Studio Blu Images

My new blog!

2009-07-20T20:32:00.003-04:00

Please mosey on over there to see what I'm up to. I've been hard at work on this and am so excited to share!!!

>

Susan and Dillon's Wedding Teaser

2009-06-21T12:58:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to share an image from Susan and Dillon's lovely wedding in Gainesville, Florida, a few weeks back. I have many more images to share but I'll leave you with this as I finish my toning.

I have several more shoots to share including another wedding, a surprise engagement, and a newborn shoot. I am also hard at work at launching my new blog so bear with me on that!

Thanks!

Jenny and Reid's Wedding Part II

2009-05-31T09:52:00.006-04:00

We had such a blast with Jenny and Reid's portraits! Jenny sent me a few ideas she had for nontraditional portraits for her bridal party and I was happy to oblige. Jenny looked oh so stunning and Reid looked very handsome. Cute couples make cute portraits!

The reception was another fabulous event. It was also held at The Renaissance Vinoy and was totally stunning. It was a pleasure to work again with Chuck Lewis from Hearts Video and Doug Decker from Grant Hemond and Associates. I have had such a great experience working with those folks time and time again.

On to the images!

These portraits were so much fun. Thanks for coming up with these ideas Jenny!

Some Details!

Can you tell what Reid likes to do in his offtime?

Party time!

This was a first for me to see at a wedding!

Thanks!

2009-05-27T10:49:00.002-04:00

We now interrupt this regularly scheduled blog to share a big project I've been working on. I'm involved in a project called Soul of Athens which is basically a multimedia project on Athens, Ohio. I spent many hours collecting students work to put this piece together. It was definitely a joy!

Enjoy!

Thanks and I have more images to share soon. Check back!

Jenny and Reid's Wedding Part I

2009-05-15T11:27:00.007-04:00

Jenny and Reid had a fabulous day! The weather was nice and the decor and scenery at The Renaissance Vinoy were just spectacular. Stephanie Petitta, the event coordinator there is just fabulous to work with. Jenny lives out west so her lovely mother Jane (and my gym buddy) helped plan a lot of the details. She picked great vendors including Laurie Vodnoy-Wright to perform at the ceremony. The flowers were provided by The Flower Centre. The ladies from Cloud Nine Salon did a wonderful job with makeup. I loved watching what Rob Godfrey from Salon Volo did with everyone's hair.

The scenery at the Vinoy is just gorgeous!

Married!

I'll be posting the second half next week. I'm shooting another gorgeous wedding tomorrow so the wedding season is in full bloom!

Jenny's Wedding Teaser

2009-05-08T21:42:00.002-04:00

Jenny and Reid's wedding at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort was truly spectacular. Every detail was just gorgeous and Jenny looked beautiful. I'll be sharing my favorite images soon. Meanwhile, we had a blast shooting some images of Jenny's gorgeous dress, which she was lucky enough to find at one of my favorite bridal shops, Malindy Elene.

I'll be sharing more images soon so check back. I am slammed processing several weddings, album designs, and working on designing a new blog. Yup. I'm a bada$$. I'm coding the blog myself :) Hopefully it'll be up early this summer.

Thanks!

Amy and Josh's Wedding Part II

2009-05-02T13:28:00.003-04:00

The scenery at Amy and Josh's wedding was simply stunning. I'm completely crazy about the tree's on the property at the house by the river. After Amy and Josh's ceremony, we took some time to take some gorgeous portraits. Hope you like them as much as I do :)

When we were finished up, we headed over to the clubhouse at Juliette Falls, an exclusive golf course in Dunnellon. It was a spectacular venue! Thanks to Suzanne Neely and all of her staff for their great hospitality! The wedding was dj'd by Raymond Minor, who did a great job! He played tons of favorite oldies that got folks dancing.

Here's just a few of my favorites...

Love this light :)

Aren't they so cute?

Josh and his mom. So sweet!

Thanks! Next up I'll be posting images from Jenny and Reid's wedding. Check back cause they're gorgeous!!!

Amy and Josh's Wedding Part I

2009-04-26T13:44:00.005-04:00

The special thing about Amy and Josh's wedding was they had their ceremony on a dock on the Rainbow River in Dunnellon, Florida. The dock is on the property of Amy's grandfather, who passed away a few years ago. Therefore, this wedding was extremely personal and special. I felt so honored to be there to witness and record this special time.

Josh looks so dapper!

I love the simplicity of Amy's gorgeous dress.

Amy looked so beautiful!

Nici of La Chanson D'Amour set such a beautiful mood.

Can we say gorgeous?

I'll be posting the second half this week. Check back!

Thanks!

Amy's Wedding

2009-04-20T14:03:00.002-04:00

When my friends have asked me how this wedding went, I have been telling them that it's the closest I'll have ever gotten to shooting a wedding out of the movie Steel Magnolias. It was so beautiful and sweet.

I have plenty more images to share, but I wanted to start out with this beautiful, simple image of Amy.

Thanks and check back. I'll be posting more soon!

Stacey and Michael's Wedding Part II

2009-04-16T15:59:00.011-04:00

Yay! I'm ready to share the second half of Stacey and Michael's wedding.

Their fun reception took place at the Waterfront room at Jackson's Bistro on Harbour Island. The light in that room was tasty! Stacey and Michael had a great dj, James King from Grant Hemond! He kept the party going! Stacey and Michael's friend, Kelly, did their cupcake (cake). It looked yummy! Check out her other work at Cakes by Kelly.

Finally, the party wouldn't have been so great without the guidance and support of Beth from Flawless Occasions. I'm lucky to have to have had the pleasure to get to work with Beth. I hope to do so again!

Something about this photo makes me smile. It's one of my favorite of Stacey and Michael.

Michael was a fun groom for me. He was open to just about anything :)

After our bridal party portraits, we took a little "photo walk" through Old Hyde Park and we found this cool telephone booth!

The inspiration for the centerpieces comes from "Better Together," by Jack Johnson. There's a line in the song about shoe boxes of photographs of sepia-toned loving. I loooved this detail!

Let the party begin!

Stacey was glowing, simply glowing!

Stacey's mom did the Hora!!! Love this photo :)

I love this photo. Michael's mom was so cute!

Oh no he didn't!

A beautiful ending to a beautiful night!

I'll be sharing some images from Amy and Josh's lovely riverside wedding soon. Check back!

Stacey and Michael's Wedding Part I

2009-04-11T11:09:00.006-04:00

I feel so honored to photograph weddings for such wonderful people. To me, it's so special to be there when a couple takes such an important vow to their relationship and their love. Stacey and Michael's wedding was no different. I remember meeting with Stacey last summer and her describing the wedding. Every description she used was right on. Her day was perfect! Sunshine and happiness all around.

First off was getting ready at the Westin on Harbour Island. It's a lovely hotel that I've been to before for Gasparilla. Love it!

Stacey and Michael's ceremony took place at the lovely Kate Jackson Community Center in Hyde Park. The room they used was so bright and beautiful with yellow walls. The perfect place for a wedding :) Steven G. Shutter, a longtime family friend of Michael's, and a judge from Broward County, was the officiant. He did a wonderful job. I think it's so cool when somebody special to you does the ceremony. It makes it all the more personal.

All of the bridesmaids I have photographed recently have worn light blue. It's fabulous! These ladies looked gorgeous. I love this photo of them all trying to get their sashes right.

