Sandfoot Photography: RAW

Change is good...

2010-06-18T06:45:00.000-07:00

thanks to all for waiting so patiently (and impatiently - you gave me some laughs) for the big announcement this week! it's time that i share the news and i couldn't be more excited to do it! there are essentially three things that you need to know:

1) sandfoot photography will no longer be operating solely out of the back seat of my car, the third bedroom in my home, or the closest starbucks - WHOOO-HOOO! we're moving to a new location in uptown roxboro and can't wait to make that change! i'm most excited to finally have an awesome place to display all of your beautiful faces!

2) sandfoot photography will no longer be an all-inclusive photography business, but will focus entirely on weddings, bridals, engagements, and all things wedding-related. aside from a very cool product uplift and a few new options for our much-loved brides coming soon, absolutely nothing will change with our weddings. you'll still get the service and style you came for.

3) HERE'S THE BIG ONE. now that you're slightly panicked by the thought of losing family, children and senior portraits at sandfoot photography (if you're not, i'm pretending you are), i'm excited to announce the launch of a new portrait studio to cover it all, and it's even better than anything we could offer before.

STUDIO YOU is a collaboration photography studio specializing in lifestyle portraiture including maternity, babies, children, families, and seniors BOTH on-location (just like before), and in our super-cool studio. the collaboration was happily created as a partnership between sandfoot photography and lianna's photography of roxboro. so, sandfoot followers, some of you know her already, but if you don't, meet my new friend and partner in crime, lianna slaughter.

please check out our new website at http://www.studioyouphotography.com/ for bios, background, galleries, and more info. STUDIO YOU is located at 34 court street in uptown roxboro (also the new home of sandfoot photography), and we'll keep you posted on a grand opening event coming soon. we hope you'll come out and see us!

thanks again to all who have helped us through this process. we coudn't have done it without you. and finally to our awesome followers and clients, we can't wait to see your face through our lenses!

boots, bands & bulls

2010-04-12T17:20:00.000-07:00

alan and i had the absolute honor to finally meet the fine folks at Brittany's Battle on sunday at the organization's 2nd annual Boots, Bands & Bulls event, held at the longbranch. i've been so fortunate to have had the opportunity to get to know so many caring and wonderful people through my lens in these 3 short years i've been in business, and i can certainly say that this group is running at the top of the pack.

the event was kicked off by local musicians scott mccreery and kevin lee, and both put on a great show for the crowd. by 4:30, the place was pumped for jason michael carroll, n.c.'s own national recording artist and honorary chairman for Brittany's Battle. in the next hour and a half, jason and his band brought the crowd from excitement to laughter, to tears, to hope, and back to excitement in one of the best live performances i've ever seen. here are a few of our favorite images from the awesome day.

Brittany's Battle, Inc. was founded in memory of Brittany Coppedge, a young lady that is still very obviously loved by so many, and who lost her own fight with lung cancer at age 19 in 2006. the organization is dedicated to raising awareness about lung cancer as well as raising funds to help support other families facing their own battle with cancer. for more information and to find out how you can get involved, please visit http://www.brittanysbattle.org/.

mr. & mrs. mccall

2010-03-31T13:15:00.000-07:00

i had another first time experience this month when i visited the wake county courthouse with two of my most favorite friends - alana and ray. the plan was to meet them after they tied the knot for a celebratory photo session, but timing was on our side and it just so happened that i was able to join their families and witness (with proof on the camera to prove it) as they took the plunge to be together forever!

marriage is an enormous commitment whether it's done at the fanciest cathedral or in the backyard (or at the courthouse!), and i wasn't about to allow them to miss out on freezing their big moment for generations to see! it was a special day for this couple and for their families, and it's certainly one that i will never forget. just LOOK at this beautiful love:

my how we've grown

2010-03-17T11:52:00.000-07:00

until last saturday, i've only seen the beautiful miss cammi a handful of times since this photo was taken of us at the beach (i'm guessing about 15 years ago). we laughed about how things have changed - i'm an old married woman and she's a senior in high school! it means the world to me to get to photograph moments like these. thanks ladies (and gentleman) for making it such a blast!

here comes baby creef

2010-03-11T05:50:00.000-08:00

i had the exciting opportunity to work with nikki and wes last month to document the beautiful new belly this mom-to-be is sporting. i imagine that by now they're more than ready to welcome their baby girl into the world! here's to the incredible days (and nights) ahead for this new family!

good luck to you both - i can't wait to meet that baby girl!!!

riddick

2010-03-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

it doesn't matter how old i get (and i know i'm not that old...still...), it's always a little crazy to meet the babies of good old friends. it's sometimes unbelievable to think that we're all old enough to be a real person's parents!

some very thoughtful folks gave julie and jim a sandfoot photography portrait session as a baby gift (gift certificates are always available!) and i was fortunately able to drop in and see the new parents in action last month at their home. riddick is AMAZING. he was such a good baby for his session and if he hadn't looked just like his daddy's mini-me, i wouldn't have believed i was looking at jim bain's baby! (just kidding jim.)

congratulations julie and jim! he's every bit as handsome as i expected from you two!

WHERE HAVE WE BEEN??!?

2010-03-02T12:51:00.000-08:00

so it's 2010 and i'm ashamed to have only posted once in months! (HOW is it march already?) if you're wondering what on earth we've been up to, the first thing to do is check out our new facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/sandfootphotography. it's there that we've been putting all of our free winter energy lately, but we're absolutely not going to continue neglecting the blog. (promise!) if you're on facebook, please check us out and become a fan - we're sharing lots of archives and revving up for an exciting year ahead!

in the meantime, keep checking here as well for new posts, thoughts, and upcoming specials. if we can EVER get this nasty weather out of the way, we're ready to see your smiling faces...and if not, we're just going to have to start dancing in the rain!

