San Francisco... #2

Atlanta is so different than San Fran! I'm saying that now as there is a steady snow fall outside of my Atlanta home... which I think accentuates the differences even more. In San Fran people wore flip flops and cargo shorts everywhere! And ALL of the time. In Atlanta right now people are freaking out, the roads are gridlocked, and Kroger is out of bread and water. Oh yes. But it's wonderful because it forces, I mean blesses, everyone to stay inside with their loved ones. Roomie snuggle!!

Here are a few more pictures from my trip to San Fran, remember to leave your comment on NEXT THURSDAY's post to enter you to win your favorite print from this San Francisco series. Your very own San Francisco treat :)

The photos for today reflect the landscape of San Francisco. I was AMAZED that everywhere I went... the landscaping was so different. Lots of hills and cliffs... but the trees and sand and grass are different too. A photographer's dream really, I mean... my camera was permanently stuck to my face. Enjoy.

Here is Ocean Beach... absolutely gorgeous, but a little chilly. hence the jackets.

Um... yeah, so the grass really was that green

Here is the view from the Embarcadero piers... life is just a little slower in San Fran. I love it.

And Again...

Remember to comment NEXT THURSDAY (2/18) for a chance to win a print of your favorite photo from San Fran!

I left my heart in San Francisco

So I got back from San Francisco yesterday evening. Though it was a short trip, my thighs and calves felt like they'd been there for months... seriously, I'm hurting this morning. We don't have hills in Atlanta like they do in San Francisco. On Monday I got off on the wrong bus stop, which to me wasn't a big deal... I could just walk to the next one and be fine, right? I was fine for about 15ft and then I realized that the reason they have an amazing mass transit system in San Fran is because you're an idiot if you try to walk anywhere. The hills!!!!! On a perfectly related note, my bum is shaping quite nicely :) Swimsuit season here I come.

And so in light of my recent trip to San Fran, I'm going to blog about some of the city's characteristics for the next week. Along with these posts I will of course share a picture, one of my favorites from the trip. Leave a comment on your favorite picture and at the end of the week, I will pick a comment at random and send you a free print of that picture :) My gift to you.

Things I noticed about San Francisco #1 and #2

1) People are super-active, everywhere you go. Always biking, walking, or playing. I snapped this at the Embarcadero, a huge people-center right on the water.

2) There is chocolate EVERYWHERE. And if you can't find it, they have signs pointing you to it. Really. Oh love.

Thinking Thankfully

Traditionally I am not a thankful person. This may turn some of you off right now.. but please stay with me, I promise (sort of) that you won't despise me at the end of this. But seriously.. traditionally 'thankfulness' is something that doesn't exactly reign over my thoughts day-to-day. Most of the time my thoughts are more like 'Geeze.. well if I was Jennifer Aniston I wouldn't even care about having Brad!" or "If I could just have a car that didn't leak every time it rained, then I would be satisfied" or "If I could just afford to go to all of those workshops then I would be much better photographer". Confessing all of that right now just made me realize that I'm probably not a fun person to hang out with. I'll work on that too.

This 'epiphany of thankfulness' happened yesterday while going through the study my small group is doing. The task of the day was to be challenged explore the joy of our faith, and to be aware of the things we have to be thankful for. After reading that I think I wanted to smack the author and be like "girl you don't even know me!", however I don't think that was the response she was getting at... so I decided to participate. This was hard since, like I said, I float around in a cloud of dissatisfaction most of the time. But after some careful meditation and mindful reflection... I became overjoyed with all that I have :) Really! I have a new joy over the big things, the little things, the things to come, the things that have happened.... etc. I made a list, just to be 'all serious and junk'. And the thing I've found about being conscious of what we have to be thankful for is that is causes you to be hyperaware of blessings throughout your day (and probably weeks and months). It's a pleasant state of mind to live in, and I challenge you to try it. Make your own list, nothing is too cheesy... heck, this morning I am thankful for the I :heart: Jim coffee mug in my house.

