STuFF - Sara's Totally Fantastic Finds (episode 7)

My vacation was fantastic, albeit too short as most vacations are, but it was great. Got to spend some much needed time with my family, including my 9 month old niece, Elizabeth Sophie. I'll post some pictures soon.

In the meantime, it's been a bit difficult to get back into the swing of working after being off for a week, so I mosied (is that a word?) on over to YouTube to watch my favorite Muppet who always makes me laugh. Thought I'd share it with you...just for laughs. Amazing how much laughing can relax a person! Ok, I mean me...

Evie, Duncan & Bennett

Saturday morning I met twins, Duncan & Bennett, and their big sister, Evie, at Piedmont Park. With all the newborn portrait sessions I've been doing recently at my clients' homes, it's been a long time since I was at the park and it was great to get back. I was reminded how nice it is to photograph there, except when there's an event going on. So it turns out that Saturday morning was the Peachtree Junior Road Race. I had no idea there was such a thing, but it looked like a lot of fun. With so many people in the park, it's often difficult to take pictures of my clients without someone in the background. But I was up for the challenge. I figured out one wonderful advantage to photographing a portrait session in the park on the day of an event - MUSIC! We had great music to listen to throughout our session and it made the beautiful day even more fun. Hmmm...maybe I should start bringing music with me on all my shoots. :)

Thanks to Evie, Duncan & Bennett for a fun morning! I definitely got my workout for the day trying to keep up with the twins. If you're a mom with little ones who are suddenly walking, you totally understand.

Enjoy your slideshow. Click the image below to view it.

Sara Speert Photography, Piedmont Park photographer

Reese

Reese has grown so much since I first starting photographing her a year ago. She is walking and talking now, and she has beautiful blond curls. I'm liking this look a lot better than the bald baby look. :)

I am really excited to start designing her baby album from all three portrait sessions. I'll be sure to post a few pages here when it's complete.

Click the image to watch the slideshow.

Sara Speert Photography, Decatur, GA baby photography and baby albums

Joshua

Have I mentioned how many of my friends are having kids? I guess there's just something about my age, but it seems like all my friends who are married are having babies. And as you'd imagine photographing my friends' families is SO AMAZING. I pride myself on getting to know my clients and knowing what moments and images will be most meaningful to them. Add that I know my friends even better, sometimes for years, and it makes the process of documenting their little ones even more special.

I've known Dan & Rachel since college. We all attended the University of Rochester (in fact, that's where they met) and I am so grateful for their friendship. Photographing Joshua was an especially fantastic experience. I can see how he resembles mom and dad in so many ways and it's so wonderful to see how much their love reflects in his eyes.

Click the image below to see a few of my favorite images from their session last weekend.

Sara Speert, Dunwoody, Georgia children's portrait photographer

Published! - Professional Photographer Magazine

I am honored to be included in the May issue of Professional Photographer Magazine. I have been reading this magazine for years, folding down page corners and tearing out articles, getting new ideas, and being inspired and re-inspired by other photographers, technical tips and marketing ideas. So to be included is amazing! Being interviewed for this piece was one of the highlights of my professional career and I couldn't be happier to, at the same time, bring some attention back to New Orleans, a place that still needs help 3.5 years after Hurricane Katrina.

To read the full article, click below.

For more information:
View my New Orleans documentary movie
Jewish Funds for Social Justice
St. Bernard Project
The School at Blair Grocery
The House of Dance and Feathers
Beth Israel Congregation

For more information about volunteering with other organizations:
Volunteer New Orleans

Luke & Clark

Spring is finally here and with it comes portraits! Yay portraits!

This morning I had the pleasure to visit with Clark again. I photographed a portrait session of him at Piedmont Park last year just after his second birthday. Now he has a baby brother, Luke. Luke has the most adorable smile and it was so fun talking to Clark. I am always so excited when my kids are able to communicate with me verbally and even use my name. At the end of the session as they were getting ready for lunch, he asked me if I'd like to join them for pizza. How cute is that?!

Here's Luke and his big brother, Clark.

Sara Speert, Atlanta baby and kids portrait photographer

Improving the Awesomeness

It's been a long 5 months....ok, not really. It's just that I've been working on a lot of new projects since January. Kinda like a total business overhaul. June 1 will be my 6th anniversary so it was really time for some changes. I've learned a lot in these 6 years and while I have been making changes along the way to accommodate the requests I've received, this time it's a big change because so many things have been enhanced.

Today is the day that the new price list is being released! I know, not something you are really all that excited about, but you should be! We now have wall art collections, an inspiration guide to help you think about the creative and attractive ways you can display your favorite images, enhancements to the Coffee Table Albums with something totally custom-made (and unlike anything you've ever seen), and so many more things. Not only are there new concepts and products, but it looks beautiful too! Here's a little glimpse.

