I was going to post my “year in review” blog entry the other day, but alas, my computer died.  So it will have to wait until later.

This seems to be a theme for my blog as of late.  Delay work/photography posts altogether.  That seems to be a theme for my life this winter, actually.    While I have been busy shooting in December (I had three wintry  weddings this month!), I’ve opted to focus on my personal life rather than actively growing my business for the past two months.  Some of that has been forced by circumstances—I’ve had to focus my energy on recuperating after finally ridding my body of nasty parasites from my work in Africa.  This meant sleeping, going to physical therapy, not lifting heavy equipment, building yummy and nutritious food back into my diet (no more protein shakes!), among other things.

But really, the timing of getting sick was actually ideal, in hindsight.  Justin and I got engaged in October, so I’ve been using my self-created “sick time” to revel in our engagement, hang out with both of our families, learn more about psychology and brain science, begin the wedding planning process, and build a foundation for our future with him.  Since I didn’t have any huge shoots in November, I house-hunted and smothered my pinterest account with wedding inspiration and home decor ideas.  He was busy bringing in the dough, so I’ve been really happy to be able to delve into the “homemaking” side of things.  (Now I’m just ready to MOVE and start creating all sorts of DYI stuff four our house and wedding!!!)

This isn’t something we ever learned about in journalism school (or any of my university classes at UNC, really).  I’m not even tempted to declare my business in 2011 a “failure,” because I still managed to shoot creatively when I could and delegate my energy to less physically demanding areas that were just as important for the development of my business (and myself!)  At UNC I thought the life of a photographer would be 90% shooting pictures and 10% traveling to exotic locales.  This year has proven that this picture is definitely not reality (nor would I want it to be!)  Having a balanced life is much more gratifying for me.  And sometimes balance means rolling with the punches and redefining “work.”  I’ve had to learn some of that the hard way this year, but that’s how things go, isn’t it? 

Anticipating more big changes in my life for 2012, I’m excited about allowing myself to breathe more and patiently walk through each transition, rather than try to give my 110% to every single area of my life, which is self-defeating in the end.  I’m moving to our new house next week, and once I satisfy most of my “nesting” urges, I’ll be able to dive into wedding planning, finish up some old projects (i.e. Kenya and the long-awaited birth documentary), and enjoy the rest of the engagement period! I’ll still be taking wedding inquiries, shooting and working next year (gotta pay the bills!), but I’m giving myself permission to not actively grow my business until the fall—after the move, after the wedding, after Justin and I settle into more of a routine as husband and wife in Durham!  And the Type A person in me isn’t even horrified.

At any rate, stay tuned for my next post: A Year in Review in Wedding Pictures (and some words).  I’ll be posting blog entries from all my December weddings in just a few weeks…as a Durhamite!!!  Yay!!!

One of the reasons I love shooting weddings is it gives me a chance to reconnect with friends from across the world.  This bride happened to be my roommate/big sister when I lived in Sevilla, Spain for a summer in high school.  Seven years later, we’re trying on wedding dresses together, sharing a meal at Elmo’s Diner with our significant others, and frolicking in fields with cameras.  (I had the cameras, and we both frolicked).

I would have been lost in Sevilla with Kimberly Jones.  She influenced my life in huge ways that summer—talking openly with me about God, counseling me on college applications, and just being a good friend.  (We tried speaking only Spanish to each other for a few weeks, but it didn’t last very long).  I have a whole scrapbook dedicated to our summer in Sevilla–which we looked at together, laughing in the parking lot of a bridal shop in Durham this year.  I’m so thankful that we have been able to share in each other’s lives again this year—big changes have happened for both of us at the same time (aka finding true love!).  My personal joys wouldn’t have been as sweet if I hadn’t been able to share them with her.

Unfortunately, I was extremely sick with a parasitic infection for Kimberly’s wedding day, so I hired two amazing photographers to shoot her and Ryan’s wedding.  I was really bummed about this, but Melissa Tuck and John Adkisson did an amazing job, and it was fun to live vicariously through their vision of Kimberly and Ryan’s big day.  As sad as I was not to be able to celebrate with Kim in person, I’m definitely counting my blessings.  All of the times we shared in preparation to her wedding (photo shoots, dog walks, and conversations) are so sweet to me, and I have those memories (and photos!) to share with her.

