cassandra m blog

NEW BLOG UP!

2010-01-31T22:08:00.004-05:00

hellllooooo everyone...
Please update my link because I have a brand NEW BLOG!

At the end of 2009, I decided to re-brand my business. This led to a new logo, a new blog and also a new website is on the way. This blog will always be a part of me & my business and hold a very special place in my heart. I will miss being here, but I am excited about my new look and new blog site!

Please stop by and check it out...
www.cassandra-m.com/blog

*This blog and all the photos/posts will remain online for continued viewing.

Have a BLESSED day~much appreciation for your support...cassandra-m

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LYDIA

2010-01-15T15:40:00.011-05:00

SHE'S THE ONE...
that has been there for me all along.
She picks me up if I fall & encourages me to go on.
She gives me genuine support when I need it most.
She gives me honest advice and freely shares her wisdom.
She's the voice has been there all along.
She is the one who tolerates my quirky little habits.
She accepts my artistic & creative personality
and never judges.

SHE'S THE ONE...
that shares my hopes & my dreams.
I can call on her to laugh with, cry with or complain to.
She gives to me, expecting nothing in return.
She shares her heart fully & completely.
And she always keeps my secrets.

SHE'S THE ONE...
I can always count on no matter what.
She pushes me to be better.
She loves me unconditionally.
She makes me want to be a better person.
She is my inspiration.
She is my lifelong best friend...
SHE IS MY SISTER!

Today I say Thank You to God for putting her in my life and in this world.
Today I am grateful for her birth and today I celebrate it!
Happy Birthday my dear & beautiful sister...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER!!!!!

I love you bunches....

MISSING HAWAII'S WARMTH

2010-01-10T17:16:00.012-05:00

After a week of being sick and dealing with the cold weather, I sat at my computer today and tried "imaging" myself somewhere else...somewhere warmer. Immediately I thought of Hawaii. So to perk myself up & motivate me to a happier place, I went through some of the photos I took on my recent trip there and picked one to share.

This particular photo caught my eye because of the beauty of the ocean & rocks, but also because of an emotional connection. I remembered standing there for probably half an hour watching the waves crash against the rocks. I remembered being so overwhelmed with this peaceful feeling. The freshest air I think I've ever inhaled filled my lungs, the bluest skies surrounded me everywhere and the most beautiful water danced below me against the cliff. I stood there with no cares...no worries...no stress...I was in a total state of peace & happiness. Nothing but calmness and warmth wrapped around my body. I especially liked the "warm" feeling I was recalling. So today's post is simply an image that will distract "my mind" from the cold weather we are currently having in Georgia and take me to that sunnier & warmer place I remember in Hawaii. :)

BEING SICK = NOT FUN

2010-01-08T21:04:00.012-05:00

Well...a week has passed in the new year and it was definitely not what I had anticipated and not the way I wanted to bring in a bright energetic new year. My week has been filled with coughing, sneezing, fever, headache, runny nose, watery eyes, congestion, aches, chills, sweats & more. Uggggggggggg...a week of being sick. Definitely "NOT" how I wanted to start things off in the new year. With the weather now in the 20s and 30s, it has been hard to kick my cold & more difficult to feel like being productive. I've spent most days dressed like I'm on my way to the North Pole or the extreme opposite, depending on whether I'm hot or cold at the time. I've been extremely tired and at times felt like a bear in hibernation. My "to do" list has multiplied radically in the past 7 days, as I mark one item off, three more quickly appear. Getting work done has been difficult, it is much easier to just watch bad TV and groan about feeling horrible. Being sick has not been fun :( but it has made me appreciate that I rarely get sick & that I have many days of good health. :) For that I am thankful.

I didn't want to bore my internet friends with such a "blah blah blah" post, but I made a "New Year's Resolution" to "blog more often" in 2010! Even if nothing exciting is going on, I still want to share myself, my life & my business. Luckily I am not getting graded on the creativity of this post...ha.ha. LOL.

For now, just a sneak peak of what my bathroom counter looked like this past week...

To anyone in cold weather...stay warm and keep your medicines & hand sanitizers near.

A GOOD FRIEND & A BOOKMARK

2010-01-05T18:30:00.003-05:00

My new year has started off with small reminders of what wonderful friends I have. I received this bookmark in the mail yesterday from my very dear & longtime friend, Traci. She told me that she saw it on New Year's Eve, immediately thought of me and then bought it. (She often does things like this that makes me smile.) It is the support of such amazing friends that inspires me and keeps me pushing myself & my business. Little small acts of kindness...make such a BIG difference to me.

I love the message on the bookmark and wanted to share it with everyone. These are my wishes for each of you too...

Wishing everyone a HAPPY & PROSPEROUS 2010!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!

2010-01-01T16:21:00.004-05:00

Well 2009 has come to a close and another year of awesome-ness! I was so very blessed to have the most amazing clients this year. I am eagerly looking forward to what 2010 will bring. I have lots of new ideas, new products and new services I will be offering to my clients. It is going to rock!

I want to take a quick moment and say THANK YOU to all my past & present clients. I wanted to express my deep gratitude & appreciation for your trust & belief in me.

I put together a short slideshow of some of my favorite images of 2009. Although some of my clients requested that I not blog their photos, I want them to know I had tons of favorites from their shoots also. Here are just a few of my awesome clients from 2009. THANK YOU again EVERYONE!!!!

CLICK HERE for SLIDESHOW...

FAREWELL 2009!

2009-12-31T19:06:00.007-05:00

Here are a few of photos of Mocha I wanted to share for the last post in 2009...

This is Mocha's brother...his name is "MEOW" and he never gets his photo taken. So today I had him join us for pictures. He was happy.

He has the most beautiful eyes and an amazing color to his fur. (He is ever bit as spoiled as Mocha too...even though he rarely likes to get in front of my camera.)

Hoping everyone has a WONDERFUL and SAFE NEW YEARS!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2009

2009-12-25T00:02:00.002-05:00

PEACE...LOVE & JOY!

I just wanted to take a minute and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. My hope is that each one of you get to enjoy time with your family and friends. That your day is a HAPPY one. That there is laughter and smiles...and more laughter.

Here are some of the photos I took last week of Mocha for my Christmas cards. Enjoy! I may be bias, but I do believe he is the most adorable puppy on the planet. :)))))

Mocha got extra treats for sitting so patiently & wonderfully while I took his photo. I am sure he was rolling his eyes at the santa suit and hairbow, but he never once acted like he minded it.

Have a BLESSED day. GOD BLESS and MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!

CHRISTMAS CARDS 2009

2009-12-22T14:25:00.006-05:00

That time of year again...Christmas cards...yea yea yea! I couldn't decide on just one photo of Mocha this year, he was just way tooo CUTE CUTE CUTE! So I decided to pick four photos and designed four different cards. I lost track of my time for this month and realized yesterday around noon that I needed my cards mailed asap to arrive on time. I addressed as quickly as possible, but since I write each card by hand it takes a little time. I got half of them done & mailed. The rest went out today and I am hoping for quick delivery, but I apologize in advance if they arrive late. Although e-cards are popular, I still like to send a card that is visually stimulating and that can be held & touched with your hands. I just love cards.

PEACE...LOVE & JOY...

Thank you to the US Postal Service, UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc and all their employees for all their hard work year round, especially this month.

BROOKS

2009-12-12T15:12:00.000-05:00

CUTE...CUTE...CUTE times TWO. I love photographing Brooks and Barkley. Thanks to his mom, Brooks is always stylin' some adorable outfit. I seriously want to take his photo and put in a GAP kids magazine ad. He is that cool. (Anna...I love the hat)

These two share such a close bond...

Sara came out for a few photos too and wanted to show off her pretty boots.

Sara and her big blue eyes...

Sara was good at making faces while I was shooting. Her Mom asked her to stop, but I am glad I got these photos. I was laughing at her and I think that just encourages the silliness. I love it.

Ben and his big blue eyes...

Ben & sister, Sara.

I love moments like this...Thanks Sara, this is a keeper for Mom. :))

Just to make note, I did "not" put the kid on top of the car. This was his Mom....ha.ha...but she was only about 2 ft away, ready to jump in if he started sliding. He did not fall off the car and was only up there for a few quick photos.

My friends, Anna & Jeff and baby Brooks.

This is definitely a favorite of mine. I love when kids are laughing and screaming...I think it reflects a more realistic side to how much fun a photo shoot can be when they don't sit still and smile. Brooks, you are awesome. :)

MADYSON : HOLIDAY PART II

2009-12-03T15:00:00.003-05:00

This is how Madyson and I started the second part of our shoot. Yes, there was a little screaming, but there was also laughing, running, dancing, rolling around and a short break for some girl talk. Of yea, and there was chocolate chip cookie dough after the shoot. :))

Madyson insisted on wearing her ruby red princess slippers. I LOVED her choice of footwear. She is definitely going to be a shoe girl. I probably should start saving money now for the Manolo Blahniks...

After a change of clothes, Madyson lost interest in me taking more photos of her. She seemed to be bored with me and my camera.

Very bored. She is staring out into space and simply ignoring me....ha.ha.

I imagine she is saying to herself..."Oh my, not more photos"...

This is Madyson's fake smile for me. Notice the hand on her hip. For exaggerated purposes, I'm sure.

In order to get her re-motivated to the cause, I allowed her some "Madyson-time". Some time for her to do anything that would make her happy & smiley. This is what I got.

Shortly thereafter, it was back to being bored with me.

Since she wanted a break, we just lay in the grass and talked. I still snapped a couple awesome images, but mostly I loved the time we spent...just hangin' and chillin'...together.

And there was rolling in the grass, on Madyson's part. I had seen dog poop earlier, so I declined to join in the fun.

Dr Jekyll (on left)...Mr Hyde (on right)...LOL.

More time to just lay and talk.

Madyson loves her ruby red princess slippers and I am glad I caught this moment. She was admiring how beautiful & sparkly they were.

and more admiring...

and finally, Madyson acknowledged my requests and gave me a quickie smile.

and more rolling and rolling...

I'm just glad I'm not responsible for the laundry. LOL. Sorry Anna...but, I think you are very use to grass in the hair and grass stains on the clothes....ha. ha.

This is where it got "almost" too hilarious for me to continue shooting. Madyson threw her hands up and said "I quit". She told me she was done with photos and then reiterated to me louder..."I quit". I just laughed and told her she couldn't quit "my" photo shoot, but she just ignored me. She then rolled her eyes (which she probably gets from me) and she was done. I snapped a couple more last photos and released her. LOL.

Too funny...Madyson acted like I was torturing her. I was NOT, I promise...LOL. She is such a drama queen sometimes, but I love her!

This is Madyson's fake smile, one last time. You can actually see the strain in her neck muscles as she grits her teeth and attempts very hard to give me a happy look.

One last "almost genuine" smile...

Thank You Madyson! Y-O-U always remind me to laugh out loud, to dance like nobody is watching, to enjoy small things like rolling in the grass (even when dog poop may be nearby) and most importantly...YOU remind me to always SMILE big, even if it's a fake one...ha.ha.

love you bunches! =:P

MADYSON : HOLIDAY PART I

2009-11-30T19:58:00.002-05:00

Madyson has features I could photograph all day...like her eyes, her lips, her smile and her energy. She is A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E and she has lots of personality to share. Madyson is what I like to call a "free-spirit" and she is amazing. (Just because she's my niece doesn't make my views distorted, she's my niece by choice, not by blood.)

Here are some of my favorites from the first part of her holiday shoot. For those of you wondering, these are Madyson's real eyes. I strongly believe that altering the color of a subject's eyes is a "no-no"...unless you are shooting for a magazine or something that requires the use of Photoshop for exaggerated purposes. When I shoot any clients close-up, I try to position my subject(s) where the light will best reflect their eyes. Especially with little kids, I want their parents to have images that truly reflect their children as they are. Knowing how to use light to do this is something I have worked very hard on trying to master. It doesn't always work because kids will be kids. If I ask them to stand in this particular spot, they may stand there or they may move somewhere else. I just try to have patience...in Madyson's case, I have to literally chase her around to get her to stop. But the chase is worth it every time. Her images prove this to me.

