Another spin on the Feather Session!! {Middle Georgia Family Photographer}

I've had to wait to share this blog preview until everyone was back in town!  Neela and family headed to the beach and I just got back from America's Junior Miss (now called  Distinguished Young Women) in Mobile. So, without waiting any longer...here is a little preview of Kaiten and Anjali.  Now everyone can see how beautiful these images turn out even when they aren't of preschoolers in pettiskirts. Kaiten looks very handsome and I think we were able to get these shots without them looking girl-y at all. And Anjali looks beautiful in her white outfit on the white bed. Very clean and classic with a bit of fun thrown in! Her daddy brought that teddy bear back for her from England just a few days before we shot these. Neela, thank you so much for bringing the kids over for this session. I love these images! I hope you will as well! Especially the ones of the kids together! They really do like each other! :)

Oh Gabrielle, you are too cute! {Milledgeville GA Middle GA Family Photographer}

I love photographing Gabrielle! Yes, she takes a beautiful picture. But, my favorite part of anytime spent with her is her laugh! This little girl has the cutest little laugh. She doesn't say much (To me, I'm sure her mama has another story to tell!) but she laughs. I love it! Christa (my awesome hair stylist from Glow) is one of my favorite people! She kinda sees my vision. Thank goodness! :) I was so afraid we wouldn't get Gabrielle in on these sessions. That would have been a terrible shame! But, all the stars aligned and here we are! I have GOT to get busy on some Junior Miss stuff that MUST be done by tomorrow, so I'm going to keep this short(ish) and sweet. Love Gabrielle! Love her Mama! Her daddy is growin' on  me (JUST KIDDING!!!! I like Dreau, too!) Really, anytime you want me to take her picture, call me! Here is your preview you've been waiting for all day! I'll upload to Facebook as soon as it will cooperate!

Miss Kaylee, you're next! {Milledgeville GA Middle Georgia Family Child Photographer}

Oh this little girl is somethin'!! :) As her mama said to me "You have a diva and I have a princess!". :)  But I'd say Miss Kaylee is a mixture of both! She sure is cute and has one sassy pants attitude to boot! Truthfully, I found her hilarious!! She tried so hard to be pouty and grumpy, but ya know what..she just couldn't pull it off. Especially with her awesome mama right there to love on her and crack her up! What a pair those two are! Kaylee made us work for these images, but check out her precious expressions!! This little girl is full of life! It just screams out when you look at these pictures. Check her out! :) She is a cutie!! Michelle, thanks for bringing her over yesterday! I enjoyed it! Maybe another time we can get her in that other tutu! It sure was cute!

Tenleigh is just about the cutest thing EVER! {Milledgeville GA family photographer}

Tenleigh was up next for yesterday's Feather Bed sessions.  My friend Kyle does pictures of this little angel, so I'd seen how cute she was even before I got to meet her. She and her sweet parents were even better than I'd imagined. Super sweet family! Tenleigh is a doll and you can totally tell how much her parents adore her. As they should! Tenleigh was a little confused by being encouraged to play on the bed and the feathers were not her most favorite thing. I think she even got one up her nose when we were playing, but I don't think she really noticed. I also was super impressed by how hard both Mom and Dad worked to get her to smile and have fun. They were jumping and laughing like crazy, but Miss Tenleigh was very focused on her poker face!  My favorite images of her are from when she was dancing. Dad put some music on for her and she put one hand up in the air and started bobbing. PRECIOUS!! I love to see children dance. They just move how they like and aren't worried about looking silly! Such joy!! Check out this little sweetie!

Kayla and Kelly again! I ♥ them! {Milledgeville Ga Family Photographer}

Here are some of my favorite sisters!! I've done several sessions with them (here is their bunny session) and each time we are able to get some fantastic shots. Kayla is always awesome for me and Kelly is finally starting to get used to me! :) We shot early Saturday so Kayla wouldn't be late for her 8th birthday party!! She had a skating party...oh does that EVER bring back memories! What child of the 70's/80's doesn't love a good skating party!?!?  Too bad I never mastered the art of stopping on those things. I'd probably be the only 30ish year old that would have to slam herself into a wall to stop. But, enough about me and my gracefulness! ha ha I'm pretty sure that Dad didn't know we were up to this either. That always makes it a little more fun! I almost slipped up and said something when I saw him during my late night run to Walmart with April. Thankfully, I kept my mouth shut!!
The girls had so much fun. Once again, the light was stunning. I'm really thinking I need to start shooting early in the morning more often. Enjoy this preview of two super sweet sisters. Thanks, Beverly, for bringing them! I always look forward to a session with y'all!