To shake things up a bit on the visual-front, I’m featuring a variety of photos on this blogpost.  Photos from my time in Spain with Kim, our engagement session, silly photos we took of each other trying on wedding dresses, and a handful of Melissa and John’s photos from Kimberly and Ryan’s wedding.  (To view and purchase her professional wedding day prints, go here).

Kimberly and Ryan, you two are made for each other.  As Kimberly’s “hermanita,” I couldn’t think of a better man to love and take care of her.  You make her so happy, and I am just so thrilled that you two found each other!  Kimberly, te quiero mucho mi hermana mayor!  Felicidades!

Enjoy!

Dress: A Beautiful Day Bridal
Shoes: David’s Bridal
Bridesmaid dresses: Bill Levkoff
Groom’s clothing: Indochino
Florist: Paula Peckham
Cake: Cakes By Shirley
Catering: The Reserve at Lake Keowee
Invites: Casey Reagan
Programs: Casey Reagan
Band/DJ: Jumping Jukebox

Their love story began with a napkin.  During their college years at NC State, John spotted Nicole from the distance at the Wolves’ Den, wrote her a note on his napkin, and dropped it in front of her.  It said, “I saw you and wanted you to have this.  (his phone number).  More than four years later, the couple toasted to long life at their wedding reception on October 8, 2011!

Nicole and John had a beautiful outdoor wedding at Fred Fletcher Park in Raleigh, N.C.  It was a clear and sunny fall day–we had fun shooting portrait sessions at pretty spots around the park (I LOVE the light this time of year!)  The ceremony was intimate and sacred—one of my favorite parts of it was when John serenaded Nicole with his saxophone.  I’ve shot weddings where the groom sings or plays piano for the bride, but this was really unique.  The man is skilled!

The reception was held at Artspace in downtown Raleigh.  Nicole and her friends and family spent hours creating decorations—cute birds adorned the tables’ centerpieces (and two lovebirds crowned the top of the cake!)  I loved the amount of time, thought, and creativity that went into creating a beautiful reception—I was happily engaged in shooting as many details as possible!  The dancing and live band was also some of the best I’ve experienced in awhile—a huge shout out to the Party Nuts for creating such a great atmosphere!  (I may have put my cameras down for a dance number or two towards the end). 

Nicole and John, thank you so much for including me in your big day!  After being sick the few weeks prior to your wedding, it was a real treat to celebrate with you and create photos again!  I left your wedding smiling widely, totally energized from making photos during your big day.  I hope these photos capture the energy of the day and that you cherish them for years to come!

Enjoy!

Dress: Dress by Mori Lee, purchased at Poffie Girls
Bridesmaid dresses: Bill Levkoff, purchased at Savvi Formal
Mother of the Bride dress: Bill Levkoff, purchased at Savvi Formal
Groom’s clothing: Men’s Wearhouse
Florist: Tre Bella Florist
Cake: Ashley Cakes
Catering: Caffe Luna
Band/DJ: The Party Nuts

I had a fantastic photo shoot with Amy and Jason two weeks ago in Carrboro, NC.  The weather forecast for the day was overcast and rainy, so I was a bit perplexed as I pulled up to the entrance of the Carolina North Woods for their shoot.  We decided to wait out the rain and go for it—and it turned out to be worth it!  The rain added a nice ambiance to this colorful fall day.

Amy and Jason live in Carrboro, N.C., and they wanted to do their engagement pics at a handful of their favorite spots in this eclectic town—Elmo’s Diner, coal cars on the train tracks, Southern Rail, and the creek at Wilson Park, to name a few.  We had a blast trekking through Carrboro.  Between Jason’s good ideas for photo backdrops and Amy’s playfulness, we had a day of successful photo-shenanigans.  Amy has a knack for climbing objects and hanging upside down—some of my favorite pics involve her monkeying around on the train tracks!

I really loved the creativity that Amy and Jason brought to the session.  They spent hours creating hand-made, colorful signs with expressions like “Celebrate,” “Love,” and their wedding date.  Amy also brought an arsenal of hats and gloves that she knit herself.  It was fun to incorporate these meaningful props in the photographs and think of different poses for them other than smooching and hugging (as fun as these are!). 

Amy and Jason, thanks for treating me to an afternoon out on the town!  Having moved away from Chapel Hill and Carrboro this year, I’ve sincerely missed many of the wonderful spots in this area.  It was really rejuvenating to rediscover the area with you.  You’re such a fun, creative couple, and I’m really pumped about shooting your wedding in 2012!  This is my last engagement session of the year for now, and it’s great way to end 2011.

