Tag Archives: Pentax K20d

{Just Married} Nathalie + Brandon

Where to begin?!

Firstly, I’ll begin by warning you that there will be about a zillion photos in this post. I just couldn’t help myself from posting lots from this wedding!

After two engagement sessions with Nathalie and Brandon in 2012, I was thrilled to bits to be asked to do their wedding photos. I knew these two would have an AWESOME wedding. I knew Nathalie had a beautiful dress that was just perfect for her. I knew Brandon was completely stoked to be making Nathalie his wife. But I really didn’t realize just how amazing their wedding would be*!

The wedding ceremony took place off the beaten path in Moscow/LaGrange, Tennessee. The date of the wedding was December 1, and it was planned as an outdoor wedding. You never know what weather in the Mid South is going to do, but we were blessed with an incredible day! The sun was out, the sky was clear, and the temperature was very pleasant. Can’t ask for much more than that when you’re getting married outside!

If the weather hadn’t been nice, the ceremony would have been moved into reception hall, which is the pièce de résistance at Pinecrest. HOW BEAUTIFUL IS THIS?!

Speaking of the reception hall, here are some of the details of the reception decor. SO perfect for this bride and groom!

As you’ll see in later photos, succulents were used as centerpieces and in all other aspect of the “wedding flowers” 


Photos I took of Nathalie and Brandon at our two engagement sessions

  Nathalie’s a vegan, so she had Muddy’s make dozens of their vegan cupcakes for the wedding. Doesn’t this set up look incredible?!

 The “cake topper” ! I think the nuzzling owl is a ginger, like Nathalie! 

As I usually do, I arrived on Nathalie and Brandon’s wedding day early enough that I could hang out and take pictures while they were getting ready for the ceremony. Nathalie just had one bridal attendant: her bestie, Lydia. I’ve known Lydia for years, too. So basically, getting ready for the wedding and hanging out all afternoon was just like hanging out with two old friends – because that’s what it was

Dress and shoes!!!

(Hair and make-up by Stephanie Brick of Brickology!)

Nathalie and Brandon were another one of my wedding couples who agreed it would be best if they saw each other pre-ceremony in order to get photos taken care of.  This worked out wonderfully. We actually got 100% of the photo groupings completed prior to the ceremony! That’s a big relief when you’ve got a reception hall full of guests waiting after the ceremony!

Almost time for the cermony…

This was the part where passersby drove by once, then drove by again to tell us that they’d driven past the second time because they wanted to get a second look at Nathalie. Because she looked so good. TRUTH.

Behind the scenes: And this was the part where your humble wedding photographer had the only mode of transport available to the bride to ride from the bridal cabin to the ceremony, so she had to stuff the bride into the passenger’s side of her minivan!

Here comes the bride…

Husband and wife!  Ahhhh! How cute is Nathalie’s expression?!

Reception…

All-vegan wedding buffet by Fuel Cafe

Toasts from the maid of honor and best man

Brandon and the wedding officiant, our old friend JoelG 

As  I’ve said, I’ve known the Nathalie and Brandon for many years. I even lived in the apartment above their house for a couple of those years! I was truly happy and honored that I was allowed be the photographer for their wedding day. It was a perfect day, and I wish them all the best as they continue their lives together, now as Mr. and Mrs. Pearce.

 *And yes, Nathalie, I really mean that! Not just “things wedding photographers day in blogs” 🙂

{More} Muddy’s Goodies

Well hello!

I’ve got QUITE a few things on-deck, waiting to be shared with you on Shoot With Personality. First up, I’m rolling out* just a few samples from two more photo shoots I’ve just done for Muddy’s Bake Shop!

 

That’s it for now! Watch this space for wedding photos, Impossible Project fun, maybe a camera review or two, and more!

*Okay. That was an unintentional sort of baking pun.

FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY: THE JACKSON FAMILY, Fall 2012

Maybe you’ll recognize these beautiful people from the photo session I did with them last year. Imagine my delight I received a very charming message from Meagan:

Mike and I are wanting to hire the talented A. Raney for family fall portraits again!!! We absolutely loved last year’s and hope that you can help us out again this year!

Well of COURSE I could! The Jacksons are such awesome people, and I had been secretly hoping they’d invite me to photograph them again this fall!

Daddy, helping Ezra get ready before our photo session

We began our session together in a skate park near the Jacksons’ home. That gave us lots of color to incorporate into the photos!

My my my, how baby Ezra has grown into a proper toddler since our photo session last year. And like most toddlers, this boy was on the moooooooove!

Next, we headed over to the Overton Park and found our way to a wooded area of the park. It was a gorgeous autumn afternoon for an outdoor photo session!

Ezra was enamored with the leaves. He & mommy had just done a craft project with some! 

Squeeeeeeeeeze!” (ALSO: MIKE’S FACE IN THIS ONE!!!)

Poor Mommy. I hope she doesn’t mind me sharing this outtake – but the boys look like they’re having so much fun in it!
Ezra made a couple of new doggy friends along the way

Mommy and Daddy allowed Ezra a little play break before finishing up our session.

We call this one “Determination”

Sliiiiiiiiide

All the best models have the “pouty” look

And so ended another fun afternoon with Meagan, Mike, and Ezra! (The latter of whom I wanted to take home with me by the end of the day – he is sooooo cute and let me tote him around!)

 

{Engaged} Nathalie + Brandon, Part Two

I did an engagement session for Nathalie and Brandon this Spring. When I met with Nathalie to discuss the photography for their December wedding (I’m shooting it! Yay!) I told her that I’d like to offer them a little second engagement session. This was because I thought it’d be nice for them to have some portraits made together that had a more “autumnal” feel, since their wedding is in autumn! Happily, she and Brandon took me up on this offer!

It was another super fun afternoon with the betrothed couple, making our way around Memphis for our photos. Here are a few of my faves from our little photo shoot:

 

I am oh-so-excited for Nathalie and Brandon’s wedding!And, of course, it will be detailed here on the SWP blog!