photobooth images never fail to make us laugh out loud! i know that puts a lot of pressure on these next few images but i’m not too concerned- because when you get as many awesome people in one place as krystina & brian did on their wedding day, these things happen:
wedding images to follow, soon! :)
returning to athens always puts a spring in my step! it’s the town where matt and i met and were married. it’s a town full of charm, delicious food, interesting people and good music. so for us, it’s always fun to return to our old stomping grounds and enjoy it with new friends- this time it was with megan & sean! most of their wedding took place at a venue completely new to both matt and me, the hill. it’s a home during the week and a wedding venue on the weekends (i can’t even begin to imagine how much work that must be!) and is surrounded by big, ancient trees and patches of bright flowers- beautiful! we would have been completely happy shooting all of our images on the property but we were also excited to hear that megan & sean were planning for a midday downtown athens excursion for a few photos- we’ll never say no to a stroll around north campus! :)
anyway, i’m way way ahead of myself. let’s start with megan & sean’s first look at the hill- everything was perfect- from the warm breeze to the moment when megan walked from the main house to meet sean. she waited for just a second inside the back door in the cool shade before walking into a patch of blazing sunlight- the way the light struck her made it hard to see anything else- it was just magical:
and for the rest of the day smiles NEVER left their faces! seriously, megan & sean were so obviously happy, almost giddy!, to be together; it was such a blessing to photograph them. matt and i decided later that we’ve never spent a wedding day with a more laid back couple- every single moment was enjoyed and cherished- and nothing could distract them from one another.
downtown athens! love:
you’ve got to be a pretty hardcore athens fan to know where this next shot was taken- and if you do know, i’m sure you’re laughing with us! ;)
back to the hill. isn’t this a beautiful front porch?
megan & sean set aside time for an intimate signing of a ketubah, a traditional jewish pre-wedding commitment. since they are not jewish, they had a special ketubah written for them, inspired by jewish tradition and incorporating their personal religious views. it was such a sweet time of prayer, tears and excitement as they took turns signing and talking about the text.
while the ladies relaxed and enjoyed their time together, the guests began to arrive. and what better way to be greeted on a sunny afternoon than with a sweet tea or refreshing lemonade? good call, megan & sean:
since the ceremony was on the back lawn and the reception was on the front lawn, guests slowly made their way through the beautiful grounds, chatting and laughing, taking their time to enjoy the enviornment. everything about megan & sean’s day was so relaxed and natural- everyone had a great time!
just outside of the reception tent hung a little chandelier over a table stacked high with cookies, cupcakes, pies and all kinds of treats! accompanied by little shots of milk, of course- it was a popular spot:
megn & sean, what a beautiful celebration! we are so glad we were able to be a part of the day. best wishes to you!
last weekend while we were shooting, someone stopped me and asked what my favorite thing is to photograph. the question caught me off guard at first but quickly my art school rhetoric kicked in and then, i stopped myself. because the answer to his question wasn’t some esoteric explanation full of vague ideas and overarching descriptives. my answer was, simply, people. people doing their own thing, being genuine, having fun, dancing, laughing- enjoying life. there are so many different types of photographers making beautiful images who are inspired by so many different aspects of the craft- there’s no right way to be a photographer and that’s what makes our field so diverse. a successful image looks different to everyone. even if we all agree it’s successful, we find ourselves appreciating different aspects of the image for different reasons, in different ways. photography is just so personal- we can’t help but create our own narrative around a compelling image and i love that about photography. i can do my very best to capture something i find beautiful and i know, and love, that when others look at the image they will spin their own version and see that same beauty so differently through their personal lens. but we’ve still connected through the image. it’s fascinating, intimate and, at times, even exhausting.
because of that last bit, it’s always so interesting to me to hear how other artists recharge creatively. for some it’s a personal project within their own professional craft. i’m constantly amazed by the personal images created by some great professional photographers- so poignant and bold. for others, like me, energy and inspiration comes from other creative outlets and i think that is ok. if you can imagine (i barely can, my todo list is insane right now.) waking up to a whole day set aside for creative exploration what would you most want to do? after a few minutes of silence (or of falling back asleep, i’ll be honest;)) what comes to my mind is a lingering trip to the farmer’s market and an afternoon tinkering around the kitchen. for me, personally, knowing what other outlets get my creativity flowing is a really important part of my energy as an artist. so i guess what i’m really trying to say is- there is no formula to creating. however you arrive at inspiration, however you view your craft, why you do what you do- it’s personal. the way i see it, as long as you are honest with yourself in your work, you’re successful.
just felt like throwing that out there this morning. :) i have a full day of editing ahead of me and i’m feeling energized and excited to get started! maybe because yesterday i spent my afternoon in the kitchen with stella- making sauces and marinades, and my evening with matt- grilling baby eggplants, artichokes and oysters- i’m ready for anything! :)
and just because, here is miss stella in the kitchen, being awkward and adorable, her usual:
