it's the most wonderful time of the year

….booking season!

I do believe I say this yearly - because there is nothing quite like - let’s be honest - JOB SECURITY! Being self employed is not for the weak. I depend completely on you guys to find meaning in my work, see that we’ll be a good connection with each other, and hire me for your wedding day photography! Woof.

SO this time of year brings a slew of engagements as people pick the holidays to decide they’re ready to take the leap into marriage + wedding planning.

For those of you on a time budget, AND also ready to inquire immediately, I’ll make it easy on you. Here’s the contact form to use to get in touch. This time of year I like to offer incentive to couples who are ready to take the leap and know we’re a good fit for each other. This is as much to benefit you as it is to fill my calendar and make sure I have enough work for the year!

use the contact form below and your wedding pricing proposal from me will include a free hour of coverage.

Easy! Let’s do this and make magic together!

I’ll take this blog post to be a quick hello + meet who I am + how I work!

THE number one thing I can tell you about how it will be working together on your wedding day is that my only goal is to keep you happy, comfortable, present, and enjoying your time together.

I have been a photographer so long that working your timeline into the most sensible + efficient way comes so easily to me. I will work hard to help you plan your day to be as calm as possible.

summertime (+ the livin's easy)

The absolute DELIGHT of summer weddings is that you can basically get away with doing photos in short bursts anywhere until about 9pm. Is there anything better than that? Long summer nights make me happy unlike anything else in the world. Not even as a wedding photographer, but as a whole entire human :)

so what, right? WELL! Whenever I get to talking with a couple about their day, we’re, of course, going through the timeline. The hill I’ll die on includes: Make sure you ENJOY your wedding day and don’t just schedule everything around the photos, kay? I say this with the caveat that: your wedding needs to be a summer wedding ;) I know I know, FALL THOUGH! But hear me out.

The freedom that comes with a summer wedding means you can schedule your photo time in a way without getting overwhelmed. If you’d like to do a first look, do that (those photos? they’re the best because you require about ZERO PROMPTING).

What’s great about first looks, and, well, me is that I won’t make you do anything that doesn’t feel right. I can pretty much guarantee my prep will sound like, “ok, you’re in line together, now….take it as it feels right. Do it your way.” There is way too much pressure in how we live now + all the wedding images our eyes consume to be perfect. Guess what? You’re going to see each other, it’s gonna be perfect.

So once that’s done! You get to spend the day with your partner! Such a relief, wow! What I do next is assess the day. Is it hot? How are you feeling? ready to knock out some portraits of one side of the bridal party? Need a drink? SO MANY OPTIONS BECAUSE, you guessed it (!), SO MUCH LIGHT LEFT IN THE DAY!

When it comes to couples portraits, here’s a controversial take: there’s enough time in the day that everything you choose to do is actually your choice. I’ve seen photographers insist on golden light photos…but guess what? I’ll never make you do anything. Don’t want to rush out after dinner? Cool, we’ve gotten enough during the day! (but here’s some goodness that you just have to see!)

what do you think? Is it relieving to get to make your own choices in this digital world of doing all the things we live in!? If you’re here for winter wedding advice, I’ll get ya on that soon, too!

an otherworld engagement session

AH! I guess I haven’t blogged this yet!? It’s been shown over on Columbus Monthly, but here’s my quick take on some images I love from Cat + Chris’ engagement session at Otherworld…in preparation for their wedding this weekend! Cannot wait to travel to Saint Elle in Nashville (traveling! we haven’t since FOREVER!)

whenever I look back at their images I’m reminded, ooooh yeah they don’t let you use flash in there! I catch myself thinking why didn’t I…._____ excited for full creative allowance this weekend + can’t wait to see what C+C do to LED up their wedding decor!

a post of favorites - film favorites Part 1 of ?

I shared on my Insta how I had over 300 favorite of film photos, and like, who even would want to look at that many images PLUS most of them are my family (I’m biased, but those are my best work!) PLUS why would I make them into a reel. I’m nobody to just do something because the social media world says I have to! SO here’s part 1 of ??? to share my favorite, but not oversized heavy on images favorites of the year.

each roll (ish) I try to take a nice portrait of most kids, because they’ll still let me!

so that batch was within the January - August…what happened in august. Well. We have had the same photographer shoot our family photos since 2016 - because I’m a big enough believer in practicing what I preach: we go the extra mile + do whatever it takes to get Yan Palmer to our house when she travels. If you don’t know Yan, you should. She is a force. She’s part photographer part family therapist part magic! Once that session happened, I had a new found, re-woken NEED to shoot all the beauty and find all the light. Part 2 will come soon with the photos living on the coattails of Yan’s inspiration!

2022 in (wedding) florals

I’ll have to recap my dahlia flowers in another post closer to when I know if I have tubers to share. And, if that’s all nonsense to you, then just stay for the wedding images and forget it :)

The thing I love about weddings, besides everything, is seeing a color theme and design come together with the florals. A recap of all my favorites from this year below, enjoy!

truth be told I’m taking a detour and reliving those images for a second! What a fun statehouse shoot!

cannot possibly talk flowers without putting into here these amazing floral dresses that Sarah encouraged her guests to wear!

and again, full stop for Old Slate / Auburn and Ivory and their absolute genius!

phew! you made it!! wanna talk flowers!? I’m always down for that :)

pepper in some highlights

the off season is the time we photographers do all the things we try to do all year, but - for me - something’s gotta give, and it’s always the blogging and website updating!

and, as it’s Monday, there’s an advent calendar to attend to (anyone else out there scramble to get their activity in each morning before their kids wake up!?), and so I’m going to give this a little update here with some images I’m digging….hope your eyes enjoy this little visual party!