A Memory + A Reminder

Stop! I told you to STOP!  I was about 5 years old and yelling at my sled with quite the authority, but it wasn't listening. My Mom had taken me down the hill on her lap several times and I wanted to go by myself. I was 5 OK... totally grown up.  She showed me the brakes, had me practice and off I went. It was all squeals and giggles until I wanted the ride to be over. That sled needed to stop so, I told it to stop. In my excitement/terror I forgot that I needed to pull the brake.

Today, I saw this print on Pinterest and it made me think about that sled. It was a reminder that if I want something to happen I have to be willing to do the work to make it happen.

Find this print and more like it at lovelife.typepad.com.

Friday Faves and Raves

Happy Friday!! Here are some of my faves from this week...

This poster from super-rural.com is topping the list in my 'want' board on Pinterest. Imagine renting a loft space for your wedding, getting this blown up to the size of a wall and using is as the back drop to stand in front of as you say 'I Do'.   I. would. like. die.

This whole room is a fave, but I specifically love the paintings. I like them so much that I made a version of my own and hung them in our living room :) 

John has been out of town this week and the paintings were meant to be a surprise when he got home, but he spyed them last night when we were chatting on facetime. I can NEVER surprise him. Rarr!!

This weeks rave is a recipe for Brown Sugar and Basalmic Glazed Pork. It cooks all day in a crock-pot and comes out Super Yumm! This would be a good one to take to a 4th of July barbecue this weekend ;)

Birmingham, Alabama | Vestavia Country Club Wedding: Laura + Bradley

Laura and Bradley were married on April 30th, 2011. If you're from Alabama that date probably sticks out because it was only three days after the historic tornado outbreak tore through our state. All of the joy and prettiness of the wedding was a welcomed break from the 24/7 news coverage. It was also a testament that as long as we kept loving, happiness would follow. And, I got completley swept up in the love between Laura and Bradley. 

Sometimes it's impossible to choose between black and white and color. Other times you know when you're shooting that it HAS to be black and white.

That right there is the definition of Love, Happiness and Good Light :) 

The priest that officiated Laura and Bradley's wedding has the name of every couple he's married on the back of his stole. He uses it as a prayer list and prays for their marriages daily. How awesome is that?!

Alex City, Alabama | Lake Martin Wedding : Whitney +Lanier

Remember when I could not wait for April? That seems like ages ago. I was beyond excited for wedding season to start and now it's halfway through June. Crazy. Wedding season is in full swing and I'm blessed to be busy. I'm 100% in love with weddings and am happy to show y'all what I've been up to. Here's a peek from a wedding I shot with Alisa Lynn in April...

It's a joy to see a couple so in love on their wedding day beginning their lives together.

 Lanier is a man in love! Whitney arranged an after session at Russell Crossroads following their reception. He knew these photos were important to her and was happy to pose with his bride.

Cliffs Notes of a Book Report | The E Myth

"Highly successful business people read, on average, 3 business related books a year. That means I'm going to read 3 a month." -Zach Gray

Ok, that may be more of a paraphrase than a quote but I figured it was close enough. When talking about executing the dream at the Gray Photography Workshops Z&J encouraged us put down our cameras, take a break from reading photography blogs and dig into some business books. I made a list (imagine that) and filled up my amazon shopping cart as soon as I got home.

Confession [Mom, please skip this part]: Senior year in high school I skipped writing a book report because I knew I'd still pass the class if I got a zero on the report. AND I did pass... with a C.

That's really bad and I can't believe I told you but I feel that my book review series needed a little preface. See, the bookworm gene skipped me. When I sit down to read my mind comes up with 100 other things I could be doing. I usually pick one and forget where I left the book. It's torturous because I've always wanted to be described as 'well read'.  Oil meet water.

So, why would I set myself up to write a series of book reviews on the blog? Because I believe in Zach's theory THAT much. Also, because I'll be writing them more like cliffs notes or top ten lists than as actual reports.

First on the list is The E Myth by Michael E Gerber.

"E-Myth n 1: the entrepreneurial myth: the myth that most people who start a small business are entrepreneurs 2: the fatal assumption that an individual who understands the technical work of a business can successfully run a business that does that technical work"

My review: 5 out of 5 stars.
This book is crammed with information but it doesn't come across as a text book. It's written as a story of Michael meeting and consulting a woman who owns a pie shop. He doesn't say that if you do A or B and C that you'll be successful, but he gives a formula for you to figure out what will work in your business.

Nuggets from the book...

• Know your primary aim. Focus on it. Determine what you want your life to be and define how your business will get you there. 
• Go to work ON your business, not in it. 
• Set standards for how everything should be done. 
• Use these standards to create your operations manual. 
• Use your operations manual to set up your business as if it were a model for a franchise.
• Think of your franchise prototype as a 'dojo'. A place you go to practice being the best you can be. 

I've been super busy putting the formula to work in my business. If you've read it I'd like to know how it's changed your business too. 

Tuscaloosa, AL | North River Yacht Club Wedding: Christina + Brock

There are some people you meet in life that you just 'click' with. Alisa Lynn is one of those people. She's a wife, mom, business owner and wedding photographer extraodinaire. Three of those we have in common and she's helping me with the fourth ;)

I found Alisa on OSP while searching for wedding photographers in Alabama to connect with. We exchanged a few messages and I finally worked up the courage to ask her to lunch. When we met, I was smitten immediately. I mean, Alisa is as sweet as they come and funny too! She gave me a shot and I've been shooting with her since April. I've sincerely been having the time of my life!!


Recently, we traveled up to Tuscaloosa to shoot Christina and Brock's wedding at the North River Yacht club. 

I love shooting details and shoes are no exception.

Christina and Brock chose to have a first look. LOVE!

To Alisa - I hope you know how lucky I feel to have the opportunity to learn from you. I feel like I didn't even know how much I wanted to be a photographer until I started shooting with you. Watching you shoot is just... an inspiration. I could not have asked for a better mentor. THANK YOU!

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Please?

Olive,
I spent hours holding you and staring at you while you slept. I'd hold you so long that you would leave sweat marks on my shirt when I put you down. But, a year later I can hardly remember what it feels like to hold such a tiny baby.

I'm head-over-heels in love with the pre-toddler that you are right now. Can you please stop growing up so fast?

Love,
Mommy