Feelin' Love on Luckie Street

Courtney and Michael are a great couple who are getting married on the beach in beautiful St. Augustine, FL this Memorial Day weekend. We went out last weekend to shoot some engagement portraits. They were so much fun dancing in the street, smooching in front of old warehouses, relaxing on the grass in Centennial Olympic Park, and playing in the park's famous fountains. Michael said he knew when I liked what they were doing because he could hear my camera snapping away! I don't think they minded having a papparazzi for a day since we got pictures like these...

Feelin' Love on Luckie Street

so cute dancing in the street!


who knew the Atlanta Court of Appeals building could be so sexy?!


wrapped in Michael's arms


Isn't he romantic? Good thing the police just around the corner didn't see where that flower came from!


Centennial Park Fountains...

Congratulations Courtney and Michael. See you in Florida!

View their slideshow soon.

Jennifer & Adam

Connie and I photographed our first ever vow renewal ceremony and reception on Sunday for Jennifer and Adam. They are such an amazing couple. After 6 years of marriage and their 2 year old son, Ethan, they decided to renew their vows to each other with a Jewish ceremony at Shearith Israel.

The major difference from a traditional wedding was that they weren't under the normal stress that most couples and families are. Questions like, "Do you have the rings?", weren't asked with cringed faces anticipating a poor response. Instead there was laughter, a lot of laughter, Florida basketball updates, direction-giving to lost relatives who somehow managed to circle all of Atlanta on I-285, Ethan running around during the ceremony, Rabbi Norry pouring shots of whiskey for everyone after the Ketubah (marriage contract) was signed, and the most beautiful vows I've ever heard. It's so amazing how years of marriage will change the types of promises made and the way that a couple will describe their love. It was apparent that their love has grown so much stronger since they were first married. Jen's vows were so beautiful that my eyes started to well up and I was forced to stop shooting for a moment so I could see.

Their dinner reception was at Muss & Turner's in Smyrna. Ryan Turner's beautiful restaurant was the perfect host to Jen and Adam's small gathering. The intimate ambiance, delicious food, and, from what I heard, great wine tasting all complemented the celebration for Jen and Adam.

Here are some of my favorite images.

walking down the isle...

... the Jewish tradition of the bride circling the groom seven times at the start of the ceremony

Ethan was having a blast running around while the ceremony took place....



...the celebration continued to Muss & Turner's

Click here to see their slideshow.

Painting Party for One

After grabbing an early dinner at The Righteous Room with my friend Arrie, I headed home to tackle painting my office. While I continue to work during the day, Nick and I have been trying to work on the renovations in my new office at night and on the weekends. The peachy paint isn't so peachy, so I decided to paint the walls a more neutral gray. (The Sherwin Williams paint is actually called "Grayish" which I found amusing.)


The best part of the renovations so far hasn't been the paint, but a cubbie/file/display wall that we're putting in. The fireplace on the other side of the wall created this weird "nook" that could only be one thing in my mind. Since I needed storage for large collages, wall enlargements and framed pieces, I thought it'd be a great place to customize something that would hold these large pieces on the bottom and shelves above for sample albums, information, etc. Here's the progess so far.


The house is old, built in 1947, so none of the walls are straight and there isn't a right angle anywhere, so fitting shelves and all the files have been no easy task. Luckily, I have Nick for that! So as soon as the shelves are cut, I'll be able to paint them and we can finally finish. Well, finish the cubbie. So far, I've only painted one of the four walls. All in due time, right?! I am so excited for it all to be finished. It's going to be great.

It's time to celebrate!

I found out on Tuesday that I was nominated for an Allie Award for Best Event Photography for Beth & Tim's wedding! How cool!! The judges are caterers, florists, event production people, basically every type of vendor you would ever need for a wedding or other event. The awards recognize outstanding work, ethics and service to event and wedding clients. I'm so excited to be honored as an exceptional wedding photographer by my colleagues

The gala event is on March 25 and is just like the Oscar's so I'll be waiting anxiously in my seat to find out if I won. Just being nominated is a huge accomplishment, but it would be great to win.

