New Moon Review and Jack's Mannequin

Last night I saw New Moon!! Most people know this was a HUGE event for me! I loved the books. These books were not literary masterpieces- they are total fluff and I love them! We had a pre-movie gathering then all headed to the theater. There was a moment of panic when there was a long line to get in and we thought that we are not going to get 9 seats together but it all worked out.

Here is my review of the movie-

First it was entertaining and definitely better than the Twilight. The special effects were 1000 times better but Edward still looked like he had taken a bath in Victoria's Secret body lotion for his glittering. So that was kind of dissappointing but you can't win them all. I have always been on Team Edward but for this movie I really moved to Team Jacob. I know that Taylor Lautner is like 13 years younger than me but he took his shirt off I screamed- so did everyone else in the theater! I will definitely see the movie again so if anyone is going in the next few weeks call me!

When I was reading Twilight I went to Stephenie Meyer's website and found her playlists for the books. On it was this band Jack's Mannequin. I listened and fell in love! The music is kind of Emo (think Death Cab) meets a bit punk (think Augustana). Nick and I have seen a few of his shows and we are definitely the oldest people there! My favorite songs off the new record The Glass Passenger are Hammers and Strings, Caves and Crashin. The other day Andrew McMahon was on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart talking about his battle with Leukemia and his new record. I suggest checking it out.

The Reed Family

So, I am the first to admit, I am not a family photographer.  When people ask me what do you shoot I say weddings, nothing but weddings.  And it took me along time to say that confidently.  For the first years of my business, I was shooting everything, kids, families, maternity, newborn, commerial, interiors, weddings and I was happy but not estatic about it.  Then I made some HUGE business decisions for my own personal happiness to cut out the other stuff and specialize in weddings.  Did this change my business, absolutely!  I was turning away family clients which in this economy is really hard to do!  But I feel that by trimming out the other projects I am able to give my wedding clients the personal attention to detail and customer service that they deserve.  I really get to know my clients and that allows me to create amazing, creative images on their wedding day.

All that said (or typed) when Tami asked me to photograph her family, I said Yes!  I met Tami in 2007 when her family was on HGTV's Deserving Design and she runs an amazing blog- Talking with Tami!  She featured an interview with me a few months agg- Click Here to read it! Tami knows everyone in Atlanta and is so nice, like unbelieveably sweet!  I follow her on Twitter- @talkingwithtami- and she makes me laugh all the time!  Tami is incredibly down to earth with an awesome sense of style so I knew this shoot would be fabulous or as Tami says- Pinktastic!  Here are a few of my favorites!

Remember to leave a comment and I will donate $1 for each comment to the American Brain Tumor Association- Click here to read more!

My Way of Giving Back

Ok, my heart is pounding and I am stepping out of my blog is for business box! So it is November and that means Thanksgiving and the things that I am thankful for.  And I have sooo many wonderful things that I can say I am thankful for- my family, my career, my amazing husband, my dogs (even when they eat a hole in my leather chair).  But I am extremely thankful for our friendship with Alison and Josh.

Nick used to work with Alison and would always tell me how awesome she was.  Then she suggested we have a couples date with them.  Of course I was late.  But they forgave me and we had a blast with Alison and her husband Josh.  It is so rare that couples get along, usually the guy likes the guy and the girls hate each other or the other way!  But with Josh and Alison we just gelled.  We discovered that we had tons in common- the love of college football, traveling and we started hanging out all the time.  From vacations to emergencies their friendship became a constant in Nick and I’s life.  Then in August of 2008 at the age of 37 Josh had a seizure at work and the doctors discovered a brain tumor.  It was crazy to think that the guy who the day before was moving a couch in my house had a brain tumor.  After the diagnosis they decided on surgery, chemo, radiation to fight the disease.  It was a difficult and emotional ride for them but they have remained strong and today he is doing amazing!  

There are really no words for what their friendship means to Nick and I.  We do not have kids so our friends are our family and I could not ask for better family than Josh and Alison.

As my way to give back and help others that are faced with battling brain tumors, for every person that leaves a comment on my blog posts or becomes my Facebook Fan from now until the end of the month, I will donate $1 to the American Brain Tumor Association.  So if you leave a comment on every post until the end of the month that will be $1 a post with 11 days until the end of the month that would be $11 donated to the American Brain Tumor Association just for writing a comment.  And on Facebook you have to become a fan, if you are already a fan start leaving blog comments.

On December 1, 2009 I will post the total amount and maybe get one of those big cardboard checks.  

Now I am going to post some personal pictures!  We have had such an awesome time with Josh and Alison in the past few years that I dug into my archives for these gems.  

This is March 2008 with my uncles in Philadelphia.  Nick, Alison, Josh and I went up there for a weekend.  There are some other awesome shots from this weekend but they will remain hidden!

This is Memphis in May, in 2008

This is December 2008, about 4 months after diagnosis Josh and Alison came to Tahoe to spend New Years with Nick and I out there!

I love both these shots.  The one on the left bc it is soooo Josh and Alison.  The one on the right because Josh is holding his ticket to go skiing! 

Lori Beth and Jared Engagement Session-Sneak Peek

On Saturday Lori Beth and Jared and I met up in Cabbagetown for their engagement session!  I photographed Lori Beth's sister, Jenna's wedding about 3 years ago and for their full post I will put a shot from that amazing wedding!  But for now here is a few that caught my eye- the full post will be coming soon!

Meet their adorable dog- Denny!

Kim and Scott Engagement Session - Sneak Peek

This morning I forced Kim and Scott to meet me at the unholy time of 7:30am to start their engagement session.  I was fully prepared for Scott to throw rocks at me but he was really nice about the early morning start and the fact that I am a Gator.  Here are 2 shots that I grabbed while downloading the images!

How gorgeous are they!!!