Bowties and seersucker.

Last Friday afternoon I had a session scheduled with the Posey family.  At about the time I started getting my gear together it started thundering.  After checking the radar and exchanging a few phone calls, we decided it would be better to try again the next afternoon.  We have been having typical summer afternoon pop-up thunderstorms for the past couple of weeks.  So we met on Saturday afternoon.  While it thundered and threaten to rain on us Saturday afternoon, we managed to get in our session.  

I was smiling as soon as I met them.  You just know it's going to be a fun session when you client arrives in a seersucker suit, pink shirt and bow tie!

Nathan was a lot of fun.  He will be entering the 3rd grade this year, and from what I am told is a fierce Kung Fu warrior!

This is Matthew.  He had some pretty exciting news to share.  He just made the high school's Freshman baseball team.  I was very impressed!

And you know, it is fun when you see siblings that you can really tell do love each other.  I could tell that these two young men have a good relationship.  They kept me smiling.

This is just a super neat family. 


I'm a sucker for boys and their moms.  I couldn't help but to get a few shots of Kim with her boys.

And as much as these three guys kept me laughing I had to get one of Scott, Matt and Nate together.

Guys thanks for being flexible and for coming out to spend the afternoon with me. I hope you like the preview and will have more for you soon!

Big Photography Giveaway Winner Announced!

Becky posted the winner on her blog yesterday! Drumroll please....

Congratulations to Jamie (Commenter #5). Jamie you are the lucky winner of my free session! Please email me to schedule your time.  

There were so many wonderful stories/comments that I could not choose one.  So I used a random generator and Jamie's number was chosen.  Thank you to everyone who entered, and I would like to offer everyone else who left a comment on my post the same package for $100. That is a savings of at least $100. Your session just needs to be scheduled before the end of 2010.  Contact me if you're interested!

Relay for Life Silent Auction Ends Tonight!

I wanted to remind everyone that the auction will end tonight at 9:00.  The bid as of this morning is $300.  Thank you to everyone who has bid so far! I have been overwhelmed and humbled by the response.  

I have joined forces with my husband's business to form a team for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life team in our county. For those of you who may not know, I lost my daddy to lung cancer in 1992. I cannot tell you what a wonderful man he was. There are few on this earth like him, and I miss him every single day. 

As part of our team's fundraising effort, I am hosting a silent auction for a photo session package.  This package includes a photo session for up to 5 people at a location of your choice.  A $50 print credit. All your edited images on a CD with a full printing release.  Package value is $325.

To bid on the package post a comment here or email me.  I will post regular updates on the bidding both here and on my Facebook Fan Page.

Bidding will start at $50 and bids must be raised in at least $5 increments.  

Bidding will close Friday, April 9, 2010 at 9:00 PM.

Because this is a fundraiser for Relay for Life, the total will be due at the close of the auction.  Session must take place before September 30, 2010.  

Thanks and happy bidding!!!

Relay for Life Silent Auction.

I have joined forces with my husband's business to form a team for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life team in our county. For those of you who may not know, I lost my daddy to lung cancer in 1992. I cannot tell you what a wonderful man he was. There are few on this earth like him, and I miss him every single day. 

As part of our team's fundraising effort, I am hosting a silent auction for a photo session package.  This package includes a photo session for up to 5 people at a location of your choice.  A $50 print credit. All your edited images on a CD with a full printing release.  Package value is $325.

To bid on the package post a comment here or email me.  I will post regular updates on the bidding both here and on my Facebook Fan Page.

Bidding will start at $50 and bids must be raised in at least $5 increments.  

Bidding will close Friday, April 9, 2010 at 9:00 PM.

Because this is a fundraiser for Relay for Life, the total will be due at the close of the auction.  Session must take place before September 30, 2010.  

Thanks and happy bidding!!!

New Portrait Album.

I am so excited about these new portrait albums.  I just finished assembling one of my photo shoot with my kids from last fall, and I am so proud of it.  It is going to be such a nice addition to our family room.

The album is 9x9 and features a 3.5x3.5 image on the linen cover.  My album color is sandbank, but it is available in an array of colors to fit your taste.

It hold 10 5x7 matted images.

You will not be disappointed with this album. It is simply beautiful.

Proof Book Sale.

