So Sakina and I spent a dance-filled afternoon at the old river mill in Saxapahaw, N.C.  I’ve taken 14 weeks of contemporary dance under her instruction, but it was great to get to know her better outside of the studio.  She shared a bit of her story with me, and learning about what drives her passion for dance made me appreciate even more the beauty and talent of this amazing dancer.

Sakina has always danced, but she took a long break from it when her then-boyfriend persuaded her to pursue a more lucrative career. After several of years of living without dance, she realized how much it was a part of her and decided to pursue her dreams of being a professional dancer, choreographer, and dance instructor.

Her boyfriend didn’t approve, but she chose to not let go of her passion again. So Sakina broke off their engagement and moved to Durham.  When I asked her if she regretted any of this, she told me, no- she is so happy now and wouldn’t change any of her decisions. Dance is who she is.

Stories like Sakina’s really inspire me to keep dancing, expressing myself, making, creating. It is never too late to pursue your dreams and do what you love. It doesn’t matter that I never trained as a dancer when I was younger; I can find joy in it now and really push myself to grow as a dancer and artist.

Loved these photos? Are you a dancer, musician, artist, or a maker in need of  artful portraits that convey your passion? Choose between my two packages tailored just for creative professionals!

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So Lindsay and I climbed atop a few New Mexican volcanoes and did a
bridal session.  The scenery was engrossing, and all I wanted to do was
incorporate the dusty browns and vivid blues in the photos.  I wanted to
show Lindsay in this desolate, beautiful space.  It was such a fun two
hours of shooting—almost Zen-like.   I wish I could take all of my
brides to New Mexico to do our shoots.

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Kelley and Mike tied the knot last month in a classy fall Chapel Hill wedding. They exchanged vows at the United Church of Chapel Hill and partied the night away at the Carolina Club on UNC’s campus. Some of my favorite moments were of Kelley’s nephew Kian, who was a complete ham. He held his own on the dance floor among lawyers and family members. A big thanks to my talented interns Julysa Sosa and Layson Peters for assisting me, as well.

Kelley + Mike, thank you so much for giving me the privilege of photographing your wedding. Your love for justice as well as your compassion for others is so apparent and inspiring. It was a joy documenting your love story, and I hope that these photos preserve that for years to come.

Prints from this wedding AVAILABLE HERE!

A shout-out to all our fab vendors for making this day possible:

Bride’s Hair: Megan Sandy

Dress: Tre Bella Bridal

Shoes: Nina

Bridesmaid dresses: Bridal Mart

Groom’s clothing: Tom James

Ties: Beau Ties Ltd. of Vermont

Florist: Tre Bella Flowers

Cake: The Carolina Club

Catering: The Carolina Club

DJ: Stephen Scott Professional Entertainment

Transportation: A Formal Affair LLC

The post Kelley + Mike | Carolina Club Wedding | Chapel Hill Wedding Photographer appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

haven’t shot personal work in awhile, and this seemed like a fun chance to explore my city, considering this took place just 2 miles from my house.  In the name of community, I brought my talented high school intern Layson to shoot this with me.  (Check out her version of the day’s event at her blog!)

haven’t had this much fun shooting for fun in awhile.  It was great to be back in the field, running free on the streets of downtown Durham with my camera.  Can’t wait until next year!

The post Marry Durham 2013 | North Carolina | Personal Work appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

Stephanie is the younger sister of Lindsay, whose bridal portraits I took on a volcano in New Mexico last summer.  They both have the same beautiful curly blonde hair and are extremely fun to be around.  Stephanie and I spent our shoot laughing about all the (innocent) mischief we got in together when kids, like throwing ice from the balcony of Aquaport and making collages of awkward-looking kids from band camp.  Stephanie and Lindsay shared the same warped humor of my own sister and I, and they remain some our favorite people to hang out with and just be ourselves.

Stephanie and I walked around Creve Couer Lake in all its desolate glory at sunset for her shoot.  The sun slowly descended from the sky into the train tracks on the horizon, and it made for a really beautiful scene.

Stephie (as my mom would call you!), thanks for hanging with me last night and letting me shoot with you!  You and Lindsay need to come to North Carolina for some beach adventures at one of the many lighthouses we talked about.  And remember:  it’s not polite to throw ice!

Enjoy!

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I had heard a lot about David, but it was fun to be able to meet him and shoot with this unique couple.  Even though they have dated for about a year-and-a-half, for the majority of their relationship they have lived in different countries:  Lauren in Korea and David in China (or America).  Lauren recently returned from her time abroad as an English teacher, and she and David now have had to learn how to be a couple in the same city. I loved seeing their deep appreciation for one another’s presence, since it was still a newfound thing and not taken for granted by either of them.

There’s nothing I love more than photographing close friends.  Not only are those images cherished by them, but they become a part of my own personal history, tokens of my meandering journey throughout this life. Lauren and David, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of your story and have a random adventure in St. Louis.  La, it was such a joy to catch up with you after all these years. Your depth, honesty, and humor lifted me out of my February blues.    Love you so much!

Enjoy!

