daytona beach wedding photographer, Central FL photographer in daytona beach, Jackie Beale

Ingrid & Pierre - Sugar mill gardens engagement photos in Daytona Beach FL

2012-01-19T22:21:00.000-05:00

I LOVE LOVE Ingrid and Pierre! They are such a sweet and fun couple and totally worked it in front of the camera. We had a blast with their engagement session at Sugar Mill Gardens in Port Orange FL. Ingrid wanted beautiful greenery and a cool location so my first thought was sugar mills. They drove up from Ft. Myers for their session since they wanted something totally different than what they have in their town. I can't wait for their wedding in a couple of weeks! Here are some of my favorites:

Baby Eli

2012-01-12T20:36:00.000-05:00

A couple months ago, my good friend had an adorable baby boy, Eli. I don't normally specialize in newborn photography but I really wanted to give her a nice gift so I decided I would take his newborn photos. It was my first time photographing a baby and I made sure his mom posed him as I wanted to since he was so small and fragile, I didn't want to risk anything. Thankfully, the session turned out better than I expected and I'm so thrilled I was able to preserve these memories for her, as we all know that babies grow so fast. Here are just a few of my favorites from that session.

Our maternity photos - Sneak Preview

2011-09-22T14:33:00.001-04:00

Yes that's right friends! I haven't made the official announcement on the blog but we are having a baby boy!! I am already 34 weeks pregnant and my due date is November 5th. We are a little nervous as this is new to us and hope to be the best parents for our son, but also so very excited of this new chapter in our lives and get things rolling! Last weekend, we headed to St. Augustine for maternity photos with Cayden Lane Photography. It was sooo hard choosing the right photographer for us as you very well know why. Us photographers have access to the online forums and community and know there are literally thousands of great photographers in our area. I wanted someone who had a great eye for composition and natural light, as well as good post processing skills with crisp images. I found Lori with Cayden Lane Photography while I was looking at the Images for a Cure website. She is a memeber and as soon as I saw her profile, I prayed she was local. You can imagine how extatic I was when I found out she is based in Jacksonville! I quickly emailed her and set the arrangements. I am so happy with my choice! And my husband also had a blast during our shoot. Lori is totally laid back and makes you feel so comfortable. The skies were really overcast that day and I just think it was perfect. Here is a little sneak peek that Lori kindly posted on her facebook.

I also wanted to share a little preview of our nursery we are working on. The photos are taken with my phone, but I will be taking better ones once everything is up and ready :) I decided to have a nice gray as the main color and my husband wanted one accent wall, so we decided on blue. I knew I didn't want a baby blue or sky blue, so we went to Home Depot and compared a few colors and we were both happy with the tone we chose. I also did not want a theme to the nursery. I wanted to keep it simple and make the room where I can decorate with accessories and also have the room to where the baby will grow with it. If I had chosen a car theme or animals, I felt like the baby would grow out of that so quickly and it would be harder to change. So I stuck with simple colors and things that I would be able to easily change and redecorate in the future.

I can't wait to get it completely done and share the photos! :)

Winter Park FL couple's session: Alejandro & Soraya

2011-08-24T21:30:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, Soraya contacted me about wanting some updated photos of her and her husband Alejandro before they moved to Colombia. I had such an awesome time with them and I knew that Casa Feliz in Winter Park FL would be the best location to start off with. Here is part I of their session and a few of my favs :)

Aaron and Aurora St. Augustine engagement pictures

2011-06-07T21:06:00.000-04:00

I felt so honored that Aaron and Aurora asked me to capture this special moment in their lives. I've known Aaron for a couple of years now and Aurora is simply the best thing that has ever happened to him! Aurora is from Colorado and has never seen St. Augustine, so what a perfect place to have their engagement photos done there. I love the city for its bright colors and old buildings with lots of texture and history. Here are some of my favorite photos and be sure to watch the slideshow below! :)

Orlando Wedding Photographer - Natassja and David Sneak Preview

2011-06-03T11:50:00.000-04:00

Lots of favorites that I couldn't narrow down :) But here is a little of Natassja and David's wedding. More to come soon!

Sultana & Sheriar's indian wedding pictures at Wyndham Plaza Hotel in Lake Buena Vista

2011-05-19T21:35:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, I had a blast assisting one of my photographer friends Jenny Rivera of Kelmar Studios on this beautiful indian wedding! As you can see, it was so colorful. In many indian cultures, when there is a mix marriage, their weddings consist of many days of celebration. This particular event was the second day, which is why there was no ceremony, just a big reception. Here are a few of my favs that I was able to capture. Enjoy :)

LOVE the brides jewelry and beautiful intricate dress.

Ashley and Devin wedding photography in Port Orange FL and pictures at Sugar Mill Gardens

2011-05-09T23:34:00.001-04:00

I don't even know where to start in describing Ashley and Devin's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding that's for sure. But the thing that I loved about it is the uniqueness and intimacy of it between friends and family. There was no reception or any of that after the ceremony. The couple opted to have a small gathering at the bride's mom house and celebrate their marriage with a small group of close friends. Nevertheless, Ashley knew how important it was to document her wedding, whether big or small. Therefore, she booked me for 5 hours, which gave us LOADS of time to take all the photos needed and thoroughly document their wedding day as it should be. Thank you Ashley and Devin for trusting me with your special memories. Here are a few of my favs :)

Lets start off with these gorgeous pair of shoes that Ashley's bridesmaids wore...

Ashley getting ready for her big day!

Devin in his awesome suit. The man has style! :)

The wonderful wedding party

and last but not least, Ashley and Devin enjoying their portraits in a relaxed setting.

Melanie and Thomas Lakeshore Park and Marina building wedding photography in St. Cloud Florida

2011-05-02T23:23:00.001-04:00

Melanie and Thomas were amazing to work with! They are a photographers dream and I felt so honored that they chose me to document such a special day. I knew it would be full of emotions, tears, and lots of laughter from start to finish. Below are some of my favorite photos from their day :)

And I'll end this lovely post with two of my FAVORITE pictures of the day :)

New Smyrna Beach FL photographer - Ashley Smith pre wedding photos

2011-04-15T20:12:00.000-04:00

I feel extraordinarily thankful to be able to document my clients in a more intimate setting and enter their private world and capture more of who they are. A few days ago, I had the pleasure of joining my bride Ashley for her boudoir session at a beautiful beach house with amazing light. This is my first boudoir session I have ever shot, so no pressure right? lol. Well since Ashley's fiance lives 3 hours away, it was a little difficult to get them together for their engagement session. So we decided this would be the perfect replacement :)

With permission, here is just one photo from our session that I am just dying to share. Ashley you are beautiful. Enough said.

Karen and Jose engagement album

2011-03-07T14:04:00.000-05:00

Now that I have delivered this engagement album, I can go ahead and share it! :) I think it is my favorite to date but then again, I love all my engagement sessions and I especially love it when they opt to have an engagement album showcasing their favorite images. I love it so much that I even include the book in some of my packages! There is plenty of white space for the guests to sign and write messages. Here are my favorite page spreads.

Happy Monday!

Morley Bar Mitzvah Photography at The Loft in Boca Raton FL

2011-02-24T22:07:00.001-05:00

Get ready for some very colorful and fun details photos! I absolutely had a blast photographing Morley's Bar Mitzvah at The Loft in Boca Raton. They had a bunch of vendors, from mixing cool drinks that smoke, to a smore's station, everything was so unique and beautiful. JM Events did an outstanding job decorating and Top Notch entertainment kept the party pumpin throughout the whole event. MANY MANY thanks to Jennifer Werneth for inviting me to come along. I was able to photograph the reception part of the event while she focus on the pre-ceremony and ceremony. Here are a few of my favorites!..

