Thanksgiving in two weeks?!?

So, I've been MIA, I know. I'll be the first to admit I'm not good at all about staying up to date with my business in the blogging world or on Facebook, but I try! I'm a part time photographer, so unlike everyone else, I don't spend my M-F 8-5 being able to do all that cool stuff! Please forgive me...

So where did October go??? I have no clue. I know I say this every year, but this year I mean it like never before... "I cannot believe Thanksgiving/Christmas are right around the corner!" What the heck! I think I need to pause life for a few days to absorb it all and be able to take it on!

I've been eating like crazy. I'm hungry every 60-90 minutes. Seriously. It's beginning to get annoying. I took my oldest daughter to McD's for lunch and devoured a McRib (so glad it's back!) and large fry. I'm sitting here two hours later starving. This baby has to be a boy. I was never this ravished with my girls. I guess we'll know in 12 or so days!

So what did I do in October? I'll tell you what: edited and shot, edited and shot (say that ten times and you'll know why I haven't posted since October 5th). November is the unofficial "I want my family picture for Christmas cards month" so I'm busy doing it all over again this month. I have a strict self-inflicted policy to not take any more work after Thanksgiving through New Year's, so I'm looking forward to that. I just collect orders, print 'em, and ship 'em!

So last month I had the honor of delivering my final wedding collection for the year! This was to Gillian and Matt who were married Labor Day weekend here in Charlotte. They had a gorgeous day for their wedding. I loved getting to shoot at Providence Country Club for their reception. So "southern", wouldn't you say? It was gorgeous. Here are some faves:

The rest of the month I spent doing kid and family portraits. Matthew is 18 months and his cousin Ryan just turned 1. I've been photographing both of them since they were itty bitty, so it's fun to see them grow each year. We did their shoot at Freedom Park and it turned out really well. There's just something about that bridge that I love (and it's not the people the walk across it every 15 seconds while you're trying to shoot. LOL!)

The Collins family is one of four kiddos who are dear friends of ours. I've been photographing them for a few years now, and it's really fun to see them mature. We did a "take 2" of the group picture, as the kids just weren't up for it the first time. I'm so glad we did... they turned out great! Sometimes you just have to admit that kiddies are not in the mood and you'll have to try another day :)

Beckett - Charlotte Baby Photographer

I am on a roll... just finished up Baby Beckett's newborn session. I'm working like a dog today because tomorrow's my birthday and I want to take the day off from all work (full time job and this.) Happy birthday to me...

This big boy (almost a ten pounder) was almost two weeks late! We all patiently awaited his arrival which couldn't have gone smoother. Proud new parents, Chris and Hannah, just happen to be my 2010 advertising couple. They are too sweet, and my hubby and I enjoy hanging out with them when they're in the neighborhood. They were married in Tybee Island which was one of my all-time favorite weddings to shoot. So fun, and done so well :)

This might have been my best newborn session yet. It's best to photograph these little ones when they're just days old. Babies change too much after 2-3 weeks! It makes me eager to have daily photo sessions with our newest addition come April. (It will be our final edition, so I'll go all out. hee hee) Beckett was awesome. He was cranky and awake the first 20 minutes, then passed out cold the rest of the session allowing me to manipulate him six ways to Sunday along the way. It's been hard, but I've chosen a few of my faves to share with you. Check out my Facebook page to see even more!

Caitlin - Charlotte Baby Photographer

This is one of my favorite posts to share with you. Babies, babies, everywhere! Sitting here expecting our third in April (we're really pulling for a BOY) I've got babies on the brain.

Sweet Caitlin is a miracle in the making. I just can't stop staring at her little face... mostly because I keep waffling on who she looks like more, her mom or her dad. Proud parents are Scott and Beth, one of my alltime favorite couples whose wedding I photographed two years ago at Saratoga Springs.

They are the nicest couple ever, and definitely the type who got married for all the right reasons and nothing more. They are like peanut butter and jelly, and now they've created this amazing little girl who clearly is the light of their world.

Here are a few faves from our session at Davidson College (same location that I took their engagement pictures!)

Bahamas Bound

It's time to celebrate! First and foremost, tomorrow is my last wedding of the season! Bittersweet, but I'm excited to have the entire college football season off this year! (Boiler Up!)

The other reason I'm celebrating is because my hubby and I are taking our annual anniversary trip. We've been married eight years come September 7th. We went to an all-inclusive in the Riviera Maya for our honeymoon and loved it. We decided to do another "big trip" for our five year anniversary... so we hit up an all-inclusive in Punta Cana, DR. We realized at that time that we were complete idiots for waiting an entire five years to do something so refreshing, re-energizing, and fun! It's been an annual tradition ever since.

