Friday, May 30, 2008

Get Excited...




It opened today... I think a ladies night is in order!! Who's game?

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Quote of the Day

“The digital camera is a great invention because it allows us to reminisce. Instantly.”
-Demetri Martin

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This is a photo of my Great-Uncle Claud. I took it at the Jones reunion a few weekends ago. He's been battling cancer for a while now. However he's just as precious as always! Claud is one out of eight brothers and sisters. 7 are still living today, one of which is my adorable grandfather!

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I'll post more from the reunion and other sessions soon!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Mary & Tim

Mary and Tim were married May 10, 2008. Mary and her bridesmaids got ready at her parents, just a few miles away from the church.


Mary's dress was from J.Crew. It was beautiful! Very simple and elegant.


The ceremony took place at St. David's Church in Creswell. This church is very old and services aren't held there regularly. There isn't even electricity in the building, however it has the most adorable charm and beautiful stained glass!




Mary and Tim are just adorable together! After the ceremony guest made their way to the Eastern 4-H Environmental Education Conference Center in Columbia for dinner, dancing and cake.



Congratulations Mary & Tim! Thanks for letting me be a part of your day!

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Baby Harmoni

I had the opportunity to spend an hour or two with baby Harmoni and her family at UNC Children's Hospital two weeks ago. I was contacted through NILMDTS due to Harmoni's condition. When I photographed her she was only 22 days old and so adorable. We had the opportunity to take her outside for our session. The hospital has a beautiful Butterfly Garden that was created by a Boy Scout Troop in its courtyard. The butterfly is a symbol of spirit, transformation, and hope- what is possible. This garden is really a neat place for patients to go to while at the hospital. Here are a few images from my time with Harmoni and her family.



I'm so sorry I didn't get these photos up earlier because I talked with Harmoni's mother yesterday and Harmoni lost her battle. (Her Mom said it was OK to post a few images) Please keep her family in your prayers!

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Ginger + Jeff

Here are more images from Ginger & Jeff's engagement session! Jeff was home for a few weeks- he's currently serving overseas for our military (thanks, Jeff!) so Ginger scheduled some rest, relaxation, and quality time for them in Nags Head once he arrived. I met up with them over in Manteo for a Sunday afternoon shoot! Ginger once lived in Manteo and worked on the Elizabeth II and the couple shared their first date there too; so this was a great place for their engagement shoot! Check out the video...

I'm trying out a new software to make slideshows in, so please excuse the bar at the bottom that says, "Made as an evaluation of ProShow"...

Hope you enjoy!

Mother's Day

I've been meaning to post something about Mother's Day, but I just haven't had a chance with it being the end of the school year. The kids only have 12 days left, I have 16! This week is the week of the dreded EOG Testing (ahhh!... only one more day left though! Yay!).

Back to Mother's Day... My mom is amazing. She is a strong, loyal, dedicated, and without a doubt an awesome woman. She is a wonderful role model. Rarely do we go without talking everyday- most of the times it's multiple emails and atleast one phone call a day! She is my rock, my shoulder to cry on, my best friend, and my cookbook! What she doesn't know is that I'm her biggest fan! I'm so thankful for the relationship I have with her!

Here is an image of my Mom I took recently. She just happened to be a guest at a wedding I photographed!


Isn't she beautiful!?!?! Love you Mom! XOXO

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Quick Peek...

I'm in the process of going through images of Ginger + Jeff's engagement session from this past weekend. We met in Manteo at the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse and walked around downtown then over to Festival Park. Here's one of my favorites images so far.


I'll have more images to post later, right now I'm off to UNC Children's Hospital for a NILMDTS shoot.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Pocosin Arts

I LOVE going to my hometown, in fact, you can usually find me there just about every weekend. I love the feel of the small town as well as being able to see my wonderful family often! I moved to Raleigh after graduating high school to go to college and I just can't seen to get completely comfortable to the "city" life.

Columbia has a wonderful organization, Pocosin Arts, within the community. "Pocosin Arts takes seriously its relationship with the pocosin, the predominant wetland ecology of the region, and has made connecting culture to environment through the arts its mission." (noted from their website) Last year, I had the opportunity to take part in two of Pocosin Arts' events, one which was a Pin Hole Photography workshop. Mr. Allen Lee led the workshop where I, among others, spent two days making our own pin hole cameras, photographing scenes of downtown Columbia, then developing our own prints! Now, some of our prints from this workshop are being showcased in an architecture exhibit this weekend.

