stacey bode photography

out with the old, in with the new!

2009-09-15T13:22:00.000-07:00

I'm finally launching my new blog! Woo hoo! Don't fear...I'm pretty sure this is not a sign of the apocalypse. No need to seek shelter. I will no longer be posting here, so if you have this site bookmarked, please change it to the new site. Pretty please! All the previous posts from this blog have already been added to the new one. Yay!

You can access the new blog either through my website or by heading directly to it by clicking HERE.

Thanks so much for reading this blog, and I'll see you on the other side....

the carstens family!

2009-09-14T13:39:00.001-07:00

How wonderful it was to finally meet Lena's family. They are so fun and easy-going, and I even got to have a battle with imaginary laser guns. I've decided that every photo session should have one of those, so be forewarned. Chloe, you win! What an enjoyable shoot, and this may sound corny, but you can tell there's a lot of love in their home. Well, love and Chloe's laser beams! Yay!

She's definitely got the adorable big sister thing figured out.

Precious doesn't even begin to describe little Gavin.

Two of the many things I love about this next image: 1 - a fabulous family, and 2 - doggie tongue!

Of course, we had to give Brodie his own close-up!

Can you tell I went crazy for the flowers in Chloe's room?

Many, many thanks to the incredible Carstens family!

8 month old fletch...video!

2009-09-12T17:48:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post something on Fletch's actual 8 month birthday, but on that day, he made me cry.....and swear a lot. Let's just say that he needs some leash training about as much as our country needs health care reform.

Maybe that unfortunate incident happened for a reason. After a few days, not only did I stop calling my dog 4-letter words, but I also finally learned how to shoot video and put it on my blog. If I had known how easy this would be, I could have crossed it off my to-do list about 2 years ago. A little embarrassing, really.

I have another recent video that I can't wait to post. It's of an incredible day after shoot with Matt and Liz. I'm hoping to post that when I launch my new blog. NEW BLOG! It's that time of year where I frantically give my dusty to-do list the what-for.

For now, I give you Fletch...and his red clay elbows. By the way, Matt's disappointed grumble at the end is because during the whole video, we were trying to get Fletch to do this thing he ALWAYS does. He's just mocking us.

evita + michael's day after shoot

2009-09-08T17:08:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo! I'm so glad my friends Evita and Michael were in town this weekend for D-Con! Not only did I get to hang with them, but we also finally got to do their wedding "day after" shoot. I guess a more appropriate phrase would be "four months and four days after " shoot. :) We got to take lots of photos of just the two of them in their wedding "gear". Both of their outfits were made by hand, and Evita made her dress! She's incredible.

We needed a fabulous location with a special mood and style. I've known Evita long enough to be comfortable suggesting a cemetery. Well, not just any cemetery. Oakland is both historical and beautiful, and I was confident that we could get photos that didn't appear to have been taken at grave sites. They were nice enough to trust me, and we had a blast. Then again, I could have fun with Evita locked in a gas station bathroom with rabid badgers.

Here are some shots from our photo-funtime-throwdown!

They wanted to do an American Gothic-type pic. I think they nailed it.

Okay, okay...I know this next one looks like a cemetery, but only because they wanted a shot of the little mushroom fairy ring.

One thing that's great about knowing the folks I photograph is that I can actually gear my editing to reflect who they are as well as the type of images we shot. I did some rather dramatic editing on a lot of these photos to accentuate Evita and Michael's style.

You gorgeous thing, you!

Oh, so dashing...

I don't think you can have too much romance in a photo, but this next one comes close. Sigh.

Some of you may know about my obsession with fake birds. Evita found these cuties, and she GAVE them to me after the shoot. She's the bestest.

She wanted a series of shots of Michael giving her their wedding invitation, her opening it, and her reacting to it. This one is my fav from those shots.

Evita + Michael, you are awesome. Please find more reasons to visit Atlanta, and I'll find ones to visit Charleston!

rio!

2009-09-03T17:32:00.000-07:00

What a joy to finally meet Jenna and Florent's little fella, Rio. Before she knew the gender of the baby, she had nicknamed it "Sparkle", which is just about the best thing ever. However, the name Rio ranks really high on the coolness chart. He's named after the place, not the Duran Duran song. As awesome as the name is, he'll always be Sparkle to me. Just like baby Henry will always be Chauncey Rocket, little Max will always be Robot Zillionaire, and Alasdair will forever be Soul Crusher X.

There are several things that you'll have to bear hearing me repeat a million times. One is that I LOVE when people come to me with new and inventive ideas for their photos. I can always come up with something, but then there's the question of whether or not it will fit the people in the shoot. If folks bring their own ideas to the table, we'll definitely be working with a scenario that suits them. Win, win!

Some of you may recognize Jenna, who was looking fabulous in an earlier post of her maternity pics. She had worked on a film that played at the historic Plaza Theater, so she thought it would be cool to take some shots of her adorable new baby there. Man, was she right! The powers that be at the Plaza were kind enough to give us free reign of the space before movie time. At the moment, they have the front of the theater entirely decorated to promote Halloween II. Lots of devils, headstones, and even a tiny coffin. We looked at each other and were like, "NO!". Not quite family portrait material. Not a problem. There were plenty of other incredible places.

So here are some examples of what I shot with this rock star family. Note for other photographers: if you're ever in a low-light situation, it sure is nice to have a gigantic white movie screen for bouncing flash. Yay!

Jenna totally has a Catherine Zeta Jones thing goin' on here...

They brought these great old cameras that Florent has, and we set up this paparazzi shot. They were totally cracking me up.

Anton Corbijn is one of my favorite photographers. This next photo is a humble homage to his style.

After the movie theater, we headed to their lovely home for a few more pics. They have this interesting plant with heart-shaped leaves!

I love the look he's giving his dad.

Florent is a champion of homemade pasta, and has convinced me that this is the best way to do it. I have a feeling there will be lots of pasta in my future. I'm adding one of these contraptions to my wish list.

Hooray! So much thanks to the wonderful Jenna, Florent, and Rio!

the warrens!

2009-08-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

The only thing better than a wonderful, adorable baby is TWO wonderful, adorable babies!!! I finally got a chance to photograph the cutie-pie twins of my friends Sloane and Scott. Some of you will recognize Sloane because she does headshot makeup for most of the folks on this blog. She's got skillz!

Sawyer and Logan are now a year old, and they keep getting more beautiful every day. They are fun on wheels, full of smiles, and faster than speeding bullets. I'm so impressed with how mom and dad keep up with them.

Here are some of the shots we snapped of their super-duper little fellas...

I LOVE this one! So much personality, so much sweetness, so much drool!

A little playtime with mommy...

...and daddy!

Had to get some shots with their namesakes.

Sloane had this incredible vintage outfit for Logan. Isn't he precious?

Look! Up in the sky...it's a bird, it's a plane, it's Super Sawyer!

We had to grab a portrait of the lovely Jackie O.

And Dexter!

So much thanks to the gorgeous Warren family for such a wonderful shoot!

elyse!

2009-08-29T10:08:00.001-07:00

It's a joy to photograph someone so lively and stunning. Headshot sessions should be relaxed and fun, and Elyse helped make both of those happen. On top of that, she was very patient while I scouted around to find the best light. She also managed to smile with ease in some weird places. I'm still not sure what I was stepping in to get some of these shots. I opted to not look down too much. Elyse, you are a total gem. Thanks for doing such a fabulous job!

alia!

2009-08-27T10:41:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful time photographing Alia and her family a few months ago. She had such a natural smile and energy that I knew she would bring out in her headshot session. I have a feeling that she's going to book a LOT of work. Not only is this sweet gal blessed with obvious beauty, but she also has the kind of personality that anyone would want to be around. Her awesome mom, Lisa, joined us for the shoot, and it's so cool to see how proud she is of her daughter.

Alia, you did a great job during your shoot! Lisa, you certainly did a great job raising a lovely young lady.

Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks

2009-08-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

I love when I come across something so artistically inspirational, that I have to share it in blog form. This isn't the "official" video for the song. It was put together by someone who digs the band and digs making incredible art.

Here's a blurb written about the video....

Grizzly Bear fan and animator Gabe Askew created an enchanting video for the band's track "Two Weeks".

Said Askew to Vray: "I chose the song 'Two Weeks' by my favorite band Grizzly Bear because it inspired me. Even though the video is about two men, I connected the lyrics to my own relationship with my wife. It took about four months of after-work time and weekends. I would estimate it to be about four work weeks. The lyrics, to me, told the story of a relationship where one person is uncertain of the others loyalty. You get sucked up into the daily grind and forget to tell the one you love how you feel. They get insecure and worry that you aren't committed. And the line 'I told you I would stay' is like a battle cry for fighting to keep your relationship together when it seems to be on the brink."

I'm going to go watch this about 50 more times, until my eyes stop popping out of my head.

A heads-up AND free stuff

2009-08-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

I know that it's still hot enough outside to cook pancakes on a windshield (or something like that), and we're knee-deep in the wonderful joys of summertime. I still have a watermelon on my porch that needs eating. Any takers?

What's my point? Believe it or not, now is the perfect time to book a fall/winter family photo session. October and November dates get booked up so quickly (some are already taken!), and I want to make sure everyone gets photos of their adorable families before the holidays hit. Anyone who wants to use shots from their photo session for holiday cards needs to schedule their shoot no later than November 7th. That way, you'll have time to get all your photo goodies, AND have time to address your cards and send them out. Or you can be like me and deem it a miracle if my cards get out before the new year hits.

So, as an incentive to get those shoots booked, I'm offering a little special. Anyone who books a 2009 child or family portrait session before September 12 of 2009, will receive a free set of 2 photo fridge magnets (these are cool) and a free professional 8 x 10 print. Yay, free stuff! I should point out that the session doesn't have to take place by 09/12/2009, it just has to be booked by then and the actual shoot can be between now and the end of 2009.

I love doing these sessions. My camera and I have had the pleasure of getting to know so many incredible families over the years. One of my favorite experiences started when I took some pics of a sweet baby girl. Then at the next session, she had a new little sister, and she could almost say my name, but it came out as "Daisy" instead of Stacey. It was so cute, I nearly changed my name to Daisy Bode. At the session after that her little sis was walking, and not only could she pronounce my name, but she was giving me advice on life (or at least about the playground). Melts my heart!

julia!

