Seems Like Yesterday...

It is always a pleasure to photograph families. Our relationship with Calvin and Nicole began several years ago with their engagement session. Since then we have had the pleasure to watch their family grow through our lens. It seems like yesterday that I received a call from Calvin at the hospital to photograph their newborn son. And it was this week that we recorded his one year photographs. What a cute child!






















Both children were a joy to work with, very relaxed and cooperative. Thanks Nicole for timing the nap! And dressed in outfits that said "Spring".






































I see our little Riley daily so it is only when I look back at photographs of her that I see the growth. But when I see Calvin and Nicole's children every few months, I have to say wow.

I have written before about saving time in a bottle. And the closest thing that I have found to saving time is in photographs. I am glad when several of our clients like Calvin and Nicole see the importance in photographs of their young children.

Randy

Congratulations Tiffany and Salvatore!

While the winds and thunderstorms raged around outside, inside Lambert Place in Midtown Atlanta, there was a celebration. The weather predictions called for rain all day so we went to plan "B" for our outdoor photos. When I met with the groom and his groomsmen at the hotel in Buckhead, I had to smile as the sun filled the secluded park. Against all odds, we got some good outside photographs. Atlanta weather can be so unpredictable.

Lisa enjoyed the same as she captured the bride getting ready in her home. I was really proud of Lisa for the shots she was able to get.

































Tiffany brought some great photo ideas and we all had some big laughs making them happen. It has been a while since I have seen a bride smile and laugh so much.














I saw the spot lights on the dance floor and quickly turned off the flash and dialed in the available light. I like how the guests stayed back from the floor to make the bride and groom appear that they were all alone.




















The ceremony was so beautifully filled with smiles, love, joy, and laughter. I did not even know there was a monsoon outside until I went to get fresh batteries. Only later did I learn of the fierce storms and high winds in the metro area.

I cannot take credit for teaching Lisa. She is an artist that is awakening. I do love watching her work and, the truth be known, I am learning from her.

Here's another shot that Lisa nailed just after the ceremony -- sure to be a part of their family history.














As we headed outside for their departure, the rain had cleared and there awaited the classic Rolls Royce limo...Wow!

Once again, Lisa records the moment in the photojournalistic style.














Thanks Tiffany and Salvatore for trusting us with your treasured day. We had so much fun! Best wishes to the both of you!

Randy

An Almost Perfect Day

This week's weather in Atlanta began with light snow in the 30's on Monday, windy and 40's on Tuesday. But on Thursday it was nice! And thanks to the spring break at the local schools, we had a smooth drive to Kennesaw, Georgia for a morning engagement session.

We first met Katie and Michael at the Georgia Bridal Show and then again for a one-on-one consultation. They were so relaxed around us that I felt really good about our photo shoot.

Taking advantage of the morning light, we positioned them to let the sun backlight their hair.

Less than five minutes into the shoot we had some great photographs. A great start! We drove to several other locations including the mountain view and the local city square.

We are very flexible with our engagement sessions. Multiple locations are a great way to add some variety to the selection of photographs received

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I feel like I have known Katie and Michael for years already. Full of smiles and so relaxed, throughout the day we gave only minimal directions. We are looking forward to photographing their wedding.

As I downloaded the images to my laptop for editing, I smiled. This is why I love what we do - an almost perfect day.

Randy

Navy Aircraft Pilots and NASCAR Drivers - a lesson learned?

This week had me recalling a now humorous event from my days in the Navy. I was an aircraft electrician returning to the aircraft carrier aboard a S-3 Viking aircraft. After many sudden jerking moves to test me, the pilot asked me how I was doing. "I'm just fine! You can't scare me!" The two pilots turned and looked at each other with wide grins. In an instant we were flying sideways with one wing straight up in the air pulling some serious G's!

I dug up a photo from the Navy days. That's me walking on the left in my "Old Navy" garb aboard the USS America somewhere in the Indian Ocean. Fearless, but isn't everyone at 20 years old?

This week had me shooting at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Bob Bailin, a New York Director of Photography and the CEO of Feature Systems Inc., brought his new street legal NASCAR to drive on the track along with some friends taking the SpeedTech Racing School.

Bob Bailin #13

This car is impressive. Jeff Lyman of Jeffrey's Auto Body, Inc. has delivered a drivable work of art! What attention to detail! A brilliant idea for advertising Feature Systems lighting equipment and grip on a street legal head-turner. Nice work!