Life is sweet :)

2011-02-17T22:08:00.000-05:00

Two among my favorite things in life: A good cupcake and thoughtfulness, in this case, in the form of simple fresh flowers, that my amazing hubby just bought me today. No, it's not valentines day, no, he wasn't trying to make up for anything or make amends. Just the simple fact that he thought about me and wanted to express that. Why do we have to wait around for the world to tell us when to give a gift of thoughtfulness to a friend or loved one? I love spontaneous-ism :)

Winter Park engagement photos - Melanie & Thomas

2011-02-10T19:36:00.001-05:00

What can I say about Melanie and Thomas? Only that I love this couple and it was one of the best engagement sessions I've ever shot. Maybe the rain had a little something to do with it, to make me push my self further creatively, or it could be that my camera loved them. I admit, that I panicked a little when I saw the rain coming down but thankfully, we had Rollins College to start off our session, where we were able to take advantage of their beautiful hallways for their photos and shelter from the rain. There were a few drizzles here and there but I think that made our session a lot more interesting. The minute I posed Melanie and Thomas for their first shot, they couldn't help but laugh and that made my heart happy. I was able to get so many genuine emotions from them. These two adore each other and I know that they cannot wait until their wedding, and neither can I! Please enjoy my favorites from their engagement session below :)

GraphiStudio wedding albums

2011-02-08T18:41:00.003-05:00

To me, and to most photographers I'm sure...the wedding album is the last step to a complete wedding day. How many times do you really take out your cd and view your photos? The answer would probably be not that often. But having a beautiful book displayed in your home is a reminder how special your wedding day was and how beautiful.

Now that I have delivered the following albums, I am proud to share them to everyone :) This couple ordered a 12x12 40page album as their main one and they decided to order two 8x8 duplicate albums for their parents. With the company I work, you receive a nice discount for duplicates and I am sure the bride and groom's parents would appreciate that and want memories of their children's wedding day displayed in their home. The couple chose the beautiful soft Italian black leather, embossing their names and date, and a front photo cover.

Many more cover options are available! I am in love with their albums :)

2010 Favorites

2011-01-28T07:54:00.032-05:00

2010 has been such a wonderful year, but it seemed like it flew by waayyy to quickly! I believe 2010 is when I really began to define who I was as a photographer. My tastes and style become a little more clearer and now that 2011 has started, I have a clearer vision of what my style is and where I want to head. 2011 is off to a very busy start already and I can't wait to share my journey and goals. I decided to compile a few of my favorite images from 2010. They are by no means in any particular order. These images I feel define my style of shooting and I feel have some sort of emotional connection whether it be laughter, excitement, confidence, and romance.

Chase and Kaylee's Longwood Community Building wedding

Rosa and David's Kraft Azalea engagement pictures

Mildred's Church St. train station vintage photo shoot

Natassja and David's Celebrations FL engagement pictures

Cindy and Josh's Clearwater Beach FL wedding

Karen and Jose's Rollins College engagement pictures in Winter Park FL

Lindsey and Eric's Grand Bohemian Hotel wedding in Orlando FL

Jonathan and Paula's New Smyrna Beach engagement pictures

Rosa and David's Riverside Pavillion wedding pictures in Port Orange FL

Paula and Jonathan's Tanner Hall wedding pictures in Winter Garden FL

Sarah jo and Justin's maternity session portraits in Sanford FL

Anna and Fritz day after wedding pictures in St. Augustine FL

Colleen and Oscars St. Augusine FL engagement pictures and Casa Monica Hotel wedding in St. Augustine

Another Casa Monica Hotell Wedding: Alyson and Justin's Casa Monica Hotel wedding

Jackie Cino's photography portraits in Port Orange FL

and last but not least, my favorite family: The Delmonico's Sugar Mill family pictures in Port Orange FL

Business Liability Insurance for the Wedding Photographer

2011-01-24T14:19:00.009-05:00

I haven't shared a DPS article in a long time! I read them everytime I see their little email pop up in my inbox and it is a wealth of information for both new and experienced photographers. There are many articles there that attract my attention and there are others where I feel like I just have to share them because they are so important to me.

One such article I recently read has to do with business liability insurance, but it specificly talks about wedding photographers and the importance of wedding photographers being insured.

The way I see it is this, in it's simplest form: Would you own a car and drive it around without having it insured?

The simple answer is NO.

Why? Because if you get into a bad accident, you are stuck with a pretty hefty bill to fix your car, and not only that, you might also get stuck with a hospital bill. It just makes sense to have yourself insured and avoid all the headache.

I know that when you are starting out, most of us start off as having this beautiful hobby called photography, because you have a passion for it and friends might say that you are really good. I know that we have ALL been there. The most successful photographers today have started their career that very same way, and because you are just starting out, you don't have the slightest clue where's up or down. You just kind of dive in right? I believe in being honest with yourself, with your industry peers, and most important, with your clients. I have been there. You can get caught up with owning beautiful nice equipment, lenses, photoshop, computer etc. Those things are important. But sometimes, when we start out our endeavor, we can't forsee the business side of things, what things can happen while we are out doing what we love, shooting.

What if your loose your memory card? What if you accidently delete your clients photos and lost them forever? What if you equipment got stolen? What if someone trips over your bag during a wedding? What if your computer fails and you can no longer retreive your clients images, editing software, etc?

There are many many more scenarios we can ask ourselves, but wouldn't you want to be insured? Clients who really value photography will pay good money for it. They expect you to act and run your business like a professional and deliver a good product. But also, not only that. They want peace of mind that their treasured memories are in good hands. And I am sure you do too as the photographer.

Therefore, I recommend that you read this wonderful article. I know alot of us wished we knew in the beginning what we know now. But you know what? Like with all things in life, it's a learning process that will never stop and don't feel discouraged to follow your passion. Just take these things into consideration and prioritize your business goals.

I'm an aweful writer and this blog post is far too long so I will leave it at that :) If you have any questions at all about liability insurance, please feel free to shoot me a friendly email: info@jackiebealephotography.com or post a comment here, and I will try my best to help you as much as I can and recommend you a great company I use for insurance. I was driving myself crazy, not knowing where to start. But when I slowly got my goals together, I am finally at peace.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Universal Studios Orlando FL Bar Mitzvah photography

2011-01-16T11:33:00.008-05:00

I was absolutely thrilled when Jenny contacted me to shoot her sons Bar Mitzvah at Universal Studios. This was a quite different even than the others I have shot as Jenny decided to skip the whole traditional ballroom party and dinner and rather invite her family from all over to a fun filled day at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. I had a blast hanging out with Noah and his friends capturing all the fun and excitement as they hopped from one ride to the next. After lunch, I went and met with the girls and had such a great time! The last photo is of Jenny and all the moms that made this event happen. Thank you once again for inviting me to come along! Here are a few of my favs:

Morning goodness

2011-01-13T21:42:00.003-05:00

Nothing like a good warm cup of Chai tea and a gooey chewy marshmallow square on a cold windy day :)

Earn some extra cash by refering Jackie Beale Photography! Orlando wedding photographer in Daytona Beach FL

2011-01-11T11:09:00.005-05:00

One of the biggest compliment for my business that I could ever receive is when a friend, a client, a blog reader refers us. I don't think a simple thank you note would be enough. That is why I have decided to give back to those who refers our services to their friends!

