Conway Photo

Cameras

2011-02-05T13:16:00.005-05:00

I've had so many comments and questions about the photo I created using my old cameras so I thought I'd tell you a little bit about each of them. Starting left to right leads you first to my Brownie. I don't think it was bought FOR me so my father must have bought it for some other reason though I don't think he ever used it professionally. I, however, dragged it to summer camp and 4-H meetings and school events for years and I'm betting that it still works great. The second camera is the Crown Graphic -- a monstrously big camera that shot 4x5 sheet film. All of the old B&W photos I've been posting on FB lately were probably taken with this camera and it's also the camera I used at the first wedding I photographed. I always envied my father and brother at weddings back then because they wore suits with pockets large enough to hold film holders and flashbulbs. My dresses didn't have pockets but I got to be pretty adept at shooting and holding a box of flashbulbs under my arm at the same time. The third camera is a twin lens reflex camera and I actually cheated a bit here. I shot with a twin lens camera for years but mine was a Yashica. This camera in the photo was an older model of my father's and I thought it looked better in the photo than my old Yashica. The fourth camera is my Minolta 35mm that saw me through all my years working at the high school. I probably shot hundreds of rolls of B&W film working at Northampton of ball games, clubs, student activities, etc. It was a great little camera and I can't imagine selling it though I haven't used it for a while. The fifth camera is a Hasselblad -- a beautiful single lens camera that I used for weddings and location photos for probably 20 years. I actually used several different single lens cameras during that time -- mostly Bronica and Rollei -- but I pulled out the Hasselblad for this photo. The final camera is one of the Canon digital cameras I use now. I have several digital cameras but I stick with the Canon brand because all of my lenses are compatible. This is probably my favorite lens -- an 85mm, f 1.2 -- just a beautiful, sharp piece of glass. Hope that explains a few of the questions you've asked. The one thing it should definitely explain is the pain in my neck and shoulders from carrying some of these around all these years. Remember to add a flash to most of these and they can get quite heavy. It's why I keep the ibuprofen in my car so I can pop one on the way home after a long wedding.

Degrees of Separation

2011-01-08T16:22:00.006-05:00

I feel a little bit like I've been cheating on my blog lately by spending too much time with my Facebook page. What does that say about the state of things anyway?!?

At any rate, it's been a long time since I've posted on my blog but I had something I wanted to share and I knew that I'd never be able to fit it into FB. Facebook forces you into a marvelous economy with words that sometimes doesn't mesh with my Hedspeth talk-iness. Anyone who remembers my father or my Uncle James know that a Hedspeth can talk the hind legs off a billy goat and I know I'm often guilty of that. And, if you know my cousin Jim, you know that this talking thing did NOT skip a generation!

I've always been fascinated by the idea of "Six Degrees of Separation." I'm not sure I completely buy it but I DO believe in what I consider the Southern version of that which is if you put two Southerners in a room together and give them ten minutes, they will find 3 people they know in common. Try it sometimes; it works.

I had a most serendipitous encounter while reading a book by the wonderful North Carolina writer, Marianne Gingher. It's called "A Girl's Life" and is basically about her childhood and growing up in Greensboro. I love her book and was really enjoying this one as I read it because she wrote of so many universal experiences in a young girl's life. As I was reading along and starting a new chapter, my mouth literally dropped open. I don't have the book here with me right now so I can't quote it directly but she starts out by saying that one of the highlights she remembered from her pre-teen years was being asked to be a junior bridesmaid in her distant cousin Billy Jenkins' wedding to Autry Brown in Potecasi, NC. All the locals here in Northampton county know why I was stunned since we probably all know Billy and Autry Jenkins and have driven through the sleepy patch of road that is Potecasi hundreds of times in our lives. My next thunderbolt was in realizing that my father photographed this wedding which means that I have the negatives. A quick tour through the dusty ledger books delivered the precious envelope to me, and I've printed out a few photos from this wedding that show a young girl who I assume is Marianne Gingher. I absolutely love looking at old wedding photographs. Look at all the details that place it in time -- the bridesmaids' hats, the men in white dinner jackets,the tablecloth -- it's all wonderful. Thought some of you might enjoy seeing it, too. And, it was too long to put on Facebook.

Linley

2010-07-18T13:59:00.004-04:00

I had so much fun with Linley Johnson when I did her bridal session at NC State. I had never even been to State's arboretum and it was beautiful with lots of places to take photos. But, we really had fun when we hit the Free Expression tunnel on campus. We didn't even try and avoid the pedestrians and skateboarders; we just used them in the shots as they whizzed by. Thankfully, Linley was not obsessed with keeping her dress spotless so we had a great time challenging each other with what we could do next. The composite photo from the tunnel is mine for the studio and Linely has a gorgeous portrait from the arboretum for her wall. All those tunnel shots were just screaming out to me for a video so it's included here.

Tradition

2010-07-08T09:10:00.004-04:00

A lot of what is done in photography is related to a tradition in one form or another. Weddings, other celebrations, coming of age photos whether it's one year old or 18 years old. It used to make my father so happy to be able to connect the branches of a family's tree through his photos and, as I get older, I find that I get a great deal of satisfaction from doing the same. I just finished some photos for Jessica Pope Henderson of her baby in the family christening gown which goes back several generations. I was also working on restoring some old photos that my father took of Jessica, her twin sister and her brother in the same christening gown some 20+ years ago. While I was searching the old negatives and the old files to print all the photos they wanted, I thought it would be nice to share some of this family through the years. It's a privilege to be trusted to take photos for anyone; it is a compliment to have families come back over and over again through the years.

Senior Season

2010-07-01T09:30:00.005-04:00

It's hard to believe but we're back at that time of the year when we start senior portrait sessions for the Class of 2011. We actually have had our first two sessions within the past week so I thought it was time that I got some information out there. We've kept some of our sessions the same as we've been doing for years and have changed a couple of others. It you want complete details on the sessions and a copy of our price list, send me an email to conwayphoto@mchsi.com and I'll be happy to reply. I'll also be posting some samples from the three types of sessions to my Facebook page over the next couple of days. We look forward to getting to know the newest high school seniors.

Meagan & Patrick

2010-05-28T09:36:00.001-04:00

Northeast Seniors

2010-04-22T09:40:00.002-04:00

Hard to believe but graduation will be here before you know it and we need to tie up some loose ends. If you want to buy a copy of the senior class photo that was taken at Deberry's Mill, see Ms. Davis at school before April 30 with $5.00 for your copy. This is a special price that is only available until April 30; after that date, an 8x10 will be the regular $15 price. Call us if you have any questions.

A Night on the Nile

2010-04-21T10:35:00.004-04:00

The photos from the Northeast Academy prom are being delivered to school this morning and I've got the website up. You can see all of the photos at http://conwayphotoshop.com/prom/. If you would like to reorder photos, you can do so using the online ordering system or by calling or coming to the studio. If you would like to order a group 8x10 at the special, "this week only" price of $5.00, see Mrs. Barnes at school with your money. Only group photos ordered this week will be sold for $5.00. You can order from us here at the studio any time after that at the regular price. It was a beautiful "night on the Nile"; hope you enjoy the photos.

Tah Dah!!

2010-04-16T09:03:00.004-04:00

Madison came in for her one year old photos. She has been a beauty since she was born but now the personality is really coming through. Along with her gorgeous wardrobe and the fun "stuff" from her Minnie Mouse themed birthday party, she showed us all her wonderful one-year old skills. Our favorite was "Tah Dah" which, when you say it to her, she repeats it and strikes the cutest pose ever. These are a few of her "tah dah" moments and you can see even more of her shots on Facebook.

To See . . . or Not To See.

2010-04-04T15:19:00.004-04:00

Is that the question? Now that my wedding season is in full swing, I thought I'd write a minute about one of those continuing questions for brides and grooms -- whether or not to see each other before the ceremony. I'm sure that as long as there are weddings, there will be a difference of opinion on this issue. Many brides and grooms like the traditional which is not to see each other before the wedding. This has been the tradition for many years and takes us back to a time when the bride and groom didn't even meet each other until their wedding day. And, of course, there is always the sentiment that "I can't wait to see his face when I walk down the aisle". I'm not knocking tradition or sentiment -- in fact, I'm a big fan of both but these days many brides and grooms are less traditional than they've ever been and this is reflected in their wedding.

Since we all know the way it's been done forever, I'll just share a few points on why some brides and grooms choose today to bypass tradition. Brides and grooms can elect that their first sight of each other on their wedding day be on their own terms and without an audience of family and friends. I've seen couples meet in a private room in the church or wedding venue or brides who choose to walk down the aisle to meet their groom who is waiting at the front of the church. Sometimes they allow me to be the only other pair of eyes around (complete with my camera lens) so I can capture these special moment and sometimes they choose to be completely alone. I've had some couples who allow ed their parents and/or wedding party to be there and some couples who didn't. Either way, it's their option and they don't have to worry about what everyone else is thinking or feel nervous that a lot of people are watching them. They can share a few private moments, exchange gifts if they want to and have an opportunity to share what is in their hearts. My years of experience tell me that this is probably the last chance they will have for privacy that day. Once they've taken all the time they want, they are free to do whatever the schedule of the day pushes them towards. One of the benefits of meeting before the wedding is that it is then possible to do ALL the photographs prior to the wedding. Your photographer will be able to take his or her time and get those really special shots that it is sometimes hard to take when you're in the time crunch of trying to get to the reception. It may even give you time after the wedding to drop by another great location to take some more photos that you would normally not be able to do.

I firmly believe that everything about your wedding is YOUR decision. It probably sounds like I wish all brides and grooms would take all photos before the ceremony and I do appreciate the benefits of this. But, I've been doing this a long time and I like to think I can think on my feet and work quickly when I have to so I never push it or require it as some photographers do. But, give it some thought and plan your wedding YOUR way.

A couple of final fun thoughts. For the past few years, many brides and grooms have tried to sneak around the "seeing each other" question by having a little greeting through a door. If you choose not to see each other, this can be kind of fun as the photos of Rosanna and Marcus show above. I've also posted several other sets of photos of brides and grooms and their "encounters" before the wedding on my Facebook page with an explanation of how they happened. Give them a look if you like. And . . . one of my favorite bride comments of all time came about one day in the studio about 10-12 years ago. I was doing a pre-wedding portraits session of the bride and groom together because they wanted their formal portrait to include both of them. Several of the bride's friends had been giving her a hard time about this and told her that she shouldn't do it because it was "bad luck." She told us that she finally set them straight by telling them that "there are a lot of things that may break up a marriage but I don't think 'bad luck' is one of them!!"