3 of the CUTEST kids ever!! {Milledgeville Middle GA Family photographer}

Yesterday started early!! Anyone who knows me well is aware that I don't really hit my stride for the day until atleast 11 am. I can be up and moving before then, but in order for my brain to be fully functional it needs some time to warm up. :)  So when I decided to book Saturday's first Feather Bed session at 8am I was met with some choice comments. I knew it was best to do it early because of the heat and the light. And I'd had a few weeks to psych myself up for it. The alarm went off and up I went. Jon helped me set up (ok so he did all the heavy lifting!) and I was ready to go when Bridget got here with her kiddos. Let me say...these kids are GORGEOUS!! I now know that Bridget is extremely good with her camera (she uses it alot and takes some incredible pictures! Click here to check out her blog) which means that her kids are well trained for photos. LOVE that! Especially for my not quite awake at 8am brain! These kids were a breeze to photograph. The camera loves them. So, enjoy this little preview of these monkeys! These pictures alone are enough to make me rethink my lack of morning-ness! The light was beautiful!!  Thank you, Bridget, for bringing them over! I enjoyed meeting you and working with those cutie pie kids!

Happy Father's Day!! {Middle Georgia Milledgeville Family photographer}

Here is a preview I really couldn't share until today!! We shot these pics of my friend April and her two sweet babies last week. Talk about major rush on a job! lol I shot them on Tuesday, edited the pics, ordered the book and had it shipped for Saturday delivery. Had to meet her at Walmart at 11pm last night for the handoff!!   So yes, rush jobs can be done, but it will cost ya, that's for sure! But, it was definitely worth it. I know that Terry was happily surprised when he opened his Father's Day gift this year. Abi and Drew always make beautiful pictures, but they were especially on their game that day. And, as usual, April looked beautiful. :) Duh. So, here is a small glimpse into our sweet Father's Day Special session last week. We can do these kinds of sessions anytime, so don't think you have to wait for a holiday to do these! There is nothing sweeter than some lifestyle images to capture the relationships in a family. The scrunched up noses, goofy smiles, and pure joy are priceless!


We put together a 4x6 spiral bound book for Terry's gift. April trusted me on this. :) It's durable but nice. And still casual enough to tuck in a purse, desk drawer, briefcase. Here are some snaps of the book. The wording at the bottom is not blurry at all. I promise!

Cousins are fun!! {Middle Georgia Milledgeville Family lifestyle photographer}

I love fun sessions!! I really do.  Photo sessions that let kids just be themselves provide the best smiles and expressions. If you don't believe me, let this session preview prove it to you! I met Morris at Laura and Travis' wedding a few weeks ago.  He was responsible for the incredible decor. Make sure you check out the pictures! He contacted me on Facebook about doing a fun session with his grandkids to put on the walls in his newly renovated gameroom. What a fabulous idea! I love decorating with pictures! (Visit my main site for a gallery of wall displays for your home.) So, I went over to his house yesterday to capture some images of the kids playing in the backyard. Guess what I took with me to their house?! A thunderstorm!! Yup, it rained in middle GA...imagine that! Morris and I joked that rain must be what happens when we work together. Thankfully, this rain was nothing like the downpour we had at the wedding and it let up and we were able to shoot. It was wild, fun, crazy and muddy! Enjoy these sweet preview pics from our session yesterday! Thank you so much for inviting me to spend a little time with your precious family. Those kids are just too cute! You definitely have a reason to be proud grandparents!

Tee is totally adorable!!! {Middle Georgia Child Photographer}

Yesterday I FINALLY got to do a session with Tee! Tee is the son of Jon's cousin, Amy. Each time I've seen this precious little boy I have wanted to get my camera on him. He is just way too cute. I was so excited when Amy called and asked if she could bring Tee by for a quick session on Monday. YAY!! This cutie most certainly didn't disappoint! A photographers dream! He smiled, he played, he said cheese on cue! I even got a few cute pics of Tee with his sweet mama. How awesome it is to capture that bond between a mother and her son. Enjoy this little preview from yesterday while I continue to try to catch up on everything else!!