Would you like to earn some extra cash? Here's how you can:

Refer Jackie Beale Photography to a newly engaged couple, or a couple looking for a wedding photographer. If they book, we will send you $75.00!! There is no limit to the amount of referals. You refer, they book, you get $75.00 every time! :)

There are no hidden rules.

It's plain and simple.

You refer - They book - You get a check in the mail.

It's a win-win for everyone!

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and here's to a wonderful 2011!!!

New Website! Daytona Beach wedding photographer

2011-01-04T12:59:00.006-05:00

Hello blog reader friends! I'm really excited to announce the new look of my website. For a while, I've been aching for something simple yet classy and modern. Don't get me wrong, I love all the different and beautiful designs out there with bold colors and interesting textures, but I felt like my images should speak for them selves and should be displayed on a clean canvas.

I've also added a new feature to my services: Custom wedding packages.

I know that brides and grooms like to see packages on a website. I still offer that option and have pre-made packages you can choose from, but I also don't want potential clients to think that they are forced to only pick out of these pre-made packages. Like I explain on my website, each client is totally different and has totally different needs for their wedding. Some may want 10 hours of coverage, while other may only want the photographer for 5 hours. Some may want albums, others might not. It won't cost you any extra $$ to have the wedding collection you love. You can choose to have whatever you feel best suites you and your fiance for wedding photography.

One thing that is always included in all wedding collections: A complimentary engagement session! Yes, I feel that these are so important for my clients that I've included them in all wedding services, no matter how small or large your event may be. Please be sure to check my website for more information ;)

I'd love to hear your constructive comments about my new website. Feel free to email me at info@jackiebealephotography.com or join my facebook page which you will find the link on the upper right hand side of this blog.

Happy Tuesday!

Daytona Beach, Orlando wedding photographer. Available to travel.
http://www.jackiebealephotography.com/

The Riley's mini session - Sugar Mill Gardens

2010-12-31T09:58:00.004-05:00

I had such a wonderful time photographing the Riley girls. They are such fun beautiful little girls and they made my job very easy. We roamed around Sugar Mill Gardens for their pictures. It has become one of my favorite places to shoot in and it's right by my house.

ch-ch-ch-changes

2010-12-29T16:13:00.005-05:00

I can't believe I've neglected my poor blog for 3 weeks! It's been very busy this month, with squeezing in a few shoots, editing, and of course, spending time with my family and doing wifey duties :) I've got a few things in the works for 2011. My first and foremost goal:

1. TO GET MORE ORGANIZED!!

I can't keep turning the house upside doing looking for my receipts from the year to turn in for tax season. Sometimes I'll tuck them in my wallet or set them on the table and totally forget about them and then they become this wad of paper with the ink almost disappearing. I've already started on this goal though. I spent a few days this month cleaning my ENTIRE house to make room for the new changes. I needed an uncluttered house to think straight and that definilty did the trick. I even took some after photos so I can share on my blog, which I will post later :)

I think it definilty helps to write your yearly goals down and that is something I plan to do. I have some blog posts in the works so be sure to stay tuned! :)

You can always visit my facebook page to get the latest and greatest. Just click on the link on the top right hand corner on this blog.

Happy Wednesday! :)

Jackie Beale
Daytona Beach wedding photographer

www.jackiebealephotography.com

Orlando wedding photographer {Natassja and David} - engagement pictures in Celebration FL

2010-12-11T22:08:00.016-05:00

Fun and bright during the day, then romantic and seductive at night :) I LOVED shooting this engagement session. Natassja and David were not camera shy at all as they thought they would be. They initally told me that they would need a lot of help with posing, and of course I said "no problem! don't worry, you guys will be great!" and they surely did not dissapoint. I love the way they interacted with each other and made each other laugh and smile so much! I absolutely adore this couple and so does my camera :) Since they love to dance, they decided to end their session in a tango theme wardrobe. Here are a few of my favorites and be sure to watch the full slideshow BY CLICKING HERE

Natassja & David {Sneak Preview}

2010-12-05T22:45:00.006-05:00

A little fun teaser. If you were on my FACEBOOK, you have probably already seen a couple of the images already :) More to come soon!

Daytona Beach wedding photographer

Daytona Beach portrait photographer - {The Delmonico Family}

2010-12-03T10:51:00.002-05:00

The Delmonico family won one of my portrait sessions giveaway that was announced at the Posh Little Closet event that I attended. I couldn't wait to meet them. They were super excited as this was their first family photos that they have ever taken professionaly. It was so special to be able to be a part of this and to be able to capture their family in a very relaxed and fun setting. Jennifer did an awesome job coming up with the outfits, and I am so glad she did because I always tell families that you don't all have to be so matchy matchy, but rather, wear something that is comfortable, fun, and that reflects your personality. They were able to stick with a similar color palette and then go from there. I loved it so much!!!! Here are a few of my favorites. To view the slideshow please click HERE

Visit My Website http://www.jackiebealephotography.com/

Daytona Beach wedding photographer
Also serving all of Central Florida FL and surrounding areas

FOOD PLACES & THINGS

2010-12-02T12:24:00.001-05:00

Things I love:

Baklava! yum yummy! I gotta learn how to make this!

Succulent plants. I love these little plant flowers. They look like a mix of roses and cactus, because they have layers that look like petals but also cactus plants because they are green and firm. They also look delicate but solid. They are so beautiful!

Places I want to go:

Greece. Ever since watching the movie Sisterhood of the traveling pants, I've been dying to go to greece! I just can't wait to climb those mountains and sleep by an open window overlooking the villages, mountains, and lake!

Italy. This is another must have place. There is so much architecture and character to this country. I would love to someday be able to photograph a wedding or a couple in this country. For now, I'll have to stick to Portofino Bay (A little italy like town in Orlando) Great for engagement pictures!

France. Oh france, what else can I say? I've been wanting to go to France for as long as I can remember. The language, the films, the culture, the art. It is all the reasons why I want to go to this place.

California. I always wondered how it would be like to go to a beach and see rocks and mountains and caves. It gives the california beaches so much character.

Things I want to see:

Sequoia trees. Another site i'd love to visit when I go to california. I'm gonna need to take my wide lens to capture these beautiful trees. I'm a HUGE huge fan of the movie Avatar. So visiting the sequoia trees might be the next best thing as visiting Pandora ;)

Antelope canyon. It may be a little risky, but well worth it I'm sure. This is an underground grrand canyon. Naturally built by sand, water, and light over hundreds of years. Using your camera flash will kill the natural beauty of this underground canyon. Long shutter speeds and a tripod is a must :) oooh I can't wait to go!!!

The eiffel tower, France. Enough Said.

Sade and Liz family session

2010-11-28T22:23:00.004-05:00

Here is a mini slideshow from Liz & Sade's family session. We had a fabulous time at Reed Canal Park in Port Orange. Sade is a very active and energetic fun girl. She takes dance classes and horse back riding classes. Because of this, she is very use to being in front of the camera so my camera absolutely adored her because she had the cutest ideas for poses. Loved it!

click HERE to view the slideshow. (below is a screenshot of the slideshow)

Delmonico Family session {preview}

2010-11-21T09:13:00.002-05:00

Here is a little preview from yesterdays session. I absolutely loved working with this family! More to come soon :)

Next on the wish list

2010-11-11T12:44:00.004-05:00

Drumroll please!...................................................

