5 things to be thankful for - Christmas 2008

Even in the bad economic times we are facing, we must still appreciate and be thankful for the many good things that are always in our lives. Here is my (Brian's) top 5:

1.) My beautiful family. . .Gry, my wife of almost 10 years (July 2nd will be 10!)and our amazing daughter Sara. I can not imagine my life without them, they are the reason I live. Which leads me to #2. . .

2.) The gift of being a father, the most amazing, fulfilling, terrifying, joyful thing I have ever done and it just keeps getting better. . .I only hope I can be half the good Dad to Sara that my Dad was to me.

3.) Friends! (This may be a long one!) Friends like Jennifer Garrett who has shown us what real strength and courage is while she faces the unthinkable. . .her 3 year old daughter Shayla, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma (cancer) a couple of months ago but is fighting hard, smiling alot and we all pray daily for her recovery. Jennifer, Shayla and Shay's sister Savannah are the bravest people I know. . .kinda makes our other "problems" seem pretty insignificant doesn't it? Please go to her Caringbridge site and leave her a note, you'll feel better for it!





Shay with her "bald guys" Cory, Ian and Parker at our recent Christmas party - bald IS beautiful!!


Fellow photographers like Rachel + Andrew Niesen and Corey + Jill McNabb who have directly and indirectly inspired us to grow and improve our business and to share our knowledge with others, thanks guys! And of course, Parker + Missy Pfister. Parker has rekindled the photographic curiosity in me that I thought I had all but lost. His art is an inspiration to me to try new techniques and see beyond the obvious. A prime example is this image of my daughter Sara, the technique Parker taught me (he didn't know he was teaching, but he was!) during a wedding he was shooting. I would never have taken this "chance" and in turn not have this wonderful image of my daughter. . .thanks Parker, ya big lug.



And finally our friends Kent + Kris Scherr who we are rediscovering after the birth of their third child, Mia. Kris delivered our daughter, Sara, when she was still a student mid-wife almost 9 years ago. Kent is an OB/GYN is Asheville and both are just down to earth, real people. . .hey, anyone with a purple house and a chicken coop out back has to be good people right!?

There are of course many others that we are so fortunate to have in our lives, we will always treasure these friendships and are humbled and so grateful to have such wonderful, giving, "real" people in our lives.

4.) My Mom, Fern, who is struggling with Parkinson's Disease but still lives her life with courage, dignity and an inner strength that I am in awe of. I love you Mom.

5.) And last, I'm thankful that I get to do what I love to do everyday. So many people never find their passion in life and I am so fortunate to have not only found it but am able to live and share it with my wife Gry.

So everyone, have a Merry Christmas and look forward to a New Year full of hope and new adventure. Things will get better in our country and it starts with all of us not forgetting that we still have so much to be thankful for.

xoxoxo,
brian

Carrie + Keaton - part deux!

Our good friends Paul + Holley Jackson, aka Four Seasons Films, sent us the following link to their trailer from Carrie + Keaton's wedding earlier this year at the Cliffs at Glassy Chapel! They do such amazing work, check it out here!



Also, just found out that this wedding will be featured on the beautiful Weddings Unveiled blog very soon. . .check it out!


And please visit www.caringbridge.org and leave a note for our little friend Shayla and her amazing Mom Jennifer and big sis Savannah in the guestbook. Shayla, who is only 3 years old, was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma a few weeks ago but is responding well to treatment and is in Chapel Hill today receiving stem cell therapy. She is such a brave, beautiful little girl so please keep her in your thoughts + prayers! Here she is the first week she was in Mission Children's Hospital. . .she still has that smile all the time! Leaving a note in her guestbook brightens her smile even more. . .thanks!




xoxoxo,

brian + gry

Want a beautiful wedding? Make it personal!

