Yes, I am doing a workshop.
And I am completely excited!

But before I post all the glorious details I want to get a little bit of feedback from anyone who is interested. I know that the workshop will be a one day thing and it needs to happen the last week of February. I don't want to knock anyone out of coming because of the date and I am pretty flexible. Should it be a week day (Feb 24-26) or a weekend day (Feb 27, 28).

If you are the least bit interested please comment below your preferred date so I can post the official details and registration. Thanks friends!

***EDITED TO ADD***
YES! You can "play the game" below even if you're the parents, grandparents, family members, friends, etc. This is a chance for you to get a print credit so go for it!


Its been a while since I have done a "coming soon" blog. But here we go! Next weekend I will be doing a wedding in Key West and I would love to get all of these sessions posted on the blog in the next couple of days. This is quite a challenge (considering all the albums I am also working on - ah!!!) but its my goal and Im sticking to it.

So this weekend I did 5 photo shoots!

Beginning with a maternity session with Jesse and Miranda! They are having a baby girl! Congratulations to them!

This was my first time meeting and photographing the Lamb Family. We had so much fun!

And now for the super fun game!
The final three sessions I did this weekend were all newborn sessions. One boy and two girls:

Wade Allen, Ella Kate, and Daisy McClain

Who can guess which of these "baby detail groups" belongs to which baby?

Leave your guess as a comment and the correct guessers win a $10 credit in their proof account. You can guess on any or all of the photos and anyone can play! Good luck!!

Baby #1 :

Baby # 2 :

Baby #3 :

When I knew I was going to be in California for a week I decided to call the most beautiful couple I know. Julia and Adam Franklin. They live in Burbank and I thought a session with these two at the beach would be perfect. Plus I haven't seen them in ... uh ... 6 years. So I gave Julia a call and sadly it just wasn't going to work out with their schedule. But Julia was so awesome and she connected me with another equally beautiful couple - Shada and Mason - who were willing to come out and meet me.

Shada and Mason completely trusted me even though I was a total stranger. They picked the location (Laguna Beach) which was absolutely beautiful and perfect! And they worked it like super sexy super models the whole time. Awesome! I loved meeting this couple and I hope you love these pictures as much as I do!

Shada and Mason - thank you so much for being such perfect models and for being so much fun to work with. I loved meeting you guys!!

Its time for you to meet the most beautiful and happy family you've ever seen.

The Venzaras:

This is Nathan, Sarah, and their beautiful baby girl Emma Marie

When I visited California a week ago they were so generous. They let me stay with them, they loaned me their car, and they introduced me to some delicious new recipes!

Nathan was one of my best friends as a kid ... we went to school and church together and for a while he was my next door neighbor. He is quite a character and its no shocker to me that his daughter is full of just as much character and personality. The two of them together are quite a show:

This was the coast just a few miles from where they lived. I love California!

After we had gotten enough of the sea and sand ... we went to a second location where there was a lot of grass and weeds and some amazing California sunlight. We just don't have light like this in Tennessee. I LOVE these:

They are just so happy. And they don't just "look" happy. They really ARE that happy.

And Emma is just the snuggliest, cooing, giggler I have ever seen. I loved her rolling around in the grass!

Sarah is studying to get her certification in midwifery. As a result she knows just about everything there is to know about mothering and all that good stuff. More importantly she is madly in love with her baby girl and it shows!

The thing that is also evident is that Nathan and Sarah really love each other. This is the core of what makes a happy family.

This is Lindye Galloway
She is an amazing event planner but today she was an amazing model! She was our "bridesmaid" model. But her dress was pretty enough to look a bride too. I loved it!

Bridesmaid Dress: Swoon (www.swoondress.com)

And my own personal special thanks goes to Jessica for being so willing to share what you know and how you do what you love so well. It was so wonderful to meet you and get to hang out! Thank you for everything!

A while back I posted that I would be taking some time off during December and January. I really needed some "me time" to refresh and find some new inspiration. I want 2010 to be a really amazing year for me and my business (which is really just me!).

So the big highlight during my time off is that I took a trip to California for a big photo workshop with one of my hero photographers: Jessica Claire, http://www.jessicaclaire.net

I have SO many gorgeous photos to post I don't even know where to begin. This is just a sneak peak because there are a TON more of these beautiful images that I will post later this week.

There were SO many people involved in the styling, decor, set up, details, etc. You just wouldn't believe! Some of the amazing folks involved are:

Just one more favorite before I move on. I promise there are a million more of these coming soon. You have got to check back soon to see them!

While I was in California my generous friends Nathan and Sarah let me stay with them for the entire week. They also loaned me a car for the entire time and fed me a lot of delicious food. Nathan was one of my very best friends through high school and its such a treat to get to spend time with him and see his family grow!!! He and Sarah have a brand new baby girl, Emma Marie. They are the happiest little family ever - so I think these photos are pretty wonderful.

