As a small town southerner living in Atlanta, I often miss the calming sensation of being surrounded by natural, quiet beauty. It was like being transported to a small piece of Heaven when I got to spend time at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens! It is pretty much the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of Atlanta, and just refresh, even if just for a few hours. To make it even better, I got to spend time exploring the Gardens with two experts, Bryan and Ashley! They love this place more than anyone I know, and it's easy to see why. Beyond the gorgeousness of the entire grounds, they had several "firsts" at the gardens and it's where Bryan proposed, AND where they will be getting married next year! I am so excited to be a part of their day! Thank you, Ashley and Bryan for spending your Tuesday evening with me; I had so much fun getting to know you both!
It had been a few months since I first met Kendall and Lindsey and I couldn't wait to hear about all of their wedding plans! We decided to meet right down the street from their wedding venue, Primrose Cottage. Kendall and Lindsey are so much fun and their personalities complement each other perfectly! They were up for being silly with a little bit of sweet while we explored their favorite spots around downtown Roswell, including a final stop at Mac Mcgee Irish Pub! It was as if we had all been friends for years, laughing and telling stories over a glass of wine... or Irish mule in Lindsey's case! Thank you both for spending your Sunday evening with me! I can't wait for August!
This gorgeous wedding had details to the MAX! Lindsey had a beautiful vision for her wedding day and her fabulous team of vendors executed it perfectly! Lindsey and Andrew are two of the most kind, genuine and gracious people you will ever meet. I honestly felt like a guest! Every detail was a perfect reflection of their sweet personalities - the amazing band, Delta cake (Andrew is a pilot!), delicious food, and of course the candy station. The atmosphere was so romantic with soft pink hues accented by gorgeous gray linen accents. I will say the only thing missing was their sweet pup, Ellie, that made an appearance during their engagement session! I had so much fun celebrating these two and their awesome family and friends! Lindsey and Andrew - thank you for letting me be a part of this day. You are truly an amazing couple and I can't wait to see what's in store for you! LOVE this shot above by Hillary of Hillary Joy Photography! Bride's Hair & Makeup: Nadia's Studio || Bridal gown: David Tutera || Bridesmaids Dresses: David's Bridal || Ceremony and Reception Venue: Eagles Landing Country Club || Wedding Coordination: Panache Events || Ceremony Musicians: Celebration String || Catering: Eagles Landing Country Club || Florist: Flowers From Us || Linens: Linen Hero || Band: The Malemen Band || Cake: Henri's Bakery || Transportation: Capital City Limo
To view the full gallery when it becomes available, please click here. I always encourage couples to think about locations that are meaningful or help tell their love story for their engagement session. Whether it's where you met or just that ice cream shop where you visit on warm Sunday afternoons, it instantly makes you feel more comfortable to be in a familiar place! In Maggie and Ryan's case, we started at Georgia Tech where they met as undergrads. This session was a long time coming and as Ryan joked, these were pre-wedding photos rather than engagement photos since they are getting married in TWO MONTHS!!! I could not be more excited for these two and I had so much fun spending time capturing these images! Maggie and Ryan - thank you for hanging out with me, laughing at my jokes and telling a few of your own. I hope y'all love these as much as I do!
My clients' happiness is priority #1. I don't shoot to get published (it's a HUGE honor and super exciting when it happens), and I don't shoot so other photographers will vote for an image (also really awesome when it happens). People > Pictures EVERY TIME. As a photographer and creative, my work, dare I say art, is incredibly personal. The fear of inadequacy and rejection is very real in this industry, so it is humbling that brides, families, and new moms trust me to create something beautiful in those important moments in their lives. To take those personally created images and enter them into a contest with some of the best photographers in the world was scary!
I felt that the experience of looking critically at my work would, at the very least, benefit my future creations... So I entered. It was definitely a last minute decision to submit my images into various categories of the Shoot & Share Photo Contest. This contest was unique in that it wasn't a popularity contest of the most blogged about photographers, it was completely anonymous. Voting was blind. This anonymity empowered me to submit. If the annoying voice in my head that interjects sound bites of "you're not good enough" was indeed right, no one would know except for me. When I quickly looked through my work (seriously waited until the last hour), I wanted to choose images that were meaningful and still showcased my strengths. I think one of my biggest strengths as a photographer and storyteller is the ability to anticipate and capture those candid, real moments. They're my favorite images from a wedding day. Don't get me wrong, detail shots and posed portraits definitely help tell the entire story, but some pictures just have the ability to make you FEEL. Maybe you can hear the laughter, feel the happy tears running down the father of the bride's cheeks, or remember the lyrics to that song when everyone hit the dance floor to show off those killer moves. In the case of this contest, you can feel the excitement from a little boy running into his dad's arms after their family of three became "official". Over 110,000 photos were submitted. Over 23 million votes were cast... and little old me made it to the Top 100 in the Shoot & Share contest!!! WHAT?!?!? So crazy. In this contest I was humbled, inspired, baffled, and entertained... crazy things happen at weddings, y'all. It was an amazing feeling to have other photographers appreciate the stories I'm able to tell through my craft. However, this contest wasn't about competition for me. It helped me to reflect on my work, my growth in confidence and skill, and the deep relationships I've been blessed to have with the most amazing clients. It's also incredibly uplifting to be a part of the this creative industry where community trumps competition. I'm grateful for photographers that want to celebrate your successes with you but be there for support when you start to listen to that annoying little voice. To my JDP family - it's an honor and a privilege to be your storyteller. Thank you for letting me do what I love and share it with the world. |
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