Here's my list:

1)Grace

2)my leaky car

3)coffee in the morning

4)the love of my friends

5)the ability to log on to Pandora every day

6) Chacos

7) My sight

8) My big ol' lips :)

Trended-Tuesday

To me it feels like Monday. I guess yesterday was a wash so my mind has just decided to start the week today instead of yesterday. Fine by me! But though my mind wants to call today 'Monday'.... apparently the rest of the world didn't feel the same way, so the calendar still says 'Tuesday'. Better luck next time, I say!

Today's Trended-Tuesday topic is in honor of all of those getting married between now and the end of March. It can also be in honor of all of those planning weddings during this time, too. This is what we lover's of all things amour call the off-peak season for weddings. And though it is still a pretty rare time for most weddings to take place, there is a growing trend among couples to get married during the off season because of the AMAZING deals you can get on all of the things you saw Fergie put in her wedding (but wrote off because you didn't want to have to sell your car and your mother in order to pay for them).

So here's to you "off-peak season"! Thanks for letting the $20,000 wedding look like a million-bucks... oh and that castle you got married at? No big deal! You'll have fond memories of the castle while you tour Italy and stay in a 5-star resort on the coast... which is also, no big deal :)

If you're stuck on the fence about off-season weddings, consider the amazingness of all of your options. And speaking of castles... there is one right down the street from me that's perfect. I'd love to shoot your wedding there!

Rhodes Hall Atlanta, GA

Be sure to wear flowers in your hair...

Ok world, exciting news... as of TODAY I am officially going to San Francisco for the Spread the Love Tour 2010 by Justin & Mary Marantz. I can't wait. I have never been to San Francisco, and actually this is my first ever photo workshop ever. Though it technically isn't a photo workshop.. it is a LIFE workshop, which excited me even more, because I am a liver of life before I am a photographer of life. Process that for a minute :)

Thanks for entertaining my randomness tonight, have a great Sunday.

Not Much Today

Happy Friday to you all! Not much on the agenda today, I am getting some weddings ready to blog later next week... and they are amazing! I was looking through my photos today and realized that I hadn't yet blogged them... so I am going to get right on that. Most of them are from the fall, and so I figure that will help appease the distaste we have for the cold weather right now. Right? Because everyone hates cold weather just as much as I do... right?

I'm about to leave my work station for the weekend, but I did want to show a quick picture of a little girl that I've been babysitting for a few months. Her name is Gracie and she's changing my life :). Seriously. I have an abnormal distaste for children for a woman of my age. But this kid, she is pretty awesome. Maybe it's because she is potty trained? Or that she is sarcastic, yet she's only 3? Or that she is so stinkin' adorable. I'll never know... but I think I could put up with more kids if they were all like this. We will see. Stay tuned for my entrance into the world of baby-lust. Maybe. I may be getting ahead of myself.

Here she is! Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

What's coming up....

Hello! #1 Slacker right here, apologies for being out-of-touch the last couple of days. This week has materialized and then disappeared again right before my very eyes, and of course because I know everyone runs on my time schedule... I'm assuming it's been the same for you. This week has actually been quite fantastic, full of new things that I've never done before... like:

1)Shoot a boudoir session

2)Assist a boudoir session

3)Get in front of the camera for a glam-session of my own (insert Homer Simpson-like 'Doh!' right here)

4)Get an Atlanta Parking ticket (timed at 3 minutes before I actually returned to my car)

5)Actually sit down for the State of The Union address

I'm excited about knocking these things off of my To-Do list, even though I never really had a to-do list to knock them off of... But it did get me in the mood to make some more lists. I'll share one of them today, and maybe as I get better at them and eventually become a professional list-maker with my own TLC show (oh yes, oh yes) I can be your list-peration (yes, I did just make up a word mashing list and inspiration together). For now, I am going to stick to photography because that is what I love, but in the spirit of doing things that I say I am going to do, here is that list:

What's coming up!

1) Wedding Season!!!