I love this moment between Stacey and her maid-of-honor, Kelly.

Stacey and Michael opted for one of my favorite things, a First Look!!! They met under a gazebo and were able to spend some alone time on their wedding day! It was nice to see them actually be able to enjoy each other on such a special day. We were also able to do all of their portraits before the wedding, which made the day run so much smoother.

I really liked the colors the groomsmen wore. Very spring-like!

Doesn't Stacey look so great?

I couldn't resist these two moments.

Husband and wife!

Michael's parents looked so proud!

I have many more images to share from their portrait session and the reception. I'll be posting them here soon. I also have Amy and Josh's wedding to share. Check back!

As always, thanks to Joanna, who is the most uberfabulous friend and assistant that a girl could want. Her positive energy and spirit just makes my day great!

Thanks!

Stacey and Michael's Wedding, a teaser

2009-04-09T12:18:00.003-04:00

I have a beautiful wedding to share coming up here soon! I just wanted to leave you with one of my favorite portraits of Stacey taken in her hotel room at the Westin on Harbour Island in Tampa. I also wanted to mention that I had the pleasure of working with Beth from Flawless Occasions. No matter how much work you want to be involved with during your wedding, hiring a wedding coordinator is some of the best money spent, besides your photographer :) They help the day run smoother!

I love the elegance of Stacey's look in this image!

Check back because I'll be posting more soon!

Barbra and Gino's Wedding Part II

2009-04-04T11:47:00.003-04:00

Here's the second half of rocking photos from Barbra and Gino's great wedding! Their ceremony and reception took place at The Rusty Pelican, which is always a great place to work. I was so excited that they've done some renovating and have opened up the glass wall. You can see so much more of Tampa Bay that way!

I also have to give a shout out to Doug Shaw from Shaw Sound Productions. He did a great job!

Anyway, on to some fun images!

Barbra's dad, Dave, gave such a sweet speech. I love this moment!

The happy couple rode off in Gino's cool car!

I'm trying to catch up on blogging as fast as I can! Check back next week because I'll be sharing images from Stacey and Michael's wonderful wedding!

Thanks!

Barbra and Gino's Wedding Part I

2009-03-27T17:50:00.002-04:00

I think we'd all be so lucky to have such a relaxed and fun day as Barbra and Gino had on their wedding day! Their wedding was so lovely. I even had a great time with my lovely assistant Joanna. Barbra and Gino are two beautiful people with beautiful spirits and a great group of friends and family who surround them. Their wedding was a sweet ceremony next to the water at The Rusty Pelican in Tampa.

Check out her gorgeous updo!

Gino's so handsome!

He was soo relaxed!

Hello Gorgeous!

This has such a "Going to the chapel and I'm gonna get married feel to it"

Some details!

What a cute flower girl!

Did I mention that Barbra's signature colors were blue and white! A girl after my own heart :)

Gino will definitely make a great father some day.

Barbra's parents were soo happy!

This little flower girl wasn't having a great day. But she sure was cute!

I'll be doing a second posting from this wedding soon! I have to get ready for tomorrow's wedding with Stacey and Michael but check back!

Thanks!

An image from Barbra and Gino's wedding!

2009-03-20T17:35:00.005-04:00

Wow, it took me a little longer to blog this photo. Reason being, with my new 5d Mark II, I didn't realize that the raw files are not supported in Photoshop. Well, I learned my lesson and I got it taken care of. Turns out it was just a little plug-in. Bleck. I'm so not computer savvy, and this is a good reminder :)

Anyway, well here's an image from Barbra and Gino's beautiful wedding at The Rusty Pelican this past weekend. I had the ultra fabulous Joanna to help me out and I'm telling you, with Joanna along, a girl can't go wrong :)

Barbra and Gino are still on their honeymoon in Hawaii. Can't wait to hear all about the trip. Ahh, Hawaii. Luckyyyyyyyyyyyyy them :)

I have a ton more photos to share but I need to get back to editing and toning so I'll just leave you with this beautiful image. Check back soon for more!

Thanks!

Albums!

2009-03-12T08:57:00.004-04:00

In anticipation of this weekend's wedding in Tampa, I thought I'd share a few albums I recently received back from my album company. Anya requested traditional matted albums for her parent albums, and I was more than happy to oblige. Anya's personal album is going to be a more modern coffee table flush mounted album. I can't wait to show off that album when it comes in!

How it works for albums is the couple and their family receives their proofs and they use these for guidance to what images they want in their album. I try to guide them in telling the story of the day but I try to let the families decide all of their favorite images.
The sky's really the limit with albums. There are so many different styles, cover options, and mounting options. It's so much fun to pick out your album!

Anyway, on to the albums. Here ya go!

I love the touch of using the invitation mounted in the front.

Gotta show off some Studio Blu love :)

Don't forget to check back next week for this weekend's lovely wedding!

Thanks!

Laura and Bobby's Wedding Part II

2009-03-01T10:27:00.003-05:00

So this little post, ok, big post is from the second half of Laura and Bobby's wedding. After the ceremony we took the limo around and took some great portraits in their favorite parts of the city. I applaud Laura and Bobby and all of their wedding party really cause it was freezing! They were real troopers in letting me take so many photos. Then we were on to the reception at Soldiers and Sailors Hall. The reception was amazing. Soo beautifully decorated. And being such a lover of the color blue, I was amazed to find out that Laura and her family did most of the decorating themselves. One of the nicest touches that I'm happy Laura went through with was she hired a professional lighting company to do the lighting. This is always a treat because it just makes the reception oh so much better, especially for pictures!

Now on to some tasty images, great details, and special moments!

Isn't this little guy too cute?

I have to include a picture of Hank's friend Adam.

This was a fun spot that Laura insisted she wanted a portrait from. I love the Terrible Towel!

Birdcages rule!

Isn't this just soo pretty?

Awww, Adam.

I just love the light and the tenderness of this moment.

Thanks!

Laura and Bobby's Wedding Part I

2009-02-24T18:49:00.007-05:00

Warning****Huge post coming!

I'm finally blogging images from Laura and Bobby's beautiful wedding two weekends ago. The ceremony took place at the lovely St. Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh. The girls got ready at a nearby hotel, while the guys got ready downtown. Laura was a gorgeous bride. All the details were perfect, and she just smiled all day long. Her hair was one of the best styles I've seen in a long time. It was truly a pleasure to photograph this wedding.

Now, on with some pictures!

This is Hank's friend Adam, and Laura's big brother. My how big brothers are all the same :)

Beautiful, eh?

Can I say that Laura is a bride who's after my own heart with her love of blue in her wedding? I'm a blue sucker and can't get enough blue details into any wedding :) Of course, any color works, but blue holds a special place :)

I love this sweet moment!

The Happy Couple!

I love the brick. So sweet.

I'll be posting the portraits and reception images soon. So many details to come :) Check back!

Thanks!

Laura and Bobby's Wedding in Pittsburgh

2009-02-18T17:13:00.004-05:00

I just wanted to post a lovely image from this weekend's past wedding in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Hank and I went up there on Friday and had a blast wandering around and eating yummy food.

I have tons of photos to share but I have to finish editing and toning first!

Anyway, here's a little tease :) Birdcages are the absolute best!

Thanks!