2009-08-17T07:39:00.000-07:00

Not only is Julia a lovely and fun gal, she's also a real pro in dire circumstances. It's that glorious time of year where I can't go outside to get the mail without bringing back at least 3 mosquito bites. However, on the day of Julia's shoot, there must have been some sort of insect convention in East Atlanta that we weren't aware of. As if that wasn't bad enough, she is about 100 times more sensitive to their bites than most folks. Not long into our session, her arms and legs were covered with little bug traumas. Anyone else might have wanted to stop, or at least break to get some bug spray. Julia somehow kept posing, and looking fantastic while doing it. Darnright impressive.

I have to point out one more thing that's pretty incredible about Julia. This shot is the first one we took! I may even have been just testing the light. It was her first time having headshots taken, and she managed to look this relaxed. I think she's my new hero.

Julia, thanks for being such a trooper!

guerilla portraits - part 2

2009-08-15T07:37:00.000-07:00

Here's another installment of my point-and-shoot guerilla portraits. I'm havin' so much fun with these. There are definitely some limitations to my G10. It likes low light about as much as I like paying taxes. It's ok though. When I get frustrated with it, I can just pull out my fancy camera and go nuts.

Matt

John

Jed

Young Man in East Atlanta

7 month old fletch

2009-08-14T11:31:00.000-07:00

More doggies! Fletch is now 7 months old, and I no longer believe that this is the puppy we brought home back in February. This beast obviously ate our original pup, and began assuming his identity.

I'm trying to convert his jumping up energy into something practical by training him to reach things on high shelves for me. Soon, I'll be able to sell my step ladder on Craig's list.

We were on a beach trip during his "birthday", so I took these one night at Susie's house. It was dark and we were playing with the flashlight, so Fletch gets to look all artsy this month. Next month, I promise to post pics that show his ridiculous hugeosity.

egon's birthday!

2009-08-12T07:27:00.000-07:00

Recently, our friends Christian + Adri threw a swell birthday party for their doggie, Egon. Now, you might think this was just a crafty excuse for a bunch of adults to hang out and eat, but it really was about the pups. They had their own ice cream for cryin' out loud!

It was a really fun time. Of course, now that I have a dog I love AND a point-n-shoot I love, I will also love your dogs and be taking lots of pictures of them. So, here are a few shots of Niels and Egon...

Egon is the most pointy dog I've known.

They were plum tuckered out by the end of the day. Egon is wearing a t-shirt he received as a birthday gift. I think it said something like "Ready to Pawty". So awesome.

guerilla portraits!

2009-08-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

One of the projects I wanted to launch now that I have my new handy-dandy point-and-shoot, is a series of images called "guerilla portraits". If I see a cool spot for a photo, I will grab the closest willing participant and just snap a quick pic. Nothin' fancy, but hopefully interesting. I'm already having so much fun with this. Here are the first three...

Lynn

Chris

Ricky

More to come...

fletch + dottie's play date

2009-08-02T11:20:00.000-07:00

Fletch had the pleasure of Dottie's company the other day. I'm always a little concerned when he meets a new doggie. Whenever another pup shows the slightest aggression, Fletch turns into one of those fainting mountain goats. Dottie was a well-behaved lady, while Fletch acted like a drunk teenager on spring break. I'm so sorry Dottie. Welcome to our world.

What I see when I wake up in the morning...

What I'm guessing Amber sees when she wakes up in the morning...

More doggie posts soon. Our canine pal Egon had a birthday party, and Fletch will be 7 months old soon. Woof!

a toy with a purpose

2009-07-31T09:30:00.000-07:00

Over the last several years, I've been very lucky to have some fancy toys for taking photos. Unfortunately, "fancy" also means "really daggum heavy" and "really daggum big". I started realizing how much I missed being able to pull a camera out at any given time in life. Of course, I also figured that I have more than enough pictures of my feet at various locations around Atlanta and beyond, and probably didn't need any more. So, why spend money on a point-and-shoot camera when I could put that towards more equipment of the fancy variety?

The thing is, I can already achieve what I need to technically with my current equipment used for my client shoots. I can't get the same quality and accuracy with a point-and-shoot, but what I can get is something a little more warm and fuzzy, so bear with me.

The ability to shoot whatever I want, whenever I want, reminds me of who I am as a photographer and what I'm drawn to. It also lets me explore new compositions angles, etc. This type of play time helps me grow as a photographer and feeds the love I have for this art form, which will then filter into the work with my clients. Win, WIN!

I'll be posting plenty of my point-and-shoot experiments. I also need to come up with a better name than "point-and-shoot experiments". Maybe something scientific like "beaker shots". Hooray!

Immdediately after leaving the store where I bought the camera (a Canon PowerShot G10), we went across the parking lot to get pancakes. It was a good day.

Later that eve, we met up with the lovely Lynn Talley for some adult beverages. She has the BEST smile, which led to this next shot. The G10 definitely has some graininess issues at high ISOs (as you can see), but I'm interested more in compositions with this toy. Lynn was the first victim of a project I'm calling "guerilla portraits". I'll post her pic and a couple more of those soon. If I see a cool spot or lighting or whatever and you are nearby, I might be grabbing you to pose for one!

Hey, no pictures of my feet yet!

amy + brian + 1

2009-07-27T18:01:00.000-07:00

The last few months were all about the weddings. These days, it's all about the babies! Lately, I've met and worked with so many awesome moms-to-be (and dads-to-be). Amy + Brian are about to welcome their first little one into the world. Now, when I say "about to", I mean he might be arriving as I'm posting this. Yay!

I had to get a few shots of the adorable nursery. Apparently, Brian has a bit of an obsession with aquariums, which is reflected in this way cool, fish-filled room.

I had to take them outside when I saw these lines on their garage. I'm pretty sure they thought I was nuts. Hopefully, when they see these they'll understand why I got so excited. Or maybe they'll still think I'm nuts. Thanks for humoring me you two!

I think this next one is so romantic.

One of the great things about photographing Amy + Brian is that they constantly looked at each other in such a sweet way, while cracking each other up at the same time. They are gonna be some fun parents!

We had to get some pics with Brian's signature hat. I really hope they get a matching one for their little fella!

We took a few classic shots....

....and a few non-traditional ones. I LOVE how calm and happy Amy looks here.

When Brian had to head back to work, Amy and I went outside for a few more pics before it started raining. My obsession with their garage might equal Brian's for aquariums!

Here's one last shot of gorgeous Amy

Best of luck you two, and I can't wait to meet your little guy!

naomi's headshots!

2009-07-23T18:33:00.000-07:00

Wow, TWO blog posts in one day, and they're both headshot pics of fabulous people! Yay! This lovely lady is Naomi. As you can see, the camera loves her, and she may use her shots to book some modeling jobs in addition to acting work. With that beautiful face, I'm sure she'll have more jobs than she can handle!

I have to point out how cool she managed to be during some less than ideal conditions during our photo session. There was a festival going on near our shoot location, but we used some relatively secluded spots. We didn't get very many people walking by, but the few who did were downright annoying. I certainly don't mind a little curiosity from folks when they see a shoot happening. However, Drunk Guy #1 stopped and stood right next to me, wouldn't shut his yap, and tried to direct both me and Naomi. I'm sure his Budweiser was telling him that this was charming. After several polite attempts to get him to move along, we had to gently point out that he was being a total d-bag. Whatever I said surely started with "SERIOUSLY!...". Later, Drunk Guy #2 just stood and gawked. "SERIOUSLY!" Anyway, Naomi was much more patient than I was. I'm still imagining creative ways to torture them. Thanks Naomi for being such a trooper!

matt h and my return to headshots!

2009-07-23T12:47:00.000-07:00

Due to the madness of wedding season, I had taken a brief intermission from shooting headshots. I'm happy to say that I'm caught up, and back to working with some fantastic actors. Matt here was the perfect person to return me to the land of shooting heads. He is so comfortable in front of the camera, and really knows his face and his angles. Like every good actor should!

I have to give a shout-out to my girl Sloane from Atlanta Body Retreat for making Matt's already great skin look even greater.

Matt, thanks for doing such a fantastic job, and for braving mosquitoes, heat, and the crazy places I made you pose.

I saw this sign and just couldn't resist.

my happy place

2009-07-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

I spend SO much time in my office, that it needs to be so downright inviting that I get the shakes if I'm NOT in there. Oh, and organized. I'm one of those people who can not be productive while swimming in clutter. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who likes to MAKE clutter, so this room is a constant battle ground between good and evil.

I swear the pink isn't as obnoxious as it might look here. Well, maybe it is, actually. That color was up when we bought the place 7 years ago. I really dig it. However, MOST of the rooms in the house were this color, so we've made a few changes so that we're down to only my pink office, our pink dining room, and small pink bathroom.

There used to be a cool rug on the floor, but Fletch ate it. There used to be a little pillow on the chair, but Fletch ate it. Why can't he eat things like letters about jury duty, or the leg warmers I have no business owning at my age?

The flowers were a recent addition that I had seen on the dooce blog (one of my favorites!). She had used them to decorate a new nursery. When my mom saw these on the wall, she kinda laughed at them. I figure after having worked in a beige cube for 10 years, where the only hint of a personality I was allowed to show in my work area was contained in an 8x10 picture frame, I can have a couch that vomits flowers if I darn well want to. I'm also a big fan of working in pajamas. If you can pull this off where you work, you totally should.

featured in the knot georgia!

2009-07-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

Some of my photos are featured in the current issue of The Knot Georgia. Woo hoo! This is even more exciting than when we'd get our yearbooks in high school and page through to find out if we were in any of the cool, candid shots. "Look, I think that's my head behind the goal post!". Seeing "Photos by Stacey Bode Photography" is WAY cooler than spotting my fluffy-haired head in old school pics.

Yay! It's Cassie + David's wedding! Their big day was held at Fernbank Museum, and was such an incredible experience.

As I was paging through, I saw two more shots that came from my camera. This cake pic was taken at Megan and John's gorgeous wedding.

This shot was from Kim + Mitchell's awesome day after shoot.

6 month fletch and a susie visit!

2009-07-13T18:03:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to think that our puppy is actually a gorilla in a puppy outfit. When he kidnaps a starlet and climbs the Empire State Building, I'll be screaming "I told you so".

This week, we were lucky to have a visit from Matt's mom, Susie. Man, it's so cool having her around...even if she hates when I play Nancy Sinatra's "Bang Bang" song in my car.

