March 3, 2020

What’s your why?

Two weeks ago, I spent 3 days at Photo Native in Santa Barbara, California. I attended mostly because I wanted some warm sunshine and palm trees in my life during dreary, North Carolina February. #honest Most of the attendees appeared younger than me, and shared that they were mostly green in the industry. I learned I am part of the 2% of photographers who make it past year 10…. 60% quit after just one year. There was lots of philosophical talk about “your why.” (which honestly, makes me roll my eyes…. real hard) Why do you do what you (I) do? But that’s not what this post is about…. you see, at breakfast on the last morning I was chatting with a few others and I shared the story of why I had wanted photos taken at a specific point in time, and it’s not the mushy-gushy “capture the moment” crap either. (I hate myself for not closing the laundry room door in these photos) First, the photographer. It was late 2012 when I booked the session with Jonathan Canlas. I had fallen in love with his work and when I found out he was coming to Charleston, SC I jumped at the chance to book a shoot with him (He resides in Hawaii). I had read his book, Film Is Not Dead and wanted to absorb all the information he had to offer…. I felt like, what better way to learn from him than to have him photograph us, and bonus, we’ll have beautiful photos afterwards. Second, and more importantly…. we were building a new house, with massive wall space. I wanted beautiful photographs to fill them. When picking outfits for Jeremy and I to wear, I specifically chose pieces that would coordinate with the decor of the house. I reverse engineered my own session without realizing it, knowing “my why” before having these photos taken, before Jon ever landed in Charleston or pushed the shutter once. Before I ever saw the gallery, these photographs had a purpose. I share this story to ask you what is your why?Are you just looking for good photos to share of your family on social media? A quick Christmas card or birth announcement? Or do you have a bigger plan? Are you wanting prints to fill a void, and beautify your home? Are you looking for an heirloom book that can be passed on for generations? I challenge you to think about what you want the photos for…. before you ever book your session. Fun fact about that session we did with Jon…. I bought six 11×14 prints, and not a single digital file. I do not regret it at all.
February 11, 2020

Knox | 4 Months

About a month ago baby Knox and his parents dropped by the “studio” for some 4 month photos. We are using the term “studio” veeeeerrrrrryyy loosely. Basically, it’s a glorified shed with electricity. Jeremy is still working on figuring out the permit at this point, but I am getting impatient. Hopefully, by the end of the year this space will have a kitchen, bathroom and space to photograph cuties like this. We are realllllly hoping to have Kate’s 3rd birthday here, but I’m not holding my breath for August. Knox got to model two of the items in my client wardrobe…. the white, cable-knit sweater and the smocked bubble. Fun fact: I bought that bubble when I was pregnant with Kate, before we knew she was a girl! I hope you will come play for studio sessions on March 28! And don’t worry, we will be in a legit space…. not my “studio” haha!
January 17, 2020

