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Picture this . . .Benson, NC. You may not know Benson, but to me it embraces all that is Carolina ‘country’. Old farmhouses with a history. Fields of rye, hay, and cattle. 

This country farming town played backdrop to my most recent wedding of Stephanie and Scott. Scott the owner of a trucking company and his bride a former NC Watermelon Queen met through mutual friends and fell in love against some skepticism of some friends and family. Despite their age difference, Scott & Stephanie were committed to each other and making their relationship work and 2 1/2 years later landed themselves on a significant date, their wedding date: May 16, 2009. 

It seemed all too befitting to have a lovely and large country wedding. The Johnston County Agricultural Center which hosted the reception was equipped with a table specially dedicated to recipes for watermelons and sweet potatoes. With 250+ guests in attendance, the wedding was anything, but small.  But what you didn’t lose from this wedding was the sense of family and community that gathered around them. Their reception was adorned with a candy bar and the NC Watermelon Queen imparted a piece of her history with candied watermelon pieces at the candy bar.

The celebration ended with a jovial and crowd packed sparkler exit. To date, it is my best sparkler exit picture. 

Congratulation Scott & Stephanie. Hope you had a great time in Hawaii!

A special shoutout to Dan Glasgow for second shooting with me. You did a great job, Dan!

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Take two cute girls, throw them in a fluffy, soft, and playful tutu and what you get is instant divas. Easy, breezy to take pictures of. 

Such was the case with Emily and Allison; sister’s whom really embraced their childlike whimsy during their recent photo session. I knew for weeks I was going to shoot them in a field of rye that I pass on a daily basis, but what I really didn’t know was that I was going to shoot them in the locale for the future Clayton Park.

I’ve always admired the spot. It’s just a sweet field with large, old trees, rocks and a rolling hill. I would make mental notes of the site especially at sunset because the tall grasses would just glisten with the golden backlight. I knew I wanted to shoot there. I guess the moment just had to be right. It was perfect for my two field fairies.

They twirled and swirled. Fell down & got up. Giggled and wiggled their way through my lens. It was fun and if the light would’ve held out longer, I could’ve shot easily for another hour.

Thanks Emily & Alli. I admire your playfulness.

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I’m not just making fun of my May 2nd couple, but rather referring to the favors of a beer cozy that graced the bar at their wedding. ‘They Finally Did It!’.

I guess an ongoing sentiment amongst Tray, Nicole and their family and friends. The couple had been dating for almost 8 years before their ‘I do’s’ at the local winery, Hinnant Vineyards in Pine Level, NC. It only seemed all too apropos, a relationship perfectly aged, like wine. The irony of their reception site.

I don’t have much to go on as far as their relationship history is concerned, but this I can tell you. This couple is one in love couple. It’s entirely sweet and endearing. In my 5th year of shooting weddings and having seen many approaches to the same result, the one thing that sets my weddings apart is the relationships of my couples’. Nothing more inspiring to me photographically than a couple that really connects and adores each other. I totally got this vibe from Tray & Nicole. And I’m not saying this loosely, but I got goosebumps saying goodbye to them because they really touched me. They inspired me and it was hard saying goodbye to them. 

Come back to me with your babies, but enjoy the honeymoon period first!

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And special props to my associate photographer, Rebecca. Girl, you did a bang out job! Thank you!

So it’s been on my mind sometime to establish something that further brands me as Swank Photo Studio. I never felt like the design of my logo truly resonated with the word swank which means fashionable by virtue of elegance. With my studio up and coming later in June, I thought that now is the time to nail it down and figure this out.

My colleague and friend Robin Lin of Robin Lin Photography turned me on to a great website called www.designoutpost.com It’s a meeting site for designers and clients. Essentially you fill out a questionnaire of your design needs and what you’re looking for and the designers go to work once funds have been deposited in an escrow account of sorts. You communicate with them on this forum all along guiding them and getting them to tweak their design. In the end you pick one and the funds are released to them.

