J. Herndon Photography

Jessica and Cody revisited

2010-01-18T23:18:00.000-08:00

I posted pics from Jessica and Cody's wedding last summer, but now that we are trying to get their wedding featured in Southern Bride I've been digging through their pictures again and thought it was a good time for this...

Kary and Phil

2009-11-02T13:14:00.000-08:00

Kary and Phil were married at the Memphis Botanic Garden on October 2, 2009...

Georgia

2009-11-02T12:04:00.001-08:00

It isn't often that I get to photograph a baby as young as Georgia. She arrived into this world about a month earlier than expected, and at the time of these photos, she was 3 weeks old. After a series of shots with Georgia by herself, mom and dad got in on the action...

Lindsey and Ben

2009-10-24T01:10:00.000-07:00

We did engagement pics of Lindsey and ben in the summer of 2008. They were married in November of the same year. It went something like this:

Sonia and Eric

2009-10-23T23:01:00.000-07:00

I recently made a list of new things that I wanted to incorporate into my business. I expected to have 10 or 11 new ideas that I'd like to at least have in the works by the end of 2009. The list is at 27 items and counting.

One of those things was to get a J. Herndon Photography Facebook page up and running. I could have just jumped in and made one already, but I want to do it right. I'm taking time to get everything in place to keep up this blog as well as the Facebook site and have them actually work together. I don't want them to seem like two separate entities, nor do I want them to seem like mirrors of one another. The blog will remain a journal for my life behind the lens, while the Facebook page will be more of a snapshot and a way to get information out there about what I'm doing that may be of interest to you. In the past, I have posted announcements and special promotions on this blog. All of that will be moving to Facebook.

For now, enjoy this slideshow of Sonia and Eric at the Memphis Botanic Garden. They'll be getting married at The Garden in April of 2010.

Saira and Danish

2009-10-10T00:22:00.000-07:00

Saira and Danish were married in London in early August. I, unfortunately, was not there. But I was at the Memphis Botanic Garden on August 15, 2009, when Saira and Danish had a reception for their family and friends in the Memphis area.

Danish is also a photographer, as the owner and operator of ILS Photography.

Skyline With Bridge

2009-09-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

Back in June, when I photographed Angel and Tim's wedding atop the Center For Southern Folklore, I grabbed a couple of shots of the skyline with the Hernando DeSoto Bridge in the background. I've photographed this general scene many times, and from many different places/angles, but I've seldom been happy with the results. I kinda like what I got this time...

Jessica and Cody

2009-09-15T23:24:00.000-07:00

Jessica and Cody were married on August 8, 2009 at the Balinese Ballroom in downtown Memphis. We started with a few family pics at the Madison Hotel where Jessica and the bridesmaids were getting ready.

We then traveled by horse and carriage to the Balinese Ballroom, where Cody and the guests were awaiting Jessica's arrival.

Tosin Kayode

2009-09-02T23:32:00.000-07:00

Oluwatosin "Tosin" Kayode has lived through more adventures than many of us have read about. And he's just getting started.

A native of Nigeria, in 1998, Tosin was serving as a nautical scientist onboard an oil tanker when both of the ship's generators failed. Tosin, along with 52 other crew members drifted out to sea, without any communications with the outside world. They soon ran out of food and had to catch fish and cook them on an improvised diesel-fueled stove. Without proper means to flush the ship's water tanks, they were forced to drink water that was far less than pure.

After 4 months at sea, the ship was spotted. All 53 crew members survived, but most were ill and required immediate medical attention. Radiological sciences played a huge role in diagnosing Tosin's condition. It was for this reason that he chose to devote his life to helping others through a career in radiology.

He will soon be headed back to Nigeria with the intention (and the know how) of opening his own clinic so that the residents of his country can get the radiological treatments they need without traveling overseas.

Tosin, as well as some of these images, is featured in the June/July 2009 issue of ASRT Scanner.

Kendall and Weston

2009-08-27T12:39:00.000-07:00

Kendall and Weston were married on August 1, 2009 at Cedar Hill Farm in Hernando, Mississippi. I shot a wedding there back in 2003, and the place has changed so much since then that I didn't even recognize it.

The day began with a private meeting between Kendall and Weston on the side porch of the main building at the Farm.

In what was a first for me, Weston and his guys wore jeans and cowboy boots.

Karen and Aaron's E-Session

2009-08-21T15:23:00.000-07:00

Karen and Aaron are getting married next year at the Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis. We recently did their engagement session at the Memphis Botanic Garden.