2) My Re-branding (super excited... contests will follow it's launch, so stay tuned)

3)Watching 'The Pregnancy Pact' on Lifetime because we DVR'd it. Yep.

4)VEGAS BABY!!!! I'll be there with zillions of other Wedding Photogs. No repeat of 'The Hangover'.

5) The Grammy's. Some of the best and worst live performances ever.

6) 70-Degree weather in Atlanta. HOLY GOD I am so tired of the cold.

There is my list for things coming up that I am super excited about, I didn't promise you it would be life changing (Although the pregnancy Pact could be pretty moving...)

To celebrate my 1st boudoir experience.. here are some photos that I took of the amazing Joy Wilson during the sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday! Thanks to the Georgian Terrace in Atlanta for their gorgeous rooms. Also.. thanks to my new Canon 7D for being so awesome. All of these photos are straight out of camera (SOC) with absolutely no editing. It rocks.

Joy has a beautiful laugh

Tanner and Margaret -Engagement

I've been jumping to blog this engagement since I took the last shot back in December.... so I am super excited to be sharing it with you today.

Tanner and Margaret are one of those couples. You know, the kind that are so in love with each other that just being around them makes you giddy and smiley.. yet they never exclude their company and find some way to make everyone around them feel as just as loved and appreciated. I love them. Really. They were so gracious to put me up in their Tybee Island home for a few days while I came to relax and take their engagement photos! I love every single photo that we took that day, December on Tybee gives the most gorgeous light (making me even more excited for their December 2010 wedding!) Thanks guys for a great time, consider your love now shared with the entire internet world :)

He proposed on the beach with his guitar, so this was only appropriate

Yummy sunset colors of the marsh... this would be behind their house. Jealous.

A lot of our time was spent laughing, Tanner is quite hilarious

LOVE the gorgeous sunset that way given to us... and yeah, they see it every night.

And My favorite from the day because it shows every cranny of their personality...

Trended-Tuesday

Alright... I've decided to start my first 'Blog Feature', and since it's Tuesday.. I thought I'd self title it! Also, I am a huge fan of alliteration, so I had to stay with tha' T's. My english teacher would be so proud..

So here it is, I'm introducing Trended-Tuesday! I spend a lot of time on blogs and buried in magazines looking through the latest trends in everything from weddings to cooking to booty dancing (oh yes, it's true). I always find some spectacular things that I want to share with all of you, and this is how I'm going to do it. When I blog it, consider it trended :)

Trend of the moment? I'm loving pears. A friend and I talked all about them on Sunday (makes you want to be a part of our conversations, doesn't it) and so I decided to look and see what I could find. I found a lot, but here are some of my fave's. Delicious.

How unique are these? What a great personal addition to your wedding decor. Found here.

Cute Stationary found here

The most gorgeous 'something blue', love the pear-shaped stones

Find it here

Ok this is by-far my favorite, a unique twist on the traditional guest book, guests leave well-wishes for you in this 'Perfect Pair' jar. Fabulous. Find it here

Happy Tuesday to you all, and please, if you haven't done so already (or you want to do it again) please text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to the relief fund.

The power of 'potential'

Do you ever look at things (anything.. books, pictures, your outfit..) and say to yourself "Wow, that has a LOT of potential"? I do it a lot to my outfits, because honestly, I'm more of a comfort person than and cute person, and so a lot of times my outfits have 'potential', and would probably reach their potential if I took off the t-shirt and put on a nice jeweled cardigan :)

I was editing some photos today and as I was going through them, there were a lot of photos that were great, and had reached their potential... and then there were some that I would look at and say "Hmmm". This cycle continued all of the way through the series I was editing. At the end of the edit I was reflecting on the set, and the philosophy behind the different edits I applied (what kind of philosophy, you ask? that's a whole other post for a whole other time, sorry babes) and I came up with this thought:

Every photo that you take should be one that captures the potential of the moment.