She and Fletch are good buddies. If she had asked him, he would have gladly left us behind to hit the road with her.

I've become one of those people who thinks my dog's breath is awesome, and apparently Matt has too. If I had to describe it, I'd say it smells like a unicorn burp.

These next pics of Susie and Matt make me real darn happy.

Fletch doesn't typically drool this much. He was slurping up some water. I'm going to go invent dog straws and make my millions.

This next pic shows his 2 newest obsessions...ice and digging. If I have to keep cleaning those paws, I'm putting Tobasco sauce in the ice trays.

I'm diggin' the pink tongue in the background...

He made this face when I asked him what he thought about the economic crisis.

I'll post again when he's 7 months. Unless he eats us before then.

kimberly + basil + 1

2009-07-11T12:09:00.000-07:00

I'm still trying to figure out how Kimberly and Basil make expecting a baby look not just beautiful, but downright hip. Wait, does anyone still say "hip"? At least I didn't say "groovy", or "bitchin" or "choice". Although I think "choice" should make a comeback. I think now-a-days the kids are sayin' "buck"....or at least Little C does on "So You Think You Can Dance". Anyway, these two make pending parenthood look way better than I thought possible.

They are both very creative people, and I love collaborating with artistic-minded folks during photo shoots. They were also SO at ease in front of the camera. Then again, I probably would be too if I looked half as good. Seriously, are they not just stunning?

Kimberly and Basil, thank you so much for such a fantastic shoot, and for allowing me to share a few of your images. I know you're going to be the coolest parents to your little one.

dork for hire

2009-07-09T07:41:00.000-07:00

During a couple recent portrait sessions, I was joined by friend and fellow photographer Christa Paulson Lovato. Yay! When she showed me this photo, it cracked me up. A few things you can expect from me if I shoot a "day-after" wedding session with you....I will try to steal your bouquet, and I will probably be wearing my polka t-shirt. Honestly, I don't even remember holding the flowers. It MIGHT have been easier to take the shot if I had set them gently down somewhere, but I'm sure I was plotting how to get that bouquet into my backpack without lovely bride Sarah noticing.

All self-deprication aside, I should point out that I think Christa took a cool photo. I love the kids playing in the background. Those swings were another temptation during the shoot. I dig a swing set almost as much as I dig a fine bouquet of flowers.

evita + michael on offbeat brides

2009-06-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

Evita + Michael's gorgeous May wedding is currently featured on the Offbeat Brides blog! Woo hoo! I love checking out this blog (it's on my stalking list). They feature some really cool ideas and weddings planned by unique people who think outside the box. Yays! A lot of their posts feature DIY projects for wedding planning. I am a crafty girl at heart, so I get very inspired by all the make-it-yourself goodness I see on there.

I hate to post without pics, so here's one of my favs from Evita + Michael's offbeat wedding!

sarah + john's day after

2009-06-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

How much do I love a day-after session? SO much! Each shoot is as unique and wonderful as the people in the pics, and the possibilities are nearly endless!. Of course, I hit the jackpot photo-wise with Sarah and John because they are so relaxed and at ease in front of the camera. When I said "pretend I'm not here", they took me very seriously. Or maybe they just wished I hadn't been there...for real! Seriously, these two are fantastic. They also had one of the best location suggestions EVER (scroll on down to have a look-see).

Here are a few shots of the fun, the romance, and the pork platter!

I don't think couples are supposed to look this good the day after their wedding. They must have had some magic in their coffee.

Sarah + John are "Scrabblers", so they brought along their set, and we had some play time with the tiles.

This next one will be used for their thank-you notes. Coolness!

So, Sarah suggested that we head over to Daddy Dz for some more pics. HOLLA! For anyone not familiar with this establishment , it's some of the finest lo-fi incredible bbq you will find and stuff into your face. And we did, by the way.

Had to break out the tiles one last time.

Sarah wore gardenias in her hair for the wedding and for our day after shoot, so we couldn't resist this iconic portrait of Billie. Ooh, the lovely ladies.

Hangin' with them was so awesome, we should have done a two-day-after session too!

sarah + dan

2009-06-18T14:11:00.000-07:00

I love weddings where I do lots of gawking. From the time we showed up to start shooting this event, we kept staring at the flowers, the incredible property, the decorations, the lighting, the cake. Of course, all those special touches paled in comparison to when we finally saw Sarah and Dan together.

Dan has one of the warmest smiles you'll ever see, and Sarah was the epitome of a classic, yet modern bride. When they're next to each other, they seem to share lots of those "time stands still" moments.

Here are a few images from their spectacular wedding day...

The wedding was held at the charming home/farm of Dan's grandparents. After the ceremony, we were hoping to get a few pictures with the chickens. These chickens were FAST, and were not buying what we were selling.

Here are some of those details I had been gawking at. You'll notice two of my favorite things are present: fake birds and cake. I have to give a big ol' shout-out to event planner Erin Stroup of It's All in the Details. I know when I see her, everything will be running smoothly. Yay!

We had the photo booth set up during cocktail hour. Let me just point out that cocktails should be a requirement with the photo booth. My super second shooter hubby Matt was manning the booth, and the guests had fun writing messages to Sarah + Dan on the very cool mirror-like chalkboard they provided.

I'm not sure what his real name is, but I kept calling him "Wedding Cat!".

In case you can't tell from this photo, their guests know how to DANCE!

The first three tries were called as foul balls. I think this fourth throw was the winner!

Dan + Sarah, all my best to you in what's sure to be a long and loving life together.

To view a slideshow of more images from this unforgettable wedding, please click HERE

sarah + john's photo booth

2009-06-16T14:20:00.000-07:00

Man, do I love a photo booth. I've been doing these for over a year now at weddings, and they are a total hoot. With Sarah + John's wonderfully animated and willing guests, it's no surprise that these are some of my all-time favorite pbooth shots. These were taken by my completely rad second shooter, Caroline.

Aww...I luvs me some Alison and Deb

You just gotta appreciate the champagne flute and sippy cup combo

No, that is not a stunt leg. Hope is a dancer and is just that flexible. I'm sure that leg coulda gone much higher, but she's a classy lady.

C'mon...you could have gotten a few more folks in there!

Um, the honeymoon's not supposed to start until AFTER the wedding, you guys

This is Sarah and her cool sis. Ladies! Stop it! You're both pretty!

Here's the one pic I contributed to the photo booth since this is Sarah and my partner in crime, Caroline. I suppose I should point out that these two have known each other for a while, so you're less likely to get strangled by Caroline if we do a photo booth at your wedding.

I think I saved the best shot for last...

I hope people keep wanting these set-ups because I sure get a kick out of them!

henry phelps

2009-06-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

Last week, I joined Mary when she took Henry to experience his first "swim". He seemed to really dig it, which is good since I think we'll be planning more pool visits this summer. I had never been to the Grant Park Pool before, and it was really nice. Most importantly, they had a large cement hole filled with cool water for me to be in. That's really all I require.

I also solved the mystery of how Henry could possibly be any cuter. Just add water.

Mary, I hope you don't mind me posting a pic of you. You look adorable, and I took the liberty of photoshopping out the big wad of bright green gum that was in your mouth. :) Maybe I should have kept it in. It totally matched Henry's outfit.

sarah + john

2009-06-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

Whether I'm a photographer or a guest, the weddings that blow me away are the ones filled with emotion. Sarah + John's wedding wasn't just filled, it was completely overflowing. These two share such a special love with one another, and it was clear to see that those feelings go far beyond the two of them and spread generously to their family and friends.

I've had the pleasure of knowing Sarah for many years. We even went to Ireland together about 50 years ago, it seems. I was so glad to see Sarah again and finally meet John. I just couldn't be happier for these two wonderful people. Thank you so much for allowing me to capture such an unforgettable day.

Sarah was nothing short of radiant.

I was privileged to have the second-shooting abilities of the fab-u-lous Caroline Masclet. She's one of my favorite human beings, and a stellar photographer to boot. She shot my wedding a million years ago. The next couple pics of John and his amazing daughters were taken by Miss Caroline.

Here's Sarah's dad helping her put a sixpence in her shoe (tradition says it will bring them luck and wealth). However, I think what they actually had was a twopence. Two seems like a much luckier number to me!

We were taking portraits outside when it started raining. See, even MORE luck for them (though who needs luck when you've got love)!

The wedding was held at the incredible Watershed restaurant in Decatur. If you haven't eaten there, you are doing your mouth a disservice. Their staff was great and the atmosphere was elegant. The clean, simple, and natural details were perfect. I believe this was the first wedding they've held. Splendid job, indeed!

My buddy Rene was spinnin' the tunes all night. Best. DJ. Ever.

Instead of the traditional cake, they opted for a tower of freshly made macaroons. The phrase "melts in your mouth" doesn't even do them justice. They were created by Alon's bakery. Yumz! I also have to give a shout-out to super-duper florist Shoshona Le. She's done the flowers for multiple weddings I've shot, and her work is always top-notch.

There were several heart-felt speeches given at the reception. However, I think the moment we'll all remember best is when John's youngest daughter got up to speak, and was so overcome with emotion, that it was difficult for her to say what she had prepared. So lovely, and not a dry eye in the place.

Please stay tuned to see pics from Sarah + John's photo booth AND day-after session! Woo hoo!

To view a slideshow of more images from this joy-filled wedding, please click HERE

sarah + dan: pre-wedding

2009-06-11T15:25:00.000-07:00

Sarah + Dan are a super-cool couple from New York, and I'm lucky that they picked me to shoot their Georgia wedding. They are the first couple who found me via Flickr. Yay Flickr!

Fortunately, they were in town a few days before the BIG day, and we were able to squeeze in a fun pre-wedding portrait session in Piedmont Park. They're one of those couples that makes photo-taking seem almost too easy. There was also some really beautiful light to play with that evening, so it was win WIN!

Here are some of their portraits, and stay tuned for a post of their incredible wedding day!

5 month old fletch

2009-06-11T08:25:00.000-07:00

For this Fletch update, I probably could have just posted this image...

From now on when folks ask what kind of dog he is, my reply will be, "he's a luck dragon!". In the past month, his body and extremities have gotten ridiculously long. When he runs around the yard, he looks like a newborn deer after 5 cans of Red Bull.

