I’ve been highly anticipating the arrival of my new photo cards, which are similar to business cards… only they have a photo on them and they are geared to meet the specific need on the person/client you are giving it to. I ordered new Wedding Photo cards so that my friends and family can have them to hand out whenever they meet someone looking for a wedding photographer. I have amazing friends. Oh, and an amazing hairstylist (because she wanted cards, too).

They came in yesterday and I wanted to show them to you! Thanks to Pictage for making great products
Happy Friday everyone!

Today’s post will be super girly.. so if you are feeling at all masculine, look away.

Ok maybe not super girly, but definitely de la femme.

I used to be a nail biter. That’s not my proudest trait, but hey.. it’s true. I’m not exactly sure what it is about nails that makes us all look at them and decide to bite them, but I feel like a large group of us suffers from this very thing. I’m not sure what turned my thinking, but one day I decided to not be a nail biter, and I haven’t gone back since. It was probably that article in Glamour not to long ago about men not wanting to hold someone’s chewed-up hand (mental picture anyone?)… or my discovery of an entire WALL of gorgeous nail polish at Target.  I also remember being inspired by the alway-gorgeous LC from ‘The Hills’, though I was never one (and never will be one, for black nail polish).

All that being said, I really enjoy painting my nails.. there is something so relaxing about it, maybe because it is almost impossible to thing about anything else while doing it, and that frees my mind for 20min. It’s like a power nap for my brain. So now I’m off to doll up mes mains. Cheers, Sally Hansen!

So, to take action on yesterday’s post I was going through some older photos of mine for some gems to put into my new ‘personal work’ section of my website and I found a series that I did around this time last year. The photos are from a fantastic breakfast/lunch joint in Atlanta called West Egg which you absolutely have to experience if you never have. The have food there that can only be described as scrumptious. I tried to think of a more refined word to use, but there is none… really, their food is sooooo good. But aside from having amazing food, they have a pretty unique atmosphere, too. Local art is displayed on the walls of this building, which credits its design from an old fire-station or mechanics garage. The walls inside are painted bright red, and there are fun velvet purple couches (like something from a 1970s Burt Reynolds movie) for you to enjoy if you choose to forego the traditional table seating. Books and old furniture are everywhere, and the vintagey feel inside is tied together with the presence of an ordering counter and an old cash register. It’s pretty sweet Oh an one more thing… great coffee. Which, if you know me… is a major selling point on all things related to breakfast.

The photos that I found are from a portrait session that I did with my friend and fellow photog Joy Wilson. I had just gotten my camera not to long ago (hence the noise in the photos), and so I was always up for testing it out. While she was getting ready I snapped a few of the joint’s scenery, and came up with some that I didn’t think were too terrible. One of these is displayed in my kitchen right now… and the other just may have to claim a place, too. Looking at them just reminds me of my idea of a perfect breakfast.

This photo sits in my kitchen, appropriately near the oatmeal.
 

If you have read my blog for very long or perused over my website… you know that I mainly shoot weddings. It kind of happened by default, but I really enjoy my default, and so I will continue to shoot weddings as long as people think I’m cool enough to do it! Which I am… by the way… cool enough, I am.. really, I promise. However, sometimes a girl just needs to get break out of her shell and see the world! In other more famous and well-put words “girls just wanna have fun!”. For me this means getting out of the house (or staying in, depending on the temperature because lets face it, I’m a wuss in cold weather) and taking pictures of people and things that have nothing to do with weddings. In short, I call this my ‘personal work’. I’m not sure if it’s any good or not, so I’m not going to tag ‘Fine Art’ onto the front of that label; maybe one day.

I love getting out and letting my mind go free with my camera. Sometimes it takes a while and I get really discouraged because I can’t find anything beautiful to shoot. It’s in these times that I grow the most, because as photographer my skill is polished more when I have to work harder to find the beauty in things. I’ve got a collection of photos now that fall into this category of ‘personal work’ and today I’m going to add a section on my website to showcase it. I’m not promising the most beautiful images you have ever seen, but I am promising you will see more of me, and what goes on outside of ‘I Do’ and bouquet tosses.

Thank you guys so much for participating… I am so glad that you all loved the pictures and I that I was able to share some of my trip with you. Collectively everyone really seemed to love the picture of the blue boat all by it’s loansome at Hyde Street Pier…. which is definitely one of my favorites, too!

To explain how I chose a winner… I took the comments from yesterday’s post and went with the super-advanced ‘pull a number out of a hat’ technique. Fate chose the winner And who did fate smile on, you ask? Well…..

Alright guys, it’s Thursday! And if you didn’t have any other reason to love Thursday other than the fact that it is the day before Friday… well here you go! Because today in this world, it’s winner’s day! I have been posting photos from my trip to San Francisco for the past week and have asked you guys to start picking your favorite so that you could enter into a chance to win that print. In today’s post I will blog a couple of my personal favorites from my trip. I am so excited that I have gotten to share my trip with you, and I want everyone to have a little piece of San Fran, so that’s why I’m giving a print away. Plus…who wouldn’t love something shiny and new to display in their home or office?

