Peter: Sneak Peek
So while I'm finishing up Emily and James: Part 2, here's a little sneak peek from Peter's headshot/Senior session on Thursday. Peter's going to take Broadway by storm one day in the very near future and you, dear blog readers, can say you knew him when.
Jen & Adam: Sneak Peek
Congrats to Jen and Adam, who were married yesterday in Raleigh at Caffe Luna surrounded by family and friends
(who later tore up the dance floor. I mean, if you go to Caffe Luna today there's probably a big burn mark
where the dance floor used to be).
Have fun in Jamaica!
Emily and James: Part I
There's so much I want to say about Emily and James and so many photos I want to share that I think I have a bad case of blogger's block. I guess the best place to start is at the beginning: the engagement session. I hadn't met with Emily and James until the morning of their session. Up until that point, I'd been working with Emily's amazing mom, Julia, on all the brass-tacks details, since Emily and James live in D.C. I've said it here on the blog so many times, but it bears repeating: I love engagement sessions. They're fun, relaxed and (hopefully for everyone) stress-free. But more importantly, this time together gives me a chance to get to know you as a couple, find out how comfortable (or not) you are in front of the camera, discover your best angles, what makes you laugh and just generally prepare you for the experience of being photographed relentlessly on the wedding day. Just like you have a multiple dress-fittings, tux fittings, make-up and hair trials, the e:session is like a photography "trial" before the wedding.
Even though I'd never met them before, I knew in a flash that not only were Emily and James going to be great to work with, they had an amazing chemistry and -- just, well, happiness -- and that it was going to be a great shoot. And it was. So without further ado, I give you...Emily and James.
That about sums it up. Happy, goofy, expressive and in love. I could stop here, but I'm not going to.
They have 1,000 mega-watt smiles...it took days for my vision to recover.
Emily and James met at Raleigh Charter High, so of course we had to go there for some photo ops.
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Texture, angles, pretty people...life is good.
This is what you call working with the sun. Boy, was it bright that morning (and it was early, too).
After RCHS, we headed downtown. If you live in Raleigh, you know what this is.
If not, I'm sorry you're not lucky enough to live in Raleigh. Come visit us and find out.
If you haven't figured it out by now...Emily + James = FABULOSITY. Want more? I thought you would.
Emily and James got married on January 3 at the Washington Duke Inn in Durham. What would turn out to be one of my favorite weddings ever started early in Emily's suite. Usually, this is a pretty chaotic part of the day, but it was quiet and peaceful as Emily was getting glammed-up.
All of the floral design for the wedding was done by the always top-notch Kelly Odom, including Julia's peacock-feather-fabulous hair piece. Julia, in case I didn't tell you that day because it was so busy, you absolutely ROCKED that dress and only you could make that hair piece prettier.
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The shoes, the dress, the just-right-ness.
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I don't know why exactly, but I LOVE this shot of Emily putting on her shoes. No fuss, no muss, just gettin' it done.
Maybe it's that awesome window light.
Julia and Mark get the first look at their beautiful daughter in her wedding gown.
Mark's help was needed to tie the perfect square-knot in the sash. Dad's are handy for things like that. (Happy Father's Day!)
Perfection.
My favorite. (Just FYI, I did NO retouching on this shot. That's how awesome Emily's skin is and why photographers go a little nuts when the light is right. It makes all the difference in the world.)
Time for a little blog love for James.
Thank goodness the tux shop has a Bowtie Hotline 24-7.
James, you handsome devil, you.
Is there anything better than nine handsome guys in tuxes all following directions?
Yes. One glowing bride and seven gorgeous bridesmaids. (Sorry guys, you lose.)
Yes, I love it. Yes, it's on permanent rotation in the blog-header. All you other bridesmaids out there, time to step up your game.
(Off topic, but hey, it's my blog: look how the flowers form a pretty wavy line-like shape. You girls rock).
Flowers so pretty I could just eat them up.
Stay tuned for Part 2 (it's a blog cliff-hanger!): more portraits, James and Emily's First Look,
(Gasp! They saw each other BEFORE the wedding? Oh no, they di'nt...oh yes, they di'id!) and the reason
we're all gathered here today (erm, then): the ceremony.
Pass the Tissues
Please watch this; if you don't tear up a bit, you might want to check your pulse.
It's six minutes long, so if you don't have six minutes, start watching around the 4-minute mark.
Here are my favorite parts:
-- When the dad tells his daughter not to think of cell phones as phones, but as frames;
-- the old man looking at a picture of his wife;
-- "That's the last photo that was taken of my mother. I think it was 1947."
Keep me. Protect me. Share me.
Jen & Adam: Engaged!
One of the reasons I enjoy engagement sessions so much is how relaxed and fun they are. Especially with a couple like Jen and Adam, who will take the plunge into married bliss on June 21 at Caffe Luna in downtown Raleigh. Both are easy-going, adventurous and love photography: a couple after my own heart for sure. Here are a few of my favorites from our session.
Meet Jen and Adam. Jen's an elementary school teacher and Adam works for IBM.
