The Lucky One

It has been a great year so far with a few more weddings to go. But when Lisa told me she had booked the racing school with Bob Bailin again, I was jumping for joy! Bob, a former Director of Photography for many movies including Superman 3, now owns Feature Systems, which is a movie set equipment rental company. I have worked with Bob two times and one other time I had to refer another photographer due to a wedding scheduled.

You could not meet a nicer guy than Bob. He brings ten or so of his friends from New York and he books the entire day with SpeedTech Racing School at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The guys attend school then get one-on-one instruction driving the track. When the instructor feels confident in their abilities, the guys get 100 laps solo in a real NASCAR!

Oh, I need to mention that Bob has his own street-legal NASCAR that he trailors from New York. This car is amazing! Number 13. The car's builder, Jeffery Lyman, comes down as a guest and he is also a great driver. Bob takes his car all over the country driving the various tracks. So with the movie photography, his love of cars, and his own NASCAR, you can see why I get excited when working with him. Quite an honor!

 Monday, I arrived early at AMS to meet Randy Baker and his great SpeedTech staff. Bob walked in calling me over to discuss the plan of the day. "Randy, today is going to be different. Get a suit -- today you are driving!" My only comparision to this would be if you were a child again and on Christmas morning you rushed to see your favorite toy under the tree! "But Bob," I asked. " How will I photograph the day?"  "We'll work it out," he grinned.  I could not believe this!  I am the luckiest guy ever!

So there I was sitting in the driving school, then taking ten laps with Randy Baker in the passenger seat watching me follow the lines on the track. And soon I was solo in the car along with four other cars on the track at fifteen lap intervals. Wow, somebody pinch me! And while I was driving Bob was taking photos with my camera. I have to hang this one on the office wall!

When I was not driving I had my cameras clicking to document the day for the guys. I even got permission to put a DSLR camera in Bob's car to fire with a wireless remote while Bob cruised the track. Bob had the mount installed to video the various tracks. Since the range of my wireless remotes are 300 feet Bob let me ride along in the right seat of the #13! This alone would have made my day!

Here's the trusty Nikon mounted in the number 13:

And here we are passing slower traffic:

After 45 of my scheduled 100 laps, I decided that I needed to concentrate more on the photography. After all, I was at work.  I made sure that I had all of the guys driving and posing around the cars. Nothing but smiles all day. What a great group of guys and I felt just like one of them.

The Bakers had even catered a barbeque lunch with peach cobbler. Could it get even better? I highly recommend the SpeedTech Auto Racing Schools -- great instructors and staff, incredible race cars and people who really want you to enjoy this exciting day. There's no one to follow on the track like the other schools. You get the full racing feel.

Henry David Thoreau wrote, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."  Lisa will tell you that I have always been a dreamer, but even with my great imagination, I have never come close to thinking something like this day would happen to me! Thank you, Randy Baker and the SpeedTech staff, thank you, Jeff, who was so encouraging to my driving skills, but most of all thank you Bob who allowed this unforgettable day to take place!

Randy

 

Kelli & Shane - Not Just Another Walk in the Park

I don't think we'll forget the first consultation meeting with Kelli & Shane for their wedding photography. The smiles, the laughter, the love, and the ring! I think we all just clicked that day. Even Riley bonded with Kelli's mother like we have never seen. So when the time came for the engagement session, I was really excited.

Grant Park in Atlanta was the setting -- not for the wonderful zoo nearby, but the nice stonework, treelined walkways, and steps with that "city" feel. We were joyous to find it uncrowded as the other session we had photographed earlier this year. So at the planned meeting spot, I saw Kelli and Shane walking towards me like they just stepped out of a fashion magazine!

Often I comment that the job of any photographer after they learn the camera inside and out is to make the client relax. Only then can the real photography began. And here were my awesome clients already relaxed. Oh, this was going to be a great day!

We strolled the park when we were startled by the siren screams. I quickly asked them to kiss in the street for the implied need for a firetruck to cool the couple.

I love this park because every few steps, I see photographs not yet made. I have also learned through experience that now is the time. There is no coming back tomorrow. So when we were talking I saw the steps to the right about 40 yards away. I explained to Kelli and Shane what I saw and wanted to try. "Of course!" they said, "Let's do it!" I think we took about 30 or so images here but this one with Lisa's editing is my favorite.

And now about the ring. I believe it's over 3 carats and it is a gorgous black diamond! Wow! I like this couple!

 

It was a beautiful fall day with two special people in love, but it was not just another walk in the park!

 

Randy & Lisa

Special Offer - Enagement session included with all wedding packages!

We are now offering a free engagement session with all of our wedding packages. Our engagement session includes one hour of photography at a location of your choice. Clothing changes are allowed. You will receive the images on CD along with a permission to print letter along with a private online gallery.
The engagement sessions are a great way for us to get to know each other in a very relaxed environment. And you get to see how we work also.