That's right! The Canon 50mm 1.2. It doesn't get any better than this. I currently shoot with the canon 50mm 1.4 which is a superb lens! but I've rented the 50mm 1.2 many times for weddings and I have to say that it's on my camera about 80% of the time. I don't mind using my legs to move around when I want to zoom in or out. That's what you have to do when you shoot with prime lenses, but the end results makes all your hard work well worth it. Prime lenses have the ability to produce sharp, clear images with beautiful bokeh (background blur) that no other lenses can. It's because they normally have very low apertures that create buttery smooth and tact sharp images. Skin tones are much more accurate, eyes sparkle, and details are as crisp as can be. Ever since I started shooting, I have only used prime lenses. At weddings, I use prime lenses 90% of the time, and take out my zoom usually for the ceremony to shoot from the back of the church or from the side. With prime lenses, you can get away with shooting in a church with low light without having to using the flash. The only warning that I can give you when shooting with low apertures and shallow depth of fields is that to be careful of where you place your focus point. You won't have very much room for sharpness at an aperture of 1.2, so you'll have to be extremely careful to get that focus right in your subjects eye and hold the camera steady. I would not recommend shooting wide open when subjects are moving, as you'll get the majority of the shots blury. With everything else in life, I believe it all comes with alot of experience and trial and error, so the more you practice shooting wide open, the better your photos will be! :)

Happy shooting!

Tampa wedding photographer: Cindy & Josh

2010-11-09T20:54:00.016-05:00

Cindy and Josh are unlike any couple I have met. They have such creative goofy personalities and it was such a joy to be able to capture them in all their awesomeness! Cindy is a very very crafty person. She made the entire wedding by herself. By that I mean she made all of her girls hair pieces, including her own, all the bouquets and boutonniere's and the reception decorations. Cindy and Josh are also pro surfers so they really wanted plenty of beach pictures at sunset. They were up for anything, and cindy loved the fact that she was able to just relax and have fun in the sand, even with her wedding dress on, now that's my kind of bride :) Below are a few of my favorites from their day. Thank you so much Josh and Cindy for the honor of documenting your love!

First Look! How I love when couples decide to see each other before the ceremony. It allows so much more time for photos and it gives the photographer the ability to take more creative photos of the bride and groom :)

Sneak Preview: Cindy & Josh - Tampa wedding photographer

2010-11-03T22:25:00.003-04:00

Can't wait to share more of this awesome wedding! For now, here's a sneak peek of the bride and groom, taken in beautiful clearwater beach at sunset :)

Alyson and Justin - Wedding at LaTerra Resort & Casa Monica Hotel wedding

2010-10-28T08:42:00.010-04:00

The day started off beautifully at the LaTerra resort, where there was alot of excitement as Justin and his groomsmen were getting ready. The chairs were placed in perfect order, the flowers delicately cascading, and white soft linens draped as the ceremony site was taking shape with all the gorgeous details for Alyson and Justin's wedding. Close friends and family gathered together to celebrate this joyous day and dance like no one was watching. I had the absolute honor to be invited to shoot alongside Jennifer Werneth. It is wonderful to be able to take a step back from being the main shooter and to take photos at a different angle. Here are a few of my favorite angles I was able to capture...

Things I love - {Teal + Peacocks}

2010-10-22T15:59:00.011-04:00

I was recently flipping through the pages of BRIDES magazine and found a really neat color scheme. Yes I do realize I am no longer a bride planning her wedding, but occassionaly, I like to browse through wedding magazines whether it's to get ideas to help a friend with her wedding, or just to help a bride out who's wedding I'll be photographing :)

To say I love the color Teal is an understatement. I loove colors that resemble a peacock and would love to someday have a brand that revolves around this lovely creature. I came across this really cool color palette for a bride who may have the same love affair I have towards rich shades of teal and blue's.

I found that a great alternative to the black tuxedo would be to dress up the dudes in an elegant royal or navy blue suit. Don't be afraid to think outside the box. Not everything has to be matchy matchy and think about what other color schemes can be paired up with your main color.

Happy Friday! :)

Posh Little Closet event

2010-10-18T09:46:00.005-04:00

What a great opportunity I had to be one of the vendors for the Posh Little Closet event. I think it was a huge success! With how things are tight right now with the economy not being at it's best, I think this event definilty helped those families in need of clothing, toys, and much more for their families who can't necessarily afford to go buy new expensive items. All of the clothes were in Mint condition, practicaly new, well taken care of, and many mommy's to be and families were able to buy their little ones clothing for a fraciton of the retail cost. If I were a mommy at this event, I would have simply died of happiness and gratitude. The little one's kept busy playing with the toys, balloons, and having their cute little faces painted, while the parents took a break and shopped around.

While running my booth, I had many families sign up to win a free portrait session! I will be choosing three lucky winners, but for those who don't win, you will not go empty handed! Promise. I will be announcing the winners on my facebook fan page very soon so please be sure toTO JOIN MY FACEBOOK PAGE to see if you won!!

Here's a picture taken with my camera phone of my vendor table at the event. I am still offering mini sessions that include 25 5x7 holiday cards with envelopes. Be sure to book your session early as the deadline to order the cards will be December 4th to ensure they arrive on time and give you time to mail them out. If you do not wish to order the holiday cards, you can replace them with three prints of your choice, 11x14 or smaller. Happy Monday! :)

Daytona Beach wedding photographer {Rosa & David} - Wedding at Riverside Pavillion and West Minster

2010-10-14T01:12:00.008-04:00

I had such a wonderful time photographing the wedding of Rosa and David this past weekend. The day couldn't have been more perfect, even though it did warm up a bit, but that didn't stop everyone from having fun. The ceremony was held at the West Minster Presbyterian Church and the reception was held at the Riverside Pavillion. For their portraits, we headed to the beautiful sugar mill gardens. Thanks to my second shooter Zekeshem Parson for helping out! Below are some of my favorites from their day. Enjoy! :)

All florals were done by Rachael Kasie Designs. The bouquets and all floral arrangements were absolutely breathtaking.

I couldn't get enough pictures of Rosa's shoes...

Rosa wore a stunning Lazaro wedding gown. I loved all the intricate details and texture on her dress. Absolutely took my breath away when I saw it

Rosa getting all glammed up for the big day

I decided to edit this one a little different and I love the delicate look to it.

Slideshow to come soon!

Ceremony: Westminster Presbyterian Church

Reception: Riverside Pavillion

Florals: RachaelKasie Designs

Cake: Heavenly cheesecakes

DJ: Jim from Mister DJ

Rosa & David {Wedding sneak preview}

2010-10-11T08:29:00.007-04:00

The beautiful wedding of Rosa & David! I've been looking forward to photograph these two again since their engagement session :) Here is a little sneak peek from Saturday and much more to come soon!

Jackie Cino - {Just Because}

2010-10-04T23:07:00.007-04:00

Just because it was a beautiful day...

Just because the light was perfect...

Just because Jackie needed a break from homework...

Just because I wanted to try out a new lens...

I called Jackie and asked her if she would be able to come by my house and have a little photo session.

