When Denise Brown asked me to take pictures of her grandbaby, Owen, for his first birthday, she quickly let me know that “he moves around a LOT, and she’d just be happy with one good one.” Well, I must agree… Owen IS a busy little baby boy, but, oh my, how cute he is! He has beautiful big blue eyes, and an even bigger personality to match them (...especially when water is involved)! It’s very clear that he has everyone in his family wrapped around his little finger, and understandably so! I had tons of fun with this shoot! Hopefully, these pictures will bring plenty of smiles. Happy Birthday next week, sweet Owen! I know your parents, Jennifer and Grayson, are SO very proud of you! It took two different June afternoons (unpredictable summer storms) to get this session done, but I just look at it as “bonus time” with this fabulous teen. That’s right…as of May 2016, Josie Yeargin has now moved from being a ‘tween to having full-blown “teen” status! Woohoo! How exciting! I didn’t really know her that well until now, but here’s what I’ve learned…. Josie is a girl with lots of personality who isn’t afraid to talk with grown-ups about school, sports, books, etc. She was also willing to try anything I suggested for this session…even kicking off our shoes and getting in the creek! :) Thanks for trusting me to capture some moments to celebrate this latest family milestone, Kim Yeargin. I enjoyed my time with your new teenager immensely! Happy (belated) 13th birthday, Josie! No matter how you slice it, one thing I know for sure….there’s truly nothing more important than family. Recently, I was reminded of this notion when I had the honor of capturing the Baston Family (a Mother’s Day gift to the Matriarch) on beautiful family land. After my time with them, it’s abundantly clear to me that Mike & Vickie sincerely treasure each and every branch and leaf of their family tree. Quotes like “God sure did bless me with all of these folks, didn’t He?” (Mike) and “I definitely want a picture with our daughters-in-law. These are the women I prayed for for our boys!” (Vickie) How inspiring…that’s a strong root system right there! Here are some of the highlights from the session involving 23 people, and I appreciate each one for their willingness and patience as the summer heat bore down on us! Thanks for the opportunity, Jodie! Thanks to all of you for allowing me to capture a few moments of your extended family's life! Hanging out with the Bastons was my pleasure! A couple of months ago, I shared a few pictures from this bridal portrait session of my incredibly beautiful (and talented!) co-worker. Well, now I can proudly post an entire album of this beauty head to toe! Why now? Because as of 10:00 AM (ceremony time) today (May 28th), on the arm of her sweet daddy, Candace Homer walked down the aisle to her groom, Justin Ash! Isn't she a GORGEOUS bride? Trust me, she was absolutely radiant this morning at the ceremony as well! By the way, speaking of the ceremony, it was truly about the MARRIAGE…not just the wedding… which tells me this is a union grounded in deep commitment and destined for MANY years of happiness! Thank you for giving me this experience, Candace! What an honor! Your beauty truly does run all the way to the depths of your soul, and I am SO blessed to call you and your parents, Al & Melody Homer , my friends! I wish you and Justin a lifetime of bliss together! Congratulations and much love to you, Mrs. Ash! :) A few days ago, I spent some time with this young man and his family capturing some memories to celebrate a special upcoming milestone. Gatlin Brown is a member of the Class of 2016 at Franklin County High School, and he’ll be turning that tassel in just a few shorts weeks from now! How exciting! Throughout his high school career, he’s played baseball and been a leader on an impressive JROTC Raiders Mixed Team. Speaking of “impressive”…Gatlin has had Perfect Attendance for THIRTEEN years of school! Wow!! During the shoot, we had a lot of fun tromping through his family’s beautiful property, and I enjoyed learning more about his future plans, too. He’s headed to Young Harris College where he will pursue a degree in Business & Public Affairs. Congratulations, Gatlin, and all my very best wishes to you as you take the next step in your life journey! I know Mark & Celina Brown are so very proud of you! You’ve probably seen this gorgeous girl in other DTR photo albums over the last couple of years, and I’ve enjoyed each session I’ve been fortunate enough to have with her. This time, we’re taking pictures because Madesyn Rice is a member of the ECCHS Class of 2016. Wow! Just like that…it’s time for that blue cap & gown! She’s been plenty busy during these last four years, most recently serving as our Feature Twirler for the Blue Devil Marching Band and also Captain of the Varsity Basketball Cheerleaders. Her latest accomplishment is earning the spot of the first (ever!) Solo Feature Twirler for the Kennesaw State University Marching Band where she will attend college this fall. How awesome is that?! Those KSU Owls are lucky to have her heading their way! Your future is looking super-bright, Madesyn! Congrats on reaching this milestone in your life, and thanks to you and your Mama, Staycie Worley Rice, for allowing me to be a part of your journey to the Granite Bowl! Much love! ~Dot Last weekend, Rut and I headed down to our old stomping grounds in Macon, GA to take senior pictures of Lee Percy Oliver, IV. It was my pleasure to meet this very impressive young man who just happens to be the oldest son of my sorority sister, Rebecca Smith Oliver. Lee is a member of Central High School’s Class of 2016 where he has been enrolled in the prestigious International Baccalaureate Program and played soccer for the CHS Chargers. He’s also found time to earn the rank of Eagle Scout! We took the pictures at their beautiful home…a place that has been in