Treats for Clients!

2009-02-13T22:25:00.005-05:00

Hi all,

I'm in Pittsburgh about to shoot a gorgeous wedding tomorrow and I just can't wait to share the images. I also have tons more to share including several albums I've created recently. I'm on an album kick. I've discovered some great album companies and having so much fun creating so many beautiful creations for my clients.

For the time being, I thought I'd share these. I came across these adorable frames recently and had these prints framed for some of my clients from last fall. I'm really trying to treat my brides who have hired my services this year and last. One thing is for certain, I aim to please for my brides and grooms!

Check these out!

Is this not the cutest?

Thanks and be sure to check back for some tasty images from tomorrow!

Emma Hartman and Clayton's photo shoot!

2009-02-07T08:32:00.004-05:00

We had a great shoot with little Emma Hartman and her little brother Clayton right before Christmas at Aldridge Gardens in Birmingham. It was a little rainy, but we had a great time nonetheless. Here's some of my favorite photos of these two adorable kids!

This was one of my favorites because of the whimsical feel of it.

Emma Hartman is truly going to be the actor of the family.

Grandparents :)

Thanks!

Christina and Matt's Wedding Part II

2009-01-31T09:07:00.004-05:00

Christina and Matt had a beautiful reception at the Countryside Country Club in Clearwater. When we arrived, we spent some fun time on the golf course taking some beautiful images. Golf courses are the perfect place for portraits. The manicured lawns are just great. My father-in-law practically lives on a golf course and I now know why :)

Somebody let Christina and Matt loose in the golf cart! Maybe I should be happy I had a driver from the club? hehe.

Rings + Candy Table = Fun!

I had no idea that Christina was such a great singer! Girl has a voice :)

Up next I have a few family portrait shoots to share. And a gorgeous wedding! Check back!

Thanks!

Christina and Matt's Wedding Part I

2009-01-24T12:22:00.003-05:00

Christina and Matt had a lovely wedding at Our Lady Of Lourdes Catholic Church in Dunedin. It was a lovely mass with Christina and Matt surrounded by all of their loved ones. As you can see Christina pays special attention to details and everything about her wedding was lovely! I'll be putting up a second post of the reception photos at the uber fabulous Countryside Country Club in Clearwater. Thanks again to my great assistant, Joanna, for all of her hard work. She rocks!!!

I've got some pretty special weddings coming up in Pittsburgh, Nashville, and all over Florida. It's going to be a great 2009! Happy year everybody :)

are they not adorable?

portraity goodness!

Thanks!

Ways to make your Wedding Images better

2009-01-14T11:35:00.018-05:00

This is a great list I came across and I wanted to share it with you all out there in blogger world. It lists some things to consider while planning your wedding and thinking about the level of photography you would like.

Plan in time for a "photo walk". Its that 30 minutes or so after your formals, but before your reception starts. We need this alone time with you and your new husband to create some of those relaxed romantic portraits that everyone loves. Its from this session that 90% of our enlargements are made. Its where your thank you card shot will come from...this is the number one way to ensure great images. Give us the time to take them. So, please, plan it out in your schedule.

Consider including a "first glance" session. While tradition often insists that the bride and groom don't see each other prior to the ceremony on their wedding day, "first glance" sessions are becoming increasingly popular. These sessions are a short, private meeting between the bride and groom before the ceremony. It gives the groom the chance to truly enjoy how beautiful his bride looks in her wedding attire and often results in even the toughest guys tearing up a bit. The session also frequently result in some of the most emotional and meaningful images of the day. During a typical "first glance" session the photographer will be on hand for the initial meeting, then stay a bit longer, finally departing to give the couple a few special moments alone.

Schedule an engagement portrait session. You're probably wondering what this has to do with wedding day images. Truth be told, an engagement session not only results in some great images that you might want to use to build a custom guest sign-in book, it also allows you to get comfortable in front of the camera. It also gives both you and the photographer a chance to learn how to work together. When the big day comes around you'll be more at ease while having your photos made.

Allow a realistic time frame for getting hair and make-up done. When you factor in all the bridesmaids and the moms, along with yourself, hair and make-up can be a huge time killer. If you run late leaving the salon, you'll be running behind and playing catch-up the entire day. Nothing causes more stress at a wedding than being off schedule. Depending on the coverage you've selected you may want your photographer on hand for at least part of the hair and make-up session. If not at the salon, you'll definitely want them on hand early enough to capture some of the hair and make-up touch-ups prior to the ceremony. Getting ready shots really help with the storytelling aspect of your wedding album.

Don't get carried away with your make-up. Your photos will look best if you have a fairly clean, fresh, and natural appearance. This is especially true for ladies that don't normally wear make-up. You probably want to avoid suntanning the day before your wedding as well. And most importantly, be careful if you use a spray-on-tan. It can make you look orange in your photos and is virtually impossible to "fix" in photoshop without making everyone else look like pastie-white ghouls.

Try to be on time. When weddings get far off schedule stress levels climb. Very few weddings run exactly on time, but they can be pretty close. A little pre-planning is all it takes. However, if things do run a little slow don't get too stressed out about it. Everything will work out fine.

Plan sufficient time for group portraits. Weddings are one of those special times when entire families come together. Not surprisingly, everyone wants to take advantage of the opportunity to make some family portraits. So, you need to plan accordingly. If you're not careful, these sessions can eat up way too much time and put you off schedule. As a general rule rule, plan on about five minutes for each grouping that you would like photographed. Keep in mind that the photographer has no idea who everyone is. Be sure to put someone who knows all, or at least most of the primary people, in charge of getting the groups together. That way the photographer can concentrate on what they do best, making great images and arranging the groups, rather than trying to gather everyone together for the portraits.

Drink in moderation. You don't want to get so drunk that you can't remember your day, or, even worse, you look drunk in your photos. Have fun and enjoy a few drinks if you want, but be sure to eat throughout the day to help keep up your energy levels and because it will help you "hold" your alcohol.

Relax and have fun. It's your day. It's your party. Don't obsess over seeing every guest at your reception to the point of missing it all yourself. Also, don't be afraid to delegate tasks throughout the day. After all, that's what bridesmaids are for. It's their job to "attend" to the bride. After all, that's what bridesmaids are for. It's their job to "attend" to the bride. The less you have to worry about and the more you relax and enjoy the day, the better your photos will look.

During your first dance LOOK AT ONE ANOTHER! This is the moment you've been waiting for. Relax and enjoy each other. Forget about the photographer, the videographer, the guests. The same idea of applies to other special dances...father/daughter...mother/son. These are special moments too. Don't hesitate to look at Mom or Dad.

Coordinate key events with the photographer and Master of Ceremony. If you're planning any special events such as a bouquet toss, cake cutting, garter toss, etc., make sure your photographer gets a "heads-up" in advance. They'll need to be sure they have a fresh memory card before the event or want to put in some fresh batteries. Also give the photographer a chance to provide some input about positioning and timing. You want these images to be great. Timing and position is everything for these photographs.

Plan an exit strategy. It allows you to bring your special event to a nice, emotional close. This will allow you to leave in a timely fashion and let your guests know they're no longer obligated to stay. Best of all, it will make for some stellar images and add to the storytelling potential of your album!

Happy Planning!

Sharon's Venture!