All were taken with the Canon 85mm 1.2, all at 1.2

Winter park engagement pictures - Karen and Jose

2010-09-27T22:31:00.001-04:00

Karen and Jose. are tying the knot!! I've known Karen for a few years and I can speak for all of our friends when I say that we are so so thrilled to be able to see a wonderful relationship blossom from friends to now engaged and soon to be husband and wife. Jose and Karen are made for each other and it made my heart happy to see them so in love during our engagement session. It was so easy to photograph these two, they are total naturals. Of course, that is easy when you are in love and comfortable with each other and not afraid to let the other person know how you feel with just one look, even if there is a camera near by :)

We started the session at Rollins College and then made our way to Park Ave, two of my favorite places to shoot in. It was perfect and sunny and I had such a blast to be able to document a part of their lives. Below are just a few photos and the majority are on the slideshow. Be sure to CLICK HERE to view the slideshow :)

Email issues

2010-09-27T11:33:00.000-04:00

It looks like I am having issues with my new email (info@jackiebealephotography.com) If you have emailed me, please forgive me if I have not replied. I most likely did not receive your email. In the mean time, please email me at jackiebealephotography@yahoo.com

Thank you! :)

Karen & Jose {Sneak Peek}

2010-09-27T08:12:00.002-04:00

A little peek from our fun e-sess. Lots more coming soon :)

Fun reception slideshow

2010-09-23T23:22:00.000-04:00

A quick fun slideshow I put together with one of my favorite songs and a few of my favorite reception photos I've taken. Enjoy!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SLIDESHOW :)

Client presentation & Marketing

2010-09-22T10:48:00.001-04:00

I love LOVE me a good set of paper goods for business marketing and client presentation. I think it says so much about your business and how you work and are organized. I decided to invest in 5x5 trifold cards to hand out to clients who book a session. It gives them information on my print prices, albums, ideas about what to wear to the session, and also a place to write the date, time, and address of the session.

I also have samples of 5x7 folded cards that come in packs of 25 and include envelopes. These are great for just about any occassion, but for clients who would like these cards to send to family and friends during the holidays, these are perfect.

I talked about my newest little album that I have added to my collections in my previous post, but I'd like to also show this beautiful 10x10 20page album. I include this album in my wedding packages and it's truely a must see in person. You have the option of customizing it with a photo cover printed on metallic paper, or you can choose from various leathers. You can also upgrade to higher-end albums in the heirloom collecton.

I'll be showcasing my album samples and a few other goodies at the Posh Little Closet event that will be held at the Pelican Bay Club in South Daytona on Oct. 15-17. I will be offering great discounts on both wedding packages and portrait sessions. There will also be a drawing for a FREE wedding package to a lucky couple and for portraits as well. Can't wait!! :)

My newest album sample

2010-09-22T10:29:00.000-04:00

I'm soo excited to be able to add this little gem to my collection of album samples. I think it will be perfect to include it in my portrait session packages because I just love seeing the finished product after a session in print, rather than just leaving it in a cd and the photos never get printed. It's a great little album to display your photos from your session. There are also many cover options available. I decided to try the dark red alligator leather and it's perfect! It's classy and fun. This is a 6x6 40page album and it includes samples of my portrait work, and in the last few pages, I decided to include a few wedding photos :) The album is not expensive at all and you can also choose to decide to upgrade in size and the number of pages if you'd like to make it into a wedding album. I think this album would be a great in-expensive alternative to my other premium leather heirloom collections I offer. They can also be used as companion albums if you wish to order some for your family.

Check out a few of the designs below in my sample album.

Get your early bird discount for 2011

2010-09-16T18:06:00.003-04:00

For currently engaged couples out there who have not yet booked a photographer for your wedding, and love my work and would like me to photograph your big day, I have a great early bird special going on right now for 2011 weddings. Here is the dealio:

Get $400 OFF when you book 6 hours or more of wedding coverage. I have great A la Carte items you can choose to make your very own wedding package that is right for you. From hourly coverage, to an engagement session and wedding albums, you pick what you want! Once you have chosen your items, you get $400 off the total!!
Email me at jackiebealephotography@yahoo.com Book your wedding by October 31st to take advantage of this awesome deal.

So to summarize:

1. You need to be a couple who is getting married in 2011.

2. We need to set up a time and day to meet if you're local or set up a date to chat on the phone

3. You need to book for a minimum of 6 hours of coverage on your wedding day

4. I must have your contract and retainer fee in hand by October 31st in order to receive the early bird special.

And that's it! It's so easy. Just shoot me an email letting me know you are interested in booking and I will send you my info sheet.

Longwood Community building wedding: Kaylee and Chase

2010-09-10T22:03:00.001-04:00

Kaylee and Chase's wedding was one of the most pleasurable weddings I've photographed thus far. I've never seen a bride so calm and not worry so much about the little things, even if the day threatened some rain. Kaylee kept in mind what was the most important part of her day, and that was marrying the man who stood just outside her bridal suite, where they were prepared to see each other for their first look before the ceremony and enjoy those first intimate moments together alone and soak it all in.

Thank you Kaylee and Chase for allowing me the honor of documenting your love.

Click HERE to view the slideshow

Vintage inspired photo shoot {Part II}

2010-08-27T09:03:00.000-04:00

I love love the following images from our vintage photo shoot. I have never shot in an alley way that has so much character and funky colors. These are the type of photos where it's ok to place something beautiful against something very grungy and dirty, like garbage bins,...and make it look cool and interesting!! Sometimes, its ok to break out of the box and take pictures in a not so pretty place. It really is all about great great lighting that will make something ugly, into something really dramatic and different. I'm so happy mildred didn't mind shooting here. It really stunk pretty bad, but mildred trusted my ideas and went for it.

My sister and her boyfriend came along with me to help me carry all my stuff. So after an hour and a half of shooting and walking around, we needed a coffee break. Mildred also changed into her second outfit choice and I think it went really well with the second location we chose. By the time we started shooting again after our break, it was already 8pm, and pretty dark. But the beauty of shooting in a city is that you have a lot of reflected light from the tall buildings and alot of street lights. In these alley pictures, I used only the light that was available to me, and I love how they turned out! :)

Fall Mini Sessions!

2010-08-25T11:54:00.002-04:00

I am happy to announce that I will be offering mini session this year. What are mini sessions you may be asking? Well mini sessions last about 30 minutes and are perfect for those looking to have beautiful professional photos taken without breaking the bank. It's time to start thinking about having your photos done before the busy fall/winter season arrives!

If you would like to book a shoot, please email me at jackiebealephotography@yahoo.com. These custom cards will include your favorite picture from the sessoin and will make a great impression and keepsake to your friends and family. You will have the opportunity to approve the design before they are sent off to print. Book your session now as dates and time spots are limited!

Help spread the word!! If you refer THREE of your friends and they book, I will include an extra set of 25 cards to your package free of charge! You can also choose to replace the extra free cards for 2 8x10 prints or 1 11x14 beautiful print for your home.

Vintage inspired photo shoot {Part I}

2010-08-17T21:46:00.001-04:00

This shoot was inspired by my fascination for vintage meets modern style. Think gwen stefani, christina aguilera, and marilyn monroe look. Although they are all blonde, I wanted a audrey hephurn seductive look. Classy and elegant. I've had all these ideas floating around for a while. I envisioned vintage suitcases, lots of good light, and an urban grungy setting. I'm so thrilled that I finally had the opportunity to pull this together. The only thing that was missing was a good model. Thankfully, I found Mildred and she totally rocked this shoot!! I love that I had total creative freedom without the pressure of time. We started the day at the awesome MAC cosmetic store at the Mall of Millenia. They did an amazing job! The guy totally got exactly what I wanted. Then my friend Tatiana worked her magic on Mildred's hair. It really came all together and they nailed the look I envisioned.

For the shoot, we drove to downtown orlando and started at the church st. train station, one of my favorite locations! I could have shot there the entire time because of the beautiful light we had all around. I have so many favorites so I'm breaking this post in two parts. Here are a few of my favorites...