He had a wonky month health-wise (translation: his health care now costs more than ours). Apparently, he has a food allergy, which gave him a rash, an ear infection, and caused him to gnaw off some of his fur. Sigh. His wonderful vet helped us out with some solutions, and he's now like a new dog. A new, Godzilla-like, maniac of a dog. We love you, Fletch. Keep on growin'!

the callens family

2009-06-10T08:33:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had the absolute pleasure of meeting and photographing the Callens family. Apparently, they didn't have any current portraits, and decided it was time to remedy that. Yay! They were such a joy to work with, and seriously....what a beautiful family they are!

Our buddy Hayden made a rock star cameo in one of the shots.

I had to sneak in a few non-traditional ones too. They all look SO cool in these pics.

This one is probably my favorite because it's different, AND it's one of those natural family moments that I love.

Thanks so much to the incredible Callens family!

meghan + nathaniel

2009-06-07T20:50:00.000-07:00

It's no surprise that two such wonderful people planned an equally wonderful wedding day. Gracious to their guests, appreciative to their families, and completely in love with each other. I just can't say enough about the kindness and coolness of this couple. Each moment had meaning, and every spark of joy was savored. Photographing such a thought-out and thoughtful event is an experience that will stay with me for a long time.

Here's Meghan getting ready and looking stunning as always.

I recently attended a talk given by one of the country's top wedding photographers. He mentioned that he typically doesn't speak a word to people when he shoots an event. That obviously works well for him. However, I really enjoy getting to know people and allowing them to know me. Part of what I love about shooting weddings is moments like these...

It's impossible to take a bad photo of either of these two. Here's Nathaniel supporting that statement.

Their wedding style was glamorous and elegant, and I was drooling over the details. Those happy pink blooms were done by Perfect Petals, and the sparkly cake was created by The Frosted Pumpkin. If you check out the slideshow at the end of the post, you'll see Meghan's reaction when she saw how beautifully the reception area had been decorated.

The reception was held at the Sugarloaf Country Club, which had many great spots for photo-taking. They even let us play with a golf cart. Yay!

This shot was taken during a toast given by Meghan's dad. Completely chokes me up.

This next image makes my heart go pitter-patter.

I absolutely adore you two, and you're now a part of my photo family!

To view a slideshow of more images from this fabulous wedding, please click HERE

hollis!

2009-06-06T12:11:00.000-07:00

Prepare yourself for some unabashed cuteness! This super-adorable little guy is Hollis, who just celebrated birthday #2. Each year, his mom has photos taken on the birthdays of her kiddos, and hangs one of the prints up in a special room where each of her sweet boys has his own photo wall. How cool is that?

Usually, little ones can be tricky to photograph. Let's just say, running shoes are a must. However, Hollis was accommodating beyond his years. He behaved far better in front of the camera than I would have.

Here are a few shots of this darling fella...

Naturally, we had to get a few pics of him with his beautiful mom.

Thanks so much for such a fun session, and happy 2 years, Hollis!

another quick peek

2009-06-05T08:20:00.000-07:00

I had to put up one more little preview of posts to come. This image is from Dan + Sarah's wedding last weekend. It was an incredible day, and I can't wait to post more shots and tell you more about it. In the meantime, here's one pic of this gorgeous couple...

2 happy ladies + 4 thumbs

2009-06-04T13:38:00.000-07:00

Last night, I was selling my wares at The Wedding Party held by Atlanta Magazine. The show took place at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, one of my favorite places.

I was there to promote my photo services, and the makeup and massage talents of my friend Sloane. It was so fun hanging out with her, and I now have proof that we are kindred spirits. Take a look at the photos below. I don't think either of us realized that we were doing the exact same goofy pose! Sometimes life is so good, you just have to sport the double thumbs-up!

We met a lot of great folks planning weddings, and some cool people who also work in the biz. I hope I didn't scare any of them away with my enthusiasm or wild hand movements.

Double thumbs and muppet face Sloane-style...

Double thumbs and muppet face me-style...

miriam + john

2009-06-02T06:38:00.000-07:00

I remember seeing Miriam + John at Stephanie + Josh's wedding last year and noticing how obviously in love they were. We had a photo booth set-up at the reception, and this image will always be one of my favorites....

The warmth and joy that they have between the two of them was shared with all their family and friends on their wedding day. Each detail and moment was special, and the atmosphere was about absolute celebration.

The Park Tavern is such a scenic place for a wedding, with a fantastic view of Piedmont Park. When you have a great location, a lot of fun-lovin' people, and a gorgeous couple....you just can't go wrong!

I love these little origami birds! They were on tables, hung with lanterns, and perched atop the cake. Such a unique and eye-catching touch!

I downright adore Miriam's mom, Anne. She has been so wonderful to me, and I'm glad I got to see her slightly wilder side at the wedding. After meeting Miriam + John's parents, it's no surprise that they raised their kids to be such caring, loving adults.

Fellas....please learn an important lesson from John in the image below. There is nothing more romantic than when a guy holds his lady's face that-a-way when he kisses her. Nothing. Ladies, prepare to swoon...

I don't have a lot of rules, but I can almost guarantee that if I've shot your wedding and then you're guests at a another wedding I'm shooting...I will be taking a photo of you. Stephanie + Josh are so cool it hurts. It's been just over a year since their big day, and I think they still like each other. Happy Anniversary you two!

Thank you so much, Miriam + John. You've reminded me that romance is alive and well in Atlanta. I just know that many, many years from now, you'll still be looking at each other that way.

To view a slideshow of more images from this lovely wedding, please click HERE

maternity can be fierce

2009-05-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

I get so excited when a session allows me to be creative and experiment with new styles or techniques. This is why Jenna was such a perfect subject. We wanted to take photos that showed how she is the same cool, fun person.....she just happens to be expecting. She brought the tub idea to the table, and said that she wanted to take it in a more edgy direction.....like, not tons of bubbles. I totally knew what she meant. Yay! Then we realized that it's harder than you'd think to find bath products that don't foam up! We also discovered that the combination of milk, aromatic bath salts, and grape Kool-Aid smells REALLY good. My bathroom smelled lovely for days.

Jenna, you are a total gorgeous rock star. Thank you for your trust and fantastic attitude. I can only post a few of her fabulous images since some were a little too racy for the interweb. Sorry, interweb. Those will be just for her and her hubby to enjoy.

i beg your pardon

2009-05-27T07:45:00.000-07:00

Not that there's anything wrong with having a photo of my lovely mom adorning my blog for weeks, but I feel badly that I haven't been updating regularly with new posts. I'd be honest if my dead-beat blogging behavior was due to laziness, but there are actually a couple pretty good reasons for my disappearing act.

1. Just short of it's 9-month birthday, my computer needed an emergency hard drive transplant. I have a back-up laptop, but it runs at the speed of rubber cement.

2. For the first time in my photography career, I shot 3 weddings in one weekend. Very do-able, but takes a ton of prep, organization, and focus. So other things, like blogging, had to be put on hold.

The wedding trifecta could have been really difficult if each of the couples and their families hadn't been the downright nicest folks. I truly don't know how I get so lucky.

I have LOTS of editing catch-up to do, but will try to keep bloggin'. There will be more extensive posts for each fabulous wedding. In the meantime, here's a little sneak peek...

Miriam + John

Meghan + Nathaniel

Sarah + John

mom!

2009-05-11T17:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday and Mother's Day, Mom! You're the BEST! Part of why you're the best is that you let me put this tiara on your head. For that alone, I will forgive your love of Bon Jovi.

evita + michael

2009-05-09T06:17:00.000-07:00

Evita is one of a kind. When I met her about 10 years ago, I thought she was way too cool to want to hang out with me. Despite my dorkiness and her coolness, we became great friends. She's one of the most creative folks I know, and she has a truly wicked sense of humor.

I was thrilled that she wanted me to take photos of her wedding to Michael. He's such a nice guy, and has some unique ideas of his own. He showed me his "mad scientist room" in the house, and I was giddy with delight.

The big day took place in South Carolina, just over the bridge from downtown Charleston. Evita and Michael live on an incredible piece of property next to an oak grove, and it was the perfect setting for an outdoor wedding. Seriously, they should rent it out!

It was a gorgeous day for Evita and Michael and their family and friends. I know their new life together will be a great one.

Here are a few photos, and if you want to see more, there's a slideshow at the end of this post.

I'm not kidding when I talk about Evita's skills. She MADE her wedding dress! Isn't it spectacular? She also worked on all the special details and decorations.

This is just a fraction of their vast back yard. I know, right?

Here's my lovely friend. She had said she didn't need any pictures of "that getting ready crap". That's so Evita, but she looked too pretty to not snap a few.

I could do a whole separate post just on her shoes. She wore this same pair when she was a bridesmaid for my wedding, but back then they had large orange Gerbera daisies attached to them. She created and attached all the intricate details below to match her wedding dress. She makes Martha Stewart seem lazy.

A perfect example of why I love Evita is that most brides would not want me to post a shot like this next one. However, she has already asked me "How's the blister shot?". Here it is Evita! All your injured glory. Folks, let this be a warning to you: Do NOT use an industrial-strength hot glue gun an hour before your wedding!

And now for some yummy details!

You sassy, sassy thing you!

They had their own special mead produced for the reception. So cool!

Here's a shot of me and Evita as witnessed in our typical state: doing something inappropriate and laughing about it. Thanks to Aileen for snapping this!

Their cake was awesome! They had greenery centerpieces on the tables in rustic hexagon planters. They carried that theme through to the honeycomb pattern on the cake. And how cute are those little bride and groom bees?

Here's Part II of their back yard. So dreamy!

When I left to head back into Charleston, from the bridge, I turned around and could see all the lanterns lit along their property. They should keep those up year-round! They're too beautiful to take down.

The new Mr + Mrs!

To view a slideshow of more images from this fabulous wedding, please click HERE

I love you guys. Thanks so much for everything, and I can't wait to see you again!

beach blanket dingo

2009-05-08T12:48:00.000-07:00

I've gotten some requests for a Fletch update, and since I'm of the mindset that you CAN please everyone all the time...here ya go! These pics were taken last month when we took pup on his first beach adventure. I was shocked at how well he did during the long car trip down to Florida. No whining, no barfing, no furry meltdowns of any kind. Funny, I don't remember slipping him a xanax.

He got to finally meet Susie, and now I'm wondering why I don't have any photos of the two of them. I obviously had vacation brain. Anyway, they got along swimmingly. And speaking of swimming, Fletch walked directly into Susie's pool, not knowing what he was doing. Scared the hell out of him. We, of course, laughed our heads off after Matt helped him out. It's okay Fletch, I find your errors in judgment charming. Please do the same for me.

