Second breath photography

my camera + you

2011-09-06T12:29:00.000-07:00

Affordable pictures anyone? Click link below

http://meredithward.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-camera-you.html

New Blog

2011-03-31T10:43:00.001-07:00

I have a new blog...it's here. You should go there instead.

-Thanks,

Meredith

my back hurts

2011-03-25T06:59:00.000-07:00

My back hurts really bad from working on our garden the past few weekends. It's definitely much harder than I had anticipated. I've been wanting to do a garden for a few years, but thought, "we may move soon, and I would hate to do all this work only to leave it behind." But years have come and gone and we're still in the same place and God's been convicting me lately of using what he's given us now instead of putting it off for later.

My Valentine's Day present...seeds;)

We dug up the sod from the area so we could transplant it in front of our house. This was the worst part. Sod is surprisingly very heavy, especially when your wheelbarrow's front tire is a little low on air. We (my dad) plowed last weekend, bought some dirt mixed with chicken poop, and leveled everything off. I planted my spinach Monday morning. Apparently the frost/cold doesn't hurt spinach for some reason. This is the crop I'm most excited about because we eat a lot of spinach around here. I'm waiting for warmer weather and no fear of frost to plant my other seeds. I started seeding some cantaloupe and peppers about a month ago inside. I had to do some research to figure all this stuff out, but still think I probably messed up somewhere along the way. First sprout many sprouts! I'm hoping these sprouts keep growing, especially when I have to transplant them into the garden. Is it crazy that I pray for my plants? I breathe on them too...heard it helps. I can't help but think about the parable of the sower in Mark 4 every time I check on my plants. It's so cheesy, but I feel sad for the seeds that haven't sprouted because I relate them to people who don't know Christ or who say they do but have no relationship with him. I even dug through the dirt to check on the seeds and put them closer to the top so they could get some sun, but realized that I can only do so much to make these seeds sprout. Just like in peoples' lives, we can only do so much. Ultimately Jesus is the one who saves. It challenges me to be a "sprouter" - to be in the word and constantly asking God how I can change and grow to be a better woman of Him. It's so cool how much I'm learning just from planting seeds. God is pretty cool in how he speaks to us. I definitely recommend starting a garden, even if it's small. Your motivation can be to donate your crops to soup kitchens and food pantries. You can look up which ones accept produce here. Say a prayer for my sprouts;)

a year in pictures

2011-01-10T16:00:00.000-08:00

I'm such a bad blogger.

I will try to improve.

When Jack and I first got married I decided to do a "yearbook" of pictures each year. I'm so glad I did because I already love looking through the two we have and remembering some really good times. It also motivates me to take more pictures of not just special occasions, but some of the everyday as well. I am always a little disappointed at the end of the year when I don't have as many as I thought I did, but it's better than none. It also is a good way to showcase some pictures without having to spend money on tons of prints. I am starting to design our third one and picked out some pictures of highlights throughout the year.

It snowed last year...twice...

We celebrated Valentine's Day at the Poinsett...surprise to me...If I had known I wouldn't have let him spend money on that, but it was really nice and we had a great time!

We rescued the sweetest puppy on our way to Georgia. We named her Georgia.

We celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary in Savannah, Ga. We stayed in an upstairs apartment of a town home instead of a hotel which made it feel like our own little vacation home;)

We made our first visit to Tybee Island while we were there. It was so nice before the crowds showed up, but once the tide went out the beach went for miles and miles...I really have never seen anything like it...hard to explain.

We swam a lot...

We took our first trip to Skytop Orchard after hearing about the apple doughnuts...

Did something I've always wanted to do around Halloween...a corn maze!

Time came to get rid of Jack's hand-me-down recliner...got him a bargain 2-seater for his birthday...

Surprise dinner for my birthday cooked by Jack...It was tasty!

Got our pictures made in our wedding attire one last time!

Went on our annual trip to get our Christmas tree...with two dogs this time.

Decorated with retro lights again.

Had our first white Christmas as a family.

It was a very good year and we were blessed to be able to experience a lot of new things, see new places, and create lasting memories. I think we're most thankful for God's provision and Him choosing to discipline us in so many areas. Many times I wonder why certain things happen or don't happen and feel like we're the only ones struggling with certain things, but it always ends with us thanking Jesus for growing us in that certain area and showing us our need for Him. He is so good and I'm excited to see what He does in 2011!

really like this

2010-10-11T07:57:00.000-07:00

My husband got this in an email and forwarded it to me. I read it after complaining about something not worth complaining about and was immediately convicted of focusing on the unimportant. Thought I would share.

You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having 'wealth' from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren, 'Purpose Driven Life ' author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California .
In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:

People ask me, What is the purpose of life?
And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me.
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity..
We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort; God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.
Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life..
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems:
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her- It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.
You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.
Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.
It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit.. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?
Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do.
That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.

the updated chair.

2010-09-21T05:14:00.000-07:00

I'm making time today to blog for an announcement...
I'm in school taking 10 hours working towards my PTA degree and having to make all A's.
I started working part-time at an outpatient Physical Therapy clinic.
Which means...I have LIMITED time to do anything now...
Which means photography is taking a third row seat, along with watching tv.
I'm more than excited about this change and thankful Jesus has timed everything perfectly and guided me in this direction through open doors and the desires he's placed in my heart. I love photography and hope to continue to capture awesome people and events, but honestly, I don't miss the time behind the computer. I went a week without opening my mac and it was glorious! I LOVE doing what I'm doing now--no computer or desk involved;). I love learning and working where I can meet new people every day and develop relationships with them. So, I will probably not be taking any clients because they would most likely not get their photos back until Christmas or Spring break next year..;) Feel free to email me if you happen to want just a few pictures done because I could probably handle that. I hope to pick it back up a little once this semester is over and my workload is slightly lighter. I'm also going to offer a very discounted session for people who want to book a session between now and Dec. 31 for this coming up spring/summer.

So, with that said, I did make time this weekend to finish a project that's loooong overdue...

It's almost been a year, and I've finally gotten around to redoing the rocking chair Jack gave me for Christmas. I had so many color/fabric combo ideas and just couldn't make a decision. I was going to go for a neutral-white look, but decided to spice it up with some color;) The chair needed lots of work and I honestly had no idea what I was doing...as you will see...

This is the chair before..

After some paint...

This was the hard part..what and how to cover the spring with...

I laid down a towel for some rigidness and three layers of batting...

I had alot of imperfections that needed hiding on this chair. So for to hide the ones on the front I turned the fabric wrong side and attached so that when I flipped it over the patterned side showed and looked seamless with the chair.

I couldn't get away with doing this on the back:(

So I had to think of a way to hide the staples...BRAIDS! This was really the only thing I could think to do. I had an excess of fabric on the edges of the back, so I cut strips from it and braided them across the back and glued the in place hiding the staples.

For the back cushion I just covered a board with batting and covered with fabric.

The sides had small wooden poles hammered into them. I'm assuming the helped secure the fabric that was previously there. I took those out and painted them and then nailed them over my fabric. I cut the excess and folded the ends under and glued them to the chair.

And the finished project...

She still needs some touching up with paint, but I like her.

I'm really surprised I had time to do this. I had to make myself complete this as it was wasting space in our place because it was unusable. Feel free to come by anytime and try her out;)

Peter & Parker • Greenville, sc photographer

2010-08-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

I had the best time photographing Peter and Parker. They needed some updated pictures and I was more than flattered she asked me. Parker and I met our freshman year at Clemson. I was immediately drawn to her personality and awesome style. She may not remember this, but Parker was sitting with me the night at FCA where I accepted Christ. I remember smiling at her as I got out of my seat and scooted by her. I'm pretty sure I may never forget her because that moment will forever be ingrained in my mind.
Anyways, like I said, Parker has awesome style and she brought it for the shoot...

They're the cutest.

good stuff

2010-07-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

The greatest thing you can do with your free will is to follow God with your choices.

You can't trust your appetites..they always want more.

Grace of God teaches you to say no or not yet.

-Clay Scroggins

catching up • Greenville, sc baby & family photographer

2010-07-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the length of this post, but putting all these posts into one seemed like it would make things easier since blogging is rare for me this summer. :)
Enjoy all the baby cuteness...