Teaser Slideshow: Chase and Kaylee wedding

2010-08-15T23:23:00.005-04:00

Full blog post coming soon with photos and a full slideshow from their beautiful wedding, but here is a little slideshow teaser I created with a few of my fav images. I hope you enjoy it :)

Newest addition to my bag

2010-07-30T12:21:00.000-04:00

I thought long and hard before purchasing this lens. I've heard and read all the raves about the 70-200mm f2.8L with IS, but to be honest, I just couldn't justify the price at this moment. I've tried that lens before and it is a really heavy lens but it takes amazing photos. I knew that I really wanted an L lens, but not so much to break the bank. And I knew I wanted something that I could use indoors as well and that had zoom. I searched and came across this lens. The 70-200 lens F/4 lens.

The different with the lens mentioned in the beginning is that the aperture only opens at f4 at it's widest and it has no IS. I thought to myself, well, I can deal the f/4 being it's widest aperture and if I needed to let in more light, I can bump up my iso and lower my shutter. BUT, since this lens has no IS, I knew I needed to be careful in how low I put my shutter speed. I know I can go as low as 1/80-1/60th of a second but anything under that, I need a tripod. I aint that good yet in keeping a steady hand, even if I hold my breath. Thankfully though, I also read that this lens is very light, WAAAYYY lighter than the 2.8 with IS. It's also smaller and a little narrower, so it's perfect in every way for me :)

I was able to try my new lens a couple of weeks ago during a shoot. It came in so handy because I wanted a specific shot, and I knew I wasn't gonna get it with my primes. I needed to be at a distance because I wanted a certain element in the foreground to show. I absolutely love this lens and I would highly recommend it if you are on a budget and want a good sharp L-series lens.

In other photography news, here's a great great article from DPS regarding engagement sessions! CLICK HERE to read a few tips from another professional.

I LOVE engagement sessions because it gives me the ability to get to work with and get to know the couple before the wedding and put them at ease in front of my camera :) I also love that they get nice pictures during this special time that they will treasure forever.

Sweet tooth

2010-07-19T21:46:00.001-04:00

I'm the type of person who likes to eat dessert before dinner.....and then some more dessert after dinner. Especially when I go to olive garden, I love their tiramisu!

Here are some of my favorite sweet images I took to work up your sweet tooth :)

There's nothing more I love than my mom's homemade pancakes

And my husband's homemade oatmeal cookies...mmmmmmm!

Easy listenings

2010-07-17T14:20:00.004-04:00

I love alot of types of music. I like listening to rock, ska, and love dancing to some good spanish music that really moves you. I've really been thinking about taking up on belly dancing classes. A couple of my friends and I took a few classes about 3 years ago but we just kinda stopped because life got in the way. But seriously, if you ever have the chance to learn, it will really benefit you and I think it also boosts up your self esteem and confidence ;)

Here are a few easy listenings that I absolutely love from Joshua Radin. His music really inspires me in a way that I can't really explain. I just know that when I hear them, I get in an artsy mood. This is the cd I brought when I went to see him live in Orlando.

And here are a few magnificant songs by Joshua Radin. Just sit back and enjoy them :)

Things I love

2010-07-16T21:27:00.006-04:00

This little girl from dispicable me...IT'S SO FLUFFY!! haha

Antelope Canyon...I want to go to there. It's a photographers dream!

These gorgeous shoes! I'm a sucker for rossettes :)

Jamal Johnson {Senior grad 2010}

2010-07-12T22:10:00.019-04:00

It was a fun filled weekend for Jamal Johnson, packed with two graduation parties, lots of good food, and close friends and family. I had the pleasure of attending his graduation ceremony as well as both parties and we had such a good time! He deserves all this happiness and more. Here are a few photos I snapped of the fun party:

Forbeyon albums swatch samples

2010-07-05T21:40:00.011-04:00

Ever since I came across Forbeyon wedding albums, I fell in love. They have so many beautiful cover options and you can even mix the leathers and colors to make the album completely your own. But there was one thing I wondered. I wondered if they had some sort of swatch samples for all their covers because I couldn't possibly order a ton of studio samples in every cover and combination. It would be such an overload for a client to view. Thankfully and brilliantly, they came up with these cute 3x3 square cutout samples. It showcases all their cover options and there are many but I think it will definilty give clients a feel for what their albums will look like.

They came in this cute little box:

and here are two of their albums that caught my eye. I love that you are able to personalize your album by including a cameo cut for your cover photo. The albums can also come with matching slipcases! So cool.

Yard sale treasures

2010-07-01T19:39:00.014-04:00

A few days ago, we were driving around port orange and stopped to see an awesome and HUGE yard sale. There were three big houses in the neightborhood that I guess teamed up and decided to have one big sale altogether. Everything you thought you'd like to find in a yard sale was all right here! Seriously, they were selling a ton of wonderful stuff. I happened to come across this tea pot that I fell in love with. I love some good tea and prefer to drink it over coffee. I thought, wouldn't this be cute to make some good tea one day and drink out of the little tea cups for fun? I loved the colors and the overall design and textures. There were other ones, but this one stood out to me. It was a fragil little thing. When I asked the lady how much, I was ready to pay $10 for it. She said: Three bucks! WOW what a steal!! I left the yard sale happy with my tea pot set :)

And speaking of nice things, here is Jonathan and Paula's custom cd case from WHCC containing their disk of wedding images. I love love these cases, especially with the metallic cover paper. You can either order them as single cd or double. I think it speaks high volume about your business when you go the extra mile to deliver your clients treasured photos in one of these custom cases. They will surely be impressed.

W3D1

2010-06-29T11:14:00.003-04:00

So I made it to week 3 of my 5k challenge!!

Wow I'm SOO excited that I'm actually doing this. I never thought I would be able to push my body to run for a long period of time. During yesterday's work out, I literally felt like my head was gonna explode. Weired right? I don't know, I guess that's how my body responds to too much exercise that it's not normaly use to. But after cooling down and stretching, the burn felt sooo good! I can see now why some people get a high on running. It's the effect you feel afterwards. I've never felt so decluttered, even when I was at my thinnest 4 years ago. My chest felt clearer and you feel so light and crisp! This is what my routine will consist of for this week:

Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:

Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)

Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)

I know it may seem like nothing, but to ME, it was huge. Coming from not being able to jog for 30 seconds and feeling totally out of breath, to jogging for a full 3 minutes??? That is a HUGE HUGE step for me and accomplishment. I have two more of these 2 go for this week and then it's on with week 4, which looks really scary! But I know I gotta prepare myself mentaly for the challenge. I think that really helps.

Off camera lighting for fun dramatic photos!

2010-06-23T10:53:00.010-04:00

I appreciate so much when my favorite photographers that I follow are so willingly and open to write about their mistakes and what they can do different. It boosts my confidence that even the most successful photographers are not perfect. Aside from looking at pretty photos on their blogs, one of my FAVORITE things to do is to pick their brain, or read behind the scene moments and how it is they do what they do. Yesterday, I went to Barnes & Noble after work with my husband and found a really good and educational book written by Bob & Dawn Davis. They really know their stuff and even though some of the things explained were basic, it was still so good to read it from another photographers perspective. One of the things that I am working on is to hone my photographic style for reception photos and getting that flash off the camera. I am seriously IN LOVE with off camera lighting and I have been able to experiment with this during my last 2 weddings, and the results have been HUGE!! Totally in a good way! I love it, and this very book that I was reading focuses alot on lighting. Check it out at your local Barnes & Noble or at Amazon. Definilty a good read.

Here are a few photos where I was able to use only off camera flash AND on-camera flash mixed with off camera. Both have different results that I like.

Wedding reception at Tanner Hall, Winter Garden. I used off camera flash with a softbox as you can see it triggered to give the background some light and I also use on-camera flash bounced to light up the couple.

