Will Parks and Claire at the park!

I have known Will Parks' and Claire's mom since we were in the 6th grade, and I've taken their cousins' photos many times. When they were back in town recently, of course we had to get together for some family photos at the park!

This whole family has the prettiest blue eyes, Claire was Miss Independent, and Will Parks couldn't wait to get in the water, so he was VERY cooperative knowing that would up his chances of wading later...

Gotta love those chubby little toddler legs!

Unfortunately, there was a wading incident. (No children were harmed in the making of these photographs, heehee!) Will Parks' parents both wanted me to keep taking pictures of this "real life moment"....maybe to show his prom date one day??

Now recovered from the wading problem, it was time to look for fish. I really love this casual portrait, and especially the great reflection in the pool below!

He looks so serious!

Who doesn't love Eskimo kisses?? Sweetness!

Fun, fun!

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Your Prayers are Needed...

I recently spoke with Ciera, whose wedding I photographed in May, and she shared some heartbreaking news. Her Maid of Honor, best friend, step-sister passed away on July 30.

Ashlee was only 22.

I may not have the timeline exactly right, but after about a week of having really bad headaches, Ashlee went to the hospital where the doctors found a brain tumor, which doubled in size in just a few days. Within about a week, she had successful brain surgery but soon passed away from complications.

Ashlee has two precious little boys, Javyn and Rylan, who need your prayers as they grow up without their mommy. Ciera and Richard need your prayers as they face such sadness only months after they became husband and wife. I'm certain that Ashlee's entire family would appreciate your prayers. Whoever you are, and from wherever you are reading this, please take a moment to pray for comfort for Ashlee's family and friends--especially Javyn and Rylan--and for guidance for those who will raise these two little boys.

Tammy & Cecil--Sneak Peek!

A-maz-ing. Tammy and Cecil's small morning wedding was held in a tiny little church in Highlands, NC, up a winding, woodsy path; theirs will be the last wedding the "Church in the Wildwood" ever hosts. They are unbelievably in love, and their ceremony was so spontaneous and emotional and real. Their singer had an angelic voice, and during her second song the bridesmaids were crying, Cecil's mom was crying, Tammy was crying, and the almost-newlyweds were basically slow-dancing during the song. It was beautiful, and I couldn't help but cry with them!

Fortunately, I can sniffle and shoot at the same time. I promised Cecil a sneak peek before I get the "real" blog post up; what you're about to see is just the tip of the iceburg in terms of smoking-hotness! Tammy and Cecil are SO not scared to do whatever I ask, including lay in a bee-filled patch of wildflowers and pull off the side of the road on a whim, not to mention the massive quantities of chemistry these two have!



During the ceremony...so sweet...no wonder we all teared up, right?




I'm at a loss for words, I just love this shot!



Smo-kin'...



Their after-work reception was back in Greenville at The Lazy Goat--super cool lounge-y feel with awesome views of the Reedy River...



How's that for a preview, folks? :-)

Rockin Slideshow

I went to a photography workshop on Friday with Sposa Bella Photography, and they told us about these edgy slideshows from Animoto. I wanted to play around with their free 30-second short, so I created a video from our Pearl Jam pictures. I know you've already seen them, but hey, they were edited. :-) What do you think about the slideshow?

Grandmother and Grandaddy--Celebrations

On my mom's side, our immediate family is very small...she's an only child and so am I; that means I'm the only grandchild too (yay, me!). Except when extended family is involved, our get-togethers are always a "party of 5." Since we're such a small, close bunch, it's always important to celebrate special occasions.

Sunday, was my grandmother's birthday--I don't dare reveal how many!!--and today is my grandparents' 64th wedding anniversary. YES--64 years! Grandmother is the original cougar--she's 7 years older than him. :-) My grandparents grew up in a small mill village, just about 8 or 9 miles from where they live now; my grandaddy sang in a traveling quartet, and grandmother was their pianist. They devoted their entire lives to serving God by singing and playing music together, with him directing numerous church choirs and her playing the organ until they retired just about 4 years ago. Even now, though, Grandaddy will still play his accordian at their little church every couple of months.

Here are a few pictures from today's birthday celebration....

Grandmother let out a big whistle when mom reminded her how old she turned today!

The lighting on this one is all kooky because my mom took a flash picture at the exact instant I shot this, but I love the expressiveness anyway...