Naturally, he's WAY bigger now than in these photos. Today he turns 4 months old. We'll have to snap a pic and compare to his 3-month glamour shot. In the last few weeks, he's become a pretty wonderful doggie. Don't tell him I said that. He still thinks I'm the "bad cop", and I've got a rep to protect.

Here's Fletch-er-oo engaging in his second favorite activity next to destroying rugs...digging!

This next image will be a sobering reminder to me of the time period where ALL he did was run around and bite anything below the knee. I'm talking about the dog, by the way.

My dog does have a cute butt. However, there's another reason I took that shot. The markings on Great Pyrs fade as they grow up, so he may not look like this much longer. I'm hoping the little black spot stays though.

He wasn't sure about the water. He was probably afraid that if he got in there, I'd come over with shampoo and try to make him clean, which annoys the heck out of him.

My new strategy...dog as sunblock. His new strategy...sand as sunblock.

More Fletch updates to come, but now it's back to weddings, weddings, weddings! Woo hoo!

aja + mckenna

2009-05-06T12:07:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had the pleasure of photographing a little bundle of joy named McKenna. She was such a tiny, sweet reminder of why babies are so irresistible.

Last year, I met McKenna's auntie Brittney when she was a bridesmaid in Andisheh and Christi's awesome wedding. Brittney decided to give a portrait session to her lovely sister Aja and her new niece while they were visiting Atlanta. Love that!

We met at Brittney's gorgeous home and took some shots of this wonderful family. Here are a few samples of our photo play time...

Her expression in this first one makes me SMILE!

Aja and McKenna shared lots of adorable mother-daughter moments like this.

While our little model took a break, I had to get a few pics of Brittney's cutie-pie doggie, Grady. Apparently, this is what they always see when they come home. Awww.

We had to get Auntie Brittney in a few shots too!

On a side note, this photo shoot was on my birthday. Back when I worked at the ole corporate day job, I typically took my birthday off. I feel really blessed that I'm now doing something I love so much that I get excited about working on my birthday. Woo hoo!

meghan + nathaniel's e-session

2009-05-05T14:56:00.000-07:00

I adore these two. I was fortunate to have met Meghan and Nathaniel last year when I took pics for both of their acting headshots. I knew how much I liked them individually, and I couldn't imagine how much cuter they were as a couple. Cute is not a strong enough word, and I can't even describe the amount of niceness that goes with the cuteness!

We got together recently to shoot some portraits, and we had to be quick about it since their status will soon change from "engaged" to "married" in just a couple weeks. It was such a fun session! I love how they can go from silly to romantic to fierce in a matter of seconds. That takes skillz, y'all.

After the photos, we chatted and laughed for a while. Poor Matt and Nathaniel had to endure my talk with Meghan about our Twilight obsession. Seriously, Meghan should be playing Alice Cullen in the movies. Anybody else feel me on that? You should. I'm thankful they put up with me since I could have gabbed their ears off all night.

So here are some pics from my shoot with this super-fab couple.

I'm not sure which one of us took the award for most crack-ups, but here's one point for Meghan.

Smokin'....

You work it, Meghan!

Dont'cha just LOVE love?

Thanks SO much you two! I can't wait to shoot your wedding later this month!!!

a swell birthday

2009-05-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my birthday, and as birthdays go, it was pretty cool. I slept late, took the dog for a walk, got some work done, did a fun photo shoot with an adorable baby girl, went out with Matt for a swanky dinner, then came home, put on jammies, and started watching Battlestar Galactica. Not bad, right?

I got lots of well-wishing from family and friends. That's always the best part. I'm pretty lucky that-a-way.

Of course, I snapped a couple pics of some neat-o stuff I got...

My awesome mom-in-law, Susie got me this cute piece of glass made by Patricia Krupo. Blueberry pancakes are always an art form!!!

Mary brought me over these gorgeous flowers. How sweet is that? I LOVE the colors!

I got an original Owen Walker painting...signed by the artist himself!

Matt took me to Craft, a restaurant owned by Tom Colicchio (one of the judges on Top Chef). If you love food, you have GOT to go there. It's definitely a special-occasion only place for our budget, but also worth every penny. I was in heaven over the flavors and presentation. I wish I had a better pic, but I can't do the food visual justice with the leftovers. Just go, you'll see what I mean.

Now I have to get back to work...and plucking gray hairs! Sigh.

sabrina + rocky's wedding

2009-04-29T12:53:00.000-07:00

Sabrina + Rocky's big day was full of so many of my favorite things about weddings. A fun, laid-back couple...a special first glance meeting...eye-catching details....and cupcakes! It was truly an unforgettable event.

Sabrina was exquisite in every way, and Rocky was 100% dashing groom. All their hard work and planning came to life and created an atmosphere of intimacy and elegance.

Here are just a few shots from this incredible day, and if you want to see more, there's a slideshow at the end of the post!

I know I sound like a broken record, but I LOVE when couples have a "first glance" meeting before the ceremony. I can't get enough of moments like these...

I always cry at weddings. At Sabrina + Rocky's, you might have thought my teary moment would have been when I saw the red velvet cupcakes, but here's the part that got me. At their meet-up, they exchanged some very meaningful gifts. They got choked up = I got choked up.

I was blessed with the second-shooting abilities of my hubby, Matt. Sabrina said she was glad he was there as Photog #2. I can't blame her. He took this next shot, which might be my favorite from the day.

What the wedding party is doing here is referred to as "workin it".

The ceremony and reception was held at Wahoo Grill in Decatur. I had never shot there before, and I'm so glad I got the chance. Matt and I kept noticing how nice all the staff were, and everything was flawlessly organized. The food was also delish, and check out these details!

Right after the ceremony, both Sabrina + Rocky tweeted their new marital status. How cool is that?

They headed off to Paris for their honeymoon. SWEET! Have fun you two, and thanks so much for letting us play a part in your wonderful day!

To view a slideshow of more images from this gorgeous day, please click HERE

dell + ferlando's photo booth

2009-04-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

I love photo booths, and I'm so glad Dell + Ferlando opted to have one at their recent wedding. With family and friends as fun as this...you can't go wrong. Here are just a few examples of them working it for the camera.

Dell contacted me after I shot Christi and Andisheh's wedding last year, so I had to give them a little photo shout out!

Way to work the photo booth y'all!

alison

2009-04-23T06:48:00.000-07:00

I'm lucky to say that Alison has been a friend for years now. She's beautiful to look at and has a lovely soul to match. As if that's not enough, there's also a very calming effect when you're around her. Are you stressed out? Just hang around Alison for a little while. You'll feel better.

I can't believe it's taken this long to have her in front of my camera, so I'm thrilled that she needed some new headshots. I was so excited, knowing how effortless and fun it would be to photograph her. I'm sure she's SO sick of hearing this, but she truly has the MOST piercing, not-of-this-world eyes.

I'll definitely have to come up with some excuses or cool artsy ideas to get Alison in front of my camera again soon.

Thanks so much Alison....you're the best!

1:23

2009-04-21T05:23:00.000-07:00

Synchronicity Performance Group is currently running a powerful and beautiful show called "1:23", written by Carson Kreitzer. Here's the description from their website:

"Susan Smith, Andrea Yates, Juana Leija; once normal women, normal mothers. Now branded forever by their ability to commit the unthinkable crime. In Carson Kreitzer’s stunning drama, we peer into the defining moments of three broken lives through the eyes of the detectives charged with sifting through the shards while struggling to stay sane. Can the water that drowned their children ever wash these women clean?"

It's running now through May 17th. Please go check it out! For info on tickets and such, please click HERE.

dell + ferlando - ceremony #2

2009-04-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

I think you can tell a lot about people by who they surround themselves with. This is why it was no surprise that everyone attending Dell + Ferlando's wedding had a joyful expression and kind words. They have such a strong family and community of friends, and each person seemed to be enjoying the day to the full extent.

When I first met Dell to talk about photography, she mentioned wanting a fun wedding where everybody is relaxed and has a great time. I loved hearing that, and it was even better watching it actually happen.

Here are a few photos of this stunning couple on their lovely day, taken by me and my awesome second shooter Matt (also awesome husband). There are more images in a slideshow at the end of this post too!

To view a slideshow of more images from this wonderful day, please click HERE

bailey!

2009-04-14T14:56:00.000-07:00

Bailey is the very cool daughter of my friends Leslie and Keith. There's a LOT of talent in this family. Keith is a writer and film-maker. Leslie is a writer and performer. Bailey has some mad visual skills, including photography. On top of that, they all have an equally wicked sense of humor.

This year, Bailey had some school-appointed senior portraits taken, and they were less than happy with the results. I wish I could see these, because the descriptions alone from Leslie and Bailey are priceless. So, I was thrilled that they asked me to take some fun shots. It also gave me an opportunity to explore the "senior portrait" realm. There are many directions those can go, so it was a blast to see what we could come up with to suit her.

The last time a took a photo of Bailey was during a shoot for one of the films her folks were making. I can't even remember how long ago that was. Three years, maybe? Here she is looking very ethereal.

Here are some of the images from our recent photo shoot.....

I think we're similar in that we're both more comfortable being goofy in front of the camera. Check out these awesome faces...

Bailey is one seriously beautiful gal.

This next shot is not only one of my favorites from our session, but it's also one of my favorites I've taken in a while.

She had her cap and gown along, so we had to play around a bit with those!

Thanks SO much Bailey! It was an absolute joy, and I hope you like the pics.

dell + ferlando - ceremony #1

2009-04-09T07:05:00.000-07:00

I can't think of a better use for a portrait session. Dell and Ferlando are two very caring people who were concerned that Ferlando's mother would not be able to attend their wedding due to health issues. Therefore, they scheduled a mini event so that she could watch her son marry the woman he loves. They had several loved ones in attendance, beautiful flowers, and a cake I won't soon forget.

It was a gorgeous day, and a wonderful gesture for someone they care about so deeply.

I can't get enough of Dell's smile. Not only is it super joyful, but it shows up often.

Ferlando's lovely mom.

