorite things to do) and then coming back to Chattanooga to have a great Christmas with my girls (we even had snow, lots of it!), and then on to Florida to do my most favorite thing in the world... a photoshoot on the beach!! I'm finally back (and sick as a dog, I think the extreme weather change got to me). But even though I was sick, I couldn't resist giving the girls this little shoot. (I have to be a proud mama for a sec., but they are as sweet as they are beautiful, so it was hard for me to say no.) And it's strange, but no matter how bad I feel, when the camera is in my hand, I forget everything. At least for that moment, anyway. (Riley is so used to being in front of the camera that he thought this shoot was for him. I finally gave in and just took a couple so he would get out of the way!) I'll be posting Dr. Josh & Laura's beach shots next!

Senior-Jessica - (chattanooga wedding, destination & portrait photographer)

2010-11-23T07:36:00.000-08:00

Another fun senior shoot! I'm just loving these sweet, sweet seniors! Jessica was another natural! I swear, I don't remember any of my friends or me looking like this when we were in high school! When I was her age, I looked like I was 12!

Senior - Zac (chattanooga wedding, destination & portrait photographer)

2010-11-17T11:14:00.000-08:00

Awesome, fun senior shoot with an awesome, fun senior (um, I mean, junior)! Zac, you are a natural!

My beautiful girl ;)

2010-11-04T16:02:00.000-07:00

Wow! Two posts in one week! I'm on a roll. Got the chance to take one of my beautiful girls out the other day for a little shoot. Why don't I do this more? I'm going to have to make a point to take more pics of my family! It was so much fun! That's going to be a new goal of mine. Time just goes by way too fast. I love my girls ;)

The Prentice Family

2010-11-02T16:33:00.000-07:00

In the past my schedule hasn't allowed much time for family sessions. But in this year of trying to find a more balance with this business (and my life) I've had a little more time to fit a few special people in. And this session was a joy for me to shoot! I am so happy that I've had the privilege to get to know this beautiful family! Not only are they perfect models (they seriously look like a family out of a magazine, don't they?), but they are some of the nicest too! And I know one little boy who is just full of personality!! He was an absolute natural in front of the camera. All I had to do was keep my camera ready and he did the rest! I could have photographed him all day ;)

Christy & Brent's - baby belly shoot

2010-10-21T12:17:00.000-07:00

I had the great honor of shooting Christy & Brent's engagement shoot, then their wedding and now their baby-belly shoot. It's an awesome thing to get to go through life with my couples. Can't wait to see little Ella's beautiful face ;)

Flower Power (chattanooga photographer)

2010-10-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just have to do things for no other reason than to have fun! I've been so busy the last couple of years shooting weddings and stuff for other people (which I love by the way and am very, very thankful) but it hasn't left much time for me to play around with some ideas that have been floating in my head. So this shoot was so much fun for me. (And it always helps to know a few gorgeous people. I'm telling you, I get to photograph some of the most beautiful people! You rocked it, Brit!)

I feel a bit of an emotional connection with these images. I'm probably going to regret showing my age here, but these pictures remind me of the beautiful girls I used to see in magazines when I was a girl. I think my mom used to dress like that! lol All of my guy friends used to have a crush on her. I hated it then, but now I can totally see why.

I may look like a mother of 4 (who's not saying her age) on the outside, but this is what I feel like on the inside ;) lol. I am such a flower child at heart ;)

Katie (chattanooga photographer)

2010-10-05T21:57:00.000-07:00

I love photographing seniors. They're so much fun. And Katie was just gorgeous. I can't figure out why I've been so blessed to photograph such beautiful people, but it sure makes my job easy! ;)

Tyler (chattanooga photographer)

2010-09-29T19:42:00.000-07:00

If you've read any of my blog over the past year, you've seen more than a few posts about Austin Hicks and his band. I've enjoyed becoming friends with him and his sweet family this past year. (If you haven't heard him on the radio yet, I'm sure you will.) Austin's brother, Tyler, plays in the band too. But he is content staying in the background and isn't too comfortable when the attention is on him. That's why his mom and I had to beg to let me do a photoshoot with him. He gave into the pressure, though, and agreed to let me take his pictures. And then it takes me forever to get them posted!! I'm so sorry, Tyler! You were a great sport, though. I always love it when I get the opportunity to hang with you guys. I see by the schedule on your website that your band has hit the road again! Safe travels! And if that big old bus ever comes through Chattanooga, make sure you give me a call! ;)