Mille's Bday • Greenville, sc children's photographer

2010-06-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

Millie's Birthday Party Pictures

To view and/or order, click the link below. Password is "two". Photos are still being uploaded at this moment, so give it a few hours to view the complete gallery.

GALLERY

summa time

2010-06-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

It's swimming season! I think the dogs look forward to this time of year more than we do...

Benson getting ready to enjoy his first dip of the season...

but not for long...

"SERIOUSLY?"---Benson

She loves her daddy...

enough to rescue him when he goes under...

She bites and barks at her own waves...

I'll admit they're pretty spoiled...

pretty things • greenville, sc photographer

2010-05-26T04:52:00.000-07:00

I've put these and lots more in a Smugmug gallery if anyone is interested in buying any prints or canvas.

please pray

2010-05-18T05:16:00.000-07:00

...for this family..

you can watch this amazing video about his battle with cancer here.

Only God could bring good from this event. Zac's story will continue to show God's glory and bring people closer to Him. I know for me it puts everything into the right perspective. All that matters on this earth is loving Jesus and showing others that love and how they can receive it.

random stuff • Greenville, sc baby photographer

2010-04-29T04:25:00.000-07:00

I've been bad at blogging regularly. My apologies to the few people who may read this;). I have good reasons (this, this, this, and this) and I'm enjoying them!

I got to take some really fun pictures lately...If you recognize the boy below, please don't mention it to his mom...The pictures are a surprise for her birthday...Good idea, dad!

SAFE!!!

He was the friendliest baby I've ever met!

Reece is a regular on my blog...If you look back over posts you can see her growing up..pretty cool.

Reece did awesome for our shoot! I've been worn out after shooting kids on the move. It's tough to get the shots you want, but I'm so happy with how they turned out.

...and I also did some pics for my sister-in-law who will be in the Miss South Carolina Pageant this summer. This is the crown shot she chose...

I love springtime. The best part about it is the beautiful blooming trees and flowers. It is hands down my favorite thing to photograph. I think my dream job would be a nature photographer, maybe national geographic;) When I photograph nature, I always look at it as design..mostly for interior design...Like the picture below, I was thinking blowing it up on canvas for a living, dining, or bedroom.

I have a whole series of these that I'll post soon.

Have a good Thursday!
<3

Brennan & Georgia • Greenville, sc baby photographer

2010-04-15T06:35:00.000-07:00

Before Brennan had his first birthday, everyone celebrated early. Brennan received a new heart and it was successfully transplanted in December. He is now able to grow up at home instead of being in the hospital day in and day out. Such a blessing for this little guy and his family! Here are some shots from his Elmo birthday party.

In other news, I am a new mother to a sweet baby girl named Georgia!

We were on our way to the Masters very early Sunday morning. We were about 10 miles from the course when we came upon a black puppy in the road. We slowed to wait for it to move, but she just laid down in the road. We pulled over and that's when she stole my heart;). She was so scared and looked hurt, but we found out later it was just from being timid. We put her in the car but had no idea what we were going to do with her while we were at the Masters. Leaving her in the car on a hot day for a good 6 hours was not an option. So I began looking for fences while we drove. If we could find a fence to leave her in, we could pick her up on the way home. Lucky for us, we came to a Sunshine House daycare with a fenced in playground. There were large gaps in a lot of places in the fence but it was our only option. So we dropped her off and I just knew she was going to escape and make a run for it. When we left the golf course my stomach was in knots with anticipation. I just knew she was going to be gone and I would be left feeling guilty for leaving her and worried about her safety. When we drove up I expected to get out and look around for awhile until I'd have to accept that she was gone, but then Jack said "there she is"...I looked and didn't see her and got mad at him for joking about it! But then I saw her! She was exactly where we left her! So, we have a new addition to our family. Jack named her Georgia, obviously because we found her there. She's fighting some hook and round worm, but other than that she's pretty healthy. We think she's mostly lab with maybe some pitbull in her. We're crate training right now so pray we get some sleep and be expecting lots more pics of this one with her big bro Benson.

finished project...atlast.

2010-03-29T11:45:00.000-07:00

I'm notorious for starting projects only to get halfway done, get bored, and quit...hmm, this reminds me of another area of my life unfortunately.
I love refurbishing furniture. I think I'm pretty good at seeing the potential in old pieces. I'm inspired by Knack and jealous she's doing this for a living! Anyways, here's the before and after and in between's.

Before...an old piano bench

I used some leftover paint...vanilla wafer...*note: I recommend using a primer before painting

While the second coat was drying I started working on the seat of the bench. My grandmother gave me some spare fabric she had laying around. It looked vintage enough that I figured I could use it for something.

I wanted to add some interest to the seat, so I cut the fabric into strips..

Starting in the middle, I used a hot glue gun and began to glue the strips down (overlapping slightly) going towards one end. The strips on the other side of the middle strip overlap going towards the opposite side.

Once all the strips are glued down, I turned the seat over and trimmed the strips to the same length so I could staple them down easier.

Once my paint was dry, I got the sander out and sanded the edges...the sander got away from me on one side so I had to repaint it.

Once sanded, I went over the paint with a light stain. This gave the light paint an antique look.
You can't tell much from the picture but the far right is stained...

finished bench...

Coming next time I feel up for blogging..
Brennan's 1st Birthday

Chubby Cheeks & a Sneak Peek • Greenville, sc baby photographer

2010-03-09T19:26:00.000-08:00

Snuggly preciousness;)

lots of close ups and more to come of this little one.

I may be even slacker on posting for a few months. God's opening up some cool doors for me lately and I'm getting to learn and try some different things. We'll see what comes of it, but for now it's exciting and a good change.

Have a great week and I'll try to post more next week.

Kristin & Kris • Greenville, sc maternity photography

2010-03-03T08:03:00.000-08:00

Here's a little more from Kristin & Kris' session. They were champs for braving the freezing cold and having to walk through mud and puddles. Their little one should be here shortly;)

good flicks

2010-02-23T15:19:00.000-08:00

If you're like me, you don't want to spend $9 on a bad movie. My husband and I butt heads when it comes to movie choices. If I'm going to see a $9 movie I want it to be the artsy/inspirational one with great reviews. He on the other hand will see almost anything that comes out-bad reviews and all. He says he doesn't care what people say about it, he wants to see it and judge for himself...needless to say we've seen our fair share of bad movies;) So, I thought I would start to blog about movies I see and try to let people know before they spend money whether or not it's worth it or more importantly let people know of a good flick that they may have overlooked...

Most of the movies will probably be from Redbox b/c it's such a better deal than seeing it in theaters, so this may be a little late...

Anyways, when the weatherman was predicting this (below) the other week, I stopped by a redbox and rented a couple of movies to watch during sledding breaks.

I rented The Hurt Locker and Cloudy w/a chance of Meatballs.

I've been wanting to see Cloudy w/a CofM ever since I saw a preview for it. It was really cute...Jack wasn't really up for it at first but I caught him laughing at a few parts.;)

I hadn't heard much about The Hurt Locker but knew it was nominated for some awards. We usually rent the movies that are nominees for awards once they come out.
It was such a good movie and it's hard to explain why. I was hesitant at first because it's a war type movie and I'm not usually drawn to those. This movie keeps you on edge the whole time...there's really nothing over the top when it comes to special effects and all that, maybe that's why it's so good because it's so real. I really recommend this movie...it's very well done and really makes you appreciate those who serve our country.

Let me know of any movies you've seen that are worth renting!

Kristin & Kris • Greenville, sc maternity photography

2010-02-17T07:04:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my friend Mishelle for referring me to her friend Kristin for some maternity shots. A lot of soon-to-be-moms don't have these done because they feel fat or insecure about their belly, but they realize after the fact that it would have been nice to have some pictures from the pregnancy. I think pregnant women are so cute! Anyways, we met up Saturday to take a few pictures in the freezing cold...this is only a 2 pic preview...

more to come soon...

VOTE NOW and spread the word!!!

2010-02-12T06:32:00.000-08:00

Please, please, please take time and VOTE for Benson! Tell your friends as well!
Click on the button above or go here.

We really need a new vacuum to deal with this...

You can vote until the 18th for him to try and win the weekly contest...He's in week 6 and listed under "Benson Ward".