We try to go somewhere new every year, so this year we're trying out the Sandals Grand Bahamian. We've been to Nassau before on a cruise stop, but that was just for a day so it doesn't really count, does it? Anyway, this will be our first Sandals experience, and from what we hear it should be a good one. That plus the fact this trip cost about $1k more than all the others... I'm ready to be waited on hand and foot!

In other news, I know I've been totally slacking in posting new pics on here. I have put a few on Facebook, but need to get back in the saddle. I shot and edited one wedding and three portrait sessions this month, so there's plenty of content out there! I have a really good excuse though... on August 12th we found out our third child is on the way! Yay for babies! The downside is I'm God-awful tired all day long and have a nauseated stomach pretty much round the clock. :( I think the Bahamas are just what this momma needs!

Judy & Joel: A Wake Forest Wedding

Some couples I just fall in love with... you other photogs know what I'm talking about. Some people just touch your soul, and you can see right away that they are the "real deal". Judy and Joel are two of those people. Both are so sweet, kind, and easy going. They are a photographer's dream!

I met them last fall when we did their engagement session at Jetton Park in Cornelius. It was so easy to capture their love for one another. They are/were both graduate students at Wake Forest, which is where they held their wedding this past May. While it did rain for a little while, the sun peeked out just in time for our campus pictures so I was really excited about that (I mean, Wake IS a beautiful place, people!)

I totally went overboard with their proofs. I love them all, but the B&W ones especially caught my eye this time around. Here are a few of my faves...

Oh! One more thing before my faves... Another all-time-favorite couple, Scott & Beth (Saratoga Springs wedding June 2008) just had their first baby in January {I love it when that happens!} They contacted me to start taking shots of their sweet Caitlin. We accomplished that in the same location as their engagement photos. {How fun is it to do side-by-side comparisons in a double frame?} As soon as I edit them, I'll post them (hopefully in the next two weeks.) Yay for Mary's favorite couples!!!

The Dress

I just really like this shot. Not sure why.

Moments after the "first sight" which happened impromptu and totally my fault....

Going to the par-tay in Reynolds Hall at WFU

Joel looks so tough in this picture. Actually, he's a soft-spoken teddy bear believe it or not!

"Hello, may I please speak to my husband?!?"

Getting ready... Judy's dress had two pockets on the sides. How cool is that!

Sunflowers

So last week a little birdy told me about a sunflower field not too far away. I drove by that day, and was instantly in love!

This morning I had a portrait shoot, so before I had to be at it I decided to take the girls to the sunflower field. They were very unhappy, as the sunflowers are very thick/pokey, but I got a few good shots none the less. I'm going to return tomorrow morning with Ava to get her four-year pictures. Yes, her birthday was two months ago, but such is life... Happy Weekend, everyone!

ONE smile out of all the shots.

The main event: picking flowers

Always camera ready! (I've trained her well)

What's up with crazy reprint prices?

This is a venting blog... I was just sitting here thinking that I really need to put a "portraits" section on my website so clients know what my sitting fee is, length, location, etc. This brought to mind that most customers probably want to know how much they will pay to purchase the images they already paid to have taken.... which brought to mind the mindblowing knowledge that some photographers really enjoy gouging their customers!

I've heard of photographers who only give you an online proofing gallery for a week... (a WEEK!). How is anyone supposed to make photo decisions in just a week? I have a hard enough time getting all of our laundry done each week. Add to it working, running a household, and finding even a few minutes of personal time to catch up on the latest celebrity gossip... I personally wouldn't be able to figure out all of my order needs in just a week. It's obvious these photographers are playing off of people's excitement when they get their proofs, which perhaps is smart, but I still find a little disturbing/unethical/used-car-salesmanny.

Second, what's up with the crazy reprint prices? There's nothing I hate more than being nickled and dimed....nothing. Like, the airline industry is my biggest foe. Pretty soon here I'm going to be chillin with my baggage in the dark just to save $20. Anyway, I digress... over the past year or so I've come across some photographers charging upwards of $35, $45... I've even seen $60 for the first print (this is for a tiny print). This is price gouging at its worst! Who can swallow paying $60 for a single 4x6 print? Do these photographers not want their customers to order prints? Isn't that the whole point of having pictures taken by a professional??? so that you can enjoy them afterwards? I just don't get it. Make your money up front, and let the ordering process be a palatable experience for your client, not a "blood-pressure-going-up with every click" experience.

Ladies and gents, my reprints start at $2. Yes, two bucks!