Awesome couple / Awesome party!

It was on a particularly clear and cool evening on the grounds of the historic Fillauer House in Cleveland. The late summer sun, lying low in the west shone golden in the treetops and splashed over the old stone walls, lighting the lawns among long, irregular shadows. Cicadas and crickets buzzed softly, hardly noticable beneath the melodies of the stringed quartet playing under the trees. Roses, callas, and hydrangeas were laced in the vines intertwined around the brilliant white pergola set on a bright green lawn surrounded by 360 degree seating. With all family and friends in place and anxiously looking on...



Alexis and Miller got married!!!

































..and what a party they had!

Beautiful Smoky Mountains evening...

I've known Louise a very long time. We go way back!


The last time I was at her home in Benton, overlooking the mountains, I told her that sometime I wanted to photograph her family with those beautiful, blue mountain tops as her setting.

Wow! Did the evening weather cooperate... and Wow, did little Brown manage to hold off the sandman long enough to smile a few times before bedtime... and Wow, we owe Abigail a lot (She got Christin home through I-75 traffic jams and has a very special connection to Brown!)

We're very pleased that these turned out so beautifully and know that Louise is going to love them on her walls!










(Oh, and I think Granbe will love them, too!)

Hyson (and Tippie)

Hyson seemed a princess in a dream to us, in her formal dress of layered white organza with a contrasting teal sash and sitting in that big, leather chair. I loved her intensity and focus ....and what spunk! She kept us hopping.

























It was easy to make a beautiful, formal portrait of Hyson for her Nana, but Hyson really was more interested in her new puppy, Tippie, than us, and we struggled to get a few photographs of her WITHOUT Tippie. And when the time came for Tippie to join her in a few, she just lit up. Tippie has to be the cutest and sweetest puppy I've ever seen ( a Yorkie ).



















The portrait colors are going to perfectly coordinate and look fantastic on Nana's formal brick fireplace.

Ashley and Patrick's Wedding at Laurelwood

We just keep on being amazed at how fantastic our wedding couples can be and how much in love they are!




















...and how beautiful a couple!

























...and one of the most enthusiastic groups of friends we've ever met!
















Oh, yeah! Did I say enthusiastic? Brides always say that, "You've seen it all!" And truly we've seen a lot at weddings, but we've never seen a spontaneous football game break out at the reception between the groom's team and the bride's team. (No one was hurt and all were winners when the DJ called them back inside to dance!)

Trent and Paige

There are only a few weddings ever that I think I could post ONLY photographs of the bride and groom... This is one! Trent and Paige are so good together, that the emotion, passion, and beauty rise above the ordinary.






They chose to marry at the Rock Creek Fellowship quite a drive into the boondocks on Lookout Mountain. Yet, the chapel was filled with family and especially friends from Texas to New York to China. Wow! ...and they are friend magnets, too.








In the surround of their friends and family they committed their lives to God and to each other in a very moving and fun ceremony. Their lives will never be boring!

We wish them only the best of everything in life... But their families and friends have that covered for them!






We loved sharing the day! ...and the night!

Wes and Amanda

What a fun wedding day Wes and Amanda shared with their many friends and families! Amanda's brown-and-turquoise-colored theme was carried out beautifully from the bridesmaids' dresses and floral arrangements all the way to the monogrammed cookie favors.








Their puppy, Leroy, showed up in his bowtie just in time for a quick photograph.

















We went them off through a flurry of bubbles, and we all wish them the best!

Madeline and Sophie

Madeline's mom, Amanda, was in a panic!

Madeline has FIVE loose teeth. We have to get this photographed soon and no pizza for dinner.

So... after a couple of missed attempts we finally settled on a morning appointment in our portrait garden. And it sprinkled rain throughout. I reassured Amanda that the light would be beautiful for the portrait and a few spots on these beautiful dresses would not show.

Need I say more? They are beautiful!

2008 Cotton Ball

King Charlie Hon and his family...

One Hundred Years!

Last Sunday morning I was privileged to have been chosen to photograph the congregation of the Union Chapel in Walden (or as we all know it, The Little Brown Church). The occasion was their 100th homecoming celebration.

I was very pleased to have beautiful light, if only for a moment, when it came time for the photography. The people were very cooperative and all went as well as could be expected for this large a group.