Sometimes standing still like a statue is not fun for Madyson...LOL. (No kid was harmed during this photo shoot...ha.ha.)

I have to quickly get those standing still shots, because Madyson is a runner.

Madyson was running in circles around me. All the time I was politely asking her to stop...she was finding my pleas most entertaining. She was laughing so hard she had a watery tear in her eye.

With my promise of a cookie, Madyson was most well behaved...

For ONE second...

But seriously, how can I get mad at her twirling and spinning when she stops to give me these looks...and there is the tear of laughter again.

I love the still shots of Madyson, but she is a mover & a shaker...

So my action shots best show her personality...

Not sure why she felt the need to pick a piece of grass for my sister, but she insisted I take a photo of it and bring home for my sis.

As you can tell by the hair all over her head...Madyson had been twirling. I don't think she liked me asking her to stop.

One of my favorites...

Madyson called this guy "Rudolph the Red-nose Reindeer"...even though his nose is black. Of course, we had to get photos with Rudolph.

This is Madyson's fairy wings. With these wings she can fly around the yard like a princess.

Although I didn't manage to get this image completely in focus as she ran, I had to keep it. I love everything about Madyson in this photo. It is something about the "angelic" look she is giving me as she runs while I ask her to stop. LOL. Madyson makes me laugh and smile so hard when I photograph her. I love this kid.

More coming in Part II.

LIBBY & TONY : ENGAGEMENT

2009-11-29T01:33:00.008-05:00

They met in college and became friends. After graduation they found themselves in two different states, still talking...still being friends. A romance began and that brought forth a lot of travel time in the cars. After a couple years of the long distance relationship, fate stepped in and brought Tony to Libby's location. An engagement soon followed.

This is Libby and Tony. In the midst of Holiday craziness and having to relocate our photo session...we had an AMAZING shoot.

They were quiet and sweet together. It was very easy for me to document their connection. Everything felt soft and cozy...every shot seemed to reflect the gentleness they both shared. I could feel it by being around them, I was so happy my camera felt it too.

These next two photos are two of my favorites and I had to include them both. I absolutely love the way Tony is looking at Libby.

I usually do not shoot my clients this far away, but the huge building in the background caught my eye.

A few portrait type shots are always a great idea for the parents.

Notice the big red freight ship coming into the background.

Having FUN and LAUGHING is mandatory on my photo shoots! Just kidding. I do not screen my clients for this, I've just been very blessed to get really "cool" clients that like to have FUN & LAUGH.

One of my favorite images. Libby's laugh was intoxicating and I am so happy I captured it in this photo.

I love these next two photos...

Finishing up with a few last images before the light drifted away...

To view more photos from the shoot : CLICK HERE FOR SLIDESHOW

Libby & Tony...
Thank you guys for being so wonderful during the shoot. I had a blast! I am super excited about your wedding.
Prepare for "awesomeness" from me...cassandra m

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2009

2009-11-26T10:52:00.007-05:00

I am THANKFUL...

I am thankful for God, he gives me strength.
I am thankful for my family, their love and our closeness.
I am thankful for my sweet Mocha. He reminds me daily of unconditional LOVE.
I am thankful for my amazing friends. They support me, laugh with me, cry with me, listen to my joy, listen to my sadness and are faithful to our friendship.
I am thankful for my passion for photography, it drives me daily.
I am thankful for my colleagues because I gain inspiration from them, personally & professionally.
I am thankful for living in a country where I have freedoms.
I am thankful for clothing, shelter and my health.
I am thankful for my gentle & caring heart. It makes me want to help others and give when I can.
I am thankful for wanting to help animals that have no voice.
I am thankful for feeling responsible to respect our planet and keep it green.
I am thankful for yesterday, today & anticipation of tomorrow.
I am thankful for the desire to live life to the fullest.
I am thankful for random things : chocolate, art, the internet, books, bubbles, sunny days, rainy days, quite time, play days with Mocha, sprinkles on cupcakes, birthdays, writing utensils, magazines, fashion, the smell of fresh cut grass, lazy days in the hammock, vacations, working vacations, flowers, old photos, new photos, cell phones, technology, comfy clothes, hats, sunshades, music, and so many, many, many more things...

Simply put...I AM THANKFUL each and every day. I AM BLESSED and I AM THANKFUL for that.

To each and every person who might read this...May your Thanksgiving Day and all other days be blessed too. May you have loved ones near you and may your HEART be full of HAPPINESS.

Happy Thanksgiving 2009!

J* WORKSHOP Part II

2009-11-23T00:22:00.021-05:00

In my second post about the Jasmine Star WORKSHOP, I am excited to share lots of images of Jasmine in action. After lunch Jasmine had planned an outdoor photo shoot in bright light. Most people can shoot easily when they have control over the time of the shoot and the light is perfect. However, what happens when we are asked to shoot in full light? What happens when the sun is overhead and harsh? These are things Jasmine would approach with us and give us suggestions, pointers and her advice on how to handle these situations. Before we all gathered our camera gear to head out, Jasmine gave us a few words of inspiration. She pushed us to find shots that would reflect our style and give us a signature look. She suggested we take chances in capturing images we could use to help brand ourselves.

This ended up being one of "my" favorite parts of the workshop day. Maybe because I am so passionate about taking photos, but more likely is was my sheer excitement of being on a photo shoot with Jasmine. A chance to learn, to watch, to observe and even participate on a shoot with the Rock-Star herself. I listened so attentively as she spoke on so many different topics. She covered shooting in full sunlight, using natural reflectors, interacting with your clients and more, more, more. She spoke with such passion, such conviction and such energy...it was invigorating to say the least.

I'm not sure who was more fun to photograph, Jasmine or the models...ha ha. I did get some "AMAZING" photos of Ashley and Jeff and will share those in another post.

We all watched with such anticipation as she showed us how she gets those "fabulous" and "flawless" images that has defined her style and help to catapult her business.

She took time to help explain techniques to use with your clients. Most of our clients are "not" professional models and most of them are rarely in front of a camera for a professional shoot. Jasmine used herself to demonstrate "smiles" and I love these three images I snapped. She is giving us information on getting clients to look sultry. I love the image on the right, I think it shows how good she was feeling while she explained this to us...ha ha. I love it!

JD...her husband, her business partner & her soul mate, joined on the shoot. JD not only handles the bulk of all the business stuff, but he second shoots with Jasmine and is very talented as a photographer himself. He was responsible for the details and arrangements of the workshop, as well as keeping the day running smoothly. I got a chance to talk with JD during dinner, as him & Jasmine tried to move around and speak with all the attendees. He spoke with me and was genuinely concerned about me, as well as my business. He encouraged me and asked for feedback regarding the workshop. I offered my comments in saying, "it could not have been better in my opinion"..."it was fab-u-lous".

Jasmine purposely posed Ashley & Jeff in direct sunlight to explain using natural reflectors. I found this information VERY helpful, since I am a natural light shooter and rarely use flash.

The light was beautiful, even in the middle of the day with it being harsh.

We walked around getting full light from all different angles...soaking up the sun & soaking up some J* knowledge. It was a win-win situation for me.

Connecting with your clients is very important. Making them comfortable with you allows them to trust you, thus making your images reflect the connection you share. On her blog, Jasmine always expresses her LOVE for her clients.

Talking with her hands is something I noticed alot. I do this too. :) ha ha.

No matter how many questions Jasmine got asked throughout the day...she listened carefully to each one.

I snapped a photo of some of the workshop attendees as we walked. I have to say that the group of photographer's I met on this day were all AMAZING. Each and every person made quite an impression on me. Their personalities, their passion for photography, their talent, their willingness to share and their strong desire to follow their dreams is something I notice...in each & every person that attended.

Near the end of the photo shoot, we got some J* instruction on interaction with out clients. I noticed immediately how relaxed she makes people feel and I smile because she was having as much fun teaching as we were having learning.

Jasmine is very entertaining...see how funny Jeff thinks she is. I can see why her clients laugh so much.

Jasmine...you rock!

Flawless make-up by : Vivian Tran of All Made Up
Floral designs by : Lauryl Lane

To sum up my experience at The WORKSHOP is easy...I was very BLESSED to attend! It has more than already paid for itself. The knowledge I gained, the inspiration I received, the insight from a queen of the industry, the one-on-one advice, opinions, tips, the workshop specials and discounts, there's no way to explain everything I gained...let's just say, it was "more" than worth it. To learn, to grow and to become better as a photographer you have to educate yourself and find ways to push your business forward. This is what The WORKSHOP did for me and I will be a better photographer for it. More importantly, I will be a better person and also a better colleague to others, because of Jasmine.

J* WORKSHOP Part I

2009-11-21T11:44:00.004-05:00

It was a morning of butterflies and nerves. How would the traffic be? Would I be running late? Would I get lost as I so oftenly do? (Yes, even with a GPS.) Would I ask stupid questions doing break time? Would my stomach growl because I was too excited to eat? These were all things that plagued my mind as I awoke "extra early" Monday morning. You see it was the morning of a long anticipated workshop...The WORKSHOP by Jasmine Star. She has been an inspiration to me, not only as a Photographer, but also as a person. She puts her heart and soul into her work and into giving to others. Her passion reminds me of my own, how I feel my eyes light up when I talk about photography. How my heart beats faster right before my shoots...and how every day is happy because I am following my dream. I believe these are a few things I have in common with Ms Jasmine Star. I was ecstatic to receive my confirmation as a workshop attendee at the end of Sept. I did my happy dance...twice.

Not only would I get to meet Jasmine, someone who has paved a new direction into wedding photography, but I would also meet 19 other photographers. Other photographers who have a passion too, a passion to learn and a passion to build their businesses. To say I was intimidated to be among such an amazing group would be an understatement. I had checked out all my fellow attendee's websites and blogs. The amount of talent that I would be around was a little overwhelming. Thus more butterflies and nerves. Although in connecting with the group on Facebook, I felt that each and every person was genuine, energetic, excited and as happy for the workshop as I was. I was humbled by everyone's kindness and sheer willingness to share their ideas as well.

The WORKSHOP by Jasmine Star was filled with information on every possible topic I can think of. Between her outlined presentation and the constant stream of questions, I can say undoubtedly that all areas of photography and even our personal lives, were covered. I am super excited about her advice at The WORKSHOP, because I am in the middle of re-branding myself. My NEW LOGO is done. My new customized blog is almost done. And....a NEW SHOW-IT website is coming soon. (DJ you ROCK!) Her suggestions were brilliant and will definitely push me above & beyond with my branding. The attention to detail at the workshop was flawless. JD (Jasmine's husband, business partner & soul mate) was the one who organized the entire workshop for us. JD...you get an A+++++++++++++++! I love fresh flowers, they always add a special touch of elegance and class.

We each received a notepad, a pen and a hand written personal note from Jasmine. The fact she took the time to get to know us before we arrived, showed exactly how much this WORKSHOP meant to her. It is always things like this that make my heart smile. Here is my note.

Did JD know that strawberries, blackberries and blueberries are my favorite? I think so...or at least that is what I am telling myself.

Jasmine was flawless from head to....toe~

And she's a MAC girl too. Gotta love anyone who shoots with Canon and loves Apple.

Loading some images for the big projection screen. (Yea MacBook Pro)

Jasmine shared personal stories which almost had the room in tears at times. She also listened very attentively when a workshop attendee would ask a question.

A change of shoes and we were off for an outdoor learning lesson and photo shoot. Jasmine is known for wearing her Cowboy boots on many of her shoots. I am sure it is 5% for comfort and 95% because they are so cool!