Aynnie & Kurtis

2010-01-25T08:10:00.001-08:00

here comes baby jack

2009-12-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

if 2009 doesn't make the history books for being a baby boomin' year, i'll be shocked. i love it! i met lindsay in chapel hill earlier this year when she served as her sister chrissy's matron of honor (and bridal portrait photo assistant), and it was so good to see her again with such a sweet baby belly!

thanks lindsay and dan! can't wait to meet baby jack!

stephanie & david

2009-11-30T12:26:00.001-08:00

looooove these guys! congratulations to mr. and mrs. bankert on a beautiful wedding day and a wonderful life ahead!

the corbett family

2009-11-16T16:57:00.000-08:00

the weather might be getting crazy, but i'm not ready to give it up yet! it was a chilly morning at yates mill last saturday, but the oh-so-pretty corbett family came ready and willing to play anyway. i'm so so glad they did!

these three kids are some of the most fun and well-behaved siblings i've ever had the chance to photograph. it may have had something to do with a tootsie roll deal, but i'll bet they're this sweet 99% of the time...except when one steps on the other's foot. ;)

and here comes my cue that my time is up. there's only so much a kid can take!!! :)

sara and ben

2009-11-10T19:12:00.000-08:00

MY GOODNESS i've been busy. i've had so many exciting sessions lately that i'm spending more time editing than sleeping it seems, but it's worth it when they're all so special...especially this one.

it's been almost eight years since i graduated from northampton county high school-east with this groom to be. if someone had told me then that i'd be photographing sara and ben's wedding several years down the road, i probably wouldn't have believed them, but i would have been thrilled. i got so carried away at their engagement session that i could have spent the entire day running them around the farm. and as much as ben claimed to have dreaded it, i think he had more fun than us girls. :)

see you two in march!!!

the broadfoot family

2009-10-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

one of my favorite things about working outside of a studio is that i most often have the opportunity to capture a family's moments in their own favorite spaces. every now and then those spaces are not only special to the people i'm photographing, but they're absolutely inspiring to a photographer's eye. take a beautiful day and a home that's been passed down through generations, add one incredibly photogenic family of four and a dog, and you've got magic. ;)

meet my new favorite models. :) i love this expression.

we had plenty of smiles too...but this serious face is so beautiful to me!

Thanks so much to John and Marla for sharing your perfect family with my camera!

the jenkins family

2009-10-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

in this line of work i'm lucky enough to meet beautiful new people everyday. every now and then i come across a families that can't hide how much they love one another - their smiling faces give it away. those are the sessions that stand out, and when i visited the jenkins' home on sunday, i knew immediately that this would be one of the greats!

i can't imagine what evan's folks have to go through when he looks at them with those big brown eyes. i'll bet he's got them wrapped. :)

thanks jenkins' family! see you soon!

growing like a weed

2009-10-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

it's been six months since stacey and kelly welcomed baby eli into the world, and eventhough i'm lucky enough to get to see this cutie pie quite often, i still can't believe how much he's grown. he'll be a big boy before they know it!

with fall in on the way, the pumpkin patch seemed like the perfect place to play. eli wasn't quite sure what was going on, but he warmed up eventually.

back at home with his favorite two buddies, mom and dad, he was definitely ready to play.

Until next time!

cynthia & raymond...and kids

2009-10-06T17:31:00.000-07:00

it's always exciting when i find pet parents who want to include their furry family members in their engagement and family portraits, but i've never had a family-to-be quite like this one. one dog, two dogs, no problem. but FOUR dogs, well...i learned that with cynthia and raymond as their parents...no problem!

this happy happy couple will be getting hitched next summer in a ceremony that will represent both local and chinese wedding customs, and i can't wait! while i don't think these sweet boys and girls will be there, i'm so happy that i had the chance to meet them. my CAT isn't this well-behaved!

gotta love a happy couple. :) thanks cynthia and raymond for such a fun shoot!

another favorite...

2009-09-23T06:15:00.000-07:00

i met reagan and addison more than a year ago when i photographed the two little ones at the jc raulston arboretum. i couldn't believe how much they'd grown up in only a year when we got together a few months ago for a fun backyard session. can't wait til next year ladies!!

the crawfords

2009-09-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

for most, labor day weekend marks the end of the summer and one last chance to hit the water before the sun cools us off a bit. for me, it's the beginning of the best time of year to hit the beach - the calm and quiet time. :)

alan and i took a trip back to the obx to hang with my family for the weekend and this time i was able to mix a little business with pleasure. well, when it's this much fun i can hardly call it work.

i met the crawford family for the first time when i joined them at milepost 9 in kill devil hills for a family session. they'd just arrived for a week-long vacation from maryland, and these two wild ones were ready to play! it was absolutely one of my favorite beach sessions. it's more fun when i get to chase 'em.

thanks so much to michele for allowing me to sneak a snap at your vacation! i hope to see you all again next year!

courtnie & brad

2009-09-15T11:33:00.001-07:00

oooooh so much fun! i had the exciting honor of hanging out with courtnie and brad last week in raleigh for one of my favorite engagement sessions of all time. these two will be having a big shebang in june, and if the fun runs as high on their wedding day as it does on a normal day with these two, i KNOW it'll be a blast!

courtnie and brad met at city limits saloon, one of raleigh's favorite hot spots (that's right, sometimes you really CAN meet the love of your life at a bar). actually, they met right here...

...and that's also where this groom proposed. (no, not on a normal wild night at city limits, but during a private date where he arranged for a little music, a little dancing on an empty floor, and a big question that was met with a YES!)

big thanks to city limits for letting us drop in!

one more stop...that's right. :)

congratulations to mr. & mrs. gaylord. can't wait to do it again on the big day!!!

lindsey & brandon...finally

2009-09-09T11:28:00.001-07:00

unfortunatley i wasn't kidding about being behind on my posts. before i bring you up to date on more recent adventures, here's another one of my summer favorites that never made it up...better late than never!

lindsey and brandon were one of my favorite couples to work with this year. they're full of laughs, extremely easy to get along with, and absolutely meant for each other. (it doesn't hurt that they're both so pretty either.)

the bride's day began at her parents' home in cary with hair, makeup, food, and family galore!

waiting for the ceremony to begin, lindsey's awesome bridesmaids broke into song with a little "lean on me." (one of those moments when i wished for audio.)

and the groom...

after the sweet sweet ceremony, the crowd headed to brier creek country club for a beautiful and wide open reception.

