Kristin & her family getting ready for her big day!

Yesterday, I made a smilebox slideshow of a few pre-wedding images that I captured. Here is a little pre-wedding backstory... I noticed a beautiful piano in the foyer of Kristin's parent's home. I asked her who played. She said, "Mom". I asked her if we could get a picture at the piano when she and all the girls put on their dresses. But, the plan was to wait until we arrived at the Wedding/Reception venue to dress. Oh, well. The beautiful and positively romantic image that I was hoping for was not doable. Too bad. I asked them if, before we left, we could take at least one quick pic at the piano. Meanwhile, Dad was doing a mental checklist rundown on his fingertips. All the while, he was giving us the countdown on minutes-to-go before time to leave. I heard "SEVEN MINUTES!" at one point. While he was loading the car, I grabbed Mom (Norma) and her 3 beautiful golden haired daughters for my picture. Mom sat down to the piano. As she was hurriedly flipping through the songbook, I walked halfway up the stairs behind the piano for my first couple of images. Their backs were to me but I could see their faces in the mirror above the piano. I thought it was so lovely. I knew we were in a hurry and I didn't want to cause trouble so I said, "It's ok. You don't really have to play." But, Norma had found her song and her fingers were finding the right notes on her piano keys. She had her daughters around her enjoying music she was creating. I came around to capture a view of their profiles as they listened to Mom's music. Then, Kristin got up and said, "Mom, why are you doing this to me? She just HAD to play the Lion King song!" awe...I realized that the tears were flowing in the eyes of all the girls & Mom. Then they began to laugh together as they were fanning their eyes and trying to not get started again. It was the kind of touching moment that happens between family members who have such a close bond and understanding of each other. I almost started crying myself! They don't EVEN want to get me started. I go into the Ugly Cry with a flame red nose! Even though Kevin (dad) was in countdown mode, I asked him to come join the sentimental little group. What I was able to capture was a reflection of this tight knit family unit. I recognize this precious WINDOW IN TIME was a gift to all of us who were in the room that day. I am thankful to have been given the opportunity and honor of being their family's photographer on Kristin's Wedding Day. My gift to them will be these priceless images that they can hold near & treasure forever. What makes their moment even more poignant is the fact that their oldest daughter will be moving to another state very, very shortly. The smilebox that you will see in the next post shows a few images that depict the sweet interaction at the piano.

Wedding Day Moments...

Here is a smilebox that I sent to my bride's mom. During the reception, she so, very sweetly asked me if I would send her "one, or two ,... or a few" pictures of the wedding day. How could I resist? I have been going through and processing the absolutely beautiful images that I captured at Michael and Kristin's Wedding last Saturday night. I told Norma (Kristin's mom) that this is just a Tasty Teaser Trailer before the big reveal! I have to save the rest for Kristin and Michael to see before I am able to post them on my blog or smugmug. I can't wait!
Pause Playlist, then press play to view slideshow. 

Photo album created with Smilebox

Kristin's Bridal Session Slideshow went Live today!

If you would like to visit my client proofing site to view some gorgeous images of a beautiful bride, go to http://michellesibley.smugmug.com/.  Scroll down past my intro to view the bridal session slideshow.  OMGoodness Gracious Mercy Sakes...!!!  We had an amazing time this weekend.  Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Scarbrough, better known as Michael and Kristin.  They were married Saturday, June 19th.  Melissa and I photographed their entire wedding day.  We captured some sentimental (lots & lots actually..), funny, charming & endearing moments that Krisitn, Michael and their entire family are going to absolutely cherish!  So, I will be working on preparing the images for printing & slideshow this week while the newlyweds are vacationing.  By the time they return, I plan to have the wedding day memories posted to the smugmug site as well.  I've got tons of files to go through so I better get to it.  I think I need to make a pot of coffee because I'll be busy for a while!

Introducing Melissa, my 2nd shooter for this weekend...

Photo by Melissa Roe

I want to introduce you to Melissa Roe.  She is married to my first cousin, Roy and they have one daughter.  Their daughter is the beautiful and talented Cameron!  Melissa, a.k.a Hula, is going to be my 2nd shooter at Kristin and Michael's wedding tomorrow.  We talked about how I got started in wedding photography.  My first experience was through a mentorship with a Baton Rouge photographer.  I offered him my files in exchange for his mentorship.  Melissa saw some of my photography and asked if she could hop along and 'shadow' me on a photo shoot.  Ring, ading,ding!  The bells went off in my head.  I love Melissa and I know that she has an amazing sense of style, sophistocation and grace.  I asked her if she wanted to come and help me out with my next wedding.  She responded with something like a "Heck Yeah!".  I am so glad and excited to have her by my side tomorrow.  She has a photog friend that together, they photographed a wedding already.  All experience and practice is good!  I know we will have fun and capture some amazing images together. 

