It was W.C. Fields who coined the famous phrase, “Never work with animals or children” due to their unpredictability and scene stealing nature. I have worked with children before, and for the most part I would agree with their scene stealing nature, but animals? One of Rachel’s Zumba classmates lives close by and happens to have a little fluffy young goat to play with and we thought, what the heck, let’s test out this axiom. Couple of phone calls and voila, Jennifer has her hands full of some cute goat-ness and I have two lovely subjects for a photo session.
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my year in the miller theater, volume 4
This week in The Miller brings us a bit of color and texture shot from the roof, focusing on the surrounding environment of buildings and skyline of downtown Augusta and it's unique mix of brick, sculpture, peeling paint, and rust. We follow that up with a little tour back inside featuring some of the unique fixtures and textures of The Miller, also the ubiquitous front stairwell and finishing with some sunset shots from the roof. This volume's portrait session is a Senior Session featuring Emily introducing the back alley and the room under the secret yellow room room and getting her own time on the roof while joining the "just like a tree stand" club when presented with the many ladders on the roof.
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my year in the miller theater, volume 2
Welcome to volume 2 of my year at The Miller and thank you for showing up. I introduce a few new rooms (hello projector and uh, lady's bathroom ante-room...) and their treasures as well as establishing some returns from earlier. Here's looking at you , front door, phones and stairwell. The projector room was awesome and I would have loved to shoot there more, but shortly after my photo shoot with Ashley as you will see below, the lock was changed and I was unable gain access to the room. Oh, and for the record, it was not because I did anything, but there were quite a few copies made of the key from other people, so I think the powers that be wanted to limit access where possible.
Read Morelocation, location, location
On windy days such as been the case the first two days of this years Master's, it can make me somewhat wistful when it comes to the idea of a photography studio. Through the years I have come across several spaces that have suddenly come available, or in terms of downtown Augusta, spaces that have been vacant for many years, and stood outside of the door, checked every window, checked certain apps on my phone to see when and where the sun rises or sets in relation to those windows and dreamt of what could be. Enterprise Mill, the White building, that secret room in the Miller Theatre, large, small, and everything in between. I think Rachel has heard the phrase "I think I found it" so many times, well, at this point it has gone beyond any sort of response, even the "yes dear."
Read Moreportrait photography and patience, the katie session
For those of you in the know, it is Championship Sunday as I write this and one of the biggest story lines of the playoffs has been Le'Veon Bell and his unique running style. If you happen to be around the t.v. while the Steelers are on today, take a listen and see if you can count the number of times you here the word "patience" in reference to Mr. Bell. Please don't make a drinking game out of it, because with Phil Simm's behind the mic, it will be every other word out of his mouth when the Steelers have the ball and you would be well on your way to being toasted by the end of the 1st quarter. But outside of that digression, Mr. Bell truly does have a unique way of running with patience and if I may be so bold, I am going to use him and his style as my segue into this lovely Senior Session with Katie.
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Senior Photography in Evans GA: Alissa
Twenty years ago I entered my senior year in high school. I had just come home from a summer in Ecuador, and I had shoulder length blonde hair that I was devising a plan to cut into a pixy (do I sleep with gum? Do I just lie? My parents would never let me do it). I had gained a solid 10 or 15 lbs. that summer to add to the several I already possessed overweight. Heroin chic I was not, but maybe I could go skater/raver/punk. The girls at school already didn't quite get me, so who would care?
That year I clad myself in funky vintage sweaters and JNCO. I lied to cut off my hair, and desperately searched out an identity that wasn't entirely centered on singing. I didn't think I was able to be who I desperately wanted to be, so I had to find an alternative.
Read MoreAugusta GA Portrait Photography: Sommer
Happy Saturday, Y'all! It has been a wonderfully long week, and today is all the longer. I did think a little art might help the day along, so I wanted to share these images of our new friend, Sommer.
Bill Cunningham, the recently deceased New York Times fashion photographer, is quoted to have been searching for "birds of paradise" in and around Manhattan. He searched for women of "daring styles" instead of women with "cookie cutter sameness" for the subjects of his art. Young, old, poor, wealthy- his selection was based entirely on his artistic perception.
Read MoreAugusta GA Portrait Photography: Rebekah Too
We shot Rebekah two years ago, and it is a wonder to see her change. High school is behind her, and she is on to her first year of college in the fall. She has the loveliest gentle spirit, and a delight to be around.
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Augusta GA Portrait Photography: Hannah
Her name is Hannah, and she is the most peaceful angel of a young woman. Normally she is not so serious, but she reigned the smile in for some dark lipstick and wild curls done on a 1/3 inch iron (her hair is straight). Modeling is not for the faint of heart!
Read MoreA word an artist understands: Portrait photography in Augusta, GA
I do not like the word "no." It could be the most agitating word to my ears. Despite hating the word, I love to play a game with our daughter, Lilah, whose favorite word to say is "no."