Jen is just adorable. She has the greatest smile and no one brings it out like Adam can.
We stumbled upon this location and now it's our secret. This is one of my favorites!
Jen and Adam are so sweet together. Jen says this shot is her favorite. Check out her cute shoes!
Sigh...I really miss wearing cute shoes.
I love all the colors and textures you can find just roaming around downtown Raleigh.
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Frank and I are so excited to shoot what I know is going to be a colorful, sweet and personality-filled wedding.
Just like Jen and Adam. See you soon!
Emily & Jonathan: Sneak Peek
Here's a quick shot of Emily and Jonathan who were married Saturday, June 6 in Zebulon. The reception followed at one of my favorite venues, Hinnant Vineyards in Pine Level.
Congratulations...have fun on your honeymoon!
Kimberly & Ken: Married!
...for a while now. Still, better late than never. Plus, it's getting pretty hot out there, so I thought a Fall-themed wedding on the blog might cool things off a bit. So, ladies and gentlemen, Ken and Kimberly's wedding blog post!
First, Kimberly's bridal portrait which I LOVE. Those of you who've been photographed by me know that I prefer 3/4-length bridal portraits (about mid-thigh up) and am not a fan of full-length portraits. I think a bridal portrait should focus on the woman IN the dress, not the dress ON the woman. But it seems like here in the South, the full-length portrait still rules and it seems like most of the time the brides still order the full-length shot.
(Which I always shoot, even though it hurts me bad. JK)
That's why I'm especially fond of Kimberly's choice:
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While she was getting ready, Kimberly showed me her phone. I love that she scheduled her wedding day!
The rings are on top of a bottle of Ralph Lauren perfume Ken gave Kimberly as a wedding gift. Ken's ring was like a giant's ring or something. I had to try over and over to get Kimberly's tiny little ring to stand up in it.
Kimberly and her mom Faye. Her mom is giving her a special gift in this shot, a medallion with the word "Daughter"
engraved on it. I might have misted up just a bit.
Miss Faye cooked me some really good Southern food when I drove up for the engagement session.
I'm planning on adopting her as my second mom. Just letting you know in advance, Miss Faye.
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Just my favorite garter-going-on shot EVER.
Yep, I can cross "shoot in an adorable little white country church" off my list. Not too long after Frank took this shot,
it poured down rain.
So, we had to improvise and do the bridesmaids shots inside. That's a LOT of bridesmaids and junior bridesmaids, people. And they were all just as sweet as a glass of Southern iced tea.
The groomsmen got luckier. They made it outside before the rain arrived. Ken's that happy-looking guy right in the middle.
I just love the way the ring bearer is trying so hard to look all tough-like.
Ken and his mom, Linda. He is just about the nicest guy you could ever hope to meet.
Not so tough now are you, Mr. Toughie-Tough. Afraid of a little smooch!
Kimberly, you were absolutely radiant.
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The stained-glass windows in this church were very old and delicately lovely.
A corny shot maybe, but I still love it!
Such a great moment...all the bridal party are in and the doors are about to open for Kimberly and her dad to head down the aisle.
One of my favorite shots. I was lucky to be up at the front for this wedding. Usually photographers are relegated to the back or up in the balcony. I was able to catch the minister motioning to the guests to stand up to honor the bride. I love the look on the minister's face. Ken's expression is pretty great too.
Being up front is awesome.
MARRIED!!!
We had just enough time to sneak outside for a few quick shots before the rain began again.
Here's your full-length dress shot. Set off nicely by the newly-weds.
By the time we were finished with the formals (Lord, ya'll know a lot of people) it was rainy and dark outside. I really wanted to photograph them in front of the big stained-glass window with the light shining through. Frank stood to the side with the off-camera flash. I wanted a dramatic shadow on the church behind them. I think it got it.
Ken and Kimberly are both volunteers in the Macon NC fire department. They rode in a fire-truck to the reception at the Macon Fire House and Social Hall. Here's a detail shot of Kimberly's bouquet on one of the hay bails scattered around for seating which was muy adorable. I think the roses are are called "Chocolate Roses" or something like that.
For the wedding favors, Ken and Kimberly handed out the cutest little jars of home-made strawberry preserves.
Miss Faye's work, perhaps?
Guess who made the cake? (Hint: Miss Faye)
A quick kiss after the cake cutting and then it was time to PAR-TAY.
Work it out, Soulja Boy.
You too, Miss Faye. Get on with your bad self!
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One of the three flower girls was my best bud before the night was over.
All too soon, it was the last dance of the evening.
Frank's shot. Love it. LOVE I-T.
Happily ever after begins...now.
After Miss Faye received her parent's album, here's what she wrote to me: "Just in my first looking at the book I see things in the pictures, I didn't see on the computer or proofs, that's a pleasant surprise. It just makes all the memories come to life once again and I am sure I will relive them over and over as the years come, each time I open this treasure. Thanks for all your hard work, you were a large part in making this a beautiful memory for us all."
I admit it, I got a little misty.
Congratulations, Ken & Kimberly!