Thanks to Beth & Tim and Suzy at Neverland Farms, the venue for the September 2006 wedding. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

By the way, could they have found a more elegant and iconic person to represent this year's award ceremony? Audrey Hepburn has been a favorite of mine since I saw Breakfast at Tiffany's. In fact her picture has been on my fridge for the last 4 years to serve as my inspiration. Everytime I see her picture, I'm reminded to continue aiming to be a graceful and genuine female professional.

Funky Friday Rocked!

On Friday night, Nick's band played at Vinyl and I went to shoot some pics of them. They competed in the Emergenza contest and sounded the best they've ever sounded. I've taken a lot of pictures of Nick before, (in fact that's how we met) but I think these are the best live shots I've ever taken. Nick has a ton of shows coming up, so check his schedule on Myspace and join us at his next show at Maddy's in Decatur on April 14th or at Black Bear Tavern this Saturday with the Kerry Hill Band.

Fascinating Article about Portraits

I was reading one my many photography magazines - Studio Photography - a couple nights ago. The pile of backlogged mag's that I haven't been able to keep up with has gotten out of hand since I moved. I'm sure you can relate to stacks of newspapers and magazines that you want to read but sometimes just can't find the time to read. Anyway, I came upon a really interesting article. It's called "The New Face of Advertising: Fed up with Scandals, Threats, Public Drawn to Real People" by Denise Waggoner. It talks about how advertising campaigns have used images of people to convince potential customers of the greatness of their products.

"We all remember the handsome and rugged Marlboro Man, who made the filtered cigarette a symbol of masculinity."

She goes on to describe why images of people are so descriptive.

"According to David B. Givens, Ph.D., director of the Center for Nonverbal Studies, the answer may be written all over their faces. Givens describes the face as every human’s visual trademark, a powerful expression of attitudes, opinions, and moods that defines our identity and enables us to communicate—and connect—without words."

Without any verbal communication, we are able to read the mood of others. I think we are so accustomed to doing this that we don't even think about it anymore. But think about it. You can always tell when that person in front of you in line at the grocery store is in a hurry without speaking to him. Or you can see when someone is having a great day because they smile or laugh for what seems like no reason. Something great must have happened, right? I think that is so powerful. We are so perceptive that we don't need language to understand others.

© © 200122768-001/Jack Louth/Getty Images

"This portrait’s calm, quiet confidence connects the viewer with an inner desire to possess the same qualities."

The article goes on to say that we are so inundated with advertising in all media, that we find ourselves trying to sift through it all to find truth. And that means that we trust product ads more when we see people using them that look like us. We don't beleive the supermodel perfection.

"... audiences had become skeptical about 'slicked up' advertising centered on artificial heroes. Consumers no longer wanted to see perfection; they wanted to see themselves."

© © 200283064-002/Sir Stafford/Getty Images
"Portraits can recognize diversity, while focusing on individual style rather than groupthink."

It's interesting that they were able to isolate this phenomenon in their study because I find myself doing this all the time. I know that the spectacle of perfection isn't real so whatever product is being advertised using this guise, I consider a lie. It's nice to know that I'm not the only skeptical one out there!

So, in the future, advertising will continue to move in this direction of showing real people to convey truth.

"We’ll also see a growing number of advertising concepts that rely on the appeal of authentic personal testimony. . . the new aesthetic will fuse both conceptual and documentary styles, forming a compelling visual based on abstract realism."

And you know I love that the future of advertising will be this "truth" aesthetic because that 's what I strive to do every day for my clients. Being able to reveal personality, mood and the essence of relationships is what makes photographs so meaningful.

Roulette, Blackjack and Dancing

Back in December, we photographed the annual holiday party for AutoTrader.com. I always have such a great time with the ATC crew. Everyone is so happy and welcoming and their events don't feel at all like work. :)

The big event was held at the Westin in Buckhead and drew about 2,000 people. While I don't usually enjoy photographing posed pictures, everyone there made it so fun. Barry, Connie and I must have laughed all night. Here are a few of my favorite shots.

The great view of Lenox Square from the private balcony.


The chef made me swear not to show this picture to his bosses. He was posing for me and didn't realize that his knife was in the wrong hand. "That'll make it tough to cut!"


Charlie's Angels


Adorable happy couple.