Thanks so much to Dell, Ferlando, and their awesome family. Matt and I had a great time shooting your fantastic wedding last weekend, and I'll be posting some of those pics soon!

max + fletch = cute x 2

2009-04-08T09:24:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, we had the pleasure of a visit from Tim, Shelby, and Max. I can't believe how fast Max is growing up! Fletch got to have some heavily-supervised play time with him, and he did really well....at first. He started off just following a fast-crawling Max around the floor. Next, Fletch moved on to gently licking Max's head and hands. Just before the end of our visit, Fletch was convinced that Max had turned into a giant tennis ball, and was probably wondering why we weren't rolling him across the floor and shouting "go get it!". Oh well, it was sane and adorable while it lasted.

Wook at dis widdle cutie pie!

Shelby's such a good momma.

I swear, in the last 2 weeks, Fletch has grown to twice the size pictured below. That's it...I'm putting him on Jenny Craig.

Max is all like..."Hey, this isn't an iPhone!". Dude, I know.

This dingo will eat your baby.

sabrina + rocky engagement

2009-04-03T19:05:00.000-07:00

I'll be shooting Sabrina + Rocky's wedding later this month, but recently we met up in Inman Park to take some engagement photos.

Sabrina is also a photographer, and you should totally check out her site HERE. She has some beautiful work for you to look at. I'm always a bit nervous when shooting another photographer, but Sabrina is so wonderfully easy to be around. Oh, and she knows how to WORK IT for the camera!

I finally got to meet her super hubby-to-be Rocky, who is like me in the sense that he'd probably rather swim with hungry piranha than be in front of a camera. He did a great job of being relaxed, in the moment, and attentive to his lovely lady.

I'm really excited about these pics because I feel like they show how animated these two are and how much they care for each other. I also have to give Sabrina MAD props for one of the coolest ideas for their shoot.....orange balloons! They looked fantastic with the color of her gorgeous dress. See, there are also perks to working with another photographer!

Here are some of the pics we took of this fabulous couple

Thanks so much you two, and I can't wait to shoot your big day!

mary s!

2009-03-25T20:39:00.000-07:00

This pretty lady is Mary. Don't even get me started on how much I love her curly hair! Her style is equally fabulous. Our first session attempt was rained out...thanks mother nature! We decided to use some of that time to go over wardrobe choices to use for the rescheduled shoot. She brought so many great options that I was about to bring out a coin to start flipping.

As we were snapping these pics, I couldn't help but notice Mary's uncanny resemblance to the teenage version of my Aunt Marilyn. Okay, I realize this means nothing to you who have never seen my Aunt Marilyn, and sadly I don't have a photo of her from the '50s. What I CAN tell you is that according to many accounts from my mother, Marilyn was considered quite the hottie. Of course, the word "hottie" hadn't quite caught on yet, so she was probably called a "real looker" or "the cat's meow".

Thanks so much Mary for being patient with the weather and so fun and easy to work with!

fletch update

2009-03-24T16:20:00.000-07:00

I figured it was time for another Fletch update. He is now 2.5-ish months old, and roughly the size of an aircraft carrier. He thinks the word "no" is hilarious, and one of his favorite places to nap is on the bathroom floor wrapped around the back of the toilet. Classy.

I've started a journal and will supplement it with a photo diary. My little project is entitled "What I've Killed by Irwin M. Fletcher". So far, he's destroyed 3 rugs, a blanket, and a rubber door stop.

In the photo below, doesn't he have the cutest little mouth? Be warned...that is the same mouth that today discovered the joys of cat poop.

elliott!

2009-03-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

Melanie is one of my dearest friends. When we first got to know each other years ago, she was going through a difficult time, and I was so struck by how she handled it with such strength and grace. On several occasions since then I've thought of her example when I wasn't feeling strong or graceful.

She is now dealing with some even greater issues, and again I'm moved by how she faces life with a powerful will and love.

Melanie and Lee had a gorgeous baby boy a few months ago. Elliott is almost too wonderful to describe in words. You wouldn't know it by looking at this perfect little guy, but he's struggling with a list of daunting health issues. Although I was so thrilled to finally meet him, I was worried that being around him might make me sad, which is the last reaction I wanted to have around Melanie. I instantly realized that being around Elliott brings nothing but absolute JOY. He's such a dream, and I couldn't get enough of him.

I adore this family, and had the BEST visit with them. Melanie and I got to have some girly fun and giggles. I had a blast playing with my buddy Owen, and I got to cuddle with Elliott. Yay! I'm already looking forward to the next time I see them!

Here are a couple pics Melanie took. Here's Elliott making me swoon.

I was introduced to the awesome "Guess Who?" game. Owen was an astronaut and I was a monkey. No guesses needed.

Owen is quite the master of the point-and-shoot camera. In a few months, I'm sure I'll be working for him. If I'm lucky. Here, he caught me trying to be like him.

Thanks Lee for taking this shot of us! I loves me some Melanie!

Here are some shots I snapped during our visit.

Oh, Elliott....I want some more snuggles!

There were so many cards and gifts. The Walkers have a LOT of people who care about them.

Owen wanted to take a photo with my camera, so I put it in front of him, tried to aim it, and let him hit the button. This next shot is what he took. Seriously, I'm going to make him start shooting weddings with me!

Owen is REALLY into Superman right now and even has a big poster on his wall. I noticed something when I looked at the image of the hero hanging in Owen's room. Now, I don't want to give away an secret identities or anything, but don't you see a resemblance below?

I just love this moment with Lee and Elliott.

So beautiful...

To view the slideshow of the lovely Walker family, please click HERE

erin!

2009-03-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

I'm always getting a hard time from my friends who claim that I only photograph beautiful people, so I'm prepared for the earful I'll surely get after they see these pics of Erin. As if it's not enough that she has long, luscious hair, big blue eyes, a pout that rivals Angelina's, AND a striking resemblance to Milla Jovovich....she's also one of the nicest gals you'll meet.

As usual, Sloane Warren of Atlanta Body Retreat did a wonderful job with Erin's hair and makeup. It was such a gorgeous day that Sloane did her work outside on my porch while we chatted with Erin, sipped on tea, and enjoyed the beauty of the day. That's how all photo shoots should begin!

Here are a few shots from my session with the lovely Erin...

This next shot may not be at the top of Erin's list to use as her headshot (or maybe it will!), but I just love her expression!

Thanks Erin for being so sweet and fabulous!

christy!

2009-03-11T16:56:00.000-07:00

Christy is fun on wheels. She is the opposite of a diva, and she is not afraid to wave her sassy flag. Yay! Christy has a very warm expression that is super easy to photograph. Gotta love that! Her friend Susan came along and did a fine job of hair patrol throughout the session. It's obvious that these two know how to have a good time. At one point during the shoot, I told them that I wished we were shooting video instead so that folks could hear the crazy banter going on.

Ok, so now I have to play celebrity look-alike with Christy. She looks so much like Jessica Lange! After seeing King Kong in the 70s, I wanted to marry Jeff Bridges and I wanted to be Jessica Lange.

In her smiling shots, I think she has a Diane Lane look going on. Not bad, right? However, she's 100% Christy which is cooler than looking like any hot celebrity!

Christy (and Susan), thanks so much for our photo play-time. I'm glad we could give you a non-painful headshot experience, and you did a super job.

christa & grace!

2009-03-10T10:58:00.000-07:00

Christa is a lovely lady I've been mentoring for a while now. Not only is she from Wisconsin (like me), but she's also a very patient and understanding person. When she contacted me about mentoring her, I realized that I had no idea how to go about doing that. So it's been a win-win situation of me learning how to teach, and her hopefully learning a few things I've passed along.

She does beautiful family portrait photography, but she's helped me out with some wedding work too. You should totally check out her blog. I know she'll be updating it more soon, but she already has some of her wonderful shots posted.

Yesterday, she came over for one of our monthly get-togethers and she brought her super cutie-pie daughter Grace along. What a well-behaved little lady she is. Which is more than I can say for puppy Fletch, who I had to practically tackle to keep him from using Grace as a chew toy.

At the end of our meeting, we had just a few minutes to go outside to snap a couple pics. Grace was nice enough to model for us. The lighting conditions were bad, which is good when you're trying to teach someone. Because of trees in my yard and the time of day, the only light was very bright direct light with spotted bits of shade. If there had been an area of solid shade, we could have metered for that or filled in with flash. Instead, I figured we'd shoot with what we had and I could demonstrate how you can make that work when necessary.

Here are a couple pics that I took. Seriously...could she be more adorable? Nope.

Grace had just eaten a cookie, and for these shots, I decided not to edit out the chocolate evidence on her cute face.

Shots like these make me so happy. You can just feel the love.

Thanks Christa and Grace! I can't wait to keep working with you and learning with you!

ali!

2009-03-09T07:44:00.000-07:00

I've got lots of headshot sessions coming up in the next couple weeks as we get closer to the Unified auditions. Scheduling all these shoots allows me to meet awesome people like Ali. Her personality is a breath of fresh air, and I'm not ashamed to say that I'm completely envious of her gorgeous eyes.

I can't help but revisit my obsession with matching my headshot subjects to their celebrity look-alikes. In most images, I think Ali looks like a red-headed Cameron Diaz. When she smiles, I see more of a Reese Witherspoon thing happening. Anybody else with me on that?

Ali, thanks so much for a really enjoyable session, and for doing such a fabulous job!

bert's big adventure!

2009-03-01T08:44:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been so excited about something that you didn't talk about it for fear you'd jinx it? That's how I felt about being chosen to photograph Bert's Big Adventure this year. I was afraid that if I blogged about it, or talked too much about it, they'd call and say "Uh, sorry...we were just kidding about you coming along". Thankfully, it all happened, and I was more affected by everyone than I could have imagined. I also now understand the Disney commercials that talk about how adults will feel like kids again. I think I averaged in at about age 7 the whole trip.

From the moment the kids arrived for the big send-off, it was a non-stop whirlwind of fun. I was amazed at how many activities had been meticulously organized, and it seemed that each one somehow out-did the last. I wish all the people who generously gave to this trip could see every resulting moment of joy experienced. There were too many to count.

All the kids were having such a good time, that I found myself forgetting the struggles these families have been through. These were just kids having the BEST time. I think that's the true magic of this trip. For a few wonderful days, the weight of the world becomes just a little lighter.

There is so much to write and there are acres of photos to post. I realize I may have to do a separate post for each of the incredible BBA kids. I already miss their smiles and hugs so much.