We will be offering 8x10 copies at $20 each (Includes tax and shipping) through Karen Stone.

(Click on picture to enlarge it!)

Hugh

Hugh is Eric and Nancy's third... and a bold and self confident BOY! I can at least say that no one, nor any equipment, ended up in the creek.

I've photographed all of her kids at this location. It just works!
















We managed to tag-team him and somehow we ended up with excellent photographs.






























This one of Hugh playing in the water with a stick was an afterthought. I was trying to get a traditional photograph of him on the rock and looking at the camera, smiling. Well, he loved the water eventually and gave Nancy several photographs that look more like a painting.

Sam and Angie

This is getting to be a habit with us! Again, I've seen a young child that I began photographing very young, grow into a beautiful woman and become one of my brides.

With all of their brothers and sisters in the wedding and looking on, Angie's dad stopped the ceremony, giving her away and told the world how much he and her mother loved THEM and blessed their marriage. Wow, was that moving!!!




































Angie is as beautiful on the inside as on the outside. She's a teacher in Atlanta and I think her students have it made! Sam, you have a good one here!!!

They headed to a fabulous honeymoon in Hawaii and look forward to a fantastic life together.

Caragh and Drew's Wedding

Caragh and Drew had the perfect day for a wedding. They were married in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, which is just so awesome!

The bride and groom were so easy to work with as we started with some more formal shots. The soft colored flowers in Caragh’s bouquet, designed by Jay at Ensign Florist, were so perfect for her.

The reception was held at the Sheraton Read House, with The Walt Meyer Trio playing through the evening. We love the elegance of this historic venue. Caragh and Drew shared a champagne toast before cutting their beautiful and delicious cakes, made by Dan of Cakemakers.

Friends from far and near escorted them out through a cascade of bubbles.

Our best wishes go out to this wonderful couple as they begin their new life together!

Frank and Laura

Laura's family was my second or third portrait session when I opened Contemporary Portraits almost twenty-three years ago. I have photographed her many times since then and also coached her in soccer several years. What a beautiful (and sweet) young woman she became!

We photographed her portrait at her mother's home. The spring colors are unmistakable and her gown almost glowed in the soft, evening light.














She met Frank through friends at her church and they seem perfect for each other. I love their laughter when they're together...











I know nearly everyone from Signal Mountain was at their wedding. With both families from the mountain, I don't think they left out anyone!


















The escape... This look after the ceremony says it all!















Best wishes to two of our favorites...

A charmed life!

Maria and Marc's wedding was undoubtedly charmed! On the day and night before their wedding the weather was terrible with much wind, rain, and lightning. But their wedding day dawned pretty and got better and better. By the afternoon ceremony time the sky was blue and there was a gentle, cool breeze. There could not have been a more beautiful spring day for a wedding.










Becky and Rick went to great lengths to make sure their garden setting for Maria's wedding was spectacular. The ceremony on the steps to their gazebo, overlooking Lookout Valley with the sun beginning to set was picture perfect. Even Maria's dog Lilly was dressed and on her best behavior for the ceremony.

















Under the tents or under the stars, this is a wedding to remember. I thank them for including me in their wedding celebration and wish them well in their new life together.

Julie's Little Actors and Actresses

Julie's kids were ready and willing to be our great little actors and actresses. They loved pretending! ...and didn't even mind that we had to have "Take 1" and Take 2" and "Take 3", etc. Getting authentic interaction among kids is always difficult, because we, as parents, teach them from day one that you "look at the camera and SMILE!" Eventually they forgot about us and just became themselves.



What a very natural and contemporary family the are!

Helen's Newest

This is Maggie, all dressed up in her blue Strasburg Bishop dress. How beautiful, and smart. (I always know when I have a smart one in front of my camera, because they get bored with my "photographer's tricks" very quickly.) She was a joy!

I photographed Helen's first grandchild, Alexa, almost twenty years ago on Independence Day morning. She's all grown up now, but Helen's kids just keep having babies.




































This style below is new to Contemporary Portraits! I actually sketch the portraits using my computer! How fantastic is this! We will be offering the sketches mounted with wide matting and museum framed. The final presentation is incredible. And of course since we start with a beautiful photographic portrait, the likeness is perfect!