Charlotte North Carolina Lifestyle Portrait and Wedding Photographer

The Past Week

This past week I took a trip to beautiful Connecticut for great bonding with other wedding photographers and a seminar of learning and being inspired that I will never ever forget. If you’ve never heard of Justin & Mary, well then,… where have you been? They have taken the East Coast by wedding photography “storm” – with their smart business practices, beautiful work, and inspiring hearts. I had the great privilege of getting to know them while at WPPI Conference in Las Vegas this past February, so of COURSE when they opened up their beautiful home office to a group of us excited to learn and be challenged over a full two day workshop “throw down” – I was of course there. It’s so refreshing to be around professionals who hold nothing back in terms of learning. We could have asked anything (and boy-oh-boy did we ask), and they would discuss, challenge, hands on instruct, and present any information we had a question about. Did I mention their chemistry as business partners and a married couple? Lets just say it’s magical. I admire the strong love and admiration they have for one another and it’s been such a privilege/honor to see their personal interactions up close and personal. Day 1 was filled with both presentation, hands on learning, and an island adventure where a beautifully detailed Styled Shoot was set up and waiting for us to practice the skills that were taught to us all morning (did I mention this was on an island in Connecticut? … yes, I said an island). To be honest, I was so busy writing notes and soaking in the information, I didn’t shoot as much as I originally thought I was going to. You know it’s funny, after shooting for a long amount of time, one would think they have a “system” worked out that might be the “best” for them. While this may still be true, I loved the opportunity to learn and practice other techniques and camera modes I don’t typically put to use. At the end of the day, we all agreed it physically felt like we had shot a wedding. Our brains were brimming with knowledge and our feet were aching (but in a good way). Day 2 started out a little bit later (sleeping in was a must!), but once we started, let me just say wow. In true Mary Marantz fashion, we started the day with being inspired, asking the “why” questions, and wiping away tears. We then transitioned into a full day of business & editing, asking all sorts of questions and being challenged along the way. I felt myself feeling so incredibly blessed and inspired throughout the entire experience. Actually, by the time Day 2 ended, I think a Downy commercial could have sent me into tears with how inspired and in awe I felt of the experience. To Mary – I will never forget our one-on-one chat. I hope you know how much it truly meant to me (especially since we discussed such mentally rich subject areas) and how thankful I am that I was able to openly discuss my biggest hopes, dreams, and fears. Thank you for believing in me – and yes, the Dawson’s Creek theme song still continues to play through my mind. For anyone that is thinking about going to a Styled Shoot/Workshop, without any hesitation I would say THIS is the one to go to. No matter if your just starting out or have ten years experience, you will gain new knowledge (insane amounts) and feel inspired to believe in yourself to go out and make a positive difference. I have a fresh burning desire for great new things to come – thank you J & M for helping me not only dream for greatness, but helping to carve out the ideas and pathways to help me achieve those dreams. Watch out world, I’m ready. There are ridiculous amounts of things I could tell you about this past week, and like an amazing picture, it’s hard to put any words to the emotion I’m feeling. If you would like to know more information or are interested in attending one of their future workshops, you can check out their workshop website here, or send me a message of any specific questions you’re wondering about (I’d be happy to answer!) Below are some images captured via instagram and a few that were taken during the Styled Shoot. I feel incredibly blessed and honored to have had this opportunity – and cherish the meaningful friendships I have made along the way. Enjoy!

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Christina Dely - Lovely images Alicia! It was so wonderful to meet you!

Nancy Mitchell - Love this Alicia! I am so glad that I got the opportunity to meet you. I wish you the best and my brain is still on overload! And I did the same thing…didn’t take as many pictures as I wanted too either! But I did learn LOTS and for that I am thankful!

Daniel Nedelcu - wonderful images! i particularly dig the last one. it was so nice to meet you at J&M’s – and thanks for the tip on pinterest!

Andrea - Nice summary, Alicia. You’ve captured the essence of the experience perfectly. It was awesome to meet all of you and it’s even better to see how everyone’s images turned out. Post more!

Katelyn James - so glad you got to do this!!!!!! :):) xoxo

Allison - Great post, Alicia! It’s great to read your thoughts on the experience—I found myself nodding all the way through!

Date Night Thursday

So I dropped the ball on Thursday’s post…. but I started writing this at midnight, so it still *kind of* counts, right? This one is a little different, as I wanted to share about one of OUR personal favorite date nights that Eric and I often take. He even took me on this date on my birthday – yes, it’s THAT perfect (at least to us). So lets backtrack a little so I can explain how these came to be. I feel like since the very beginning of our dating relationship, I’ve always been in school. We met in undergrad (and have been dating since Jan of 07), and then I was in grad school until June of 2011. So as you can imagine I was always swamped with exams, presentations, and lots & lots of papers. Not just a few that are due randomly, but it seemed like something was ALWAYS due. In grad school I quickly learned that this meant work ALL through the weekend. Aww, poor husband (so glad he put up with my swamped and hectic educational lifestyle all those years!) So a perfect date for the two of us was (and still is) “Bookstore Date!” This date could happen at all times (so not just for date night per say) – we would go mornings, afternoons, or late nights until close. I would bring my school books, laptop, and notes and glare at people sitting at the small cafe tables until they felt bad that I had 40+ pounds of educational material in my hands. You can just imagine it – as soon as someone so much as picked up a napkin or drank their last drop of coffee, I was hovering like a hawk. I HAD to get us a table. I mean, come on, it’s date night (and I’ve got work to do!) Eric would wander looking for fun books and magazines and later join me at the table. He often surprises me with a yummy latte or tea (always a hot beverage)! We sit for hours – usually across from one another, but if we’re lucky some places have “panera booth” style tables that allow us to sit next to one another. Me with my pile of textbooks and him with his fun reading. The soft chatter and grinding of the coffee machines in the background. I actually work better with distractions going on around me – it focuses me (can’t explain it, but it does). It’s the perfect atmosphere. When I would want a break (or was getting antsy), we would chat about life, reflect on our relationship, or talk about what he was currently reading. When I felt mentally depleted from the insane amounts of work, I would head over to the magazine section and either grab a cooking, wedding, or home magazine. I would come back, sink into my chair, and relax with a good read. It made for a perfect reward. Now that I’m officially out of school (whoohoo), I am happy to announce our bookstore dates usually involve me getting to actually enjoy stacks of magazines and fun novels. I probably grab more wedding magazines NOW than when I actually was planning our wedding (gosh I love this industry!) It’s a chance to get out of the house and still relax together. We also love that local bookstores don’t mind if you sit and read the material while in store (just make sure you treat it nicely – no bending of spines!) This makes for a great budget date! And it’s really special because it’s a great place to reconnect, chat about us, and just be – sipping on my non-fat raspberry white mocha, cozy in my chair, hand-in-hand with my husband. And although I’ll admit I own a kindle, there is something magical about a bookstore. I could spend HOURS reading titles, staring at cover art, and immersing myself in a great read. I’ve recently noticed our local bookstore has a new outdoor patio – so maybe Henry (the puppy) can join us for a family date next time. Happy reading & relaxing with your loved one!