As part of the workshop, we got to learn first hand how Jasmine interacts with her clients. We learned how she has built a powerhouse of "fanatics" for herself with her clients, as well as their friends & families. I was truly honored and humbled to be shooting along side this Rock Star!

If you want to be inspired...if you want to soak up knowledge from one of the industry's hottest (by means of "she is on fire"...ha.ha...although she is gorgeous too)...if you want to push yourself to be a better person, a better photographer and a better colleague to others...then sign up for her newsletter and be alerted to news of her next workshop.

I have more photos of Jasmine to post from our day and also some of Ashley & Jeff, our models. For now, one last pic of Ashley and Jeff...

Flawless make-up by : Vivian Tran of All Made Up
Floral designs by : Lauryl Lane

CHLOE´ PART II

2009-11-16T03:01:00.010-05:00

Another teaser...I will be posting the entire shoot very soon. For now a couple more photos of the very gorgeous and fabulous...Chloe´. By the way...she is most definitely as beautiful "on the inside" as she is "on the outside".

One word...F-I-E-R-C-E!!!!

Just a candid shot I snapped in between getting her portraits. Chloe has the best smile ever!

She is funny too. LOL. Chloe´....thanks for making me laugh so hard during our shoot. I wanted to write a caption referring to the gun show, but thought that would be silly. ha ha. You rock girl!

Will post the entire session soon...I didn't even get to the other outfits. More beautiful images to come.

CHLOE´PREVIEW

2009-11-08T15:00:00.008-05:00

This is only a short preview. I wanted to share a couple of the amazing images I took of Chloe. I have so many FAVORITES and will be posting more soon.

For now, here is a teaser...

MADYSON...RANDOM

2009-11-02T09:02:00.001-05:00

This is Madyson trying on costumes for Halloween. I am not sure what she was saying here, but she certainly is getting her point across with that finger. ha ha. This was one of her Princess costumes. She put it on over her other clothes and just ran around the back yard.

I asked her to smile and you can see how difficult she found this task. She is taking her hands and pulling at her mouth. Of course, I do see a genuine smile behind all that silliness.

I love this shot. I took it after Madyson went and dunked her head in the pool. She returned looking ever so much like a proper little princess. ha ha. This child makes me laugh so hard.
*Disclaimer : This was not a planned photo shoot. It was just a couple of images I snapped really quick. I do not encourage any kids I photograph to dunk their heads in the pool during a shoot. ha ha...LOL.

This is Bailey. She is just awesome.

These next two are a couple of my favorites. Madyson always seems to be screaming when Bailey is around. This was too priceless for me not to document. You can see how hard it is for Madyson to stay quite, she is about to bust out laughing.

She does love her Bailey though....

And mostly, Bailey loves her.

Kisses and licks for Madyson.

Have a blessed day~

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2009-10-31T14:40:00.002-04:00

Mocha wanted to say Happy Halloween...

Have a SAFE & HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

LACIE big disk quadra

2009-10-28T22:20:00.005-04:00

External harddrives. The Lacie brand is awesome. Shooting with the Canon 5D Mark II is amazing, but my RAW image files are huge. This means when I back-up a shoot it takes up a lot of space. Filling up my current Lacie external harddrive was very easy, so I felt the need to upgrade. Lacie has a huge selection of products and after researching I decided to go with the "Lacie big disk quadra" with 2TB of space.

The Lacie harddrives will lay horizontally, stand vertically, stack together or you can rack-mount it with other Lacie harddrives. It has a detachable plate that you can easily attach for vertical storage.

This particular model offers a "Lacie Shortcut Button" on the front, which launches any backup or library application.

Another feature I really like is that the "Lacie big disk quadra" offers data transfer at very fast rates. This is important when backing-up a wedding with a mega number of images. Transferring files is all about speed. Speed is good. Also, this model has a quadruple interface....it can be connected via FireWire 800, Firewire 400, Hi_Speed USB 2.0 or eSATA 3Gbits. I prefer the FireWire 800 with my MAC.

Finally, I really love the exclusive aluminum d2 heat sink design this model offers. It is fanless and operates quietly. Nice!

PAO, ALYSSA & BELLA

2009-10-20T00:08:00.018-04:00

Three sisters equals triple the BEAUTY and triple the FUN. This is Pao, Alyssa and Bella. I can't say enough wonderful things about these girls. They're sweet, they're beautiful and they have kind hearts. They laugh together and tease each other, just like all sisters do. Each has her own personality and each has her own style. They are sisters...alike and unlike in so many ways.

A silly pic...just for fun.

Bella made me laugh so hard. I love this shot.

Three sisters who share a very close bond...

This is Pao. Only one word is needed to describe her...g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s-!

Great earrings Pao.

Even though this photo does not express Pao's happy personality, I still like the image.

These next two photos are so funny & truly show Pao's enthusiasm. She has braces and although she has beautiful teeth, I think she got tired of me saying "smile"...ha ha. I love how dramatic she was showing me her braces. Pao...you are hilarious.

Pao...thanks for all the smiles. :)

This is Alyssa. She is sweet and sassy.

Her photos started off like this..."sweet".

But when I asked her for a little attitude, it went to this..."sassy".

Alyssa rocked it. Only one word completely describes her...FIERCE! (Tyra Banks would be so proud). By the way, I did not coach Alyssa, this was all her. She is totally responsible for "striking these awesome poses". Thanks Alyssa for such a fun shoot.

This is Bella. I love this kid. She makes my heart smile so big.

As stated in a previous post, Bella is high-energy. She loves to jump. Here she displays her "peace" sign...yea Bella. This is definitely another one of my favorites of her.

She did settle down for a few pics.

Thank You Pao, Alyssa and Bella for being so wonderful for photos. You girls made my trip to Hawaii so much fun. Love you bunches and missing each one of you. xoxo.

MYLENE & ROB and family

2009-10-16T01:22:00.004-04:00

What's better than a family shoot on the beach? A family shoot on the beach in Hawaii. :))) I was very blessed on my recent trip to Oahu...good friends, a-ma-zing food and most importantly, I got to do what I LOVE best...TAKE PICTURES! All week long, every single day, I smiled and took photo after photo after photo. I got some amazing images along the shores and will be sharing those images soon, but the post today is about family. A Mom, A Dad and three beautiful girls.

This is Mylene, Rob and their three daughters...Pao, Alyssa and Bella (whose was in my previous blog post). Mylene & Rob were wonderful to fit the shoot into their very hectic and crazy schedules. The girls were awesome and made me laugh & smile through the entire shoot.

I wanted to get some images of Mylene & Rob by themselves, since they have no "alone time" with the demanding schedules that three kids bring. I love this shot with the girls in the background, I think it is my favorite. Also, in the background are the famous Lanikai Islands.

Bella is quite the entertainer and she kept me laughing. You gotta love the energy this kid brings.

I love this shot.

Love this one too...

I have more photos of Pao, Alyssa & Bella and I will post those next. For now here is a teaser of these three beautiful girls.

BELLA

2009-10-11T02:18:00.001-04:00

This is my new friend, Bella. I met her on my trip to Hawaii. She's my friend's niece and she is the sweetest. We spent one afternoon on the beach and although it wasn't a planned photo shoot, I still had to share some of the images. I had so much fun hangin' with her...she made me smile so BIG. This is Bella and she is a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e!

She taught me how to properly give the "hang loose" sign.

I love the water in the background. Hawaii has the most insanely beautiful beaches. WOW!

Bella searched the beach for treasure. She found some shells and here she found a dried flower...I believe her expression was "ooooohhhhhhh".

Like most kids, Bella has a lot of energy and she loves to run & play & do cart wheels! YEA, I love cart wheels and Bella must have done 100 that day. At one point she became so dizzy she fell, but she had the biggest smile on her face the whole time. I love this photo. It makes me happy to look at it. You can actually see the sand she kicked up.

Here is a series of photos from one of her cart wheels. I love these images.

I am not sure if she was doing a hand stand, a flip, a cart wheel or what. I just like the angle of this photo, it is so funny to me.

Splits too...Bella is multi-talented.

I took this photo before I realized what Bella was doing. Earlier in the week I had showed her some photo's of Mocha on my iPod Touch. So while we were hanging out on the beach, she made a paw print & wrote his name in the sand. Ahhhhh, I had to take a photo. Mocha says "thanks Bella"...

See in the sand, Mocha's name at the top and then a paw print below.

Then I got Bella to write her name in the sand too...

Bella is very creative...she added a heart & her footprint above her name. I snapped this photo and it ended up being one of my favorites.

CATCHING SOME AIR. Bella has awesome jumping skills also.

Bella...
I hope these photos make you SMILE as much as they did me. Miss you!

ele

2009-10-09T17:54:00.007-04:00

Recently I met ele. She's smart, she's beautiful and she owns the hottest new restaurant around....ele Fine Fusion Restaurant. Amazing food, a f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s atmosphere and a very cool staff are a few things that describes ele's restaurant. You most likely will run into some friends, since this place is "happening" and you may even spot a celebrity or two while there. It's HOT...it's happening...it's ele Fine Fusion Restaurant.

This is ele...

I love this photo of her...it is my favorite.

ele has been hosting charity events and rasing money for local non-profit organizations. Along with the AWESOME food you can enjoy some amazing music from some of our local bands.

This is the main entrance...and "yes" the rest of the restaurant is just as cool.

A nice curve...I love the lines of this building.

The inside is flawless.

Even the vases are beautifully worked into the overall decor.

Huge arrangements of fresh flowers are all around.

ele is ever present to make sure things are running right and to give a helping hand where needed.

Real orchids are used in many of the dishes, as well as a few of the drinks. It is special touches like these that make such a big difference at her restaurant.

Only the finest...

White leather chairs around the bar made me think I was back in Manhattan. Where are my "Sex & The City" girl friends? LOL.

It's not only about the incredible food and amazing atmosphere, but also the attention to details. Cool menus, perfect lighting, cascading water, flowers and so much more. Oooohhhh, I don't want to give it all away.

This is just a few of the very cool people on ele's staff. They are FUN & friendly, but most importantly they are professional.

A couple last awesome photos of ele. I asked her to give me a little attitude just for fun and wow...she rocked it!

If you are a local or close enough to make a drive, definitely stop by the restaurant that EVERYBODY is talking about...ele Fine Fusion. You will not be disappointed.

Have a blessed day!

NEW LOGO

2009-09-27T03:58:00.003-04:00

Here it is...my new LOGO! yea yea. I am so excited and couldn't wait to share it. As a few people know, I am in the middle of re-branding myself and pushing my business forward. This will include a brand new look, a new blog & new website. I felt the first important step was for me to re-do my original logo that has been with me from the start. My friend Meg, who is very "savvy" business woman, once told me that changing your logo too much will confuse people & make it harder to remember you. With this advice, I waited until now to change my logo. I am planning to keep this one around for awhile and...if necessary, build on it in the future.

Here is a short explanation of how it came to be. I wanted something with a clean, fresh & hip look. ;) I spent many hours tearing out logos from my favorite magazines. I spent many hours browsing the internet for other logos I liked. Since my name is not really "logo-friendly", I decided to use my name as the logo itself. NO cute flowers, cameras, abstract figures, initials or other clip art...just my name. With this idea, I knew I would need a font that would make a DRAMATIC VISUAL IMPACT and still represent my personality & style. After all my research, I had an idea in my head and I was happy. Now I needed to find the perfect font, so I spent many hours looking through thousands & thousands of fonts. Did I mention the "many" hours all this took? LOL. Finally I found a font that was different, it was "not" a font that you see every day and I liked it...A LOT. :)) To me, this font is really cool and I love the way the letter "s" adds some fun to it. A touch of cyan blue was added to the "M" because it seemed too boring with all black lettering. I think the cyan blue adds just the right touch of color to make it pop. I am hoping to add the same cyan blue to some of my packaging, but that will come later. Some changes were made and after some tweaks, thanks to Jennifer of Hugon Art & Design...it was done. YES!