The Garner Family (chattanooga photographer)

2010-09-13T10:27:00.001-07:00

I feel like my editing is creeping along. I'm sure my clients are feeling the same way. I'm sorry. I've been dying to finish up all of the shoots I did back home, but other duties (book designs, canvas orders and designs, and other graphic design projects have taken over the last couple of weeks and I'm just now getting back to the editing side of things. (I keep saying I need hire an assistant, but just haven't gotten a chance to start that process yet.) So, thank you to my wonderful clients who have been so patiently waiting to see some images from their shoots.

I don't do a ton of family sessions. I get asked all the time, but because of my business with the weddings, and traveling and doing seniors, I just don't have time to fit anything else in. I normally only do them for previous clients or someone (or some cause) that's close to my heart. But when Dyan emailed me this past summer and told me the story of her family, I knew this was one I wanted to do. (If you're reading this blog, then you most likely already know my story of how God brought our daughter, Malia, into our lives.) Well, He did the same thing for Dan and Dyan, but in a different way. I wish I could tell you all of the details that she shared with me of how God brought these two beautiful babies into their lives, but since it's her story to tell, I'll just say this... After years of praying for a child this couple figured that God had a different plan for their lives (one that probably didn't include children). But little did they know, that when Dan took a job a few states away, what God was really leading them to wasn't a job, but was to fulfill the desire of their hearts. And that a "chance" meeting with a lady at a church function, was just a part of the plan that He designed to put two beautiful babies who needed a home, into the arms of two people who needed a family. (Dyan, you should really start an adoption blog to share your story with others. It's too powerful not to tell!)

If you would like to read more stories about the miracle of adoption or to see a glimpse into our adoption journey, click on the "adoption" tab at the top of this page.

Kyle - (chattanooga & destination photographer)

2010-08-31T18:07:00.000-07:00

Could I get a cuter (or goofier) group of guys to photograph? I don't think so. I had a lot of fun with Kyle and his buddies. I think doing buddy shots with a group of senior guys is one of my favorite things to do. They don't take themselves seriously, so it's usually just laid back and goofy and so much fun. And I think they were lovin' strutting their stuff on the streets while I photographed. (They even had a few potential groupies at one point. Girls walking by were asking the if they were models. That's always fun. I wonder how many girls would have swarmed them if I would have done the "chaps" shots they suggested! lol! That's a little inside joke, but you can use your imagination. lol)

My niece, Heather, assisted me this shoot and got a shot of me working. I love it when I get these. The shot above is her perspective, the shot below is mine. Love it. Thanks, Heather ;)

Ali & Humberto - Riviera Maya Mexico - Destination Wedding Photographer

2010-08-30T06:05:00.000-07:00

Ahhh..."la isla bonita" (the beautiful island)! I can't believe so much time has already passed since we've been there. I'm finally getting to post some pics and slideshow. I had the awesome opportunity to do another destination wedding this summer. The wedding was held at the Barcelo Maya Palace in the Riviera Maya Mexico!! This has to be my favorite resorts so far! It was so over the top gorgeous, that it honestly was in a league by itself. We (Tracy and I) had a great time. And our bride and groom (Ali & Humberto) and their families were the sweetest. Really, they made us feel like family. But I have to tell you this... (remember the story about my last wedding I posted? torrential thunderstorm for her outside wedding?), well, same thing happened to Ali!! Right before the wedding a tropical storm came in! Not just a little rain, but hard blowing, sideways rain! (I hope this isn't a trend I'm seeing here.) Anyway, just as with the other wedding, it was beautiful no matter what. Ali & Humberto were surrounded by people who loved them, and everyone was so happy. And we got some amazing shots in one of the most beautiful places I've ever been! So, all was wonderful. ;) If you haven't already, make sure to visit our DW Blog to see the slideshow Tracy put together of the images both of us shot!

chattanooga and destination wedding photographer

2010-08-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

Still working on tons of pictures, but had to take a break to share a few fun things. This post will give you a little idea of the diversity of work I've done this summer. And I love it! I would love, love, love if I could keep up this pace of doing such different projects. This has been an awesome summer!