Through Friday I am running a sale on my spiral bound proof books.   These also make great brag books! They come with a custom cover.  The photos are size 4x6 on a  5x7 black mat.

Here's peak at the inside.

Your album will include all the edited images from your session.  Regular price is $100 but order yours by midnight this Friday (March 19th) and it is just $75 (plus tax)!  

Note: Print credits cannot be applied to this offer.

 

The Sims Family.

Rewind to last fall.....  I have a few sessions that I never got around to sharing here with the craziness of Christmas cards and all last fall.  I know it is March 2nd, but they are too special for me not to share!  The first is of my dear friend, April's family.  April and I go all the way back to elementary school. You might remember that I took her son Timmy's senior portraits back last summer. It doesn't seem like that long since April and I were graduating from high school ourselves! 

When April said that she wanted to do fall portraits, I came up with the perfect place. The entire time we were growing up, April's family lived at the fish hatchery.  Her dad worked there, and it was the perfect setting for our session.

I knew that this setting would be so meaningful for April and also for Tony.  The two of them have been together even longer than Chris and I have.  They dated throughout high school.  I was a bridesmaid in their wedding and April was there to help me get dressed on my wedding day. 

They have two very handsome sons!

Timmy had senior portraits in the late summer, but we took the opportunity to get a few more with the gorgeous fall leaves.

And a few of Joseph (Jo-Jo).

One last family shot before heading back to our cars.

Thanks guys! 

 

Photo Display.

If you also follow my personal blog you're getting a bit of a double dose.  Sorry about that, but I wanted to share my latest photo display for those that only read my photography blog.

I've been working on a display in the stairwell that leads down to our basement (and my office) for a while now.  Last night I framed my three current favorite photos of our kiddos and Chris hung it for me.  I just wanted to share it here.  I always love to see how others have decorated with their photos to get ideas of my own.  I just thought I would share this here for some display inspiration for others. :-)

 

Gallery Wrap Sale!

I am so excited about this! My lab is having a sale on gallery wraps this week only and I want to pass along the savings!

Gallery wraps are my favorite product now.  They make such a statement and the best part is that they come ready to hang - no frame needed! Your image wraps around the edges. So cool!

Here is a wrap my Elizabeth has in her room.

And this is Molly's that is in her bedroom.

These are both size 20x30, but sizes are available from 5x5 to 40x60.

Pricing for popular sizes:

11x14 - $145

16x20 - $195

20x24 - $250

20x30 - $275

(prices do not include tax)

This week all gallery wraps are 20% off regular price! To take advantage of this sale, I must receive your order no later than Saturday, February 20th!

 

Kendall and Carter.

Now that the holidays are over, the snow days are over and the kids are FINALLY back in school, I am getting caught up on some editing. I had several sessions before Christmas that I edited enough for my clients to have a Christmas card, and now I am busy going back and getting the rest of their images edited. So I cannot thank my friends Kristi and Jeff enough for being patient with me about seeing the rest of their kiddos' images.  I finished them up yesterday and thought I would post a little preview here.

These two kiddos make me smile.  It was very late in the season and we were looking for some trees with leaves still on them.  We went to the local fish hatchery because I had done a session there are couple weeks before and the leaves were gorgeous.  It was one of the few places still around with leaves.

This is one of my favorites of Carter.

And this is my favorite of Miss Kendall.

My girls and Kendall have been friends for a long time.  They have gone to pre-school together, taken dance together and now tumbling. They tagged along with me on this day and helped me get smiles out of Kendall and Carter.

I was so glad that Kristi decided to get in a couple shots.  As a mom myself I think it is so important to have photos of ourselves with our kids.  I really try to encourage this because I know I'm not in enough myself.

Thanks again guys for being patient with me. 

I have a backlog of sessions I need to post so look for lots more in the coming days! 

 

 

The Blackwoods - Sneak Peek.

I just want to start off by saying I LOVE THIS FAMILY.  They are some of our dearest friends. You will never meet more genuine, kind, caring people than Tim and Shannon.  I am so glad that their family is a part of our family's life.

Tim and Shannon are also one of my favorite couples to photograph.  Is there any question why? For those of you who don't know Tim and Shannon , but think you recognize them it is probably because their photos are all over my website.  They are so comfortable together and in front of the camera.