Drum roll please....ha.ha. OK....here it is. :)))

This is my logo for when I choose to add the word "photography"...

Hope you like it. Have a blessed day~

THE WORKSHOP by Jasmine Star

2009-09-24T16:38:00.006-04:00

Excitement is in the air...WHY? I am one of 20 lucky people to be attending a workshop by the uber F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S super star photographer, Jasmine Star. Among her amazing qualities is her beautiful soul, her willingness to share and help others, her flawless & creative writing that has gained her a huge blog following, her stylish & fierce photography (of course) and most importantly, she is simply "a genuinely nice person". :)

Since starting my business and running across her blog, she has been an inspiration to me, not only as a photographer, but also as a person. I am super duper happy to announce my attendance at her Nov workshop, uniquely named "The Workshop". Since starting her workshops earlier this year, she has sold each one out in record time. I feel very blessed to be a part of the November group. I am ALSO very excited to meet the other 19 amazing people...make some new friends, get inspired and learn from them as well. Yes, excitement is in the air!

Note: The following image was taken from Jasmine's Workshop website "with permission" from JD...her husband / best friend / business manager / assistant / sanity keeper / her sidekick / Polo's Daddy / ice cream getter / person who laughs at her jokes / ha ha...well, you get the idea. He is her #1. (Thanks JD)

PHOTO CREDIT : Amy Wenzel

*Also, I will be posting my NEW LOGO later this week. woo-hooooo! I am very excited to be rebranding myself and this was a big part. My blog & website will be completely redone and launched very soon.

TWITTER...TWEET

2009-09-22T00:29:00.009-04:00

I love...LOVE technology. I love the internet, cell phones, my ipod touch, emailing, texting and all the other many ways we communicate today. You can be friends with people all over the US & all over the world (hi blogger friends)...people you've never met. Friendships are born online through numerous social networking places...forums, blogs, facebook, twitter, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, etc. Friendships are formed, information is shared, support & advice offered and through all this...knowledge is gained. :)

A little birdie told me a new way for me to network my business and communicate with friends & colleagues. YES...a little birdie, a blue one...so today, I joined TWITTER. I am so excited...yea yea.

If you are on Twitter, click here (cassandra m) to connect or go to www.twitter.com/cassandra_mc

TWEET....TWEET....TWEET!

100 PHOTOGRAPHS

2009-09-16T15:15:00.018-04:00

Every month, my sister places an order with Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, Amazon or some other similar book place. She L-O-V-E-S to read and is constantly ordering books. Usually I will get a surprise book with her order. Most of the time it is books about photography, some kind of business tutorial or doggie stuff. This month it was "LIFE's" commemorative book "100 Photographs THAT CHANGED THE WORLD". It contains quite a few famous images from Art, Society, Science, Nature, as well as War & Peace.

Gordon Parks wrote a remarkable intro including this statement, "I have come to believe that no art form transforms human apathy quicker than photography. Having absorbed the message of a memorable photograph, the viewer's sense of compassion and newfound wisdom come together like two lips touching."

The book begins, appropriately, with an image of a "heliograph" or sun drawing from 1827. Nicephore Niepce took what is believed to be the world's first photograph...WOW. If only he knew what his vision was bringing to the world.

In looking through the pages and reading all the captions, it was interesting to see how much photography has "not" changed. Yes, I said "not". It seems that we still want to photograph the same things. We still want to document people, places, things, events, etc. We still want to use photographs to educate. We still want to use photos as powerful ways to express ourselves, our culture, our religion, our politics, our lifestyles, etc. We "photographers" today seem to be much like those in our past history and our passion for photography is the same. I think what has changed most about photography is the technology which we use to capture, edit and print our photos. I believe this is where our biggest differences lie. Our images, however, still seem to be a lot alike.

This book, "100 Photographs That Changed The World" is very interesting to me. Looking at all the photographs from years past, it makes me wonder...will I ever take a photograph that may change something in the world? I HOPE SO... :)

BACKING UP IMAGE FILES

2009-09-11T18:42:00.040-04:00

Today's post is about backing up image files or photos. I hope that this information will be useful to someone...maybe my clients, potential clients or other photographers. This is a breakdown of how I personally choose to back-up my files. It is not necessarily the "perfect" way or the "most correct" way and it is certainly not the "only" way...it is simply "my way". So far, this has worked well for me, but I am always looking to improve my system or update it. Anyone who would like to share their method can comment here or join my discussion on FACEBOOK. This discussion is not limited to professional photographers, it is for anyone who takes pictures with any kind of camera and for any reason. Anyone can participate. I believe that everyone who takes photos, whether personally or professionally, should be archiving or backing up 100% of their images. Below I have outlined how I back-up images for my professional shoots for clients. I have a less thorough process when backing up my personal photos, but everything is backed up.

Here is the basic breakdown of my system. Once a shoot is finished my back-up work flow begins :
*start a new project/job folder (in Adobe Lightroom) and label it with client's name
*immediately download all RAW images off memory cards into project folder
*export all RAW files into a project folder on an external hard drive
*burn all RAW files onto back-up DVD's
*RAW image edit & work flow begins (this process will be blogged on at a later date)
*Final edited images are exported as jpegs and sent via Photo CD or FTP to my lab
*Final edited images are saved by me in two places : an external hard drive and burned onto DVDs, which are stored in a fire safe at my studio
*Also, my professional photo lab offers lifetime archival with every photo event that I submit to them (this is a third back-up system for me)

Here are just a few of the many DVD's I have stored. I pulled them out of my firesafe and took a photo to show how nicely they stack in the Slimline CD Cases. I use the slim cases because they take up less room than the large cases and this is important for storage concerns.

Every DVD I burn is throughly labeled. Whether it is a personal back-up or a professional shoot, I label every DVD with all necessary information. For professional shoots, I always include the Client's name(s)...date of shoot...place of shoot...how many back-up DVD's in event and # of image files on each DVD. (In this photo I blacked out my client info, but you get the idea...I have a bit of OCD when it comes to attention to detail)

I would strongly recommend a firesafe for your studio, if you do not use an off-site facility to keep your back-up DVD's.

Also I keep this leather file box in my file safe. It contains all my important client documents, such as copies of their contracts, package agreements and proof of payment. Although I have scanned all these papers and filed them on my computer in client folders, I still like to keep hard copies of everything. (The decorative folders are just my way of adding a little fun & pep to my filing system.)

This is one of my external hard drives, the Apple Time Capsule. I blogged about it back in January and everyone knows how much I love...love...love APPLE. (Note: I only stood up my Time Capsule to get a better photo of the apple logo.)

Of course this is the proper way to lay it. :))

I also have the LACIE brand of external hard drives. There are many other choices, but this is what I've found to be reliable. You can google search "external hard drives" if you want to compare and search other brands.

I hope this was helpful to someone. I've never had another photographer walk me through any of this, so I spent many hours online researching external hard drives and trying to decide on a dependable back-up system. I am still trying to figure things out, so take this as more of a guideline for backing up photo files. Find a system that will work for you and your needs. Good Luck!

MOCHA #5

2009-09-07T15:44:00.016-04:00

YES...Mocha is now 5 years old. WOW. Even though I wasn't here on his birthday, which has never happened before...I was with him in spirit. Mostly he just got EXTRA everything, so I could make up for being on my trip and not with him. Extra kisses...extra snuggles...extra belly rubs...extra playtime...extra TOYS...yes, more toys! In my defense, it was his birthday. :))

I did take some time off from work to spend outside with him and he was so adorable, I had to grab my camera. (I do have some amazing photos from my trip to Hawaii and will be sharing them later in the week...but had to post these photos of Mocha for now.)

Here is Mocha and he is 5.

A new purple toy from Auntie Lydia because she loves purple.

This is one of the rare shots of Mocha actually looking right at me. You will notice that most of his photos are from a side profile. Not because of me, but simply because he refuses to look right at my camera. He is so very, very smart...he will see me trying to take his photo and he will turn his head away. If I slowly lean one way, he will slowly turn his head the other way..it is like we are two magnets pushing each other. He does this all the time and it is so hilarious to me now. Although he has a beautiful profile shot, I still like to trick him into looking right at me. I think to get this shot I said the word "treat" and he was quick to look right at me. (YES, he got a treat!)

I love this photo. Although I didn't have my Canon Mark II N that has a really fast shutter speed, I still grabbed a couple shots with my Canon 5D Mark II. I just really like the movement in this image. Mocha SHAKES his toys and it makes me laugh so hard. This was a long toy and was harder for him to shake, but he made it work. And I laughed uncontrollably as I tried to take a few pics.

Look how long that toy is...funny!

Here you can barely see Mocha's yellow star barrette on his head.

He has defeated the purple wiener dog....ha.ha. LOL.

My precious...

Happy Birthday Mocha...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOCHA!

2009-08-27T00:05:00.002-04:00

Had to post some pics of Mocha to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY! This is the first time I've missed his birthday. He is now 5 years old! Unfortunately due to quarantine restrictions, I could not bring him with me on my trip to Hawaii. He will be dearly spoiled by my sister while I'm away and once I get back next week, he will get his BIRTHDAY KISSES.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET MOCHA!

Here are some random photos of him at different ages. There are a few with me and some with my sister. I threw these together in a collage to share until I get home and take some new pics. I love the ones of him running.

I heart you Mocha!

OHAU, HAWAII

2009-08-22T15:59:00.001-04:00

MY SISTER....

2009-08-21T15:00:00.000-04:00

She is "THE MOST SELFLESS PERSON I KNOW"...she is giving & loving & compassionate & kind & wonderful! Obviously, I could go on and on, but this post would never end...ha.ha. Most importantly, SHE ALWAYS puts others before herself....ALWAYS. She is the first person to "do without" in order to provide for someone in need. She will search for hours to get "just the right gift" and never asks for anything in return. She simply does this because she has a BIG HEART and she cares very deeply for others. (Proof : as I was writing this blog she asked my suggestion on getting a gift for a co-worker. Really, she did!) She is beyond generous and she firmly believes that it is better to give than receive. She is my inspiration to always try and be a better person. She shows me daily, in the way she lives her life, that helping and giving to others is very important. She is my confidant, my supporter and my rock. She encourages me, advises me and pushes me to succeed. She is my best friend and she is my sister!

For anyone who knows Lydia, then you know that she is truly an amazing person. A person you can depend on, count on, rely on and mostly importantly a person who will always be there anywhere and at any time, if you need her. She is also one of the hardest people to buy something for. Why? Because she never asks for anything. She never will say "I want this or I want that"...she says "What do you want?". That is just the kind of selfless person she is. (Here is the only recent photo I have of her, from the races in July...yikes! Hummmm, bad me!) Note to self: Need to take more pics of sis!

So recently when my friend Anna and I were having an afternoon of laughing and talking, I mentioned that I wanted to do something nice for Lydia...for no special reason, except that she DESERVED IT! She is so wonderful and giving to me, so I wanted to do something to express my gratitude and love to her. Anna looked over her back yard and pointed...her reply was "do THAT!". Hanging from a beautiful huge tree stretching over an area about 8 to 10 feet was Anna's hammock. She said that it was the best money she ever spent. She's had it for over 10 years and it is her place of solace, peace and calmness. She'll grab her a good book and retreat out back to the hammock. She even shares with her husband & Madyson for family time and afternoon siestas. Anna said it was the "perfect" gift for my sister. I immediately agreed. Lydia loves to read, she loves being outside around her beautiful plants and she loves watching the birds, which she feeds year round. I agreed, it would be the perfect gift. So I researched online (gotta love the internet) and this is what I found. I must say already it has paid for itself when I saw the smile on my sister's face. The fact I had to go wake her at dark yesterday to come inside, let me know that I did G-O-O-D! :)) We got a beautiful red cypress stand for it and YES, us girls put it together. (And it didn't fall...Hoo-ray! My Dad would be so proud!)