Here's his pic for the contest..

He would be so excited if he won!!!:)

choices, goals, and no regrets...

2010-02-11T11:19:00.000-08:00

I've been wasting a lot of time lately....doing what?... worrying, stressing, trying to predict life in a few years, etc....in the words of Jesus, sinning.

You see, I have this huge desire inside of me to help/serve lots of people daily and not to work at a desk 8 hours of day...this is broad I know, which makes it even tougher...

I have many things I enjoy doing... I'm not motivated by money at all, so if I love what I do and it pays min. wage, no problem.

What I would like to do (depending on what day you ask me)...

-photography
-personal trainer
-PTA (physical therapy assistant)
-stay at home mom and be crafty (if and when kids come)

What God would like for me to do...
-?

I'm praying through this right now... some days I think I hear him and feel a peace about my decision at that time. Other times I analyze situations that haven't even happened or may never happen and give in to fear. I'm a mess. I need Jesus to remind me of his presence minute by minute and thought by thought so I don't waste my time or opportunities he's placed in front of me at the present time. I'm bad about making rash decisions and then quitting what I start..I really don't like that about myself. I could use lots of prayer... for discernment... for patience to wait on God's will...for faith that he will always provide....for a clear path...for my faith to let God be the BIG God that he is.

For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.-Jer. 29:11

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has enough troubles of it's own.- Mat. 6:34

to be patient
We live with constant change,
with daily demands for quick decisions
and automatic responses.
Slow down.
Give yourself time to consider,
to sort through complicated issues,
to wait for responses.
Patience calms our lives.
It offers options.

An excerpt from It's Never Too Late... 172 simple acts to change your life by Patrick Lindsay.

Taken on our trip to Caesar's Head...looks like a pondering type of picture;)

affordable gifts • Greenville, sc photographer

2010-02-03T07:51:00.000-08:00

Around this house things are tight. We usually have a rough idea of how we spend our money, but lately we've had to know exactly how we spend our money. Don't you hate it when you have your budget planned out to knowing exactly where every dollar should go and then something unexpected comes up...like a friend's wedding. I'm all about getting/making meaningful gifts for people so when my husband's friend was getting married I starting thinking of an affordable but meaningful gift we could give them.

This is what I came up with...

I knew a common affordable gift would be to frame the actual wedding invitation...but I wanted to add something else to it...so I thought shadow box! But what could I put in it other than the invitation? the program from the ceremony....maybe some details from the reception (I wouldn't take anything that would be considered stealing). The reception was so nice...but there wasn't a lot of options for things that could go in the shadow box...the wedding favors were candy..there were not paper napkins with their names on it. I knew I wanted to get some flowers if I could. Luckily there were rose petals spread out on a table. My intentions were to grab a few of those, dry them out and put them in the shadow box. Well, I forgot to grab some before we left, but luckily my husband's friend was in the wedding so I snagged his boutonniere and it worked perfectly..

I dried the rose petals in a book...just laid them flat in different pages..they probably should have stayed in there longer.

Finding the right shadow box was tough...I went to Hobby Lobby and the size I needed was arond $30...not a very affordable gift, especially not knowing what the shipping cost would to be send this. I kept looking and of course found something at Target-they never let me down. I found a 10x10 shadow box for 16.99. Not bad. I had to rig the back of it up with some fabric I found around the house..

Finished gift...

The cool thing about this is they can add things to it if they want...a picture, wedding announcement, etc.

Shipping was only $6

love this girl • greenville, sc children's photographer

2010-02-02T13:51:00.000-08:00

I've been able to watch this sweet little girl grow up. It's so crazy and sad how fast babies grow! It already makes me want to spend as much time as possible with my own when/if that time comes.

I'm naturally drawn to images with a warm vintage feel. I try to slightly overexpose most images I take because I love the bright feeling it creates.
I spent the afternoon with Reece and captured her playing...

getting ready.

playing house.

those eyes.

Christmas, a little late • Greenville, sc lifestyle photographer

2010-01-25T12:13:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to post these pictures from Christmas for about a month now. We had a really great Christmas. It came and went too quickly.

we were in Charleston visiting Jack's family for a few days. While there, Jack, his sister, his brother in law, and I went downtown to see the lights. Really it was just a big pole with strands of lights coming down, but it was festive. We took some pictures while out there...

my love writing for the slow shutter...

Benson fell asleep under the tree one night... He was wearing his red bow that made him look like the sweetest present.

Jack took this picture at my family's Christmas...I was very impressed with his focusing skills...

Benson asleep again...

and again...

We got a dusting of snow...what a tease...

He's sad it didn't snow more...

New website up! • Greenville, sc photographer

2010-01-14T09:57:00.000-08:00

I've finally updated and changed my website with my new logo. It was fun going through the pictures I had taken last year and seeing all the cute faces. I still have a few more images to get on there and plan to do that very soon! I've also updated/changed my prices for 2010. I think they'll be a lot easier for me and easier for clients to customize their package.

2010 prices

Basic Session $125*
Includes 1 hour of shooting, image enhancement, an online gallery to view and purchase prints, and a $20 print credit.

Mini Session $75*
Includes 30 minutes of shooting, image enhancement, and an online gallery to view and purchase prints.

First Birthday Session $275*
Includes up to 2 hours of shooting, image enhancement, gallery for you and your guests to view and order prints, complimentary Blurb photo album, and DVD with 15 images of your choice.

*Prices do not include travel fees.

Common Print Prices
4x6 $4
5x7 $7
8x10 $10
11x14 $19
16x20 $60
Wallets (8) $8
Digital images on DVD-$10 per image
Additional shooting hours-$40/hr
Photo book pricing available on request

*Travel fees apply to areas 30 miles outside Easley/Greenville area.

Now for my 2010 goals...

~be a better friend~
Jesus has been showing me the importance of having close community, and how I have a lot of surface friendships. I know when getting married and starting families, friends seem to be put on the back burner. I want to change this. For me, this includes...returning phone calls sooner, calling just to say hey, taking time out of my routine to hang out, meeting their needs, etc.

~wait on the Lord~
I want to wait on Jesus to show me His will for my life. It's so hard being patient when this world screams that you should have and do everything NOW. Jesus is preparing me for my next step and I am trying to be obedient and wait hopefully and joyfully.

~eat better~
This goal is a given for the new year. I turned 25 in November and am still taking my fast metabolism for granted. It will catch up to me any day now...

~serve, inspire~
I love hearing inspirational stories. I have this burning desire inside of me to help change peoples lives' by serving them in some way. There's so many organizations out there so I'm praying about where God wants me to get involved in the community.

~Just walk across the room~
I want to put this book to practice.

handmade Christmas

2010-01-11T11:10:00.000-08:00

So I forgot to post some pictures of my attempts at handmade Christmas gifts this year.

I didn't get to do as many as last year because I bit off more than I could chew and was short on time. Here's what I did do...

First the inspiration...

the outcome....

Inspiration (this combined with many others)...

the outcome...

the inspiration...

the outcome...

as you can see what I made isn't nearly as pretty as what inspired me, but it saved money and it has more thought behind it;)

new year, new brand • Greenville, sc photographer

2010-01-04T11:19:00.000-08:00

Since deciding to completely stop doing weddings, I felt my image may need some adjusting. I wanted it to be able to represent everything from babies to families. Wanted it to be warm and inviting. I'm liking it so far, and am in the process of redoing my website with a new template and new brand, and finally, recent pictures.

C Family • Greenville, SC family photographer

2009-12-18T07:33:00.000-08:00

As promised....part 2....

sailboats and sunsets • Greenville, SC family photographer

2009-12-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

C Family Part one

The lighting was perfect, the setting was perfect, and the C family was perfect. I loved everything about this shoot. I had so much fun hanging out and getting to know the C family. Young boys are so much fun! I wouldn't mind having a few of them of my own one day...but that's a long way off and ultimately in God's hands. I'm doing two posts because there's just too many I love and I can't choose...First up...

I have to thank Barb at Knack Studios for having her great giveaways! I was pleasantly surprised last week that I had won!! I never win things, so it made my day! Her work is awesome and inspiring..better check it out!
Happy Tuesday!