Beach Weekends!

2010-03-26T09:32:00.003-04:00

I've looked through my late spring/early summer wedding calendar to set up some times for photos at the Outer Banks. I've got the specific dates on my Facebook page and I hope to be able to take 4-5 appointments per day. Appointments will be in the late afternoon/early evening at a spot to be determined later. I like to stay in the Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills/Nags Head area if possible because it's more convenient to most of you. Send me an email or message through Facebook for more information. I'm looking forward to seeing you AT THE BEACH!!

The Massive Project Begins . . .

2010-03-20T13:06:00.010-04:00

Once upon a time . . . there was a young man with a passion for photography. There was nothing in his background as a small-town, farm boy that should have fed this passion but you can't argue with destiny. He farmed to pay the bills and support his family and worked at his passion nights, weekends, whenever he could. He was a child of the Depression so hard work was familiar and, throughout his life, he thought a 15-hour day was pretty normal. He encouraged his wife to learn to hypo and dry photographs and to learn oil coloring, and he trained his two children as photographers. He loved it all.

Of course, I'm writing of my father -- a craftsman, a perfectionist, an artist. I'm proud to follow in his footsteps and to carve out my place in the business he created. I've had several friends who have pointed out to me in the past few years that I'm "sitting on a gold mine." They are referring to the fact that I possess practically every negative taken by my father, my brother, and me from the mid-1940's to the present. I have no way to estimate how many there are but it must be in the hundreds of thousands of negatives -- maybe a million or more. Many times throughout the year I'll be contacted by former customers to pull their old negative file and make prints for them. Just this week, I scanned and created digital files from bridal portraits my father took in 1951. And the "gold mine" my friends are speaking of is not the money I make off of projects like this but by the fact that I have the ability to help people remember those split-seconds in their lives that were meaningful -- a gold mine of memories.

Our old negative files are organized . . . and they're not organized. It depends on how you look at it. If you know WHEN photos were taken, we can usually put our hands on the negatives pretty easily. Most people remember their wedding date or the year a child was born but a lot of times our minds can play tricks on us when remembering the correct year or month for other events like family portraits, school events, etc. It's been in the back of my mind for a couple of years that I ought to come up with a better way to access the boxes and boxes of negatives I have. Lynn and I talked on Friday and I finally decided that I could debate it forever and not make any progress so we could just jump off the cliff and start the organization even though we know it may take a couple of years. So . . . on Friday, Lynn began entering negative files into a data base that we will be able to search by the name of the client regardless of year. Once this process is complete (and it may take forever), we should be able to search by name and get the year the photos were taken along with the file number for the negatives. She started with the most difficult box which is all the negatives taken by my father prior to 1950 (after 1950, he began numbering his envelopes and entering them into a yearly ledger book). Of course, we're getting sidetracked as we always do when looking at old negatives. Lynn found several family names that she recognized and that she just HAD to take a peek at. There are also many document copies (marriage licenses, army discharge papers, etc) that my father used to do for people before there were Xerox machines which I find fascinating. One of the most interesting discoveries was in the envelope labeled "Little Linda Johnson." Since Lynn and I both know Linda (now Linda Parker), she opened the envelope to see the negatives and actually found not only an old proof from the sitting but what must be my father's first price list. I've scanned them both for you to see and it absolutely amazes me what his prices were. Not even considering the inflation aspect, I know how much time and effort goes into producing an 8x10 black and white print. I understand better what all those 15-hour days were for.

So the project has started. How long it will take is anyone's guess at this point and Lynn and I may have white hair before it's done but we're going to try. As time goes on and we get a rhythm to our work, I also hope to create a reasonably priced way to scan these old negatives and sell them as digital files. I know as I get older that I really appreciate my family history in photographs and I suspect many of you are the same. I'll be sharing some of our special "finds" in The History Channel album on my Facebook page.

Background Fun

2010-03-17T16:53:00.005-04:00

One of the speakers I heard at the photographer's convention showed us a fairly simple method for switching out backgrounds. I'm still an amateur compared to him but I've enjoyed playing around with it a little bit. I thought Camren's photo that I originally shot on a nice white background would look good on a gorgeous sky. There are some more samples on my Facebook page.

My First Photo

2010-03-11T11:21:00.007-05:00

I bet you thought you were going to see the first photo I ever took. Sorry . . . but I don't know what that photo would be. Probably it was one I took with my father's old Brownie camera at summer camp. No, this is the first photo OF me. Lynn was looking through our old files searching for a negative for a client and ran across the envelope in my father's handwriting that said "Carol Hedspeth -- First Photo." I HAD to take a look. Of course, I have seen these photos before but it has been a long time and they seemed to mean a little bit more to me today. I take so many baby photos and know how special it is to do that. It struck me that my father was WAY ahead of the times. These days photographers sometimes go to the hospital for photos during labor and to the homes of new babies for complete sessions. Daddy was ahead of time snapping this photo on the day I was born in the old Roanoke Rapids Hospital. Of course, I LOVE the photo with my mother. I showed it to her and she was telling me how thrilled she was to have a little girl . And, as with lots of old photos, it's so interesting to see the little details that might have been overlooked in the past but are now so special. I see my mother's little suitcase on the table behind her and recognize it as the same one she still uses today when she takes a trip. In the photo with the nurse is a beautiful bouquet of roses in a "Proud Papa" vase that Mr. Sandlin -- a local florist in Roanoke Rapids -- sent to my parents. He and my father had worked together at so many weddings and I still have this vase today. And, it wouldn't be my father in those old photography days without having flashbulbs in his pockets, and he had obviously pulled a few out of his pocket and left them on the table. I would love to know who that nurse is holding me. Lynn and I have studied the photo a little this morning and commented on the fact that she is obviously young and unmarried -- no wedding ring but a class ring on her left hand. If any of my Roanoke Rapids friends can identify her, you'll win my heart. And possibly a great, big gift certificate.

The History Channel

2010-03-09T15:43:00.005-05:00

I've often thought that I ought to spotlight some of the tens of thousands of negatives I have in my father's files because they are such a wonderful, rich history of our area. (It may even be millions of fnegatives because I have no way of counting them.) I just know that they go back in organized fashion to 1950 and there are many more that were pre-1950 that are not very organized. I'm going to occasionally pull one out and scan it and share it on my Facebook page under "The History Channel" photo album. I'll show you the one I'm starting with because it's one of my favorite photos. These stylish ladies are the the charter members of the Conway Womans Club taken some time in the mid to late 1950s. I can recognize many of these remarkable women and, of course, I'm especially proud to see my mother and my dear Aunt Pat Hedspeth in the group. Those of you who are Conway folk will enjoy trying to recognize more of them. And keep your eye out on the Conway Photo Shop Facebook page. I'm going to make it my goal to try and add at least one photo per week.

Graduation . . . just around the corner

2010-03-07T15:37:00.008-05:00

Graduation will be here before we know it. I picked up some fun ideas at all of the conventions and workshops I've been to lately and thought I'd show a few. The photo here is the class shot of the Northeast Academy Class of 2010. We were a little later than usual taking their photo this year so everyone was pretty cold last week out at Deberry's Millpond but we got it done. You can check more of the senior products on the Conway Photo Facebook page.

Look Out for High Tide!!

2010-03-04T11:29:00.004-05:00

It's been a rainy winter and the ground is soaked but this is a little bit crazy. I found lots of new toys and ideas at the photographer's convention and this "water-y" effect is one of them. I was playing around with it a little this morning and wanted to share a photo. I've got more of them on my Facebook page. So, step over the puddles and come on in to Conway Photo.

School's Out . . .

2010-03-03T19:39:00.005-05:00

School's out . . . or at least it is for me, for a while. I've had a wonderful couple of months -- learning and being inspired. It's almost like I'm back in college which was great. In January and February, I was fortunate enough to attend a national convention (absolutely awesome) and three different state-wide meetings -- two in NC and one in VA. I have heard some dynamic speakers -- real experts and innovators in their fields -- and have been inspired to work on TONS of new projects. I hope I'll be sharing some of these with you soon and I hope I'll get back to a more regular schedule of blogging. I feel like I've neglected my blog a little bit lately because I've been trying to get my Facebook page more organized. Hope you continue to check out what's new on both!!!

Fashion Statements!!

2010-02-23T17:04:00.010-05:00

Of course I love the little boys that come in for photos but I've really got to hand it to the little girls for their fashion statements. A sampling of a few from last year will give you the idea.

This christening gown was several generations old and was so fragile you could almost put your finger through it. Doesn't she look like an old-fashioned doll?

Miss Blair is wearing a very special christening gown. It mas made by one great-grandmother and she is wearing a circle pin that belongs to her other great-grandmother.
Of course, a girl can't be in fancy christening gowns all the time. Blair is making a definite fashion statement with this chapeau!

I love little girls in ruffly bloomers!

Isabella & Leah put on their boogie shoes! or is that tap shoes?

But I think Avery wins the prize. It's not every little girl who has a camoflage jumpsuit along with her own personal duck call!

Beautiful Black & Whites

2010-02-19T13:20:00.002-05:00

It's been so cold lately that doing outside portraits would have turned my clients into popsicles. I had a great time doing these groups. We stayed nice and warm inside and got some wonderful photos. You can enjoy a more complete gallery of these photos on my Facebook page. Become a fan today to keep up with all the new photos and videos being added.

Madison

2010-02-17T16:54:00.007-05:00

I've been pretty busy lately (which is GREAT!) but I feel like I've neglected my blog so I'm trying to get back in the habit of writing. I was working on this order of little Madison and thought I'd share. I blogged about her last year when she was just a tiny baby and came in with her parents. She is still a precious, little girl with skin like a china doll. I was taking a few photos near the end of the session with her mom and thought that this one was just beautiful. There is such a special connection between mother and baby in that photo and I just love Madison's little hand reaching up to her mom. There are a few more photos from this session on the Conway Photo Shop Facebook page. Be sure and sign up to be a fan to catch all the latest news and special offers.