Presidential Size...YES! For multiple people or for those of us who like to st-r---e---t---ch out!

These hammocks are very well made. Check them out : Pawley's Island Hammocks.

Maybe now, I can get to reading these four books that are collecting dusk on my desk. LOL.

Here's to RELAXING LAZY days in the hammock!

ASHLEY & ZANE wedding

2009-08-19T18:52:00.053-04:00

When I shot their engagement session last month, I fell in love with Ashley & Zane. They were sweet & funny and in love. They made photographing them so easy. No matter what I captured, you could see their connection...you could see they were in love. Whether Ashley was gently kissing Zane on the cheek (which she does often) or whether he was stoking her hand lightly, to avoid looking at my camera...ha.ha....no matter what they were doing, they shared a connection.

So it was with pure excitement and joy that I headed out to shoot their wedding. If I had bells, I would have been wearing them. LOL. I knew this day was going to be nothing short of "fabulous" and I was not going to let anything upset me. Not the thunderstorm that rained so hard I could barely see to drive...not the detour that took me 30 minutes out of my way...not the funeral procession that held up traffic...well, you get the idea. I arrived and in my mind, I had bells on.

Ashley...solid as a rock, not nervous at all. She was only full of excitement. Zane...solid as a rock, not nervous at all. He too was clearly full of excitement. Ashley and Zane choose not to see each other before the ceremony, so I just knew there would be some feelings of anxiety, but "notta"...nothing at all from these two. They were both "separately sharing" the same exact emotions of calmness and peace with a touch of EXCITEMENT!

Here are some of my favorites. I love Ashley's dress two-toned silky CASABLANCA taffeta gown. Her gown was adorned with intricately beaded and embroidered appliqués. It was breathtaking.

I snapped this quickly as Zane's Mom was taking some photos herself.

I love the light coming in the window as Jessica Greene put the final touches on the hair by adding Ashley's veil.

Ashley was the picture of perfection and relaxation.

Ashley's make up was flawless. Lydia Barrett did an amazing job. While outside in the 90 degree heat, Ashley never once glistened and her make-up never needed a touch up. It was gorgeous. Thanks to Courtney Hale also for helping with the bridesmaids make-up. This Savannah heat is a true testament to what a make-up artist can do. These girls rocked it.

Although I love the soft toning of this first image, I had to post a color shot too.

As I stated before in the PREVIEW of their photos, Zane was definitely worthy of a GQ cover in his tux...

This image perfectly illustrates how very calm, cool and relaxed Zane was. His favorite image from the engagement shoot was in these chairs, so of course I had to get another photo of him here. This time he was in more formal attire.

He was looking up towards Ashley's room. I made him stop.

Of course, just like men...you tell them "NOT" to do something and, well....just look at them.

Ashley is fun to photograph and I love that no matter what, she always looks happy & beautiful!

Love it.

This is definitely an all time favorite image of mine. This was during the ceremony.

You can tell she finally got all teary eyed. It was an emotional and beautiful ceremony.

These next two images are a couple of my favorites from the entire day. I love candid shots. I think these photos truly reflect the happiness and love that Ashley & Zane share.

I did not pose them here. This is right after the ceremony, a moment to breathe before the reception. I think this is what being in love and just getting married looks like...it looks comfortable and peaceful.

With our time line, we had to do a few shots at night. I just want to put this image on a post card and mail to all potential brides...ha.ha.

The Cake Corner Bakery went over & beyond on these cakes. Yes, those are fresh flowers and they perfectly matched all the beautiful arrangements done by Colony Bay Florist.

This is Wayland. He had on a puppy tux. He was one SUPER cool dog.

Dancing persisted all night to the amazing sounds of "The Town Squares" (Contact : Mark @ 478-361-1363)...a party band that kept the dance floor alive with a variety of awesome tunes. They even had special vocals from both Ashley (woo-hoo) and some of her girls. Of course Zane could not be outdone, so he impressed the guests with his vocal talent and his guys made nice back-up singers...ha. ha. It was nothing but fun & lots of dancing at the reception. The band closed out with Prince's Purple Rain...the bubbles fell and there was lots of laughing and lots of HAPPINESS!

To see more images from their wedding and a slideshow CLICK HERE.

Ashley & Zane...THANK YOU for trusting me. Thank You both for making "me" feel so important on "your" special day. You both are as beautiful on the inside as you obviously are on the outside. Many wishes for that same kind of beauty in your new life together.
much love...

ASHLEY & ZANE preview

2009-08-15T20:28:00.011-04:00

Just a short preview. I have a ton of favorites to post and so many wonderful things to say about these two. For now...here is a teaser.

Not sure if that amazing glow on Ashley is from the sun or from inside her heart. I say it's definitely her joy shining through. This is just one of my many favorites, their connection can be felt when looking at this photo.

Ashley, you are simply gorgeous and Zane looks like he should be on the cover a GQ magazine. Zane...You Rock!

I LOVE taking candid shots of couples on their wedding day. I think it is the best way to show their true emotions. Zane's expression here is priceless. This is what "being in love" looks like. You guys make my heart smile.

More to come very soon!

CHARLIE & LAURA...Sophie & Hermione

2009-08-14T16:36:00.002-04:00

I've had several people ask if I would be willing to do a photo shoot with them & their pets. Hummmm, I just assume that everyone knows I'm an animal lover. I mean, just look at my blog header at the top...ha.ha. Anyways, just to make sure that everyone is clear....YES YES YES...I would absolutely love to shoot anyone and their pets (or children), if that is what you call them. That's what I call Mocha...my child.

I LOVE animals in a big way. When I was small, my Dad always let me take any stray animals and care for them. I think it was his way of teaching me compassion towards all God's creatures. Seriously, my Dad would bring me any baby animal that didn't have a mommie anymore. I would name them and raise them until they could make it on their own. I had kittens, puppies, rabbits, baby chinchillas, pet calves, pet piggies, a horse and more. I even had a tiny baby possum that I put in a shoebox & took to show-n-tell at school when I was in 3rd grade. Yes, the teacher freaked out, but all my classmates loved me...I was the coolest kid all day. Anyways, growing up I was blessed to live on a farm and learn about animals and most importantly learn that all living things are precious.

If you have pets, please feel free to bring them along. This is Hermione and Sophie. I call them Mocha's girlfriends because he loves to greet them daily at the back fence and say hello. He barks like a maniac and they just stand and watch him. It is funny. Recently I was able to take a few photos of them with their Mom & Dad.

This is Ms Laura & Mr Charlie. I love these guys. They are wonderful people and the best neighbors anyone could ask for. Sophie & Herimone are "their children" and if any two pets are as spoiled as Mocha, it would be these two.

Mr Charlie is a funny guy. He is always making Ms Laura smile and that is why I love these next three photos. It really shows his personality and humor.

You can see the fountain at Forsyth Park behind them, it always makes for a beautiful backdrop.

Sophie is definitely a "Daddy's girl"...I love this photo.

This next two are a couple of my favorites.

Ms Laura is so cute here, I think this shows her quirky personality. I am sure Mr Charlie was saying something hilarious right at this moment. Sometimes he gets this reaction from her...

and sometimes he gets this reaction...ha.ha.

A couple last shots.

Look how Sophie & Hermione are watching them in this photo. Aaaaahhhhhhh...

Thank You Ms Laura & Mr Charlie for trusting me to document some special moments with your family. Know how much I love you guys...all four of you!

MEETING JOHN ZEULI

2009-08-11T17:03:00.001-04:00

He's photographed some of the most elite and prominent people in Savannah. His name is well known. His photographs are admired. His work is respected. He is John Zeuli...

He's the local Rockstar photographer of the Southeastern coast. His portfolio reflects images of numerous authors, poets, models, actors, actresses, a Hollywood Film producer, spiritual & social activists, community leaders and even contestants for American Idol & American's Next Top Model. I could go on & on & on about his accomplishments, but lets just say he has achieved fame among other photographers.

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to meet John for coffee. I was feeling very intimidated as I drove for our meeting. With "Coldplay" jammin' in the background as I drove, I called a friend. I was screaming into the phone to my friend, "I'm going to meet with John Zeuli...John Zeuli...John Z-E-U-L-I !" I'm sure with all my excitement, I must have sounded like a teenager going to a Jonas Brother's concert...ha ha. LOL. "What do I ask him? What should I say? Do I make notes or just sit and act cool?" (ha ha) Needless to say, I was overly excited and nervous, but I relaxed as soon as I walked in and saw him smile. He always smiles.

It was an amazing conversation about photography, clients, editing, his beautiful wife, Virginia and how she is a major factor in his business and his success. We shared information, opinions and talked about our love for photography. John is the first local photographer that I've had the pleasure of meeting with and I must say it got me very excited. It was nice to bond with someone who is such a leader in the industry...someone who is "nice" and willing to share their knowledge, advice & opinions. John's kindness has inspired me and I hope that I will be as gracious with my time and knowledge, if I'm ever approached by another photographer. I see alot of my blogger friends from other areas in the US, sharing their knowledge constantly. Sharing makes me happy, so next month I will be starting posts that are specifically geared to "sharing" information about photography. I'm not sure what I can offer, but I am sure if I look on my computer in my folder labled "photography stuff" I will find something that I spent many, many, many, many hours online researching. :))

To John...thank you for simply being a photographer who is willing to share...a photographer who is willing to help...a photographer who is motivated by his passion. You inspire me...You inspire me!

Click here to check out : John Zeuli Photography

One of my most favorite images of John's is a portrait of "Johnnie" for the American Cancer Society "Relay For Life" and "Keepers of the Spirit" Exhibition.

All of John's portraits are breathtaking, but the image above made an impression on me the first time I saw it hanging in a little book store in downtown Savannah. I love black & white photography...and this was much more than a photograph, this was art. I always say that there are a lot of people that can take pictures, but only a true master can use their camera to evoke such emotion. Only a true master can take a photograph with such passion that someone will still remember the image years later. This is the kind of master photographer that is "John Zeuli". This is the kind of photographer I want to be.

CHESLEY, LISA, REECE & JESI

2009-08-05T14:04:00.060-04:00

I recently got a surprise call from a friend I had not seen in years & years & years...well, I'll just say it had been a long time. He was one of my dearest and best of friends from back home. We talked for a little while and caught up on life and what we were doing. When I mentioned my photography, he immediately said he had checked out my website & blog and wanted to know if I would take some photos of his family. (He was planning a week long vacation to beautiful Tybee Island, which is a 15 minute drive for me.) "ABSOLUTELY!" I quickly replied. I was very excited about seeing him again and getting to meet his beautiful family.

This is Jesi...she is cute, spunky, full of energy and looks just like her Dad.

This is Reece and like most teen-agers, he simply wanted to chill rather than have his photo taken. Of course, he was awesome to participate once we got started. Tks Reece! ;)

This is my friend Chesley...his super beautiful and super nice wife Lisa and of course, Jesi & Reece.

This photo made me smile because Jesi was looking at Reece who was laughing. Yes, he was laughing at me, once again proving that I am funny!

I purposely composed this shot with Reece off-centered and focused on him, but kept Lisa in the photo, blurred in the background. I rarely shoot my clients front & center unless it looks artistically better. I just love Reece's big smile and also I think he has the coolest hair ever!

Some shots by the water. Jesi obviously loves the water, just like me.

I love this photo of her and so I played around with the toning in Photoshop. Boosting all those blues in her outfit and water made all the colors pop and the image more fun.

The sun was still pretty bright at this part of the shoot, but I love it in this photo.

At some point Jesi decided she would hide her face when I tried to take her picture.