Travel | Europe Trip

I finally got ally my Europe photos organized (and sent off to be printed!!!!) this week, so I thought I’d share a little about our trip… where we went, stayed, what we did…. This trip was to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary (and Jeremy’s birthday since we were there on his birthday). So, we booked our flight to Europe (London) out of NYC. It’s so much cheaper to fly to Europe out of NYC or Boston… so check there if you are on a budget. We had vouchers from our Key Largo trip last spring that covered our NYC/London flights round trip! We flew from Charlotte to NYC and hand enough time to ride into the city, eat lunch, visit Ground Zero and Central Park. We stored our luggage at the airport for a small fee. While there, I also did my Global Entry appointment in about 30 seconds… it was glorious. We boarded to London that night for a red eye. It was pretty awful if I’m being honest. Red eye flights in coach suck…. big time. Neither of us slept at all so when we got to London we were cranky, dehydrated and just miserable. We toughed it out, got lunch and headed to our next gate. We flew to Athens and landed late afternoon. We took a taxi to our hotel, Hotel Hera. I used American Airline miles to book a free night there. It was wonderful!! Such an amazing location at the base of Acropolis, quaint (tiny) rooms and a yummy rooftop restaurant! Highly recommend that hotel! We ate dinner, came back to the room and crashed about 9PM. Jeremy had set his alarm for like 11PM to face-time Kate. I barely remember him doing this. I woke up the next morning and it was 10AM!! We had been up about 36 hours straight, so 13 hours of sleep was much needed, but we wanted to site see before going to the airport. We literally jumped out of bed, brushed our teeth, threw our stuff in bags, dropped them at the front desk and bolted up to Acropolis. We had about 90 minutes to get there, site see and get back to our hotel for our taxi ride to the airport. We made it, but it was a whirlwind! I wish we had 1 more night in Athens. We arrived in Santorini mid afternoon and took a pre-arranged transfer to our hotel. We stayed at Strogilli Traditional Houses. The hotel was fine. It was well priced to be in Oia, but we were in a very basic room up at the street. While convenient, I wish we had splurged for something a little nicer. We walked into Oia each day which was really nice. We figured out the bus system and took a bus to Fira (the capital where all buses run) and caught a second bus to Perissa to see the black beach. I had read the restaurants have chairs with umbrellas and if you order food/drink you can sit there as long as you like. We ordered beers and a gyro that was delicious! Thursday we had a sunset cruise booked. It was our only real splurge of the trip and worth every single penny!! You board early afternoon, make several swim stops, the deckhands cook you lunch, show you sites and then you park for sunset. It was amazing, definitely a highlight of the trip! The next morning we caught the bus back to Fira. Jeremy waited with our stuff at the bus station while I went into the town to get us breakfast. Croissants and cokes would do! We took them with us to the airport and ate outside in their lounge area before going inside. The airport was very small (under renovation though) and only had 1 or 2 gates. The gates were literally just passed security, so you could not go through security until right before your flight was scheduled to board. We flew directly back to London from Santorini which was great. We ate lunch on the plane, and landed late afternoon. We took the tube to the area we were staying, Shoreditch…. and quickly realized we were not cool enough to be staying there! I booked the CitizenM using points for 3 nights. The rooms were very cool, but a lot like a cruise ship stateroom. The giant king bed went from wall to wall, and furniture was built-in. We picked the hotel because it was about half way from all the London sites to Tottenham stadium where the Panthers were playing. We ate dinner the first night and met up with our friends Stephen and Andrea for drinks and site seeing. London was wet…. so wet. We tried to make the best of it, but I didn’t take many photos because #rain. We flew back to NYC the morning after the game. We landed about 11AM NYC time, and had a 4PM flight booked back to CLT. We had been told there was no way we would be able to catch a 130PM flight because of customs…. wrong. Remember I said I had done my Global Entry appointment when we left out of NYC? Yeah, we were through customs in like 10 minutes. We went to the counter and paid a small fee to change our flights to 130… and still had time to eat lunch! This was big for 2 reasons… 1. Not burning daylight in an airport and 2. I had to drive to Georgia that night, after getting some laundry done. If we had taken our original flight, I would not have seen Kate before leaving again… so that small fee was worth every penny! This was certainly a trip of a lifetime. I hope we make another Europe trip happen before our 20th anniversary!
June 20, 2017

Wedding | Jockey’s Ridge

I’ve waited patiently to share these images with you… they are some of my absolute favorites! I love how they showcase just how varied the landscape of North Carolina can be! You might second guess me, but I assure you these were shot at Jockey’s Ridge during The Film Gathering last fall. This has quickly become one of my favorite events to attend as a photographer, it’s laid back, but chalk full of connections, conversation and open sharing of information. It’s nice to be in a non-competitive environment as a creative for once… business can get so caddy and secretive, it’s nice that this is a space the polar opposite! All images are Portra 400 or 800, developed by The FIND Lab. Caroline and Bram were lovely enough to model for us, and the following vendors supplied us with some top notch goodies to photograph! Styling: Michelle Wright Events Hair & Makeup: Michelle Clark Flowers: Cotton Social Paper Goods: Alley & Co. Dress Designer: Claire Lafaye Tiara: Melinda Rose Design Ring & Earrings: Susie Saltzman Mens Jacket: Billy Reid Ribbon: Hanah Silk Ring Box: The Mrs Box Flatware, Chargers, Salt Cellars: Casa De Perrin Plates: Neiman Marcus Candle Holders & Napkins: Michelle Wright Events Candles: Yummi Candles     
June 6, 2017