2009-01-07T17:39:00.004-05:00

Here's a portrait shoot I did while in Tampa last month. I'll be in Tampa several times in March and April so let me know if you'd like to set up a shoot. Sharon is working on a series of essays to be published on her new website she's starting. I can't share the site now, but check back and I'll let you know when it launches. We wandered around the University of Tampa to take these beautiful portraits. Doesn't her haircut just look adorable? She had it long for years and finally had it cut.

I love Sharon's smile in this one!

I have to share a fab photo of my lovely assistant Joanna!!! She's the best :)

Thanks!

Anna and Bryan's Wedding in Savannah Part II

2009-01-04T14:09:00.005-05:00

Anna and Bryan rode in a carriage from the church to their reception. It was a delightful ride and gave us the chance to take some fun photographs. The reception was held at Vic's On The River, in the heart of Savannah. It was just beautiful and sweet. I thought Anna and Bryan were soo cute and sweet and definitely have a great life together ahead of them. They were surrounded by loving family and friends and had a ball. Here's some more of my favorite images!

Thanks!

Anna and Bryan's Wedding in Savannah Part I

2009-01-02T00:03:00.003-05:00

Hello again loyal blog followers. In my quest to blog everything that I shot this past fall before my next quarter begins, I share with you my wedding with Anna in Savannah. I just love saying that. Anna married Bryan this past fall in the beautiful Savannah, Georgia at the gorgeous Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church. The weather was perfect, Anna's smile was infectious and Bryan was having a blast. It was a lovely day for all. Anyway, on to the photos...

Anna wanted all of the pre-ceremony portraits taken in the park across the street from the church. It was soo beautiful!

Married!

I thought this image was so much fun! I was picking bird seed out of Anna's hair for the next 10 minutes. Who says a wedding photographer doesn't come in handy for just about everything :)

Thanks!

Carrie and Matt's wedding Part II

2008-12-30T14:58:00.003-05:00

Here are some more of my favorite images from Matt and Carrie's wedding at Hotel Allegro in Chicago. Matt and Carrie followed their jewish faith and had a Hora during the reception. I absolutely love Hora's and always jump at the chance to photograph one.

Carrie's mom was so funny when it was her turn to be lifted up.

Thanks!

Matt and Carrie's Wedding Part I

2008-12-27T22:16:00.003-05:00

I had a blast photographing Matt and Carrie's wedding this past fall. They got married at the Hotel Allegro in downtown Chicago. One of Matt's requests was for them to have a first look and see each other before the ceremony. I absolutely love this. It meant we were completely done with all of the portraits before and after they got to visit and have fun with their friends and family. I did this for my wedding and completely recommend it to anybody who wants to have a less stressful day. Anyway, here are some of my favorite images. Check back early next week some more tasty images from the day!

First off, we walked around the hotel and just had fun taking portraits.

Quite possibly my favorite!

It was raining so we had to stay under the canopy. But we made the most of it!

You can see in this photo why Matt is so much fun. They wanted some fun portraits along with their traditional portraits.

Next up was the Ketoubah signing. Matt had a little* mistake but it was soo funny when Carrie just laughed it off. Nothing was gonna mess up her day!

Thanks!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-24T09:34:00.006-05:00

On this Christmas Eve, I'm reminded of all that I'm thankful for and looking forward to next year. My husband and I are in Birmingham, Alabama, relaxing and spending time with his family. I'll be resuming all of my weddings after tomorrow.

Here's our "children" on the trip down. I shot these with Hank's iphone.

I had to include this photo of Kaya. It's soo funny.

Frankie couldn't make the trip. He always gets sick in the car so he's staying at grandma's :)

Here's a picture of him anyway.

Happy Holidays to all!

Adrienne's Wedding Part II

2008-12-20T21:39:00.004-05:00

Here's the rest of the photos I promised from Adrienne and Eric's wedding. One of the special touches about Adrienne and Eric's wedding was their color selections. Adrienne is a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, while Eric is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity so, naturally, their colors were crimson and cream. The reception was beautiful and oh so much fun. Enjoy! I'll be blogging soon three other weddings I shot this past fall while working towards my master's degree. It's been busy indeed but wonderful!

Thanks!

Adrienne's Wedding Part I

2008-12-15T07:45:00.003-05:00

Here it is! I am finally sharing the images from Adrienne and Eric's fabulous wedding. When Adrienne first told me about Eric when they were dating, I knew he was a special guy. The wedding took place in Chicago in Adrienne's family church. It was so sweet to see Adrienne surrounded by loved ones and friends. Adrienne is a senior writer for Ebony magazine and hopefully some of her images are going to be published soon! Won't that be fabulous?

Some Maggie Sottero goodness!

I'll be posting more photos soon. Check back for more!

Thanks!

Gift Certificates!!!

2008-12-04T22:21:00.002-05:00

Due to a high demand, I recently added gift certificates to my list of services. Please holler at me if you would like one as a gift, for your neighbor, for yourself, for anyone! They can be used for print credits, portrait sessions, bridal sessions, the sky's the limit.

Thanks!

Blowing up with posts

2008-11-30T21:47:00.000-05:00

Soo, I'm working on a new blog. I have found a wonderful blog company that allows me more control over the design of my blog. I'm currently in grad school learning such things and plan on using them fully. So, watch out in the coming months because I'm going to be rocking this blog out!

For now, here's a teaser for a wedding that I shot in Chicago at the beginning of my quarter. It's late because blogging has taken a backseat to shooting weddings and school.

Here's Adrienne looking lovely on her special day!

Thanks!

Almost There!

2008-11-14T07:56:00.000-05:00

I've been a bad blogger. As many of my clients know, I decided to go back to school this year. I'm currently living in Ohio going to Ohio University. I've been here studying multimedia. I've been taking classes in video, web design, as well as other classes. It's been an amazing experience. I'm learning so much and I'm so of much I'm enjoying it.

One of the things I've been looking forward to is to add these new skills to my business. The video part is a big one. I'm not ready to personally videotape weddings, but we'll see how long that will take me to get ready for :)

I've also been incredibly busy this wedding season. I have several weddings to blog as well as some other things. I'm also looking forward to my winter break which starts late next week. I'll immediately be working none stop on album designs.

I've been very fortunate to be able to photograph weddings while I've been here in Ohio. I've had to be selective on the weddings I've been taking during this time, and I look forward to sharing those special days with you.

Thanks so much for your patience!

Here's a family portrait from when my husband's family came up to visit.

Thanks!

Boudoir!

2008-09-29T08:42:00.000-04:00

I had my first boudoir shoot in August for a client who is getting married soon. I promised her anonymity so I'm not going to write her name on here. She doesn't want her future husband to know until their wedding day when she plans on presenting him with a custom made album of her images. I can't wait to design the album for her! Here are the images...her body is killer. I think she's awesome to show it off like this in such a tasteful way!

Thanks!

Marie and Michael's Wedding

2008-09-17T07:13:00.000-04:00

I'm a bit behind on blogging but I have tons to share. First off, I have to blog about a wedding that I shot this past spring for Michael and Marie. They were married in Tampa and had their reception at the Kapok Tree in Clearwater. It was a lovely day! I am currently finishing up Marie and Michael's wedding albums and am just soo excited to give them to them. I also have to give a shout out to Christine DeLessio, who I worked with that day. Please check back because I have several exciting blogs to share!