Still hiding...

And still hiding...

Running and playing. Jesi was happy.

Jesi was not that happy to come take photos.

I love the expression on Reece's face here. Jesi still did not want her photo taken.

Perfection...a big smile from Jesi! Thanks Jesi. :)

I did talk Reece into letting me take a couple photos of him. I was in awe of his really cool hair. I believe he said the streak was purple and now it is blonde. Very cool either way.

As Reece stood in the background holding Jesi upside down to entertain her, I was able to get a few photos of Chesley and Lisa.

Yes, I purposely again off-center them in this shot to get the shoreline in the photo. However, the smiles and laughter are all credited to them.

One of my favorites...

Check out the bird in the background. I can never get those birds to cooperate for photos.

For those clients who always ask me how to dress for a family shoot, here is a perfect example. (Of course, clothing also depends on the location we are shooting). For a beach shoot, this was an amazing choice. (Yea Lisa...bravo...high-five...perfection!) Lisa's cotton summer dress was a creme color, Jesi's dress had the browns, blues, cremes & burnt orange colors, just like a little island girl...awesome. Chesley & Reece alternated with the dark brown & light browns for their shirts and shorts. The girls wore gem-stone flip flops and the guys were in brown leather flips. Footwear is always important too.

We were getting ready to finish up & I wanted to grab a quick shot of just Chesley with Reece, but I saw Lisa standing in the background holding Jesi and I had to add their silhouettes in.

Two things about this photo that caught my attention were : #1 was the way Lisa was looking at Chesley and #2 was the way he was gently touching Jesi to comfort her. Kids playing at the beach all day can really wear them out.

One last shot...

Thank You Chesley, Lisa, Reece & Jesi for a great time at the beach!

ASHLEY & ZANE engagement

2009-07-26T02:03:00.069-04:00

PNF...PNF...PNF..."Pure Natural Fun!" Those are the words I choose to describe my engagement shoot with Ashley and Zane. I laughed...I smiled...I giggled and I had lots & lots of PNF...PURE NATURAL FUN! When I first met Ashley for coffee, she was beautiful, she was sweet and most importantly to me, she was excited about every aspect of the photography for her wedding. I talked with her about my style of shooting, my past clients, my products and the importance of an engagement shoot. As a courtesy, I offer all my brides a "complimentary" engagement shoot or day-after shoot. I love shooting either of these, it is simply my client's choice of what they want.

There are wonderful benefits for both these shoots, but in this post I will touch base on what makes an engagement shoot so awesome. This mini session allows me to get to know my clients and gives them an opportunity to get to know me. During an engagement shoot I make my clients comfortable with me as a photographer...I laugh with them and get to know them as friends. As the engagement shoot progresses, I try and get them to relax because most people are not use to having professional photos taken. I've heard it can be nerve racking...ha.ha. Plus I like to get up close & personal and I want my clients to be ok with this. During an engagement shoot, I love just hanging out and spending time with my clients. I talk with them, laugh with them, eat ice cream (if necessary...smile smile) and most importantly I watch their interactions. I simply allow them to be themselves and I am along to observe and document. Engagement shoots also make it easy for my clients to trust me, that way on their big day...their mind is at ease because they know what to expect from me, their photographer...their friend.

Here are some of my favorite images from Ashley & Zane's shoot...

Ashley gets "two thumbs up and a big high five" for her style. Clothes are very important and she had her stuff together. I love that she mixed up her wardrobe...dressy attire and casual clothes. I always like to encourage my clients to bring multi outfits. This makes the shoot more interesting with a variety of looks.

I love green stuff...plants, shrubs, palm trees, etc. Anything green makes me smile because it makes for a nice background, but does not distract from my gorgeous clients.

Ashley loves to laugh too...just like me.

This is one of my favorite shots of the day. Ashley kisses Zane with such tenderness and emotion. This was not a shot I planned...this is Ashley and Zane just being themselves and me paying attention. I love the way her foot is drawn up and I love the way she is gently kissing him. Perfect!

I always try to throw in some casual settings to make the guys feel relaxed. Zane has clearly accomplished this look.

I had to get a shot with Historic Riverstreet in the background.

Ashley & Zane are getting married at The Westin, so we took the water taxi over to Riverstreet to get a couple shots from there. I love this photo because you can see The Westin in the background. This was planned...ha.ha.

This is the fountain at Forsyth Park. Look...no tourists in the shot...yea!

I really get happy when my clients have some "PNF" during a shoot. This makes me smile.

Zane smiling at Ashley...nice!

Ashley and Zane were amazing. They trusted me and were open to all my ideas. Thank you guys. Oh and I got this shot without falling on them....ha.ha. LOL.

and this one too...Oh yea, I've got some balancing skillz. ;)

These last images are awesome and I had to share all three. Ashley brought a cowboy hat and I had to get a couple photos because she was just that cool. I wanted to tone these specifically for a western look...all three images were processed differently.

To see a slideshow of their engagement shoot...CLICK HERE.

Ashley & Zane...Thank you both for allowing me to capture some of the most special moments in your life. Thank you for an engagement shoot that made me smile during a difficult week. I am excited about your upcoming wedding...my mind is already getting creative with some fun ideas.

AUNT DARLENE & FAMILY

2009-07-21T17:04:00.048-04:00

This is my Aunt Darlene. She is a kind-hearted woman with a gentle soul. She is sweet, caring, humorous, loving, generous and most of all she loves her family. When she asked me about taking some photos for her, I was honored and also excited that I would get to see cousins that I had not seen in years. It was like I was getting a double treat...a photo shoot and some amazing fun family time.

This is my Aunt Darlene...she is awesome!

Did I mention my Aunt Darlene is quite a "character"? She loves to have fun and act silly...I guess it runs in the family.

These are my beautiful cousins...Joey, Lisa and Debbie. Although they live in three different areas of the United States, they are as close as if they were neighbors. We hung out before the shoot and reminisced about our "younger" days...ha ha. We mostly laughed.

Here are some of my favorite photos from the shoot...

Yes...she is SMART and she is BEAUTIFUL!

I love this shot of Joey and his partner, Barry. Aunt Darlene had picked this park for our shoot at the last minute. Joey & Barry's clothes coordinated beautifully with the green background, so they get an A++ for style! :)) big smile.

With three kids, Debbie and her husband, Jim never get photos by themselves. So we made sure to kick the kids aside for a couple shots.

I just love these next two images. Once and awhile I will ask for a little PDA (public display of affection)...but rarely do I get this reaction. I absolutely LOVE Jim's expression and laughter after kissing Debbie. The photo on the right makes me smile in my heart. I don't think he realized he was going to get to make-out with his wife during the shoot...ha.ha. Jim, I think its time for another honeymoon for you two.

I love these shots of Aunt Darlene with her children.

This photo caught my eye because of the way Lisa was looking at her Mom. This image shows the admiration Lisa has for her Mom.

Aunt Darlene laughed the entire shoot. I could tell she was having a wonderful day. She looked very happy and that made me happy.

This is a random shot I grabbed of Lisa when I turned around from shooting. She looks as though she is doing a commercial on "How COOL you are when you drink WATER..." ha ha.

My cousin Debbie has three kids. Here are the twins, Eric and Brittany. Obviously, we had to talk them into "playing nice" for some photos.

I hope they don't mind me posting these. I asked them to "work it" for my camera so I could get some fun shots. Bravo...bravo, great job guys. Of course they had an audience behind me cheering them on. LOL.

I did manage to get them to settle down for one "nice" shot.

This is Joey. He is the big brother to the twins. He recently had some really cool senior photos done in Colorado, so he was ok with just chillin' out behind us on the fence. However, I still grabbed a couple quick shots of him.

My Aunt Darlene and her three grandkids...Great photo.

And finally...here is the whole gang. I made them all squeeze in for one final shot. This photo reminds me how very important family is...

LIGHTROOM 2 ARRIVED

2009-07-20T11:19:00.005-04:00

Yea...My LIGHTROOM software arrived! I am so excited to incorporate it into my post-processing. I've been using Apple's Aperture software combined with Adobe's Photoshop CS2, so this will definitely be a big change for me to switch over. Last month I blogged about "EDITING PHOTOS" and the time involved in simply taking RAW images from the camera and getting them ready for your clients. No matter if you keep your images clean & simple, which I try to do...or if you "photoshop" the heck out of them, time is involved either way.

I also talked about a very informative video webinar given by the amazing photographer & entrepreneur, Nathan Holritz. He gave valuable advice and information on how to use Adobe's Lightroom in processing your final images quickly and efficiently. Check out his company which handles any large jobs for you, like weddings...it's a newer company that is geared to help photographer's shoot more and edit less. It is awesome. Here's his link : www.photographersedit.com.

Feel free to leave comments about Lightroom if you have experience. I am very excited to learn more about it and hopefully will be able to quickly adapt and use it to become more efficient with my time in editing. All photographer's know how you can get lost working with images from a shoot. I believe Lightroom is meant as a tool for the overall batch processing, so I will still be using Adobe's Photoshop CS2 to fine tweak some of my favorites. I will blog later about my opinions of Lightroom, once I've been able to work more with it. Again, please feel free to leave comments if you've worked with this software. Thanks.

FACEBOOK "FAN" PAGES

2009-07-18T14:37:00.010-04:00

YES...my dog is this COOL. Mocha now will have his own FAN page on Facebook.

If you are on Facebook and want to be a FAN of MOCHA...click here....MOCHA

Because I think networking is so important in building your name and your business, I have decided to add a fan page for my photography business. Please don't laugh if I have only one fan named "mocha"...ha. ha. Also, I will be extremely embarrassed when Mocha has more fans than I do...LOL.

FAN PAGE : cassandra m

Have a greeeeeaattt day~

CATS TOO....

2009-07-17T00:55:00.005-04:00

Yes...I take photos of cats too. We actually have a cat that is bigger in size than Mocha, his name is Meow. I recently realized, after taking some quick photos for a friend of mine, that I've never really took any photos of our cat. Weird? Guess that's because Mocha is always demanding my attention. Anyways, I have made a note to myself to take and post some photos of Meow very soon.

For now, I will share these two gorgeous creatures. They belong to a friend of mine and I recently had the honor to capture their unique beauty. The only thing I could say while I was shooting was "aaaahhhhhhh". Both these cats are quite stunning.

I'm not sure of the breed, but he reminds me of the wild cats. No matter what, he is beautiful.

LIKE AN ORCHID...

2009-07-13T19:59:00.029-04:00

Like an orchid...life is fragile and life is precious. Unfortunately, we often take life for granted, without fully appreciating it. It's not until we are reminded, by death, exactly how fragile & precious life is. With all the media coverage of recent superstar deaths, as well as the passing of a close relative of mine...I was reminded this past week that every day should be one we are thankful for. Everyday we should celebrate our lives and reach for our dreams. In the past couple weeks, my life has been full of a hectic & crazy schedule with a lot of road time. Riding along in the car I would make phone calls, mentally organize my schedule and plan my next move. I was not stopping to enjoy life, but instead I was just rushing through it. So as I sat this evening to finally take a breath, slow down, catch up on my emails & blogging...I looked back over this past week and I was reminded of life and of death. I was reminded to be thankful and grateful for each wonderful day I've been given. Most importantly, I remembered that we should be happy and live with "no regrets". Reach for your dreams, believe in yourself and appreciate life!

Life is fragile and life is precious...just like an orchid.

This orchid belongs to a very dear friend of mine. I took a few photos and I wanted to share them. This orchid reminds me that life is b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l and I am thankful still...for every day!

Hope each of you have a blessed week...

ROBYN, JAMES & EISLEY_PART II

2009-06-27T13:30:00.043-04:00

I LOVE water...I love to drink it...smell it...look at it...and shoot around it. The ocean makes me very happy. So of course, I had to finish the shoot by the Gulf. We were doing the shoot early in the afternoon because....well, babies have a sleep schedule. When we got there we were blessed with overcast skies, which made me even more happy. By the way, I love LIGHT too...but just the right light and this was the "right" light.

