good golly miss tissa!

i definitely can't call myself a fashion photographer, but on a few extra exciting occasions i get the chance to work with some mighty fine faces. watch latissa work it...

high and mighty

there are lots of perks to being a photographer. i get to meet interesting people, capture their moments, and give them a memory that they can't possibly forget - at least not unless they destroy the evidence...then again, i always keep an extra copy. ;)

as staff photographer for both wake living and fifteen501 magazines i've had several opportunities to shoot some exciting stuff. i had one of those chances on monday when we took a ride with ed fritsch, president and ceo of highwoods properties, to the top of the brand-spankin'- new rbc plaza - so new in fact that i noticed a few walls were missing.

rbc plaza, expected to be completed in late 2008, will soon boast the title of the tallest tower in downtown raleigh. when the elevator stopped on the 23rd floor (the lowest floor of residential space in the mixed-use tower), mr. fritsch pointed to a condominium balcony and noted that "this is the worst view in the entire building." that "worst view" was breathtaking. he then stopped to borrow my camera and snap a shot of me in dreamland.

back to the elevator we went (did i mention that the elevator is currently hanging from the OUTSIDE of the building?) and up to the top. so my answer is no, this was not taken from a helicopter. and yes...this is the first photo shoot i've done in a hard hat!

once upon a time

with six...count 'em, six proms under my belt, i couldn't help on saturday but think back to the awkward frozen smiles of the always memorable pre-prom afternoon. you know, the moms and grandmas ooh-ing and ah-ing at their beautiful children with cameras in hand, and the dads with the shotguns waiting at the door for the date...maybe that was just at my house. :)

i was lucky enough to jump right in the middle of all that excitement in roxboro on saturday to capture a few extra-cool moments at the newsome residence. kinda made me want to take it back to northampton county high school-east for a little boys II men and electric sliding.

i don't remember ever looking this pretty at the prom!

back to the beach

i've been looking forward to christmas in july for some time now, and thanks to cara and martin, that's exactly what we'll have on the 19th! i'm told that santa might even make an appearance at their reception. (imagine the unique photo-ops there!)

i just had the pleasure of taking a trip with the funny couple to wilmington to do their engagement session. 4 hours in the car and not a dull moment. i've decided that engagement sessions are my favorite. i get the rare opportunity to get to know the couple on a regular ol' non-wedding day - stress-free, family-free, and fun-focused. cara and martin happen to be hilarious (and i'm pretty sure that cara and i may have been separated at birth). i can't wait to do more!

i'm baaaaack!

i made up my mind to start this blog months ago...and how many times have you heard from me since? that would be a big fat zero. my new promise - updates, updates, and updates often. here goes...

i just wrapped up one of the most fun portrait weekends i've had yet. saturday nearly killed me with three sessions - a ridiculously beautiful couple in downtown raleigh, a sweet and fun family in brier creek, and a hilarious husband and wife-to-be in wilmington. i had a blast (and a freight train couldn't have awakened me once i hit the bed). it was sooooo very worth it!

here's a sneak preview of my morning session with jessie and mike hrivnak. jessie and i have worked together on the planning committee for the big bad ball, and annual benefit for hospice of wake county for the last 4 years. (take a look at http://www.bigbadball.com/ for more info about this year's event!) she and her husband mike made this one of the most fun shoots i've ever had the opportunity to do.

jessie likes to tell me i look like carrie underwood (i think she's crazy). after seeing these photos, i think i've found the long-haired and brunette version of posh and becks. who knew they were right here in raleighwood?! :)