Meaning? Each moment has the potential to be a great photograph, the job of the photographer is to capture that great photograph... showcasing the moment. As hard as it is to accomplish, we shouldn't look at already taken photographs and say 'wow that has the potential to be a great photograph'... we should look at moments and say 'wow that has the potential to be a great photograph'

I'm sorry if you disagree... I love to post-process and I love the results that I get from it. But you can't make a great photograph out of a crappy one by photoshop alone... you will just have a highly edited crappy photo.

This is a philosophy, or mantra, or whatever you want to call it that I hope I employ with every single press of my shutter button. I'm not a super-fantastic photographer, but I hope that by shooting for the power of potential I can become one.

Here is one of the edits from today... one that I looked at and knew that I had captured the moment's potential :)Also, thanks to Margaret and Tanner for being such a gorgeous couple!

I take back what I said yesterday...

I got an early start this morning... partially because I left my blinds open and the sun made itself known at 8am, but also partially because I think my brain knew that today was going to be a BEAUTIFUL day!

Remember last post, where I was bitter at the cold because it was forbidding me (because I'm a diva) to get outside and take pictures? Well this morning, I set my diva aside and got out there. Why? Because this morning allowed me to take pictures of something I had never taken pictures of before- SNOW! I got up early, immediately put on my boots-with-tha-fur and got outside in time to take serene pictures of our street, the little footprints of the kids that had already been out, and our birdhouse laden with a white roof. It was fun and cold, but more fun than cold.

After I got back inside I ran to my computer to show you what I came up with, and share my wonderment at the snow... which got me thinking. Yes, I've never taken pictures of snow before, and that's why I got out this morning. But really, if you think about it, each morning and each day is different. Each morning and each day is something that I have never before taken a picture of, nothing about it is the same as the previous morning or day. Sure there are similar elements, but what will happen and what happens to be present will all be different in some way. So no more excuses about finding something 'new' to photograph... just wait for the sun to come up.

I was also very inspired and moved by this video-post today by Zack Arias.

Some Snow-photos, or "snow-tos". :)



Here's the birdhouse



Here is our Cute little house!



And Finally, I will leave you with my boots-with-tha-fur

When Life gives you lemons

Hey Guys. So I have this new camera, and this new lens... and I promise I am way more excited about them then how I sound right now. What I am NOT excited about is the freezing cold weather we are having in Atlanta right now. Not because our pipes burst (because they didn't), not because I'm homeless and have to sleep outside (because I'm not), and not because of any other non-selfish reason.... no, I hate the cold weather right now because I can't go outside and take ANY pictures with my handy new gear. I know, I know... whine whine whine.

So I stayed inside, and I took pictures of a lemon. (this is when you raise an eyebrow at me and tell me to maybe check in to getting a life). But really, after I took pictures of the lemon, things started looking up.. and a cute little phrase came to mind.

"When life gives you lemons, take pictures of them!". It's a simple truth, make the best of what you have.

Corn-ball am I :)

I hope you are all enjoying your day, and your lemons.

Who I want to be

'Tis the season for a new you!!! I don't know if you've noticed but there has been an influx of TV commercials about losing weight, Proactiv ads for clear skin, and little men at the mall that hand out pamphlets to us as we go into the food court. They all know that at the start of each new year about half of our population signs itself up for the 'New and Improved!' label. I'm not really one to make goals, to be honest I don't like setting myself up for disappointment...that way anything I DO accomplish officially exceeds my expectations (I know, it sounds awful).I'm not sure if you are one of those people or not, but regardless... since we are all affected by the 'new and improved' labels whether we just see them or we participate in them, I have something to share.

Sunday at church was the first sermon of the new year, and the pastor talked about setting goals, respectively. However the approach was one that I hadn't hear before. There was no talk of motivational songs, no 'safety words', and no 12-step plans. His take on goals was one that had its foundation in who we are as people, rather than what we want to be as society. It's quite a biblical foundation (go figure), as Christ preaches more about who we should want to be rather than what we should want to be (a point quite frustrating to me at times when I just want a Magic-8-Ball type of conversation with God!). The point of the message was that before we decide what we want to be, we need to decide who we want to be, because ultimately... who we are is what will last longer than what we are. People get fired, houses burn down, finances get messy... but character (good or bad) will prevail.