For a different affect, my assistant for the day held a bare flash above the guests dancing. I used NO on-camera flash. This is a spotlight affect and I think it makes the fun dancing photos so much more dramatic!! This can also be done holding a flash with a softbox like you will see in the next photos.

Wedding reception at Casa Monica Hotel. Have your assistant hold the off camera flash behind the couple to create a dramatic rim-light affect. You may choose to include an on-camera flash to light the couple, or just have the off-camera flash as your only source. I like alternating both ways :)

Here's another spot-light affect with off camera flash only.

These may not be the BEST pictures, but as you can tell, I had so much fun experimenting and I can't wait to continue to use these techniques for my future weddings!! :)

W2D2

2010-06-22T16:24:00.003-04:00

Week 2, day 2

That's where I am up to in my schedule to reach my goal of running a 5k. It gets harder week per week. I already feel improvement in how I feel and look. I normaly loose inches first than pounds so it's nice to have alittle more room in my clothes :) My shins are hurting bad but that's probably because I need to get better running shoes. I can't wait to see how I do in the 8th week of my schedule, that's when I'm suppose to run 2.5 miles without stopping!

In other news, I just ordered a single CD case from whcc and I am so in love with them! I've ordered several actually but never blogged them. It's the perfect thing to store your clients digital files, so much better than those cheap jewel cases, gah!! I will post a few photos as soon as I get it. I'll also be blogging a few portrait sessions within the next few days!

Happy Tuesday!

Ana & Fritz {Day After} - St. Augustine wedding photographer

2010-06-17T21:46:00.027-04:00

There's something about "Day After" shoots that I just LOVE!

For those who are not familiar with the term, it's a type of shoot where you get to put your wedding attire back on, and rock it out in front of the camera for at least 2 hours! It's a perfect way to get more intimate wedding photos that you possibly couldn't have had on your wedding day. Weddings can be so hectic, and sometimes, your artistic intimate photos are usually cut short because of time constraints. Day After sesisons are so much more relaxing and so much fun!!

I recently had the pleasure of photographing Ana & Fritz in beautiful St. Augustine, FL. They were total troopers bearing with me because I made them walk alot from one place to the other. St Augustine is full of fun photo spots and they were totally up for it. In turn, we got a whole bunch of awesome photos. Here are a few of my favs:

The Couch-to-5K running plan

2010-06-14T15:55:00.005-04:00

So, it is decided.

After finding tons of inspiration from watching Jillian Michaels kick butt on the biggest looser, plus the scale telling me that I'm at the heaviest I've ever been in my life, I've decided it was time to get up and do something about this.

For the past couple of months, I've felt this heavy burden on my body. I've literally felt that I've been suffocating, and I didn't feel free anymore like I use to. It's amazing that how you feel physically can really impact almost every aspect of your life. I miss having so much energy, motivation and the feeling that I can conquer anything! I want those things back in my life.

The past few days, I've really been watching what I eat and how much I eat. My body has responded to this change and it feels much more alert and less tired. Next, was to get outside and start exercising. My mind is already so focused in really trying to eat healthier, so my next thing was to include workouts.

A huge goal I've set for myself, and I've never ever done this before, is run a 5k without stopping. I know I have a long way to go but I am so determined than ever before to do this. I think to loose weight is an awesome goal, but I want to do more than just that. I want to be healthy, and I want to be a runner. Not a professional runner. Just someone who can make running and exercising part of their lifestyle. I feel like if I can accomplish this 5k, that I can really do this. I can push myself even further.

So I went to the internet and looked up a few articles on how to train for a 5k. Here is a really good schedule that I found and that I think it will be perfect for me. I have to keep reminding myself to not get too excited because I tend to want to start off fast and forget that it takes time, and lots of patience, to go from a couch potatoe to a runner.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SCHEDULE

If anyone reads this blog post and is interested in running a 5k also, I would love to be able to keep tabs on you. I think it will help one another to know that there are people out there striving for the same goal and it's nice to be able to have a companion :)

I'll keep my blog updated of my progress, and maybe, some before and after pics!

Ana & Fritz sneak peek

2010-06-10T22:34:00.004-04:00

Here's a little sneak peek for Ana and Fritz. One of my FAVORITE images from their session! So many of them that I can't wait to share! More to come soon :)

Photobiz website hosting & pricing

2010-06-09T15:32:00.012-04:00

One thing I love about Photobiz is that they give you the ability to completely change the look of your website at no extra cost! They have so many websites to choose from and once you pick the one that's right for you, you can then go ahead and customize it! Add as many galleries as you'd like, and play around with the colors and fonts. I've recently been thinking about the layout of my website and although I do still love super big, pretty images, I have noticed that it might be easier to the viewer to have them in a more normal, medium format. Some of them get cut off and I don't want the viewers to think that is how the original photo looks like.

So here it is, my new layout for my website. I love the gray, teal and khaki look to it. I think it looks a little cleaner in my opinion and you can access the Menu information fairly easier. Check it out!
http://www.jackiebealephotography.com/

I've also updated my wedding packages for 2010-2011. I offer reasonable prices for most brides budget and I love to be able to customize packages that really reflect what a bride needs. I know from my experience, I had a tough time choosing a photographer with the right packages (thankfully I found the perfect one!). It's good to have an idea of what you want. For me, I knew I wanted a wedding album, as this is the most important thing you'll ever have from your wedding. It's the one thing that can be passed to your future generations and a good quality album really stands the test of time. You can have it beautifully displayed in your home and whenever you have friends or guests over, be certain that they will want to look at it everytime! :)

Vero Beach Hotel and Spa wedding - Kristy & Mattew

2010-05-29T23:42:00.015-04:00

A few days ago, I had the pleasure of assisting Jennifer Werneth on this beautiful wedding right on Vero Beach. The wedding took place at The Vero Beach Hotel & Spa. It was such a gorgeous day and the beach surprisingly was not crowded. This gave us plenty of time to take alot of nice photos. Matt, Crissy, families, and their entire fun wedding party really rocked it out!

Sneak peek: Crissy & Matt vero beach wedding

2010-05-28T08:36:00.005-04:00

It was a very bright and hot day for a wedding, but nonetheless, that did not stop Crissy and Matt from having tons of fun on their wedding day! Here's a little sneak peek of the day. I had such a wonderful time second shooting with Jennifer Werneth :)

Anniversary photos

2010-05-20T22:39:00.007-04:00

I very much want to say 'Vacation pics' as the title of this blog. But sadly I cannot. I cried and thought about it everyday, which made me cry all over again. I'm very sad to say that for the first time, I had a malfunction with one of my memory cards. The very one that I used to take a bunch of photos from our vacation week. I'm happy that there weren't any wedding photos on it, but it just makes me so frustrated and super angry at myself for not being able to do anything about this situation. I've tried recovering the photos but no luck there :(

Like my husband does: He points his index finger to his forehead and taps twice and says "It's all in here". IT'S NOT THE SAME!! I fire back, but I know he was just trying to make me feel better. The brain fails you sometimes and as time goes, those memories aren't as fresh anymore. but then again, the same goes for unreliable memory cards...*sigh*

Well now that my rant is over, I'd like to share just a few of the photos we do have that Jennifer Werneth took for us. One of the things I wanted to do during our anniversary week is have some nice photos taken. Our wedding were the last professional photos, which Jennifer also photographed by the way :) So who else to look to than her for updated photos. I've also been wanting photos for my website and profile so this was a perfect time to do them. I LOVE how they came out but here are a few of my favs:

If you're on my facebook, you may have seen this first one already :)

AnnMarie & Chanel graduation!