If you'd like information about any of our services, concepts or products, please contact us. Here's our main website - click on the contact page.

Christin & Jason - wedding

What an beautiful wedding and a beautiful couple! Christin and Jason's beach wedding was just perfect. An intimate wedding, beautiful weather, and a barefoot first dance on the beach...

Looking forward to the reception on Saturday at the reception at Barnsley Gardens!

Click the image to view the slideshow. As always, the show can be purchased by clicking the DVD icon at the bottom of the show.

Thanks to Candice K for second shooting with me! It was so great working with her and her images, just fantastic.

Beach Family Portrait

On my first full day in Santa Rosa Beach/San Destin, FL for Christin and Jason's wedding weekend, I had the absolute pleasure to photograph a family portrait session on the beach for some of my favorite clients. I have been photographing Avery and her parents, Kelly & Chris, since she was just a few months old. Now she's 5 and has a sister and brother. I don't get many opportunities to photograph sessions on the beach, so it was a real treat to photograph their annual portrait in the sun and sand. The weather couldn't have been better and ....seriously, what's not to love about playing at the beach? It was also a lot of fun to come up with new ways of photographing the whole family. Walking on the beach is just so simple and beautiful, and when I saw a row of 5 blue beach chairs, I couldn't resist. I love how Jack is standing on the chair in that image. It's just so expressive of his personality and of all the fun the kids had at the beach. Next year, I hope we can return to the beach for some photos of the whole family buried in the sand!

Click the image to watch the slideshow. As always, it is available for purchase on DVD or by download. Simply click the icon at the bottom of the slideshow to purchase.

Christin & Jason - wedding sneak peek

Christin and Jason's intimate wedding (with just 20 friends and family) was on the beautiful beach of Santa Rosa, FL on Saturday. There were so many wonderful details and moments, and I am so excited to share them soon in the slideshow. But I know that Christin, Jason and their families are super anxious to see pictures, in fact, I'm pretty sure C&J are checking the blog from their honeymoon (hi!), so although I still have lots of editing and retouching to do, I wanted to share this great image. Enjoy!

More to come in the next week.

It's back to basics

The economy stinks and everyone is feeling the crunch. (As if I needed to tell you!) As we all try to make the best of this stressful situation, I'm reminded how important our families are. Remember how fun it was to ride bikes as a kid, go to the park, play a boardgame and do so many things that (hello!) cost little or nothing at all? It's those times that many of us remember most vividly because it was fun to be with our families without all the distractions. It's time to get back to basics and back to our families.

In honor of our kids, our husbands and wives, our parents and siblings, and the importance of refocusing our priorities, we have something really special for the first 5 people to contact us.

50% off our most popular ABC Storytelling Portrait session

The session includes:
A planning session at our Decatur studio
A 2-hour session at your home or local park for 3 people (additional people are $25/each)
An online slideshow of "photographer phavorites"
A Viewing/Ordering appointment at our Decatur studio
A Portrait Website for one month
And a $50 credit for the Viewing/Ordering appointment

Regular price for this package is $300 but this "back to basics" offer brings it to only $150.

So if you've been putting off scheduling a portrait session, carpe diem! This offer will only last as long as it takes 5 people to contact us.


And now for the fine print:
Portrait session must be scheduled for May 2009.
Travel beyond 20 miles from Decatur, GA will be an additional charge.
Prices for enlargements and other gift shop items are subject to current pricing.
This offer is not applicable to currently contracted work with Sara Speert Photography.



email: sara (at) saraphotography (dot) com
main: 404-966-7272

Our Cover Article in the Atlanta Jewish Times

Our article in the Atlanta Jewish Times was published today and I am ecstatic to see that it got the front cover!

The images I took, including the one on the front cover, accompany the piece that Nick and I wrote about our experience on a trip to volunteer our time to the people of New Orleans. We left with a much better understanding of the reality there, inspiration from the survivors and community organizers, and an awareness of the great need for volunteer help and donations.

Thanks to the Atlanta Jewish Times for giving this issue the priority it deserves.

Read the article here...

STuFF - Sara's Totally Fantastic Finds (episode 6)

Just some fun that my mom sent my way...



Playing For Change | Song Around The World "Stand By Me" from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.

http://playingforchange.com - From the award-winning documentary, "Playing For Change: Peace Through Music", comes the first of many "songs around the world" being released independently. Featured is a cover of the Ben E. King classic by musicians around the world adding their part to the song as it traveled the globe. This video and "Don't Worry" are available now at iTunes. Other songs such as "One Love" will be released as digital downloads soon; followed by the film soundtrack and DVD in stores on 4.28.09.