Fairy Princess

2010-02-09T12:55:00.003-05:00

I've already posted this photo to my Facebook page but I've had so many comments on it that I thought I'd blog about it as well. Harriet Byrum brought her little Avery and her nephew, Lane, over last week for some long overdue photos. Lane is always a sweetheart and Avery is just as cute as she can be but she was not doing EXACTLY what her mommy wanted that afternoon. She had a beautiful dress for some photos with Lane to give the grandparents but she was also in a little bit of a wandering mood when we were trying to do these. Harriett had been promising her the fairy costume at the end of the session and she finally put her in it to get her in a "happier" mood. She is so adorable but her costume was a little big on her and her wings were a little floppy. We tried clothes pinning her into it but Avery wasn't much in the mood for our attempts. I finally got her to sit down because her princess dress didn't look so big when she was seated and, for some reason, I suddenly because the kids' version of a stand-up comedian. Everything I said to Avery was funny. She giggled, she laughed, she practically flapped her wings. There were far too many for me to choose ONE that I liked so I just put together a lot of them.

Junior Miss Tribute

2010-02-05T16:43:00.003-05:00

Our best wishes to Jordan as she participates this week in the North Carolina Junior Miss Scholarship Program. I love working with these girls every year and wanted to put together a little tribute to all of them.

Little People, Big Eyes!

2010-02-03T16:09:00.012-05:00

I feel like I've been so busy rushing around with "end of the year/beginning of a new year" stuff that I haven't given much time to my blog. I saved lots of photos before Christmas that I wanted to share but couldn't because they were gifts. I was looking through them and trying to find a way to group several of them together and it struck me (once again) how much I love looking into the eyes of children. Everything is there -- beauty, innocence, curiosity. Whether it's a formal, studio portrait in their nicest clothes or outside in their jeans, nothing is sweeter than those big eyes. Here is a recent sample.

FREE Wedding Photos

2010-01-14T17:10:00.004-05:00

I noticed a Facebook post last week written by one of my former brides. She was encouraging everyone to post some of their wedding photos on FB. I'm going to make it easier for you by giving you some photos. Check out the Events on the Conway Photo Shop fan page on Facebook for details. It's only available to my Facebook fans.

Facebook

2010-01-14T17:10:00.000-05:00

I know there are a lot of Facebook fans out there. Those of you who are already my friends on Facebook probably noticed that I spent a lot of time last weekend setting up the Fan Page for Conway Photo Shop. There was a Conway Photo group page before but the fan page will allow me to do lots more like add photos and videos and announce special offers. So, I'm inviting everyone to join me on Facebook at the Conway Photo Shop Fan Page. I've already uploaded some video favorites as well as several photo albums and even designed a little logo for my Facebook fan page using my buddy Carter's photo. Hope to see you all on FB.

I've Come a LONG Way!!

2010-01-14T14:07:00.006-05:00

I've had the photo to the right in my blog folder for months and was just waiting for an opportunity to use it. As far as I know, it's one of the first photos of me taking a photograph. I was about 11-12 years old and was with my father at a wedding in Ahoskie. He was helping me set up a photo of the bride's mother straightening her veil and someone else took a photo of the whole scene, including me. My photo turned out just fine -- my father was a wonderful, thorough teacher -- and the rest, as they say, is history.

I thought it was appropriate to share that photo today because I just got home last night from the PPA 2010 Imaging Conference in Nashville, TN. I've been a member of the Professional Photographers of America for years but have always been much more involved in my state association, the PPNC. I believe in professional organizations primarily because I think meeting with others and attending classes and sharing information is the best way to grow. (I'm also a member of WPPI and NAPP). This conference exceeded my wildest expectations and I've come home with my brain literally churning with ideas. All of the speakers were world class, the trade show had extraordinary products, and I loved being in the company of so many other dedicated professionals. The speakers were so esteemed that I hardly knew which programs to attend. I emailed my talented young friend, Allison Satterfield of Sandfoot Photography, from the conference and told her that I was in a wedding orgy. In one day I had been to classes by Yervant, Joe Buissink and Denis Reggie. The names may not be ones you recognize but, in the photography world, these are some heavy hitters. I also went to a dynamite program by Jane Conner-Ziser on facial retouching so look for MY fabulous new photo soon on my Facebook page. I'm going to use every little tip she gave us to make my own photo remarkable. I'm looking forward to getting back to work now and using some of my new ideas and skills. By the way, my husband took the photo of me above between sessions at the Gaylord Opryland Resort which is a whole 'nother story!

Do You Want "Good Enough" Wedding Photos?

2010-01-12T18:13:00.000-05:00

Santa collaborated with some nice guys and put quite a few engagement rings in Christmas stockings this past holiday season. We usually spend a good part of January on the phone with prospective brides and grooms talking about wedding photography. Planning a wedding can look like an overwhelming challenge when you start looking at your budget and where and how to economize to have the wedding you've always dreamed of. I wanted to take a few minutes to discuss the importance of photography in your wedding budget plans. Twenty plus years ago when I first got seriously involved in wedding photography there was a saying all of us photographers were told to spread. It was, "from the moment your wedding day is over, the only things that INCREASE in value are your wedding rings, your photographs, and your love for each other." It sounds a little corny these days to put it in those terms but I think there is still quite a lot of truth in that statement. I think brides and grooms are often put into the position of thinking that because Uncle Charlie, their friend Sally, or whoever (add your own name) has a pretty good camera and takes pretty good snaps of the kids or of the soccer game or the family cat that they can certainly take photos for a wedding. After all, doesn't everyone know what a wedding is and what photographs should be taken? It's certainly true that today's digital cameras have come a long way and can produce really good results in the hands of competent pro-amateurs. As someone who has photographed over 1,000 weddings, I can tell you that there is more to it than having a good camera. There is even more to it than having a good eye or a bit of talent. I read an excellent blog posting from a photographer friend of mine who had discovered an article on the importance of wedding photography. I wanted to share the article for everyone who is in the midst of wedding planning because I know how important these photographs are. You don't get a second chance if something goes wrong. You have to be aware of what's going to happen when, where to be to capture the special moments, and how to deliver the best possible product to the couple who has trusted you with one of the most important days of their lives. I hope you read and digest this if you are considering whether or not an advanced amateur may do a "good enough" job for YOUR wedding. If the differences in the photographs that are discussed in this article AREN'T important to you, then you probably will be happy with "good enough" and can put your budget towards some other element of your wedding that is. I don't mean to sound like I'm preaching but I take my responsibility as a wedding photographer seriously and want all of you who are planning a wedding to get what you want.

When you can't choose just one!!

2010-01-07T16:15:00.002-05:00

I promised once the holidays were over that I would share some of the interesting photos, etc. I created that were to be Christmas gifts (couldn't spoil the surprise before the gift was opened). This grouping of three 20x20 black and white composites was one of my favorites. These three handsome guys are brothers and I did an outdoor session back in the fall that yielded some great photos. It was just too difficult for their mom to pick one shot so I designed custom composites of each. They looked great with a linen texture finish and simple, elegant black frames. I'm think they were a hit under the Christmas tree for dad, and Lynn and I have been promised a trip to see them hanging on the wall with a glass of wine thrown in for fun.

Historic Day for Roberts Chapel

2010-01-06T14:50:00.005-05:00

It was a cold day in Pendleton on Sunday but the chill bumps were worth it to have the official groundbreaking for the new building for Roberts Chapel Baptist Church. A lot of church members had put in some long hours planning the new building and I was excited to be asked to take a few photos. All of the photos are on a website for anyone to see and I plan to keep this website active indefinitely. There are so many people far and wide who want to see the process of building the new church that I plan to keep the website open and hopefully will add photos to it through the weeks and months that will document the process. I'd love input from the community of cameras out there since I probably be won't be going through Pendleton every week. If you take some good photos of the process and don't mind sharing them, send them to me in an email and I'll add your photos and mine to the website as the weeks and months tick along. The loyal and excited congregation of Roberts Chapel members everywhere can check the site and hopefully feel a part of the rebuilding.

2009 -- A Very Good Year for Weddings

2010-01-03T15:20:00.007-05:00

2009 has come and gone and I just photographed my first wedding of 2010 so I thought it was a good time to look back through the year in weddings. I've never done this before so it was a treat for me to take a quick look through the files of all the weddings I photographed last year. Weddings can be large or small, elaborate or simple but they all hold wonderful memories for those involved and I always feel privileged that I have been allowed to be a part of such a special day. Once again I photographed weddings all over the place but mainly within about 50 miles of Conway which covers parts of NC and Virginia. It was a year of fire trucks (3 weddings), unique cakes (a possum cake and a Batman cake among others), and probably the smallest wedding I've ever photographed in terms of people involved. In fact, I was called into service not only as photographer but as a witness on the marriage license because I was present and over age 21. I'm often asked (usually by men), "aren't all weddings the same; don't you get tired of doing this?" The answer is emphatically "NO" and "NO" -- with an exclamation point! They are definitely not all the same. I looked back through these photos today and remembered each bride and groom, the excitement and emotion, the special elements that made each day memorable to me and for everyone in attendance. And I definitely don't get tired of doing this. I am a hopeless romantic who gets excited every time the processional music starts and who many times will shed a tear right along with the brides, grooms, moms and dads. It is a blessing to love what you do for a living. It makes striving to be better every time a pleasure and not an obligation. Hope you enjoy the photos. You can see all of these (plus a few more) at a slower pace at http://conwayphotoshop.com/2009.

Happy Anniversary to Nancy and Tommy

2010-01-02T10:42:00.004-05:00

I just wanted to add my wishes for a Happy Anniversary to Nancy and Tommy Flythe from Seaboard. I've said before that I always think of "our" brides and grooms as family and look forward to all the happy moments in their lives. Nancy and Tommy's daughters threw them a surprise anniversary party and Lynn wanted to create a special gift for them since she is a good friend and Seaboard neighbor. We pulled the negatives from their wedding (I don't think we know whether it was my father or brother who photographed the wedding but I'm guessing it was my father by some of the poses). We had a great time looking back through them and selecting one that would make a nice B&W photo. Weren't they a sweet couple? Here's the photo we picked from their wedding along with one from their daughter Jamie's wedding a few years ago.

Weezie

2009-12-29T17:04:00.005-05:00

I'm always a little embarassed to write about personal matters on the Conway Photo blog because I feel like it should mostly be about my work, but I know a lot of you are animal lovers and will understand my thoughts today. A few posts back you may have seen my Christmas card this year with a photo of our little Abyssinian, Nell Blu -- also known as "The Weasel" or "Weezie." Joe and I didn't really say it out loud but we both knew that the reason we were taking photos of her while we were decorating the tree was because she probably wouldn't be around next Christmas. Though she was not very old, she had been very sick for several months and was fading before our eyes. We tried everything the doctor said but it was obviously just a matter of time and, for the past week, we had watched her give up. We decided we couldn't see her struggle any longer and today we lost her. Joe and I have been married for 25 years and have had a lot of cats in our life but this loss was especially hard for us. She was a good, little girl -- five pounds was her top, fighting weight -- and we'll miss her. I was just looking through my files and found this nice photo of the Weez in her prime, relaxing at the beach house.