When we arrived we walked over to this huge piece of driftwood. Eisley was moving and did not really want to sit still. As I glanced around, I notice some flowers and did a double...no, did a triple take on what I was seeing. Anyone familiar with Key West knows that it is very rare to find a field of flowers. So what did we do? We plopped Eisley right down in the middle. Eisley immediately settled down and was completely happy...picking the flowers. ha ha. It was in a photographer's dream. I was happy. I had my ocean, my light and now flowers. It was too good to be true. I am still happy.

I love this picture of Eisley. Look at her tongue. Too funny. She was watching James hold the flower up with such concentration and amazement.

Robyn put a flower in her hair and I made her say "cheeseeeeee". I just love this photo.

Attention : two people in this photo are "not" looking at the photographer. Two people in this photo are looking at a "rock"...can you guess which two it is? (LOL...just picking at you James)

OK...so I will just take photos of the person that "is" paying attention to me. LOL again.

Love these next two shots.

Ahhhhhh. Ocean...the right light...flowers...and a b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l- baby. A perfect day!

There's the Gulf and the big piece of driftwood.

Love these photos of James & Eisley...

This photo was taken by James. I love it, we look like Island Girls. We have flowers in our hair, that was Robyn's idea. :) Great pic James. Please don't take my job. ha ha. On a side note, I'm not sure why Robyn, Eisley and I were holding rocks...Hummm, what? why? I forget. Anyways, Eisley wins...she had the biggest rock. LOL.

Click here to see the "sneak peek" from an earlier post.

Robyn, James & Eisley...you guys know how much I LOVE you. Thank you for supporting me in my endeavors...thank you for believing in me, encouraging me and trusting me to document the beautiful family you are. Muahhhhh...xoxoxo!

ROBYN, JAMES & EISLEY_PART I

2009-06-25T14:58:00.005-04:00

This is Eisley. I don't think my words could truly & accurately describe her beauty. So I will simply let the photos speak for themselves.

Maybe her name should be spelled EYES-LEY, instead of Eisley...ha.ha...just kidding Robyn. I am sure she won't have any problem getting people to notice those big beautiful eyes, with or without knowing her name. By the way blog readers, her name has nothing to do with her actual eyes....ha.ha.

With this look, I am pretty sure she will never be punished. (I think she was pulling the leaves off the ferns.)
But really...This face + I'm sorry = No problem!

Eisley...You just make me smile really big.

Robyn brought her baby stool from when she was a child. We sat Eisley on it, but her dress covered most of the stool. It almost looks like she is standing on her tippie toes. Too funny.

Notice how Robyn & James are laughing. I have "skillz" as a comedian too, if the photography thing doesn't work out. ha.ha. Of course, I have found that kids are not as entertained by me. Thats OK, I have lots of patience. I will teach these "young grasshoppers" how funny I truly am and they will eventually grasp my humor. LOL :)

See the middle photo...laughing at ME...yea yea yea!

Whoever said that two beautiful people will have an ugly baby was wrong, wrong, wrong...
Proof : Gorgeous Mommie + Hot Daddy = one B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L baby!

Eisley definitely got her Daddy's eyes...but got her Mommie's flawless face.

James is one lucky guy for sure...

Sometimes it makes me laugh how kids will look at me with such a serious face.

Having parents that are funny is a really big help though.

Love this shot of James making Eisley laugh...

Again...beautiful + beautiful = beautiful. (NOTE : Robyn and James are both equally as beautiful on the inside...just in case you were wondering. Big SMILE! )

After this part of the shoot, we headed to the beach for a few last photos. These will follow later in the week. I did post a "sneak peek" on my blog before, but have more amazing pics to share.

NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP...

2009-06-22T21:20:00.002-04:00

I wish I could take full credit for this shoot, but I must confess...the "idea" for this was all my friend Robyn's planning. She asked me if I would come over and snap a few photos of her and Eisley when she got ready to lay her down for her nap. She tried explaining to me the feeling she had during these intimate moments with her sweet little Eisley, but I didn't fully understand until I saw it. She told me of this bond the two of them share...the quite time that is just theirs...mother & daughter alone. She described a small pink room full of love, innocence and pure happiness...and she wanted to remember this feeling always.

Robyn turned on her iPod to lightly play some soft music in the background and I waited patiently at a cracked door. Once I saw Robyn rocking Eisley and talking to her in a gentle voice, I knew this was going to be some amazing photos.

"Now I lay me down to sleep...I pray the Lord my soul to keep..."

I love this next photo. I only pushed the door open a little, so I wouldn't wake Eisley. I wanted to keep the door and the wall in the image...I like shooting through stuff. I shot this with my 85mm @ f 1.2 / 6400 ISO...LOVE IT!

I absolutely LOVE my new Canon 5D Mark II that my sister bought me as a birthday present in January. Thank You Sis! With my new camera I was able to shoot with an ISO of 6400, which was awesome since the room did not have a lot of light coming inside. Robyn likes to close the blinds and have the room dark for Eisley's naps. That's ok though, I was still able to get some amazing images...with my new Canon 5D Mark II...yea!

Even though shooting at such a high ISO will give you some "noise" in your images...I purposely used Photoshop to add more "noise" to this image to give it a more grainy appearance. Love it!

Tender moments like this make you forget all your worries...

Just for fun...black & white / color mix.

Another favorite image, shot with my wide angle 16-35mm...shooting through the cracked door again.

Aaaahhhhhhhhhh....

Eisley's new favorite sleep buddy...

Robyn...I hope this is what you envisioned in your head. I am more in love with Eisley just looking at these photos. You are an amazing Mommie and I am honored you trusted me to capture the bond you share with Eisley at nap time. xoxoxoxo...

KIM, DAN & KENZI_PART II

2009-06-18T22:24:00.002-04:00

I can't find the words to express how much fun I had on my recent shoot with Kim, Dan & Kenzi. We laughed together like we were the oldest of friends. Here are some more of my favorites from the shoot, I had so many it was hard to decide which to share on my blog.

Kenzi was amazing as we switched her outfits periodically during the shoot, but I don't think she minded. She's quite a little girly girl, so I think she was more than happy to have a wardrobe change handy. It still makes me laugh that she wouldn't smile at me when I asked, but that she would wait until I didn't have my camera ready and then say "cheeeessseeee".

I love this photo of Kim & Kenzi...

Kenzi tried hard not to laugh at times. I know that I'm a really funny person (ha ha) and I know that she really wanted to laugh at me, but she refused. See the "almost smirk" on her face. I am pretty sure that she was ignoring me and not laughing on purpose...ha. ha.

I even tried to get Dan to make her laugh. She clearly has a very strong will.

You can tell in this photo that Kenzi is laughing at Kim, not me. :(

Wardrobe change became quicker with more practice. I love the colors in her swimsuit.

Love this photo of Kenzi & Dan...

Now I am not certain, but I do believe that I asked Kenzi for a smile here. LOL. I think she crossed her arms in protest, she seriously cracks me up. I am not sure where this attitude comes from...hummm? Kim, any ideas...ha ha...just kidding.

I love this shot where Kenzi is going to toss the ball to Kim...I love action shots.

10...10...9.5...Yea Kim! Way to follow through, even though you were no where close to catching that ball. But...we'll give you a good score for making an attempt. ha ha. Do you all see what I mean about laughing. I laughed hysterically this entire shoot, I am really surprised I didn't have a ton of blurred photos from camera shake.

Yikes, another photo that just makes Kenzi look so much more "grown-up" than she is. Look at the attitude in that walk. You go Kenzi.

Disclaimer : No kids were harmed in the taking of this photo and I did post this photo with Kim's consent. I just hope I do not get yelled at by the Grandparents. smile smile :) However, this photo to me simply reflects the strong personality that Kenzi has. When she is not happy, she will let you know really quick. Kenzi is definitely one of the best kids I've ever photographed. She only got upset this one time when we put her on the towel to sit. She was not happy. I snapped a couple photos and Kim immediately grabbed her up. I think she just didn't want to sit still...Kenzi is very active. We took the towel away and Kenzi was all smiles.

She was perfectly content as long as she could walk around and play.

I love this photo, even though Kenzi isn't looking at me...I think is was one of my favorites.

Kenzi...a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e.

I love this photo of Kim. She smiles all the time. I can even feel her smiling when we talk on the phone.

I love how Kenzi talks with her hands. I do that too.

"are you coming?"

Click here to view SLIDESHOW. (The slideshow will take just a few minutes to load & then it will start playing automatically~thank you.)

Kim, Dan & Kenzi...thank you all for being so amazing during the shoot. Also, thank you for treating me to dinner afterwards, you guys were too sweet. (I LOVE my clients, they are the coolest people!!!) Kenzi...you are such a sweetheart. I look forward to watching you grow and documenting more of your life. Can't wait to see you all again.
xoxo...cassandra m

KIM, DAN & KENZI_PART I

2009-06-14T21:57:00.001-04:00

The first time I talked to Kim on the phone, we spoke for over an hour. I knew immediately that her and I would be friends, whether she hired me for a job or not. We talked about a mutual friend of ours, we talked about family, our work, our passions, even our cell phones. We talked about any subject that popped into our heads. Our conversation was full of laughter and girl talk, as though we had known each other for years. I had definitely made a new friend that day.

Later the same week, Kim contacted me about doing a family shoot for her. Although she lives in Ohio, she was planning to vacation only a couple hours from me. I was super excited about the opportunity to photograph her family. We probably talked four or five more times before I would actually met her face to face. The morning of the shoot, I left Savannah in a monsoon of rain and thunderstorms. I immediately started praying that the skies would clear up. I knew Kim had been nervous about the rainy weather all week, but I assured her I would get some awesome photos...come rain or shine. Thankfully, the rain subsided and I was blessed to shoot under a photographer's dream of overcast skies. It was a beautiful day with a beautiful family.

This is Kenzi. She is a small kid with a large personality. I love this photo of her holding her Dad's hand.

This is a photo that makes Kenzi appear to be more grown up than she is. I would call this one "sassy"...just because of the attitude Kenzi is giving here.

We found a really cool tree and although Kenzi had her own agenda, I was able to get a couple of photos.

We did get a light rain shower and decided to take a break under a close building. Although I wasn't that excited about the brick wall in the background, I was excited about these photos. Kim was tickling Kenzi and she was laughing so hard. Her expressions are hilarious and Kim's expressions are just as entertaining. I love the laughter these three were sharing.

I love this series.

After all the tickles, we go back to a more serious side.

Yea...it stopped raining.

I am not sure if Kenzi wanted Daddy's hand off Mommie, but it was too funny watching her try to push it away.

When we were walking down to the beach, Kenzi tripped and skinned her knee. Most kids would have been screaming and crying, but not Kenzi. She just got Kim to kiss her boo-boo and we went on to take some photos.

Of course it did take a little coaxing to get her back into the spirit. I love this photo, it's almost like she is saying "Ahhhhh, must we take photos right now?". Kenzi made me laugh so hard during our shoot, little kid...big personality!

It only took a few minutes and she was pointing to my camera. I tried and tried to get her to say "cheese"...I repeated this word constantly and she refused to cooperate. However, when we got back in the vehicle and Kim strapped her in, she looked right at me and said "CHEEEESSSEEEE". We all laughed. She is already a pint-size comedian.

Photos on the beach are always some of my favorites.

As I was shooting, a dog ran right past us. Kenzi was missing her two doggies, so this made her happy. I think this dog had the coolest tail.

Some of the images, just really make Kenzi look so grown-up. Yikes...sorry Kim, I know you want her to stay small. Ha Ha. LOL.

One of my favorite shots of the day...

Kenzi found some great shells.