Christmas time is here! • Greenville, sc photographer

2009-12-10T14:28:00.000-08:00

I love the holidays, and for the first time in a long time, I'm taking time to really enjoy it and get into the spirit. I bought sugar cookies tonight that I plan on decorating and I also want to bring back the tradition my grandmother and I had of making gingerbread houses.

I love making things and Christmas is the perfect time to make new things for gifts or decorations. I can't wait to post some of my attempts this year...It will have to wait until after I've given the gifts.

We went early this year and got our tree at Ty-Lyn Plantation in Cashiers, NC. Last year we discovered that the trees look a lot smaller out in the field than they do in our house, so we went for a smaller one..almost too small, but it fits our house well;) I wanted the retro look with the big lights, but unfortunately got the neon colors so it just looks redneck...it's still fun though.

(yes, that's a Dwight bobble head on the TV..)

I saw this at a store in Atlanta and had to replicate it...The letters were originally done with fabric, but I didn't feel like spending the money so I used wrapping paper...

Our Christmas cards this year...We took them ourselves..can you tell?

I even made a decoration for Benson...I used green and red felt to cut out the holly, sewed it together and pinned it on his collar.

Millie • Greenville, Upstate, SC Family Photographer

2009-12-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

I absolutely LOVED how these turned out. Millie was on the move the whole time, fell and bumped her cheek, but still managed to do perfect and smile for the camera at just the right times.
Had so much fun with you guys!

Lauren Sneak Peek • Greenville, SC portrait photographer

2009-12-04T09:54:00.000-08:00

Lauren's bridals. Rock Garden. Downtown Greenville.

Lauren & Jim • Greenville, SC portrait photographer

2009-12-02T07:05:00.000-08:00

Lauren is one of my best friends...We started hanging out around the 9th grade. She was one of those friends that you were so comfortable around. I would go over to her house anytime and we would just watch TV together...or like all 9th graders do, drive around in our cars because driving was sooo cool then;) We got in trouble a good bit together, got into things we shouldn't have, had TONS of fun, created lasting memories, and were going to room together at USC until I came to my senses and chose Clemson.;) We stayed close despite the distance and i love her to death!

Her and Jim have an awesome story of meeting. Lauren's last name is Storrie...(her mom's name is Rita Storrie..no joke..cool, right?) Anyways, Lauren's parents went to Charlotte to buy a car. The salesman happened to be a guy named Jim Story. They liked him enough to tell Lauren about him..Long story short (ha), They met, hit it off, and are getting married!!! I'm so excited for them and curious to see if Lauren keeps her maiden name.;)

We met in Greenville one afternoon while they were in town to take some engagement/save the date pics.

Sneak Peek • Greenville, SC Children's Photographer

2009-11-18T07:43:00.001-08:00

***Don't Forget...Cans for Comments***

I had the privilege of photographing Millie and her parents this past weekend. She is such a cutie. Her blue eyes are gorgeous! Here's a short preview.

Cans for Comments

2009-11-16T10:16:00.000-08:00

Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, "When did we give you something to eat or drink?or visit you while you were sick or in jail?" When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear

The king will answer, "Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me." -Matthew 25:37-40

For each comment made now (November 16) through December 20th, I will donate a canned good to Miracle Hill Ministries in Greenville, SC. I will deliver some before Thanksgiving, and the rest before Christmas, so START NOW!

Pumpkin Patch • Greenville, SC maternity photographer

2009-11-12T12:36:00.000-08:00

The other day I got to hang out with Christy and JR while doing some maternity pictures. When Christy mentioned doing them at a pumpkin patch I got very excited! It was a lot of fun and very easy to get natural shots of JR because he was enjoying himself by playing with the pumpkins, tractors, and hay. I met with Christy a week before the session to talk over things and I walked away feeling like I had known her forever. She's so friendly and easy to talk to. I hope to work with her again very soon. She should be having baby Levi anyday now! Be praying for her and that the delivery goes smoothly! Here are a few from our session.

Family • Greenville, SC Family photographer

2009-11-04T10:13:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I got to take pictures of the cutest family. I went to high school and played soccer with Kayla (the mom). She's got three of the cutest kids and I was so excited about taking their pictures. We met at Long Shoals Park and just let the kids do their thing. They didn't slow down for a second!

My editing process should start to speed up soon since I finally invested in Adobe Lightroom. It's been fun and time consuming experimenting with it, but in the end I know it will save a lot of time.

*Also, if anyone is interested in a Nikon 85mm 1.4 lens let me know!...I'll be posting on Craiglist and maybe Ebay soon!

So glad it's over

2009-11-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

I finally completed one of my life goals- run a half marathon.

It was tough but so much fun. I thought getting the swine flu during training was going to put a damper on things, but I think the rest actually helped me out. The rain Saturday also helped out. It felt sooo good.

It's a great course all through downtown Greenville and Cleveland Park. I recommend it to everyone for next year....here.

Here's some pics from the day...

Before the race...our hands are doing 13.1 if you can't tell..

the winner....he beat me by a couple of feet...j/p;)

Behind the yellow shirt guy

sweet taste of finishing:)

Melissa, Jack's cousin's wife, and my running buddy, sprinting at the finish

after the race with food in hand

my biggest fan and supporter..sat in the rain for two hours just to watch me finish;)

Jenny & Ryne • Greenville, sc photographer

2009-10-27T07:28:00.000-07:00

These pictures have long been delivered to the happy couple, but are just now being blogged...they were married in August in Columbia, SC. It was such a fun wedding and reception...there was LOTS of dancing..good times.

Catch up • Greenville, sc photographer

2009-10-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

I'm playing catch up after being down and out with the swine flu last week...and this week is flying by which doesn't help much. Here's some sneak peeks from some sessions I'm finishing up.

Bell Family

Miss D...

and her awesome party hat...

Miss D's second cake eating;)

out

2009-10-15T08:47:00.000-07:00

I've got the swine flu...ofcourse....

I've been spending time healing and not editing. Sorry for any delays with pictures. I will work twice as fast once I'm better! promise!

Thanks for your patience!

Kayleigh • Greenville, sc newborn photographer

2009-10-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

Things I'm learning...

1) To store up eternal treasures.
Our church gave everyone this book to read. It's been amazing in pointing out how blessed and selfish I am. I'm not taking anything with me when I die, so why let things rule me or my decisions. Why not give all that I can so I can see the joy of meeting peoples' needs. I pray I let Jesus change my selfish heart.

2) Running 10.5 miles stinks. So I'm guessing running 13.1 in a few weeks will stink worse.

3) Chocolate flavored gels you eat while running long distances also stink...YUCK!

4) I don't really like sitting behind a computer all hours of the day. No sedentary lifestyle for me please!

5) I would like to be a personal trainer one day or involved in the fitness industry in some way. (see above)

6) I have the best husband ever. He's amazing. He loves Jesus so much and shows me what a life of true faith looks like. He also is starting a new job that he's going to love and be awesome at... I will miss hanging out with him during the day!

7) The importance of community with fellow believers.

8) The importance of community with nonbelievers.

9) Babies are getting cuter to me every time I see one.

10) I don't want to people please anymore. Gal. 1:10

11) God provides. Always.

12) Not to apologize or keep quiet about my faith.

13) Time is going by faster everyday. I feel like I'm in the movie Click.

14) Again, babies are getting cuter to me every time I see one.

Suzanne & Charlie • Greenville, SC Photographer

2009-10-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

Suzanne and Charlie were one of the first couples that booked me for a wedding. I had just started out and for some crazy reason they wanted me. I had about a year before their wedding came around and was blessed with many opportunities to practice before their big day;) Here are a few of my favorites...

Kristin & Nate • Greenville, SC photographer

2009-09-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

Kristin and Nate were married at Corley Mill House and Gardens on a beautiful summer night. It was my first time meeting them both, which makes me nervous because I never know what to expect. I knew instantly when I met them that they were going to be awesome to work with. They were so sweet and laid back and you could tell that they have so much fun when they're together.

A happy birthday party • Greenville, SC family photographer

2009-09-15T07:51:00.000-07:00

The Emery's had me over to take some family pictures while everyone was in town for two special one-year-olds' birthdays. They were such a sweet family and I enjoyed meeting all of them, and was glad I was able to capture this special time!