Here are a few photos, and there's a slideshow at the end of this post. Thanks so much to everyone at Bert's Big Adventure for trusting me to capture these joyful, moving, and definitely magical moments!

Here's Bert giving an interview at the send-off. He can only sit still for about 3 seconds before being swarmed by kids who want to hang out with him. I'm sure he has more friends under the age of 12 than any other adult you know.

Do you think Michael is having a good time?

I was SO thrilled to see the lovely and talented Alyson Hoag of Authentic Beauty at our send-off. She and her fabulous team gave makeovers to all the BBA moms. How cool is that? Here's a pic of Alyson and her adorable daughter rockin' the photo booth.

The kids and families got the total VIP treatment. So many big-hearted folks were at the hangar to wish everyone a great trip.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was when all the kids went to Cinderella's castle to be transformed into princesses or pirates. Sweet little Maddie's glass slipper fell off. This proves that she's the real Cinderella.

Here's gorgeous Raven getting the star treatment.

Here I am with my new pals Kaylee and Gracie. These two cutie-pies gave me an awesome back rub after this pic was taken. I certainly needed it after lugging 50lbs of camera equipment on my back. These little ladies are such sweethearts! I'm pretty sure it was Kaylee's mom Kathy that took this. Thanks Kathy!

I braved the treacherous Dumbo ride to get this pic of Wendy and Ashlyn. It was scary, but totally worth it. If Ashlyn asked me to pour honey on my head and dance in front of hungry bears, I'd do it.

One night, the kids got a special surprise. They had milk and cookies, and then Belle showed up to read them stories. Later, Cinderella showed up for a royal appearance. Here she is sharing a moment with Princess Mya.

I'll be posting more images, but in the meantime, I've made a slideshow so you can see some of our special adventure.

To view the slideshow, please click HERE

welcome home fletch!

2009-02-26T18:27:00.000-08:00

I'm finally posting a Fletch update. I'm trying to get caught up on everything after my trip to Florida (I'll be posting that soon). Yesterday, the flu totally tapped me on the shoulder, and when I turned around to see who was there, it was all like "hello there, I will now incapacitate you".

Fletch is now in his new home at the ripe old age of 7 weeks. He's ridiculously awesome. He ignores the cats, he's super calm, and he's already potty trained. I fear this may be the calm before the storm. I'm sure one morning I'll wake up and he'll have eaten my camera equipment, pooped in my box of pancake mix, and incorrectly balanced my checkbook. So for now, I'm going to enjoy this perfect little fluffilicious love nugget.

i'm off to the magic kingdom!

2009-02-18T08:22:00.000-08:00

This is the first time that my packing list for a trip has included "sparkly plastic tiara". Check.

I am beyond privileged to have been chosen to photograph Bert's Big Adventure this year. Bert is the host of Q100's morning show, and this is the 8th year he's organized this all-expenses paid incredible trip for families with chronically or terminally ill children. This experience provides these families a much-needed break from all the challenges of daily life, and allows them to just have fun together.

I can't imagine a more wonderful event to photograph, and I am SO excited to meet all the families, the Bert Show staff, and hopefully take some beautiful images for them.

They will be posting updates daily, so check out what we're up to, by clicking HERE.

Bye everybody! I'll give Mickey a big hug for you!

if you give a mouse a cookie

2009-02-17T14:48:00.000-08:00

The folks at Synchronicity Performance Group have a lot going on right now. I recently posted about their show "Looking for the Pony", and they're also running a kids show called "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie". Based on the book by Laura Joffee Numeroff, it's a fast-paced, fun-filled tale of mischief.

The props are whimsical, the acting is high-energy, and there were lots of giggles from the little ones in the audience. Hooray! If you're not a parent, you should quickly have some kids or borrow some, and go see this show.

don!

2009-02-16T15:38:00.000-08:00

Meet Don #1 and Don #2. I've done headshot sessions before where we photographed the pre-shave look and the post-shave look, but I think Don gets the prize for most dramatic transformation.

Not only is he a master of disguise, but he's also a barrel of laughs. Many thanks for a super-swell session. Maybe someday I'll find out what he was thinking during his "I have a secret" facial expressions. Believe me, it must have been good.

ode to etsy - necklaces

2009-02-15T09:43:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest installment about my shameless love affair with Etsy. Today's focus is on necklaces. If all these fabulous creations had been available back in the day, maybe Mr. T would have skipped the barrage of gold and opted for a nice hand-crafted earthy number instead.

1. Bird Trio Necklace by TillyBloom $24
2. Puzzle Necklace by marieflyfly $53
3. Garden Bloom in Winter by RachelleD $28
4. Silver Circles Necklace by roundabout $15
5. Migration Summer Bicycle Necklace by paraphernalia $25
6. Skinny Rectangle Necklace in Sterling Silver by kusu $42
7. Molly Necklace-Large by thepebblecollection $26
8. Unfurl by UntamedMenagerie $18
9. Little Wings, Gold by locallibrary $46
10.Chatterbirds by wearthou $48
11.Moonlight Silk Yoyo Necklace by cookoorikoo $20
12.Tree on the Lake Glass Necklace by photoglassworks $25

love springs infernal

2009-02-14T07:11:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Was just reading on the web about how this all got started. It sort of came to be when women started being pursued by courtship instead of pillaging. Kind of like when Matt impresses me by sweeping the floor versus making me smell his farts. Chivalry is not dead.

his future's so bright

2009-02-13T11:23:00.000-08:00

Mary and the boy were out for a stroll on this beautiful day, and they stopped in for a quick visit. Had to grab the camera as soon as I saw this...

Henry T is lookin' too cool for school. And also too young for school.

Our Lady of Hanson

2009-02-12T07:16:00.001-08:00

I have a sin to confess. I love Mmm Bop. This video makes me happier than a jug of communion wine.

my kind of bling

2009-02-11T10:35:00.000-08:00

Oh, Amy gets me. The fabulous Amy Stephan-Babcock sent me the link to an awesome craft site called Pancake Meow. Arguably the best blog name ever. She saw this ring, and thought of me. Can you guess why?

Thanks Amy! Let me know if you find any bacon necklaces or key lime pie ankle bracelets!

looking for the pony

2009-02-10T10:05:00.000-08:00

The latest show by Synchronicity Performance Group to open at 7 Stages Theater is Andrea Lepcio's "Looking for the Pony". The story is centered around two sisters and the happiness and heartache they experience throughout their lives.

The cast includes Suehyla El-Attar, Jennifer Levinson (also known as Souper Jenny!), Stacy Melich, and John Benzinger.

It's running now through March 8th! Holla!

grounded!

2009-02-05T15:39:00.000-08:00

Yay! Time for more yoga photo playtime! Last year I had a blast taking some quirky and fun shots of Tiff and Cheryl for their yoga projects. Now they are joined by Amy, and are working on yet another endeavor called "Grounded". Z (Tiff's talented boyfriend) is creating a website for them, and they needed some photos as well. The only thing that could have made this more enjoyable is if my photo-taking could have somehow made them as sore as I get after one of their yoga classes!

During the last session, I had taken pics of Tiff and Cheryl holding cute pillows with happy messages on them. We had to get one with Amy too! Here she is being adorable with "love".

For those who don't know Tiff, she can NOT take a bad photo. It's terribly annoying. I present Exhibit A...

Cheryl has a natural beauty and inner light that I love to photograph.

Here's the latest addition to Cheryl's furry family...Courage!

Y'all probably recognize this gentleman. "No damage"! We tried putting him in yoga poses, but he needs to work on his flexibility. Probably could use their "Yoga for the Stiff Guy" class.

I put together a few layouts for their "grounded" concept. They wanted shots portraying the bad version of grounded and the good version.

I love this pic of Tiff and Cheryl

I got to meet Cheryl's fabulous hubby, Bruce! Yes, they are one of those painfully attractive couples.

A few more "grounded" layouts...

Thanks so much, you lovely ladies! With you, I'd be happy to be grounded, detained, or doing time in a cell block. At least we could do some yoga in there!

fletch is workin' overtime!

2009-02-03T18:48:00.000-08:00

FLETCH!

Oh boy! This is our new little Great Pyrenees pup. We don't have him home yet, but we went for a visit today. We have to wait another 3 whole weeks before he's "ready". "Ready" basically means that we will tragically tear him away from his doting mother to fulfill our own selfish puppy needs. He will surely seek revenge by turning our lives into a frenzied song and dance number called "2009: A Poop Odyssey".

Until then, we are just so excited about finally being dog owners. Wait...hang on for a sec...

Dear cats,

We still love you. Please don't hate us or start plotting anything. If I see an anvil suspiciously propped above the closet door, I'll know. I promise that you will still be fed, still hold your places of honor in front of the heating vents, and I will still tell you how pretty you look, even when you might look a little crappy.

Love,

Stacey

Ok, so as I was saying, we're SO thrilled about our pup. We're getting him from a lovely lady named Liliane, who breeds Great Pyrs and llamas. In fact, she's known as the "Llama Mama". She has a big farm, and her dogs guard her other animals. We decided to get this breed since they are calm, protective, smart, good with cats and kiddos, and they are fluffiliciously adorable. I have never owned a dog before, so if anyone wants to pass along some advice, please help me! Lately, I've been watching more Cesar Millan than Stephen Colbert, but I still feel clueless.

In case you're wondering, the name "Fletch" comes from the 1985 film of the same name. It's one of our favorites and is quoted on a regular basis in our home. "I love your body, Larry". Of course, this means that his full name is Irwin M. Fletcher. I will never call him that. Well, maybe he'll hear his full name when he eats a tube of lip gloss or tries to hump my yoga mat.

I'll be sure to keep posting puppy updates until this photography blog eventually transitions into Fletch's personal video diary.

Here are some shots from today. He's now 4 weeks old. Just minutes after these pics were taken, he grew to the size of a school bus.

Some Matty snugs!

Here I am performing a series of exhaustive tests to determine whether or not he can deal with my "off" days.

This is his sweet momma, Lorraine.

Hangin' with the sibs. Fletch is the one with the dot on his head.

Here he's doing his bunny rabbit impression. This is a sign that he will get along with our cat Pasi, since she has also mastered the bunny disguise.

I luvs him!!!

rachel!

2009-02-02T13:18:00.000-08:00

I often tell my headshot clients that the key to a great shot is the connection between the eyes and the camera. I know....DUH, right? Seriously, it's SO much easier said than done. There's a certain intensity to an expression that's difficult to achieve, but makes SUCH an impact if it's there. Rachel is a daggum expert at it. In every single image from her session, the look on her face has thought behind it. Since I usually need to be talked down from an emotional ledge when I'm in front of a camera, I am truly in awe at how she does this.

