Hayley and Charlie

Hayley and Charlie were married on May 31, 2009, at the Church of the Holy Communion.

The reception was downtown at the Orpheum Theatre. I've been to the Orpheum many times, as both spectator and photographer, whether it was photographing Mavis Staples or covering Ballet Memphis' production of The Nutcracker, or seeing bands like Wilco, or most recently, Eddie Vedder. But I'd never seen the Orpheum like this! Angela Dacus and her team at Southern Event Planners did an amazing job making an already spectactular venue even more stunning.




























One high point of the reception was Charlie and a couple of groomsmen taking over for the band on Grand Funk Railroad's "Closer to Home".

Two From the Vault

Like any photographer, my closets and cabinets are filled with photographs from years past. Last night I was looking for a specific group of travel photos from Belgium taken in 2002. In the process, I unearthed a couple of old gems from my early days as a photographer, and felt compelled to share them.

(The guys in the pictures may come looking for me now, but that wouldn't be a bad thing, as I haven't seen either of them in quite some time.)

These photos were both taken with a Minolta XG-M 35mm film camera.

The first photo was shot on Kodak Tri-X at ISO 200 and pull-processed in an effort to get richer detail in the shadows. I scanned the negative and then did some further work in the digital darkroom to get a sort of antiqued look. This dude's name is Brad, and he and I go all the way back to high school. We've gotten in trouble together on more than one occasion. He now lives in Louisiana with his wife, Laura, so we don't see each much of each other these days.




The second photo was also shot on Kodak Tri-X, this time at ISO 800 and push processed to allow for shooting by lamplight with no flash. This is Eric, guitarist extraordinaire. We spent a lot of late nights doing a lot of random things. I heard a nasty rumor that he's getting hitched next month (now he's REALLY gonna come looking for me!!!).

Shari Dixon

Shari Dixon is quite an artist. She has merged her training in graphic design with a strong background in fashion to create a jewelry line that incorporates elements of nature throughout, from the actual components to the overall feel. Each piece is unique and handmade.

I recently had the opportunity to photograph her jewelry (worn by our wonderful model, Alex).

A New Inspiration

I would say that I'll be the first to say it, but that's not entirely true. Over the past year, people have casually mentioned to me that I have been a bad blogger. So there it is. I'VE BEEN A BAD BLOGGER.

In the spirit of being a good blogger, I'm making a commitment right here and how. I will blog at least 3 times a week from this point forward. Some weeks I'll blog every day. I have a few recent gigs that I am dying to show off, as well as some upcoming weddings and events. If you are a past, current or future client, or if you are still checking me out to see if I'm a good fit for you, you'll want to check back often. I'll give you the details from my weddings as well as some "blog-only" specials that will be listed here and no place else.

To kick off the new era, I'll announce a portrait session special that will be in effect at least through the end of August. For $150, I'll meet you anywhere you like and spend an hour photographing any person or persons. I know, I know, the usual one hour portrait session is $100, so how is this a special bargain? It's a special bargain because the entire $150 will apply toward the purchase of prints.

I also want to give props to the guys at L and Jay Productions. They have long been one of my favorite florists in the Memphis area. They always do phenomenal work and their setups make my job a little easier. When L and Jay do the flowers, I know all of the details will be in order.

Jessica and Spencer's E-Session

It seems like over two months since my last blog entry. Oh wait...that's because it has been. 2008 has been fast and furious...my busiest year EVER! I've had a couple of engagement sessions and weddings that I've been wanting to get posted.

First up are Jessica and Spencer. They don't live in Memphis and weren't able to come in weeks or months before the wedding for an engagement session, so we did a quick one the day before the wedding. We went downtown to bring in a little Memphis flavor and got to work.

Lauren and AJ's E-Session

I first met Lauren and AJ the day of the shoot, having previously only met with Lauren's parents. One of my favorite things about an engagement session is that it lets us get to know each other a little better before the big day.

Lauren and AJ are both graduates of The Memphis College of Art. Anytime I photograph other artists, or other people of the art community in general, I feel an added pressure to do well, but also an added level of freedom to do what I want. We met at the wedding site, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, and went over some of the wedding details before heading into Overton Park for the engagement session...

Jessica and Lloyd's Wedding

I first met Jessica on a referral from Michael Doyle of Lynn Doyle Flowers (thanks Michael!!!). She and Lloyd had been together for 11 years. The level of comfort that they have with each other was evident throughout the wedding day, as things stayed relaxed and fun.

Jessica and Lloyd were married at St. Peter's Catholic Church in downtown Memphis on January 19, 2008. St. Peter's has long been one of my very favorites. The building is spacious and magnificent with lots of interesting details throughout, and the ladies who handle the weddings (Jane and Joanie) are always on top of their game. The reception followed at River Terrace Yacht Club. I want to give special thanks to Ashley for coming along and helping out.