If this post gets 15 comments, the client gets a free gift. Help her out!

Zach & Mishelle • Greenville, SC photographer

2009-09-10T10:44:00.000-07:00

This post is way overdue. I promise I've had these pictures finished, just haven't blogged them. I met Mishelle my freshman year of college. She's an awesome girl and made a beautiful bride. They danced the night away right into wedded bliss:)

I had a hard time picking favorites to blog..

homemade Christmas

2009-09-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

It's going to be tight this holiday season..even if it wasn't though I'm sure I would think of something to try and make. I love the challenge of taking on a new craft every year...I know my family loves it as well (sarcasm).
I'm loving the handmade/vintage look that's in right now for accessories, jewelry, and clothing, and I think I can create some things that will be ok to wear in public:).
Here's my inspiration...

I'll try to take pictures of my finished products to post after Christmas of course.

and for my spiritual inspiration...I'm 3 weeks into half marathon training so this verse especially stuck out to me this morning.

^24-25You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally.

^26-27I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

1Corinthians 24-27 (the message)

a fan now

2009-09-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

I don't know how it happened...i was curious.

I picked up a book you may have heard of called Twilight...just to read a couple of pages and see what the fuss was about. How could people love a book about vampires so much?...I'm pretty sure I made fun of people for reading them...

I am such a hypocrite.

I couldn't stop reading after those few pages. I haven't stopped reading the past two weeks. I went through a book in about 3-4 days. I'm almost done with the 4th and don't want it to end. wow. can't believe I shared this...if you haven't read them, I think you should... good stuff.

Here are a few images from Tia and Bo's wedding. It was a laid back affair on the lake. I love laid back weddings. For some reason I felt like posting smaller images...just felt like switching it up today.

Olivia • Greenville, SC portrait photographer, Seniors

2009-08-25T10:29:00.000-07:00

I met Olivia while I was volunteering with the youth at Newspring. She was in 8th grade when we first met...she's now a freshman at Clemson...I feel ancient. It's been so cool to keep in touch with some of the girls from back then and see what they're doing now and how much they've grown physically and spiritually. I asked Olivia to model for me in exchange for some free senior pictures. She was awesome...a natural. thanks Olivia!

grow me.

2009-08-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

I'm begging Jesus to grow me more than usual these days. The conditions are right.

I remember about 6 months ago when things seemed "good" praying that Jesus would break me. Why? It's when I'm broken and things aren't so great that I realize how good Jesus is and how much i need Him. When I don't recognize any physical or emotional struggles in my life, I find myself becoming complacent and letting my relationship with Jesus slack. I'm sure my definition of "broken" and "struggle" pale in comparison to what Jesus' description would be so I have to remind myself how blessed I am and get over myself and my worries. I didn't go without breakfast or lunch today and i'm pretty positive I will be sleeping in a bed tonight, with cool air blowing on me. shame on me for my selfish worrying and my lack of faith.

I look back now and the times where I can see the most spiritual growth with me were times of sorrow, uncertainty, frustration, worry. I am so thankful for those times and wish I could be thankful for them while going through them.

I hear Jesus telling me how I can be obedient. I can take my focus off myself and place it on him. I can practice patience and having an unwavering faith. I can give him my burdens so my thoughts can be consumed with good, selfless thoughts. I can trust in Him and His word. I can rest in the unknown instead of trying to always have a plan. this list continues on and on...

There's not one thing in my life that is inspiring this post. It's a combination of so many. I want to be obedient to what He's telling me. I want to do better tomorrow...and the day after that I want to do better than the previous. I'm praying He's patient with me.

Jesus,
I trust in you.
you are sovereign.
you are faithful and always have been and always will be.
take my worries and burdens from me.
let me give them ALL to you.
let me rest in your peace and stillness.
grant my heart patience.
let me find hope in you alone.
you have overcome and i will not be afraid in this world.
i will look to you for refuge.

end of summer vaca

2009-08-07T13:29:00.001-07:00

We're going to the beach!! Be back Thursday. I'll try to get back to you ASAP if you email me!

wish Mr. Benson could go;(

He gets on that float by himself and just chills out in the deep in..it's really the coolest thing ever.

Sneak Peeks • Greenville, sc portrait photographer

2009-08-06T13:29:00.001-07:00

I will try to remember to blog these individually;)...until then, here's a little preview...

Mishelle & Zach's wedding

Sweet Brennan

Kristin & Nate

Olivia

Suzanne & Charlie

***Be on the lookout for specials coming soon on family/baby/newborn/senior sessions to celebrate the end to a wedding-filled summer!!***

Whitney & Nick

2009-07-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

The comfortable shoes

that face..

the groom..

her reaction after embracing her dad..

amazing prayer

right after ceremony..ahhh..

i like the look on his face..

last dance..

i like this because that's his dad's reflection in the window...

Whitney and Nick, I know you two will be very happy! Thanks for letting me capture your day! God bless!

Suzanne's Bridals • Greenville sc photographer

2009-07-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

Suzanne and Charlie were married this past Saturday in Columbia. It was a first for me in that I was sick as a dog all weekend. :(ugh. I knew eventually sickness would come around the same time as a wedding. I made it through though, and thanks to my awesome husband I didn't have to drive to and from Columbia:) He's amazing. Anyways, it's now safe to post some of Suzanne's bridals...

3 in 1

2009-07-14T07:47:00.001-07:00

I can't seem to find time to blog. My life is editing right now and when I'm not editing I try to get away from my computer as much as I can, so I'm going to blog 3 posts in 1 to save time:)

Most recent is Miss R's spring/summer pics. They turned out so great. She loves the camera. I had a hard time choosing some to blog...

One of my best friends Megan is getting married in October! I did a little engagement session for them.

Last but not least, Mishelle was married this past Saturday. The wedding was so much fun. Here are a few of her bridals.

Whew... Sorry for the amount of pictures. Hopefully this post will last another few weeks until I find time to blog again.

Whitney's Bridals

2009-07-02T08:18:00.000-07:00

Whitney was married Saturday in Columbia. She was one of the happiest brides I've seen:) I was so excited for her and the things God has in store for them. Finally I get to show some of her bridal pics! She worked it. period.

Tsang Wedding • Greenville, SC photographer

2009-06-30T06:57:00.000-07:00

Jessica & Stephen were married May 30th in Easley. They both live in Nashville and Stephen's family is from Texas, but Jessica's uncle has a beautiful home in Easley that actually is a wedding venue in Easley, so it just made sense for them. Jessica and I had emailed back and forth but met for the first time on her wedding day. I felt like I had known her for years. She was so sweet, caring, and laid back, and her accent was adorable. Their love and respect for each other was so evident and I enjoyed getting to capture their special day:) Best wishes for you both!

The bride decorated her own cake...no joke...I was very impressed.

This was the cake topper for the groom's cake. The bride made this cake as well..including Slimer..

Kirkley & Robert engagement

2009-06-23T13:08:00.000-07:00

Kirkley is one of my best friends ever and she is getting married in December! I'm so excited for her and know she will make an awesome wife. I got to go down to Atlanta where she lives now (i miss her) and see where she lives and hang out with her and Robert. It was a short trip but it was so good to see her! Don't you love her red hair? Ah! I'm jealous!

getting back

2009-06-16T11:20:00.001-07:00

I'm still trying to get adjusted to the old routine after being at the beach for a nice, relaxing week of doing nothing but sunning and eating. Man, it was nice! I loved having the time to be able to get through an entire book in a few days (My Sister's Keeper..great read!). I have one last weekend until my life will be consumed by weddings. I'm not sure what I'm going to do? Also, I need to give a shout out to my husband who won me a backup camera on Ebay! I don't use Ebay because I hate competition, especially when it comes to buying things. But we won!!! YES! Anyways, here's a sneak peek of some things to come.

Jessica's wedding

Kirkley and Robert e-session

Kerri and Brian e-session

Benson & Me

2009-06-04T13:16:00.000-07:00

Last night Jack and I finally rented Marley & Me. I was a complete wreck throughout the entire movie. I'm way too attached to our dog and it became evident from the way I reacted to this movie! It was such a good movie b/c it perfectly portrayed the behavior of labs, although I must say Benson is slightly better behaved. I think the movie got to Jack a little too. He let Benson sleep with us last night. He NEVER does that:)

We are leaving for the beach Saturday and I am going to try my best not to worry about all the work I have on my plate. I've had mostly bridals lately so my posts have been pretty pictureless. I'll have Kirk's engagement and Jessica's wedding bloggable in hopefully a few weeks. Until then, I'm peacin out until June 15th!