Rachel, thank you for being such a complete pro during our shoot. Maybe someday you'll teach me your secret to looking great in every freaking shot!!

ode to etsy - part 1

2009-01-31T13:35:00.000-08:00

I love Etsy. The way a stressed-out maniac loves his happy place. The way a gal on a bad date loves a margarita. The way my cats will one day love killing me in my sleep. You get the idea.

For those not yet in the know, Etsy is a website where folks can buy and sell mostly handmade items. Think a cooler version of Ebay, and without the pesky auctions.

I never cease to be impressed by the artistry of the sellers I come across, and my wish list just keeps getting bigger and BIGGER! So, I've decided to post some occational shout-outs to the wonderful things I've discovered while feeding my web obsession.

Today's installment covers Art & Prints. I highly encourage clicking the links below to see more work by each artist. Some people who win the lottery might buy a fancy car. I'd buy a Honda and decorate the inside with these prints.

1. barkingbirdart Group Hug II (Limited Edition Print) $18
2. carambatack Fantasy tree with owl - Limited edition print $20
3. GollyBard Pinewood Stumps – print $18
4. petitcollage Rabbit and Flora Gocco Screenprint $28
5. amberalexander Tilly's Journey $18
6. esoule 2 Lambs, 5x5 box $58
7. wonting woodland buddies $20
8. treetopstudio hummingbird garden print $18
9. kwilson544 Cupcake bird $35
10. matteart Large Giant Suburban Bear Monster visits Chicago print $60
11. luckybunnyworldwide Love (Rats) - Screen Print $75
12. misanthrope FINAL DRAFT Assembled Art Print (unframed) $15

michelle!

2009-01-29T17:07:00.000-08:00

This little ray of sunshine is Michelle. She's as lovely on the inside as she is on the outside. I had the pleasure of meeting her a few years ago through mutual friends. Thanks friends! It's always a happy surprise when I run into Michelle at parties and get-togethers, and occasionally we'll be sweating through the same hot yoga class.

Doing her headshots was more like playtime than work, and she had a fabulous dream team of stylists. The awesome Sloane Warren did her makeup, and her stylist Tommy was on hair patrol.

Michelle, you are beautiful. Thank you for one super-duper session!

clint!

2009-01-28T15:08:00.000-08:00

It's always great to take some headshots that convey a really intense expression, where the actor looks utterly engaged in what they're thinking. This is not always an easy look to capture. You may notice in these shots that this expression comes very naturally to Clint. However, I'll let you in on a little secret. He's obviously a good actor, because we were cracking up through the whole session! In fact, you should beg him to show you his "blooper" reel because there are some gems in there!

Before his session, we had talked about making sure we captured his super-blue eyes. I must say, I have a bit of eyeball envy. Now, I'm not dissing my brown eyes, but I just wish I could borrow Clint's for a day or two.

I have to mention one more headshot-related item. Clint let me borrow a book (that actually belongs to his roomie, Derrick) called "Holy Headshot!". It's an awesome collection of "what not to do" headshots and resumes. Both me and Matt (my actor hubby) laughed so hard at this, I think we needed a nap. Here are a few of my favorite reviews of this masterpiece...

"Not since the young Norman Mailer returned from World War II and penned The Naked and the Dead has a first book delivered such a powerful portrayal of bravery in the face of unimaginable horrors. A profound and disturbing insight into the human condition, and a clarion call for reason in our troubled culture. Borelli and Gorenstein may be the next titans of American letters."-- Todd Hanson, writer and editor, The Onion, America's Finest News Source

"This is a strange and beautiful gallery of brave dreamers; their pictures are like the illustrations in a dictionary in which every entry is "HOPE." And even when the wardrobe is very bad, or the facial hair regrettable, or the poses inexplicable, these people deserve your appreciation and applause."-- John Hodgman, author of The Areas of My Expertise and contributor to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Thanks so much Clint for a fun read and a FUN photo shoot!

PS: This next shot cracks me up.

julie!

2009-01-24T09:09:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody, meet Julie! She's an actress from New York who's in Atlanta for a bit. When some folks visit our city, they head over to see dorky, antiquated laser displays on the side of a mountain. Others get headshots. I'm so glad Julie chose the latter. People who are as fun and animated as she is are super easy to photograph. I probably could have let Julie borrow my camera and a tripod, and her shots would have turned out just as well!

I'm so happy we had the chance to meet and work together. I wish Julie all the best on her exciting acting journey!

stacy s!

2009-01-22T17:28:00.000-08:00

This cute and sassy gal is Stacy Sheets. We took some headshots for her the other day, and not only does she have a great sense of humor, but she also has the ability to smile through arctic temperatures.

The lovely and talented Sloane Warren of Atlanta Body Retreat did Stacy's hair and makeup. Sloane and I were both sufficiently bundled up during the shoot. I was fuh-REEZing, so I don't know how Stacy managed to work her charms without showing how harsh it was out there. In fact, just after we were done with the shoot, it started snowing. Dang.

So, mad, mad props to the fabulous Miss Stacy for truly making the best of her session!

daddy's little shutterbug

2009-01-21T14:11:00.000-08:00

Today, my dad was teaching a Master Technician class and wanted me to come by to snap a group photo. I hope I didn't embarrass him by shouting "DAD!" several times in front of the fellas. I'm sure it would have been worse if I had tried to call him Mr. Bode and broke into fits of raging giggles. There probably would have been snorting too.

After the photo, I got to listen to a few minutes of my dad's instruction. The next time I talk to him, I'm going to work "the importance of CFUs when selecting a compressor" into the conversation. He'll be all like, "WHAAAAA???" and "my daughter's a freakin' genius".

One small disclaimer. I did not suggest the high school football pose below. That was dad's doing. I'd have put them into a pyramid.

Dad Bode is the second from left, bottom row. Hi Dad!

peace, pics, and pancakes!

2009-01-14T16:48:00.000-08:00

Matt and I just got back from a wonderful, relaxing trip to visit his mom. We talked, hiked, watched movies, and ate pancakes. 100% aaaaahhhh. We were so spoiled that when we returned, I woke up the next morning wondering why I couldn't smell bacon and coffee. WHY??? I nearly ran to the car in my jammies to drive back to Florida.

I also love that whenever I hang out with Matt and Susie, usually all three of us are snapping photos. I'm sure we look like some sort of gadget cult.

I typically don't use this blog to voice political opinions. However, I'm happy to post a montage of Susie's Obama support. It was all over her house. Have I mentioned how cool she is?

There's a large screen above the pool area, and it had the coolest water droplets on it after we had some rain.

I have to be pretty sneaky to get a photo of Susie. I love this shot of her because she's a very independent lady who can fix nearly anything. Here, she's redoing a stove gasket. See what I mean? Also, I dig the effect of her flashlight. It's not a star filter, it just happened to look that way when I took the shot.

We went to Bear Creek State Park for a chilly, but awesome hike. I've never seen so many lily pads!

My photos almost always have people in them. Portrait photography is what I'm naturally drawn to. Sometimes it's good to push myself out of the ole comfort zone and try something a little different. We decided to take a stroll around downtown Quincy, and shoot some pics. So here's a little sampling of what caught my eye...

goodies!

2009-01-12T08:36:00.000-08:00

I've been working on some new packaging and photo goodies lately. Presentation is important, which is why I will not be handing my clients items in a Target bag, or wrapped in aluminum foil (my family has received gifts from me this way). So here's a pic of some of the doo-dads I've put together recently. Against my better judgment, I have not used any pipe cleaners or sequins to embellish them. I guess I'm officially an adult.

derrick!

2009-01-09T18:14:00.000-08:00

I can't believe this was Derrick's first headshot session. He was far too comfortable in front of the camera to be new at this. Not only did he quickly master posing naturally, but he patiently continued to do so while I cracked myself up throughout the shoot and stomped my foot into mysterious squishy things.

His latest project is the show Mauritius at Actor's Express. I love that it involves both danger and stamp collecting. I'll definitely have to check it out. You should too!

Derrick, thanks so much for such an awesome shoot!

happiness is a warm mug

2009-01-08T13:26:00.000-08:00

As I'm editing photos today, I'm wondering what could be better than delicious coffee from my Super Grover mug. Life is good.

she's tricky

2009-01-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a Photoshop trick that's an oldie but goodie. You can make a "normal" image look as though it was taken with infrared film or an expensive infrared filter. I love Photoshop. I would totally slow dance with it if I could. Just a few quick adjustments and you've got a really cool effect. Here's how ya do it.....

With your image selected, open the Channel Mixer under the Adjustments menu
Make sure the Output Channel is set to "gray"
Set the RED channel to +100%, the GREEN channel to +200%, and the BLUE channel to -200%
Make slight adjustments with the sliders to get the effect to your liking (I like lots of contrast)
If your image ins't flattened, go ahead and flatten the layers
Under the Filters menu, select Distort, then Diffuse Glow
Adjust the Glow Amount and Graininess with the sliders (maybe start with a Glow amount of 2 or 3 and see how that looks)
That's it!

I don't use this effect for shots of people since it can make them look really weird, but it works great for pics of landscapes or even the venue. It works particularly well on a sunny day where light is hitting the trees or grass. You'll get that "fluffy" infrared look that's so neat. I hope some of you can have fun with this little bit of trickery! Here are a couple samples:

The original out of the camera

after the adjustments

The original out of the camera

after the adjustments

mira!

2009-01-04T22:11:00.000-08:00

This adorable lady is Mira Hirsch. As connected as I feel to the Atlanta theater community, I can't believe that we had never met prior to chatting recently about headshots. Mira founded the Jewish Theater of the South and was its artistic director for more than a decade, which is such an incredible accomplishment. My hubby and most of my friends were in several productions for the company over the years, yet somehow my path had never crossed with Mira's. I'm so glad that we finally met because she's a wonderful person and a joy to photograph. She has one of the most natural smiles ever (insert blantant jealously here). She is also the new champion of "how long has it been since your last headshot?". The last time to beat was 15 years. It's been 18 years for the lovely Mira. She has a good excuse though. She didn't really have a need for a new shot, but now she's getting back into the acting side of things. I can't wait to see where her path leads.