Thanks!

Alley, Clark, and Greiwe

2008-08-28T10:50:00.000-04:00

Last week before I headed out of town, I did a shoot for an attorney group called Alley, Clark, and Greiwe. We did some professional headshots and a nice group portrait. The images haven't been posted to their site yet, but you can check out their website here.

Thanks!

A Great Read!

2008-08-03T08:53:00.000-04:00

A client of mine, Monique Fields, recently wrote an article entitled "Black Like Mommy, White Like Me" for an online publication, The Root. Monique's article is about raising children in an interracial family and what that experience is like. It's a wonderful article, and very eye opening to the experience of Monique's daughter, Simone, and what lies ahead for Nadia, her younger daughter.

Monique is such a gifted writer and such a wonderful mother. We met while working together eight years ago working for the St. Petersburg Times, and when Monique started having children, she hired me for their family portraits. I took the portrait used in the article during our last session before her family moved to Alabama. Congrats Monique!!!

Thanks!

Ellie and Maddie's Family Shoot

2008-07-27T10:39:00.001-04:00

Last weekend I had the pleasure of photographing my friend Flip and his wife Jen and their two beautiful children, Ellie and Maddie. What a great family! We met at Philippe Park in Safety Harbor which is one of my absolute favorite places to photograph in. I even brought along my handy assistant Hank, who is the absolute best person to keep children's attention during portraits.

We saw some dolphins and manatees during the shoot. Maybe they wanted their portraits too :)

Thanks!

Anya and David's Wedding Part II

2008-07-15T06:09:00.000-04:00

Here's some portraits, details, and fun images from the reception for Anya and David's wedding. The band was a blast. Tons of guests were up and dancing. Anya and David were glowing being surrounded by their friends and loved ones.

David's brother Nick tripped me out the whole day!

This was one of my favorite images from the day. Anya's look is just so genuinely happy. Oh, and yeah, she was in the most delicious light!

I love how this guy managed to save the beer!

Tango anyone?

Thanks!

Anya and David's Wedding Part I

2008-07-14T20:14:00.000-04:00

It's a pleasure to finally share some of my favorite images from Anya and David's wedding. The ceremony took place at a sweet church in Chappaqua, New York. The reception was at the gorgeous Whippoorwill Club in Armonk, New York. I can't thank Anya and David, and Anya's dad, Sergey, enough for inviting me to photograph the special day. I had such a great time and wish you, Anya and David, the best in life! (Watch for a second post where I'll be sharing more details, portraits, and images from the reception)

Thanks!

Matt and Megan's Wedding at Sand Key

2008-07-04T13:51:00.001-04:00

I'm still working on Anya and David's images so I thought I'd share a sweet intimate wedding from a recent shoot. Matt and Megan decided to forgo the traditional wedding and have a simple ceremony at Sand Key Park in Clearwater. Thanks so much for including me Megan and Matt. I wish you many happy years to come!!!

The most popular guest...

Thanks!

Anya and David's Wedding

2008-06-27T12:24:00.000-04:00

This past weekend Hank and I photographed the wedding of Anya in David. We travelled from Tampa to Chappaqua, New York, to photograph the lovely wedding. Anya and David are now honeymooning in Hawaii and I'm frankly jealous. I wish I could have stowed away in their luggage :)

Anyway, here's a sneak peak of the wedding. I'll be sharing some more images soon.

Thanks!

WPJA Win!

2008-06-23T07:50:00.001-04:00

I have some very exciting news to share. I recently found out that I won second place in the Getting Ready category of the WPJA's quarterly competition. This is a great honor because the Wedding Photojournalist Association is so highly respected. Please check out the website if you get a chance. They've got such great information about hiring a professional photographer as well as tons of other resources.

Thanks!

Megan's Shower

2008-06-18T09:18:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I helped by hosting a shower for my good friend Megan. I posted images from Megan's pregnancy shoot a bit ago. Megan is due to have baby Ian early next month. Soo exciting. Megan and James are going to be great parents. I can't wait to meet little Ian. I wonder if he'll be born with a kilt? I certainly hope so!

On another note, I'm heading out to New York City today to photograph Anna and David's wedding this weekend. Please send me an email at info@studiobluimages.com for any inquiries or try my cell phone. I'll be blogging from that wedding as soon as I can.

Some yummy treats.

These are the shower gifts I found at the fabulous soap store, Milagros, which is located in Hyde Park. They have blue baby feet in the middle and are scented with a white tea fragrance. They even made custom tags for Ian. Very soothing and very adorable. Thanks for the suggestion Leslie!

Before the shower, Megan donated her hair to Locks of Love. Pretty adorable, eh?

Thanks!

Christina and Matt's Engagement Session

2008-06-14T17:04:00.000-04:00

For their engagement session, Christina and Matt chose a park close to their hearts. During their dating days, they both enjoyed a lot of time at John Chestnut Sr. Park in Palm Harbor. They enjoyed taking in the scenery. Believe me, that park screams of scenery! It's soo beautiful and serene. It made photographing Christina and Matt that much more fun. We even had a stalker squirrel who followed us along the boardwalk looking for food. To Christina and Matt, I had a lot of fun with the two of you and I'm looking forward to your wedding in December!

I couldn't resist sharing this photo of Matt and his new little buddy :)

Thanks!

Second Shooting for Abigail Seymour

2008-06-10T20:45:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I had the pleasure of being the second shooter for Abigail of Abigail Seymour Photography. I had a blast with her photographing Marcus and Jennifer's wedding at the Beach Club at the Ritz Carlton in Sarasota. Abigail is a blast to work with and I learned so much about business from her. The wedding itself was lovely. The sky was bright and the details perfect.

This was the last of the weddings I planned on second shooting for. Next week I'm off to New York to photograph the wedding of Anna and David and then later in the summer I've got weddings in Chicago and Savannah. I have another wedding to blog about soon as well as a few other shoots and pictures from Megan's shower!

I've really appreciated the opportunity to second shoot for such stellar photographers and such great business people. To Abigail, Susan, and Dave, Thanks soo much for sharing such great advice and the opportunity to watch you work!

Thanks!

Assisting Susan Stripling

2008-06-04T08:17:00.000-04:00

As I wrote before, this year as I'm growing my business, I wanted to do a bit of assisting to learn from some of the best wedding photographers in the business. A few weeks ago I had the opportunity again. I was asked to assist Susan Stripling again to photograph the wedding of Lauren and Robert in Riverview, Florida. It was a delight. Susan is the an amazing photographer and business woman. She travels the world photographing weddings and makes the most amazing images. I hope that as I journey along in my business I can put into practice all that I have learned from her. Thanks Susan!

Thanks!

Pregnancy Shoot with Megan and James

2008-06-02T21:00:00.000-04:00

In addition to photographing a wedding this weekend, I'm going to be hosting a baby shower for my good friend Megan. To prepare for the shower, we did a short photo session at Megan's house and at the lake down the street. When we were talking about the shoot, all Megan mentioned was that she wanted to do some yoga poses in front of the camera. I was happy to oblige. Right after the shoot, Megan donated most of her hair to Locks of Love. Soo cool, I did it last year and loved it. But we'll definitely have to shoot more after Ian's born cause she's gonna look completely different.

Here's some fun photos from the shoot. You can really see why I love Megan and James and think they're such great friends!