Card Bonanza

2009-12-26T12:45:00.017-05:00

I was hesitant to show you some of the many cards I designed during the Christmas season before Christmas day because, if you received one of them, I wanted you to enjoy the real thing from the sender and not my ramblings about them on a computer screen. A lot of my clients choose standard cards from my lab's catalog for obvious reasons of simplicity, but I really enjoy designing cards that are more personal and unique. This is just a sample of some from this year and I'll give a little info about them. Above and below are the front, back and inside of Angel and Tony Terry's card which was a combination Christmas card/birth announcement of little Isabella. I love that we were able to include on the back the photo of the bassinet and baby shoes ornament from the tree. Also, the background of the back of the card was the detail of the lace from the bassinet. We selected watercolor paper to print these cards on and they looked beautiful.

I've been doing Christmas cards of Miss Ryleigh since she was born and her mom always gives me free rein to design cards for her. This year I picked up the colors from the cute little outfit she was wearing for the polka dot background and we were even able to include Ryleigh photo from visiting Santa on the card.

We are always thrilled to see Skylar every year just so we can check out the pretty clothes she always has. She had some beautiful Christmas outfits this year and I just love a simple card that really showcases the pretty little girl.

I've shown you Hinton's photos from the cotton field before and it was his mommy's idea to share the sentiment "may all your Christmases be white." I used a burlap design on the brown background which I thought was appropriate for a field of cotton.

Joy and Brent Chafin in Ahoskie are blessed with four beautiful little girls. I had photographed the three older girls earlier in the fall when we could be outside and little Sophie arrived in time to make the card's front. And, this is probably my favorite card back on a folded Christmas card I've ever done; these four little pairs of shoes are just adorable.

Laurie and Mike Ordnung included Preston on the card they sent out from Valley Pine CC this year. He IS the newest member of the club!!

I did a couple of classic cards like this one this Christmas season and I think it's very special to have a really nice photos of all the children on the front that you can frame later and then open up the card and see the individual shots of each child. A heartfelt, seasonal greeting -- you don't need much more than this. Again, this card was printed on watercolor paper which I just love.

You all know how I feel about Carter and those big, beautiful eyes!! It's so much fun to play with color when you design a card. I actually picked up the color from his eyes to use as the background of the card.

The Dunn family used several of the photos from the Chowan sessions to wish a "Merry Christmas" to everyone.

Lynn (or "Miss Lynn" to the children that come by the studio) looked around for some card ideas this year and helped design her own card. We took this nice shot of her family from a summer wedding at the beach, turned it into black and white, and used just a hit of color for the greeting. I thought it ended up being one of the more unique cards of the season.

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!! Maybe one of these cards will inspire you with an idea for your cards next year.

MY Christmas Cards

2009-12-22T11:27:00.004-05:00

I've designed so many Christmas cards this year and had a wonderful, creative time doing so but time slipped on me and I had to come up with some cards to send out from Joe and me. I took some photos while we were decorating the tree and used some of them to create three different cards for our friends and family. Some people we send cards to know that we are nuts about our cats so I did one that's a close-up of our sweet little Nell (also known as "The Weasel") with the Christmas tree in the background. The other two cards relate a little more closely to my husband. One of them has his absolutely favorite girl, Marilyn Monroe, in all her skirt-blowing glory near the top of the tree. Most years he tries to put her where the angel should go at the very top. The last card reminds us both that he finished his thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail twelve years ago and made it home five days before Christmas. We have two ornaments that are an AT marker and a hiking boot that one of his trail buddies gave him. So, if you weren't on my list to get an actual card in the mail, hope you enjoy these on the blog!!

A Beautiful Christmas Wedding for Amanda & Zach

2009-12-21T10:20:00.003-05:00

I'm finishing up Amanda and Zach's wedding photos and thought I'd share a little preview. Looking at them puts me in the Christmas spirit!

Zach, Amanda & Chester?!?

2009-12-17T16:58:00.004-05:00

I'm working away on the photos from last Saturday's wedding of Amanda and Zach and trying to get them finished before the weekend. With this freezing weather that they say is coming in, I thought it was a good time to remember some warmer weather and share some of the photos from Amanda's bridal portrait session. I took her portraits back in the fall because she wanted to do them outside and we needed for the weather to be nicer. We had a wonderful afternoon at Chowan and the new swings that they hung up near the gazebo were put to good use. Don't you like the barefoot bride just swinging away? Amanda also just HAD to have some photos with her little Chester. I imagine that some girls are nervous introducing the new man in their lives to their father, but I think Zach should have been anxious about getting Chester's approval. Chester and his mommy are close!!! I think it's kind of sweet that they're walking off into the sunset in this last photo. I hope Chester's not too lonely this week because I'm pretty sure he got left at home for the honeymoon in Antigua.

Isabella

2009-12-14T16:44:00.003-05:00

I took some photos this morning that I thought had such special meaning and I wanted to share a few of them. First of all, congratulations to Angel and Tony on the birth of their beautiful little Isabella. Angel called me several weeks before the baby was born to see if I would come to their home after she was born and take some photos in her cradle. It's such a special cradle because it is covered in fabric from Angel's mother's wedding dress. I've know Angel's family all my life and photographed her wedding and her sister's wedding and I thought this was just the sweetest thing I had heard of in a long time. I think it made it even more special to me because my father had done "Grandma Debbie's" bridal portrait wearing this gown and it was taken back in the day when my mother was the oil colorist who painted it. While Angel was taking a diaper break with Isabella, I put Debbie's bridal portrait in the cradle among the beautiful little lace pillows made from her dress and snapped a quick photo. And I'm such a sentimental slob that I was just enchanted with her beautiful little christening dress hanging on the closet door and the special ornaments on the Christmas tree including the cake topper from Angel and Terry's wedding and one of baby Isabella's first little shoe ornaments. I know it's going to be a special Christmas around this home this year!

Gift Certificate SALE!!!

2009-12-11T17:22:00.003-05:00

We're running around like elves over here and looking ahead to closing next Friday afternoon for our annual two-week vacation. We're finishing orders, framing photos, and swimming in Christmas cards, and I thought I'd offer a sale on gift certificates that can be used in 2010 and beyond. We're selling gift certificates in any denomination at 20% off next Monday through Friday. This is a great last-minute gift or stocking stuffer for that person on your list who may want to visit us next year -- new moms and dads for baby photos, high school seniors and the endless wallets they need, brides and grooms for everything, and framing for everyone. If you're too busy to make it over to Conway or just want to save the gas, give us a call and put it on your credit card and we can mail the gift certificate to you in plenty of time for holiday giving. Be sure to tell us whether you'd like your gift certificate to have a baby, wedding or general photo on the front. Merry Christmas, everyone!!

Tribute

2009-12-09T17:49:00.004-05:00

No cute photos today, folks. Just some heartfelt words that I want to write and you're welcome to read if you like. Today would have been my father's 90th birthday. I've admitted on many occasions that I was a "daddy's girl." We were close and I am very aware that, as we say in the South, I "take after him" and I consider that a compliment. I am writing today not just to celebrate the date of his birth but also his influence on my life as a photographer. Conway Photo would literally not exist without all of the hard work, sweat, anxiety and, most importantly, the love he poured into this business. Nothing in his young life should have created an artist. He was born on the farm and would probably have lived happily as a farmer except for the passion for photography that he discovered at an early age. He had to farm to make a living when he was young but he worked beyond overtime to perfect his craft. There were many components of his life that are a study in contrasts. He came along at a time when he had to leave school at a young age to work, but he became a man who educated himself in the things that were important to him and he continued to grow and learn throughout his life. He went without complaint to serve his country and lived for two years in foreign countries but he was always the happiest in his own corner of Northampton county. He worked in a profession that was practically unknown in this rural corner of the state and became both professionally and financially successful, but I'm pretty sure he did not measure his own happiness in terms of these successes. I can list for you several of the things that made him happy. He enjoyed seeing a really pretty field of peanuts or cotton. He delighted in watching the deer come into the edge of the field behind the house at twilight. He was overjoyed at the sight of the church pews at Zion Methodist filled with people. He was beyond proud when his children or his grandson made the honor roll at school. He loved photographing weddings and enjoyed a fatherly affection for "his brides." When he died we tried to estimate how many weddings he had photographed through the years and the only number we could come up with was 3000+. Just about every wedding I photograph today has at least one man, woman or couple approach me and tell me about my father photographing their wedding 10, 20, 30, 40 or more years ago. I treasure every one of those encounters because I know how important this was to him. He never really stopped working and actually photographed two weddings with me the weekend before the heart attack that would ultimately take his life. Photography was not just his job; it was his passion. I believe that he considered he was lucky for much of his life. He found his career in something he loved and he never had to leave the farm that was a part of his life; he met and married the woman I once heard him describe as "the most beautiful girl he ever met"; he was able to return home from war and was painfully conscious of the many men who did not; he raised two children that he was proud of and who loved him dearly; he created a business that became a part of the lives of generations of families in two states and left behind not just the building that I sit in and write from this morning but a visual history of our past. I can take you back to see the boxes and boxes of negatives that are the lives of my neighbors -- the baby photos, the senior portraits, the weddings, the families. He was able to capture these moments in their lives and was proud and happy to do so. It's not just me that wouldn't be here without him; I think a lot of us would have bare walls and only memories without his life's work. Happy Birthday, Daddy.

Jack & Carter

2009-12-05T13:08:00.005-05:00

I've had these little sweethearts saved in my blog folder for almost a month and just couldn't get around to writing about them. (I also wanted to check with their mom to be sure I could show them -- I didn't want to spoil a Christmas surprise). It's sometimes hard to get two that are this little to cooperate but Jack and Carter were great. Of course, Carter slept some of the time which made his cooperation easier. I just thought they were so precious and wanted to show them off.

Doesn't Jack have some of the cutest expressions?

Their little Christmas pajamas were perfect for the season and Jack was trying to be so helpful in getting his little brother to stop crying.

Reindeer Reese!!

2009-12-03T16:49:00.003-05:00

Is this a Christmas card or what?!! I think it's absolutely adorable even if I did design it myself. I had help. Mommy Valerie said she wanted red and green polka dots, I found a cool font and, most importantly, Reese was her perfect little self with her monogrammed bloomers and sassy reindeer ears. I know everyone that opens this card from Valerie, Graham and Reese is going to smile!!