First up I want to share the exciting news that the T.C. Thompson's "Cancer Hits Home" campaign has begun in Chattanooga! The website is now up and the banners (all 90 of them!) will be hung downtown Chattanooga starting Sept. 1! It has been more than an honor for me to be a part of this project. (If you are visiting my blog for the first time and don't know about this project you'll need to go back a couple of pages and read about the "SHINE" project.) This has been life-changing for me and these kids have left their fingerprints on my heart. Make sure you go to their website and scroll down to read the stories of 4 of the kids who were highlighted. And please, if they come to your mind, pray for them and their families.

Next, more fun news... Tracy has posted the slideshow of our destination wedding on our DW Blog in Riviera Maya Mexico!!! We had an awesome time, in an amazing place and got to spend it with some wonderful people! We shot tons of pictures (I'll be sharing lots, hopefully in my next post). She even made me relax on this trip (we even took our bathing suits this time, yay). I'll be posting lots more about Mexico on my next post.

And lastly, this is for all of my Ohio friends. If you are looking for something fun to do tomorrow night (Sat.) go check out Austin Hicks @ The Greene from 6:00-10:00. They will be celebrating the release of his new single "I Still Pledge Allegiance To The Flag" (have you heard it on the radio yet?). Should be an awesome concert! I wish I could be there! ;( And make sure you stroll by the merchandise table and check out how he's used some of the pictures from our shoots! And also be sure to introduce yourself and tell them who you are. They are some of the nicest people you'll ever want to meet.

Patrick - (chattanooga photographer - weddings, destinations & senior portraits)

2010-08-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

I'm finally able to focus on finishing up all of my shoots from Ohio. I know there are a lot of you waiting to see your "sneak peeks". So here we go... first up, Patrick. I had the privilege of photographing Patrick's sister's wedding a couple of years ago (Kate's & Patrick's wedding). (Don't be confused, but her husband's name is Patrick too.) This is such a sweet family and it was an honor to be able to work with them again. This guy has such a strong faith and such a loving family that whatever career path he chooses, I know he'll have great things in his future.

Andy & Ashley (chattanooga & destination photographer)

2010-08-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe it's been another whole month since I've posted! (It's been so long I actually couldn't remember my password!). But things are finally starting to settle down a bit. The kids are back in school (way too early, I think), and I'm back home and ready to tackle all the mounds of editing that needs to be done. It seems like the summer has just flown by. And although part of me is looking forward to the routine and structure that comes with school starting, there's a bigger part of me that is not ready to leave the crazy, carefree schedule we have with summer.

It's been a great summer, though. This past month and 1/2 has been crazy busy with 2 weddings (1 in Chattanooga, 1 in Mexico) and lots of seniors (in Ohio), then back to GA to get the girls in school. And in the midst of that, taking care of Brianna from having emergency surgery (appendix). So I know some of you have been dying to see your pictures and I'm sorry for the wait. I have lots of stuff to post, so keep checking in, hopefully you'll be seeing yours soon.

I should post the Mexico wedding first, since it was shot first, but there's a couple of things I need to do before it's ready. So, I'm going a little out of order, but I wanted to post Ashley and Andy's wedding. I was so excited when they asked me to be their photographer. They are the sweetest couple and I loved working with them and their family. I met Andy a couple of years ago when he and I were working the same wedding (he's a DJ). We actually have done a couple of weddings together. Then a while back we started attending a new church and I saw this guy that looked so familiar... Natasha had used him a couple of times when she was busy with her wedding coordinating business. So she recognized him and Ashley right away.