This is perhaps my favorite photo of the entire shoot. Greta just jumped up on the couch to join in on all the fun.

Greta's favorite thing to do is to lick. Guess you could of guessed that in the last photo! In this photo, she's secretly eyeing me to see if I'll get close enough for her to lick my lens.

This is Stan, of the duo Greta and Stan. I absolutely love those two dachsunds. We always talk about introducing our dogs but we're afraid they might not get along. Oh well, someday.

I had to add this photo in of my fabulous husband entertaining everybody. If I didn't have a camera, I'd be climbing a tree too!

Check back for pictures from the shower.

Thanks!

Sidney's Baby Announcement

2008-05-28T21:24:00.001-04:00

This is the card that I designed for Sherri and Marcus. Sidney is an adorable baby so making the card was a delight. If you're ever interested in having me design a card for you, drop me a line. In this case Sherri told me the colors she liked and a guideline for what she wanted it to look like. It was so much fun to design!

Thanks!

Dannialle and Chris's Wedding

2008-05-21T21:47:00.000-04:00

I was recently asked to photograph a sweet intimate wedding between Dannialle and Chris. We met, along with a few friends and family out at Sand Key Park for a beautiful wedding at sunset. The ceremony was so personal and touching. Dannialle's mother and sister made all the flower decorations. So gorgeous. Congratulations Dannialle and Chris! You are a beautiful family.

Thanks!

Candace and Chandler

2008-05-16T05:15:00.000-04:00

A few posts ago I mentioned that I was trying to do some assisting to learn from photographers with a lot more experience than me. Well, a few weeks ago I got the chance to assist again. This time I assisted for Dave Robbins at a lovely wedding atop a building at the Ritz Carlton in Sarasota. It was stunning. For me, mostly I held Dave's light, which is something I had never thought of doing and hope to incorporate it into my own shooting some time soon. Candace and Chandler, who are from New Jersey and decided to have their wedding down here, have great taste! Thanks so much Dave for inviting me to work with you. I learned so much and had a great time.

Thanks!

Melanie and Chris

2008-05-11T08:01:00.000-04:00

Melanie contacted me a few months ago to see if I was available to photograph the vows of her and her fiance Chris. Of course I agreed and helped her find a place for it. Melanie and Chris were "officially" married in a small ceremony in New York but wanted to fly down to Florida to have their vows commitment to each other at sunset on the beach. I suggested a few beaches and a place to get Melanie's hair done. It all worked out beautifully. We met at Ft. DeSoto Park for their ceremony. The ceremony was soo sweet. They spoke to each other in such loving ways. I was soo lucky to be there and to photograph the lovely moment. Afterwards we did a portrait session along the beach. --Melanie and Chris, your love is special. Enjoy every minute. Thanks for asking me to be there.--Carrie

Thanks

Sidney's Baby Shoot

2008-05-06T21:57:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to share these images from a family shoot I did a few weeks ago. This is Sidney. Isn't she adorable? Sidney is the daughter of Marcus and Sherri. Sherri's a co-worker who is proving to be a wonderful mother. I also designed them a baby announcement that I'm about to send off to the printers. I'll be blogging a picture of the card soon.

Thanks!

Wedding in Windemere, Florida assisting Susan Stripling

2008-05-03T13:33:00.000-04:00

One of my goals this year was to do some assisting at weddings to get a feel for what other wedding photographers are out there doing. I picked a few people whose work I admire and who could offer me lots of advice since they're been shooting weddings for a lot longer than me. Last weekend I had the opportunity to assist/second shoot for the fabulous Susan Stripling. Wow is all I can say. She's awesome and connects so well with her clients. I was so impressed. I was also a little bit tired cause it was a drive to Windemere, but definitely worth it!

The highlight of the reception was a Sylvia Weinstock that Caroline and Garth had

shipped in from New York. The flowers on the cake were completely made of candy.

Wow. Yum. It's gorgeous!

Here's Susan shooting some portraits. I snagged the next frame while she was shooting. Let me tell you, this girl is a great portrait photographer and sees the light so well. It was so fun to watch her work her magic.

She's even a great help to her clients!

Thanks!

Tamara and Brendan's Engagement Session

2008-04-30T21:06:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago my telephone rang and I was surprised that my good friend/co-worker/and gym soul mate Tamara was calling so early. The first words that came out of her mouth was, "Well, I'm going to need you to go with me to the gym a lot in the coming year because I'm going to have to fit into a wedding dress" Woohoo!!!!!, I thought, (I was standing in the middle of a group of firefighters and they just may have taken it the wrong way). Since Tamara's fiance was moving to D.C. in like a week (Yeah, I said it, A WHOLE WEEK!) they asked me to take their engagement portraits right away to which I happily obliged. Here's some of the images. We had a blast and afterwards we had a lovely little dinner at the Don Cesar. Delish!

Here's some of the images. Aren't they a cute couple?

Thanks!

Mandy and Ricardo's Wedding Part II

2008-04-27T20:28:00.001-04:00

These are the second half of the images from Mandy and Ricardo's wedding in Franklin, Tennessee. We had such a wonderful time at the wedding and enjoyed hearing all about Mandy and Ricardo's honeymoon. To Mandy and Ricardo, I wish you many, many years of happiness and I think the love you share for each other is extremely special. Cherish it!

Thanks!

Mandy and Ricardo's Wedding Part I

2008-04-20T15:21:00.000-04:00

I wanted to share some images from Mandy and Ricardo's wedding in Franklin Tennessee at CJ's Off The Square. It was a lovely breakfast wedding, so the reception came complete with a coffee bar. The espresso's were just lovely looking with Mandy and Ricardo's initials on top. The wedding was just gorgeous and I'll share some more images in the second half of this post. Meanwhile, here's some of the details...

alt="" />

Thanks!

Mandy's Wedding

2008-04-09T21:13:00.000-04:00

I've been very busy the past few weeks with two weddings back to back. While I've promised to not share images from the first wedding until they arrive back from their honeymoon, I did want to post this image of Ricardo and Mandy and Hank and I. I cannot express what an honor it is to be asked to photograph another photographer's wedding. It's also a lot of pressure because you know how much photographer's value images.

Mandy and Ricardo's wedding was fabulous. It was so beautiful and sweet. Every detail was just gorgeous. This is kinda silly, but when Mandy and Ricardo turned around to walk back down the aisle after being announced man and wife, I just about choked up. They gave the most loving look to each other and I just saw so much love and felt so much happiness for Mandy and Ricardo. Luckily it didn't get in the way of any images.

Here's the photo and check back for more soon!

Thanks!

Belleair Grill and Wine Bar Part II

2008-03-27T10:02:00.001-04:00

I wanted to share some images from the second part of my shoot at the Belleair Grill and Wine Bar in Largo. The light in the restaurant is so nice. It was much fun to just wander around to find pretty pictures. Here's some of my favorite images. Hopefully the website will be done soon and I'll be able to share.

Thanks!

Western in the Sweet 16!

2008-03-27T09:42:00.000-04:00

I'd be a bad alumni of Western Kentucky University if I didn't post something about my beloved team. WKU plays UCLA in Phoenix tonight in the Sweet 16. UCLA is ranked much higher but Western is going to make a great run for it. My friend Kathleen and I had the opportunity to see WKU take on San Diego last weekend with my friend Kathleen. It was a blast.