Enjoy!

I shot the wedding of Alex Parks and Harrison Smith on October 1, 2011, in my home state of Missouri.  Harrison is the little brother of one of my best friends Emily; I knew him when he was in grade school!  I met Alex a few years ago when I made a road trip to Columbia, Missouri to visit Emily, long before she started dating Harrison.

This wedding turned out to be one of my absolute favorites of the year.  (I know, I say that about every wedding, but this wedding felt like…and literally was…coming home!)  Ironically, I was sick as a dog the weeks leading up to it, combating a nasty parasitic infection with an even nastier drug.  With little energy, I was afraid I wouldn’t be healthy enough to shoot this wedding.  I remember expressing this worry to Justin before leaving for St. Louis, and he calmed me down by reminding me that I was in the best possible place to be sick and shooting a wedding—I would be surrounded by loving friends (who feel like family).

I wasn’t just surrounded by love that day—I was totally supported and lifted up by love—and I took some of the best photos of the year because of that!  I was inspired by Alex and Harrison’s love for each other, and by their friends’ and families’ love for me.  I couldn’t drive because of my medication, so one of the groomsmen kindly drove me from St. Louis to Columbia and became my personal escort for the wedding day.  Emily and her sisters bought me all sorts of food (that they deemed “my special diet”) for the wedding and days after; the mother of groom (who used to be a nurse) expertly counseled me on my steps towards recovery; and guests jokingly called me “the parasite girl,” which was absolutely hilarious to me, and somewhat endearing.

Alex and Harrison gave me inspiration for my own wedding.  They got married at Alex grandmother’s house—a fascinating home filled with all sorts of artwork, trinkets and treasures.  (Can I borrow it?)  Their outdoor ceremony was beautiful, sacred, and intimate.  They gave me ample time to frolic on the campus of Mizzou and photograph them in magic light, which I always love.    And their getaway vehicle, a convertible Ford Mustang, was sweeeeet!  (This lucky photog actually got a chance to drive it down country roads the next day).  Oh, and the funfetti cake had to be my favorite food item—such a smart idea!

Alex and Harrison, thank you SO much for including me in your big day—and for taking care of me!   I hope to come out to Columbia some time next year to see Emily, and I will definitely pay you a visit.  I hope you have a fantastic honeymoon (this weekend!), and that you enjoy these photos for years to come.

Enjoy!

In case you are interested…

Dress:  Davids Bridal
Shoes:  Sseko
Bridesmaids and Flower girl dresses:  Davids Bridal
Groom’s Clothing:  Savvi Formalwear
Ties:  Savvi Formalwear
Florist-  Hy-vee
Invites and Programs:  Billy Bubenik.

A week before the wedding of Jess Brenton and Zach Osborne, I drove up to Southwest Virginia to shoot Jess’ bridal portraits at Sundara.  Jess told me over the phone that the location had an apple orchard and a big red barn, so I was pretty excited to see the space and get inspired by the mountains.

I love shooting bridal portraits because it gives me a chance to get to know the bride better–or in Jess’ case, to catch up with a friend and have a photo adventure!  I laughed throughout the shoot because Jess kept asking me,  “tell me about Africa” or “tell me about Justin.”  At one point I had to say that I would tell her later over dinner because I needed her to smile at the camera and not ask me questions.  (I actually was able to answer her questions during the shoot).    Seriously though, it was really fun to talk to Jess and make some sweet photos with the fading mountain sunlight.

I really felt like I was part of the wedding party after doing this shoot.  Jess and Zach took me out to eat at a yummy restaurant in Roanoke (organic mountain food!!!), and I slept over at Jess’ that evening while we talked and looked at the photos I had shot earlier that day.  The next morning I went running in Jess’ neighborhood (which happens to lead to a massive hill with a beautiful overlook of downtown Roanoke at the top!)  I had been pretty sick the week before (with what I now know was a parasitic infection), so these two days with Jess was the bright spot of those first few weeks in October.  It felt so good to enjoy her company…and make beautiful pictures of a beautiful friend in a beautiful place!

Jess, thanks for being so welcoming and hospitable.  You made me feel like I was another member of the Brenton household.  Thanks for letting your cute cocker spaniel love on me, too—I need that!  I hope you love the pics.

To view all pictures from this session and purchase prints, go to http://prints.canacollective.com/.

Enjoy!