joe bunn himself from the always exciting joe bunn dj company kept the crowd on their feet all night long!

thanks so much to mr. & mrs. hart for giving me another wedding to remember! i hope your first few months as husband and wife have been as much fun as your first day!

kelsey

2009-09-01T07:52:00.000-07:00

it's back to school for students and teachers - exciting right?! i'm sure some kids are moaning and groaning, but for now-seniors like the beautiful miss kelsey, there's a lot to look forward to! i had a blast with kelsey at her home in oxford. she's a natural in front of the camera - a photographer's dream subject! her smile says it all. :)

hanging with baby ben

2009-08-27T14:48:00.000-07:00

First of all, nothing beats a baby boy in oshkosh overalls...i mean nothing. :) please look at that grin.

it's been six months since i first met courtney and daniel. i photographed the couple back in february - courtney with her beautiful baby-to-be-belly and daniel with that unmistakable i'm-gonna-be-a-daddy kind of grin. ben was born in april, and at three months, he's absolutely one of the sweetest and toughest little men i've ever had the pleasure to meet.

like his daddy and uncle, ben is guaranteed to grow up loving the farm. from the looks of it, i think the farm might just love him!

...but me and my camera, i'm not so sure. ;)

thanks so much to the hendersons for allowing me to catch a glimpse of your new family! looking forward to years of precious times to come.

whitney & jay

2009-08-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

i'm off this afternoon to one of my favorite spots at the sarah p. duke gardens in durham (yes, on duke's campus...i can't help but love it anyway) to photograph whitney welch in her gorgeous bridal gown. since it would be a photographer's SIN to share the secret of how beautiful she'll be as a bride, i thought i'd finally post a few images from her engagement session instead. she and jay are so much fun and i can't wait to be there when they walk down the isle in october! it's right around the corner!

at home with the porterfields

2009-08-19T08:06:00.000-07:00

it's all business now that i'm back to work. i've been so busy shooting lately that i've stored a ton of photos in my "ready to post" folder...just haven't taken the time to get them up yet. here goes!

i had the exciting opportunity to work with the porterfield family here in roxboro a couple of weeks ago. miss tina has two awesome kids who know how to give a great mother's day gift - a portrait session! - and we ended up with the perfect day to shoot outside on their gorgeous farm. images like these are the reason my personal photographer's passion lies outdoors. everyone was right at home and happy!

thanks so much tina, willie, caitlin & matt for allowing me to document your family fun. i had a blast!

we're baaaaaaaack!

2009-08-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

is it august already!? the wedding has come and gone, we're home, settled and unpacked, married life is great, and it's time to get back to work! (no offense, but i already miss jamaica.)

although i'm working already (just did not one, but TWO fabulous weddings last weekend), i thought i'd take a minute to share the photos that so many of you have asked to see.

i also wanted to say a great big THANK YOU to carol, joe, and the ladies at conway photo & print shop for giving alan and i the greatest gift we could ever receive - a lifetime of memories of the craziest, most exciting, most blur of a day of our lives. we could not be happier with the result!

and yes, this is really me raving about another photographer on my photography blog. every photographer has those that they admire, and carol is and will always be at the top of my list. thanks again!!!

morgan & bb

2009-07-03T13:04:00.000-07:00

it's only fitting that one of my last posts before MY VERY OWN WEDDING be of my last session til the end of july when we return from our honeymoon. morgan and bb were the perfect couple to put away my camera with - the bride-to-be was beautiful, and the groom-to-be was a little camera-shy...that's the perfect combination for some REAL laughter to shine through. :) i had a blast with these two at morgan's grandma's house, and i even came away with two hand-crocheted pot holders, courtesy of mrs. rogers!

thank you morgan & bb for making my last single-girl shoot so much fun! i can't wait til your wedding in december!!!

christina & brandon

2009-06-25T10:16:00.000-07:00

remember my faaaaaaaabulous state fair engagement couple? i knew christina and brandon would have a F.U.N. wedding when i met them, and i was absolutely right! the beautiful bride began her day at the marriott crabtree hotel with her friends and family and would return there later with her new husband for the reception!

these next two photos are courtesy of my wonderful assistant for the day, lisa (check her out at http://www.figginsphotos.blogspot.com/). she hung with the boys while i took care of the girls.

off to saint andrews presbyterian church for a gorgeous ceremony. :)

then back to the marriot for some fun before the reception.

it didn't take long for the night to get started. this crowd was ready to party. if i remember correctly, i'm pretty sure this was a little boys II men action.

sorry michelle, but i had to. :) looooooove you!

i loooooooove sparklers!

thanks to mr. & mrs. williams for another beautiful wedding weekend! i'll never forget your reception dance floor as long as i live. much love!

stephanie & david

2009-06-17T16:45:00.000-07:00

everyone knows i love my carolina couples. looking back in my files, i've realized that about 70% of the engagement sessions i've done have been on the unc campus. i don't mind at all - what a great excuse to go back to my stomping ground!

i met stephanie and david through another pair of tarheels, and i'm so happy to be a part of their big day in october. these two are a blast to hang around and their laughter is infectious!

brooke & brian

2009-06-11T10:34:00.001-07:00

(let's all ignore the fact that this gorgeous rainy day wedding actually happened back in march, k?) i made the trip to kernersville on march 28th to document every moment of brooke and brian's big day! it began with hair and makeup at house of style salon & spa and i had a blast watching brooke transform from an everyday beautiful girl to a knockout glamourous bride!

after a quick drive thru chick-fil-a to re-fuel, we headed to the gorgeous friedland moravian church in winston-salem to prepare for the ceremony and wrap up the finishing touches.

these sassy ladies didn't let a little rain dampen their day. i love rainy day weddings!

when i checked on our groom, brian, i found him with his dad, harry, who gave him a very special family watch to wear down the isle.

here comes the bride!

in a beautiful moment, brooke's mother gave her away.

everyone's smiling now - they're hitched!

after a short and sweet reception at the church, both families headed to outwest steakhouse & saddle to continue the celebration. what a relazing way to keep up the party!

congratulations mr. & mrs. kochanski!!!

callie

2009-06-08T06:02:00.000-07:00

i've had so much fun with these babies lately! i did a maternity session for casey and jim back before Christmas, and i thought they were excited that baby then!

callie was born on march 29th, and she's just as beautiful as any kid with two pretty parents could possibly be. maybe it's the daddy's girl in me, but i can't help but love these first couple of images. jim might be a giant compared to his baby girl, but he's not too big to be completely wrapped around her tiny finger.

and maybe my favorite shot of all - i think she may have been trying to tell me to get that camera out of her face before she handled business herself. :) i don't blame her. a little girl's gotta be tough!

congratulations casey and jim on your beautiful beautiful little lady. can't wait to watch her grow!