Here is how the contest will go: Comment TODAY (not tomorrow) on this posting saying what your favorite image is from the San Fran chronicles of the past week. Commenting will be closed at 11:59pm EST. After that I will randomly pick a commenter to receive a free 8×10 print of that image. I will announce the winner on Friday’s post!

Here are the last bits that I’ll share, good luck!

Seriously the BEST macaroons I have ever, ever, ever, had. Find them here.

Boats… def one of my favorite pics and places. Hyde Street Pier.








Thought this made for a really cool picture. This was inside the Ferry Building at Peet’s Coffee





And the last… this was on my exit out of the city and back to Atlanta.

Sorry for the cheesy movie quote, but that’s what I’m good at. Field of Dreams has a lot of wisdom scattered throughout it… plus it’s a pretty awesome movie, too. Kevin Costner’s character had a hard time grasping the whole ‘do something crazy for people that don’t exist anymore’ thing… but he did, and they did come. I’m not sure if San Fran had the same strategy while building their city, but the people sure did come! There are people everywhere! And the buildings are amazing in that this-is-a-weird-kind-of-building-why-did-they-choose-this-design way. Like Kevin Costner’s corn-field baseball diamond, the architecture of San Francisco powerfully draws people in. The city is full of people and cultures, you can walk right out of one neighborhood and into another, and never see the seam. When I would ride the bus, I’d always hear about 5 different languages being spoken around me (I also got to practice my French, once or twice. Oui Oui). I loved the buildings and architecture and the people that came to live/work in them.

here are a few glimpses into the San Fran style.

Also… remember tomorrow is the day! Comment on tomorrow’s post about your favorite image from my trip for a chance to win a FREE 8×10.

Eye candy is everywhere. Really. I actually got OFF of the airplane and began taking pictures immediately… it was that tasty. Of course everyone from then on knew I was a tourist, I mean who else takes pictures inside the airport?? As I rode the transit to my hotel I was trying to map out my route for the day; making sure that I hit up every sight, sound, and smell that I possibly could during my 3-ish day stay on the West Coast. However, as soon as I dropped my junk off and boarded the cable car, all of my plans hitched a ride out of town and I just went with the flow (which happened to be the California line cable car straight to the coast). The sights got me… everywhere I looked I wanted to snap a picture of something! The architecture is AMAZING.. there really is something different about port cities, maybe it’s because they are older and more established, but they will suck you in with all that they have to offer.

Because of this…most of my photos from my trip were of various buildings and city-scapes. San Francisco has beautiful sights and sounds… but it’s the sights that got me.

Today’s photos are all themed around the city-scape. Lots of skyline and some neighborhood devotion. Tomorrow we will go full-on with the architecture.

Remember to comment on THURSDAY for a chance to win an 8×10 of your favorite image from my trip

Have you ever been to one of those cities that just screams love and/or romance? You know, the kind where everywhere you turn there are couples oogling each other (yes… oogling), there are chocolate and ice cream stores on every block, and you’ve never seen so many fresh bouquets with red ribbons in your life. Oh.. and there seems to be a soundtrack of sultry accordion playing in the background, because accordions can be sultry. Ever been to one of those cities? Prior to San Francisco, the only city like this that I had experienced was Paris, and that’s a big fat ‘duh’ on the love/romance scale.

I wasn’t expecting this of San Francisco… I actually don’t know what I was expecting- maybe something along the lines of ‘Full House’ or the 2nd ‘Homeward Bound’, but definitely not the ‘You’ve Got Mail’ type of cheesy romance. Maybe it’s the close proximity to the water, or the abundance of fresh foods, or the permanent 68degree climate, or the fact that no one is separated from each other because they all take mass transit… I noticed that all of these things permit the San Frans to be out and about with each other, encouraging relationships with each other. Could you imagine if New York was never 19 degrees? People would never be cold and pissed off! Or at least… I wold never be cold and pissed off, making me definitely more personable and lovable.

I have no idea what it is that makes the San Frans so loving, but I think I came back a little more giddy and oogly than when I left. And that is a great great thing.

In honor of Valentine’s day… here are some photos of some of San Frans inherent romance…

Fresh flower stands and open-air markets are on every corner. Always an opportunity

Happy Monday everyone… and remember, if you didn’t get your chocolate fix yesterday, all of the candy is 75% off today! Go get ‘em tiger!

Atlanta is so different than San Fran! I’m saying that now as there is a steady snow fall outside of my Atlanta home… which I think accentuates the differences even more. In San Fran people wore flip flops and cargo shorts everywhere! And ALL of the time. In Atlanta right now people are freaking out, the roads are gridlocked, and Kroger is out of bread and water. Oh yes. But it’s wonderful because it forces, I mean blesses, everyone to stay inside with their loved ones. Roomie snuggle!!

Here are a few more pictures from my trip to San Fran, remember to leave your comment on NEXT THURSDAY’s post to enter you to win your favorite print from this San Francisco series. Your very own San Francisco treat