Girl Scout Camp Part Six

2009-08-17T22:52:00.000-07:00

My kids start back to school this week. My 6 year old started yesterday and my little one starts on Thursday. For me, that means summer is essentially over, even if the calendar says we still have another five weeks.

Here is the last round of pics from Girl Scout Camp...

Canoeing is definitely one of the core activities of any summer camp.

Horseback riding is definitely one of the more popular activities.

At the end of the day, everyone goes through the "tunnel" or "arch" to prepare for the flag ceremony.

Every morning and every evening a flag ceremony is held. It is raised every morning and lowered every evening, then folded neatly and put away until the next morning.

The only real difference I saw between Girl Scout Camp and Boy Scout Camp was the size of the campfire. When I was in Boy Scouts back in the 1970's, we used to build HUGE bonfires every night. We'd cook "tin foil dinners" (just like it sounds...ground beef, potatoes, onions, carrots and maybe another veggie wrapped in tin foil) by placing them on the fire at the edge, preferably on a log that had burned down and was just smoldering. And you could count on s'mores for dessert every night. Our fires were very large, and I'm sure they weren't terribly regulated. These days, I'm sure that there are strict regulations as to how large a campfire can be and how close the kids can be seated to it.

This will end the series of pics from Girl Scout Camp, but my summer stories are only beginning. I'm just now getting around to editing pics from a couple of family outings, as well as some pics from the Fourth of July. They will be posted soon.

Black Max at Otherlands

2009-08-13T14:00:00.000-07:00

Keenan Sloan is my neighbor. He heads up a band called Black Max. I recently caught up with them at one of the world's finest coffee bars, Otherlands in Memphis.

I could attempt to describe the style of music played by Black Max, but I think it's better left to each listener. It's a mix of many things, from Vaudeville to rock and roll.

They kicked off with a new song called "1935". Keenan's sister Katy produced a sheet of paper with the words as she, Keenan and vocalist/guitarist Ben Pope gathered around and sang a'capella. Keenan's response to having the words right there was something like "Yes, it's THAT new."

Julia Shaffer on keyboards...

Kent Stratton on drums...

Miles

2009-08-13T11:20:00.000-07:00

I met Miles' parents, Kelli and Ryan, at a wedding a couple of years ago. I photographed their first son, Will, shortly thereafter. Last week, I got to photograph Will's new brother, Miles.

This modeling is hard work!!!

Anna and Taylor's E-Session

2009-08-13T00:05:00.000-07:00

The fourth time was the charm for Anna and Taylor. They had their engagement session scheduled for June 18. I ended up having to go out of town so we rescheduled. The day we rescheduled was one of the hottest, most humid days of the year. So we tried again. Thunderstorms. Finally, after three reschedules, the stars lined up just right and we did the session. I hope it was worth the wait...

Anna and Taylor are big Broadway fans!

Melissa and Nathaniel

2009-08-10T11:36:00.001-07:00

Melissa and Nathaniel were married on July 18, 2009 at Riveroaks Presbyterian Church. They had a private meeting under the trees in front of the sanctuary before the ceremony.

I caught Melissa taking a short break in the hallway right before walking the aisle.

A short reception followed...

Ann Coleman at Nine Months

2009-08-08T22:36:00.000-07:00

Many of you know how much I enjoy baby pictures. I could photograph babies all day every day(and sometimes I do!). This was the third time I had photographed Ann Coleman. We had done the two previous sessions at her grandmother's house. This time we went to Overton Park to change things up a bit.

Girl Scout Camp Part Five

2009-08-08T09:53:00.000-07:00

We just returned from St. Louis and I'll have pics posted soon, but for now, here is part five of Girl Scout Camp.

A Late Night

2009-08-02T00:43:00.000-07:00

Looks like I'm a little late for this week. I had a late night at a wedding and piles of email to sort through when I got home. I'm just now getting to the blog, trying to get a third post in for the week. But it is now 2:44 am, and I know I've got to get up with the boys in the morning.