2010-05-17T22:58:00.006-04:00

Congrats to my good friend Chanel and her mom AnnMarie!! All their hard work paid off as today was their graduation ceremony from college! They were both looking forward to this day for a long long time and I felt so happy for them that they finally achieved their goals. I was able to snap a few lovely photos just outside the ocean center before the ceremony started. They both looked so beautiful! See for yourself :)

Here is AnnMarie.

Daughter and mother graduating together :) Very special day!

Here's just part of the family. We will be getting together with all of them soon to get some more great shots!

On Vacation!

2010-05-10T12:52:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is our two year wedding anniversary! I can't believe how fast time has gone by, but we are excited and ready to celebrate our anniversary week. Tomorrow we have a shoot planned for us. I really wanted updated photos of us both so I can't wait for that. And for the majority of the week, we are off to orlando and will be staying at a resort there and hitting the theme parks! It's something we do often every year and we never tire of it :) Here is where we will be going:

It's been like twelve years since I last went to Epcot. Can't wait!! :)

Anthropologie {April 2010 Catalog)

2010-05-06T15:22:00.000-04:00

Holy cow!!

I cannot express in enough words how in love I am with the 2010 April Catalog from Anthropologie.

...and it's not because of the clothes.

...well maybe a little because of the clothes.

They have really pretty clothes. Not really in my budget though :(

The reason I am totally impressed with this catalog is because of how it is layed out!! Yes, the layout in this catalog is EXACTLY how I love to have my engagement albums designed, and even some of my wedding albums!

1. It's not cluttered at all.

2. Because of reason #1, the magazine focuses on big pretty images, which in turn, focuses on what they want to sell, clothes.

3. Clean design. Lots of negative space which makes the catalog very fashiony.

4. Layout. I love love their layouts for this magazine. With each turning page, the images are placed in a very creative manner while still keeping it clean and focusing on the images. Even though the design is simple, each page has a totally different layout, therefore, makes the whole catalog so much more interesting and attractive.

See for yourself!! Here are a few of my favorite layouts from the April 2010 catalog. I'm definitly inspired.

Colleen and Oscar - Wedding at the Casa Monica Hotel

2010-05-05T11:58:00.021-04:00

Colleen and Oscar decided to do things a bit different. They had their beautiful wedding at 9 in the morning!! I was soo excited when she told what their plans were because I've always wanted to shoot a wedding where when everything was set and done, it would still be daytime and have the rest of the day to do other things. And this is exactly what we did. After their reception at the Casa Monica Hotel, we were able to roam around St. Augustine for a little bit to shoot alot of their portraits. Don't they still look beautiful after all that dancing?! It was around 4:30pm and still very bright and hot outside. So we took shelter at the Lightner museum and there was plenty of good diffused light in their will all the beautiful trees and architecture of the museum. When we finished, Colleen and Oscar changed into casual attire and they were able to spend the rest of the day with their families in St. Augustine for the weekend. I thought that was such a neat idea! Oscar had alot of family who flew from Peru and friends from Ft. Lauderdale and so did colleen.

This was my first time shooting a wedding in downtown St. Augustine and I LOVED IT SO SO MUCH! St. Augustine is full of life and there are so many beautiful spots for photos, you'd need like an entire day to cover it, if not more! My AWESOME second shooter Norman and I arrived very early to scout out a few locations before I met with the bride. I always like to do this for all my weddings because you can sort of have an idea of where you want to shoot. That way, when it's time to take the photos, you don't have to waste time and think about where the good spots are.

On to my favorite photos of the day!...

I loved Colleen's maggie sottero dress. It was in a vintage champaigne color with lots of lace and intricate details.

This photo was taken in the hotel lobby of the casa monica. They have these huge oversized couches that kinda suck you in when you lie down, but so comfortable! Colleen stepped out of her reception for a bit and we snatched this photo :)

The first dance..

Father and Daughter

Mother and son. I like how she is peeking here to look at the camera

On our way to the lightner museum for photos :) I love this place!

Colleen and Oscar sneak peek

2010-05-03T08:59:00.003-04:00

Colleen was a GORGEOUS bride and Oscar looked super sharp in his awesome tux! Can't wait to share more of their wedding but for now, here is a little sneak peek of the bride before the ceremony :)

Flava Dance Studios

2010-04-27T14:57:00.003-04:00

*Edited to add: Four of the dance instructors at Flava Dance Studios :)

Arial, Marissa, Madison, Arianna

Sometimes when I think back to my child hood, I secretly wish my parents would have enrolled my big sister and I to more activities, like summer camps, swimming, ballet, art and craft classes. It was a little tough for us though because of my moms sickness and my dad working hard paying the bills and making sure we had food on the table. I don't think they had the money or time to enroll us and participate in some of these classes with us. But my childhood is also filled with many good memories. It's filled with many friends tucking us under their wing and caring for us while my mom was hospitalized. Some of my best memories are with these friends and even though we had to move and lost touched with a few of them, I still hold them close to my heart and I hope that one day, I'll be able to reconnect with them and catch up on life.

And speaking of dancing, I applaud all those parents who take the time to sign up their kids to these activities and participate with them. I think in the long run, these kids will really appreciate this and it's such a wonderful time in their lives. My friend Marissa and owner of Flava Dance Studio in Kissimmee is an excellent instructor and offers many dance classes such as Jazz, hiphop, salsa, ballet, and much more! She has incredible talent and I am blown away by her creativity and the way she manages her business. It has really taken off these past two years and I am so happy for her!

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of photographing her wonderful students for her upcoming dance show. If you'd like more information about her dance classes, please be sure to check out her website by clicking HERE.

{Rosa & David} Kraft Azalea engagement pictures

2010-04-22T11:38:00.008-04:00

Kraft Azalea park is one of my FAVORITE locations ever to shoot at. It always has gorgeous light and there is a beautiful lake that's located in front of the pillar colomns where it creates beautiful reflected light. Who needs a reflector or flash when you can use your natural surroundings? :) I think that is the best part of the park.

Rosa and David were up for anything which made my job so much easier and I had such a great capturing their love and laughter. If this shoot was any indication of what their wedding will be like, then I know we will have alot of fun taking their portraits! We scheduled the shoot on a sunday evening and luckily for us, the park was quiet with only a few people roaming around. I have so many favorites and it was really difficult for me to narrow them down, but as I was looking through the photos, here are the following that caught my eye:

After we wrapped things up at Kraft Azalea, I told Rosa and David that as I was driving to the park, I saw this awesome pink tree and that I think it would be fun to take some quick shots with it. I'm so glad we did because some of those photos ended up being my favorites. I'll only post one because I love everything about this picture!

Sarah and Justin belly session

2010-04-19T21:30:00.006-04:00

After some time had passed by and emailing back and forth, the much anticipated day of Sarah's belly session finally arrived. I met up with Justin and Sarah in their lovely home in Sanford to start off our session...

Later, we drove around downtown sanford, and as we were doing so, I found this really cool spot with nice shade!

as I was driving to their home, I told Sarah and Justin that I had seen a really cool field with tall grass. This spot was right off the highway.

we drove around a bit more and found this cool brick wall with good light :)

the sun had pretty much disappeared at this point but we decided to take a few more around their home and I"m glad we did! I think sarah just looks glowing and kind of angelic with the white clothes so I decided to process these a little different than what I normally do and I really like how they turned out.

Coming later this week is an engagement session shot at one of my FAVORITE locations so stay tuned! :)

Sneak preview: Sarah & Justin maternity session

2010-04-14T22:19:00.005-04:00

Beautiful light and a super cool couple= a fun maternity session! Here's a little preview, more to come soon :)