My friends, Michele & Hilly, who are always available for a picture.


Sha-zam!

Our Doors are Open

My first official client meeting in the new space was this morning and although the 5 of us were a little cramped, it went great. Monica and Morris are a fun artistic couple from San Francisco. And their amazing wedding coordinator, Margie Sikes of Affairs of Elegance, is full of energy. She and I worked together at Noelle and Nathan's wedding a few years ago at Park Tavern.

Being artists themselves, M&M (cute, huh?) really understand the importance of photography at their wedding. In fact, they had already decided that it would recieve the largest budget of all their vendors. They explained that they wanted to be able to enjoy captured moments as art in their home. They spoke about a photographer at a friend's wedding (and I've heard this so many times before!) who made the couple re-walk the isle and redo just about everything in order to photograph it. How frustrating would that be to have to stop your day just so that the photographer can take pictures?! The point is to document the day, to tell a story, the re-experience the day as it happened - bloopers and all - every time they look at their album or wall photographs.

I'm really looking forward to photographing their wedding in the fall. So, it seems that the new space is good luck so far!

Our Move to Decatur

The last few weeks have been crazy, amazing, exhausting and rewarding. I moved my office (and home!) to Decatur and have been busy planning, painting, cleaning and reorganizing. During the pack up, I was so proud that I got rid of so many things that I no longer needed. You should have seen the amount of paper recycling I put out on the street. Four years in business can cause a huge amount of accumulation. The feeling of being rid of those things that weren't helping me or the business was so awesome. I felt cleansed and like I could breathe easier. I am now down to just a few packed boxes and it's coming along. Just wish I had had time to paint and get the new office furniture BEFORE I moved in, but oh well.

The new place is located just 1.5 miles south of downtown Decatur in the cute neighborhood of Forrest Hills. We will definitely have a party to celebrate the new place soon (well, as soon as we get a chance to paint and get the new furniture!)

Engaged, Me? What?!

Nick proposed on Thursday night!!! I am so excited and couldn't be happier. The whole experience was so surreal. If that's any indication of what our wedding will be like, my plan of being cool and collected will go completely out the window! I couldn't stop crying - I was so happy. In fact, I kept crying and hugging him until he asked, "So, is that a YES?"

Beautiful holidays lights, a warm rainy evening and a group of girls who started clapping and cheering for us combined to make the moment feel like we were in the middle of some Hollywood scripted scene.

You know, since the onset of reality tv, I've witnessed a few proposals and I always say to myself that it is so irritating when the woman doesn't answer immediately. What's with the tears? What is her problem? Why can't she answer her nervous boyfriend? BUT I had no idea what was really happening until it happened to me. It was like I lost the ability to speak. I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't find the words, much less any words at all. So, no longer will I find fault with the bumbling women who just can't muster the words.

So, the next question of course is "Who will photograph the wedding?" It's a little early to make that decision, but I definitely have some ideas! But I'm not peeping.

I'll post some pictures soon of us and the adorable ring holder.

Special Thanks

It's been a long time since I last posted (ugh!) - all because we've been so busy. Lots of orders for the holidays from my super clients. I love to think about the moment these meaningful images are seen for the first time. My hope is that the most special moments last just a little longer with the help of my photographs.

I recently received a special thanks from one of my portrait clients. Marin and her parents, Bridgette and Will, were so great to get to know throughout the last 18 months or so. Bridgette and I have spent hours on the phone and in person chatting about everything from vacations to The Little Gym to Marin's new teeth. Hah! I photographed a series of three portraits of Marin for the Growing Baby Portrait Package. Marin is adorable and the pictures turned out so great that they are truly all over my website. They are also showcased in one of my sample albums at the studio. Check out some of my favorites below. I thought I'd share their comments with you.

Dear Sara,
Will and I would like to thank you for the beautiful photographs of our baby girl. We had a wonderful time with you, and we are so grateful we found a friendly, talented, and professional photographer. Each sitting went well (even though I somehow managed to be sick each time!) and the photos exceeded our expectations. You have given us the priceless gift of captruing beautiful moments in Marin's life, and we are truly grateful. We have great pictures to go with out memories, so we will never forget the fleeting moments of her infancy. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Will, Brigette, Marin & Cloe

How sweet is that! That is definitely the best part of my career - seeing how much the stories I tell with photographs mean to my clients and their friends & family. It was especially nice of them to take the time to send a hand-written note (how rare!). So thanks again Bridgette, Will and Marin! Look forward to seeing you again for Marin's 2 year old portrait if not before then.