He recommended that we make a list, or write some paragraphs, containing who we wanted to be known as after we die (morbid, sorry).

Here's mine:

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year!! Can you believe we just hit 2010? The past decade flew by (sorry if I'm making you feel ancient) and every year seemed to be as unpredictable as the last. The 2000s were a little rough, and our world is a completely different place than it was 10 years ago. Aside from all the chaos that's happened... we can be sure a few things will stay the same; we have life and love. Time marches on, we get older and wiser, we make mistakes and learn lessons, and we celebrate the great things that life brings us. Here's to celebrating, may your celebrations this year outweigh your 'lessons-learned'. It's a new year!!! No... it's a new DECADE!! And we all know that means that everything in the past doesn't count, right? Woo Hoo!!!!

It's the little things

Starbucks has thought of it all, haven't they. You may or may not like them depending on your loyalty to corporate coffee or not... but lay all that aside and really think about it... Starbucks has a couple of geniuses working for them.

This probably seems like a truly random topic... but I promise it's going somewhere. I stopped by the Zeus of coffee yesterday (I got a couple of gift cards for Christmas!!) to indulge in my Non-Fat-Cafe-Misto-with-a-shot-of-Mocha and left a happier-than-normal camper. The reason you ask? Well my coffee was excellent and it was pleasantly warm inside compared to the 30 degree Atlanta Monday, but that's not it. No no no.. the reason I was all giggly when I left was because of those little green sticks Starbucks invented that go in the sippy-hole of your lid in order to prevent coffee spillage while your driving, walking, or dancing with your hot cup o' joy. What an amazing idea! I'm not new to these little green sticks, but lets just say that yesterday I saw them in a whole new light. They may be little, but they can make or break a white shirt and prevent your hand from blistering due to hot coffee spilled in transit. Come to think of it... they probably save Starbucks some lawsuits; I bet McDonald's wishes they'd invented some little red sticks.

The moral of this rando-story? I think too many times we focus on what the big things get us, or what the big things won't get us. Rarely do we stop to notice all of the little tiny things around us that are supporting and helping us...making life easier or more fun, and I think we are less satisfied because of it. I'm probably the worst at recognizing what I've got, but I'm going to make a pre-New Years resolution and start today and I hope you will too, because sometimes... it's the little things.

The red Moleskine

It's morning here in Atlanta. The sun lights up every room in the house, making us wonder if it's possible to bottle it up and keep it for the whole day. With the recent time change it would be nice to have some sunlight available after 5pm. If you figure out how to do this, let me know. (You're probably saying, um Sarah... in 2009 we have things called lamps, they're great you should try them.. and I know, but lamps are just... different, call me prejudice but they just ain't tha same)

So because light is scarce in these here parts, I have to wake up early and get started with the day (which in the end is probably better... the sun knows I'm not disciplined enough to work at night, Friends re-runs are just too tempting!). My morning routine is 1)Coffee 2)Bathroom 3)Red Moleskine. The Red Moleskine is really where the magic of my work and life exists. It's my super-trendy self-tribute to 'Stuff White People Like' . It contains my rambling mess of photographic ideas, prayers to God about life, love and the pursuit of happiness, and probably a few phone numbers that I had to write down somewhere (and the red color of it makes it that much more sassy). It's essential to my sanity, its disorganization keeps me organized.

This morning it's getting a bit of everything from me; ideas for my wedding tomorrow, a few questions for God, and probably some pointless doodles. I hope that you have something similar to welcome you, to pour your thoughts into, and to look ridiculously cool in your hand. If not, might I recommend a Red Moleskine?

Busy Busy Bee

It's really hard for me to admit this, but I kind of thrive off of busyness. Like for real. And I feel guilty for it sometimes too because I've been brought up that you've got to loathe busyness... it gets in the way of life! We are supposed to complain about being so busy, and so knowing that I'm actually ok with being busy, I'm that girl in the corner eating an excessive amount of chips and dip so that I can avoid the stares of shock that generally come after I explain that though I'm busy, 'I don't mind'.