They have three beautiful daughters. Katie is a freshman in college. She is a drama student and is a very talented actress.

Miss Carson is a 4th grader. This girl always makes me smile. She and my Elizabeth love playing together.

Sweet Emma Bee as her mom calls her. She is a sweetie.  Dont' let her size full you though.  She can hang in there with the best of them!

Shannon had a location in mind, but when she revisited it it wasn't as she had hoped.  She searched for another location, but we ended up doing the shoot at their home.  I don't think we could have found a more perfect place.

Shannon and Tim are two very kind-hearted people.  They have given a home to several dogs. It is obvious that the dogs love them because we had to move them out of the frame after every other shot. I love this next photo.  I love all the real smiles and laughs here.  What you don't see is their basset hound, Annie, running figure 8's around me as I am lying flat on my stomach. Who new being a photographer was such a dangerous profession?!

Guy, just like always I had the best time with y'all.  It was so much fun haging out with my dear friends on a Sunday afternoon.  Love you! 

Madison and Owen.

Madison and Owen's mom contacted me about fall photo of her two kiddos. She had seen some that I had taken in the woods behind our house and liked them. They came over one afternoon during Madison's (Maddy's) fall break from school, and we headed into the woods for a little walk.

Maddy is a football cheerleader and shared a little secret with me.  She has two boyfriends! I can see why!

It had rained the morning before their session that afternoon, and we almost rescheduled. I am glad that we didn't because it turned out to be a gorgeous afternoon! After taking some in the woods, we drove on down into our hayfield. We did some slipping and sliding, and I was thankful for my 4WD.  It was worth a little mud to get these shots.

Owen is such a cutie with that cotton top of his.

As I was loading up for our session, I grabbed this pumpkin that one of my kids had gotten on a field trip.  Just a thought as I was packing up, and I'm glad I brought it. Owen really like it. He liked my yellow chair, too!

Something about this next one just makes me smile. :-)

 Hope you like the preview, Erin.  There are many more to come!

When family comes together.

When a family gets together it is a time to celebrate. Sunday afternoon I got to be part of such a celebration. The Jean family celebrated all of their family being together for a few days.

Their family reminded me in so many ways of my own family. A large southern family with lots of love for each other and lots of fun to be around.

Grandma Ruth has 5 children, 12 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren. This is Grandma Ruth with her five children.

Kevin  has been in Iraq for the past several months was home for a few days and they thought this would be a great time to come together as a family for family portraits.

Kevin and his beautiful wife, Julie.  I admire Kevin, but I also have an incredible admiration for Julie. She also makes great sacrifices being separated from her husband for months at a time and also taking care of their home and two sons.

We gathered together at Michele and BJ's home. 

You might just have thought that I put them in the middle of the road because that's what I like to do sometimes. I do love to use country roads, but this spot has special meaning to this family.  See that tree in the background? That is the home place of where Grandma Ruth lived with her parents when she married Mr. Lawrence. He passed away a few years ago, but this family is a result of Mrs. Ruth and Mr. Lawrence falling in love so many years ago.

 

  

They are blessed with so many little ones. 

I could just keep posting and posting.  It was a beautiful afternoon.  Thankfully, the rain stopped the day before and it warmed up for us a little bit.  I was so glad to spend the afternoon with old friends and making some new ones. Thanks to Michele and Brittany for organizing everything! I need to hire the two of you as assistants! ;-)

 

 

Small town on a Sunday afternoon.

I recently met my longtime friend Kim and her girls in town on a Sunday afternoon for a little photo shoot of the four of them together. Kim (like many of my other clients)and I went to high school together. That is one good thing about living in a small town.  You still see many of your friends from high school almost twenty years later. has it really been that long?! After having three girls, Kim went back to college and is now an ER nurse.

We went for a walk around town, catching up and just having fun.

I would introduce the girls, but I think this next one does it for me. ;-)

We had fun hanging and being a little silly.

There wasn't much traffic that day, but I think they could have stopped traffic. Don't you?

Then we were off again. I love the bit of flare in this one.

We made our way back to my favorite alley, and the light was perfect.  Love the shadows we were able to get!

Kim, I hope these were worth the wait! There are many, many, many more! Your girls are beautiful, and I am so proud of you!