Meet Matty! Littlest Heroes Project {Georgia Family Photographer}

A few weeks ago my family went with  me to do a very special session at Stone Mountain. God definitely puts you in the right situation at the right time. I recently joined The Littlest Heroes Project. I was thrilled to be accepted into this program. Anderson's nevus (click here  and here for blog entries about Anderson) was nothing even remotely like Matty's, I still know what it is like to have a child that others see as different. It makes them uncomfortable so they avoid eye contact or look at you with the most pitiful eyes you've ever seen. They mean well, but they just don't know what to say or do. I've always tried to have compassion and caring for people no matter what is going on. Maybe I always felt like God would put me in a situation that would put that part of my personality to good use. :) My mom always tells the story of when she was trying to explain to me that we shouldn't talk to strangers. My answer to her was "But a stranger is just someone I haven't met before!". And so developed that part of me that will talk to just about anyone, anywhere, anytime. I try to look for the good through the bad. To me, that's what The Littlest Heroes Project does. They take an otherwise uncomfortable situation (professional custom photography) for these parents and match them with a photographer that understands and can't wait to work with them. I only hope that God will let me work with more of these families.

So, back to Matty! :) Matty is the son of a friend from high school. She and I were 2 out of the gazillion graduates from Brookwood High School's class of 1994. (Yup, we are OLD!! Not that Kathy has aged one bit!)  Thanks to the wonders of Facebook I have been able to reconnect with so many friends from the past. I heart Facebook! :) Kathy and I have chatted about our sons on Facebook before and I have prayed for him and their precious family. Matty was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma and has been battling this form of brain cancer. I don't remember when he was diagnosed, but I remember Kathy telling me about how they found out. I can't imagine the shock. But when I tell you that Matty has two of the most awesome parents ever, I am so serious! Kathy and Matt are the most wonderful kind-hearted people you'll ever meet. They are strong. I'm sure they have their moments of sadness and frustration, but as she and I have talked about, this is all part of being a parent. You just do what needs to be done. You take care of your babies with everything you have. You love them with every ounce of your being and do the best you can for them. Children are the truest example of unconditional love here on Earth. Matty has been blessed with awesome parents! Lucky kid! And, to top it off, they are HILARIOUS! :)  We had so much fun with them. BUT, let me not forget to tell you about Kaylee. She is Matty's sister. She might be a little diva-ish (which I love because I have quite the Diva here at my house!), but she is such a special little girl. She's had to deal with so much in her young life, too. It really hit home with me when Eva asked why Matty wasn't feeling well and Kaylee looked at her and said, "He has cancer.". In true Eva form, she just kept going. She asked a question, she got an answer and all was good. :) Despite the reality of the situation, our families had a great time that Saturday! We decided to meet at Stone Mountain because Matty loves trains. The PR dept was very generous and allowed us to shoot on location, waived the fee for me, and gave us all complimentary passes. Matty was a little off that day due to some new meds and having just started a new round of chemo. The train rocked him right to sleep!! We did a few more pics before we hit the highlight of Matty's day....the funnel cake!! That boy can EAT some funnel cake!! Kathy said he'd recently come off of a feeding tube and he was enjoying being able to eat food again. Matty got tired again so we cut our session a little short. But we have made plans to reshoot in July. I'm going to go visit them either at their home or closeby to finish up our session. :) I can't wait!!  So, until then, here are a few from our trip to Stone Mountain!















edited to add these 2 pics of the kiddos....too funny not to share!
2 Divas!


Which way do we go??

Brooke and Steven {Married!!} (Milledgeville Sandersville Georgia Wedding Photographer)

Last night I had the pleasure of shooting the wedding of Brooke Brown and Steven Smith with my good friend Kyle Hitchcock. It was a bit of surprise for me since Kyle and I got our dates mixed up, but it all worked out perfectly. And I'm so thankful it did!! This was an absolutely beautiful wedding! I love shooting weddings! The excitement is contagious. And I love the challenge of walking into a location and coming up with ideas to capture the love between a couple on their wedding day. This wedding was definitely not a disappointment! Brooke and Steven were the perfect bridal couple for any wedding photographer. She looked flawless in her gown. Not only was her groom handsome, he was also a very good sport despite the absurd heat!! This wedding definitely had the largest wedding party I've ever seen. Certainly made for a very entertaining day! :)  Despite how stupid hot it was, we were able to get some really awesome images. I probably could have kept shooting, but that whole time schedule thing cut me short again! lol When I get excited, I just can't put the camera down! Any how, I've spent today combing through my images so I could share my favorites today. It was hard...very hard!! Here they are!  Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Brooke and Steven Smith!