BAAAAD, bad photographer!

2009-06-05T09:49:00.000-07:00

if someone had said to me, "allison, you better slow down on work if you want to get your own wedding plans done," i probably wouldn't have listened anyway. so here i am, doing both as hard and fast as i can. :) that's where i've been...so sorry for being so slack on the blog. i have SO many fun stories and photos to share! here they come!!!

drake & emma

2009-04-05T22:06:00.001-07:00

adorable. energetic. sweet and sassy. it only took a quick glance for me to fall in love with these two crazy kids. after an hour with drake and emma, i was completely sold. their smiles are contagious!

it's amazing to get great feedback from an adult, but when two sweet faces like these run over at the end of a session to say, "miss allison, we had FUN taking pictures!," there's just no topping that!

here comes eli

2009-03-30T14:44:00.001-07:00

Yep, that's my girl Stacey...smiling...in labor. She's my superwoman. After months of not taking, but teaching Jazzercise with "Baby Boy" in tow, she and Kelly finally made it to their special day at Durham Regional.

The scene in the waiting room was all smiles too (minus the pain, unless you count the pain of waiting). Grandpa Mike tried to concentrate on the game with the boys for some distraction, but we all know he was jumping up and down on the inside.

The waiting room erupted when we finally received word of some action. "7lbs, 11oz" was the text message from the new daddy that sent the family and friends in that room into a frenzy a little before 12:30 a.m. on March 24.

Eli Samuel Davis, only a few minutes after his birth.

Congratulations Stacey and Kelly! We looooooove baby Eli and can't wait to watch him grow!

little lexie

2009-03-23T21:20:00.000-07:00

it's amazing how quickly our world can change. just a few weeks ago, i dropped in on laura and stephen and watched them laugh and dream about their baby girl on the way. now she's here, and lexie kay clayton is even more beautiful than i'm sure even they could imagine.

i stopped in on them again today for another fun photo shoot and she and her parents are doing great. she was even more gorgeous today than she was when i first met her. (i'll post those photos soon...forgive me for being behind! i started drafting this post in the waiting room at durham regional hospital on monday night, but was interrupted at 12:15 a.m. when roxboro baby #2 entered this world (stay tuned for baby eli too!).)

welcome to the world lexie kay!!!

stacey & kelly

2009-03-08T09:08:00.001-07:00

when i got into photography, i imagined spending my time documenting special moments for those around me. i did not imagine that a short time later, i'd be documenting my best friend's journey into motherhood. i mean, other people do this kind of thing all the time, but us?! wow. here comes life!

i'm so excited for stacey and kelly. they were both born to be parents, and although they've refused to tell anyone what baby boy's real name will be when he arrives, i know that whoever he is, he will be born into the most adoring hands possible...then he'll be passed around to hundreds more adoring hands as soon as this community gets the chance to welcome him!

he's a thumb sucker!

baby buck's soon to be favorite place to hang (if he has any of his parents' blood at all).

finally, the only prego I know who has enough ups to make this one look real!

love you both. can't wait to meet baby boy davis!!!

laura & stephen

2009-02-25T12:30:00.000-08:00

babies, babies, everywhere! with all the beautiful glowing mamas-to-be floating around these days, it's hard not to get excited about the baby BOOM i'm convinced is happening right now. laura is no different - she's been smiling for months, and poor stephen is so excited that he doesn't even know his baby girl already has him wrapped around his finger.

i had so much fun with these two at their home in roxboro on sunday! stephen is actually the crazy first cousin of my almost-husband (wow...i have an almost-husband), so this session was extra special because i got to spend it with some almost-family! baby lexie will be spoiled rotten, and as if all of her other adoring fans won't be here to do it, i'm going to be sure to spoil her too!

officially the cutest baby girl nursery i've ever seen!

stephen, if it embarrasses you that i'm blogging about you and laura, too bad. (just think of what i COULD have posted for the world to see!) besides, i can't help it...these sessions get more and more fun everytime!

payton

2009-02-19T06:07:00.000-08:00

i couldn't wait to post this one! little lady payton and her mama and daddy gave me one of the most fun baby shoots i think i'll ever do. this baby beauty is a little over 5 weeks old, looks like a doll, and already has an awesome sense of humor. :)

if i've learned anything in my time as a portrait photographer, it's that you can never NEVER know what to expect from kids...especially the itty bitty ones. payton made her naked baby photo debut one that none of us in that room will ever forget...or let her forget. ;) scott and wendy, this is a story for the first date.

thanks y'all!

jake

2009-02-17T08:13:00.000-08:00

oooooh how i love little boys! i was so excited to be asked to photograph baby jake with his parents, leighanne and david. it's always nice to do a little work back home, and this one was extra extra fun. this baby is an angel. can't wait to watch him grow up and run wild. ;) have you ever seen a sweeter face?! (of course it doesn't hurt that he's already a carolina fan.)

hey sandfoot, WHERE are you NOW?

