Monday, February 6, 2012

Simply Stunning in a Sari...

I can't believe that this time next week, the movers will be here to pack our stuff for our move to Spartanburg! 

I am finally back to blogging, and I have several fall sessions to blog in the next few weeks so keep your eyes peeled.  I am praying that by the time I finish posting these fall 2010 rewind posts I will have some new content to post about.  If you know anyone in the Spartanburg or Greenville areas who is looking for a photographer, please pass my name along! 

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

Back in November, I got a chance to go out with a dear friend and former student and do a "just for fun" session.  Khushnuma (Numa) was one of my best Spanish students, both a hard worker and a talented language learner... maybe that's because she grew up speaking two languages, English and Gujarati?!  She also reminds me so much of myself a few years ago!  Our personalities are so much alike!  We both stress(ed) over school, and we both love learning about other cultures.

Numa's family is from India, and we've dreamed about going out to do photos in her Saris for months.  We finally found a day that wasn't too hot or too cold and that her mom was free to come along and assist in properly arranging Numa's attire.  (It would have been a little complicated for this incredibly southern... American... girl! Ha ha!) 

I have to share a little bit about the story behind her saris.  The pink and green one at the bottom was the one she wore to her sisters wedding in India last year.  The blue one was her very first Sari.  The way it works in Irani Parsi culture is the material is selected before the daughter's baptism (Navjote) into the Irani Parsi religion (a sect of zorastrianism), and their first sari is made from the material when they become a woman (i.e. have their first cycle).  I love knowing the story behind something!  It makes photographing it that much more special!

The day we took these shots, the clouds gave us fits, floating in and out and constantly changing my lighting, but we still managed to get some beautiful shots.  I love, love getting the chance to photograph someone of another culture.  It is so eye-opening for me and such a fun new challenge!  I hope this opens the doors to photographing other Indian families and maybe eventually even an Indian wedding!  Hey... it could happen!

Have a marvelous Monday!



Tuesday, January 31, 2012

November wedding in Macon

I am so late posting this wedding, but I am so excited to finally share it with you! This couple was wonderful to work with! Leslie is so sweet, and Troy was such a wonderfully laid back and accomodating groom. They were both willing to do pretty much whatever I suggested... even if it meant losing a suit button while getting photos in a wooded gully near the reception site. Sorry Troy! I hope Men's Wearhouse didn't charge you too much to replace it!

This couple was so obviously in love with each other, and so fun to be around! Their families were very warm and helpful too. The wedding really had the atmosphere of true southern hospitality... I love that!

I also loved that Leslie and Troy asked me to somehow incorporate their love of baseball in their photos. While I admit to being a little nervous beforehand, I love a challenge like this! I think the final outcome really did them justice! A big shoutout goes to my friend Jackie Buitrago (of Life's Journey Photos) for assisting me and helping me think outside the box! We made an awesome team, and I would shoot every wedding with you if I could!

Thank you Leslie and Troy for sharing your special day with me and giving me the privilege of documenting your memories!

And without further a-do, enjoy the following pages from Leslie and Troy's album!

Ally



Monday, December 5, 2011

Catching up...

Well.... it's been a long time since my last post. I keep telling myself to get on here and post SOMETHING.... ANYTHING... so I don't get further behind, but there's always something more pressing to get accomplished. On top of being CRAZY busy with photo sessions and a wedding this fall, we found out we are expecting again, which means I have been exhausted and nauseated for about 6 weeks now. It seems like everything I was just barely keeping done in the house and in my business has run way ahead of me. But I guess that's just par for the course, and I'll finally get caught up again when I feel better. :) There is a light at the end of this tunnel!

I am working through the photos for my last wedding, and I hope to have at least a sneak peak up by the end of the week. (But don't hold me to that!) Until then... enjoy the following cartoon that a friend emailed me this week.


Happy Monday!


Ally

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Victory is sweet!

I'm down in the sunshine state spending some quality time with my parents! I actually came down to do a "stock photo" shoot for the Children's Forum (look for those photos soon), which for little man (and me) basically meant a free trip down to see Bigdad and Grandmom! Holla!!

Yesterday was mom's "day off" from teaching classes so we made "victory" cookies for her to take to her physical therapy session. She has just graduated from one-on-one PT sessions to basically coming and doing her PT by herself with the therapists nearby to answer any questions she has. She wanted to thank her therapists for their hard work these last two months by suprising them with sugar cookies. It just so happened that one of her therapists is a Florida Gator fan, and it just so happened that AUBURN BEAT the Gators on Saturday. So it only seemed right to decorate the cookies with AU's and "WAR EAGLE". "Victory" cookies just seemed fit all the way around! Don't you love double entendres? And of course... I had to get some photos of our culinary accomplishment!


It's been a good visit- photo shoots, football, cookies and all! We head back home tomorrow. We are sad to leave Bigdad and Grandmom behind again, but we are soooooooo ready to be back with Dada!

Happy Tuesday everyone!



Here's a sneak peak from the Forum shoot. I'll explain about it in a later post.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Senior Rep: Kishan P.

You'll never guess where I first met Kishan... a Mary Kay debut! No, really! (BTW... he wasn't there to try out the makeup.) He came to support our mutual friend (and my new MK recruit), Numa, and let me tell you it takes a special kind of guy to brave a Mary Kay party for a friend! We had a lot of fun at that debut, and there were actually two other guy friends who came so he wasn't too badly outnumbered. But who would have known I'd find one of my MALE Senior Reps there that day!

Kishan is one of the students you WANT to represent your business. He is responsible, prompt at returning emails or texts/calls, and takes direction well. He made sure he knew exactly what would be required of him BEFORE he accepted the Rep position, and he isn't afraid to ask when he doesn't understand something. I like that!

Kishan also brings a new diversity to my senior photography. His family is Indian, and he grew up speaking Gujarati at home. So of course I had to include some photos of him in his awesome Shervani (Indian attire). Fun new territory for me! I like a challenge! Enjoy browsing his photos and look for great things in the future from this Senior from North Gwinnett High!

Monday, October 10, 2011

REWIND... L. Gwartney 15 months

This next installment in my REWIND series features a friend's little girl. This was a fun photo session that we were able to work into my schedule when I went down to Florida to photograph a graduation last May. Little Miss Gwartney is too cute for words! I was chasing a moving target as she ran all over this little park pointing at "dis". There were a LOT of "dis" 's! We played with pinecones and sticks, checked out a rail fence and a fallen log, and played on the swings, slide and jungle gym. It's so much fun to watch her grow, especially because she's one week older than my little guy, and we have fun comparing the stages they are in. Hope you enjoy browsing through these fun photos!

Happy Monday!




Monday, October 3, 2011

REWIND... Baby Randolph

The following is another edition of my REWIND series to catch everyone up on the whereabouts of my camera while I was working hard at Mary Kay this spring and summer.

The first weekend of April, I had the honor of shooting a newborn session (or make that two sessions) for a friend of mine. She and her husband have been hoping and praying for a baby for so long, and "baby Randolph" is the long-awaited answer to that prayer. God is GOOD!!

Baby Randolph is not only sweet but modest too! She was very quick to voice her objections to the idea of being photographed in just her skivvies. Obtaining the photos you will see below required two photo sessions (on two separate days), a hair dryer, a warm blanket, a Binky, and a nursing mommy nearby. She was a tough subject (as most newbies are) but the final product was well worth the effort!

Congratulations, mom and dad! I'm sorry I'm almost six months late posting these photos for you all to enjoy!

Happy Monday!