Here's my Benson chillin in his chair:)

Lake Vaca • greenville, sc family photographer

2009-06-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

Kacey contacted me a few weeks ago wanting some family pictures because the only recent ones were from her wedding and not many turned out so hot. I hadn't met Kacey, but she found my site when looking for photographers around the Seneca area. Her family was going to be renting out a house on the lake for a week vacation and she wanted someone that could come over and take some. I was so excited about this. Her family was so down to earth and I felt very comfortable around them. They were so laid back which made the pictures turn out so natural and not posed.

Aren't they such a fun looking family?!?!

My husband and I have a chalkboard at home that we write a verse on each week to memorize. I really liked this weeks because God is teaching me so much about this topic lately and thought I would share.

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
Romans 3:20

preoccupied

2009-05-28T11:13:00.001-07:00

I can't believe it's already Thursday. This week has been pretty frustrating. I told myself this weekend that this week would be one of the most productive so far b/c really, it had to be in order to make room to work on some things coming up this weekend. Tuesday morning I checked our bank account b/c I hadn't checked it since last week. I was confused when I saw our checking balance and it said $0.00 and our savings $230.00...my first thought was "maybe I signed into someone else's account"..ha, i was wishing. My check card number had been stolen somehow online and someone was completely wiping us out. I called and went through several recordings before actually talking with a person only to find out we couldn't do anything until the charges posted, then we could file a claim, and I could call the places they were charging things and let them know and see if they will credit us back. ahhh! really?...sooo as the day went on I watched this person put us over $1900.00 in the red. Finally the bank stopped access of my debit card to our account yesterday....why couldn't they do that when I called a day earlier? So needless to say most of my time has been taken up with this junk so we can hopefully get it fixed before we run out of gas or milk:)

*if you buy a lot of things online the bank recommended getting a separate checking account strictly for those purchases...normally I would think that would be a hassel...but after all of this, I wouldn't think twice about it.*

For some happier news, my good friends Lauren and Megan are engaged! They were asked on the exact same day! how crazy! I'm really excited about their weddings and NOT having to take pictures at them!:) Megan has booked a sweet new venue in Greenville called ZEN. Future brides should definitely check this place out.

Tia & Bo • greenville, sc photographer

2009-05-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

I was able to do Tia and Bo's engagement pictures at her house which was awesome for pictures. I got excited when I entered the neighborhood to find a field of wildflowers that were begging to have their picture made. Here's some of my favorites.

Jessica & Nate • greenville, sc photographer

2009-05-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

The day couldn't have been more beautiful for Jessica and Nate's big day. They said I do, cut the cake, then headed off to their second reception where they celebrated all night. I had a lot of fun and even put the camera down to dance a little...the bride insisted!:) Here are a few favorites and slideshow to follow!

13.1

2009-05-14T08:16:00.000-07:00

Well, it's a done deal. I just signed up for a half marathon. 13.1 miles. The longest distance I will have ever ran. I have until Oct. 31 to train, so I'm hoping I can get up to that kind of mileage by then. I've been putting this off since college and have run out of excuses to do one. I've never wanted to do a full marathon, probably because I know my body would hate me for it. I don't have the best knees and I'm sure that kind of training would do them in. A half marathon is the perfect running goal for me. Long enough to have to train, but not long enough to almost kill you, at least I hope not. So if anyone out there loves to run and is up for it, I would love to have some company! Here is the website.

In other news, I am finally going to get my certification to be a personal trainer. I've always been interested in anything related to being healthy, working out, etc. I love working out and doing anything active, and when I see opportunities like teaching aerobics, water fitness classes, wellness coaches, etc. I always get discouraged that I have no experience or knowledge to be able to do anything like that but know I would love it! So, while I'm young and able, I'm going to be taking classes this fall and next spring to prepare me for it. I'm really excited about it. This sounds really dorky but I'm excited about LEARNING. I miss college and think my brain is needing more stimulation than it's getting right now;) I will still be doing photography, but am limiting the amount of weddings. I am phasing out of doing mainly weddings but may do 1 or 2 a month depending on time. Bring on all the babies, newborns, families and seniors though! **I will not be booking anymore weddings for August and October 2009. **

To add some color to this post:), here's a sneek peek of Tia & Bo's engagement session.

Allen & Suzanna • Greenville, sc wedding photographer

2009-05-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Imagine it's a couple of weeks before getting married and your photographer backs out. AHH! Luckily I was able to step in and help out with Allen and Suzanna's wedding. Allen was actually the dj for my wedding, so it was fun to be able to be involved with his as well. The ceremony was held at the Reserve at Lake Keowee. The chapel was absolutely gorgeous and the weather was amazing.
Here's a few of my favorite.

I love what her sister is doing in the background. So cute.

She was trying to get a little boy to give her a kiss on the cheek but it wasn't happening, so grandma took the opportunity:)

Miss D • Greenville, SC children's photographer

2009-05-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

I finally got to meet Miss D in person and she is such a cutie! I met her mom while interning in college. She was my "supervisor" but I like to think she was more my friend:) She made interning that summer much more fun and we later found out that our husbands' parents are actually good friends..small world! I wanted to post a few from this session because her facial expression are adorable! Have a great weekend!

...and the cutest saved for last...

She's married! • Greenville, SC Bridal Photographer

2009-04-28T07:58:00.000-07:00

Jessica was married this past Saturday. I've been wanting to share her bridals for a month now because I was so please with how they turned out. We headed towards Anderson with a few places in mind, but changed last minute when she realized we could take them on her future father-in-law's farm. They had a beautiful red barn that provided the backdrop for my favorites of this set.

The P Fam • Greenville Children's Photographer

2009-04-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting around to posting these from a few weeks ago. My friend Brittany and her family have been so supportive and encouraging of my photography and I just love taking pictures of them. She's an amazing friend and also an amazing stylist at Augusta Place Salon if you're looking for someone!

I've been transitioning lately into working less at my full-time job, which is now part-time and having more time for photography. I've actually been busier somehow and am still trying to figure that out. God laid everything out perfectly and at the perfect time. My husband and I are so blessed to be in the position we're in with not having many expenses and being able to save. I'm realizing these days that so many people are held captive by money. I'm very frugal, most of the time, and I'm seeing that by being that way and having money saved, you're able to have so much more freedom. Sure, you won't have that big screen TV, nice furniture, new car, etc., but you also won't have those monthly payments that hold so many people in bondage at the cost of keeping up with others. It's so easy to get caught up in the worldly things and doing certain things because it's expected. I'm trying to live a life where the world looks at my life and says "what??" I know that my life is in line with Jesus' will when it doesn't make sense to the world.

"If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world's terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God's terms and no longer on the world's terms, the world is going to hate you.
John 15:17-19

Design • Before & After

2009-04-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite design blogs do posts called "Before & After". It's basically where they show a room or piece of furniture or random object and turn it into a stylish revived piece. This post was going to be a cool before and after, but unfortunately my husband accidentally deleted the before pictures, so this will just be an after.

I found this black headboard at thrift store for eight dollars. My dad is a genius woodworker in his spare time, so i like to make sure he always has a project;) He turned this headboard into a bench. I can only claim that I cut the board for the bottom, painted it, and bought the fabric and foam. I love the outcome!

This little guy got under the house while we were at work and found all types of things...The green fencing was what we put up this weekend so he couldn't get under it...didn't work.

Zach & Mishelle • Greenville sc engagement photography

2009-04-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

I've known Mishelle ever since my first year of college. Her dorm room quickly became the place where you could always find me. Her and her roommate Kirkley, one of my best friends, had so much food in their room...so much candy, and saltiness, and leftovers from tailgates..mmmmm I don't see how I didn't weigh a ton that year. I got to know Mishelle and was privileged enough to live beside/across the hall from her 3 out of 4 of my years at Clemson. I know Zach will be an amazing husband to her and can't wait for their big day in July!