See the truth is, I love what I do... no, wait, I LOOOOOVVVVEEEEEEEE what I do. There is so much sheer middle-school-girl-at-an-NSYNC-concert excitement every time I go to meet a client, sit down to edit some photos, arrive at a wedding, drive 300mi in a day, and scarf down a super-classy Taco Bell meal on my way to the next event. Love it. And my career allows me to be around people that love what I do, too (and appreciate my 'busyness' just as much). My clients are the best, they love photography and the time and energy I put into their personal hotty-toddy photos... and having clients like that make working hard for them very rewarding.

Today was a very very busy day. And though I may have had a few bouts of road-rage on the way to meetings in which I am chronically late for... they aren't a reflection of how I feel about my lack of free time... they just have more to do with Florida drivers in Atlanta (I got much love for ya tho, FL, for real).

So in case you are really busy, and you secretly love it, though you are inclined to sigh and roll your eyes when the subject come up... here is me liberating you (since I have the power to do that of course). If you love it, be proud :)

-Sarah

*disclaimer, if you are sooo busy that you can't stop to pee, disregard everything I just said and breathe

Good things are worth waiting for

There is just something about waiting for a good thing. The waiting part may not be very fun, but because you are so certain about the goodness of the very thing you are waiting for, you don't mind it (that much). And have you noticed that you can tell when others are waiting for a good thing too? The looks on their faces, the way that they hold their hands in anticipation, rubbing their fingers together, massaging out the nervous and excited tensions... yes you can tell. And when that good thing finally arrives, when it finally walks through the door and makes it's way into your life... all is well. Your hands miraculously have been healed of nervous tension and the look on your face emits an energy that people in the next room can feel. Yes, it is goooood.

I photographed a wedding this weekend in Griffin, GA and the bride and groom were the kind of people that you knew had been waiting on a good thing. This was the second marriage for both of them, so they knew what events to expect for the day, but knew that this time... the way that they would experience today would be one for the books. They knew. They waited. They loved.

The look on Tatum's face right before she see's her soulmate, the one she's waited for, says it all. She had been waiting on a good thing, and it was worth the wait.

Anti Gay protest going on at gsu downtown right now. Regardless of our views let's all remember that hate resolves nothing. twitter.com/_sarahesther for pics.

A successful launch

For the last week and a half I have been workings tirelessly at having a successful launch of my new website. My previous website was great and all, but I'm a fan of bells and whistles, and well... it had none. I had been dreaming of something bigger and better for a while, and so when the guys over at Showit launched their new ShowitSite interface, I jumped in line, took a number, and got busy.

Showit is fairly new, and super user-friendly, like a giant simplified version of Dreamweaver for all of the Adobe faithfuls out there. I feel like it was designed just for me (cue sappy music), and don't know how I would ever be here without it.

So without further ado, here is the link to my new site, which isn't new, just updated beyond recognition. Ya kno.

Happy Saturday people. Go to a yard sale, watch some football, check out my new website. Is this a shameless plug? Yes. But above all, it's a successful launch.

Adventures of a Big Girl

Hello blogger-land!!!! It's a beautiful Sunday afternoon here in Atlanta, which is such a blessing as I'm sure you've heard about the flash floods we've been having for the last couple of weeks. Everything seems to be dried up today and you wouldn't even know that as of yesterday at about 7pm you couldn't see 2 ft in front of you for the cold-grey-sideways-rain we were having!

We made it!!!! Atlanta is no longer underwater, which is great because last night some girlfriends and I had tickets to Sugarland (for only the second time they have come to atlanta) and if the concert had been underwater, it would have been a lot harder to enjoy (but know that we still would've gone, we ain't above little swimmies..ya heard?)