Five Months

8 months

13 months

Cool Weather and Hot Drinks

I can't beleive it's already Thanksgiving. It feels like it was just hot August and I was buying popsicles at the grocery store to stay cool. Whenever the weather turns cool, I am always reminded of what life was like at college in Upstate NY at Univ. of Rochester. We used to deal with freezing cold temp's for 6-7 months a year. Every morning, I bundled up with a fleece jacket, a heavy duty windbreaker, hat, gloves and maybe even a scarf to battle the "lake-effect" snow. If you've never experienced winter near a Great Lake, you probably don't know what this is. Imagine snowflakes the size of your palm. No, I'm not kidding. Something about being close to the lake and the moisture just grabbing onto the snow flakes made them huge. Those incredible snows, sledding down the hills on campus and snuggling up with a huge mug of hot chocolate were the best parts of winter there. Since I moved to Atlanta, it's amazing how I get cold at the slightest drop in temperatures. I mean, this weekend it was in the low 60's. In Rochester, this is a warm day and I used to walk around campus like it was summer, but here? Here, I still refuse to wear a heavy jacket but I find myself shivering in the shade. What happened to me?! :) Still, I love the winters because no one looks at me funny when I drink hot chocolate every morning. It's the looks I get for drinking cold chocolate milk in the mornings all through the rest of the year that I just can't help. Yeah, so I'm a chocoholic, I admit it. I've never denied it and I never will. :)

Pumpkin Portrait

On Saturday, I went to Lindsay & Scott's home for a 7 month portrait of their adorable daughter Hadley. I arrived while Hadley was still napping and snuck into the nursery to photograph her sleeping peacefully. How precious!

I just love all the personalized things they added to her nursery. They make the room so warm and comfy.

The weather was perfect so after playing inside, we headed out to their front yard. The white blanket, a white pumpkin and playful Riley, their chocolate brown Labra-doodle, all combined for some really memorable images.


Click here to see Hadley's slideshow!

Newspaper print on my fingers

Ok, so I have to admit, when I found out I had won Best of Atlanta for Established Visual Artist, I just about ran out my door to find a kajillion (yes, that many) copies of the paper with my name printed in lights. Surprisingly, it took driving around for quite a bit to find a stocked newspaper stand. You would think that finding Creative Loafing in Little 5 Points, Candler Park and Virginia Highlands would be easier. But I did manage to find one. So cool! I still can't believe that I won.

Da-dada-dah! Here it is!

Beth & Tim's Wedding

Last Saturday, Beth & Tim's wedding was amazing. Beautiful venue, perfect weather and the most fun couple. Alecia and I had a great time documenting their day. My only complaint was that we couldn't stay longer. A week would do it next time. If you've never been to North Georgia and Neverland Farms, you've gotta go. Suzy and her staff were really great. Everything was taken care of, even to the horse-drawn carriage galloping to the reception!

Here are a few of my favorite images. Take a look at the slideshow to see some more.

Beth's gorgeous hand-made dress!

The perfect color shoes for that dress, after 4 dying attempts!

Beth & her sisters in their horse-drawn carriage en route to the ceremony.

. . . and the men anxiously wait . . .

Congratulations Beth & Tim!

View your Slideshow here.

BEST OF ATLANTA!

Today I was awarded the Best Established Visual Artist in Atlanta by Creative Loafing!


I am so honored (and psyched) to receive this award especially because it was voted on by the public. My clients and fans are the best! Thanks so much for voting for me. You just made my entire year! And how about timing?! Not only did I launch my brand new website last week, but it's also Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year. What better way to celebrate the new year than to get this kind of recognition?!

Click here to see the results.

Oooops, sorry about the bad link....

Just realized the link to Creative Loafing was bad in the e-newsletter I just sent out. Sorry about that. Here's the correct link.

Best of Atlanta