Growing Up Right Before My Lens

2009-12-02T17:50:00.005-05:00

I feel like I've taken photos of so many wonderful families and beautiful children in the past few weeks but I'm petrified about putting them on my blog because I don't want to ruin a Christmas surprise for anyone. So I decided to share a couple of families that I know are "safe" for me to show. I've said before that it's one of the best parts of my job that I get to see treasured clients year after year and watch them grow. I photographed Jody and Vickie Soper's wedding "x" number of years ago (I can't remember how many) and Vickie actually set a goal for herself of having photos taken every year on or around their anniversary. They've missed a couple of years or didn't get them taken right around their anniversary (like the photo at the beach) but they have actually been more successful than most at keeping a record of the growth of their family. I've done their family photos in the studio, at the beach, at their house, at the church they were married in and several other locations. I look forward to hearing Vickie's wonderful Southern accent on the other end of the phone line every year when she calls. I don't know if I'll make it until the girls get married but I'd probably drag myself out of retirement if they called.

I got to know Morgan and Tammy Tackett when they lived in Ahoskie several years ago. They moved to Durham about the time that Spencer Margaret was born but they've given me the privilege of continuing to photograph their growing family. Every year in November they make the trek from Durham to Conway for a family photo and some shots of the children. I can't believe how fast they're growing!

Ben & Laura

2009-11-29T13:02:00.011-05:00

I've been so busy lately photographing families and children for Christmas gifts that I haven't had a chance to write about a beautiful wedding I photographed in Franklin, VA a few weeks ago. Ben & Laura had a gorgeous fall day and I wanted to share some of their photos.

I always like to play around with the rings and flowers before the wedding if I have a chance. Isn't Ben's ring casting a beautiful shadow in the pages of the Bible?

Laura was relaxing for a few minutes in the parlor before the ceremony and I thought
the light was especially beautiful falling on her.

Ben and Laura -- post-ceremony.

The reception had a lovely, seasonal feel with fall colors. The table decorations used the names of trees as part of the centerpieces and pine cones for the name card holders. This is obviously from the happy couple's table.

I thought this cake was simply beautiful . . .

. . . and it had a special touch climbing up one side -- Laura's little dog.

No one sang any Hokie songs while I was there but I'm guessing there were some Virginia Tech fans in the house with this centerpiece on the food table.

Everyone was lined up to take advantage of the candy bar before they left for the evening. It was a real bonus to the sugar junkies -- cake plus candy!

I Am Thankful . . .

2009-11-25T16:14:00.004-05:00

I know we're all spending a little time these next few days reflecting on what we are thankful for. I have many things that I am thankful for, especially that I live in a community where we all care about each other and do what we can to help each other out. I am thankful for my healthy family, for having good friends, and for working at a job that gives me great satisfaction. One of the most satisfying parts of my work is meeting new people and staying connected with people from my past by being called on to document their lives. I have intended for some time to write about my session photographing Hinton Meyer in the cotton field and today seemed like a good day to do that. Most of my local readers know Hinton and I, of course, have known his parents and grandparents for years. He is a special little boy and I am feel honored and grateful that I had the opportunity to photograph him. After all his mom's planning, it looked like we were going to be rained out but we managed to avoid bad weather and had a most pleasant afternoon in the cotton. So, I am thankful that I finally got a chance to meet Hinton and see his mom, Melissa, again. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Picture Perfect Day at Chowan

2009-11-23T10:09:00.006-05:00

The Saturday and Sunday sessions at Chowan are over and I think they were great. We had beautiful weather and good-looking families. I definitely hope to turn this into an annual event if not more often. Probably the only grumbles I heard from anyone was that the Saturday appointments did hit during a prime day in hunting season but most of the hunters were pretty obliging once we got started. I'm obviously up to my ears in pictures and will be sorting, cropping and proofing for the next couple of days. In my initial sorting of all the photos, I saved a few that I thought I'd share as a preview. Daniel Glaze and his airborne girls really got into the swing of things Saturday morning and had a great session. I love the expression on his face and it looks like the girls are ready to fly. It's also a pleasure for me to have Brantley and Baylor Edwards to photograph. I've known their mother since my days at Northampton-East and have been photographing them since they were tiny. They have grown into "school-age" boys and were a barrel of fun. And pretty Miss Loren Keech found her mother's brick on the Chowan walkway and demonstrated her knowledge of her "ABC's" to us by spelling out mommy's name. I better get back to work on all these photos and hope to have the proofs ready soon.

Rebecca & Ben

2009-11-18T17:09:00.005-05:00

I get to stay young and feed the hopeless romantic in me by taking photos of beautiful couples like Rebecca & Ben. We had a great afternoon on the Roanoke Canal trail and on the train tracks in downtown Weldon. You can see all the photos on my website at www.conwayphotoshop.com/kiss/.

Beautiful Children

2009-11-17T18:10:00.011-05:00

Skylar Wood is a beautiful combination of her parents whose wedding I photographed several years ago and, boy, does she have a wardrobe!! I loved this coat and hat. I thought it made her look like something from a Currier and Ives Christmas print.

Madelyn looks like she's ready for Santa in her Christmas pj's.

Ethan was all over the yard and it was sometimes a struggle to catch up with him. His dad helped out by playing a chasing game and we got him cornered in the shrubs with this beautiful expression on his face. I also photographed his parent's wedding just a few years ago.

Danielle and her sister have been coming every Christmas season since they were born. Danielle is really into dogs this year as you can tell from her menagerie.

Maddox Bullock (above) and his sister Sloan (below) have also been coming to see me since they were babies. One of my favorite and most repeated lines -- don't you just love these "little" expressions better than a big cheesey, fake grin? They look like little angels!

Everyone is writing what they are thankful for at this time of the year and I think it's a wonderful idea. I'm thankful that my husband is finally home after a couple of weeks of travelling the state on a variety of missions. I'm also thankful that I have so many wonderful customers who have brought their ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN in for holiday portraits. I just thought I'd show you a few of them and hope I'm not spoiling any Christmas gift surprises for the grandparents.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

2009-11-14T14:58:00.003-05:00

We're getting in "elf" mode here in Conway -- children and families and framing, oh my!! I decided the weekend was the best time to post these photos. I've had them in my blog folder for almost a year but I thought if Peggy or Lynn walked by the computer while I was writing this that they would hit the "delete" button on me. Most of you who have brought their children in for portraits already know that the majority of the time "Miss" Peggy or "Miss" Lynn help out with the kids and there is nothing that wouldn't try to get a smile or to encourage a hesitant little one to cooperate. Sometimes they have to jump in front of the camera to show what I want and there have been times that they are just so funny that I snap the shutter on them. They usually threaten me not to let anyone see these photos but I decided to accept the consequences. I don't really remember the details of these two shots but I think they both happened during the holiday whirl last year. Peggy must have been demonstrating how attractive a Santa hat can be when worn correctly and I think Lynn was just trying to convince a child that sitting on the bench was fun. They probably succeeded; they usually do and I'm thankful for that. If you'd like to see how crazy we all can get to achieve your holiday photo goal, give us a call and set up an appointment. Time is running out on photos that we can guarantee for Christmas delivery. We'll be taking appointments through December 2 and then we'll probably have to cut off appointments so we can work on the orders that we have in. Hope to see you!

Ashley & Kevin

2009-11-12T15:29:00.013-05:00

Instead of lighting a unity candle, Ashley & Kevin had the sand ceremony as part of their wedding.

A beautiful fall day!

Dusty the donkey was not only an honored guest but

participated in the ceremony. Ashley didn't let him eat her bouquet though!

I'm always apologizing for being slow to post new photos on the blog but today's horrible weather was all the encouragement I needed to remember a gorgeous fall day about a month ago when Ashley and Kevin were married at their home in Halifax county. It was a little chilly that day but it was absolutely beautiful with bright blue skies and gorgeous fall colors. The tent was set up next to their home with pastures of horses, goats, and donkeys all around. Everyone in the tent, including Ashley and Kevin, collapsed with laughter during the ceremony when an extremely loud donkey added his own personal soundtrack. It seems that one of the goats was caught in the fence and Dusty was trying to get someone's attention so he could be rescued. You probably can't tell from this photo but Ashley and Kevin were about to die laughing during the sand ceremony. After the reception got rolling, they paid a little visit to Dusty to thank him for his participation in the festivities.

Christmas Cards

2009-11-11T16:34:00.002-05:00

HO! HO! HO! It's that time of year and we've started ordering Christmas cards for several of our clients. Keep in mind that we can order cards for you from any sitting you may had this past year. We've seen Christmas cards created from weddings, senior portraits, children and families (of course) as well as from sittings we're doing now in the studio. We got several Santa hats and reindeer antlers to fit all the little ones and would be glad to have you come in for some special holiday shots. Our lab has several new Christmas card designs and I can always custom-design a card that will make yours completely different from everyone else's. A few custom cards from last year are shown here. Call us if you have any questions about cards or would like to set up an appointment.

Covered in Girls!!

2009-11-10T08:15:00.003-05:00

First of all - congratulations to Joy and Brent Chafin on the birth of little Sophie on Friday. She joins a wonderful family and has three beautiful sisters who will take great care of her and teach her how to twirl. I did some photographs a few weeks ago for the Chafin family and wanted to share one with you. You've may have heard me say that sometimes I know something is special the moment I click the shutter and other times I'm so caught up in the technicalities of trying to get the shot that I can't really appreciate it. The latter happened here. I had been taking photos of the three girls when their Daddy arrived. They all dropped me like yesterday's news and ran to him and covered him with little girl love. I was watching from about 30 feet away and wanted to get photos of this but I also wanted to simply watch and enjoy. I think I got to do both but I didn't really appreciate how beautiful the scene was until Joy ordered this portrait. I was a Daddy's girl myself so I can get a little emotional looking at this photo. There will never be another man in your life quite like your father.

Sale Starts Monday

2009-11-06T08:30:00.004-05:00

I'm trying to be a good daughter and listen to my mother. She was in the studio this week and observed that everything was a little messy and crowded in the frame room. Of course, she's right. We've gotten busy photographing lots of high school seniors and children and families for Christmas and have not always kept everything tidy and organized. But before I can really straighten up, I thought I'd have a sale of some in-stock items to make a little room so we're starting a frame sale on Monday that will run through the end of November. All panel frames that we have in stock (samples in the photo above) are 25% off the price marked. In addition, we'll have certain ready-made frames in all sizes marked down anywhere from 15-25%. These marked down frames will range in sizes from 4x5 to 16x20. As always, our frames come completely finished including the glass, wire on the back, and us putting them in for you. If you come in to take advantage of the sale, we may not be able to frame your work on the day you're here but you can leave it to be framed or take the frame with you and bring it back for us to finish it at your convenience. This is a great opportunity if you have small photos or prints that you don't know what to do with. The panel frames we have in stock that are on sale have different mat colors, different mouldings (gold, silver, black, etc.) and hold various quantities of photos. You can grab a bargain now and save it for those spring photos you want taken or use them as a Christmas gift. Stop by and see what we've got on hand. We're open 9-5, Monday through Friday and will be open the day before and the day after Thanksgiving.

