Knoxville wedding photographer blog – shannon kelley photography » Knoxville based wedding photographer – modern photography for hip people

Voted best wedding photographer in Knoxville!

The local magazine, Everything Knoxville, has a little happiness in it! I’m featured as Knoxville’s best wedding photographer by Wedding Daily Times!  I’m honored to be mentioned among some of the awesome other Knoxville’s best vendors there.  Truly, an honor.  Thanks for those that nominated and voted for me.  I think I may have Knoxville’s best clients and friends personally:) I love photography and consider myself blessed to be on this journey as a wedding photographer here in Knoxville and am so excited for 2010.

Everyone has a cause. I love this. I love that we can be so passionate about some things that move us, that have impacted our lives. Maybe your cause is diabetes, maybe its finding a cure for cancer. Of course, we all agree that most causes are important, but then there is those few that truly move you. like, you get it. You get why people give of themselves so much for it, you get why they want to spread the word, raise money, find the solution. It’s this internal burning desire. Its seeing a picture or quote about the cause that shakes your core.

For me, the cause that has always shook my core is homelessness. It moves me in ways I can’t describe. I ache for those people. I want to know their story. I want them to know I care. I want to learn from them, because often they are wise beyond their years.

So, when a fellow photographer shared their project, Dear World, I couldn’t wait to share it. To spread the word.

Dear World contains excerpts of letters written by the street community to the world. Their stories are paired with their portraits and readers are given an eye-opening view of what life is really like on the street and how they can help people stay off it.

Readers will meet Miranda – a former meth addict who has found healing and restoration. They will meet Jeremiah, a young man who, like many Americans, misjudged the economic stability and lost it all. They will read the words penned by people that they choose to ignore, the invisible urban population that stands in front of us all.

We should not ignore them.

Dear World is a book that will challenge, inspire, and equip you to answer the question for yourself. And you will be honored to be the hands and feet of Jesus to your community.

The book is a free download but they are accepting donations to help this cause. You can also spread the word on facebook, your own blog, twitter, etc.

Some quotes that rocked me.
I am a person.

Life is what you make it, so make it great. Make sure you live it to the fullest. God is great in all He does, so go after Him with all your might. -Miranda, on the street for 12 years.

I found more truth in drugs than I did in the church. -anonymous street person

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This is my personal challenge to myself and you. The next time you see a homeless, connect with them. If you don’t have anything monetary to give, give yourself. Find out their story, pray with them, give them a hug, show them that they are a person, a person loved by God.

this 5 on Friday is a complete and total plug for the studio. Why? Because its awesome! And because I can’t wait to share it with others! Yay! And the website is up and running! Next up will be some before and after pics for you here in a couple weeks:)

So, studio317 was born out of our desire to have community in our local industry and help one another along. So we get an awesome spaced, set it up to help with all your business needs, and now you get to enjoy!

We’ll be having classes there to help you out, holding some support meetings (think AA for photogs but not in a weird way…more in a lets hold each others hand and support each other in this journey!), and opening it up for you to use for client meetings and such!

So, 5 awesome ways to get involved…

1. We are the main sponsor for the Knoxville Photog Shootout! This is a monthly fun shootout for local (well, and non locals if you want to drive in for it!) photographers to get together, have fun, build your portfolio, and get inspired! March’s is 3/28 and this months theme is seniors (and the location is a junkyard…fun times!) Go be a fan of their facebook page to keep up with the details!

2. Use the space! We have a meeting space with a flat screen for you to meet with clients or do viewing sessions. We also have a studio and a meeting room for those that may want to host a class. NOTE: You do not have to be a photographer to use the space…we are opening this up to small business owners and small parties as well!

3. Take a class! Every month we are having a Photog Focus class where we’ll have a discussion on a focus topic. We will have guest speakers and also open it up for discussion. This meets the first Thursday of every month and April’s topic is blogging: the how why and when! These classes are an AWESOME way to grow your business and learn from other photographers! Space is limited so contact me to get on the list!

4. Be a VIP member! If you are wanting a more committed time to use the studio and priority to schedule ongoing time slots…plus lots of freebies and funness, then we are accepting a small amount of VIP members that pay a discounted monthly fee. Awesome opportunity! If interested, give me a call or shoot me an email:)

5. Come be for each other! This is our monthly group meeting for photographers wanting to just be part of a group that is for each other. Support each other in this awesome industry! This is a meeting that will be held at the studio and I highly recommend being part of it if you are a local Knoxville photographer. Again, call me or shoot me an email for the details! I’d love for you to be part of it!

I know wedding photography must look glamorous. You get to go to fancy weddings here in Knoxville and beyond, take awesome pictures, be creative. I get that. It is an awesome job and I wouldn’t change it for the world. But alot of times the behind the scenes are a killer. Running a business is hard work. Being an entrepreneur and putting yourself out there is scary. real scary. but yesterday when I was playing with Lena at the park I realized its all worth it. I missed her first years almost completely because of “the man” and now I get to photograph fabulous weddings in Knoxville and beyond. God is good.

The day before the wedding: what is a photographer doing

So today I thought we would take a look at the day before. For all you wedding photographers and those thinking that someday you would maybe want to be. Here it is. The whole truth and a look behind the scenes of the day before:)

First up, I invited an awesome fellow wedding photographer, Jules Wiegand from Louisville, to join in the conversation. Here is what her day looks like on the day before:

I like to check all the areas i will be shooting prior to the
wedding. I check lighting and different backgrounds and make a few notes of
some creative ideas for photos. The day before i go through all my
equipment and plan for the day as well as notes on the couple and some of
the things they want for the day.