2009-02-09T18:21:00.000-08:00

i understand that it's kinda ridiculous for me to create a post without images. i'm a photographer. photographs are what i do. i know, i know. the photos are backed up and waiting in line to hit the blog and i can promise that i've got some great stories and beautiful faces to show in the next couple of days. hang with me - first thing's first!

i've already dubbed 2009 as "the year of change." (hopefully not the kind that jingles in your pocket, but the kind that brings excitement, challenges, growth, and new opportunities for us all.) i just made my first change of the year last week, and i thought it deserved some quick recognition of it's own before i dove back into the good stuff.

on february 1, i moved to roxboro. for those of you who know me well, you might be thinking, "what's the big deal about that? you've moved once a year since 2002. what's the difference?" but you see, this time there IS a difference. for the last 6 years i've moved from home to college, from dorm room to apartment, from apartment to house, from house to apartment, from apartment to apartment, and so on. everytime i moved, i moved with the knowledge that i'd be moving again soon...probably to another corner of the triangle. hey, i'm young and flexible, why not try it all, right?

i've loved parts of chapel hill, raleigh, cary, and durham, and had i not found such a fun and handsome best friend to marry me and drag me out of there, i probably could have continued to be content in whatever corner of the triangle world would have come next. but then, i didn't say 2009 was the year of content...i said it was the year of change.

i've been in roxboro one week now and i could not be happier with the thought of living here for the rest of my life. i didn't realize how much i'd missed home cookin', sunday afternoons, completely southern accents, and being part of a tight community until i found it again here. so thanks roxboro, for welcoming me into your family. my camera and i are here to stay!

and finally, to answer the number 1 question of all of my triangle friends and clients - it changes nothing. sandfoot photography will still operate in your area - you're not getting rid of my face (or my camera) anytime soon. ;)

xoxo all around,
allison

just traci

2009-01-21T19:57:00.000-08:00

now that the groom has actually seen her in the dress, i wanted to post a few of my favorites from traci's bridal session. :) love her.

traci & david

2009-01-20T10:49:00.000-08:00

it's not often that i find myself in the presence of a truly and completely calm, cool, and collected wedding day. every bride deserves at least one meltdown. maybe she had one somewhere along the way, but from where i stood on january 3rd, traci monroe (now weaver) handled it like a pro. maybe it was the fact that she was marrying her best friend david that kept her smiling. maybe it was her wonderful family and friends. maybe it was the support of nikol from chantoosie events. then again, maybe it was the shoes. :) here's how it happened.

the beautiful bride got ready for her big day at her parents' home.

then headed to church for the final touches.

david and his crew were ready and waiting.

traci killed time with her bridesmaids before the ceremony and practiced the dance she had choreographed for the ladies to perform later that night. (see traci's mom on the far left. she served double duty as mother of the bride and matron of honor. how cool!)

traci's dad looks on.

here comes the bride.

the couple joins traci's entire dance school for the first reception of the day. these students adore her. you'd think these two were celebrities in that room!

finally, the first dance.

sugar entertained the crowd all night long. (i must say i don't have a bad gig either. i get to do what i love while listening to some gooooood music. i love sugar!)

here goes showtime!

this bride was in high-demand as a dance partner, and her brother made sure he took a turn.

what a day! thank you traci and david for allowing me to be a part of it!

kristi & billy

2009-01-02T10:42:00.000-08:00

drumroll please...it's my first engagement session in my soon-to-be hometown of roxboro! i had such a blast doing this session with kristi and billy. it may not have been the most beautiful day, but not even clouds and the threat of rain could make billy's family's gorgeous farm any less photo-worthy. i love it!
stealing a kiss in his childhood treehouse. :)

congratulations y'all! can't wait til september!

taitem

2009-01-02T10:19:00.000-08:00

THIS might be the tiniest, most precious baby i've ever laid eyes on. weighing in at a little more than 5 lbs, i'm convinced that this doll baby will be an angel for the rest of her life - although just for fun, i hope she gets into just enough good trouble to drive her daddy crazy. she already has him wrapped around her itty bitty finger, and after all, that's what little girls are made for. :)

taitem's proud parents are chad and trisha, a couple of too-long lost friends of alan's from his days in wilmington. we dropped in on them for a quick lunch while in asheville over the holidays visiting the biltmore estate (wow by the way, if you haven't been to the biltmore, GO), and had so much fun over lunch that we made it last overnight. thanks chad and trish for having us! we can't wait to see y'all again at the wedding!

happy happy new year!

2009-01-02T09:56:00.000-08:00

now that i'm back from the wonderful madness of the holidays, i'm so very excited to welcome 2009 - i'm calling it the year of change. aside from the millions and millions of weddings coming up this year (half of them friends, half of them clients, and one of them...well, me!), it seems like everyone else i know is either anticipating the arrival of a new baby, changing jobs, or moving...wait, that's me too (just the moving part, not the baby or the job this time thank goodness).

so, in the spirit of another wild and crazy whirl around the sun, happy happy new year to you and yours! i hope it's filled with as many wonderful memories as you can fit into 365 days. don't forget the CAMERA!

santa claus is coming...and more

2008-12-11T06:57:00.001-08:00

i looooooooove Christmas! (still, ask me if i'm ready and even on the day before the answer will be "no.") either way, i've had a great time so far this year filling my fridge with christmas cards, many of which include photos from some of my beautiful beautiful clients. thanks for thinking of me at the mailbox!

i had the pleasure of spending tuesday night this week at the capital city club in downtown raleigh with santa al and a few families who came in for dinner. santa al was great company as always. he's one jolly man with a passion for making people of all ages feel the spirit of the holiday season. if you're ever in need of a visit from santa himself, i highly recommend giving the triangle santa buddies a call. here's one of my favorite shots of my favorite rosey-cheeked fella.

as i wind down my first full calendar year in business, i can't help but to think about where i was at this time last year. i was nervous, excited, hopeful, and honestly...scared to death of starving for my art. :) thanks to some incredible clients, friends, and family, 2008 has been a wonderful year for sandfoot photography. i've grown in ways that i couldn't have imagined back then, and i can make a promise to you now that i will continue to do that in 2009 and beyond. so thank you for your support, your encouragement, and your prayers. i feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to turn what i love into "what i do."

sandfoot photography isn't the only thing that's experienced a little growth this year. once upon a time in 2007 i photographed this little gift from above.

this year, she's all grown up and still knows how to work the camera. happy belated birthday miss mackenzie! can't wait to play again next year!

i'm still here...promise!