their family for four generations. Lots of history there for sure! As we walked the property during the shoot, he told me that he is looking forward to enrolling in Kennesaw State this fall where he plans to major in Sports Management (Go Braves!). I have NO doubt that this smart guy is going to succeed in anything he attempts! Congrats on reaching this milestone in your life, Lee! Thanks to you and your parents, Becky & Lee, for allowing me to be a part of it…it was an honor! I really enjoyed hanging out with this handsome guy and his family last weekend. Branson is such a nice young man to be around….so very polite! He was a natural during this photo senior session. He is a member of the Class of 2016 at ECCHS and plays baseball for our Diamond Devils. He’s also very accomplished in our high school’s CTAE/welding program. Branson told me that, after graduation, he plans to attend college and seek a degree in radiology (but, frankly, if that doesn’t pan out, I think he could totally give modeling a try!). J Branson, I wish you the very best life has to offer you! Congratulations on this milestone in your life, and thank you (and your Mama, Lauren Harris) for giving me the opportunity to be a part of it! Go Big Blue!! A few months back, this sweet lady contacted me to do a family photo session. She told me it had been 6 (or 7) years since they had anything taken together as a family, and she really wanted to get that done before her son graduates next month. As hard as it for Sharon and Nick Bell to believe, Grant Bell is a member of ECCHS’s Class of 2016, and he’ll be joining the Air Force later this summer. So, we did some shots to cover all the bases…family… their boys (both very impressive young men, by the way)…and, of course, that navy blue cap & gown! I thoroughly enjoyed our time together, Sharon, and I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to help you document this very special time in your lives! My very best wishes for a wonderful graduation celebration! Back in the fall, this excited couple asked me to take pictures to help announce their pregnancy. Then, a couple of months ago, I took more pictures of these two (this time with an obvious “baby bump”) anxiously awaiting the arrival of their baby boy. Now, the big day has come and gone…March 16, 2016… the day Beth & Kevin welcomed their son William Hayes Eavenson into the world! Woohoo! He’s finally here! So, last week, I had the wonderful pleasure (truly, I could have taken pictures of these folks ALL afternoon!) of doing a newborn lifestyle shoot in their home. I always love working with Beth & Kevin and this time was no different. The love these two share for each other and now for their sweet Will is so clear to me. Everything you see in these pictures…the smiles…the looks…they aren’t just for the camera. It’s how it really is with these folks. I know because I see it even when I’m packing up my equipment! Thanks for letting me tag along on this wonderful experience, Beth. It has been my pleasure! Congratulations to you and Kevin! Welcome home, Will! I recently spent some time capturing a few moments with another member of the Class of 2016. Tanner is all about ball…basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring. He’s also a young man with a very distinct personality that you just have to experience first-hand. He made it pretty clear to me that picture-taking wasn’t really his thing, but hopefully, I captured a little bit of that special personality in these pictures. I wish him all the best at whatever he does beyond his Granite Bowl graduation. Congratulations on this milestone in your life, Tanner! I know you’ve made your parents proud! Caps & Gowns have arrived at our high school, and that means the Class of 2016 is in the final stretch to graduation! I did another fabulous session with this gorgeous ECCHS senior back in the fall (here’s the link if you’d like to see them again: http://dtrphotography.weebly.com/sessions/katie-class-of-2016 ). This time, in addition to the coveted cap & gown, it’s also tennis season and Katie is the #1 singles player on her team, so, of course, we had to get a few of her on the court. Most importantly, however, is preserving these memories for her parents, Chris and Susan Kubas. Much love and my very best wishes to all of you as you celebrate this family milestone! Katie, soak up every moment of these last seven weeks. Your walk across the Granite Bowl will be here before you know it! :) Kevin and Beth Eavenson are the absolute sweetest couple...so clearly in love with each other and over the moon excited for Baby E's arrival next month. Beth told me, " We just want some pictures of us out at our house...nothing glamorous....just who we really are." I hope these pictures did just that and that one day this sweet boy can look back in his Baby Book and see how much he was loved and anticipated! All my best to this growing family! "Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film has been captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything." ~Aaron Siskind Today marks the beginning of a New Year....a time when we traditionally take one last look back at the year we're leaving behind in order to give thanks for what happened in those 12 months and maybe even to set goals for the next 365 days. So, I thought...why not do that with my photo shoots for 2015? Each moment we are alive is important and one to be captured if possible. Our memories may fade, but images frozen in time last forever. I've certainly been very fortunate to have so many kind folks put their trust in my work. Let me show you some of the images I was able to capture this past year through my lens. Children.... Children are tricky little things. Some love the camera. Others...not so much. But sometimes, if I'm lucky, I get THE shot that absolutely melts my heart. :) |
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