I'm really excited to post these pictures from Brayden & Ana's engagement shoot because they were an awesome couple to photograph! My friend Carrie Jo of Texture Photo came to visit and we decided to shoot their engagement session together... so the pictures ended up being a combination of both our work (and she is a rockstar photographer = rockstar pictures). Here are just a few from our time together in downtown Atlanta! 
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Adam + Gina
Adam & Gina BLAKELY. I am so happy for these two, and am grateful I got to be a part of their special day. Gina was stunning all day... even when she was getting ready she looked like bride beautiful. Adam was such a hero groom, seen best when he dipped Gina and kissed her when the pastor announced that he may kiss the bride (see picture). It was nothing less than epic (and so very Adam if you know him)! The two of them are just really cute and SO in love. The wedding day was planned out with lots of class, from the fun red shoes Gina and the bridesmaids had on to the amazing band they had at the Biltmore in downtown Atlanta. One of my favorite parts of the wedding was during the ceremony when they sang the doxology (and asked everyone to join in). It was really special to me because we sing that with Ethan at night before bedtime. Ethan has recently started to sing along with us (after 3 years of hearing it every night) and his version is really funny:) But what made it so special was to think that people everywhere, in wedding ceremonies and nighttime routines are singing this same song about a God who is worthy of praise and pours out blessings on his people. I thought about someday Ethan singing that same song at his wedding, knowing it had been the anthem under which he slept for most nights growing up. At any rate, the other part of the day that meant so much to me was having my dad help me shoot the wedding. As I've mentioned in lots of other posts, my dad was a wedding photographer in the 80s and 90s, and is a technical genius when it comes to photography. He has helped me so much and it was such a special experience to be able to shoot Adam & Gina's wedding with him there. My dad even did the manual labor jobs, like carry my cases around and holding light stands up in the air during the reception to help me brighten up the room. This wedding was incredibly meaningful on so many levels, and was such a great time. Thanks guys for letting me be a part of it, and I'm so glad that you are now officially Mr. & Mrs. Blakely!
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helpful photography blogs
One thing that has helped me almost MORE THAN ANYTHING in learning about photography is reading other photographers' blogs, especially blog posts that give you the ins and outs of how they took the shot and practical photography tips. I feel like I need to mention a few that have helped me, because it is all about learning from each other- first, Pioneer Woman (oh, I know... EVERYONE loves this woman- some for her cooking, or homeschooling advice, but lots for her photography stuff, too- true renaissance woman for sure). Her blog has great tutorials on understanding concepts like exposure, composition, equipment, aperature, etc.). She also has made free (i.e. NO CHARGE) actions for photoshop (and elements). The first time I read the word "actions" on a photography blog, I had not a clue what it meant. So in case anybody is in that same boat as I was, an action is a file you can download into Photoshop (or presets as they are called for Lightroom) that edits your photo in a particular way once it is applied to your image. So you might see actions that make the image look vintage, or brighter, or more colorful, etc. Some people like au natural editing, and others love a certain look that an action might give. An action just simplifies the process of editing (it is a way that all these edits are put into one simple click) to get a specific look. Another great resource for free photoshop actions is The Coffeeshop Blog . Rita, the oh so generous woman who started the blog, shares so many free actions and give tutorials on different edits. I love it. Okay, so moving on beyond free actions... I have mentioned before, but can't mention enough, how helpful Morgan Trinker's blog has been. If you check out the posts in the "FAQ for photographers" you will find so so SO much helpful info. I am so thankful that Morgan's philosophy is to share the love, not to keep "secrets" as to the formula for her pictures. She makes a point to remember how much she learned from others sharing advice and tips and does the same for others. A lot of times people can be pretty protective of their photographic knowledge, so Morgan's blog is a breath of fresh air in a sometimes stuffy field. Another photographer in the same vein, the legendary Jasmine Star, also posts not only FAQs on her blog, but she also started making videos that answer questions people ask her about photography. She strives to be authentic and herself, and that is one of the most encouraging things I have taken away from reading her stuff. And her work is amazing. She has a section of her blog devoted to FAQ for learning about photography. I should say that there are so many other photographers I love and like to keep up with their work, but when I have a question about my settings or depth of field, I usually am able to find some good answers when I check out these blogs. Another great web resource is ProStudio Supply on Facebook. They post great links to articles on all things photography and photo business stuff. Finally, when I first got interested in learning more about photography as a business, I talked with my friend Jessica Villemain and she helped me SO much. I went to visit her in Augusta, with lots of paper and a pen to pick her brain about everything, from photography website help to different types of lenses she likes. I shot my first wedding with her, and I feel like I owe major thanks for all the advice & help she has given me. She is also the one that took our family pictures in November that now live on our fireplace, and I am constantly aware of how grateful I am that she shared the love with me. That is one thing I strongly encourage someone who is interested in photography to do, that is, get together with other photographers and ask lots of questions to learn from each other. I hope to post more info on helpful things I have learned along the way, and talk through commonly asked questions. More to come!