Monday, April 28, 2008

My Mother... My Hero!

I've noticed that I don't really post a lot of personal stuff here on my blog, but figured that this would be appropriate considering that Mother's Day is right around the corner.

I got an e-mail from my mom today that stopped me in my tracks. I was amazed at what was written about her, and I want to shout from the moutain tops how amazing my mother is. I count my blessings every day that she is the person who raised me, and who continues to inspire me on a daily basis.

Her e-mail today included this image... taken from the front page of her town's newspaper. Yep, you heard that right. My mother, on the front page of the newspaper! Please click the image below to see a larger version and to read the article if you'd like.




In the spirit of Mother's Day, and the fact that Mom is the one that got me interested in photography to begin with, I've decided to offer a Mother's Day Special! Here's what you'll get:

- 1 hour session with me
- Images presented online for proofing and ordering
- 4x6 leather album featuring 20 images (like the one you see HERE)
- A $200 value... for $125

E-mail me at: thebondbetweenus@gmail.com for more information or to sign up for this session. This special would be great for moms, grandmas, aunts, or any other special woman in your life! Heck moms, you can even buy one for yourself!

Deadline to sign up for the special will be Friday, May 9. Make sure to make reference in your e-mail that you'd like to take advantage of this offer!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Desiree & Stephen : Engaged

Yesterday, I drove down to Gainesville, Florida to meet Desiree and her fiance Stephen. Desiree and I have been chatting via e-mail for what seems like months, and it was so nice to finally put a face with her words.
We first decided to meet at Atlanta Bread Company for some breakfast and chit chat about wedding details. After that, we headed to the Thomas Center for their engagement session.




The Thomas Center, from the photos I found prior to the session on the internet, is like a little oasis among the hustle and bustle of Gainesville that surrounds it. With a garden area and walking path with a fountain, to a big arbor on the corner of the property, there were plenty of photo opportunities for us! And, on top of it being the location for their engagement session, Desiree and Stephen are hosting their wedding reception here too! (I've already begun plotting the spots we'll take pictures at on their Big Day!)

First we went over the to arbor. We figured we'd go far out, and then work our way back to the main building.


Next, we spotted this HUGE tree in the lawn area.






This is over by the fountain. We would have taken some fun images, but we didn't want to catch any illnesses. :) We opted for a nice bench.







Isn't Desiree pretty? I can't wait to see her in her dress. From what she describes, it'll be gorgeous!




Stephen isn't bad himself! They're such a cute couple!




We ended up walking around the building, and checking out some of the tiny nooks. I love this shot... you can tell how much Stephen has the hots for Desiree, and how happy she is because of it!



Desiree and Stephen... thank you so much for meeting me yesterday! I can't wait until July!!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Session Albums

I recently had the McNicol Family order a session album, and thought to not only share their images, but to show everyone in cyber space what my albums look like. When you order a session album from me, I'm not driving to Wally World or Target and buying a $5 album to stuff your pictures into. I carefully order your portraits from a reliable online lab and showcase them in a leather album.

All albums come in a black presentation box that not only keeps your album clean and safe, but it's beautifully lined with satin fabric too!



Each album has a little window that peeks through to show off one image (usually, my favorite).



Each album is leather-bound and carefully constructed.



The inside is FABULOUS! I love how the black pages provide a solid border for each image!



So remember, when you purchase a session album, you're not just getting a plastic container. You're getting a memory keeper. And just in case you forgot, here are the prices (which are a fantastic deal, if you ask me!)

20 4x6 images $150
30 4x6 images $175
20 5x7 images $180
30 5x7 images $220
Or, if you would like to purchase a CD of all edited images with a session album featuring 20 4x6 images, the cost is $300.

Ashley & Brandon : Engaged

Thankfully, the weather on Sunday morning was better than Saturday, and Ashley & Brandon were able to keep their re-scheduled engagement session at Grand Bay. And I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was to see them getting out of their car wearing yellow and blue! :)
I had so much fun getting to know these two, and I loved that their love for one another was obvious. They warned me that they're a pretty shy couple, but after their session together, I'm not believing it one bit!
Here's a sneak peek into their session. You'll be seeing a lot more of them after their wedding on May 17th in Panama City Beach!









Sunday, April 20, 2008

Sometimes, rain is wonderful...

Yesterday morning, I had an engagement session scheduled... but the weather had something different planned. I drove all the way out to the location, looked around a bit to scope out cool spots, and the skies opened up to rain. And lots of it.
As I sat in my car just after getting off the phone with my bride-to-be, I looked out my car window and realized that there HAS to be some good to come out of me driving into the middle of nowhere. It was then that I grabbed my umbrella and camera, and started walking in the rain. Thankfully, since it was raining, there was no one else around. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to be in nature!
As it turns out, I took several pictures during my nature mini-session... here is a collage of a few images!



If you click on the picture, it will enlarge.

Luckily Ashley and Brandon were available to shoot today! More images to come from their session later!

Boudoir Shoot in May

In February, I offered my first boudoir shoot. I had a few people express interest, but maybe with the winter weather and short notice, not enough signed up to have the idea take off. Since that time, I've had two people express extreme interest, so I've decided to offer it again.

On the weekend of May 24-25, I'm looking to host a boudoir shoot in Valdosta at a local hotel to provide a swanky atmosphere, and tons of natural light windows... don't worry, I'll ask to be on a top floor.
If you think you might be interested in joining us for a session, see the flyer below. Talk to you friends, and sign up around the same time... the more, the merrier.
I've done boudoir shoots individually, but never one huge shoot. They're perfect for wedding, anniversary, birthday and "just because" gifts. And remember, it's not how you see yourself... it's how beautiful your partner sees you!