This is just a little preview...

I am working on some baby portraits of a sweet sweet girl I got to meet for the first time last weekend. You will definitely say "awwww" when you see this little one.

I've been reading through Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I put it off for a while and recently started back into it. It's one of those books where there's so much truth put into these statements that just kick you in the gut. Anyways, I wanted to share one that I read recently...

Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers.
God wants us to trust Him with abandon. He wants to show us how He works and cares for us. He doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come true.

I've been slacking

2009-04-09T08:35:00.000-07:00

I've been slacking on the blog! sorry. Things have been hectic lately, but I will try to do better. I had three shoots this past weekend and have been editing every chance I get to get through them quick. One was a bridal so I can't show it until after the wedding. She looked stunning though!

I'm pretty excited that Easter is this weekend. It's a time when I'm reminded how unworthy I am and how thankful I am that Jesus rescued me and gave me purpose. He's so good.

I must admit also that I'm excited about the Hannah Montana movie coming out. I called my friend Megan to make sure she told me when her and her little girl were going to see it so i could come a long;) I'm not sure why, but I love feel good, cheesy kids' movies..

I leave you with a Easter pic from this past weekend that I adore. She's so precious.

DESIGN

2009-04-03T12:12:00.001-07:00

Had to share this! This was featured on Elizabeth Anne Designs Living. It is so cool and I plan on making a few from some hemp we had left over from our wedding decorations.

Click here to view full instructions.

Syd gettin ready

2009-04-02T11:46:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I was able to take off work and be Syd's "getting ready" photographer. Her wedding photographer was a man, so she didn't want him all up in her room while they were getting ready soooo that's where I came in. It was so much fun and reminded me of all the excitement and nervousness I had before my own wedding. I did a lot of black and white processing with these. I feel that's the best way to process an image when there is a lot going on that may other wise draw the eye away from the subject. Anyways, here are a few of my favorites!

click for more>>>

Holland & Justin e-session

2009-03-30T10:28:00.000-07:00

So, it's Monday and I am sad to say that I am just now getting the soreness out of my legs from doing P90x legs and back... on THURSDAY! Every time I do legs and back I'm sore for atleast three days and it kills me to even think of doing any exercise in those three days. Maybe one day I'll fully commit to the program and do it every day, but I doubt my body would appreciate the pain it would go through, so for now, I will spare myself.

I loved this session with Holland & Justin. The colors and feel of the pictures remind me of Spring for some reason. Not sure why, maybe the pink shirts? Anyways, here are a few of my favorites followed by a slideshow.

Sneak Peek: Holland & Justin

2009-03-26T07:55:00.000-07:00

It was so great meeting Holland & Justin for engagement pictures. They were so fun, sweet and easy to work with! The weather was perfect..unlike today. We went to my husband's aunt's house to take the pictures. It's an amazing home on beautiful property. Will definitely have to go there more often.

here's one of my favorites...

true love

2009-03-20T11:55:00.001-07:00

found this on a blog...love the creativity and how he went out of his way for her. That's what love is all about.

the news

2009-03-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

So I mentioned earlier that I had an announcement that had to do with photography. Well, if you haven't figured it out from the new blog header, I am going to begin concentrating more on families, babies, newborns, seniors, engagements, bridals, etc., and less on weddings. I have made this decision based on lots of prayer and guidance from Jesus. I will still do a limited amount of weddings per year and mainly for couples with short engagements (the best kind). I will honor my commitments for the weddings I have booked this summer so far and will provide nothing less than my best for them and am so excited about them all! I basically came to a point where I felt like I needed to choose an area to specialize in and it was clear this was the direction. So, I have for you the new Secondbreath photography...

You will be lucky enough, soon enough, to see some of this little girl again soon!

snow day

2009-03-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

The snow day I was hoping for came and went. It was a pretty big one! We were unsuccessful at finding random things in the yard to sled on. So we tied a boogey board up to my parent's gator and pulled each other. good times.

He looks scared because his dad is driving..;)

My view from sledding

Benson helped build his new friend.

Marshall wedding!

2009-03-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

*the slideshow may take second to come up...

Ok, so this is my first attempt using a slideshow from Smugmug. I finally purchased an account and love it! I just pulled a few from the day. If you want to see all of them just comment and leave your email and I'll send you the link and password.

This is the swing he proposed with:) He made it for her.

I wish I knew what they were talking about...(the man on the right is Caroline's dad)

getting crazy:)

Pray for baby hall

2009-03-11T11:07:00.000-07:00

The very first wedding I photographed was for my friend Brittany's sister Sommer. I was thrilled she was allowing me to do it since I had NO experience at all. It was a great wedding to get started with.
Brittany just informed me that Sommer's newborn baby was being flown to Charleston to have heart surgery. Please Please Please be praying for this family! Something went wrong with the initial surgery, so they are having to go into another surgery for 4 hours. So if you read this, please just stop and pray that God will comfort this family and that no matter what happens they will know Jesus is so good.

sneaker peeker

2009-03-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

Sweet Caroliiiiiiiine.... da da da. My friend Caroline married her best friend Nick last weekend. This was my first time meeting him and I can see why she has fallen for him. He's such a servant! This wedding was very sweet and very laid back which I love! The rain had no effect on the bride's mood. It did have an effect on the different types of images we could get, but hey, I like a challenge I guess... the lighting and rain were definitely a challenge for this wedding. I've been working hard going through so many pictures that were taken, but I felt like it was time for a sneak peek. These images are from the beginning of the wedding...I'm just now getting to editing the reception...I told you we took tons of pictures!

Here's a few random ones...

Hopefully I'll be better about posting this week! My goal is to finish this wedding by next Monday so check back for more pictures!
Also, I may have a big announcement about some photography related things...
until then, Have a happy Monday!

p.s. Check out my friend Kristi's blog...be praying for the Tippings and their 6 babies!..yes, 6!

Perfect Strangers, Family Matters, Full House...

2009-02-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

I remember when I couldn't wait for Fridays to come because of the TGIF lineup on ABC. Perfect Strangers, Family Matters, Full House, and I can't remember the last one..maybe Step-by-Step, Who's the Boss, or Growing Pains?? Anyways, watching these shows was definitely the cool thing to do, and you were even cooler when you had friends over to watch them with! O, how i miss those days. These days when I'm around on Friday nights, my show is 20/20. Loser, i know, but the stories just suck you in and leave you with questions until it ends.

My sweet friend Caroline is getting married tomorrow in Asheville and I will be doing her pictures. I'm very excited and can't wait to see the beautiful ceremony. She's going to lose it!:) Pray that there is a break in the rain tomorrow just for her! My friend Megan is going to be helping me out which is a big relief.

It's supposed to snow Sunday. I think this is the last chance for snow this year. I have my fingers crossed. If it does snow and you're stuck inside all day, here is a cool thing I found on Photojojo that you could do to pass the time while warming up from playing in the snow.

I also found a recipe that is worth trying out on a cold snowy day:)...
Brownie in a Mug
whisk together:
4 Tablespoons flour
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa
dash of salt

stir in:
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

microwave 1-1 1/2 minutes.
Let me know how it is!

playing house

2009-02-26T12:10:00.000-08:00

So lately I've been very anxious when it comes to having my own house and being able to decorate it. I'm not sure why I have the sudden urge, but I'm loving dreaming up ideas and color schemes. I came across this today and it was pretty accurate. My personal style was 43% Nantucket, 29% Rustic Revival, and 28% Cottage Chic.

I love the clean look- lots of whites and khakis with bright colors brought in through accessories. I also love taking old thrift items and giving them a new life with a new look. One of my favorite blogs is by an artist here in Greenville, SC who does just that. Check it out here. Until we have a house, we are loving living in a blessing of a place that my parents own. It's allowing us to save some money and let us grow up more slowly:)

Our Humble Abode I'm not sure why i like this picture so much... Benson is 40lbs now! You'd think he was my child the way I always put pictures of him on here...I guess he is for now:)

For a good read about Thankfulness..go here..it's good stuff!

passion or j.o.b?