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dan - So cute! I love BookStore dates! My wife and I have Friday mornings when the kids are off at school and she has the day off. So we head to our favorite bagel shop and catch up on our week, enjoy breakfast and spending time together!

ashley goodwin - I LOVE THE BOOKSTORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I always walk out with WAY too much though. Kinda like Target.

Meet Henry ~ Personal

A lot has been going on around the “White house” (teehee – that was one of the most fun perks of the name change!), between my sister undergoing brain surgery last week (and is doing SO well!!!), we’ve also been training and taking care of the newest member of our little family! Everyone, meet Henry! I’ve wanted a puppy for a long, long, long, long time. It’s even in the “about me” section on my website (which, thanks for the reminder, that needs to be updated!) Lets just say that I can be pretty spontaneous. When I “KNOW” in my heart, soul, and gut that something is right – then it’s typically a done deal. My husband on the other hand (the engineer, “thinker”) likes to ponder and weigh out ALL options – usually coming to the “best” conclusion for the present time and moment. So when my little sister called about a puppy a friend of hers was fostering that would be PERFECT for Eric and I, I just had to hear more. After hearing lots about him and seeing his sweet face through iphone images, I just HAD to meet him. I told Eric “just one night to see if he’s a good fit, ok???” That one night turned into many nights and we are officially obsessed with our puppy. Yes, I’ve become “one of THOSE people” – who’s iphone is filled with videos and pictures of their dog and who’s Instagram updates typically involve his sweet face. I just can’t help it! We don’t know much about his background – he was pulled from a kill shelter by a local organization called Dog Days of Charlotte. We’ve been working with the Charlotte SPCA on his official adoption and neutering! We know he is around 6 months, and seems to be a Shepard-Hound mix. Some people automatically say Shepard upon first meeting him, and others right away say he is a hound. We recently took him for a long hike (for Eric’s birthday!) and everyone would stop, gasp at his cuteness, and pet him. Almost everyone comments “how CUTE is HE? Puppy with a BIG head and small body!” When you see pictures of him, most comment that he’s going to be a huge dog – I think this is based on the size of his head (or angle of pics?) He’s actually a little bigger than a beagle and doesn’t have huge paws. We recently had to take him to an emergency vet (he got into dog food at his Aunt Larissa’s house…. chowed down on almost 4 pounds of food while we were at the hospital last week – ohhhhh puppy “adventures”), and the vet thought he wasn’t going to grow much more. I always pictured myself with a fluffy puff-ball that sat in my lap all day, but over the past few weeks I’ve realized he’s perfect for us. It’s great that we were able to take him on a 7 mile long hike/picnic but he’s still small enough to cuddle! He’s not “fluffy”, but his hair is super soft (his ears feel like silk!) And it’s great having such a smart dog! He learned sit and lay down within two days and was completely house broken in less than a week. Being a rescue, we didn’t know what to expect personality wise, But he’s SUCH a lovey curious puppy! He’s not afraid of anyone, but he’s afraid of new objects and new surroundings. I think when most pet owners adopt puppies when they are super little, the puppy adapts to their surrounding as they grow. I realized that Henry has already had A LOT happen to him in the past few months of his life (moving around a lot too), so it makes sense that he is a bit reluctant to new surroundings. Oh and why the name Henry? It was the name the shelter had picked and I think it suits his personality perfectly. He is kind of an old man in a puppy body (how gentle/sweet he is), and it fits him well. To be honest it was kind of nice to not have to wrack my brains and scour the internet and puppy books (do they make those?) to find the perfect name for our new (semi-spontaneous) addition!

Now if your thinking, “he looks kinda sad” in some of the pictures below, it’s because he is NOT a fan of my camera yet. You can see him hiding against Eric’s feet trying to stay away from the “big ol scary clicking thing” … He’ll get used to it eventually – already starting to with how much its been around him! I also included some iphone pics!

Six Fun Henry Facts:

1. When he runs, he gallops – in a cat sort of way

2. His favorite toy is his squeaky “pig” ….(which he has demolished)

3. He loves to snuggle and LICK (such a lovey!!)

4. He LOVES other dogs. He basically acts like a big goof when he sees another dog from a distance away. He’ll do flips, jump around, and act like he won the lottery

5. When he shakes – his ears flop against his head and it makes the most adorable sound

6. He has ONE clear toe nail on each paw, the rest are black!