Friday, April 18, 2008

Landscapes

Many who know my history with photography are familiar that I started out with interest in landscape photography. My mom loves landscape photography and for as long as I can remember, every family vacation dragged on longer because of having to stop along the road for pictures. Of course, I now appreciate this aspect of my mother... but at the time, I didn't like it.

On Tuesday afternoon, I took the trek from Valdosta to Columbus for a conference. I was so excited to (1) drive someplace I've never been and (2) to go alone. Meaning, I could stop along the road and not have anyone roll their eyes or huff and puff at my interest in stopping. :)

Here are a few pictures from my travels.







Technically, the picture below is not in Columbus. It's the Dawson Courthouse that is being restored (hence only showing you the tower area), a TINY town between Columbus and Albany.

I know... I know...

I've been a bad blogger. It's only been since Sunday, and I feel so disconnected. Just wanted to give you an update on what's to come soon.

First, on Wednesday I went to a conference in Columbus for my work. I've never been to Columbus before... but man! It's beautiful. Pictures to come of that soon!
Also, I'm eagerly awaiting some albums to share with you guys in the mail. I can't wait to take pictures of the final images (something I don't think I've ever done) so that you can see what your album might look like if you purchase one... which I strongly recommend! :)
Finally, tomorrow I have an engagement session at Grand Bay with an adorable and funky couple getting married next month in Panama City Beach! I can't wait for their session tomorrow, or their wedding on the beach!

Sunday, April 13, 2008

The Featured Session is Up!

I'm so excited to show ya'll my Featured Session. Remember the CONTEST I posted about in March? Well, Misty and her sisters were the first to reply. I photographed Misty's sister's WEDDING last April, and took her own ENGAGEMENT pictures in June. I just love their family!
Go check out their images, and then leave some love comments here for them! Misty and her sisters rocked the shoot like super models!



The purpose of a Featured Session is to show off an entire session's images. So many times, I've looked at fellow photographer's blogs and wished that I could see everything... more than just two images of what looks like an awesome session. Not only that, but for my potential clients. I want you to know that you'll be getting more than two awesome images from your session. Typically, between 20-30 images are shown from each session during proofing.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Maternity

Katrina has almost popped! Here she is (along with her husband Mike) for their "real" maternity shoot. If you're a loyal blog follower, you're used to seeing Katrina's belly by now. The next time you see it, it'll actually be a baby. :)
Taking pictures of any kind for people that I know is a bit anxiety-provoking... taking maternity pictures for my best friend and her husband made is 300 times more stressful.
Here are a few from their session... both at home, and in downtown Valdosta.




















Many maternity clients think that their home is the only place for a maternity photo shoot. Hopefully these images will change your mind, and you'll be more apt to venturing into other locations.
If you're pregnant and are interested in a maternity session, I'd LOVE to chat with you about your interest. We can even do what we did with Katrina and Mike here... do some pictures in a number of locations. Typically, maternity shoots are best done between 34-37 weeks. Katrina was at week 35 for this session.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Love Your Photographer

While looking at fellow photographer Scarlett Lillian's blog today, I saw an article she recently wrote for Photographik - a website based for photographers to network together. The article is titled, "Dear Brides, Love Your Photographer" and I wanted to share the LINK with you all. Even if you're not planning a wedding, please take time to read this. If you're planning a wedding, you've GOT to read it!
I appreciate the emphasis the article puts on the relationship between the client and the photographer. I don't think that people understand it's importance and the difference it makes between a good photograph and an amazing keepsake.
Think about your last photographic experience. What did it involve? Did you develop more than a "thanks, goodbye" relationship with your photographer? Do you remember what his/her name was? The kind of photography I'm interested in, and what Scarlett talks about in her article, is developing a bond between yourself and your photographer.... so that on your wedding day, you're not meeting a stranger to capture your wedding images. You're inviting a friend to join with you in celebration. Or if you're planning a family photo shoot, that you're being joined by someone who is like "one of the family" to help you create beautiful memories.
A photographic experience is more than saying cheese, exchanging money, and getting photo images. If that's all you remember, I invite you to re-experience the journey.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Anna Grace is Two!

Two Saturdays ago (is that horrible that I'm just now posting?) I was invited to a FABULOUS Mickey Mouse birthday party for Anna Grace. I've had the awesome pleasure of photographing Anna Grace since she was in her mom's belly, and I accepted joyfully when Jaclyn asked if I'd bring my camera to her birthday party this year.

The Birthday Girl!


Awesome decorations and gifts




Who knew they made colored sand?




Pinatas are so much fun!




Coolest. Cake. Ever.




Birthday Gift from Mommy & Daddy


Saturday, April 5, 2008

McNicol Family

Last Saturday, the McNicol family and I met up at McKey Park for a family portrait session. I posted one image from the session the other day, but felt that this family deserved more than one showcased picture. I had a wonderful time, and I think this happened because of how much they love and have fun with one another.
So many of my family sessions consist of dad being dragged along because mom wants pictures. The kids are sometimes fussy and want to play more than have their picture taken. The McNichols were a dream! When we were wrapping up the session, I even heard Mr.Nicol say, "This is better than I expected". (Score one for the photographer!!)

As promised the other day, here are a few more images to share:










Melissa, Look for an e-mail from me this evening... because your proofs are ready!