Here are a few from a recent session with Leslie and Jason taken along the Chattahoochie River just North of Atlanta.

If you are looking for wedding photographers, we would love to meet with you and discuss how we can help capture your special day.

Randy and Lisa

One Million and Growing!

This week I checked our visitor stats for our galleries and I noticed that we are approaching one million views. We have been taking photos for sometime now, but to think that our photos have been viewed one million times is amazing!

We offer a free, password proctected gallery for all of our clients. We have been told that they are a wonderful way for family members who cannot attend to see the wedding photographs. Most of the 50 states and many countries are on our list of viewers.

We want to thank all of our great clients for our success and here's to one million views!

Randy and Lisa

Congratulations, Kristin & Brian! (It's a Very Small World!)

From the first phone call with Brian, I sensed the love he had for Kristin. He told me of how he had proposed on the top of the Eiffel Tower. OK, I did take Lisa to Paris on our honeymoon, but this may be the most romantic thing I have ever heard! We were excited to be a part of their wedding day.


They also added the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner to their package. I liked this so much that this will now be a part of the a la carte menu available for all packages. At the rehearsal dinner I was able to meet and talk with a lot of the family members, which I always enjoy.


The wedding was the first full wedding at the Abiding Grace Lutheran Church in Covington, Ga. This new church is graced with some amazing stained glass windows and Pastor Scharf and the staff couldn't have been any nicer.

And so the day began with Lisa meeting the bridal party at the Hair Smithsonian in McDonough, Ga.

I met the guys at one of the groomsmen, Brad McCullough and his wife Melissa's home, for some fellowship and getting ready photos. Since it only takes the guys 4 minutes to get ready, there is always time for a little 8-ball.

But before I left to meet the guys, I went to the church to set up the remote camera and gear for the ceremony. And then something incredible happened to me. While I was at the church I was finally able to speak to Kristin's father, Pastor Edward Schuppe. Our conversation began with the question of how will he handle saying the vows for his daughter. Then we talked of travels to Europe and I interjected that I had been all over Europe while serving in the Navy. "You were in the Navy? So was I, " he said. "80-84 based at Cecil Field, Fla. and served aboard the USS America" I said. "I was there also," he said. "I was in VS-32 squadron," I replied. "Captain Wood," he answered. "YOU KNOW SKIPPER WOOD? We called him TAZ for Tazmanian Devil!" I exclaimed!

So I learned that Kristin's father, Pastor Edward Schuppe, was the base Chaplain while I was at Cecil Field. In fact, he had spoken to our squadron several times including Skipper Wood's change of command ceremony where he performed a personell inspection. To think that I was formally inspected in a dress Navy uniform by this father of the bride some 27 years ago gave me chills. Then he said that Taz had even baby-sat for Kristin and her sisters. That made me laugh out loud. You see, we thought Skipper Taz was the Navy's version of General Patton. I have three rows of ribbons and awards due to him driving us to 16 hour work days and always deployed at sea. But even today I have great admiration for him. One of the strangest things is how I was drawn to Pastor Schuppe on Friday at the rehearsal dinner. Perhaps now I know why.

Pastor Jonathan Schroeder began the ceremony as Pastor Schuppe walked Kristin down the aisle.

The reception followed at Pilgreen's at Lake Dow, Mcdonough,Ga. We are blessed to be on the preferred vendor's list there and we absolutely love working with the staff at this great venue!

The getaway car was purchased new in 1955 by Brian's great grandfather and his grandfather has kept it looking like new.

It was a beautiful day and we were so blessed to have met the wonderful people and help capture memories that can be passed down for generations. And then there are memories that Lisa and I will cherish from this day.

Randy and Lisa

Congratulations Kaitlyn & Miles! "A Spring Wedding in the Country"

Having photographed Kaitlyn several times before, including her senior portraits, we were so delighted to be chosen as her wedding photographers when she and Miles set the date.

The friends and guests showered the newlyweds with popcorn as they made their stroll through the receiving line.

Kaitlyn and her mother, Patty, planned a beautiful outdoor wedding at their home. Hours and hours of work went into the little details and they even included several props for photos.

In our final meeting, we learned of the wedding party's attire and got a great feel of the wedding theme. So we brought a few props of our own including a vintage camera. Kaitlyn and Miles were naturals and sometimes we felt that we were on a movie set. What fun!

With mustaches on the bridesmaids, we wanted a serious pose much like an old "wanted poster." I was laughing so hard while standing on a ladder that I could barely keep the camera in focus.

After a delicious barbeque dinner catered by Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q in Conyers, the dancing began.

It was a beautiful day created by lots of friends and family. Congratulations to you, Kaitlyn & Miles!

Randy & Lisa