2009-02-20T12:47:00.000-08:00

is what you are doing your passion or just a j.o.b? Sure, you have bad days where you don't want to be at work even if you are passionate about it, but if every day is a bad day, then that might be a sign that you're not passionate about what you are doing. I'm praying that with every lay off and let go, there comes an awakening inside that person. I'm praying that they find their true passion or go back to their passion that they may have traded for a bigger paycheck. It's not about the money and it never will be...Maybe Jesus is trying to drive His point home during these days.

life verse

2009-02-19T13:56:00.001-08:00

John 3:30.

look it up, you're more likely to remember it that way, and it's worth underlining.

Happy Thursday!

weekly review

2009-02-13T07:41:00.000-08:00

to whomever (or whoever)? reads this, thought I would give a weekly review. May start doing it....weekly:)

Very fast week. They usually drag, but this one was quick..it's friday already?

Monday-I got to go running. I'm finding it hard to have time to workout and finding it easy to stay busy with anything other than working out...Once I'm finished, I'm so glad I did it and WANT to do it more often! I'm going to have to start getting up early and making time for it then. Hopefully start Monday! I made breakfast pizza for dinner. No recipe, just something I put together in my head. It was really good... pizza dough with eggs, cheese, bacon and sausage on top:) with grits as a side. mmmm. very easy and quick!

Tuesday-Had my dad help me start on my taxes. Turbo tax was very easy to understand...I highly recommend it! Got frustrated filling out my FAFSA application. It's enough to make you not want to go back to school!

Wednesday- Went to Fuse at NewSpring for the first time in more than a year. It's amazing how much it's grown and what God is doing there...unbelievable!

Thursday-I love Thursdays! It's dessert night at our house. We usually make or go get dessert to eat while we watch our favorite tv lineup. I'm not a huge TV watcher like my husband (I'm trying to slowly wean him off of it)...There's so many productive things you could be doing instead of watching tv!!...but on Thursdays from 8:30-10:00 I am watching Kath and Kim, the Office, and 30 Rock and enjoying every minute of it. This week I made a dessert from a recipe by Bakerella..Oreo Kisses! Mine didn't turn out quite this perfect...I will be delivering some of these to some special valentines:)

Friday-We are going to Outback tonight bc we have a giftcard from Jack's amazingly generous parents! *I found out this morning that my husband passed his LAST test to become a certified teacher! so proud of him! He is amazing with those kids and teaches them so much about integrity, perseverence, respect, etc. etc. I know these kids can see that he loves Jesus or at least that there's something intriguingly different about him.

Saturday- We are treating ourselves to a couple's massage. We've never had one, always wanted one, and were put through the torture on our honeymoon of seeing couples get them on covered huts on the beach (they were not in our budget). It's going to be nice to have someone rubbing our backs for more than 5 minutes at a time!

I leave you with some pictures of my second love. He was neutered this week:( We figured we would be safe b/c we're sure ALL the girl dogs will be all over him bc he's so just so cute:)

Jessica & Nate

2009-02-04T12:33:00.000-08:00

Jessica and Nate's e-session was very laid back and just fun to do. I look forward to your wedding coming VERY soon!
a few favorites...

Click here to see more!

in the works...Jessica + Nate

2009-01-27T13:15:00.000-08:00

Finally got to photograph Jessica and Nate! We had been rained out several weeks in a row...it would be gorgeous during the week and as soon as Saturday came, it rained..and kept raining on Sunday. It wasn't the best weather on Saturday, but it was our chance, and no sun=no shadows on faces:). A little preview..how much does Jessica look like Courteney Cox??crazy...

about time!

2009-01-23T07:56:00.000-08:00

So, it's about time I post some pictures from New York. I've been busy with life: cleaning, spending time with husband, work, playing with puppy while he's still a puppy:).

The trip was great! Got to see a lot and walk a lot! I think the city may be slightly over rated, but it was still a place that I wanted to see before I died and so i'm glad i got the chance.

We arrived the day they were taking down the famous tree. Luckily they took it down that night, so we were able to see it!

This is a view from the Empire State Building. So worth the $20 to go up.

Times Square during the day

Times Square at night

I loved seeing this just because it was in Home Alone Lost in NY

Frozen hot chocolate at midnight at Serendipity (famous from the movie)

Little Italy

Central Park

Tavern on the Green. For all you Hills fans, this is where they hosted the season finale. Such a beautiful place inside. Tons of colorful chandeliers and mirrors.

Not a big fan of the Today show, but i was that day. We made TV and got to shake Meredith's hand

There she is...

The group in the subway

Had a blast, miss you girls!

close call

2009-01-15T13:19:00.000-08:00

So, have you ever had those times where you are so thankful for life? for the day you've been given? I'm having one right now. Some of my friends and I just got back from an awesome trip to New York. As we were about to take off that Monday night, I was reading an article in USA Today about a record amount of time that airlines had gone without having a fatal crash. It said the probability of you dying in an airline crash is the same as one of your kids becoming the president in your lifetime. We flew home Monday night from LaGuardia to Charlotte. Today, a flight leaving LaGuardia on it's way to Charlotte, hit a flock of seagulls upon take off. 6 minutes after the plane took off, it headed into the Hudson River, which was about 42ish degrees. Thank Jesus everyone survived and are being treated. I can't imagine being on that flight. I would have probably died of shock as soon as something seemed wrong ( I am THAT afraid of flying). As always though, bad times/events can always set the stage for good to happen/come of it. I'm glad this did not happen with our flight, but at the same time I have a feeling that the people on this flight are going to begin to put things in their life into perspective and live it up because they've had a brush with death. Praise Jesus for having a hand on this plane.

New York New York

2009-01-08T06:57:00.000-08:00

posted by Mike Crawford

This time tomorrow I will be on a plane headed to New York (pray for safety because I am terrified of flying!) I absolutely love traveling and am wanting to see as much as possible in the 4 days we are there. I'm taking an old powershot digital camera, so I'm already bummed about the quality of the pictures I'll take, but I don't want to risk anything happening to a nicer camera. So for the next 5 days I leave you with a classic from Frank. Please pray for our trip!

New york, new york

Start spreading the news, Im leaving today
I want to be a part of it - new york, new york
These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it - new york, new york

I wanna wake up in a city, that doesnt sleep
And find Im king of the hill - top of the heap

These little town blues, are melting away
Ill make a brand new start of it - in old new york
If I can make it there, Ill make it anywhere
Its up to you - new york, new york

New york, new york
I want to wake up in a city, that never sleeps
And find Im a number one top of the list, king of the hill
A number one

These little town blues, are melting away
Im gonna make a brand new start of it - in old new york
And if I can make it there, Im gonna make it anywhere

It up to you - new york new york

2009-01-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

Our first Christmas together:) So much newness and much more busyness. Loved every minute of it!
*It was so easy and not frustrating at all to take down ornaments...You don't put a lot on the tree, you don't have to take as many off:)

I love this picture because this is us most nights - Me, no makeup. Jack, tired from a looong day. Benson, being cute no matter what he does.

36 hours, 13 driving

2009-01-02T09:08:00.001-08:00

The last 36 hours have been a blur! Jack and I are blessed to have family with some serious connections at Clemson so we were hooked up with free tickets to the Gator Bowl. SO blessed and thankful! I got off work around 12 Wednesday. We arrived in Jacksonville around 7 that night, laid down for an hour, drove into downtown Jacksonville to eat and walk around. Went to bed right after midnight. Woke up at 7. Got to the game around 10:30. Game ended (badly) at 5:30ish..longest game I've probably ever been to. Got on the road around 7. Stopped to eat with Jack's family at Steak and Shake..great shakes:). Got back on the road around 8. Got home at 12:45. At work at 9 this morning. ugh. I'm tired. Got to see some great friends I haven't seen in awhile so it was worth the drive. I love traveling to Clemson games. There seems to be more unity between fans at away games. Downtown Jacksonville was pretty cool. I had my high-quality camera phone handy:)..Had to do 3 images to get the entire view. Pretty right? Hope everyone's New Year was awesome and more relaxing than mine!

*Sorry for the lack of quality pictures. My sweet puppy chewed through his first cord the other day..the one to my MacBook Pro. luckily those are not expensive to replace (sarcasm). I promise some to come soon when i have power again!

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my back hurts

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really like this

the updated chair.

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good flicks

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VOTE NOW and spread the word!!!

choices, goals, and no regrets...

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