I told Melissa that I was going to introduce her through my blog.  I asked her to send some of her images.  A few of these were taken by her friend Julie (the one's with Melissa in them of course and a couple more).   I am anxious to meet Julie next weekend as we have scheduled a tentative pow-wow, round table discussion regarding the joys and challenges of wedding photography.  I had mentioned to Melissa that I would like to start at network of local wedding photogs.  It would be great to know people in the industry and have a forum for growth and sharing.  I follow some amazing photographers from the Seattle area who enjoy special meet ups with fellow photographers on a regular basis.  So, I'm thinking about trying to get something together.  Looks like next weekend might be the inaugural meet up.  When you step out and try something new, you never know where it leads....TBD...

I created this slideshow from the files that Melissa sent.  I hope she approves.  Love ya Hula!

Please pause playlist music before pressing play.

Free scrapbook design personalized with Smilebox

Car-LESS Drive thru service

Car-LESS Drive thru service
Uploaded for Daily Photo Challenge,
Subject: cars, June 15, 2010

I was out and about town to find a unique car subject for today's challenge. I saw these little guys in the drive thru placing their orders. I bet they ordered a malt. Linda's serves the chocolatey-est, thickest and most delicious ice cream malts ever! The malt is so thick, you have to give it a minute to melt a little because you can't pull it through the straw at first. They are that good!

I took the original picture and manipulated it to look somewhat like a color pencil drawing.

Day 156 of 365, music & dancin' makes me happy!

The black and white image is Terry and I at my brother-in-law's retirement celebration.  We photographed the event and had a blast doing it.

Today's photo challenge was music.  I never got around to doing a photo for the challenge.  I looked for my tamborine.  I was going to do something with that put couldn't find it quickly.  So, I gave up on it and found some pics that remind me of music...dancin'!!!. 

When I hear music, or even think about music, it makes me wanna dance!  Here, are a couple pics from last year at the retirement party.  I am dancing with my fantastic nephew.  Isn't he cute?  He is a great dancer and musician and collegiate athlete!  Too bad for all the girls, he is taken.  He has a beautiful girlfriend of a couple years.  She is a lucky girl because he is quite a catch!  When Terry and I took a turn at the dance floor, my other nephew picked up my camera to capture this shot.  At first, I looked at this picture and I was really critical.  I wish we looked like we used to look when we were young.  Before we were married, we were out at the dance club every weekend.  I was a clothes hound who looooved fashion.  Going out gave me a good reason to dress up and prance around.  Time has a way of changing lots of things.  Time changes our opinions of what is really important in life according to the stage that we are in.  At this time, I have raised two daughters to young adulthood.  

Terry and I started dating when I was a senior in high school.  Actually, I remember that I asked him to escort me to my HS prom on New Years Eve, 1983.  So, what began on January 1, 1983 is still going strong and we have never been apart since. 

We really love each other's company.  Although sometimes I do want to pinch his head off.  And, I am sure he could do the same to me!  Some people say that when a couple retires and are spending time together 24/7, it is a difficult adjustment.  Maybe I need to knock on wood, but, I think that we are going to truly enjoy each other when he does eventually retire.  Terry and I have always enjoyed dancing together even though we don't quite match in height at you can see. :) It doesn't matter to me. I hope we can continue to dance together through this life and beyond!

Day 155 of 365, '78 Ford

You see this 1978 Ford?  My father in law purchased this new in that year.  He has a 1997 Ford truck that he still calls his 'new' truck.  He keeps the 'new' truck in the garage it is rarely ever used.  It still has that new leather interior smell.  Can you imagine?  He maintains this huge 30 acre place along with a one acre garden.  Everything is neat as a pin. He had a stroke about a year and a half ago.  You would never know it today. He picked that bucket of squash in the foreground just before we arrived.  He had it ready for his brother to pick up and enjoy.  He raises the vegetables, not for himself, but to share with everyone he cares about.  He had called us to come get some tomatoes.  Terry likes to eat tomato sandwiches for lunch. 

Here is Terry's mom.  She is a very sweet mother-in-law.  I am very blessed to be part of this family.  You see the pictures laying on the counter?  Those were pictures of PawPaw Sibley's grandparents.  They were framed behind glass at his brother Herman's home.  Below, you see Herman and Claude (brothers) holding the antique image of their grandparents.  I took this picture then cropped the image for reproduction.  Terry's mom requested 3) 8x10 prints of the image.  She had wanted to give the copies to other  family members.  It worked out pretty good considering it is literally a picture of a picture behind glass.  In my opinion, the images printed a bit too light.  This happened because when I first had the 4x6 printed, I thought they were too dark.  I overadjusted.  I bought them anyway.  Later, I might try to get a better copy. 

 From this image, I cropped out the image below.