This is our great mascot Big Red. Many make fun of him, but he's adorable!

GO WESTERN!!!

Belleair Grill and Wine Bar

2008-03-13T21:00:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I was commissioned to make some pretty pictures of the delicious dishes at the new Belleaire Grill and Wine Bar. Talk about fun, and yummy smells! Here's some of the images. I'm headed back to do another shoot of the interior, the wine bar, etc., this weekend so I'll be sharing those images next week. Meanwhile, check out these dishes. Too bad computers don't come with a scratch and sniff button :)

Thanks!

Ashley and Rick win big!

2008-03-08T15:51:00.000-05:00

My clients Ashley and Rick recently won a drawing for a shopping spree of $1000. How exciting. I'm sure they can sure use that money for some great products for their upcoming wedding. Suprisingly, an image of mine was used for an advertisement in TBT. Most suprised was me, who works for the mother company of TBT, The Times. I think this ad looks great!

Congratulations Ashley and Rick!

Thanks!

Stair Climb 2008

2008-03-03T18:20:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I participated in the Stair Climb Tampa with one of my favorite people in the world, Janel Schroeder and her husband Ray and other firefighters from his squad, the Pinellas Suncoast Indian Rock Volunteers. We climbed 42 flights of stairs in the Bank of America Building in Tampa to raise money for the American Lung Association. It was awesome! I finished my climb in 10:37 and the only thing that was hurting was my lungs were burning. Other than that, I felt great. Janel kicked butt as well and so did Ray and all the guys. They climbed the stairs in their full gear. One of the guys even trained with sand in his tank. Yikes! I don't think I could have done it, with our without sand. Next year though :)

Our team...(do you think Janel and I stood out?)

I had to add this photo Janel sent me. Check out the sweat marks :)

Thanks!

Mandy's Wedding

2008-02-24T21:19:00.000-05:00

In just a few short weeks Hank and I will be travelling to Nashville, Tennessee to photograph the wedding of Mandy and Ricardo. I first met Mandy when I was in college and have stayed close to her ever since. To say Mandy is a kind-hearted person is an understatement. She's one of my most favorite friends in the world. Ricardo is a gem himself. He's the perfect match for Mandy and loves her dearly. I have to give some props too to Ricardo's new company, Level 60 Consulting. Mandy and Ricardo will be wed at CJ's Off the Square in a sweet intimate wedding. I find it such an honor to have been asked to photograph their wedding and am looking forward to it!

Aren't they such a cute couple?

Mandy was a bridesmaid in my wedding...

Here's us in college. Ahh, the glory days :)

Here's us on an adventure in San Francisco. Oh gosh, my wardrobe...

Check back for images...

Thanks!

The Oscars Are Here....

2008-02-21T20:49:00.000-05:00

and my winner goes to....just kidding. I still can't decide. I finally saw my last installation (of the ones up for best picture anyway). Hank and I will be attending a fun party Sunday to celebrate. Anyway, I had to add pictures of all the movies up for the best picture. My favorites were There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men. Of course I picked the most violent films but darn, Daniel Day-Lewis sure plays a good bad guy. And Javier Bardem, now I'd never heard of him before, but I was sure impressed. My friend Lynn thought the violence should have been more implied than so grotesque, but I was just so caught up in it all.

So at the beginning of "There Will Be Blood" my friend Jim (aka Jimatthegym) turned to me and said, "Looks like he broke his left foot". I about lost it. So funny. Daniel Day-Lewis is such an amazing actor. He can play the most sympathetic characters and then the deepest evil people. Amazing!

Juno was adorable. Very Garden State-ish

George Clooney is the man. I love him in everything even if he's basically the same character in all. I swear it's not because he's from Kentucky :)

Atonement was a great period piece. I certainly need to read the book now!

Thanks!

Mia and JT's Wedding

2008-02-17T21:04:00.000-05:00

I recently had the opportunity to photograph a lovely wedding with my friend Jenifer. Mia and JT met in college and were married at the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Dunedin. It was a nice ceremony with several personal touches. Congratulations Mia and JT!

I loved this moment. It was so quiet and touching.

So cute!

JT was kinda nervous before. It was so cute.

Mia looked so happy...

Weren't these dresses just so adorable?

The girls were having so much fun!

Mia was soo excited and beautiful...

I loved this touching moment.

Thanks!

Beagles Unite!!!

2008-02-13T20:50:00.000-05:00

Hail Snoopy! That's been the best headline I've seen today after Uno won best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club's annual show yesterday. This was my first time watching the show and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I absolutely loved the movie Best In Show and even laughed when Triumph The Insult Comic Dog visited the show.

These photos are courtesy of the AP(Seth Wenig)

I think this would be such a fun event to cover!

Here's some pictures of our own "Snoopy" mix, Kaya. Kaya is a mix between a beagle and a bassett and unfortunately, her bloodline is too royal to be accepted into the show. She's our one-of-a-kind pup who still attracts all kinds of attention on her walks.

Everybody always asks what kind of dog she is :)

Sent from my iPhone
I am so cool.

Thanks!

Bern's Shoot

2008-02-10T15:21:00.001-05:00

These are some images from this weekend's shoot at Bern's. I was commissioned to help out my friend David shoot for an Australian Wine Magazine. It was fabulous, while David worked on portraits, I wandered and found some cool details. I love Bern's and had a great time "behind the scenes". My hubby especially appreciated the food they sent me home with.

The ambiance at Bern's is sooo cool...

This is a portrait David was setting up. I snuck a quick portrait cause I liked the repititon so much.

Pretty meat, yum!

I dream of having a wine collection like this :)

Doesn't this look just delicious?

Thanks!

I'm a dork!

2008-02-07T22:55:00.001-05:00

Hank and I had a fabulous time at Richard Shindell. So fabulous that I insisted that we stay around and get a poster signed for me to hang up. I know, I know, I was acting very star struck, but I have already bought all of his records and I wanted the excuse to ask him if he's still selling a rare live album. Anyway, of course I didn't have a camera, so Hank shot this picture of me and Richard with his iphone. I don't think the image looks too bad. I might try to shoot my next wedding with it. Just kidding!

Thanks!

WPJA!

2008-02-04T18:40:00.001-05:00

I am excited to announce that I was recently accepted into the Wedding Photojouralists Association. I had to apply and go through a review process to be able to get in. It was tougher than I expected but I guess this is why they are so highly respected. Take a look at their website and you can see why I fit in with this group :)

Thanks!

Richard Shindell!!!

2008-01-28T22:04:00.001-05:00

So, I have some fun announcements regarding some cool weddings I'll be shooting later this year and another big business surprise but I'm going to wait until the weekend to share my great news.

I also wanted to share my great plans this weekend. For Christmas, I was surprised with tickets to see one of my favorite singers Richard Shindell. I first saw Richard in concert when he opened for Joan Baez a few years ago at the Tampa Theatre. First of all, he's such a great songwriter. I stole these words of WMNF's website:

“Shindell is a master builder of songs, yet always leading listeners toward the emotional essence of the moment or character he is evoking. As with all master craftsmen, knowing what to leave out is as important to him as what he puts in. Shindell has uncanny sense of the theater of a song, building his ballads sparely and subtly, set to sweeping graceful melodies.” — The Boston Globe

“A tour-de-force of brilliantly crafted songs, passionately delivered songs that consistently create three-dimensional vishttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifual and emotional images which move through the listener’s mind’s eye.” — Stereo Review

“Shindell is a master of subtle narrative.” — The Wall Street Journal

Here's the WMNF announcement which includes an embedded video of him singing "Are You Happy Now?"