Every year, Grandaddy makes the New Year's Resolution to "stop being so silly." As with most resolutions, that one doesn't seem to last very long. :-)

Whenever we go out to eat, they always share a plate, Well, Friday night, I went to dinner with them, and Grandaddy was joking with the server that they didn't need an extra plate because he wasn't going to share. Grandmother chuckled and said "He knows better than that!" The waitress heard her say it, and she totally cracked up, saying "I like the way she thinks!!"

Happy Birthday, Grandmother! And Happy 64th Anniversary to you both! I love you and I'm glad we belong to each other!

Borrowing from my Ohana friends' post for their grandparents, If you'd like to leave a birthday or anniversary greeting, please click the "Show me some love" link, type your message, and click the "Name/URL" button. Don't forget to leave your name! Thanks!

Wedding Proofs Online!

Ashley and Garron, friends and family--
Thanks SO MUCH for your patience as you've waited to see Ashley and Garron's wedding proofs! I'm trying out a new online ordering system, and I had a few technical difficulties along the way. :-) But finally, your wait is over...

To see the proofs, click here. The password is the couple's new last name....if you need to know it, please email me. You can enter your email address if you'd like to save your shopping cart and come back to it later. Once you sign in, there is a drop-down box on the left side of the screen, and you can select which gallery you'd like to view: Ashley's bridal portraits, Ashley & Garron's wedding, or all the photos together. All the pricing and ordering info is on the proof site, but feel free to contact me with any questions.

I hope you enjoy the photos!!

Ashley & Garron's Wedding

Ashley and Garron had a gorgeous wedding in May at Rock Barn Golf and Spa in Conover, NC. I LOVE outdoor weddings, and this one was perfect--tons of bright flowers, a warm sunny day, lots of friends and family, many personal touches, and a super-fun reception. Ashley's Maid of Honor was my close friend Marilynn, and I've enjoyed becoming friends with Ashley over the months as she's planned for the wedding, we shot her portraits, went out on the town for her bachelorette party, and finally celebrated her marriage to Garron. As with Ashley's bridal portraits, I have waaaaay too many favorites to choose from, so I'm just going to let the photos speak for themselves!

Gorgeous details and the "Rock Barn" initials...

Ashley's colors were shades of yellow and navy...

When I went to take photos of Garron and the guys, I found them practicing their putting. Hey, how long does it take to put on a suit, anyway? Pleeeeenty of time to improve their game before the ceremony! :-)

Getting some last minute touch-ups...

...and checking out the crowd to see who's arriving!

This was such a sweet moment as the minister prayed God's blessing over the rings and the union they symbolize.

And nothing but joy as those rings go on!

On to the reception...

And finally...the happy couple!

Congratulations Ashley and Garron! You guys have the most wonderful family and friends, and I am so glad you chose me to be a part of your wedding. Can't wait to come to the beach and see y'all again soon!

Family and Friends: Be on the lookout in the next week or two for the online posting info for all the proofs!!

Pearl Jam--definitely still "Alive"

When "Ten" became popular my Junior year of high school, everyone had the tape (yes, the tape) in their car. My friend Kevin, however, never took his copy out of his tape player for the next two years! Pearl Jam has been a constant in his life, and I can't tell you the countless hours I've spent over the years hanging out with him, listening to their latest bootleg over a bottle of wine. (Of course I'm listening to them right now as I type...) When PJ announced a small US tour--that included their first South Carolina stop in 10 years--there was no question that we would go. It would be our 3rd PJ show together, my 5th total. We headed down to Columbia this past Monday 6.16 with his cousin Colton (a carbon-copy of Kevin in high school!) and my photographer friend Amy.

Long story short, sometimes things just fall together in all the right ways. While tailgating in the parking lot, our high school friend Seth, who now lives in Nashville, came running over. Kevin hadn't seen him in months, I hadn't seen him in years. He was there with the opening band, Kings of Leon, and said he would try to get us backstage after the show. Through various friends and contacts in the music industry, I've hung out after lots of shows, but backstage at Pearl Jam? No freakin' way.

Of course Eddie and the boys showed up with an amazing set list and we rocked out for the next two hours. My phone rang during the 2nd encore, and Seth said two words: "It's happening." (OK, my long story isn't getting as short as promised!) We all traipsed down to the dressing rooms, where the rest of us waited as Kevin got to meet Eddie. Eddie-Freakin-Vedder, our generation's equivalent of Jim Morrison or Jimi Hendrix. Back out in the hall, we talked to Mike McCready, complete bad-ass on guitar, and got a guitar pick from him, and we saw Jeff Ament, equally bad-ass bass player.

I rarely post personal stuff on the blog, but seriously. We were backstage at Pearl Jam. The End.