"Lilah. Would you like a giant hot fudge sundae?"
"No."
"How about to play in a room filled with sweet little puppies?"
"No."
"Would you like to swim in a pool full of marshmallows?"
"No."
Read MoreGood morning beautiful, Augusta GA Portrait Photography
Oh! Well, hello there, pretty thing! You look great this morning! Checking out the interwebs, sipping your coffee, swatting at the children under your feet... It is so good to see you again!
That's enough for the greetings right now, but it does seem like it has been forever since I have been curating lovely photos for you. Patrick and I have working hard over the last 18 months adjusting to life as a family of four, or really showing a little one how to adjust to life in our family. Work has not slowed down (can you believe I first typed "slown down?"), but instead is constantly filling. We have kept up everything, except for taking a calm moment to sit and share this passion of ours with you.
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Senior portraits in Augusta GA: Into Art
Swoon.
Isn't she lovely?
Today we get to work with this talented young woman again, and we are over the moon.
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Augusta GA Portrait: Christina all grown up
I sat across from her about a month ago, scrutinizing every inch of her face as she spoke. We were eating an incredible meal: bread warm from the oven, fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, pork tenderloin. It was the meal of a lifetime- one that we could never have afforded 15 years ago.
I couldn't believe she was sitting in front of me. I imagined us, walking to and from train stations. I imagined us lying on the ground miserable, holding our stomachs on a Tuesday after prematurely eating most of what we had rationed for Friday.
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Evans GA Portrait Photography: In full swing
There are only two days of March left, and wedding season is in full swing.
Formal hairstyling isn't for everyone, and I used to be terrified of it. Seven and a half years ago I worked in a large spa/salon in the Augusta area, where many a girl would schedule her whole wedding preparations. Unknowingly, 4 of those formal styles would end up on my book. The impending doom of such a Saturday would beat upon me all week long. I woke up with severe anxiety on said morning, stuffing bites of chicken biscuit into a stomach filled to the brim with butterflies. I would stand behind a girl with a comb, bobby pins and a prayer, struggling to knot up loose tendrils into some sort of configuration. Standing back from my creation, I scrutinized: "it's up."
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Family Photography in Evans GA: Time Has Flown
Four months after the fact, here she is.
It isn't that we have been reluctant to share her with the world, but it is simply that time has flown. She is... everything.
Read MoreAugusta Portraits: Our dear Miss Anna
Oh, our dear Miss Anna.
I have known her for five years, which puts her age then at 10. Her mother pulled me aside as we walked into a Kroger, me with a very fresh pixy, and her inquiring where I got my hair done. People ask stylists this question all the time, and my answer quickly diverts them:
"Actually, I am a hairstylist!" I exclaim with a smile.
No, I did not cut my hair like this. Yes, the person who did cut it had 7 years more experience, and was Vidal Sassoon trained. But, "Actually, I am a hairstylist" diverts them every time. And with this diversion I got one of my favorite, most consistently encouraging clients, and her sweet daughter.
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Augusta GA Portrait Photography: Crystal in a mood
This is Crystal, and if you are familiar with the blog you have seen her before. Crystal is usually cute, sweet, and full of sunshine. However this afternoon we made her moody and sultry- a little less California, and a bit more NYC. We love giving women the opportunity to show their extraordinary.
Here is Crystal, kindergarten teacher by day, and someone perfectly transformed by night.
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Augusta GA Family Photography: bravest we know
Patrick and I are expecting our second child this fall, and we could not be happier. Six years will divide the two of our little ones, and as far as we can see: our second child will complete our family.
We bustle around the house in preparation, once again imagining all of the primary colored apparatuses that will fill our living room. We will move the love seat out of our bedroom to accommodate a crib, and we still haven't decided whether cloth or disposable diapers will smell up our existence. We are excited, anxiously waiting the day an 8 lbs. child will once again wreck "our" lives.
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Augusta GA Family Photography: Paris Family
I study faces. Hair first, and then a deep examination of the face. We might be talking intently about our children, but in the silence I am wondering how I would apply her eye shadow. The reality is, the season in which i live is shared by women who wear little more that mascara and lipgloss. We are working hard. We are raising children. We don't give much time to primping and prepping, except maybe on Sundays.
J and I met during a book study, and I caught myself inspecting her deep-set eyes while she was speaking to someone else. I don't believe makeup is necessary for looking beautiful (as I probably wasn't wearing any at the time, either), I just like to imagine what I would do with someone's face if I had the opportunity to make it up.
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Evans GA Portrait Photographers: wildflowers
There is something to be said for cowboy boots and tall grass- for flowing dresses, cascading curls, and the sun pouring from behind an old barn. Patrick and I were both born and raised in the South, and we have settled in the marvelous southern city of Augusta, GA. Here there is a sweet country song on everyone's lips, and many to most photo shoots have the either the canal or railway tracks as a background.
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