Wedding | Jake & Christin

I could shoot weddings like Jake and Christin’s over and over and over and over! They had family come in from all over that had never met (including their parents!), so they opted to rent a large home on the Denver side of Lake Norman for everyone to stay in. It was cost effective and made for a beautifully, intimate setting to tie the knot. I arrived to the house buzzing with excitement, Christin’s dad lead me inside, to meet the happy couple, who were dressed and ready in the kitchen… such a refreshing pace from the regular 8-10 hour wedding days I typically work. They said their “I do’s” on the rear veranda of the home, Christin wore a sweet lace dress and Jake donned a navy blazer and pink tie, to match Christin’s killer Jimmy Choo heels. This wedding is also proof, you don’t need to hire me for a full day of coverage. About an hour of my time is all they needed to memorialize their big day! To view all images from Christin & Jake’s wedding day, click here! (all orders placed within the first week are 20% off!)      
February 21, 2017

Wedding | The Must Haves vs. The Nice To Haves

First, thank you so much for all your kind words last week… it’s surreal to have it out and public… part of me is so fearful that now something awful will happen… but I am trying to focus on the good…. and that I have no signs on anything wrong! On to today’s topic… everyone’s favorite word, budget. This is not a post telling you what you should or can expect to spend… let’s get that straight. This is advice on allocating the budget you have to get the most from it… in my opinion.     When we got married, I kept a running spreadsheet of what I had spent… and at the end, I couldn’t believe how all the small items added up so fast… things that were so insignificant. Below is a list of certain items I think are necessities: Bride Groom Venue Officiant Photographer Witnesses Invitations Let that sink in…. everything else is just nice to have. Seriously. When I say “bride & groom”, I literally mean YOU and your significant other just showing up… and when I say “venue” that doesn’t necessarily mean a traditional wedding venue… this could be your back yard, park, etc. Legally, you need a someone to marry you, a couple of witnesses… and you need to inform them of the occasion. Your goal is to get married, don’t lose sight of that. Remember when Chandler kept calling his and Monica’s wedding “a party” and she was pissed? He wasn’t wrong. We can call a reception a reception all day long, but it’s a party. The following is the “nice to have” list. Food Coordinator Flowers Music Videographer Pretty decor Bridal party stuff   Now… I wanted to make a list of insignificant expenses… things that no one will notice if they aren’t there. This will help free up some of your budget to afford the items on the nice to have list… or splurge on the necessities list: Expensive hangers… you know the ones… for THEE dress shot. Seriously guys, I can find a non-hideous hanger, and a lot of times I keep one in my car! Don’t waste precious dollars here if funds are limited. Expensive ($23.53 with shipping) vs. Grab one out of your coat closet ($0) or if you must spend on a prettier one…. Container Store ($7.99) Monogrammed cocktail napkins. Are they pretty? Yep. ($75) Are they any more useful than the 1040 pack from Costco? Nope.  This can also apply to other linens… skip table runners (~$20ea), and chair covers ($1ea) Crazy bridal party gifts. The copious amount of robes, slippers, pajamas, etc. can blow a budget…. those Pretty Plum Sugar robes are adorable… but good God, if you have just 5 gals… you’ll drop $340… and you know that won’t be all you gift them. A common gift is a piece of jewelry to don on the big day… give a pair of pretty earrings with a heartfelt note, and call it a done. Cake toppers. Yes, they can be cute or pretty… you justify the price by calling it a “keepsake”… but it’s just going to collect dust and be that thing you move 18 times and can’t bring yourself to part with, so avoid the hassle and don’t buy one to begin with. Have your florist provide some loose blooms to stick up there and be done with it. YOU’RE CUTTING IT TO PIECES AFTER-ALL. (~$50) Party favors. What is this, a six year olds birthday party? No one needs your goodie bag filled with…. candy (I’m guilty of this one), seeds, plants, cupcakes, popcorn, shot glass, etc. to take home to “remember your wedding” (~$3ea) Kid stuff. Again, I’m guilty of this. Reality is… it’s  not your job to entertain the kids that come to your wedding. As someone who’s going to be a parent soon, I cannot imagine taking a child to a wedding. That seems like a horrible time for me, so I don’t expect you to provide my kids toys, stations, special food, etc. to keep them happy.  (~$10ea) Extra paper stuff. Besides an invitation (which I do still think should be on paper and sent snail mail) everything else is fluff. Table numbers, escort cards, guest books, save-the-date cards,  fancy calligraphy envelopes, etc. are just not necessary. ($400) Transportation. We all manage to get ourselves from point A to point B every day… why is this day any different? Renting fancy limos, vintage cars, car service, trolleys, or buses can be convenient… and I do think in some cases are a safety feature if booze will flow heavily…. but isn’t that what uber is for? ($600) Some of the dollar amounts above are spot on (I Googled) and others are estimates… so let’s base it on a 150 person wedding with 10 kids in attendance and 10 tables…. I just bought you over $2300 to use somewhere else! I mean… that’s the wedding album/string quartet/Manolos you thought you couldn’t afford. You’re welcome. Now…. as a photographer, I’m the FIRST to tell you how much I love photographing these things…. I mean, a vintage car and pretty paper goods top my list of details that make my heart sing… but if you not having those things means you can now allocate money to something that matters more to you, do it! So here’s my list of must haves… again, in my opinion… A dress you feel pretty in A beautiful bridal bouquet (it will be in ALL your photos… so don’t get a dinky one… skimp on bridesmaid bouquets or centerpieces instead) An outfit he looks great in A nice invitation (I did not say expensive) Floor length linens (seeing table legs is like seeing spanx!)… only exception is if you are doing some pretty wood tables or something. A venue with or adjacent to pretty outdoor space  (even if you’re not utilizing it for your ceremony or reception, you will take photos out there. It doesn’t have to be huge, a pretty courtyard will do fine) Yummy food… which could be fried chicken for all I care… it’s still yummy. A beverage. We served local, keg beer and cheap, tasty wine! Good music. A bad DJ can ruin a party… spend wisely, as your friends will remember “the party”… pllllleeeeeaaasssse don’t put someone in charge of an iPod. A coordinator. Someone to wrangle vendors, light candles, refill your glass, and deal with the drama you don’t know is happening…. is invaluable!   I challenge you to examine things you purchase when planning your wedding, and ask yourself “Is this going to make my wedding memorable and/or is this important to me, and why?” **This post stemmed from a fellow disgruntled wedding vendor who was overly annoyed with brides haggling or walking away from their services for a relatively small amount. She was frustrated because she (and all of us) keep seeing brides spending money on meaningless items and then passing up higher end things that should matter. We lose clients and thus paychecks because of this stuff guys….  Don’t look back at your wedding and think… “man, I wish I hadn’t bought X and spent that money on a a better DJ/Food/Photographer/etc.”
January 24, 2017