I love this image with Kim and Kenzi.

Stay tuned for some more photos with Kim, Dan and Kenzi.

CHAMBER TRADE SHOW

2009-06-11T23:34:00.000-04:00

This week I attended my first trade show to network and promote my photography business. It was the Savannah Chamber of Commerce Trade Show for Small Businesses and it was amazing. I got to meet some wonderful small business owners, as well as some of their employees. The ballroom was full of people shaking hands, making introductions, smiling, exchanging of business cards and brochures...just a lot of networking. It was awesome.

I really didn't know what to expect or how exactly to prepare for this, so I was feeling a little overwhelmed beforehand. I got lots of photos in various sizes printed and bonded for displaying. I took photo books, albums and proof magazines for viewing. I even carefully loaded my Apple Cinema Display and took with me. I set it up to run a slideshow continuously and luckily, this was a big hit with everyone...yea yea. I met some very nice and intelligent people, all with a common interest to succeed with their small business. It was a ballroom full of adrenaline and excitement. No need for the Red Bull I drank before starting, I could have simply fed off all the positive energy that was flowing.

To all my new friends and fellow small business owners, I look forward to building relationships with each of you. My wish is for our community to grow together and our businesses to flourish.

Here are a couple photos my sister snapped with my point & shoot camera.

Monique, Theo & Micah

2009-06-06T03:35:00.002-04:00

Beautiful. Happy. Humble. Kind-hearted. Loving. Nurturing. Passionate. Affectionate. Kind. Generous. Creative. Spiritual. Honest. Helpful. Supportive. Optimistic. Peaceful. Confident. Reliable. Hopeful. Driven. Dedicated. Honorable. Awesome! These are only a few words I would use to describe my very dear and sweet friend, Monique.

She has been a loyal friend and a wonderful part of my life for many years. I was super excited when we recently planned a quick photo shoot while I was in Atlanta. It was the first chance I got to photograph my newest little niece, Micah. Monique and Theo are the most amazing parents, which is not surprising. They waited years to get pregnant and when Monique did...there were tears all around. I photographed their pregnancy shoot and Monique was glowing as much then as she is now.

This is just a beautiful family and I am so blessed to call them friends. I look forward to watching Micah grow...she is truly a gift from God and I know he has mighty things in store for her.

Micah is definitely a "Daddy's Little Girl". I love this photo as Micah was gently touching Theo's hand. This image has the "Ahhhhhh" factor...

Micah doesn't like to sit still, she gets bored. Needless to say we only did a few photos on the bench.

Another favorite with Micah...look at those lips. Two words Micah from Auntie Cass...Lip Gloss!

Micah has so much personality already. She was cracking me up. Here she is laughing at her Mommie.

You can see how proud Nique & Theo are just by the way they look at her. She is adored beyond words.

I love how she never let go of Theo when he was around her. She had a tight grip on him at all times. Do you think she has him wrapped around her little sweet & precious finger? That's a big YES!

Micah was walking all over the place, of course with Theo's help. I love this look of pride on her face in this photo. To me it says "Mommie...look at me...I'm walking".

Micah loves watching Monique...I think Theo does too. smile smile. Their relationship is a testament to true love. I think loving each other is very natural to them and it just comes easy. I get goose bumps just watching them together, even after all these years. They still look at each other with such passion. True Love...it does exist.

Like I said...Daddy's Girl.

As we were leaving a butterfly landed on Theo's shoulder. Yes a real butterfly. I heard that is suppose to be good luck. Of course, I think Theo is pretty lucky without the butterflies...he has two amazing girls in his life.

Micah is going to be as gorgeous as her Mommie for sure. She already has her eyes and I bet she will get her sense of fashion too. Nique is incredibly stylish...I call her my very own personal Halle Berry. She is that cool.

I think Micah was ready for a nap as she settled into Theo's arms.

Monique, Theo and lovely little Micah...words cannot express the joy I felt on this day as I watch the three of you. To see you together as a family melted my heart big time. Guys, she was most definitely worth the wait. And Micah...you are one very blessed little girl to have these two as your parents. No child could wish for more.

much love as always...cassandra

EDITING PHOTOS

2009-06-05T00:27:00.016-04:00

I think most photographers in the digital age are struggling with the same problem I have been...editing the photo shoot afterwards. With the capability of digital technology, an abundance of images can be shot quickly before you realize it. I am very guilty of this. Why? Because I love to take photos. I get myself so excited and my adrenaline going so fast, that by the time I get to a shoot...I'm like the Tasmanian devil spinning around on red bull. I absolutely LOVE, LOVE...LOVE to take photos and I tend to take a lot. However, in my defense...my clients are all beautiful people with amazing personalities. I simply want to share their beauty and their connections through the photos I capture. I've been trying to get better and make myself STOP before all my memory cards are full. Seriously, if not I will just keep snapping away, even after the shoot is done. LOL...I just looooooove to take pictures.

It has become obvious to me that this high quantity of images has also been my downfall. When it comes to editing a shoot, simply put...I am a "perfectionist". This is not the most sensible characteristic when you download 200, 300 or 400 images from one shoot. Yikes! LOL again. I have found myself spending more time in front of the computer than behind the camera....Errrrr, not where I want to be. Hence the change from my original career path of Computer 3D Artist & Animator to lifestyle photographer. This past year, I've done some research and talked to some other photographers to get an idea of how to better process my workflow. I got some great info and it is changing the way I am approaching my shoots. Recently on a video chat, I asked the uber fabulous Jasmine Star exactly how she was able to knock out repeated shoots without skipping a beat. She is a photography guru and has been an amazing inspiration to me, although we've never met. Her blog is constantly being updated with new weddings and a variety of other amazing shoots. It's like she is 3 people in one. She gave me some great advice and I hope that it will help me build my business faster (thanks jaz). She gave me the name of Nathan Holritz, an awesome photographer who started an editing company for other photographers. He helps photographer's spend less time editing and more time shooting. Yes...now that is what I am talking about...woo-hoo! I recently contacted him and spoke with him briefly. He is one of the nicest people I've ever talked to on the phone. His concept is brilliant and I look forward to building a business relationship with him & his wife. Their company is called Photographer's Edit.

Since Photographer's Edit handles mostly large events for photographers...Nathan was nice enough to share his knowledge on how to edit smaller shoots, like portraits, families, seniors, babies, etc. For over an hour and a half, he guided photographer's from all around the world through a step-by-step process for editing with Adobe Lightroom. This was done on a video webinar, so I kicked back with a green ice tea, a note pad & pen and let my brain soak in every word. He covered so much great information. I currently use Adobe Photoshop CS2 & Apple's Aperture for editing. Now I love Aperture, but I have been debating on changing to Lightroom. Choosing the right software is always important for photo editing. Nathan made it very easy to get an idea of how great Lightroom is to work with when editing. During the webinar, I quickly made notes because it's not everyday you get the 411 from an expert on the workflow process. It is people like, Nathan & Jasmine who share of themselves that inspires me. It makes me want to be a better photographer and colleague to others. I definitely wanted to share Nathan's company and information with others. For any photographer feeling overwhelmed with a ton of wedding images...definitely check out Nathan & Amber's company, Photographer's Edit.

Here is a screen shot of my computer desktop...and no these guys did not have blue hair...ha.ha. Nathan was highlighting this area during his tutorial. It was so great how he walked us through all the steps on the webinar. Now if I can just apply his tips & techniques as quickly & efficiently as he does, I'll be shooting more and editing less. yea!

SNEAK PEEK...Robyn, James & Eisley

2009-06-01T00:40:00.011-04:00

I am sitting by the pool listening to songs by Michael Buble´, John Mayer & Dave Matthews...all are musicians whom I LOVE. Their voices and their music simply makes my heart skip beats. Ahhhh...a perfect end to a perfect day....a perfect end to a wonderful vacation. I've had a relaxing and rejuvenating week filled with smiles, laughter, good food, shopping, breathtaking sunsets, a great sister, amazing friends, good desserts and most importantly, some PHOTOGRAPHY...which, as you all know is "my passion".

I wanted to share a "SNEAK PEEK" of just a couple images from a shoot here in Key West. It was with my most FABULOUS friend, Robyn and her AWESOME husband, James and their incredibly BEAUTIFUL daughter, Eisley. Can we say PERFECTION times THREE! Not only are they gorgeous on the outside...they are equally as gorgeous on the inside...YES they are!

When Robyn asked about hiring me for a family shoot...well to be honest, I was a little intimidated. Yes...I was nervous and scared. I wondered if I could truly capture the BEAUTY that they all possess. I had shot them before, (click here...Robyn, James & Eisley) but, could I do it again? Could I truly capture the unique qualities that makes each of them "so flawless". Yes again...I was nervous and scared. After a quick shoot, I previewed a few images on my camera and yea, I did get a few captivating images. I wanted to share a couple and will post more photos later. Hope you like!

MOCHA BY THE POOL...

2009-05-29T18:09:00.002-04:00

Having a BLAST in Key West. Mocha loves that it is so "dog-friendly" here. We took a break by the pool so I could check some email. Heres a quick photo I snapped with my small camera. Isn't he just the most adorable puppy ever!?!

KEY WEST...Here I Come Again!

2009-05-26T22:29:00.004-04:00

Lydia, Mocha and I are heading to Key West for a vacation break. I will be posting some sunset photos soon.

BOBBY & NANCY 25th ANNIVERSARY

2009-05-25T22:47:00.018-04:00

I recently had the honor to shoot an Anniversary Party. Nancy and Bobby have been happily married for 25 amazing years! My dear friend Leonard, along with their daughter & son-in-law spent months planning a "surprise" anniversary party. It was a night filled with laughter, great food, good music and lots of dancing. Nancy and Bobby were surrounded by their closest friends and family...their marriage is a testament to what "true love" really is. Congratulations Nancy and Bobby on your 25th Anniversary...wishing you 25 more!

I ended up with a ton of awesome photos from the night. However I didn't want to leave anyone out, so I am only going to post a couple of the images on my blog. Here is a shot of Leonard, Bobby, Nancy and Mindi.

Bobby and Nancy are so much fun. They are genuinely nice people who just love to have a good time.

Mom and daughter...I love this shot.

One of my favorite images from the night. Although I didn't want to impose as Bobby and Nancy were having an intimate dance, I had to capture this moment. Bobby's expression shows just how much in love he still is. These two are an inspiration to every married couple.

Nancy and Bobby...Your love, your marriage and your kindness are special to everyone you meet. I am so glad I was able to be part of your beautiful night.

Happy Anniversary! love, cassandra m

MADYSON #4 B-DAY_PART II

2009-05-22T16:23:00.029-04:00

Madyson really did love her new pink unicorn. It was her most favorite birthday gift from her Mama & PaPa. I couldn't resist taking as many photos as possible while she was holding it. She was all smiles, all day!

Madyson and Avery are adorable together.

Avery was shy when she was smaller, but she has accepted me & my camera. Now she is very easy for me to photograph. She will even pose for me sometimes.

Madyson's pink unicorn was given a tour of the top of her playset. Only girls and pink unicorns allowed please.

Here is Bailey. I had to get a quick shot of her. She is a beautiful Boxer and great with Madyson.

This is Jack. He is walking since I last saw him. Too cute.

He has developed the ability to climb very well. Although the rock wall looked a long way up, it didn't scare him and he didn't hesitate to get on it.

I love that when it came time to eat, Madyson made room for her new pink unicorn.

Madyson was very happy on her birthday and I loved when she would smile at me...

Then sometimes she wouldn't...ha.ha. Now for a little yell out...and then back to smiling. I love the shot on the left because this is a big part of who Madyson is and the wonderfully free & wild spirit she possesses.

A birthday hugg and kiss...

A few misc shots from around...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADYSON! I know this year is going to be full of amazing things for you.
love...auntie cass