Catching up

I've got a lot of catching up to do here! I've been so busy editing, proofing, and traveling that I haven't updated my blog all month. I hope I haven't lost what few readers I've gained :)

I'll be posting lots of pictures over the next few days; I know I've got several people out there watching for a preview of their photographs! So to the newlyweds Hobbs, Johns, and my Gatlinburg girls: keep checking back--it won't be long, I promise.

In addition to my fall frenzy of weddings, I'm still hard at work on Amy and Wes's album. I thought I'd post a few nice shots from their wedding, since they predated my blog by a couple of weeks.

Some detail shots:




Their cake was really neat--it was asymmetrical



Amy made the cutest little happy faces all day; here's one during the ceremony:

The church:

A couple of portraits:

And my favorite shot of their first dance:

Lately I almost feel like I need to be 3 people to keep up with everything, but I love it--I'm not complaining a bit! I've had out of town weddings for the last 2 weekends, one in the beautiful Smoky Mountains, and the other north of Cinci. For that wedding, I was the second shooter for the amazing Jim Cook. I learned a lot and can't wait to try out some new ideas at Katie and Brian's wedding this weekend.

Holy Cow!

What a weekend! Wesley had his first 3 year old soccer game Saturday morning, after which I had a wedding that afternoon, a bridal show in E-town on Sunday, and some quick kiddo portraits that evening. The weather was very cooperative this weekend, thankfully. The wedding on Saturday was in a gorgeous outdoor location, and if it had rained (70% chance!) then it was going to have to be moved into a small, dark room. I was so happy to see all the chairs set up outside when we
pulled up to the location! I've started sorting and editing those photos, and will hopefully have a few favorites up on the blog before I leave town on Thursday (annual girl's trip!!! Finally here! Plus a wedding in the mountains on that Saturday!).

But here are a few favorites from the shoot Sunday evening of these 3 adorable kids. The weather cooperated for us here as well; we were supposed to do the shoot at Freeman Lake, but it rained all day and just started to clear up on my way out to their house. We decided to just do the shoot on their back deck, because everything was so wet. It ended up being easier for everybody, and I think the results are great! See what you think and let me know!

First up, the super-cute Adeline, who just turned 3!

Next, her handsome brother Aiden:

Next up, the adorable Miss Lizzie, who really knows how to pose for the camera!

And last, a couple of the girls together:

PS--you really can't tell from the photos that it was actually quite gloomy outside when we took them. The magic of photoshop!

Ha! I'm so smart! (Kim and Brian's Slideshow)

I finally figured out how to add a slide show directly to the blog. I love it when I triumph over technology :) It plays quite a bit smaller here, so here's the link to the fullsize version:

See it big here

I know I'm not showing much humility by saying so, but I am so happy with these pictures. I believe these, and also Katie and Brian's engagement session photos, turned out pretty darn good. I'm very critical of myself, so it feels kind of funny to be giving myself a little pat on the back :)

I love the emotion that is so evident in both couple's happiness with each other. When Kim requested this song, she said it was perfect for their situation. I think the music really adds a whole other element to their "picture story" here.

Busy Busy Busy!

Labor Day weekend is aptly named for my activity level this holiday. But at least it is all a labor of love--figuratively and literally! :) Seriously, though, it is a good thing I love what I do, or I might be feeling overwhelmed. Instead, it is exhilarating.

I've got a bridal show next Sunday in E-town, the day after the first of my fall frenzy of weddings coming up. So I've been digging around in all my wedding files finding some pics to be printed and framed for my booth. It is fun going back and looking through past weddings with a fresh eye--you always find gems that were overlooked before.

I've also been practicing with some album templates I got recently, as I'm currently album building for my lovely and lucky 07/07/07 couple.

So I thought I'd post a few older photos that I'm having printed for the show, and also some results of my collage building. It was fun to find photos that are related in some way, creating a theme of some sort on the page. Building an album is so much fun--storytelling through photographs. Your whole crazy, beautiful wedding day, surrounded by all your favorite people in the world, documented in a gorgeous album that people will want to look at over and over, through years and years and years.

I wish I could build an album for every couple! Sure, it is nice to have the CD of images, but so often, life takes over after all the wedding hustle and bustle is done, and building your own album or scrapbook keeps getting put on the back burner, and before you know it, years have passed! Then the kids come, and well, that's all I need to say about that, as any parents out there know! :)

I'm speaking here from personal experience, if you can't tell--our dear Little the Boston Terrier (who was just a puppy at the time), ate our wedding album and pretty much destroyed it. Most of the pictures were salvageable; she mostly chewed up all the nice leather parts :) ha ha. Anyway, I've still never gone back and done anything really nice with our wedding pictures. My mom put a little something together for us with some of the pictures, but that's all we've got. Just another one of those things I keep meaning to do; you know how that goes! I can't even keep up with printing my own kid's pictures (of course, that's probably good, seeing as how I take, literally, THOUSANDS of them) :)

Well, moral to this story is, I guess, do consider choosing a wedding photo package (whether it is from me or whoever your photographer is) that contains an album option or credit (and of course, keep it out of reach from your furry friends). Years from now, that album is the record of all the magical things that happened on your wedding day, every detail there for your children and grandchildren to cherish as well. Or if you are the creative type who wants the CD of images because you plan on building your own album or scrapbook, don't put it off! Trust me on this one--at this point, I'll probably be retired by the time I catch up on my own personal family photos, starting with my wedding :)

Whew! I wrote a novel tonight, didn't I? I've almost got Kim and Brian's slide show ready, and I think I needed a half hour break or so to freshen my eyes. So anyway, here are a few pictures, as I said a few paragraphs ago... :)

This little guy was so cute. I've got this pic on my website too, but I popped the color a bit to

print it and I think it turned out nice.

I couldn't decide if I liked the color or b/w better, so I printed them both. Comments? Which do you like better? (Credit goes to Kerry, my fabulous friend and assistant/2nd shooter, for these two)

I love the lucky lens flare I got on this one.

I love this sequence; she made such a production of it.

I'd love some opinions on this one too, if anyone is out there :) I thought it turned out pretty nifty, myself. But maybe I'm just crazy (well, yeah...)