Torch Your Calories. Tone Your Body. Tune Your Mind.

I just got done producing a promo video for my favorite yoga studio, MBody Yoga. My friend, Mark White, who is a great instructor as well, will be using it soon as a promo piece on his website.

This is an amazing place to get a kick butt workout. Before I tried M Body, I always thought yoga was just stretching and a lot of "ohhmms", but wow, in my first practice, I had never sweat soooo much in my life. I've been hooked ever since. If you haven't given power yoga a chance, you've got to try M Body or find another Baptiste affiliate studio in your area! It's great for the body AND mind! (I need to get back to the studio myself with all this holiday eating lately! ha)

>>CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO!

My first Showit Web slideshow

So I finally gave in and bought David Jay's Showit Web. I had been putting it off because I kept looking for something that offered a bigger image size for the slideshow and from what I heard, I didn't think you could make the show any larger. I guess I'm still in that giddy phase of I like seeing the images as big as possible for maximum impact. But I'm excited because I figured out how to increase the size in Showit Web (for photographers, simply change the the custom layout and size settings), so now I can use the ease of the program with the look I was hoping to achieve.

I know I'm late to join the bandwagon, but thanks DJ for creating a wonderful tool to help speed up the workflow for photographers. I'm looking forward to offering slideshows to future clients as the photography side of my business picks up. Also too, for brides and others interested, word is that these slideshows will be available on DVD in the near future! So stay tuned!

I used my little cousin's recent photo shoot to test out my first slideshow since he was the kid of endless expressions. Enjoy!

>>>>>>Click here for Elijah's slideshow

Will work for shoes

Tonight my friend Rachel and I were hanging out watching the Bachelor (Yes, guilty pleasure). But beforehand, we got a great idea to try to recreate a fun DVD cover of Sex and the City (Yes, another guilty pleasure. I love it for the fashion, honestly.) So we brought out all my shoes and spread them out in my closet and she smiled away as I clicked away. So here's the before and after picture that Rachel then decided to use for a fun custom New Year's Eve card she's going to print up. Girls just wanna have fun (and wear cute shoes!)

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

Happy Belated Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope your day was filled with blessings of loved ones and were given time to reflect on the little things in life that mean the most.

My parents and I spent it in Orlando with my grandparents and uncle and cousin, and I enjoyed the simplicity of just spending time with family I wish I could see more often. I think what hit me the hardest was as I was leaving and my grandma said to me, "It really means a lot to us that you have squeezed in this time with your grandfather and I. I know you are becoming so busy in your life with work and everything." It almost made sad to hear that I've let work become a priority over those I love, that my family, who are most important to me, feels as if they have to squeeze in time with me. So I'm thankful for holidays that force us to put our priorities back in order. I know it's not quite New Year's yet, but I really want to make a resolution for the coming year to spend more time with loved ones. I hope you are able to do the same.

I'm a bad photographer and didn't get any casual pictures of our family together, but I did use the time together to do a portrait session with my cousin, Becky, and her adorable 7 year old son, Elijah. They both have the most beautiful glittering blue eyes and I couldn't wait to get my camera on them.

I asked Elijah if he could come in the backyard real quick, thinking I was going to have to drag some shots out of him. But he totally surprised me and his mom as he completely lit up in front of the camera. I didn't have to tell him a single way to pose, he just kept coming up with new ideas "How about this? And how about that?" Elijah was completely a natural in front of the camera and this kid should be modeling for LL Bean or GAP Kids or something. Here are a few of my favorites!



















Next, Becky played dress up for a diva glamour shoot on the town. The fabulous Tim Co. joined us as we crashed Portofino Bay Hotel in Universal Studios (where I'm excited to shoot a wedding next year for Chrissy and Chris) and Downtown Disney for some fabulous walls to use as backdrop. I had so much fun turning my cousin/best friend into a supermodel for the night (while learning the trickyness of night shooting and everything that goes along with that.)

A Sweet Southern Creek Wedding in Charleston, SC

Charleston has always been one of my favorite Southern towns for the old fashioned homes, ambiance and all the delicious food like shrimp and grits! I was excited to return this weekend to shoot a wedding with the adorable Jill Higgins for a great couple, Lauren and TJ. It was a totally different experience seeing a wedding from a photographer's point of view vs. a videographer's point of view, and nice not to have to stress about audio and shaking my camera as I'm running around. ha!

Below are some of my favorite shots from the day. I'd love to hear everyone's critique and feedback.

And for *BRIDES* looking for photography, stay tuned to the blog because I will soon be relaunching a new website and offering photography packages as well!


Lauren's ring was HUGE!


Lauren and her maid of honor sister are lucky to be very naturally beautifully girls who don't need much make up. If Lauren had it her way, she probably wouldn't have worn it at all for her wedding, but she was trying to make her mom happy for pictures. As Jill and I were capturing pictures of her dress, I hear from the bathroom Lauren say "Can someone who knows how to put on make up run in here to help me?" I knew that that was a great picture waiting to be captured.


Lauren's gorgeous dress!


I loved the brand name of Lauren's shoes... Grace.


All throughout the wedding, Lauren kept trying to run away from her mom chasing her around with that bright red lipstick for touchups. "Mooooom, I feel like I'm in 3rd grade getting ready for my school picture," Lauren said. "This is different, honey, " her mom said with her sweet Southern drawl. "Now I'm giving you Angelina lips."


A gorgeous bridal portrait.


Daddy's little girl.


Lauren and TJ sharing their first prayer together. But TJ sneaks a peek at his beautiful bride.


Time to live happily ever after.


Walking into their destiny.


The girls requested a fun picture that looked like it could be on the cover of Bride magazine.


Meanwhile, boys just want to get it over with. ha!


North meets South. While Lauren grew up in Charleston, TJ was from Philedelphia. They even served Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches at the reception.


God is an amazing artist, that's all I have to say!


The first dance.


Though Lauren was shy in front of the camera, once the music started, she broke it down all over the dance floor.


The awesome cake.


Lauren got ready to be smothered. But TJ was a gentleman and simply spoonfed her.

Here are some shots Jill got of me while testing her exposure:

The "Tim Co." shot.


My first dance!

Corinna & Bobby: Running off to Vegas

Corinna and Bobby have an exciting wedding coming up in Vegas at the gorgeous and famous Bellagio Hotel. Yesterday I shot their engagement pictures in historic St. Augustine, Florida.

CLICK HERE for a fun slideshow of the pictures from the day to one of their favorite love songs, "Better Together" by Jack Johnson.

And below are a few of my favorite pictures from the day.




(RANDOM FACT: This is actually my bedroom we shot in. They were having so much fun jumping and down, Bobby even broke a spring in my mattress, but hey it was worth the cool shot!)