So after all the behind the scenes of booking the wedding, meeting up with the bride and groom, and getting all the fun details down the day before the wedding is here and you are getting ready for the big day of photographing the wedding. Can I recommend comfy shoes too:) As Jules stated, prep work is key! Be familiar with the space, how the light hits it, think outside the box for family shots. Here is my general checklist that I go through:

• charge batteries
• clear CF cards and pack them with gear
• go over notes from location and meetings
• get all contact info printed and put with gear
• print out directions (even if I know where I’m going…you never know:) )
• put charged batteries with gear.
• clean lenses if needed
• go over day of schedule
• call bride if needed to chat about any last minute stuff or to confirm
• make sure I have gas in my car
• make sure I have fresh batteries for flashes
• pack water
• charge phone (its an ongoing issue and needs to be on the list with me:) )
• remind the hubby of the schedule for the day so he remembers to take care of Lena:)

A giant thanks to Jules for being awesome and helping out with post!  Her and I share a kindred heart on missions. Here are a few pictures of her beautiful work to enjoy!

I love doing my Knoxville sessions, whether it be family, children, or even couples, at a location that means something. I chatted a little about that here. It just makes the photography so meaningful.

This family were winners of a giveaway at Cutie Tooties here in Knoxville, TN! So the other day I made my way out to west Knoxville to photograph a beautiful family. I went to their house, where we got to have a fun session with things that mean something to them. My fave from the photography session is one that just brings you back to a place in time. I love pictures that do that, that remind you of your children’s favorite toy, reminds you of how they used to smell, reminds you of that time and place. Love those kind of pictures.

During our session we had children’s story time with her favorite book.

Want some fun pictures of your family just being themselves? I’ll tag along with you and get some great memories:) contact me here.

my mommy and I had a play date, with each other. something about cabin fever…

we went to the mall where I climbed and sat in every single car. We never got one to use, I just wanted to sit in them all.

then we had lunch at the chickfila. My fave is chocolate milk

I showed my mom how to be a back hump whale (that’s what I call it). like on nemo.

then I got lucky and got to ride the merry go round while it was actually moving! Right after this is when I jumped off a pig and hurt my leg. I kept yelling “I fell off a pig”. Mommy didn’t take pictures of that though.

then my mom freaked out at this Apple place and drooled a little. I kinda got what she was saying after I played some dora games. We told Dada that we both need new 27 inch macs:)

oh, almost forgot to mention my ball came with me. He likes to ride in the car with me.

from, Lena

ps…happy monday!

Where do you shoot at? Do you have a go to for your photo sessions?

This week I’ve been thinking on locations to shoot photography sessions at and trying to get some out of the box ideas going. Knoxville has some great locations but this isn’t a huge city so it seems like all the good, popular ones are overused and busy. So….here are some of my thought processes in coming up with some fun locations! This isn’t Knoxville specific, just to get ideas flowing… enjoy! Your homework can be to grab your kid, dog, hubby, client, or heck, a cool jar or something and go to a new location and try it out!

1. Think out of the box. So often we gravitate towards parks and downtown, the normal things. Now, while that is all well and good (and talked about more down below), challenge yourself to pick something new, something different for you. Or if you go with the old standby of the park, shoot it completely different so this session doesn’t look like the last one at all!

2. Downtown. Ok… way overused here in Knoxville and I am guilty as charged on this location too. I LOVE the urban cool brick and texture look, the dirty alleys, love it! But there are some of you reading that may have never shot a session downtown in your town. Do it! If you are a downtown junkie like me, then either find those corners in downtown that are new to you or broaden your horizon from downtown.

Here is my tip for downtown: Pick a meeting place for you and your clients. Then plan out before you meet them of where you are going to walk (I usually make it a circle around a couple blocks or at least end up where we started), one that has some things you know you can shoot and then keep your eyes open for new spaces along your path as you go. THEN, next client you meet downtown do the same thing but choose a different route! Then you aren’t shooting the same thing every time.

3. Parks. Yes, there is the ever popular UT Gardens in Knoxville. And I’m sure you have them in your town if you aren’t local…those places that are the #1 spot for portrait photographers to have their sessions at and you always see 5 of them when you are there. Here is my challenge…pick a different location! Think outside the box on parks….go to a less popular one you, look into spaces that aren’t necessarily parks (we have the Smokies near Knoxville that give great beautiful places to go)

4. Ask your clients! I always have a conversation about location with my clients. I first ask them what interests them (ie…do they love hiking, do they bowl every week as a family). See if something sparks an interesting location in that conversation. I mean, imagine doing a photo shoot at a bowling alley for a family that loves to bowl…how cool are you and what great memories you just made for them!!

5. The family farm. This goes with #4 but thought it needed its own #:) Some of the best photos come from where your clients live. So after asking about their interests, ask if they have land, know of a cool place that is in their family, etc. Family sessions with babies are the best at their houses I think because it’s memories of their space, the babies toys, room….how awesome is that! fun story: I was talking to one of my bride’s this year the other day about their engagement photos and the location. She mentioned they got engaged at her grandpa’s farm…so we are doing the shoot there! Memories for them to last a lifetime plus an awesome backdrop for me to work with…its a win/win!

ok…now get out there and scout out new locations to shoot at!! Hope this was helpful!

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to score the last 5 shirts from this line at the Wedding Chicks and decided that since I didn’t have enough for all my brides (boo…I know girls..believe me I tried!) that we’d have a little contest to keep it fair and have a little fun:) So everyone got their name in the big giant bucket (Lena picked it out) and then they got an opportunity to get their name in there more if they wanted.

soooo…drum roll please! Here are the winners that Lena picked….

Congrats to the winners!!! I’m so excited about all my brides and wish I had more shirts, love you all!