I found it a bit daunting. I hated saying ‘no’ to certain designs because I know how personal one’s artwork can be. But it was so important to me to get it right and for me to really truly fall in love with my logo. After about 60 or so designs and several private messages, I told my designers to run with their own ideas as I felt the questionnaire may have been stifling them as designers. I had mentioned that at this point I wanted them to interpret what they thought swank was. It could be a fried egg, a peacock, a chandelier. I didn’t care.

Well one designer Glyphica rose to the occasion with peacock and what emerged is my funky paisley peacock whom I believe is swank, unique, and hip. I love him. And I hope you will too. 

Come to recognize him as my trademark . . .MY BRAND!  He will be showing up on all of my brochures, business cards, stickers, print pieces, etc. He is Swank Photo Studio.

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Thanks to Elaina & Stefanie for coming together for a sample swimsuit shoot for my ad campaign to further promote Vintage Vixens Hot, Hot, Hot July. You’re good sports even in ice cold water  :  P

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Welcome to the world, Baby Madeline, or Maddie as Mom & Dad are calling her. Mike and Marie are the proud parents and also happen to be one of my former couples. 

We had a sweet little session. Some close intimate little pictures with Mom&Dad. Some diva tutu pictures. That’s right! A one week old owned this tutu. She look so cute with her little feet sticking out the back of all of that fluffy tulle. And we finished off the session with some natural light shots of her just snuggled in a towel.

Newborns are one of those things in photography that I find most challenging to shoot. I’m working it out. The more I do them the more I’m getting comfortable with them.

Bring on the babies.

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Or at least we tried during our recent engagement session with Kim & Brian. A great prop nonetheless { love when my couple’s bring props or aspects of themselves to their sessions}. Couldn’t quite get enough lift to take her up, but it made for some cute pictures.

And the pretty ominous sky gave way to moodier shots. Very apropos for my ‘goth’ couple and I use this term loosely and completely in reference to their Halloween wedding to take place later this year at Barclay Villa, in Angier, NC. Very excited about this wedding. Barclay is an ideal setting for such and event. 

They’re a sweet couple whom one can tell, very much adore each other.  Looking forward to their late October wedding!

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Caught you with the title, didn’t I? It’s not my newest ad campaign or promo, but my latest Vintage Vixen session. And in my eyes, she could be and is Miss January. My January shoot in April.

January came to me in quest of some stellar images to give to her honey for his birthday. He’s in construction so she came up with some fertile ideas equipped with a pink construction hat titled, “Inspectress” in which to take pictures. Too cute. We laughed hysterically as we posed her in front of the high-rise construction taking place at North Hills Mall. I don’t think the workers minded the view, but man, did it feel like we were doing something illegal! It was quite funny!

I also had some plans for her as I wanted to take advantage of her long and luxurious blonde locks. My one vision for her was to tease out her hair and befit her with a skull cap of some sort. We improvised with one of Donielle’s ( owner of Botanicals Medi-Spa in Clayton) Coach scarves. Coach ad, maybe????

Thanks January for being a super-fun, adventurous, and carefree vixen

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Nothing like a little rain for a bridal session. Well . . . alot! What started out as a glam bridal session quickly transformed into a Trash the Dress session, but without worry. Jessica’s already married and just wanted to try out a bridal session with me. She came by way of referral from my bride Emily, whom graced the cover of Carolina bride back in 2007. Thanks Emily!

With my gear in tow courtesy of my assistant Kristen, along with a large golf umbrella ( which really didn’t do much ), Jessica and her Mom, we set off on our trek through the sprawling campus of Duke Gardens. Nothing was to dampen our spirits. I love a challenge and rain always serves that up. And with Jessica’s whatever attitude and with a smile saying, ‘I’ll never wear this dress again’, the game was on.

By the end we had her crossing the turtle pond in water to perch upon one of the large rocks there and the session wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t have her lay down in the wet grass on her back for some shots. 

In the end, it’s always an adventure. Thanks for taking me along for the ride, Jessica!

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