So for now, I'm going to talk about one picture. It's a shot of the pathway that runs between the two outer walls at La Cite', the medieval heart of Carcassonne, France. This is one of the pictures I think back to when I am asked how I got into photography and/or where I studied. I did eventually attend some photography classes at the University of Memphis, but I am largely self taught. I learned my craft on the streets of Europe, caressing the castles and feeling the fjords, living out of a backpack on a shoestring budget for weeks at a time. I used to do this every year. My friend Jeff was on most of the trips with me. You can see some of his work here. I remember walking the streets of Paris after having just got off of the plane, thinking "Wow. We're actually doing this." I feel like I was walking around in a stupor for those first 3 days in Paris. I remember a lot of it, but at the time, I was still taking it all in and didn't get many photographs of any real quality. I wasn't a "photographer" then. I was just another tourist with a 35mm point-and-shoot camera. So we left Paris by way of the Eurail train and ventured into the French countryside. Our destination was Carcassonne, the perfect medieval city.

We arrived in Carcassonne very late in the day, communicated with a cab driver enough to get to the gates of La Cite'. We grabbed a sandwich at a nearby deli and headed for the Youth Hostel. Walking the outer walls later that night is still among my favorite memories from any of my travels, and the next morning when we woke, we headed right back to the walls to grab a few pictures. This is what I cam back with. I think this is the only one I took from that spot. Nowadays I'd take several and try a few different angles, but I didn't know any better back then. I'd see something interesting, take one shot and move on. This one stands out to me because it is one of the few that I just had everything lined up dead center in the frame. On most of my shots at that time, I felt compelled to compose nearly every shot off center, as if there were hard and fast rules that stated a subject could not be photographed dead on. I wanted to come back with good photographs and had gathered a few tips. For the most part, I knew just enough to complicate matters and make things more difficult. But on this shot, I forgot all of that and just shot the picture.

After the trip, I came to realize that I knew very little of photography but desperately wanted to learn more. It was intimidating to say the least, but browsing the work of masters like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Andre Kertesz was enough to convince me that it would be worth whatever time, energy and money would be spent to cultivate some real knowledge and skills.

I would return to Carcassonne two years later, a seasoned photographer, having spent nearly every waking hour for the past two years studying photography and the art of seeing. I photographed this location again and did no better than this shot from the first trip. I didn't think much of it at the time, but when I think back now, this is the shot where it really all began. This was the shot where I forgot about the handful of "rules" I had learned and just shot it the way it looked best to me. I know now that I had unknowingly shot from my heart. I find it ironic that I would come to that revelation from a shot like this, a simple bullseye of the splendor that lay in front of me.

Audrey and Lane's E-Session

2009-08-01T00:12:00.001-07:00

I promised pics from a really fun engagement session at Rhodes College. Here they are.

Audrey and Lane first met in this biology lab.

We then went to Oak Alley for a few classic Rhodes pics...

...before finding a magnolia tree to close it out.

Spring Cleaning

2009-07-30T15:07:00.000-07:00

This week has seen the beginning of a few changes that have been in the works for a while. I've spent most of the week cleaning my office, going through closets and cabinets, moving things around, fixing/replacing anything that was broken and so forth. I started back in the spring, when it really was "spring cleaning". Now, well into the summer, I am finally bringing this project to fruition. Those of you who have been here in the past will likely not recognize it the next time you are here.

I mention all of this because it is part of a bigger plan. I am making room in my office to accommodate two new projects/products. I'll announce them formally when they are ready to go, but for now I'll just say that some special deals will be coming to accompany them.

I'll post more pictures later tonight from a really fun engagement session at Rhodes College.

Ciao for now.

Girl Scout Camp Part Four

2009-07-25T21:44:00.001-07:00

I'm posting a few more this time. I can't tell you how much fun I had on this shoot. The girls were having tons of fun, which is always infectious, but many of them had not been in this environment for such an extended period before. I could see where girls were leaning on their old friendships in ways they hadn't before, and where they were forging new friendships by the day.

The lake is full of freshwater mussels...

And there were butterflies everywhere. This one sat in this girl's hand for several minutes before fluttering away.

They call this area "The Singing Trees", although it's not really the trees that do the singing.

Girl Scout Camp Part Three

2009-07-22T13:15:00.000-07:00

This first shot is one of my favorites. It's such a classic summer camp shot, hiking off into the woods.

The next seven shots are from a place they call "the gullies". Lots of fun when dry, but I'm told it's even more fun after a good rain. It didn't rain while I was there, but maybe I'll get another shot at it one of these days.

Erica and Jeremy

2009-07-21T22:59:00.000-07:00

Erica and Jeremy were married on June 13, 2009 at Germantown Baptist Church. I always enjoy shooting there because of the open spaces and the large quantity of window light that illuminates the main lobby. It's a church that provides a lot of options no matter the weather.