What fun I had following the guys around and photographing them driving the SpeedTech cars. They insisted that racing instructor and former NASCAR driver Randy Baker take me around for a few hot laps. "Sure," I said, "that would be great!" Then something was said about me being scared and needing a diaper. Ha! You guessed it. I said it. "You can't scare me!" The next few minutes I will relive for all of my days to come. My words can't bring me close to describing the exhilaration and excitement of riding in a NASCAR around AMS several feet from the wall at 175mph! I didn't get scared, in fact, I was yelling at the top of my lungs for joy! After the ride, I asked Randy just how fast we were going. "About 175 mph," he said.

I can still close my eyes and feel the ride in the S-3 aircraft as we landed on the carrier catching the wire with the tailhook and my body still shakes from the ride with Randy Baker in the #3 Dale Earnhardt car. But there is something that I will forget and I have erased from my vocabulary - something about "can't scare me!"

Thanks Bob Bailin for an unforgettable weekend!

Randy

A Week of Variety

Saturday, a week ago, Lisa and I were chosen to photograph Strong Rock Christian School's Spring Dance. Since the theme was "Star's Night Out" we chose one of the new 3-D system muslins with an Oscar setting. We had lots of fun and hope to work more of these events. Here is a photograph from the dance. The 3-D muslin was nice to work with!

Earlier that day, we had another wonderful portrait session with Gina and Scott and their beautiful family. Their children's eyes are so blue! I should have had the video camera rolling to capture all of the laughter we had.

































Later in the week, I was at the Gresham Motorsports Garage photographing Max and Charlie Gresham. I have been following these guys since the Legend Series at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2006 and I was always impressed with their driving skills. I had lots of fun working in their garage with some edgy lighting for their "Hero" shoot.

Max Gresham

























































Charlie Gresham


































Last Saturday, the 28th, 15 year-old Max became the youngest driver ever to win an ASA Southeast Tour main event by winning in Mobile and then placing a solid top ten finish in Pensacola on Sunday. What a way to start the season! I look for big things coming from this top notch team. Max had jokingly said that he was blind from the photoshoot, so I was relieved to learn that his sight was just fine on Saturday!

We do take lots of photographs on our sessions. It is our goal to deliver images above and beyond your expectations.

Randy

Spring!

Once again, I write this entry from our patio because it is Spring! The sounds of the birds combined with the splashing and gurgling of the garden pond waterfall makes a very relaxing place to work. If there is a negative to it, then it would be the urge to close my eyes and relax even more! Here is an early morning view from where I sit.

It is still a work in progress as I continue to add plants and flowers. All of the work throughout the winter will soon be awakening to a new life. I have forgotten where some of the bulbs were planted, so it's always a pleasant surprise to see them poke through the soil during my daily stroll. We usually see deer back here 3 or 4 days a week; in fact, we get many visitors such as rabbits, squirrels, turtles, cats, dogs, lizards, hawks, owls, many song birds, and even a lost pet goat one time.

Our photography bookings are increasing and I am very excited for what the future holds in store for us.

When is the last time you have had your portrait taken? Give us a call or email to schedule your session.

Randy

I have become "That" parent

I have always said that I was not going to be the type of parent who dresses up their child in silly outfits and then parade them around the town.

It all started when Grand-Ma-Ma bought our daughter, Riley, a really nice rocking horse for Christmas. Riley looks so cute on "Blaze". She hugs her and smiles all around her. And what do I do but suggest a cowboy hat for some photos. Only problem was when we got the hat, Lisa and I thought we would just go to the boot section of the store and have a look. Well, there they were the perfect matching boots and it didn't help that all who saw her stopped, stared, and commented on her cuteness. Riley loved her boots and even made extra steps to hear the clicking of her heels on the wooden floor. Okay maybe we'll buy big and she'll get extra use from them? Either way she wasn't taking them off that night. So we left the store now proud owners of a cowgirl hat and cowgirl boots.

Which leads me to today with the afternoon free and Riley happily awakening from her afternoon nap. We donned her new cowgirl garb and setup Blaze for some photos.







































In less than 10 minutes we were satisfied with our little cowgirl's photos. I wish it was always that easy.

So as I edit the photos from the shoot, I then realized than I have become "that" parent. What next I ask? Bunnies? Fairies? And it was then that I thought that I am just a normal parent enjoying the gift of our precious little girl and soaking in every day of this experience...and it is okay to be "that" parent.

Randy