I shot the wedding of Jess Brenton and Zach Osborne on September 17, 2011 in the beautiful Roanoke, VA.  Jess and I bonded when we were bridesmaids in the wedding of Laura Fletcher Stevenson.  I remember the first time she told me about her and Zach’s love story, and I was moved to tears.  Just a few months into their dating relationship, Zach was injured serving our country overseas.  They spent the next months together while he recuperated and underwent surgeries at Walter Reed in D.C.

When Jess told me about everything they had already gone through, I felt as if I was talking to a woman who had been married for several years.  She and Zach have weathered storms that some couples will never experience—and their love for each other grew stronger in those hardships.  I remember thinking, “I wish I could document their story.”  Luckily, Jess asked me to shoot her wedding—and I was able to capture their incredible, strong love for one another on their wedding day!

This wedding was especially meaningful for me because I was able to reunite with one of my best friends, Laura Fletcher Stevenson.  My boyfriend and second shooter, Justin Cook, was able to share in the joy of our reunion.  This wedding held significance for him as well, since we were returning to his community in Roanoke.  We shot the wedding with Ryan Loew, Justin’s friend and an amazing videographer (who just had his first child—congrats, Ryan!!).  So it pretty much felt like a giant party on the photo-side.  And Laura, Justin, and I were the last guests to leave the reception—we ended up staying on the premises an hour after everybody had left!  I love when my job as a wedding photographer blends so seamlessly into my personal life—weddings like Jess and Zach’s are extra special for me–their celebration becomes my celebration. 

Jess and Zach, you two are an inspiring couple and great friends.  I had a blast shooting your wedding and hanging out with you the days before it.  It was a joy to share in your day and be able to tell your story through my camera.  Thank you so much for everything!  I hope that you cherish these photos for years to come.

To view all photos from this wedding and purchase prints, click here.

Enjoy!

This blogpost won’t be about weddings, even though the pictures are from the wedding of Julie and Adam—a wonderful event I shot with Jenny Tenney in Asheville this year.   Since these are her clients (wonderful people I must add; I had a blast!), I will let her talk about their day and their story.  Check out her blogpost about the day!

Instead, I want to write about how shooting this wedding providing healing for me.  I have been struggling the past year with ongoing depression, anxiety, and sickness—the reasons for them are complex, and I won’t go into detail here.  I will say that the word “health” has been tossed around quite a bit—in conversations with my doctors and counselor, in books I’m reading, in my own longings to be well again.

I’m coming to redefine health as “wholeness”–a gluing back of body and soul along with all the other body-souls out there.  Antidepressants, counseling sessions, and heatpacks for my tense muscles are part of the road to overcoming depression and anxiety, but shooting a wedding and spending quality time with a good friend is just as important—if not more.

This weekend in Asheville was just that for me.  Sure, I felt crappy because of some parasites I didn’t know existed in my tummy, but going to dinner with Jenny, talking for hours about dating, love, childbirth, photography, our dreams and obstacles in life infused me with an energy—a healing—that I can only receive when connected to other people.  Shooting this wedding with her was a stress-free, joyful collaboration.  We brainstormed together, oohed and aahhed dorkily about beautiful light and sunflower fields,   It was so healing to be connected to my friend, co-creating with her, making beautiful photos of the beautiful people and the setting around us that we were a part of.  I realized how much I miss being with other women photographers—my closest girlfriends who are photographers happen to live hours away from me.  I need their presence—they don’t just make me a better or more “whole” photographer, but they make a more whole person.  A woman on the path to healing.

So thank you, Julie and Adam, for letting me into your life on your day.  Jenny and I provided you with photos, but you provided me with something far greater, and I am so grateful for your openness and trust of us.  Jenny, thank you for the conversations, the laughter, your generosity, and your humility.  You are a wonderful photographer because of who you are, and I am glad to be your friend.

I want to leave you all with a wonderful Wendell Berry quote that sums up what I have been learning during this difficult passage of my life:

“To try to heal the body alone is to collaborate in the destruction of the body.  Healing is impossible in loneliness, it is the opposite of loneliness.  Conviviality is healing.  To be healed we must come with all the other creatures to the feast of Creation.  The fatal sickness is despair, a wound that cannot be healed because it is encapsulated in loneliness, surrounded by speechlessness.  We must go to the wilderness of creation to be reborn–to receive the awareness, at on e humbling and exhilarating, grievous and joyful, that we are a part of Creation, on with all the we live from an all that, in turn lives from us.”