The post Lauren + David | St. Louis photo session appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

Lisette and Steven’s barn wedding turned out to be really beautiful.  Family and friends helped out with all aspects of the set-up, stringing Christmas lights around the perimeter of the inside and baking pies for their potluck-style dessert bar.  In an age when the wedding industry tries to convince couples to drop ridiculous amounts of money on mere table settings, it was really refreshing to experience an intimate, beautiful DIY wedding.

Lisette and Steven are both down-to-earth people with a wonderful sense of humor, and their wedding reflected that nicely. I kept cracking up during the reception when Lisette would announce the next activity. For the bouquet toss, she simply declared, “Okay it’s time to throw things!”  For their exit, she told everyone “Now it’s time for our fake exit!”  I loved how relaxed the atmosphere was, as the lack of contrived entertainment allowed for authentic conversation, laughter, and dancing.  Several of my former wedding clients and friends were at this wedding, and I enjoyed getting a chance to briefly catch up.

Lisette and Steven, thank you so much for allowing me and Maria to be a part of your day.  Your wedding was truly beautiful, and it was so fun to realize how many mutual friends we had!  The day was a genuine reflection of not just your love for each other, but your family and friend’s love for and support of you. It was an honor to be a part of it, and I hope that these photos make you smile in the months and years to come.

Enjoy!

The post Lisette + Steven | South Carolina wedding in a barn appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

Lisette was a really fun bride to work with because of her beautiful, unique feature (I am envious of her gorgeous blue eyes!)  When I met Lisette during our time at UNC Chapel Hill she had awesome dreads, which she cut a few months before her wedding.  Her new haircut made for awesome photos because it wasn’t the typical “bridal updo” that I see over and over.  Her flowy JCrew wedding dress was also perfect for the environment and made for some really pretty profile pictures.

Lisette, thank you so much for your hospitality to me during your bridal shoot.  I had fun getting to know your best friend and your parents, and I enjoyed our time watching Netflix and hanging out afterwards. Thanks for being a trooper with the cold weather during our shoot!  Your mom was extremely helpful during the shoot carrying both of our things, and one of my favorite pictures from the day is you laughing with her as she walks across the field while talking on the phone and carrying tons of stuff!  I hope you had fun and I can’t wait to share the wedding photos in my next post.

Enjoy!

The post Lisette | Bridal Session appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

The next third of the year was a rebirth of my business.  I quit my previous work with Cana Collective and decided to go solo, focusing solely on weddings and personal projects.  This decision preceded the Santa Fe Workshops with Chris Buck– which truly was a rebirth.  I shed a lot of tears at thisportrait & lighting workshop, and even some clothes. I put aside some of my photojournalistic habits and experimented with conceptual art photography.  Chris pushed me beyond my comfort zone, encouraging me to put more of my own self and psychology into my work–which meant facing some demons. My final project was designed by Chris to help me identify and face my fears related to photography in a studio-lit self portrait. This was the hardest assignment I have ever done–and also the most fulfilling.  These photos have become and Ebenezer of sorts for me.  Something inside me really changed with the final open and close of the shutter.

That workshop really set the stage for the last third of the year and the attitude I would have towards my work. One of the first big changes I made was to consciously surround myself with other creative photographers and artists.  One of the best things about Santa Fe was collaborating with other photographers and playing off of one another’s strengths.  So I started shooting more with UNC photo kids and really investing in developing a mentorship program for young photographers. My first intern ever, Maria Van Aalst, “graduated” from our little Durham home at the close of summer, but I continue to shoot with her.  When the leaves finally fell and I continued to miss Maria’s presence, I decided to start a new high school internship program for the talented Layson Peters.  I also set out on a new top-secret endeavor with a brilliant photographer, but since it’s top-secret right now you won’t hear about it until the start of 2013!  All of this collaboration has really infused me with the energy I need to bring something “fresh” to my work.

The main change that the workshop instilled in me, however, was to really focus on making pictures where my voice comes through, rather than a focus on technical elements.  I am still proud of my photos that have pretty light and beautiful compositions, but I’m trying to use those elements to really say something about how I see the world. Focusing more on portraiture has been a catalyst for achieving this.  I’ve cut out a lot of video and multimedia work from my life this year, and it’s freed me up really push the limits of my camera and vision.

The following photos are some of my favorite portraits from 2012 where my voice comes through a bit stronger than in previous years.

The post Goodbye, 2012! A look back on my best work from the year. appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

Sarah and Erik got married at the Rigmor House in Chapel Hill, one of my favorite places to shoot because of all the natural light indoors.  They adorned the tables with festive candles, cranberries, and red roses, which gave the reception a romantic feel. Their friends were extremely fun; I enjoyed watching everyone’s sick dance moves.  I was also pretty amused by the amount of shots consumed in the kitchen in between dances. 

I shot this wedding with my brand new high school intern, Layson Peters.  She did a phenomenal job, and it was so fun to live vicariously through her enthusiasm, since this was her first wedding to shoot ever.  It was nice to realize that my love for wedding photography hasn’t waned over time; every time I create a new picture of a new moment with a new couple, that quiet thrill hits me. It’s the same feeling I had during my first wedding, and I hope that as long as I am in this profession it will continue to shape my work.  And I hope the same for Layson.

Sarah + Erik, thank you so much for sharing your day with us!  Enjoy!

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