Archive for October, 2010

this year….

Sunday, October 31st, 2010

-you have been no less than 4 costume or characters over the last week. Mater and Princess were the two planned ones:)
-answer differently to anyone who asks you what you are going to be for Halloween (best one yet is a hamster!)
-relish in the joy of just dressing in costume.
-but wanted to see you dada wear the fro first:)
-you are so excited for the hayride this afternoon that you keep asking if its time to go.
-your answer to what do you want for breakfast is candy
-I literally had to cut lollipop out of your hair about 10 minutes ago (apparently too much fun was had with dada while mommy had a wedding yesterday!)
-have watched Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin literally 10 times
-may have cured dada and his love for Charlie Brown:)

ps…I was so wishing I had had taped some of the above shots because the sound effects were HI-larious! So when you look at them just picture me telling her to get in the rock and roll spirit and then her busting into much growling and rrrr’s with her rock and roll fingers up. Oh me.

outtakes. take 1.

Saturday, October 30th, 2010

So occasionally I have hilarious pictures from a shoot that go in someone’s gallery but doesn’t make it onto the blog. Because, really, who can not include hilarious pictures in a gallery for a client:) Remember John? Well, he had lots of outtakes, because he is 1. hilarious and 2. related to some other crazy people:) See what I mean?

a royal feast

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

I often ask engaged couples how they met and if they have anything significant that we can incorporate into their engagement session, this couple went a step further (an awesome step!) and incorporated their story into their wedding.  The met at a Renaissance Fair where they were re-enacting and Jennifer tells me it was love at first site. So what better way to celebrate on their wedding day at Sampson’s Hollow then to have a medieval themed wedding. Sampson’s Hollow fit perfectly with the theme of the wedding in the little glen where they had their ceremony, you really felt like you were back in time.

And they pulled out all the stops, roasted pig and all! Jennifer has an amazing talent of sewing and made her dress and all the bridesmaid, groomsmen, groom, and her mom’s dress…incredible!

sampsons hollow wedding

all the girls wore heather around their heads. So pretty!
sampsons hollow wedding

even the guests were asked to dress in period clothing. It was so much fun to see how everyone looked!
sampsons hollow wedding

sampsons hollow wedding
so the sun was bright during the ceremony but gave us some amazing sunflare later on! And check out the arbor above where they said their vows..isn’t that beautiful!
sampsons hollow wedding

sampsons hollow wedding
father of the bride definitely gets best costume of the day! Loved it!
sampsons hollow wedding
the maidens. I love this picture just because its so real and non staged:)
sampsons hollow wedding
ahhhh! Told you there was awesome sun!!
sampsons hollow wedding
again, I’m picking the artsy one and we did get a normal portrait wedding picture but I love this picture… I was going for a more Holga look and I think it turned out to kinda look like a Holga picture. This is straight out of camera too, just resized and sharpened for web.
sampsons hollow wedding

sampsons hollow wedding

sampsons hollow wedding
Yep…you knew we had to include a picture of the pig! Right on the head table before the bride and groom:)
sampsons hollow wedding
It was a true feast and actually felt a little like you were back in medieval times, right there at Sampson’s Hollow.
sampsons hollow wedding

sampsons hollow wedding
We’ll end with this ring shot…can you guess what they are on? Come on, guess:)
sampsons hollow wedding

A huge congrats to Jennifer and James and a thank you for letting me be part of your special day!

missions monday: reporting for duty

Monday, October 25th, 2010

the other day I drove by a church sign that said “don’t give God orders, just report for duty”. And while Southern church signs and me usually don’t get along too well this one made me think. How often do we do this, even subconsciously, even with small things. I mean, do you really wake up in the morning and think, ok God, what do you have for me today? Or do you go on with the usual, the usual rush, and maybe even get too busy to realize that God is right in front of you, giving you every chance in the world to serve Him and instead, you beep the horn, drive past the problem, all because of your own agenda. I do it everyday, go about my business and forget to report for duty. Reporting for duty can be hard.