I tried out some textures today when I was processing these images.
Before

After


Pretty Ladies








When I turned around and saw this gorgeous light I really got giddy!! I totally had this image in my head and was thrilled to see the opportunity to capture it!


Seriously...could they be any more gorgeous!?


This is another one of those shots I've been WAITING to capture!!

FD Suprise Session #3!! {Middle Georgia Family Photographer}

It's been a busy day, but here is the preview from yesterday's 3rd session!! Top secret, remember!

FD Surprise Session #2! {Middle Georgia Family Photographer}

This is today's 2nd session at Coleman Hill! :) Once again...if you know this family, keep those lips sealed! :)

FD Surprise Session #1! {Middle Georgia Family Photographer}

Today I had 3 sessions at Coleman Hill in Macon. I LOVED shooting there! I can't go into much detail because I wanted to share but still keep these images a surprise for Dad. So, if you know this sweet family, keep your lips zipped for now! :) I'll share more after Father's Day!
This is from my first session! So pretty!

One pic real quick!! Georgia's Junior Miss {Middle Georgia Senior photography}

I'm going to bed early tonight. I have to or I'm going to be no good here soon! But, I had to share this one shot from tonight's session with Natali Gavanarova. Natali is currently Georgia's Junior Miss and will soon be heading to compete in the America's Junior Miss Program in Mobile. We went out to shoot some images for the State program book in downtown Milledgeville because we're running out of time to get the cover done. I love them!! Natali is so photogenic it's not even funny! :) So, here is one quick shot of one extraordinary young lady! I'll share the rest soon!

2010 Beach Sessions at Tybee!!! July 23-25 {Georgia Beach photographer}

It's time!! Book your appointments as soon as you can!! Tybee Island is gorgeous!! I just shot there 2 weeks ago! Click here to see the Abbott family's session at the Pier!

Laura and Travis (aka Woody!) {Married!!!} Middle Georgia Wedding Photographer

Saturday was the big day for Travis and Laura. I have been so excited for this wedding since I first met Laura and her mom, Kelli, right after the first of the year. I knew this was going to be a beautiful wedding! Laura and Travis got married at her parent's house in Sandersville...or maybe it was Sun Hill? I'm not really sure! See, where I come from we didn't exactly have dirt roads. I grew up in the suburbs of Atlanta, so Milledgeville has definitely been a learning curve for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying anything bad about it...I'm just saying, I'm not used to it! God made sure to land me in a place that was relatively easy to navigate via street signs when I was growing up. Why? Because he knew good and well he wasn't going to give me much of a sense of direction!!! Directions have never been my "thing". It's always better that I drive, not navigate. I can even get lost with 2 GPS devices!! Yes, sad...I know! With that being said, I truly have no idea where I technically was on Saturday! :)
Anyway...back to the story of Laura and Travis' wedding!  I traveled to Sandersville on Saturday for this wedding. Thank goodness my sister, Melisa, was with me. She has just started her new videography business called Chick with a Camera and this was her first wedding. Yay! :) Melisa is accustomed to my lack of direction and thankfully God gave her whatever sense of direction he didn't give me! So, long story short, we made it! The house was GORGEOUS!! The decor was some of the most beautiful I've ever seen. The centerpieces were fantastic. Beautiful hydrangeas, green apples, iron pieces, candles...truly breathtaking! I was so excited! Melisa and I went to find Laura to start with pics of her getting ready. Dress....gorgeous! Bride....gorgeous!! Bridesmaids...gorgeous!! Everything....gorgeous!! And Laura was so happy and laid back....THANK HEAVENS!! As you see this preview of their wedding images I hope you don't pick up that it was a gazillion degrees outside for some of our pictures. Girls that never sweat were sweating, me included! And I hope you can't tell that right after the wedding ceremony concluded the bottom FELL OUT!! When I say rain...I mean R.A.I.N! Some guests were under the tent with the food, others were in the garage, on the front porch, and a lot of us were in the house. We kept on going and did pics inside after the ceremony. Definitely a new experience, but you know what? This is what happened on their wedding day. It rained. And everyone made the best of it and had an incredible time. Most importantly....the love between Laura and Travis was so obvious. The way they look at each other is what girls dream about! No matter what kind of monsoon hit Saturday night, nothing stopped them from starting their lives together. So, although it was one of the most intense weddings I've shot, it was fantastic!! Congratulations to Laura and Travis! I hope you are enjoying your Honeymooon! And I was and am totally serious about doing some more pics when y'all get back! Just give me a call!