A little less than a year ago, my wonderful friend Valerie got engaged to her long-time boyfriend Richard. I couldn’t be happier for the two of them! After all – there’s nothing better than seeing the people that I love in love. It was even more exciting when she asked me to be a bridesmaid. It was my first time being gifted with such an honor and I will admit, I was nervous! Prior to the wedding, I told Val that I would take photos of us girls and her getting ready. I thought this task would be a lot easier than it actually worked out to be. You see, being a first-time bridesmaid, I didn’t realize how much running around and preparation there would be! I was only able to capture a few moments, but I am glad that I got what I did. The wedding, which was on December 11th in Atlanta, Georga, was absolutely marvelous and I am so glad I was able to take part in the festivities. I can’t wait to have Val return the favor on May 11th, my big day! More on Facebook.
Even though today is young, it has been marked with reflection for me. I can’t stop thinking about all that happened this past year and all that could and will happen this upcoming year. 2011 had its downs, but the ups that always followed those downs are what I remember. This year I (This started out in order, but went haywire a few events in!): went to Gettysburg for the first time, celebrated my one year anniversary with my sweetheart, had a solo photo show at the Secret Art Space in Bethlehem, stayed at the legendary Hotel Chelsea in NYC, saw Wicked on Broadway, turned 24, met & photographed Kassidy, celebrated my mom’s 50th birthday, got engaged to the man of my dreams, took a week long trip to Nashville, photographed two weddings, saw three dear friends get engaged (including Mel & Steve), met & photographed Ella, got accepted to the Savannah College of Art & Design and began work on my Masters of Arts in Photography, had my last Thanksgiving & Christmas as an unmarried woman, got to be a bridesmaid in Valerie’s wedding (more on that soon!), took part in some awesome collaborations (Veronika, Sally Jane Vintage, Jaime, Eskandalo!, Loose Threads Boutique, M.L.N.W.), had photo spreads featured in BLEEP! and Very Glossy, and much much more.
2012 already looks bright. After all, it is the year I will get married, start a home with John, finish my Masters degree, be a bridesmaid for two wonderful friends and who knows what else! May your new year be filled with lots of happiness, good health and love. And always remember that those rough times are what make us appreciate the wonderful times all the more!
Here are some of my favorite photos that I took this year. Some of these I never shared on the blog. Enjoy!
I remember when I was a little girl and would start the countdown until Christmas. I couldn’t wait to wake up early, peak at the presents and not-so-patiently wait for mom and dad to wake up so that my siblings and I could start tearing at the wrapping paper. Nowadays, Christmas is still exciting for me, but for much different reasons. I like the drop in temperature, seeing all of the decorations make their way into people’s houses, attending a Christmas Eve service at church, and spending extra time with my family. Although Kassidy is not yet one year old, I couldn’t help but to think while taking these photos that her most exciting Christmas years are coming up, not only for her, but for her family, too. What is better than experiencing the holidays through a child’s eyes?
A little note about the gingerbread house pictured in these photos: Kim and I spent a few hours creating that for Kassidy! Even though she didn’t seem to take notice of our fine craftsmanship, we are proud of how cute it turned out!
More on Facebook!
Between friends who are getting married and friends who recently had babies, I’ve been handing out a lot of congratulations! This is certainly not a bad thing at all. It just gives me more occasions to snap photos of such happy times for people that I love! I met Brittany, Ella’s mom, in line at the Philadelphia airport while waiting for our flight to Rome, Italy. We would have never been brought together if not for studying abroad for 3.5 months. I am very lucky to have met her, as Brit is such a sweetheart and is a great friend. Naturally, I couldn’t wait to meet her little girl Ella, who was born a little over a month ago. She is absolutely beautiful and the perfect mixture of her mommy & daddy! Oh goodness…I just love babies! More on Facebook.
Melanie and I bonded over America’s Next Top Model and an early morning speech class at West Chester University. She has always been a great friend to me and we both get to take part in each other’s weddings! In fact, before Steve even asked her to marry him, I claimed the rights to taking their engagement photos. The day of the photoshoot, we were blessed with incredibly beautiful weather, creating a Fall atmosphere that fits perfectly with their October 2012 wedding. And how could I forget their awesome pup, Colby?! Thankfully, she had a babysitter that day – John. As he threw the ball, I had ample time to snap photos of Melanie & Steve, including her in a few (when she would cooperate!). I can’t wait for the wedding! More photos on Facebook.
This is another series created for this quarter at Savannah College of Art & Design. Full series uploaded to Facebook.
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ARTIST’S STATEMENT: CHILD BRIDE
For the last 5 months, I have taken on a role completely unknown to me – Bride. Life has never felt more transitory. I hover between living situations, focal points and, most importantly, the line that distinguishes girlhood from a full-blown transition into womanhood. I have never been one to cave to traditional gender roles, but I can’t help but to think about the fact that with marriage comes a much higher chance of bearing children, taking care of a household and leaving many of my childhood notions behind.
Child Bride is an exploration of this transience that currently pervades my life. I have chosen my 16-year-old sister as the bride and my family house as the location, as it is where I have spent the last 9 years of my life, much of which has involved “growing up.” I have also drawn on my experience with photographing brides as they are getting ready, often times in their childhood homes. This is a moment of childlike excitement before such an adult event.
The spaces in these photos, laden with nostalgia, remind me of those “growing up” years. And my sister’s age – although nearly 10 years junior to mine – is more appropriate to how I sometimes still feel.
The following photos belong to one series I created during my first quarter of grad school at Savannah College of Art & Design. I had been wanting to create a series of self-portraits for a while and finally had the opportunity. However, I wanted to do something a bit different. These photos explore not only who I am, but who I am in relation to who others are. Full series on Facebook.
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ARTIST’S STATEMENT: PERSONAL SPACE
When we construct our personal spaces, we fill them with things that reflect who we are. They are mirrors reflecting not only us, but those around us. There’s a chair that my mother found on the side of the road. There’s a poster that my best friend bought for me in Paris. The walls are that color because it reminds me of my fiancé. This gives way to the notion that who we are is the sum of all of our parts – our mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends, significant others – whether we like it or not.
By placing myself in the spaces of those who are closest to me, I have explored not only myself, but them. I have invited myself in, taken a seat and figured out where I fit in their personal space.
Photographing Sarah & her mom Cheri was truly a pleasure and certainly a departure from the usual stuff that Sarah and I capture. As soon as I met Cheri, though, I could tell where Sarah gets her beauty from! Seeing mothers & daughters interact is always so special to me, as it reminds me of the relationship I have with my momma. And can you ever beat the fall colours with regards to a beautiful background? More on Facebook!
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