Preston

2009-11-05T13:06:00.002-05:00

You Can't Top the Classics

2009-11-03T17:35:00.005-05:00

I don't argue with my clients but I do sometimes get a little frustrated when I'm asked to do something "different" and that's the only description that's offered to me. "Different" to you may not be to me and vice versa. I like to experiment and I'm really excited to try something new or creative or innovative but many times I'm also drawn into an awestruck appreciation for the "oldie goldies" in photography -- those classic styles of posing and lighting that have been used for years. I especially appreciate these photographs in terms of children's photography. I've recently done several sittings that the clients asked specifically for that type of portrait and I thought I'd share a few. (I'm at the time of year when I have to be careful about what I show you because most of what I am taking right now will end up as someone's Christmas gift and I don't want to spoil the surprise). I love the perfectly sweet little portrait of Jackson Marriott. I think it proves that a simple pose and lighting combined with the perfect expression make a memorable portrait. And the little head shots of Hatch Morris -- I love these composites that capture a child in different moods and expressions. And, I think it's beautiful in either black and white or color. Just some thoughts.

Special Weekend Sessions Available

2009-11-01T16:17:00.009-05:00

I have unexpectedly come up with a free weekend (no weddings) and, since it's right here at Christmas portrait time, I thought I'd open it up for some weekend sessions. I usually can't do anything on weekends because I'm here, there and everywhere with the happy brides and grooms, but the weekend of November 21-22 has ended up being available. I thought it was a little late in the year to go the Outer Banks and do beach portraits so I thought I'd open it up for outdoor portraits, hopefully at Chowan University in Murfreesoboro. I'll start sessions at 9:00 in the morning and go until the light fades, probably about every 45 minutes or so depending on the photos wanted. Chowan has some great places that work well for groups -- the porch of Columns Building, the gazebo, and lake and bridge area. Additionally the porch of Columns will even work if it's raining. I'm not charging a location fee or sitting fee for these sessions and I'll be happy to cross the river to Roanoke Rapids if some of my clients over there have a spot they would like to use on Sunday. I've already got a couple of sessions set up for Chowan on Saturday so I'll stick to that location for the Saturday sessions. Portraits are a perfect gift for everyone on your Christmas list, and I've included lots of samples of family portraits in this blog to give you some ideas.

Give us a call (252-585-0394) or send an email (conwayphoto@mchsi.com) if you'd like to book one of these weekend sessions. And, of course, you're welcome to call for an appointment at the studio if you would prefer studio portraits. The Friday after Thanksgiving is already completely booked up but we have some spots available for the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and for other days and times until then. We will stop taking appointments some time around December 1 so we can concentrate on finishing up our Christmas orders. Hope we get to see you!!!

Wedding Albums

2009-10-30T12:51:00.005-04:00

You can enjoy these sample wedding albums here or through my website under password "album."

BFFs

2009-10-29T15:15:00.006-04:00

Once again I'm slower than I intended to be in writing about this basketful of fun!!! This twosome isn't a set of twins but are first cousins, Laurali Lassiter and Brayden Lassiter. Their daddies are brothers and they were born just a few weeks apart and we took a few shots of them together when Laurali came in for her portrait sitting.

Bryaden is a little bit older and seemed a little bit calmer when we got started but I don't think he quite knew what to think of his cuz when she started crying.

I'm pretty sure these two will share a special bond as they grow up together!

Little Miss Lucy

2009-10-28T14:37:00.003-04:00

I just HAD to show a few pics of Lucy Watson from Emporia, VA. I photographed her parent's wedding several years ago and it's always fun for me to get to photograph their children as well. She was a little sweetheart -- wonderful manners and obviously TONS of personality. She had lots of pretty, "sitting still" photos but I think near the end I asked her to dance. She obliged. Just a joy to photograph!!

"Sock" it to Me Wedding

2009-10-27T15:57:00.015-04:00

I'm feeling really tardy in blogging about things that have been going on lately but I've just returned from a wonderful trip to New York. Got to spend a little quality time with my husband and see some Broadway shows.

I've been intending to write about Amanda and Josh's wedding on October 10 for a while now. I had never seen the "wedding party" socks that all the men were sporting until now. I don't know whether it's to make certain that all the men wear dark socks or whether Amanda was afraid they would drink too much and forget who they are.

The rain cleared up in time for the wedding and they ended up with a beautiful day for the horse and carriage to take them on a tour around Colerain after the wedding.

They came back to the church for photos and the wedding party

got a little wild and crazy for some photos.

Amanda got the biggest wine glass of the night because

she WAS "Princess for a Day!"

A sparker send-off made the night complete.

Cotton Pickin' Time

2009-10-19T16:44:00.005-04:00

Aren't all the fields of cotton beautiful right now? I've had several people who've talked about having photos made in cotton fields and I think the ones with little children are especially sweet. Check out Reagan in one of his daddy's cotton fields. I love all of these especially the one where it looks like he's escaping from us.

Avery

2009-10-16T15:56:00.005-04:00

Sometimes I'm a good girl and blog right away when I intend to and other times I get WAY behind (like three months behind). I had saved the photo at the top of little Avery Grace almost three months ago in my blog folder because I wanted to post it and write about her. She came in for her newborn session and was a little angel. Well . . . time flies and she was back yesterday for her three-month old session. As you can see, she's still an angel and definitely starting to show her personality and her fashion sense. She's ready for fall in her little sweater and hat combo and getting a little bit flirty in her blue ensemble. I'll try to stay good and blog more often but it seems we're in over our heads here with high school seniors and now the Christmas rush is starting so don't hold me to that "bloggin'" promise. Have a good weekend.

New Gallery Wrap

2009-10-12T17:42:00.001-04:00

My files are overflowing these days with beautiful children and I know I've already shared one photo of this little cutie before, but the gallery wrap his mother ordered arrived today and we're so excited to be shipping it out to her tomorrow. I think she's got a real treasure for her walls -- every little expression that hopefully captures this age and that his parents will enjoy for a lifetime. This is always a great option when you've just got too many photos to select just one.

Lilah

2009-10-09T16:40:00.010-04:00

I first met Lilah last year when she was the flower girl in her "Aunt Lissy's" wedding. She was adorable then and is still a definite cutie. Her pumpkin dress really put me in the Halloween mood and I have to admit that I encouraged her to make a face for the camera. But I really LOVED her green dress with the chicks on it. She has the most expressive little face that I once again pulled out the brushes and did some "painterly" effects on the photo where she is holding the tree. I thought her eyes were just so beautiful in that photo!! Hope everyone is getting the trick or treat candy ready because Lilah has reminded that Halloween is coming.

Beautiful . . . in his eyes

2009-10-08T16:45:00.003-04:00

Please don't think that I always come up with all the ideas for wonderful photos. I was photographing Wendy and Keith's wedding last weekend (still working on the rest of the photos) and we were standing out on the front steps of the church getting ready to leave when Wendy said, "Can you get a photo of me reflected in his glasses? I'm looking at myself." I looked more closely and she was absolutely right. A gorgeous sunny day and there she was -- beautiful in his eyes.

My Buddy Carter

2009-10-07T09:43:00.003-04:00

My little friend Carter from Greenville came for photos on Monday and he is a sweetheart. His session went great and we got tons of great photos of him. I loved this particular expression on his face and in his eyes so much that I decided to try and refresh my skills from my "Painter" workshop I took earlier this year. I had so much fun with that class but I've been too busy to pull out the brushes and use what I learned. It's not perfect but I love the soft effect.

Woodstock Revisited

2009-10-06T12:51:00.006-04:00

I know I've missed the Woodstock anniversary by a few weeks but I was having fun this week taking some of my senior portraits and giving them a "pop" edge. I thought it was fun and it just reminded me of the 1960's. I enjoyed making members of the Class of 2010 look like they belonged on an album cover!!

Inchworm

2009-10-05T08:59:00.004-04:00

Let's start Monday morning off with a smile. You can't look at Sara Grace's little face and not smile but I also wanted to show her on her new, birthday-gift inchworm. Peggy was working the day Sara Grace came in and was so excited to see that they still made the inchworm toy. She told Sara's mom that her daughter, Michelle, had one when she was a little girl 40 years ago (sorry, Michelle, for giving away your age) and that all three of her children played on it so hard that they eventually broke it in the middle. Sara Grace hasn't started playing on hers hard enough to break it but I think she'll get the hang of it soon.

Butterflies

2009-10-03T11:01:00.008-04:00

I'm working to try and finish the photos from Abby and Jason's wedding last Saturday near Hertford. It was a beautiful fall day and they had a wonderful, enthusiastic group of family and friends to help them celebrate. I had always heard about weddings that had a butterfly release but had never photographed one before so I was excited when I found out about it. Jason and Abby came out on the front steps of the church after all their guests had exited and their pastor shared a beautiful reading about whispering a wish to a butterfly and then releasing it. They opened the box and I think Abby expected a big "whoosh" or something because she was leaning backward just a bit. Everyone really enjoyed seeing them flutter out and fly away. I wish I could have experienced it a little more with the rest of the guests but I as trying hard to get photos of the butterflies before they got out of sight. Luckily a couple of them stayed around and even landed on Abby's dress and one of the bridesmaid's bouquets so they got their own special close-up shot. A lovely way to end the wedding and head off to the reception.

Buddies

2009-10-01T16:57:00.007-04:00

Lauren and Cody are seniors at Windsor (VA) High School and are the best of friends. When I was taking some family portraits for their respective families this past summer at Nags Head, they asked me to do a few of just the two of them. We only played around for a few minutes but all of us had fun, especially Laurent and Cody. Hope they're having a great senior year!!

Jumpology

2009-09-30T12:08:00.007-04:00

There was a famous photographer named Philippe Halsman who had over 100 covers of Life Magazine to his credit. He was also famous for his collection of photographs in which he asked his subjects to "jump" for the photo. He loved stopping the motion with his camera and also felt that when he asked a subject to jump you got to see the real person because he or she was more interested in the act of jumping than in being self-conscious in front of the camera.