Reporting for duty makes you think, makes you care, makes you hurt. A friend, Meghann, shared this on facebook the other day and it so resonated with me. Is this why we are scared to report to duty?

“Compassion hurts. When you feel connected to everything, you also feel responsible for everything. And you cannot turn away. Your destiny is bound with the destinies of others. You must either learn to carry the Universe or be crushed by it. You must grow strong enough to love the world, yet empty enough to sit down at the same table with its worst horrors.” — Andrew Boyd

In one month I’m reporting for duty in a way I know will challenge me. I’m going to Haiti for a week on a mission trip, to hopefully set in motion a longer, so much greater than I, mission through our church. To hopefully bound my destiny with the destiny of others, to be the change. To hopefully report for duty more each day than the last.

Want a heart for Haiti or be challenged a little today? Go HERE. A fellow photographer, Jeremy Cowart, spent time there and did an amazing job capturing the Voice of Haiti.

alison and taylor get married:)

Saturday, October 23rd, 2010

Alison and Taylor got married at Butterfly Gap just outside of the Smoky Mountains on a absolutely beautiful day! Seriously, fall time around here is amazing! Alison and Taylor are both from out of town and have spent time at Butterfly Gap, so it was a special place as they said their wedding vows. Alison planned this wedding with the guests in mind, her one concern was that everyone enjoy themselves…and I think she got her wish:) And the sun, oh, the amazing light for their wedding photos.

wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

so these next two shots are ah-mazing of Alison…can you handle her!
wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap
ah…and the light!
wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

a special moment between a bride and her mom.  wedding at butterfly gap

cheesecake for wedding cake. awesome!wedding at butterfly gap

a special piece of lace from Alison’s grandmothers wedding dress.  Love sentimental touches:)

I’m including this one because #1, I love it and #2, this was taken while Alison was dancing and twirling around being silly and I jokingly said watch these be my favorite…and they kinda are:) wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

Marble Slab Ice Cream for your wedding= awesome ring shots.
wedding at butterfly gap

wedding at butterfly gap

best.wedding.band.ever. so much fun!
wedding at butterfly gap

A&B: engaged

Friday, October 22nd, 2010

Ashley and Bryan met years ago at Big Ridge State Park right before they entered high school. They still have a picture taken that day at the park so Ashley brought it and we incorporated it into the photo session…so much fun! So here they are years later, at Big Ridge again, getting pictures done but this time for their engagement! I love how life unfolds:)

oh, and p.s., aren’t they the cutest things ever!?

big ridge state park photography

big ridge state park photography

big ridge state park photography

big ridge state park photography

big ridge state park photography

big ridge state park photography

big ridge state park photography

big ridge state park photography

big ridge state park photography

big ridge state park photography

big ridge state park photography

big ridge state park photography

johnny boy:)

Thursday, October 21st, 2010

so on my recent trip to Sparta, TN for some awesome photography, I made time to get some pictures of my amazing cousin, John. I’ll spare any embarrassing stories and just tell you this, John is kind of like a brother to me… as in, he tried to push me in the river with.my.cameras before this shoot… All in good fun of course:) He’s the closest cousin that I had growing up when we lived in Sparta, TN and is kind of awesome, a great kid, in the running for homecoming king this weekend at Maryville College, and definitely going somewhere in life. and I love him:)

ok…that should embarrass him enough:) Now, onto some photography!

first up…the second cousins…Lena kind of loves John too:)
sparta tn photographer

sparta tn photographer

sparta tn photographer

sparta tn photographer

sparta tn photographer

sparta tn photographer

you.

Monday, October 18th, 2010

at age 3.

i love that you request big hugs, that you come and cuddle with me in the bed every morning, and always find a way to love life.

I love that you don’t have a favorite blankie or favorite toy, instead you love them all equally and when you see a doll you haven’t given attention to in a while you hug it and in the sincerest voice say “oh, i missed you”.

I love that your favorite color changes daily and you pretend to be your teacher with Mocha. I love that even if we are just going to Kroger’s you are so excited because were going on a “babenture” (adventure in lena-ese)

may life always be a babenture:)

xoxo,
mommy