2008-11-25T14:54:00.000-08:00

whew! with the end of my '08 wedding season, i expected to have more time on my hands to catch up on other things - i couldn't have been more wrong. i'm not complaining, just leading up to a big apology for neglecting my blog. SORRY! i'll be posting a series of images to make up for it. here's the first.

when my crazy friend and favorite wedding planner, nikol murphy of chantoosie events called me before her session and said her boys had been feeling kinda icky that morning, i wasn't sure what to expect. i like my kids wild and smiley, but this session taught me that it's not always such a bad thing to catch 'em on a day when they're mild...nikol swears that the angels i saw in our session don't always show their wings. :)

this is my favorite. not that i like to make kids cry, but i think it sums up the day and i hope that one day when the boys bring home dates to mom and dad, this will be one treasured photograph that comes out with the embarrassing bathtub pics.

i'm in love with downtown apex! thanks so much to the apex fire department for having us, and to conner and tucker for hanging in there. murphy's, let's do it again soon!!!

amanda & kenji

2008-11-06T07:17:00.000-08:00

i cannot get enough of this wedding. amanda and kenji are a carolina golden couple, and their wedding day was nothing short of amazing. the ceremony was held at the gorgeous north raleigh united methodist church and was followed by an awesome evening at 1705 prime. imagine a room full of beautiful people, ALL of which have voices of angels and more rhythm than michael jackson...or at least, they'd like to. ;) you can't beat it.

amanda is a unc loreleis alumna, and her crew of lady a-cappella geniuses was right there to back her up on her big day. it just so happens that kenji is a clef, and his boys were also front and center - not to be outdone by their lovely counterparts. if you've never had the honor of being part of a loreleis or clef hangers audience, you have no idea what you're missing. if you have, then you can imagine what an incredible thing it must have been to have all of these cool kids in packed into one reception.

congratulations to mr. and mrs. brantley for the life you've shared so far, the friends you've made and the families you've joined, and please, please don't you dare forget to call me when you throw your next party!

christina & brandon

2008-10-28T18:49:00.000-07:00

christina was referred to me by our mutual friend (and my former co-worker at mmi), michelle. it's always fun to get a friend of a friend - it's almost like "connection clients" come with their own disclaimer based on who they know. with the understanding that this bride was lifelong bff's with one of the most awesome and down-to-earth ladies i've ever known, i couldn't wait to get to know christina and brandon. (i miss you michelle!!)

i've been waiting for so long to do a fair session, and when one of my favorite new brides, christina, told me that she and brandon had some special nc state fair history, i jumped on the chance to make it happen. thankfully, they were gutsy enough to brave the craziest fair crowd i've ever seen!

so, post fried pecan-pie and demolition derby, there we were - a ridiculously photogenic and fun couple and an overly excited photographer in the middle of the madness. i had a blast! THANK YOU christina and brandon for one of my favorite engagement sessions yet!

angela & mike

2008-10-28T15:03:00.000-07:00

i went back to chapel hill for another fun engagement session last week with angela and mike - both carolina grads who love their old stomping ground as much as i do. :) they'll be married memorial day weekend of '09, and i can't wait to be a part of their day. (if the groom makes as many crazy faces on his wedding day as he did at this session, i'll have lots of laughs to look forward to...let's just hope no one splits their pants!)

thanks angela and mike! can't wait til may!!

hinton

2008-10-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

i've wanted to post these for some time now and apologize for taking so long to share it. i want to say a special thank you to melissa and kevin meyer for allowing me to document this very important time in their handsome little man's life. hinton turned 2 in september!

for those of you who know this family and those of you who may only know their story, i hope that you have found as much inspiration in their incredible spirit as i have over the last year. it's been said that it takes a very special family to raise a child with special needs, and in the short time that i spent with melissa and hinton last month, i was most definitely in the presence of something special. one thing is for sure, this little boy loves his mommy.

of all the miracles in life that most of us take for granted, there is nothing more beautiful than a child's smile.

kyra & gene

2008-10-20T06:29:00.000-07:00

wow. that's all i can say about this beautiful couple, their wonderful families, and their entertaining friends. this time i'm going with less talk, more images. these shots describe themselves. what a wonderful day! best wishes to mr. and mrs. cook!!!

chrissy & blair

2008-09-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

it's a small world after all. the first time i heard from chrissy about her upcoming june wedding, i didn't expect the groom to be an old college buddy of mine. blair was my dorm neighbor once upon a time in my carolina days. i have a feeling that if i had known chrissy as well at the time, we could have roamed that campus together with the best of 'em!

these two are a prime example of a beautiful carolina couple. they even met at one of the finer places around campus...just kidding chrissy. :)

so excited for chrissy and blair! can't wait to document their day!

danette & mitch

2008-09-17T19:22:00.000-07:00

being the blue-blooded carolina girl that i am, i agreed to photograph a wolfpack wedding in april against my better judgement...just kidding. :)

i met danette a few months ago at her wolfpack club office in raleigh. danette is a loyal alumna as well, and so is her fiance', mitch (at least they're not dookies - no offense blue devils, you'd talk the same trash about me, that doesn't mean we can't be friends!).

because i'm a versatile photographer and my ultimate goal is to please my client, i stepped on the ncsu belltower grounds for the first time in my life with this sweet couple. danette laughed, mitch managed to enjoy himself while fighting off a common case of groom photography dread (and a cold), and i...well, i just prayed that none of my college buddies would ride down hillsborough street that afternoon and catch me in the red lands. i'm happy to report that we had a great session and we didn't stay on campus long at all! (still kidding...it was wonderful.)

congratulations to danette and mitch on your beautiful afternoon and your engagement. i had a blast galavanting around raleigh with you two! can't wait to do it again in the spring!

the beast

2008-09-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

i love my brides, my babies, my families, and even my businessmen and women, but it's a rare occasion that i get a treat like the one i got on thursday. i received a call from stephen coffman, an old college friend last week who was in need of a photo session. he's a musical madman and he's currently jamming with three other talented local artists. together they have created a jazz infused hip-hop soul band called the beast. please please don't miss out. you can visit them online at http://www.thebeastmusic.com/ or live in action all over durham and beyond.

take a look.

carrie & matt

2008-08-21T10:04:00.000-07:00

i met carrie for the first time at the progress energy center for the performing arts. i had only worked with matt for a few months, and when i saw such a sweet and pretty girl on his arm at our company outing to see jesus christ superstar, i was very impressed. my favorite sarcastic funnyman co-worker had a nice girl. it didn't take long for us all to realize that this nice girl could hold her own. she happens to be just as much fun as her man, and they happen to be a perfect match.