Just by accident a few years ago I copied Halsman's idea when I started asking little children to dance or jump near the end of the session. Kids seem to think that this is such a unique idea that they really relax and have a little fun.

I've had a couple of good "jumpers" lately. My littlest jumper is Sara Grace Hodges who was just in yesterday. Every mother prays for their two-year old to be as perfect as she was -- just an angel to work with and her jumping left her pigtails flying. My older jumper is high school senior Greyson Harrell who brought great enthusiasm and height to her jumps. At her age I suspect she's "jumping for joy" at being a senior.

Ginny and Abby at Chowan

2009-09-29T12:44:00.010-04:00

I've mentioned lots of times before that I really enjoy taking photos at Chowan University in Murfreesboro. I had always looked for some way to use that great row of rocking chairs on the porch of the Columns Building and found a way when I was photographying Abby. She looks so relaxed and, since she got married last weekend, I hope she's getting a little rest now. I'll be sharing some photos from her wedding soon.

I photographed Ginny and Michael's wedding on September 19 in Roanoke Rapids. It was a gorgeous day and I'm working hard to finish their photos but I thought I'd share some of her bridal portraits now.

I don't quite know the details behind this photo

but Ginny said she had lots of photos with this pose and we had to do it here.

Model Senior

2009-09-28T17:22:00.002-04:00

As I've mentioned before, it's senior season. Here's Blake from Roanoke Rapids HS who did one of our senior sessions. We had a great time!

Stained Glass

2009-09-26T11:04:00.003-04:00

I had a wonderful few days at the beach and enjoyed the beautiful weather, visiting with my dear friend Jonellen from New York, and celebrating my birthday. Thanks to all of my Facebook friends who sent me birthday wishes. It was so sweet to get back to the studio yesterday and find that list of emails from all of you.

I also had a special treat waiting for me at the studio. Hot off the presses (I think) was a copy of the new cookbook produced by the wonderful folks at Boykins Baptist Church. I had asked for a copy of the cookbook because I took photos of their stained glass windows and they used the photos for the cover of the cookbook as well as for divider pages throughout the book. I think they were pleased with the photos and I thought the windows looked wonderful. The cookbook committee came up with a great idea to make their book more personal by using their lovely windows that they have looked at through the years during church services. I am honored to have been a small part of the process. I think church cookbooks are the greatest anyway. I love reading through them and looking for the recipes of the people I know -- especially those ladies of the church who are known for their cooking expertise.

The cookbook and its cover reminded me of something I thought I'd share with all of you. Many of us who grew up in the small churches of our wonderful communities have stained glass windows in memory of someone from our families and many of you these days have pretty sophisticated digital cameras. You really ought to visit these churches and take photos of your family's stained glass window. If the first photo you take is too dark or too light, play around with the adjustments on your camera and see if you can get a really great photo. Look for a day that is not too sunny because too much sunshine coming through the window will just overexpose it. If you don't think you want the photo or don't appreciate it right now, just wait a few years or wait until your children or grandchildren find it years from now. It's really special. The photo above is the window from Rehoboth United Methodist Church outside Jackson which is my mother's home church, and the window is the one in memory of her parents. Years ago I took a photo of the window as you see it here along with a close-up showing my grandparents' names and gave copies to all of my many aunts, uncles and cousins (my mother had thirteen brothers and sisters). All of them appreciated it so much and I really believe it was one of the best gifts I could have given them. Give it a try.

Well, it's Saturday and I'm back from my vacation and off to a wedding. Later.

Happy 100th Ashley's Grove Baptist Church

2009-09-20T13:43:00.004-04:00

I wanted to take a moment to send my best wishes to all the good people of the Ashley's Grove Baptist Church community with whom I just celebrated their 100 year anniversary. I'm going to be gone from the studio all next week (Lynn and Peggy will be here if you need anything) and I haven't had a chance to go through all the photos carefully but I wanted to put this one up to give a preview of the ones to follow. They always do a group shot in front of the church at each of their celebrations and this HAS to be the largest group ever. I'm pretty sure it's the largest group I've ever had in front of a camera. It was a beautiful day and a glorious celebration to be a part of and I got pretty sentimental myself looking at the display of all of the old photos that are a part of the history of their church because I recognized so many of them as photos that my father took. Nothing made him any happier in his profession as a photographer than to contribute to his local community and I know that Ashley's Grove was a community that he enjoyed working with. I am proud to continue that. Congratulations to everyone that is a part of Ashley's Grove.

OBX Senior

2009-09-18T13:19:00.011-04:00

It seems that I've only been writing about senior guys lately so I really wanted to share these senior portrait I took last weekend of Lacy Pfeiffer at Colington Harbor on the Outer Banks. Lacy's family has a vacation house there and she's been talking to me for several months about taking her senior portraits there. We managed to coordinate a weekend that I was going to at the beach anyway with a fun evening running around taking some photos at sunset. I think we both had a good time and I was really excited about how pretty everything was.

I love these beautiful old live oaks with the low branches.

You really can't tell it here but the sun had already gone down and it was just about dark. I had to balance my camera on the back of a bench (I didn't have my tripod with me) and hold it REALLY steady to get this one. This is the only shot that is right in Lacy's back yard. The others were at the clubhouse nearby.
Check out the rest of Lacy's photos at http://conwayphotoshop.com/lacy/.

Little Guys with Gorgeous Eyes!!

2009-09-16T15:29:00.008-04:00

You know by now that I'm a sucker for beautiful eyes and didn't these little fellow have some gorgeous peepers?!? Girls may have the advantage lots of times when it comes to pretty clothes, but nothing really improves on a perfect little face like Jackson and Hatch here. I just feel drawn into these wonderful little faces!! I think the little girls will have to watch out in a few years 'cause these are some kind of cute fellows!

And Hatch brought along a special treat for photos -- his grandfather's boots. He'll grow into them in a few years.

Allison & Justin

2009-09-10T16:19:00.001-04:00

Full Moon in Edenton

2009-09-10T16:16:00.002-04:00

Allison & Justin were married last Saturday night outside Edenton at her parent's home. It was a beautiful day and an even more beautiful moonlit night. I didn't think I would be able to hold a camera steady enough to capture these two by moonlight (and it's not the sharpest focus in the world) but I was thrilled with the photo I got of them near the end of the evening. Also enjoy the video of their wedding highlights. I'm still working to finish all the rest of the photos but they're coming soon.

The "Eyes" Have It!!

2009-09-09T17:15:00.005-04:00

I've had lots of requests through the years for photos of babies' toes and hands and you may have seen the photo on my website of four little sets of feet -- the feet of a family of grandchildren from Roanoke Rapids. Donna Hurdle asked for a unique photo when I was doing some portraits of her family and her sons recently. She asked me if I ever did photos of just eyes. Of course I obliged and it turned out to be a unique photograph. I hope she'll enjoy the other more traditional portraits of her family as well but I really hope she likes her eyes!!

"I Wear the Ring"

2009-09-07T11:58:00.007-04:00

One of my favorite authors is Pat Conroy. I've loved his work since the early books The Water is Wide and The Great Santini all the way through his later works The Prince of Tides and My Losing Season. He just released a new book that Lynn has been reading during her lunch here at the studio and it reminded me of how much I liked what he has to say. He has a lot to say about the events of life that shape us as people. He appreciates the South as someone who has lived many places and has returned here time and again. He has written three different books about his college years at The Citadel and he returned there to give a commencement speech in 2001 that carries the line, "I wear the ring." He is talking, of course, about his Citadel class ring but I usually remember this line almost every morning when I put on my Meredith College class ring. They are completely different schools, of course, but the class rings are so recognizable to fellow alumnae. I probably don't go a month that someone somewhere doesn't glance down at my finger and ask "did you go to Meredith?" It's a bond I share with so many other women and I am always proud to answer "yes, I did." It was the perfect college experience for a small-town girl from Conway and I cherish the memories I have of those years. I'm still from North Carolina and, if I have to choose between State and Carolina and Duke I can, but the best college, in my opinion, is Meredith.

"I wear the ring."

These Boots Were Made for Marrying!!

2009-09-04T16:09:00.002-04:00

I've been waiting for this wedding to get here so that I could show you Kriston Barrett's cool boots she wore for her bridal portrait. She tied the knot about a week ago and isn't she beautiful!! I love a country girl; I'm one myself.

Let's Hear It For the Boys!!

2009-09-01T17:02:00.007-04:00

I'm so excited to see "The Guys" making a statement these days with senior portraits. For so many years, it seemed like the senior girls got all the attention with their numerous clothing changes and hair issues and the guys just showed up at the studio and endured their formal tuxedo photos and then maybe a decent shirt for their environmentals that their moms picked out for them. But the guys are putting their personalities out there now and it's been a great change. I wrote a few weeks ago about our first senior guy of the season bringing his volunteer fireman's uniform for photos and that was only the beginning. We've already had three firemen this year along with these guys showcasing their style and talents.

Ty has had quite an athletic career as you can see from the collection of jerseys behind him. This was actually his mom's idea and we thought it was a great one. She had saved jerseys and letters through the years and we made them the background of his photo.

Ty also gave us a little stylin' and profilin' with his bow tie and shades.

Ryan is really into bow hunting so it was appropriate that he brought
that with him for his portraits.

A guy's truck is really important so why not include it in your photo.

This is JW from Halifax Academy.

A Field of Sunflowers

2009-08-28T16:29:00.008-04:00

Donna Hurdle has been trying to get a photo of her sons for a couple of years but I think it's sometimes hard to gather men (even young ones) and make them do what you want. But she finally got them all together and we rode over to a field of sunflowers planted near her house. In the few short days since she made the appointment, the sunflowers had given up quite a bit and weren't quite as numerous and tall and pretty as they once were. But it still made a nice scene though I did digitally add a few sunflowers here and there to increase their population. I was a film holdout for a long time but sometimes the retouching possibilities of digital and Photoshop make me so happy.

Paisley

2009-08-26T15:25:00.010-04:00

Finally some photos of Paisley Benson to share with all of you. The last time we saw Paisley, we really didn't see her. It was when I took some maternity portraits of her mommy Michele that I posted a couple of months ago. Well, Michele brought her over for some photos and we had a great time. These little ones are so sweet and so much fun, especially if they fall asleep. Then we can put them in all sorts of poses that they will hate when they're teenagers.

Since Paisley is a summer baby, she has beach wear -- a beach towel with her name on it and some cool little flip flops. I think I remember Michele saying the flips were a gift from her aunt Whitney.