Wedding | Advice from a photographer

It’s that time again. Time for me to give you my unsolicited advice on selecting a wedding photographer. Here we go… hold tight. Like the style the photographer shoots/edits in. Duh. Except not really… please never send a photographer a Pinterest board of “what you like” because if you don’t like what’s already on THEIR website, don’t hire them. Period.  It’s incredibly insulting for someone to be like, “I like this better than what you do…” #eyeroll  You’d loose your lunch if you knew how often this happens. Stopit.  On the same note… if you’re getting married at night, under the stars, refuse a first look (which is OK!), think twice about hiring a photographer that shows nothing but daylight, afternoon images on their site. I’m not saying they cannot handle what you want, but they probably don’t prefer that setting. If photography is important to you… Don’t let you cousin with a nice camera shoot your wedding photos. I completely understand that photography is not always a priority to couples, and that is OK. Maybe great food or a great band tops your list of important things, perfectly fine…. but for the love of all things sacred…. hire a professional for the important stuff (ceremony and formal portraits). Just an hour or two of coverage will be pretty inexpensive, make room in the budget for it! Inspect the products offered. I know, I know… getting the digital files is king these days, but hear me out. Get SOMETHING printed professionally…. because this is what’s going to happen…. you will get your digital download code or thumb drive in the mail… you’ll scroll through the images, ohhhing and ahhhing, reminiscing and then that’s it. You might post a few to Facebook or Instagram. What on earth will you look at when you lost the downloads, your computer crashes or that thumb drive is now obsolete? I’m not saying you need to drop 5k on prints or albums, but get something nice, that’s also color correct. If you take that flash drive to Walgreens, don’t expect anything but disappointment. Your skin might look orange, the church might look green… you get the point. They don’t operate with color correct machinery, and don’t really care because their game is laundry soap and prescription drugs. Do you trust your pharmacist to produce beautiful images? Nope. Respect the photographers talent and time. If a $6000 photographer is over budget, don’t lead them on with meetings and emails. However, if you have a less popular date or are getting married within a few weeks of inquiring, you may have a bargaining tool in your favor. January, February and December are the least popular here in NC, so you might get a break there…. as well if you are having a super short engagement. I happily entertain all budgets, but be realistic about what you might get for the budget. You won’t be getting all day coverage and a quality album for $1000.OK…. I’ve said my peace on what I think 🙂