Pocosin Arts Folk School has just restored the front of their building and a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the newly restored facade will be held Friday, May 9th from 5pm - 7pm. In conjunction with the ribbon cutting they will also have an Architecture Exhibit that will feature Pin Hole Photography by yours truly, as well as the others that were able to participate in this workshop. The exhibit will also include paintings inspired by Columbia Area African American Homes entitled "Spirits in Space" by Tunde Afolayan, and original drawings of Columbia homes by Linda Crasson (Linda's work will be featured in the celebrated book "Historic Houses and the Stories They Tell" by Marimar McNaughton and published by Fiona King Finch of Sweet Bay Tree Books).


Here is one of my images that is in the exhibit.

This image was taken with my "Oatmeal Can" Pin Hole Camera, which is why the image has a curved look to it. This home is known as the "McClees House" and is one of Columbia's historic homes and is now the place of business for Southern Insurance.

Along with this event the town of Columbia his hosting an event called: "Public Spaces, Private Places". Public Spaces, Private Places is a self guided walking tour of residences and public buildings at the heart of Columbia's Historic District. These homes demonstrate styles dating from the late 1800's to 1946, most never before open to the public. Tickets in advance are available or for more about this event click here.

Other festivities during this event include "happenings" at:
Southern Dreams Gallery
Columbia Theater
Tyrrell County Library
Scuppernong Mill House Cafe
Partnership for the Sounds: River Roaming

Here's another Pin Hole shot that I took using my Oatmeal Can camera. This is a view of the downtown docks.


If you've never been to Columbia, I would highly suggest it! :)

Thursday, May 1, 2008

101 things in 1001 days...

I frequent the blogs of many successful photographers and I ran across a post from Melissa Jill where she made a note that she had recently completed #26 on her 101 in 1001 list. Wondering what this list was all about I dug around and found out, and I think it’s a great idea!

So basically 101 in 1001 are 101 goals I’ve come up with to complete in 1001 days. Some are large and others are small and some are just really random! Some I’ll probably never get to do just because of finances, but I might as well set my goals high! ;) Here are my goals, listed in no particular order…



Start date: May 1, 2008
End date: January 26, 2011



1. Blog every day, with at least one photograph, for 2 weeks - COMPLETED June 25, 2008
2. Take a road trip and stop along the way at cool places to take photos
3. 2nd shoot at 2 weddings
4. Buy a fish eye lens
5. Take a cruise - COMPLETED October 2010

6. Sit in the front row at a Kenny Chesney concert -woohoo!
7. Carve a pumpkin - COMPLETED October 2010
8. Enter some photos in a print competition
9. Thin my thighs ;)
10. Buy a Shoot-sac - COMPLETED 10.12.08
11. Go to my 5-year college reunion - COMPLETED May 2010
12. Go to Hilton Head and hear the Simpson Brothers again
13. Attend at least 3 photography workshops/seminars (3/3 completed by Oct 2008)

      #1- Bellies & Babies Tour - attended September 2008
      #2- Learnfest - attended September 2008
      #3- Image X - attended October 2008
14. Photograph a birth story
15. Build a Snowman
16. Buy a Wii - COMPLETED, Summer 2009

17. Go to the Biltmore
18. Send a care package to a soldier in Iraq
19. Try two new recipes a month for 3 months - COMPLETED
20. Go one week without drinking soda

21. Vote in the ’08 presidential election - COMPLETED 10.27.08
22. Read 3 books to learn more about photography / business
23. Read 10 (non-business related) books COMPLETED 2.27.09
     #1 *Something Borrowed by: Emily Giffin (completed May '08)
     #2 *Something Blue by: Emily Giffin (completed May '08)
     #3 *Love the One Your With by: Emily Giffin (completed June '08)
     #4 *Kentucky Rich by: Fern Michaels (completed July '08)
     #5 *Ana's Story by: Jenna Bush (completed July '08)
     #6 *Questions to Ask Before Marrying (completed July '08)
     #7 *Baby Proof by: Emily Giffin (completed Aug '08)