I don't normally write so much in my post (I'm sorry this is so long), but I want to tell you a little bit about their wedding day. It was beautiful. Her dress was perfect. The location was stunning (an old southern mansion in North Georgia, with slave houses included). They had the horse draw carriage, it was like a fairy tale. But there were a couple of set-backs. It was the hottest day of the year (at one point I think Andy told me it was 102 before the heat index, so it was HOT). So it was a little difficult to get all the pictures I had planned before the wedding. No problem, what I couldn't get before-hand, I would take after the ceremony when things cooled down. It was all good. Then about 15 minutes before the ceremony was to begin the deep, black clouds moved in (did I mention it was an outdoor wedding?). Then a crack of thunder that shook the windows....then the lightening.... then the rain. Not just a little bit, but a terential downpour. Then (Ashley don't know this until now), but I started having issues with my equipment! (There was no way I was going to let you know that until now, Ashley!!) And the rain kept coming and coming and coming. And, because it was already an evening wedding to begin with, each moment we had to wait on the rain... I was loosing light (major catastrophe for a photographer who is shooting outside and is using natural light!) Over an hour went by with a continual downpour. Needless to say, I was praying, A LOT. Then, as quickly as it came, the clouds parted, the sun broke through and it was gone. And then.... God gave Andy and Ashley a beautiful gift on their wedding day... a rainbow! My equipment started working fine (I struggled with the light, but it was still ok), the staff quickly dried off the seats and she had the most beautiful wedding of any that I've attended. Even more so because we were all so emotional and so grateful that God had spared their day. As I was working on their pictures this thought came to my mind.... sometimes the rain comes. Sometimes it pours. Sometimes things don't go as planned. But that's when we hold on. We take refuge in knowing that God is in the rain. We just need to hold on and trust Him and know that it's only for a moment. Then the sun will break through and we will be stronger for having gone through it. And after the rain.... He gives us a rainbow. Without the rain, we could not experience the beauty of a rainbow.

That's a memory that Ashley and Andy, and everyone that was there, will always have about their wedding day. (I didn't get a picture of the rainbow. It was during the time of my equipment issues and I was inside and didn't see it. But someone there captured it and was gracious to allow me to use it in their slideshow.)

Cancer Hits Home Campaign - (Chattanooga Photographer)

2010-07-16T17:26:00.001-07:00

It's been a busy last couple of weeks! Right after getting back from doing some promo work for Austin (his post is below), I was right on to the next project. Which I'm so excited to tell you about! After seeing some of the images from my "SHINE" project, T.C. Thompson's Children's Hospital contacted me and asked if I would like to be a part of a campaign they were working on to promote the awareness of childhood cancer. They wanted to use some of my images from from the project to make banners that will hang around the city of Chattanooga! The campaign is called "Cancer Hits Home" and I am so honored to be a part of it! Although they will be using some of the images that I already had, they needed a couple more to complete the project. So I had the great honor of photographing some old friends (look hard at the last 2 images, they may be a little hard to recognize now that they have hair, but don't they look great? I fell in love with both of these kids the first time I photographed them. So good to see them looking so healthy.). And I also had the great privilege of photographing some new friends. My heart just melted when little Maddie walked through the door. She's only 5 years old and has leukemia. She was an absolute sweetheart and had a ball swaying and dancing to Taylor Swift as I clicked away on my camera! She looks like a little Baby Gap model with or without her wig! And I also had the humbling experience to meet and photograph Brody and his mom...who both have cancer. When I was first told that I would be photographing a son and mom team I had no idea that they both were battling cancer together. How can anyone even wrap their minds around that? But just in the short time that I got to meet them, I could sense a strength in their spirit and the special bond that they have for each other (you can see it in their pictures). Hopefully, you will be seeing more of them on my blog and hearing more about their story soon. I'm planning a special session with them and can't wait to get to know this amazing family better.

It's hard to believe that God would use a simple photo shoot I did for my cousin Jamie to open my eyes and my heart to a world I never knew existed. I feel so connected to these families now. I wanted to share with you a video that my new friend Ashley put together (She has the most amazing job in the world! She's the Child Life Specialist for the Children's Hospital and works daily with these beautiful children that I've had the pleasure of photographing.) As you watch the video, look closely, you will see some of the kids that are on my blog! And please, remember to pray for these families and all families who have been through this battle.