We've photographed over 250 weddings over the last 9 years. Some are small intimate gatherings, many are huge, multi-day celebrations with budgets way in to six figures. We've found though that the most meaningful and memorable weddings are the ones where the bride and groom makes the day personal by adding little details that are special to them and their families. A hand painted sign made out of wood siding from the bride's childhood home, dancing the first dance in your great-grandmother's wedding dress, using your collection of antique tins for your center pieces, well. . .you get the idea. Sure, you can throw a ton of money at anything and it will look wonderful (hasn't there been something about lipstick on pigs lately??;). But will it be as memorable as the wedding we had the honor of photographing last month at The Inn at Half-Mile Farm in Highlands, NC. Terri + Sean did all of the things above (and much more) and, with the help of the amazing Shay Brown of Shay Brown Events in Asheville, will remember and cherish their wedding day for the rest of their lives. Make it personal and make it real!! Here's a peek at their day:

















Here's another peek at another gorgeous Biltmore Estate wedding that we photographed last month. Nisha + Jay were married in the Walled Garden with their reception in the Italian Garden next to the Biltmore House. This was the reception, in full swing, just at twilight.



And finally! DOG IS LOVE!!

This is my German Shepherd dog, Max, who was found wandering the side of the interstate at 8 weeks old! We adopted Max and Heidi, our daughter's dog of undetermined origin, from the Henderson County Animal Shelter on the same day. We urge you to support your local Humane Society, animal shelters, or rescue groups and not do business with pet shops that use "puppy mills" to supply their customers.




Hope you have a great day!!

xoxoxo,
brian + gry

Take the time to look and really see!

A while back, a good friend and I took a day off and just went out to shoot. Nothing planned, no idea what we might find, just shoot. . .and BS a little (OK, alot!), and laugh, and just be photographers. We get so caught up in our hectic everyday lives, running around like ants doing our ant business, that we often miss so many beautiful things happening right in front of us. Take the time to take a deep breath, relax and really see! Here's a few images from our day. . .enjoy!


Child's grave.




Parker lookin all angelic

And here are a couple from a recent picnic trip to the Biltmore Estate with Gry + Sara. . .

Sara in the trees -
Thanks Parker for helping me continue to see beyond the obvious and the ordinary!


Just a lily pad?


Stop and smell 'em people. . .or at least stop and enjoy!


Vicarious parenting pic for Rachel!

Laugh, live and enjoy the day!

xoxoxo,
brian

New look for our blog!

Hey gang! We've updated our blog with some new color and formatting in anticipation of receiving our new printed materials from Bumblebee Press and the amazing Jared Swafford (Swing From the Rafters Design) in Atlanta. All new colors and design done in letterpress! We can't wait!

Now for our first post. . .we just returned from Asheville where we met for coffee at Old Europe with our friends Lara Casey, Editor-in-Chief, + Rachel Smith, Editorial Assistant, of Southern Weddings Magazine. After a quick cup of coffee and tea, we walked over to the beautiful new downtown digs of Shay Brown Events so Lara + Rachel could see Shay's amazing new space! (Thanks Lauren for taking the photo below!)

Brides. . .if you haven't checked out Lara's blog yet do it now! It is an amazing resource and just beautifully done. Also. . .be on the look out for the inaugural issue of Southern Weddings Magazine in January! Thanks Lara and Rachel for making the trek to meet with us. . .next time make it a weekend!


Rachel, Lara, Brian + Gry at Shay Brown Events in Asheville

And now for a sneak peek of a recent wedding. . .Teale Taggart + Trey Smith were married a couple of weeks ago in a beautiful ceremony at the First Presbyterian Church in Highlands, NC followed by a gorgeous reception at The Farm at The Old Edwards Inn. Teale is the Corporate Alliances Liaison for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, an organization that does amazing work for kids around the country. Teale + Trey made a donation to St. Jude in appreciation to and in the name of their guests. We support St. Jude's and we hope you will too! Here's a couple of teaser images from the weekend!







We had a great day. . .hope you did too!!
xoxoxo,
brian + gry