their wedding day was like every other. it was beautiful, chaotic, emotional, exciting, nerve-racking, and sweet. it was an incredible day to be a part of. congratulations to mr. and mrs. vaughan! you did it!

lindsey & brandon

2008-08-19T17:38:00.000-07:00

nothing like a two in one weekend! while in wilmington for carrie and matt's wedding (images coming soon), i had the opportunity to take a little extra time to hang out with lindsey and brandon at wrightsville beach. lindsey is a long-time friend of matt's, and i should have known from that association alone that i had another good-time couple on my hands.

lindsey and brandon will be married on may 30th of next year, and after this session, i'm positive that their day will be as easy-going and honestly romantic as they are. another beautiful wedding to look forward to!

more beach babies

2008-08-11T09:15:00.000-07:00

looooooooooove these little ones!

Christmas in july with cara & martin

2008-07-28T13:28:00.000-07:00

exactly 12 hours after i became someone's "fiance" last weekend, i put my photographer hat back on and headed over to cara's place to begin shooting the most unique wedding i've done to date. you'd think i'd be a wreck that day, and on the inside maybe i was, but it turned out that my mind was in wedding overdrive, and my eye was ready for every special moment it could find.

i met cara and martin back in january, and when i heard that their july wedding would have a Christmas theme, i couldn't wait to join the party. after a hilarious trip to wrightsville beach with the couple for their engagement shoot (see "back to the beach," posted in may) and an afternoon of bridal portraits in pullen park with cara (where she found no shame in changing into her wedding gown in the middle of the parking lot), i knew this would be a wedding to remember.

these are a few of my favorite moments:

tip #1 for a successful wedding day - don't forget to eat. cara checked that off her list with a little mickey d's.

tip #2 - get the groom to the church on time.

tip #3 - say a little prayer.

you can't have a Christmas wedding without poinsettias.

here comes santa claus!

tip #28 - don't forget to take a break with dad.

and finally, remember that as soon as you get to the end of that line, the wedding ends - time for life to begin. from what i hear, that's the best part.

congratulations to mr. and mrs. haley!!!

joining the brides-to-be!

2008-07-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

forgive me for the long post - this one's pretty important.

can this be real? i've spent so much time with brides-to-be over the last year that it's been hard not to think about the possibility that i might get to actually be one someday...still, not wanting to jinx it, i've done a pretty good job at keeping my mouth shut and my mind on everyone else's weddings! well guess what - it's MY turn. :)

i met alan a little over 6 years ago at hanes mall in greensboro. neither of us remember many details. i was 17 and spending a week with girls from all across the state to prepare for the north carolina junior miss program. one of those girls happened to be from roxboro and as she and i quickly realized that we had more small town north carolina in our blood than concern for our fitness routine, we became inseperable. on a quick break from rehearsals and interviews, the girls hit the mall. half the town of roxboro had already arrived to watch their very own junior miss - stacey - hit the stage that night, and alan was right there to cheer her on...with an airhorn. airhorns are now banned from the junior miss program.

over the next few years of college i made countless trips to roxboro with stacey to visit her hometown. alan never failed to show up when i was around. after years of playing hard-to-get, it finally hit me like a ton of bricks that i had no choice - he was "it." one year ago yesterday, july 20, 2007, alan and i ended up at the same concert in raleigh. brad paisley. that's where i told him that i quit. and i did...i quit pretending that he was not absolutely made for me - cut-off sleeves, pick-up truck, and all.

we had no choice but to celebrate our anniversary at the brad paisley concert. because this time around i'm a wedding photographer, and would be working cara & martin's big day (photos coming soon) on saturday during the raleigh show, we headed to charlotte friday night.

i'm a smart girl, and i expected that something would happen sooner or later. still, i believed him when he couldn't eat much at dinner because "the food was too spicy and that energy drink made him feel funny." when he rushed me to get to the concert waaay before it started, i considered the possibility, but convinced myself that those backstage passes that he picked up (courtesy of mr. andy griffith, brad paisley's hero and a frequent customer at my family's butcher shop in nags head) were the one and only reason he was so worked up.

the concert was just as awesome as it was last year. when brad sang about how "it's time to put a ring on the finger i'm wrapped around" followed directly by my favorite - everything, and NOTHING happened, every suspicion i had disappeared and i knew i'd be waiting for another day.

after the show, we lined up with 68 other fans at the backstage gate for the meet and greet. since i knew where the passes came from, i recognized the initials "ag" on the bottom corner of our passes. the guard noticed those initials too and asked us to step to the side, we would be going in to meet brad last...after the crowd was gone. 20 minutes later, we were standing face to face with brad paisley (who knew the plan all along). after a little small talk and a quick photo, alan proceeded to stutter through our story. before i knew it he was on his knee, my brain stopped working, and thank GOODNESS that photographer kept snapping.

visit the tour blog at http://www.bradpaisley.com/ for their (much shorter) version of the night. this photo is courtesy of the tour blog.

thanks mr. griffith and mr. paisley for helping to make this the most special night of our lives. now we just need to know if brad wants to sing at the ceremony or the reception. :)

my biggest fan...busted

2008-06-30T10:23:00.000-07:00

when someone new discovers that i'm a photographer, a series of questions usually follows: what kind of camera do you have? did you go to school for that? who's your favorite photographer? what's your favorite photograph of all time?

i usually tell them that i work with a canon, i took a few classes, and then rattle off a list of some of the greats - annie leibovitz, sally mann, etc. it's that last question that i usually can't answer. it's like someone asking about my favorite song. it depends on the day. my mind might jump from bon jovi to joss stone to george strait to chris brown in a span of 15 seconds.

maybe it's selfish, but today, this is my favorite photograph of all time.

i grew up lucky enough to have an awesome family behind me in everything that i did (or attempted to do). a little more than a year ago when i called home to say "i'm quitting my job and i'm going to be a photographer," my daddy said "if this is what you want to do, then do it. i'm behind you."