The reception was at Germantown Country Club. Coordinator Beth Webb did a fantastic job of getting both the church and country decorated (as always!!!), as well as pulling all of the details together for everyone involved.

Summer Discounts

2009-07-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

THIS WEEK ONLY, I'm adding a special package good on weddings that will take place in 2009:

unlimited wedding day coverage
all of your images will be posted to an online gallery
all of your images on a high resolution disc

If your wedding will take place before the end of September, 2009, this package is $800.

If your wedding will take place in October, November or December of 2009, this package is $1200.

I also mentioned "something for everyone". Any other wedding packages booked this week will receive a $100 studio credit good on anything I offer. (This offer does not apply to the original price of the package.)

Girl Scout Camp Part Two

2009-07-17T01:19:00.001-07:00

Wedding Specials

2009-07-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

Just a heads up...in the next couple of days, I'll be posting some wedding specials that won't be posted anywhere else. There will be something for everyone, but something extra special if you are getting married in 2009. Stay tuned.

Girl Scout Camp Part One

2009-07-11T17:59:00.000-07:00

Since summer is upon us, I'm going to post a few summer camp pics. This post will be the first of five.

A couple of years ago I did some work for the Girl Scouts at one of the summer camps. They used these shots in a variety of newsletters, annual reports, websites, etc. I must say, it took me back a few years. On the way there, I caught myself wondering if the girls did a lot of the same stuff I used to do at camp. The only real difference I saw was the size of the bonfire. More on that later!

Angel and Tim

2009-07-10T00:09:00.000-07:00

Angel and Tim were married on Thursday, June 4, 2009, in downtown Memphis on the rooftop of the Center for Southern Folklore. Not counting myself, a grand total of 4 people witnessed the event. Angel's mom, Tim's mom and grandmother and lastly, Tim Curry, the Center's events coordinator. Angel told me that they had thought long and hard about what type of wedding they wanted, and ultimately, an intimate wedding like this was the right choice.

After the ceremony we went downstairs and shot a few portraits around Gayoso Place and Main Street.

WET WILLIE TIME!!!

Hayley and Charlie

2009-07-05T00:53:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-03T09:04:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-01T01:42:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

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

2008-02-11T09:04:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-05T08:00:00.001-08:00

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.

Laveda and Nate's E-Session

2008-01-24T14:55:00.000-08:00

You never know how the weather in Memphis is going to be from one day to the next, especially in January. Planning an engagement session for this time of year can be a bold move. The day I met Laveda and Nate for their session at Shelby Farms turned out to be one of the best days in weeks.

I arrived early to scout a few spots that were getting the best light, and when Laveda and Nate arrived we got right to work...

Marion and Frank's Wedding

2008-01-23T14:06:00.000-08:00

Sitting still has always been hard for me. I like to be on the move, involved in various projects and such. Thanks to Marion and Frank, I didn't have to wait long to get rolling for 2008.

Marion and Frank were married on January 5, 2008, at Second Presbyterian Church. The reception at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens featured a seated dinner prepared by chef Erling Jensen(www.ejensen.com).

Katie and Spencer's Wedding

2008-01-11T13:53:00.000-08:00

After experiencing the wonder and excitement of Christmas, my wife, Kimberly, our two little boys, and I took a few days off to enjoy some family time before gearing up for a HUGE 2008. To close out 2007, I made the drive out Highway 64 to Bolivar, TN, where Katie and Spencer would be married on December 29, 2007.

Katie and Spencer were married at First United Methodist Church in Bolivar. The reception followed at The Columns, also in Bolivar, a Greek Revival home built in 1860. We had perfect weather, and Regis Montgomery (Floral Designs by Regis) did a stellar job as always with the flowers. The entire evening was laced with Scottish themes, including Spencer's tartan vest and tie, bagpipes for the processional and recessional, and the Celtic band "Kula" playing the reception.

Something New

2008-01-07T00:10:00.000-08:00

There’s nothing like starting a new year with something, well...new. Big props to LeeAnn Christopherson(http://www.designtakeout.com/) and Jen Forsyth(http://www.gotthemots.com/) for all of their hard work on the new site. You guys are the best!

With that, I’d like to welcome you to the all new J. Herndon Photography blog. It’s like a personal journal for my life behind the lens, as well as an information source for past, present, and future clients. I will post a few photos from every wedding I shoot, photos from various other assignments and personal projects, as well as a few general announcements. New posts will be added at least once a week. Thanks for visiting!

-J.