Nashville Recording Artist.....Austin Hicks! (2nd shoot)

2010-07-12T18:53:00.000-07:00

It's been another crazy, busy summer. Even though I've cut back on my shooting schedule this year, it seems as if I'm still busier than ever. Maybe if I'd stay in one place for longer than a week it wouldn't feel that way ;) But I love it. I've been working on some exciting projects and can't wait to be able to post about all of them. I had a quick trip this weekend back to Ohio for another photo session with Austin Hicks! He was needing more promotional photos to send to his record label, and I was happy to oblige! He and and his family are the sweetest, and I really enjoy my sessions with them. The sky is about to burst open for Austin and I couldn't be happier for him! His single "I still pledge allegiance to the flag" will be hitting the national airwaves Aug. 1st and I have no doubt that it will be a hit! Really. It won't be long and he will be a household name. I'm just excited that they found me when they did and that I get the privilege of being their photographer ;)

Brittany and Brandon

2010-06-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

It always blesses me so much when I'm a part of a wedding where the bride and groom love the Lord and are committed to Him. And where you can see the evidence of the baton of faith that has been passed from generation to generation. And it's a special honor when I get the chance to photograph the wedding of someone I've known since they were little. And even better when that person marries someone else that I've known for a long time. I used to tell Brittany and Brandon when they were just teens in our youth group, "one day, you're going to get married". So it was very special to me to be able to be a part of their beautiful day. And what made it even better was that I was surrounded by all of the Webbs and the rest of my CLC family! It doesn't get much better than that! ;)

Baby Zoe's Homecoming

2010-06-21T06:35:00.000-07:00

While I was enjoying myself on the beach a couple of weeks ago, there was a part of me that was heartbroken that I couldn't have been in Ohio as our friends Dave & Cheryl brought their beautiful baby, Zoe, home from China. I had the privilege of photographing their first homecoming with Sasha and wanted to be there to photograph this one too. Cheryl and I have a special bond. Our lives have been put on very similar paths and we share a lot of the same passions (she's a photographer too, we've been in the same church and raised our families there since they were very little, and God has called us both to China, just to name a few). When I photographed their first homecoming I remember how emotional I was. As they came down the airport corridor all of the emotions that I felt as Bryan and I took that same walk came flooding over me. I was shaking and crying so hard it's a miracle that I got any pictures of them at all.

I wanted, so much, to be able to share in the joy with all of our friends as they got to meet Zoe for the first time. Although, I didn't take these pictures (credit goes to Ashley Weidner of Passion Photography), I put the slideshow together for her and wanted to share this beautiful story. To read Zoe's entire adoption story you can visit Cheryl's blog @ http://www.babyliette.blogspot.com/. Also, if you would like to see Sasha's homecoming video you can click here: Sasha . (Notice the difference in Sasha from the first video to the second! See what love can do?! And I love the pictures of Malia hugging her! I still cry when I see these. It's as if she's saying, "welcome, home, you're safe now.") It's amazing to look at them now and see what God has done in these beautiful little girls' lives! And I can't share these miracles without revisiting our own story (click here): Malia. Just have your tissues handy as you watch all of these slideshows and be prepared to be blessed! God is so good!!!

p.s. And if your heart isn't spilling over with love yet, then this will throw you over the edge! Watch as our other dear friends the Morris' welcome not 1, but 3 beautiful children from Ethiopia into their family!! (click here) Morris Homecoming.

Makayla

2010-06-12T21:04:00.000-07:00

I got to do a little "mini" photo shoot with Makayla on the island today. It's our last day here and I couldn't leave without at least getting a small shoot in. We had a lot of fun. But I've been so mad at myself because I purposefully left my professional gear at home (lenses, lighting, etc.). I wanted to be able to relax and not worry about it for once. (Usually when I go to beautiful places, I have to work and don't get a chance to really enjoy my surroundings because I've got equipment to worry about.) But what was I thinking? I should have known better! Next time I'll come more prepared.

Good-Bye Anna Maria, My New Best Friend ;)

2010-06-12T01:03:00.000-07:00

It's our last day on the island before heading home. It's going to be hard to leave. We were suppose to be traveling the coast with Bryan as he worked, which we did for a while, but the girls and I ended up falling in love with the little island of Anna Maria. So, about mid-way through our travels, we decided that this was all we needed to see. So as Bryan ran around all day, we enjoyed the crystal clear beach, balmy weather and blue skies. (Ok, I have to admit, I'm the only one that enjoyed the balmy weather. I LOVE the heat and sunshine, but it was too hot for Makayla and Malia (as shown in image #11 lol).