I mean, how can I not love the music of a man who sings about dreaming of driving a Kenworth Rig around the country? Can you tell I'm excited?

Oh yeah, and I just realized that he looks just like my friend Janel's husband, Ray.

Thanks!

Family Portrait

2008-01-26T18:01:00.000-05:00

When I'm asked to photograph other photographers and their families, whether it be a portrait or a wedding, I always get butterflies in my stomach. Of course, it always has worked out and everybody is happy but I just get a little thrill because I feel like the standards are high. So, when my friend Chris, and an extraordinary photographer himself, asked me to do a family portrait for his extended family, I was honored to be asked. Here are some images from that afternoon. I've already added a few images to my website, but here are my other favorites.

This is Eli and his mother Cristin,

Eli sure loves his gator...

Isn't she cute?

Eli has the cutest curly hair :)

Thanks!

Ride Without Limits

2008-01-25T16:42:00.000-05:00

If you get the chance, pick up a copy of the March 2008 issue of Bicycling Magazine. The editor, Steve Madden (not the shoe guy who's in jail), wrote about his experience of cycling over 200 miles with Ride Without Limits here in Tampa Bay. This is a ride that I raised money for and rode with my cousin, his partner, and my husband. Hank, a cycling nut, even talked to Steve for a while about the ride and how great the ride was. The experience was incredible. Here's a copy of the article. Enjoy.

Mountain Workshop

2008-01-23T20:36:00.000-05:00

The Mountain Workshops website is finally up. For those of you who have not heard me talk about the workshops, it's one of the best workshops out there. It's for photographers to learn about storytelling and photojournalism. I have been a volunteer at the workshops for the past 7 years and am a workshopper-for-life :) What makes the week so special is that so many award-winning photographers volunteer their time to help better the profession. This year I worked on the multimedia team and produced two projects for the final show and helped Tim Broekema with editing the show. Check out the Mountain Workshops website! Especially fun is the Hollywood Squares-type video of many of the top photojournalists talking about the future of photojournalism.

Good News!

2008-01-19T15:02:00.000-05:00

So our good friend Megan is pregnant. She told us the great news on New Years Eve! As a birthday present, they decided to surprise James' mother with a cool game of scrabble. Watch the video here. My good friend Bob (who happens to be James' brother-in-law) shot this for them and I rate it two thumbs up. I laughed, I cried, it's great!

Fun Stuff

2008-01-17T16:25:00.000-05:00

A story ran in the New York Times a few days ago about the new movie, 27 dresses. The story was so fun. You can read it here. Now, I don't know about you but I know a lot of women who can relate to this movie. I have one friend who has been a bridesmaid in 12 weddings. The story mentions a website called Ugly Dress. It's a hoot. Now, I don't want to make fun of anybody but I think we can all relate to fashion that looks good one year and look terrible the next :)

So I did a little research on the web and found these images:
a renaissance theme with a blueberry twist...

Sooo patriotic...

Thanks!

Engagement Session

2008-01-12T21:50:00.001-05:00

When I got a phone call from Rick asking me to document the moment he was going to propose to his girlfriend, Ashley, I was ecstatic. How exciting! We set up a family "portrait" at Indian Rocks Beach and Ashley thought we were just taking pictures of them and Rick's son Bryce. I took some images before and then said Ashley, let's do something a little different. So I had her stand by herself and then added Rick into the picture having him get down on his knee. I said it was going to be very casual. I then decided I didn't like the way he was positioned so I made him move. Then I made him move again. I think I was more nervous than him. hah! Anyway, as he was asking her, his son Bryce started running for them. Thankfully Hank was there to scoop him up and keep him occupied while they were enjoying the moment. Ashley said yes, of course, and we took some more portraits afterwards. It was such a special moment and it was very special to me to be able to capture it with my camera.

The moment...

she said yes!

her ring is gorgeous!

sunset is always so beautiful, reminds me of everything I love about Florida

Bryce was shy at first but he quickly warmed up to the camera

isn't he a cutie?

this is a fun portrait

I like this quiet moment...

Congratulations Ashley and Rick!

Portrait Session

2008-01-10T21:08:00.001-05:00

I wanted to share a portrait session that I did recently with Jack and Ben. We had a blast! They are such cute kids and have such a fun relationship with each other and their parents. We started out at their house and then made our way to Clearwater Beach.

Isn't this suit adorable?

Their dad Brad is one of the nicest guys!

What a cute kid...

They have such a loving relationship...

Thanks!

Fun Stuff

2008-01-09T08:02:00.000-05:00

In my house, my husband is the cook. He just about cringes when I say I'm going to cook. The funniest thing is that whatever I start, he usually finishes up. Well, my friends, this is about to change. For Christmas he got me a book we had heard about called How to Boil Water.

The book was written by the chefs of the Food Network and is filled with lots of photos and tips that are not mentioned in most recipes. It starts with the basics like boiling water and making coffee. It moves on to risottos and other dishes. Finally, a book that will teach me how to cook. I'm soo excited. Watch out Hank!

DWF Conference 2008

2008-01-08T20:55:00.000-05:00

I just finished up attending the DWF (Digital Wedding Forum) Convention at the Grand Hyatt in Tampa. All I can say is WOW. I envisioned that I would learn while at the convention but not nearly as much as I actually did. There's soo much to describe. Wayy more than there's space available. Mostly, I learned about business and some of the things I need to do to improve my business. It's so exciting because I have no business background and am learning so much.

The speakers were all inspirational. Some of my favorite speakers were Tony Hewitt, Lena Hyde, Laura Novak, Marcus Bell, Denis Reggie, Jerry Ghionis, Yervant, Jen and Steve Bebb, Greg Gibson, Cliff Mautner, and
Jeff and Julia Woods, and Jessica Claire. I was so impressed with Jessica and her bags that I even bought one!

Basically everybody I saw speak was amazing! I'm so excited to put into practice the pointers I learned. It's so exciting!!!

Portrait Session

2008-01-03T22:12:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to share this portrait session I recently shot with Monique and her two beautiful children, Nadia and Simone. This was my second session I've had with the family and I just have to say that it's such a joy to see how much they're growing. Simone is such a sweet little girl. I liked the image of her running so much that I added it to my portfolio. While Monique and her husband Ken have now moved to Alabama, they me that they'll be booking me for just about all of the girls' special moments so I've already saved the year be waiting to book their weddings somewhere around 2032 :)

Simone and her bubbles :)

Nadia is too precious...

look at this smile

I love the old time feel of this image.

Thanks again Monique and Ken for the opportunity to spend some time with you and your family. Best of luck to you all in Alabama! I'm going to miss you!

A New Year, A New Blog

2007-12-31T14:01:00.000-05:00

Hey Everybody,

Welcome to my new blog!!! I've finally joined the rest of the world in posting the work I've done for Studio Blu Images. I have lots to share from the end of 2007 and lots to look forward to in 2008. Please keep checking back for the exciting things coming this way.

Meanwhile, have a safe and Happy New Year!

Carrie