And of course a beach-going girl has to have her own personalized bucket though Paisley looks a little bored here with our efforts to get her beach ready.

Of course, we did some sweet photos with her mommy and daddy's wedding rings. I know her Daddy probably loved this one with this wedding band.

I think Michele said this pretty little dress was what she wore home from the hospital and her bracelet was a special gift from Daddy.

I think we just plain wore her out. She probably slept in her car seat all the way home.

We Are Family

2009-08-21T16:46:00.002-04:00

If you've been to Conway Photo or are from this area you already know this but we are a small business. It's just Peggy, Lynn, Eula and me and none of us are all here at the same time. But we are family and we love each other and when one of us has a problem or is hurting, we all hurt.

Right now we are all in pain and anxious because Peggy's son and Lynn's brother, Phil, was seriously injured in an accident on Thursday. (Did I mention that Lynn is Peggy's daughter -- in case you didn't know that). We are all keeping him and his family in our prayers and I wanted to write this so you all can add Phil and Betsy and Ryan and Dale to your own personal prayer list. Phil is surrounded by his family and friends and I know the entire community is waiting eagerly for news of every little improvement. Please keep them all in your thoughts this weekend and beyond. (Saturday morning update: Just talked to Lynn and feel encouraged about Phil. He's got a lot of recovering to do but all of his family and friends are behind him and will help out as much as the can).

By the way, if you don't know him, this photos is of Phil surrounded by his two sisters, Lynn and Michelle taken at Allison and Alan's wedding a couple of weeks ago. I knew how much Peggy would love this photo so I dragged these three reluctant models outside for a quick shot.

Junior Miss

2009-08-20T16:54:00.004-04:00

The Roanoke Valley Junior Miss competition is coming soon!! For the past several years I've photographed the Junior Miss contestants for their program and it's a great group of young ladies this year. It should be a wonderful evening at Halifax Community College on August 29. Good luck to all the contestants!!

Cakes!! Yum!!

2009-08-18T15:39:00.023-04:00

I have been planning for some time to blog a little about wedding cakes. Needless to say, I see a lot of them and they run the gamut from elegant to whimsical to downright funny. A recent groom's cake in the form of the Batman emblem prompted me to sit at the computer and pull up photos of some of the more memorable cakes from the last couple of years to share with you. Hope you're not too hungry when you finish looking at them.

The Batman groom's cake

Another favorite for the groom was this possum cake

This groom was obviously a policeman and I hope he likes donuts!!

This cake topper was bride and groom Pez dispensers

Cupcakes instead of

a wedding cake

This groom's cake with

the strawberries and

dark chocolate makes

me want to dive in

A German chocolate

groom's cake with orchids

These cakes are from

beach weddings at the Sanderling Inn in Duck

I love the icicles on this winter wedding cake

The stargazer lillies were

a pretty touch on this one

One of my favorite cakes --

simple and elegant. Also delicious, I'm sure,

since it was baked by Doris Riggs
from Nashville

I think it's so soft and pretty with this

tulle over the cake. It also helps

keep the bugs off the cake at an

outside wedding like this one

I've always gotten a lot of compliments

on this cake photo. I think everyone likes

the square shape and the colorful flowers.

Really pretty scrollwork in the

icing on this cake

Another beautiful cake -- this one

was baked by the bride's mother.

This is one of all-time favorite cakes. I love the cool, green color,

the miniature pears, the elegant cake stand. This one

was baked by Susan Joyner of Ahoskie.

If I left your cake out, I'm sorry. There are so many great ones and I tried to put together a group of cakes in a hurry.

Miss Laurali

2009-08-15T11:24:00.007-04:00

I have been so busy since I got back to the studio from my little vacations that I haven't been able to find a few minutes to post some new entries. I'm not complaining; work is good. I've just had so many great appointments lately and haven't had time to share them with you.

I definitely wanted to share a few photos of Laurali Lassiter. Isn't she beautiful? She brought her mom and dad over one morning and we had a great time. Not only did she smile for the camera (an outstanding accomplishment for one so little) but she also fell asleep and let us do all sorts of things to her for photos. She posed with mom and dad, she let her mommy put a big pink flower around her head, and she played with jewelry and never even woke up. FYI -- she's got both her mommy and daddy's wedding rings in the photo of just her hands and (I think) her great-grandmother's ring in the photo with the flower.

Hope you enjoy these. I'll try to be better about keeping things up to date now that I'm back home for a while.

Back from D.C.

2009-08-10T17:35:00.009-04:00

It you feels like I've been missing in action from my blog for several days then you're entirely correct. Joe and I took off on a little, long-planned trip last week to Washington. We had several goals in mind (I'm sorry but I'm goal-oriented even on vacation). The centerpiece of the trip was that I had scored tickets to the Van Morrison concert at Constitution Hall on Thursday night. I LOVE Van Morrison and the concert didn't disappoint. We also wanted to combine a little sightseeing with the concert since we hadn't been to D.C. in years. The top of MY sightseeing list was a trip to the World War II Veterans Memorial. As the proud daughter of a World War II veteran, I really wanted to pay my respects at this memorial and am very saddened that my father did not live long enough for this memorial to open. Joe and I got off our tour bus at the Lincoln Memorial and took a nice, long walk past the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on our way to the WWII memorial. It is a beautiful monument to the men, women and citizens of the U.S. who lived, fought and died during this difficult time. I was so excited to find the detail pictured above from the bas-relief sculpture on the "Liberation" panel. The sculpture depicted some of the many jobs the troops performed during and after the war and I felt that this photographer was included especially for my Daddy. He spent the last year of his time in the Army as a photographer in occupied Japan and many of the skills he learned there served him well in his future career.

More photos from the World Warr II memorial showing the Pacific side of the memorial along with the North Carolina pillar.

Joe and I also really enjoyed our visit to the Newseum. Lot of wonderful exhibits. We wish we had another entire day to spend there. Joe especially enjoyed the exhibit they had on the 40th anniversary of Woodstock.

So . . . I'm back at work now immersed in high school seniors. I hope to be able to blog more often because I've had lots of great things going on lately that I want to share. Have a good week everyone!

Special Birth Announcement

2009-07-30T09:29:00.002-04:00

I know I've shared photos of Reese Pearce before but I wanted to show you her birth announcement that Valerie and I came up with. Valerie wanted something special to send out to friends and family so we designed a postcard with some of her first photos. I thought it was just so cute -- a simple, beautiful card with all the important facts. By the way, everyone keep Valerie in your thoughts. She has to go back to work on Monday and I know she would rather be home with Reese!!

OBX Families!

2009-07-28T14:37:00.007-04:00

I've had a wonderful little rush of beach portraits lately and thought I'd share some of the great families I've worked with. While it's always beautiful at the Outer Banks, it's not always a weather-cooperative day. We've worked around the rain and been carried away by the wind and have still come up with some wonderful family portraits. I'll probably be heading back to the beach to do some portraits a few more times this year so call or email and put yourself on the list if you're interested. I'll probably have a weekend in August and one in September and hopefully one in October which I think is the best month (the heat and the tourists have died down). Hope to see you there!!

Alan & Allison -- A Preview

2009-07-24T14:01:00.004-04:00

John and Ashley

2009-07-22T16:49:00.013-04:00

I so enjoyed photographing John and Ashley Deloatch's wedding on the 11th. They had a beautiful day -- great weather, a fun wedding party and lots of family and friends to party the night away. Thought I'd share a preview of some of their photos including the wedding party having a little fun on the golf course and a very special moment before the wedding when John's mother gave Ashley a special piece of jewelry that belonged to his grandmother. Lots of tears but a really happy event for everyone.

Mrs. Satterfield (just Allison to everyone)

2009-07-20T12:38:00.019-04:00

The big day has come and gone for Allison and Alan who were married in Duck on Saturday. I'm sure I'll be writing in the future about the wedding but I haven't even started yet to sort through all of the photos. And believe me, there are A LOT of them so give me some time to finish them!! I did promise to share Allison's bridal portraits since so many of you enjoyed her "trash the dress" session. Here are a few of them and you can see the rest at http://conwayphotoshop.com/3044/.

Camryn's First Birthday

2009-07-16T17:23:00.002-04:00

It's hard to believe that Camryn Rawls turned one yesterday. It seems to me like just a few months ago that I took an "itty bitty" baby photo of her and now she's just about to run away from me. I took a little trip over to Jackson to her house to celebrate her big day. I think she's having the major party this weekend but her mommy wanted to catch a few photos on her birthday and even made her a little cake. Camryn wasn't really excited about diving into her cake like some one-year olds. She was a real little lady and only licked a little off her fingers. Happy Birthday, Camryn!! I bet next year we won't be able to catch you for photos.

Miss Paisley Faith Benson has Arrived

2009-07-16T08:42:00.002-04:00

Most of you who know Michele and Kevin Benson already know that they had a beautiful little girl last weekend, but my readers who only saw Michele's maternity photos a few weeks ago have been waiting for the big news. She is beautiful, perfect and much loved. Congratulations to Michele and Kevin. I can't wait to meet baby Paisley!!

Senior Season Has Started -- Go Class of 2010!

2009-07-14T08:55:00.003-04:00

We've had our first senior portrait session of the season -- Neal Brinkley from Northeast Academy, Class of 2010. We sent out letters to all the Northeast seniors a couple of weeks ago so they can get their portrait done before school gets started and we've got several sessions on the schedule. Neal was the first one in and brought his uniforms as a Union Volunteer fireman for his environmental portraits. We look forward to senior season here at Conway Photo so, no matter what school you attend, give us a call and we'll be glad to set up a session for you. Remember -- we don't have set packages that you have to buy. You create your own package and order exactly what you want.

Brayden

2009-07-13T12:59:00.005-04:00

I have been so lucky lately to have so many beautiful babies in the studio along with their equally wonderful parents. Peggy and Lynn and I have been commenting that we've had some wonderfully relaxed first time parents who are just enjoying their babies and letting us have a good time photographing them. Thought I'd share a few shots of Sarah and Mark Lassiter with little Brayden. He's going to have all the little girls chasing him in a year or so. And doesn't he have just the cutest little feet you've ever seen.

4th of July Wedding

2009-07-10T15:53:00.005-04:00

It may not have been Times Square at the end of World War II but I had a pretty good 4th of July celebrating with Betsy and Josh at their wedding in Suffolk. As you can see from the photos, it was a celebration with uniforms and medals and fireworks and a kiss for the new wife that was worthy of that famous Times Square kiss from 1945. Hope you all had a good 4th as well!