Emma Marie. She is full of curiosity and personality. I am not sure I've ever met a happier baby. She smiled and giggled almost the whole week I was there! She is a beautiful baby girl with a head full of hair and heart full of wonder. I love her!

Sarah is perfect for motherhood. I love the sheer joy of this one.
And good Lord that California sunlight!

I met this fantastic couple by way of my friends Adam and Julia Franklin. Adam and Julia weren't able to meet with me because of scheduling conflicts - which bummed me out. But my friend Julia so generously connected me to this lovely couple Shada and Mason - who just so happened to be super models.

They were also hilarious to work with and we had so much fun climbing around on rocks and watching the sun set.

I am so excited about starting of 2010 with some really amazing stuff! I can't wait to show you more of these sessions this week ... then I have FIVE more photo shoots this weekend to be followed by a wedding in Key West the last weekend of this month. Its going to be pretty much fabulous and very busy here on the blog for the next while. Stay tuned my friends. And lets get some comments going in 2010 - I love to know you're out there!

The day after Christmas I flew up to Michigan to spend several days with my boyfriend Nick and his family. Nick's parents (Steven and Maureen) live in this beautiful house (that Steve built!).





Just behind the house is a huge pond.




Yes, we attempted a skate on the pond. No one was permanently hurt. I don't have anything else to tell you about that experience and there are no pictures thankfully! But here is a cute one of our skates. Those evil things.




One lovely frigid day Nick and I decided to visit the Matthaei Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor with Nick's sister Melissa and her fiance' (whose name is also Nick). The botanical gardens had an indoor conservatory where it was warm and humid and full of so many gorgeous plants and flowers.

Here is an official picture of me and my sweetie:




So it turns out that I really love to photograph plants. Go figure.








I love this picture of Nick (good grief, I love it!) I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. Not only is he the most handsome thing God ever made, but he also loves to have his picture taken. I am one happy photographer girlfriend.




The conservatory was the perfect spot for this session. It was absolutely freezing outside ... and inside here was so warm and cozy. Plus it had the look of the outdoors and since the roof was made of glass we practically had outdoor lighting too. We didn't even plan it! Honest.










Here is a slide show with a few more images of Melissa and Nick:


P.S. Happy New Year from me and Nick!

I photographed this adorable couple's wedding earlier in 2009. Later in the year Hallie was a bridesmaid at another wedding where I learned that she and Cliff found out they were pregnant right after their honeymoon. Surprise! And Congratulations!!!

Here are some images from thier mini-maternity session in Elizabethton - braving the cold!

They will be the cutest mommy and daddy ever!

Hallie is so beautiful!

And ironically two of Hallie's best friends (who happen to be twin sisters) are all pregnant at the same time. What a twist! They all have different due dates of course ... but what an awesome experience to go through with your best friends. Here is just a little shot of the three of them.

I did a really good job getting all the Christmas sessions posted way before Christmas. Well all of the sessions except for one. The Lewis Family! I love this family and I can't tell you how many times we scheduled a session only to cancel it. Poor little Morgan has had the sickies all through this past season. It was tricky to make it work because they live in Elizabethton and I live in Knoxville. But finally we were able to get together and I am very happy to finally post this session!

The adorable Morgan and Marley:

Morgan and her gorgeous, curious eyes ...

Marley looking very introspective ... behind those eyes is the most joyful and wild spirit you've ever seen in a little girl. I love Marley!

The Lewis Family

Okay, now what you are about to see here is very different from anything I have ever photographed or posted here on the blog. Carey contacted me with some specific ideas for this session. She was looking for some images that she could display in her bathroom. From the ideas she sent me I gathered that she was looking for something a bit abstract and a little more artistic. I LOVED the idea and was really excited about seeing how these would turn out. I know they are a little different but I really love them. Its so exciting to me when my clients turn me lose to do something new and creative.

The bathroom session:

Thanks so much Carey, Bob, Marley, and Morgan!

This post has been a little bit delayed ... but there is a good reason. I will explain.

This beautiful belly belongs to Rachel Watson - my office manager.

She and Josh found out they were pregnant 9 months ago! They have now had their sweet little baby boy. I had to wait until after he was born to show these photos! Why? Because they were keeping his name a secret.

Its not a secret anymore!

This is Bodie Allen. He is so excited about being a big brother ... but he not completely thrilled about having to share his middle name. (tee hee)

Previously known to all as "Little Man" Watson ... Wade Allen made his big debut on none other than Christmas Day.

Welcome to the world sweet boy!

Rachel is a perfect mother.

And Merry Christmas Mom and Dad.

My favorite:

Congratulations my friends. I love you guys!