Sugarland was great, probably the 2nd best concert I've ever been to in my life, the first best being Boston (also at an amphiteatre). I wanna give a shoutout to Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre for having one of the best amphitheatre setups... simply because every seat is a good one (no seriously) and they rent chairs for a mere $5...totally worth it. The chairs aren't necessary for all concerts, but they were for us since our 'waterproof' blanket was quite the opposite.

Second shoutout of the weekend goes to Hyatt Place Hotels for being freakin' awesome. We were treated like queens in this boutique-like hotel that markets toward business travelers but is really for anyone who wants to forget they are in an actual hotel and pretend they are in a lush Manhattan loft.

This was our first outing as 'big girls'... freshly graduated, real-world women... and I think we did well. This session of 'adventures of a big girl' was done right, so much that all other sessions will have to at LEAST include a stay at the Hyatt...

Just meant to be, I guess...

As I circle the block for the 7th time, hitting every pothole on the way and probably some pedestrians too, I think to myself "if I circle this block one more time, it's a sign". And as I continue to pass all of the parking lots proudly displaying their "LOT FULL" signs, sure enough, I circle that block one more time, and I stick to my own convictions because really... who am I to deny a 'sign'? This is divine intervention of the most serious of implications. So as I circle the block one more time my little car breaks free of the monotany and stays straight ahead, headed to the nearest coffee shop with a killer acoustic soundtrack. "I guess it's just not meant to be, I guess I'm just not meant to go to class today" I say -that's right, class. Not meant to go and I feel great about it. Didn't I tell you it was of the most serious of implications?

So here I sit at a crazy awesome Atlanta coffee shop, void of all starbucks cliches (for the record I am not against starbucks, I just need some free wireless and natural light and Octane is perfect for that:)) Knowing that I really was meant to not go to class today because of the peace of mind I have right now, that feeling that nothing is rushed and life is good. I have a cup of joe, a killer acoustic soundtrack, natural light, and peace of mind. It was just meant to be, I guess...

Piedmont Park Portrait Session? Um YES PLEASE!!

So with Christmas being right around the corner (and by around the corner I mean 4 months away, respectively) it's time to start thinking about those ever-so-talked-about Christmas Portrait cards that are collected by our closest friends, family, bosses, car salesmen, dog groomers, sorority/fraternity members, and chiropractors (what, you don't send a card to your chiropractor? shame).

Of course, Christmas is not the only reason to break out a smile and pose, maybe the last time you had a portrait taken you were still modeling the fashions from Dawson's Creek or the early episodes of F-R-I-E-N-D-S, in this case, a 30-minute smile and laugh session would be great, and you wouldn't have to hide your photos each time you have company.

Where can you get a 30 minute pain-free portrait session you ask? Fantastic question, and we have taken care of it! Introducing: Portraits in the Park

The fabulous Joy Wilson and I have collaborated to offer a quick-fire portrait session in Piedmont Park for as many of you as we can fit inbetween 1-5pm. Bring your dogs, your friends, your children (or your friend's children), your family, a frisbee, water balloons, whatever! We are up for anything if you are!

Email us to book a time slot now! Click the little arrow on the top right of the flyer to make it readable :)

Natalie and Beau- Engagement

I have been sitting on these images for a little while, knowing that I really wanted to blog them, but never having the super-developed eloquent and witty prose to add to the pictures. I'm sure that never happens to anyone else.

I'm blogging them now because I realized that sometimes, you can have too much! Some sessions are enhanced by the love story that accompanies, and some stand fine on their own. Natalie and Beau happens to belong to the latter party.

So here they are, this gorgeous couple, all smiles and laughter, beautiful skin, Crest-kid smiles, and a love to rival them all. That's it, and that's them.

Parlez vous francais?

Yesterday was a fantastic day. It was Sunday, which is one of the days I long most for during the week simply because it is a day of rest for me. as tempting as it may be for me to open up my computer and start-up photoshop, organize future sessions, or rearrange every piece of furniture in my house (I do get the urge)... I know that unless I take the day to actually rest, enjoy life, and stop moving the week ahead will be an unfocused blur.

Take a day of rest.