Here’s another set of wedding pictures—more joyful work for me that has helped me heal.  I hope it brings healing to you as well.  Enjoy!

I shot the wedding of Nada Mussad and Caleb Goodrum in Augusta, GA, on August 20, 2011.  I met Caleb five years ago in RUF at UNC–I remember some of the first pictures I took of him was when he decided to drink tea (of course) and play with my knitting needles in my dorm room sophomore year.  (Actually, I may have taken pictures of him dressed up like a pirate prior to this!)  I met Nada a few years later at an RUF beach conference in Florida.  I remember taking pictures of her the first day we met, back in my polaroid artsy-fartsy phase.
Nada and Caleb are two of the most passionate, romantic people that I know.  I don’t think anyone can top Caleb’s proposal—check out my blog post on this from last October for an explanation.    Their wedding was a true reflection of their passion and good taste (not to mention their inspiring love for God, each other, and their community).  Nada’s color palette–vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges–was absolutely stunning, and I loved all the unique Caleb and Nada-y details at their reception:  elephant teapots, paper birds kissing on top of their peach cobbler, and an old gramophone, to name a few.

My favorite aspect of this wedding was the eclectic fusion of cultures—it was Egyptian, Asheville granola, and deep South (they held their ceremony at the historic First Presbyterian Church in Augusta and the reception at the Old Medical College of Georgia—some of the most beautiful sites I’ve ever shot at for a wedding!)  I loved learning about Egyptian culture from Nada’s  extended family, which included henna painting, amaaaaaazing food, and exuberant “whooping” at just about any moment worth celebrating.  There was definitely no lack of excitement at this wedding.

Another part of shooting this wedding that I enjoyed was reconnecting with some of my dearest friends and receiving support from them during the wedding day.  I haven’t “shot solo” in awhile (I typically use an assistant), and I was a bit nervous about capturing the moments of the day by myself.  I was pleasantly surprised by how much assistance I received from the community around me—Teresa (the cake maker) packed me an icebox filled with healthy snacks, Nada’s brother bought me some batteries for my flash in the middle of wedding prep on the big day, multiple friends checked in on me to see if I needed anything, and some of my favorite kids in the world persisted at holding my external flash during the reception.  This is the essence of community for me, and I love how photographing a wedding is means of becoming more integrated within that community!

Caleb and Nada, you are both wonderful friends, and I look up to the both of you.  I am so thrilled that you are beginning this new phase of your journey together.  Thank you for allowing me to be a part of it!  I hope that you enjoy these photos for many years to come. 

Enjoy!

I shot the wedding of Jamie Sellers and Tom Wurm on August 5, 2011 in my hometown of St. Louis, MO.  I first met Jamie at my humongous family reunion last fall in Fulton, MO—she was dating my cousin Tom at the time.  (One of the perks of being part of the Wurm family is that I meet cousins and second cousins and third cousins whenever we have these reunions—Tom is the nephew of my Grandma Ann, who was one of fourteen kids!)

This wedding was especially fun for me because I was able to serve and love my immediate and extended family through my photography, enabling me to love and by loved by them in new ways. My parents and boyfriend Justin Cook (who shot the wedding with me–check out his amazing work at his website) trekked half-way across the country in a tightly packed car for this wedding, and Justin got to see where I grew up for the first time!  He fit right in with my family—I think he bonded with my crazy, lovable Aunt Joan, in particular.  (Check out her great dance moves in this album).    So thank you, Jamie and Tom, for giving me this wonderful opportunity to enjoy my whole family by shooting your wedding!

Jamie and Tom got married at Peace Lutheran Church and had their reception at Orlando Gardens in St. Louis.  Their wedding day included events spread across Greater St. Louis, including an artsy photo shoot at Laumeier Sculpture Park.  The gals got ready at the fancy Ritz Carlton hotel in downtown Clayton, which was one of my favorite points of the wedding, because this location is absolutely gorgeous.  We took group photos on the lobby’s chandelier-clad staircase, which felt like something straight out of the Academy Awards.

Jamie and Tom, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to return to my roots and photograph your wedding.  You are both incredible people.  Jamie, you are beautiful inside and out—your gentleness and kind spirit made me feel comfortable from the minute I started shooting.  I love you guys and hope that when you look at these photos you can relive the emotions of your wonderful wedding day!  As always, I look forward to seeing you at future Wurm family reunions. 

Enjoy!