Pre-order the CD/DVD "Playing For Change: Songs Around The World" now at amazon.com!
www.tinyurl.com/c6mhgd

Order the "Stand By Me" and "Don't Worry" now at itunes!
www.tinyurl.com/bl7fvf

Sign up at www.playingforchange.com for updates and exclusive content.

Join the Playing for Change Online Street Team at:
www.ufanz.com/teams/playingforchange

Join the Movement to help build schools, connect students, and inspire communities in need through music.

STuFF - Sara's Totally Fantastic Finds (episode 5)

My amazing husband, Nick Edelstein, played on Fox 5 Atlanta's Good Day Atlanta this morning! Check out the footage below. He's playing organ and guitar, and he got a lot of face time, because he's so hot. :)

The band, Connor Christian & The Southern Gothic, is playing this weekend at The Atlanta Dogwood Festival. They go on at 6:30pm on Saturday.

Portraits in Baltimore - registration open

Registration is officially open for Portraits in Baltimore. We will be in Baltimore (my hometown!) May 30 - June 3 and we have sessions available for newborn, baby, children, family and couple's portraits.

For more information, click here.

Register online now.

Because we are limited to two sessions per day (one in the morning and one in the late afternoon), slots are filling up quickly.

Contact the studio with any questions. info (at) saraphotography dot com.

STuFF - Sara's Totally Fantastic Finds (episode 4)

Christin & Jason - engagement portrait

Christin and Jason are getting married in a little over two weeks on Santa Rosa Beach, FL. I am really excited to photograph another beach wedding and especially to document their intimate ceremony with only 20 people. The celebration will continue a couple weeks later at Barnsley Gardens so that's where we decided to go for their engagement portrait session.

They are so in love and excited about the wedding, and I loved being able to capture some of that emotion. I'd never been to Barnsley Gardens before and I really think I could have spent a week with C & J photographing them all over the grounds. From the ruins and the lush gardens, to the wide open fields and hiking paths, it's a photographer's dream. Good thing we'll be back there again for the reception. :)

Click the image below to watch the slideshow. As always, this slideshow can be purchased in widescreen DVD or downloaded to your iPod by clicking the link at the bottom of the show.

Sara Speert Photography, engagement portrait photographer

New Orleans trip - we're published!

Nick and I were flattered when we were asked to write about our recent trip to New Orleans with Jewish Funds for Social Justice in the organization's monthly e-newsletter. I totally recommend the trip and JFSJ so be sure to check out the next trips to Tampa, Asheville, Savannah and New Orleans. It was a rare opportunity to help the people of New Orleans who really need volunteer support in order to get back on their feet.

Be sure to watch the movie of my images from the inspirational and emotional weekend here.

New Orleans Movie

Click the image to watch the movie

It's hard to believe that Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans 3.5 years ago. I kept having to remind myself that we were not in some 3rd world country because the conditions that many are surviving in is truly unacceptable.

So many thoughts filled my head as we met survivors of the storm, talked with community organizers, witnessed many homes still marked with an "X" indicating the number of people found alive in each home, heard about the educational, healthcare and housing conditions before, during and after the storm, and learned what a large impact we, a group of 16 young adults, could have on such an overwhelming situation.

When my husband, Nick and I, heard about the trip to New Orleans with Jewish Funds for Social Justice, I have to admit that I was surprised that there was still need there for help. I haven't heard anything about New Orleans and the recovery efforts from Katrina in a long time, so I naively assumed that things were back to normal.

New Orleans is not back.

New Orleans still needs help and I believe that it can only get to a better place than before the storm with the help from volunteers. The two projects we volunteered with are proof of that.

The image above is especially emotional to me.

Click on the picture to watch the movie and find out why I was brought to tears.

And please, PLEASE, share this with your friends and family. My hope is that by sharing my images and thoughts, that you will look into what is really happening in New Orleans and help those in need and the organizations that are there to help.

This movie has been a true labor of love and hope. So please comment if you are moved to do so.

For more information:
St. Bernard Project
The School at Blair Grocery
The House of Dance and Feathers
Beth Israel Congregation

For more information about volunteering with other organizations:
Volunteer New Orleans

Harper's 1st Baby Album

Harper's portrait a couple weeks ago was the first of the Growing Baby Package. Mom and dad decided since they loved so many of the pictures that the Carry-About Album would be a perfect baby album. And I couldn't agree more! After each session, they'll be adding to the collection and getting another album. How cool will it be to have such fun albums documenting Harper's first 12 months!

Check out this adorable 5x5 album. The colorful circles I used as backgrounds on many of the pages are actually on the wall in the nursery. I just love all the bright colors.