You'll need it.

p.s. I know this has absolutely nothing to do with speaking french, but I had to ask.

Sometimes, that's all you need...

Sometimes....

Oh sometimes....

Sometimes happens a lot for me, and the circumstances that happen sometimes, are not always the 'sometimes' that I want. are ya following me here? Good.

But today's sometimes was great. Because today was the end of a week, and the beginning of a weekend. Yep that's right, my weekend starts tomorrow :) Tomorrow my mom and I are going to get to hang out for a little while... we'll stroll the kiosks of the Yellow Daisy Festival in Stone Mountain Georgia, go see a movie, and hopefully be able to breathe for the first time since Sunday.

Friday will be a fabulous day off. and sometimes, that's all you need.

A walk in the Park

"Life ain't just a walk in the park"...

How many times have you heard that one? Growing up with two very realistic parents, I had that drilled into my head, and they didn't leave the other bases untouched either... life is also not "a free lunch" "a bowl of cherries" "fair" "an easy ride".. you get the picture. If you can add onto the mantras then a cookie for you... or maybe a box of chocolates, since that seems to be the only thing life actually is.

I've lived by these little nuggets of information most of my life, and truth be told it has proven helpful in many situations... I was never the girl with unrealistic expecations for my boyfriends, if it ended... well, "life ain't fair". Whenever something drastic happened, a death, job loss, driving in teh wrong direction for 234 mi, etc.... It was always easier to not panic if you knew that life "isn't a bowl of cherries" (although I would strongly not reccommend saying that to anyone who happens to encounter one of those situations or life may come to an abrupt halt for you :))

The other day some friends and I were enjoying the beautiful weather in Piedmont Park. The sun was shining, the air was cool, if there had been birds then I think they would have been singing... We pulled out a frisbee and had many failed attempts at hand-eye coordination, but we had fun. Then we took a walk. Yes, a walk in the park. We strolled along the faded asphalt of the bike paths, watched mothers and their children feed the ducks by a Grecian Gazebo, commented on the beauty each dog being thrown a frisbee by its master, and watched with excitement as a couple taking their engagement photos set out on the journey of marriage.

Though the world around us was far from perfect that day (it is Atlanta after all)... when we stopped to take in what was around us, stopped to stop worrying about what was next for us and for others, stopped to realize where we were in life... and you know what, at that moment life really was a walk in the park.

One of those Days...

So yesterday was a bad day. Nothing went right... woke up late, didn't get to shower (and realized later that I'd also forgotten the deoderant :/ sorry classmates!), found out that I couldn't log in to my GSU account due to the fact that I was one out of 30000 that was randomly selected for review, my car got booted for $50, and found out that I will have to pay an extra $500 for a class because of supposed late registration. It was a wine-at-3:30-in-the-afternoon day. A very. Bad. Day.

So after I got into my car, waiting on the boot-man to get there, I tried squeezing out some tears... I felt like Cameron Diaz in 'Holiday', they just wouldn't come. I squeezed for a good 5 minutes before I gave up... feeling defeated even by my own emotions! Then it hit me... I wasn't supposed to cry and sulk over my circumstances, I needed to DO something about them. And the only thing I knew to do was go to the Lord. It's an amazing feeling to know that your heart is being called by a higher power... to know that even after all of your failures and sucky attempts at success and reckoning someone still believes in you, and wants to know you. I didn't even want to know me yesterday.

So I took a breath after my squeezes (which left me breathless), and pulled out the word expecting nothing but believing everything... that no matter what I was reading it would in some way be relevant to my situation, it would be a word of love and a song of encouragement from the one who knew me best.

It did.

Habakkuk 3:17-18

¹⁷ Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,

¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

This GOD knows what he is doing. He made my bad day better. No it wasn't "everythings-fixed-as-if-this-day-didnt-happen-and-I-got-a-new-car-too kind of better, but it was better because though the day was still sucky, I had a certain peace that it wouldn't last, and I would...and COULD... survive.

The day ended up being a good day. It was just one of those days....