I love the ocean. There's something so mystical and mysterious about the sea. It's so full of life and so big and powerful. It gives me a small perspective of how big God is, and how small I am. When I'm in my busy little world at home, my day to day problems and issues seem bigger than life. But when I'm at the ocean, it shows me the reality of how small they really are. My dream is to one day live by the ocean. Maybe not all of the time, because I love other places too. But at least part of the time. Not sure how that's going to happen yet. But until it does, I'll just continue to dream ;)

Anna Maria Island

2010-06-03T10:25:00.000-07:00

After shooting a beautiful wedding for my friends in Ohio (pictures coming soon), the kids and I headed south to travel with Bryan as he works (poor guy). As he travels the state of Florida visiting clients, the girls and I are beach hoping ;) First stop - Anna Maria Island! I've never been here before and I have to say, it's one of my new favorite places! I've never been to beaches in the states that were so pristine. Anna Maria is a quaint little island close to Tampa. With white powdery sand and turquoise water that you can see through like glass, and as warm as bath water, I think could stay here a while. (Augh, this is what I dream about all the other days of the year!) I'm hoping to get a chance to post images from each place we go.

But as wonderful as my trip has been, some good friends of ours are on a trip of a lifetime! Our friends Dave & Cheryl are finally in China to bring baby Zoe home!! It's their second time back (the first was to get their beautiful daughter, Sasha). I've been excited and emotional as I follow her blog. It has taken me back to all the emotions of our trip. It's hard to believe that Malia has been here over 3 years. Our China experience seems like a lifetime ago. And the thought of Malia not always being here seems so weird to me. She's such a part of me now, I can't image it being any other way. After the Olympics, China has put restrictions on blogging. So, I'm not sure if they will be able to blog every day, but if you would like to follow another amazing adoption story, you can read what she's written so far @ http://babyliette.blogspot.com And keep your tissues handy ;)

Nick & Tiffanie

2010-05-25T20:14:00.000-07:00

I just got back from an awesome photo shoot with one of the sweetest couples! (Sometimes I think it's a little unfair, because of all the gorgeous couples I get the chance to photograph. They make my job so easy.) Nick and Tiffanie are both seniors and just graduated, but we managed to get those senior pics taken before they head off to summer camp! I've got tons of images to work on, but am heading out in the morning to shoot a wedding in Ohio this weekend, and then off for a couple of weeks to hit as many beaches as I possibly can ;) But I just couldn't leave town without giving them a little something to hold them over until I get back! Can't wait to post more!

Amy & Sean

2010-05-20T18:51:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been almost 2 months since my last blog. And it feels like it's been forever since I shot my last wedding! I'm still busy with all of the behind the scene stuff (album designs, orders, etc.). It's crazy how busy that kind of stuff can keep me. But I'm itching to get back out there and start shooting again. I've got a lot of stuff in the works and am excited to get them underway. As my busy season approaches, I'm just praying I'll be able to have more balance this year than in the past. And so far, I think I'm on track! (Well, not completely, but it's a good goal to have. lol)
Amy and Sean's wedding was shot at a bed and breakfast nestled in the mountains of north Georgia. The General Woods Inn is a plantation style home that sits high on an hill and has some of the most breathtaking views I've ever seen! The pictures just don't do the scenery justice. And I loved doing this wedding because I felt like I was surrounded by old friends. I had the privilege of shooting the bride's brother's wedding just a couple of years ago. It was so great to see everyone again! Amy & Sean are the sweetest couple and have such a cute proposal story. I have to share... (sorry Amy if I don't get this exactly right)... Amy's favorite restaurant is a Japanese restaurant here in Chattanooga (it's actually my favorite too). They ate there together a lot so Amy just thought that they were having another ordinary dinner together. But when she opened her fortune cookie it said "will you marry me?!" That's a very short version of the story they told me. But how cute is that? And how creative of Sean!