last weekend when every head in the room was turned on the most important woman of the day, one man was looking right back at the camera. there was all kinds of love in the room that day.

thanks daddy for believing. you're sitting in the back of the church next time!

mr. & mrs. mann

2008-06-30T09:07:00.000-07:00

i love shooting weddings for obvious reasons - the creative plans coming together, the decorations, the dress, the families grinning through the stress of the day. still through it all, i love the little moments the most. these are the parts of the day that we don't expect, couldn't plan if we tried, and couldn't fake for a thing in the world.

i photographed my first true family wedding last weekend - my cousin brent was lucky enough to land this beautiful bride, shannon. it's very different to work in a room (or yard) full of family and friends than it is to work for a couple who sees me simply as their wedding photographer. i look at the groom and can't help but think of g.i. joes and rough games of backyard football. i love it just the same.

here are some of my favorite moments from shannon and brent's day.

what do most grooms do before their wedding? i found this one working in the back of his chicken house. these are his other women. :)

miss natalie forgot to put on her flower girl dress before she peaked out of the church door.

the last few minutes of unmarried life.

wheeeere's the flower girl?

now THIS doesn't happen at every wedding. poor brent. who needs birdseed when you've got rope, a waterhose, flour, molasses, and chocolate syrup?

freedom ridin'

2008-06-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

in keeping with last weekend's excitement factor, this one was no less enticing. that's right, yesterday you could have found me (and my camera) on the back of this very harley with mr. grady - a veteran and member of rolling thunder, an organization dedicated to the support veterans and prisoners of war.

an enthusiastic heap of bikers turned out to support our troops for the annual uso freedom ride and i was lucky enough to be part of that too. even chewey couldn't resist the wind in his hair!

a special thanks to the uso for the important work that you do. as they say, "until every one comes home," may God bless each and every soldier.

a DAY in the life

2008-06-15T08:08:00.000-07:00

not long ago a normal work day for me began at 8:30 and ended after 5. i'd get up from my desk, leave the office, and come back the next day to do it all again. it was a good life, but when it comes to interesting excitement, this life knocks that one out of the park.

last saturday i began my workday in on my favorite campus in chapel hill at 8 a.m. with heather and chase. this pretty pretty couple will be married on january 31st and i guarantee that it will be as sweet and as much fun as they are. love you two!

at 10 a.m. i headed over to hasentree, an luxury development just off of highway 98 in raleigh, to capture the grand opening of the family activity center. residents gathered at the pool for a full day of activities, music, and food to celebrate their surroundings and socialize. i documented their entire day until 5 p.m. did i mention it was 102 degrees?

"by the way," i was told, "we'll have a helicoptor here for you at 3:30 for you to take some aerial photographs of the community." no sweat.

when my watch hit 5, i hit a shower (thank goodness for the locker room in the hasentree fac!) because at 6, i was scheduled to be energized and smell nice with a camera in hand at the north carolina education ball.

benefitting our state's school children through communities in schools of north carolina, this is one of my favorite yearly charity events in the triangle. the evening took place at the progress energy center for performing arts. it began with a progressive dinner and silent auction, followed by a live auction, (a false fire alarm...oops), and some incredible performances by the perfect mix of local students and professional entertainers including tina fabrique, brandi massey, michelle jennings, scott pearson and more. i had a front row seat for the show that made me love my line of work even more - even at the end of such a long day!

mr. & mrs. thiebaud

2008-06-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

once upon a time a northern college girl went on spring break. on the ride from ohio to the obx she probably laughed with her girlfriends, kicked back, relaxed, and prepared to let loose. she had no idea that somewhere among the sand that week she would meet a boy...and that the ride home would be very different.

a couple of long distance years and too many plane tickets later, that boy dropped to his knee at this very spot and asked her to be his wife.

i headed to medina, ohio on memorial day weekend (with my good sport of a riding buddy in tow - thanks grandma!) to document one of the most FUN weddings i've ever witnessed. this couple had me laughing and crying behind the camera as they shook off their nerves, made a vow, smiled for me, and partied like rockstars 'til the night was over.

congratulations allison and kristien, and thank you for allowing me to be a part of your crazy beautiful wonderfully unforgettable day!

catching up with lady mac

2008-06-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

i've been one busy girl for the last few weeks. it's been one thing after another. corporate shots for my friends at strategic guru, family portraits for the gorgeous cozyn's, a wedding in ohio, the scrap exchange for fifteen501, a legislative reception for the greater raleigh chamber of commerce, and oh, yeah...a mini-vacation back home on the outer banks - hey, a girl's gotta stop sometime.

now i'm back and i'm editing as fast as my computer will run. i've just finished a few new portraits of mackenzie layne, the tiny red-haired, bow-butted beauty that you may have seen on my website around the holidays. she's growing up so quickly!

good golly miss tissa!

2008-05-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-21T22:29:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-20T13:08:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-05-12T20:15:00.000-07:00

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?! :)

Where It All Began

2008-01-16T07:36:00.000-08:00

i didn't "just know" that i wanted to be a photographer. i've always liked to do lots of things. over the years i've wanted to write novels, play the piano, dance on stage with janet jackson, and work in a fancy new york pr firm. later, as a journalism student at my favorite university on the planet, i was fortunate enough to take a trip across the ocean and spent 5 weeks in florence, italy. i took my first art classes there just for fun, and one of those happened to be photography. i fell in love.

i returned to chapel hill in a panic. i was working toward the wrong degree, i thought. i was supposed to be an art student. i was supposed to be a photographer. public relations?! what was i doing? in the end i opted to continue with my pr degree. after all, i needed a real job.

it took me nearly 3 years to figure it out.

there i was, running with the big dogs and working my way up that slippery corporate ladder when again - just for fun - i offered to take a few engagement photos for some friends on the beach. we had a blast that afternoon and without even really trying, came home with a gorgeous set of fun, sweet, real portraits that didn't just document the soon-to-be-married couple...they showed who they really are.

that afternoon in the middle of a shot, i looked over to my left and saw a family walking down the beach with a professional photographer. oh yeah, this is a real job. at that moment i knew that i had to make it happen. life is too short not to give it a shot.