     #8 *The Tenth Circle by: Jodi Picoult (completed Aug '08)
     #9 *The Lucky One by: Nicholas Sparks (completed Oct '08)
     #10 *How to be Lost by: Amanda Eyre (completed Feb '09)
24. Travel to Europe
25. Get all of the 6 Jones grandkids together with their significant others and kids - COMPLETED did a few times but in December 2010 we were able to do so & get a photograph for my grandparents as a Christmas gift!
26. Visit one of the US states I haven't been to yet
27. Spend the day with another photographer (non-workshop related) - COMPLETED Danelle Barco
28. Organize my home-office
29. Spend a whole day with a friend - COMPLETED June 8, 2008

30. Go to the Roanoke Island Aquarium - COMPLETED September 2009
31. Go to a movie alone
32. Go snow skiing
33. Solve the Rubik's Cube
34. See a musical on Broadway

35. Figure out how to get videos onto my blog and then post videos - COMPLETED May 13, 2008
36. Go camping
37. Take my lunch to work for a week
38. Take a carriage ride in Central Park
39. Go on a picnic
40. Find good legal music to use on my photo slideshows
41. Meet a friend for lunch/dinner/cocktails once a month for 6 months straight! COMPLETED

42. Do something to help the Spinal Cord Society - COMPLETED September 8, 2009
43. Take photos of my parents and each set of grandparents
44. Go to the Zoo
45. Donate blood

46. Watch a sunrise - many times after becoming a Mom
47. Pick strawberries - COMPLETED
48. Watch the movie "Born into Brothels"
49. Go to a photography gallery - October 2009, NYC Museum of Art

50. Get some canvas prints made - COMPLETED July/August '08
51. Keep my email inbox down to 5 emails or less for 2 weeks
52. Be the greatest maid-of-honor for Bridget’s wedding - October 2008
53. Do charity work overseas
54. Go to see the Vagina Monologue’s
55. Go ice skating
56. Have one of my images on the cover of a magazine
57. No computer for a week
58. Read the bible completely
59. Buy an Ipod - COMPLETED
60. Participate in a book club
61. See
Jack Johnson in concert
62. Write and send one snail mail letter per month for a year, just because
63. Visit the
Elizabethan Gardens - COMPLETED Summer 2009
64. Have a yard sale
65. At least once, give a homeless person some money/food. COMPLETED June 26, 2008

66. Dress in costume for Halloween
67. Go to an
NC State Football game - COMPLETED 2009 and 2010
68. Document “a day in my life” with photos
69. Upgrade and redesign my website - September/November 2009
70. Get engaged ;-0
71. Climb Jockey's Ridge COMPLETED 2.20.10

72. Can at least 10 jars of tomatoes COMPLETED September 13, 2008
73. Create a cookbook with all of my great-grandmothers recipes
74. Try deep sea fishing again (without getting sick) COMPLETED November 2009
75. Learn how to play Bridge
76. Have my photo taken in a photo-booth that does the old school photo-booth strips
77. Visit and photograph all the
lighthouses in NC
78. Learn to belly dance
79. Draw on a sidewalk with chalk
80. Go kayaking
81. Get 5 people to create their own 101 things list (any takers??)

     #1 BB Vo
     #2 Lavonna Chilton
82. Plant a tree
83. Have a girls night / weekend
84. Go to
Nashville, TN
85. Stick with this list (such a cop out, I know)
86. Visit New Orleans - COMPLETED Oct 2008
87. Go bowling - COMPLETED January 2010
88. Tie-Dye
89. Meet the teachers I taught with at HSES for dinner

90. Spend a day at the beach COMPLETED July 2008
91. Drive a tractor
92. Go white-water rafting
93. Ride in a convertible
94. Watch
The Lost Colony
95. Pay off my Car
96. Blog about each of my 101 tasks as completed
97. Italy!!
98. Fly a Kite
99. Near the end of the 1001 days, create a new list including those tasks left undone
100. Have $1001 in my bank account on day 1001
101. For every goal I don’t complete, I will donate $1 for each goal to charity!

Any encouragement or help is welcome! If this has motivated you to started your own 101 list, let me know so I can work on crossing off #81 of mine! ;) Hugs!