Krista and Gavin were married this Saturday in the most beautiful sunset ceremony you could imagine. I couldn’t wait to share a few of her luminous bridal portraits with you. How beautiful is she?
Archive for February, 2012
Southern Weddings Styled Shoot Part II
February 24
I can’t get enough of our Southern Valentine shoot from our January workshop! Enjoy even MORE gorgeous images from our styled shoot, and definitely put it on your to-do list to check out our feature on Southern Weddings. :)
Kelly Moore Bag “Posey” | Review
February 22
Well, friends, it looks like I got my birthday present a month early! :)
Say hello to the Kelly Moore Posey bag! This is my second Kelly Moore Bag (I also have the b-hobo bag), and I’m so happy to welcome it into my life. I chose the Posey bag because my shooting style has evolved recently, and I’ve simplified the equipment I carry with me down to a minimum. Let’s face it, I’m also a lightweight girl who has no interest in lugging around tons of equipment while shooting. :) So I was looking for a smaller bag that would still provide plenty of storage. The Posey bag was the perfect match.
This is the kind of gear bag that I’d take to a portrait session, or wear at a wedding, while keeping my ThinkTank with all of my gear stashed in a central location. I can fit lots into this bag, but the two most typical combinations are:
-5d mkii body + battery grip + 50mm 1.2
-50mm 1.2 + 24-70mm 2.8 + bottle of water
It also doubles as a professional, chic clutch for meetings. Simply remove the strap, fold down the handles, and remove the padded dividers–it’s transformed into a sexy little iPad-perfect clutch. It’s also ideal for traveling, and all my carry-on essentials–iPad, scarf, bottled water, and journal–fit in nicely.
The outer material is soft, supple, and most importantly, durable. I never feel like I need to be gentle with this bag–yet it’s so pretty! The amount of padding is perfect, keeping your gear fully protected (even on the bottom and sides), without the bulk. I chose the grey color because I shoot weddings in black dresses, and wanted something that would coordinate. :)
I feel that I could just go on and on about this bag. Kelly’s bag designs always blow me away because they are so well thought out. It’s a complete joy to shoot with, and it really lacks nothing in my book. The best thing about this bag? Besides all the cool features, the style of the bag is just so me. :)
I LOVE organization, and this bag sings my song. Here’s a quick tour of the many pockets, and how I use them to stay organized, pictured above:
1. Built-in CF card pockets | Gone are the days of using anthropologie gift card pouches as my cf card holders. Simply face the cards up if they are empty, and down if they are full for an at-a-glance update. :)
2. Flat pocket | That little blur is my iPhone sticking out.
3. Envelope pocket | Perfect size for my business journal & client notes OR a hard drive.
4. Business card pockets | Never again will you have to go digging through your bottomless bag when someone asks for a card. Happy thought.
5. Zipper pocket | Yes, ANOTHER pocket! Great for lip balm, keys, lotion, and other essentials.
6. iPad pocket | PERFECT to have with you if you do same-day slideshows at weddings. Which, you should. :)
Check out more details about the Posey bag on Kelly’s website.
Bonnie & Armon, Austin TX
February 20
I was browsing through my copy of Southern Weddings a while back, and this quote made me stop:
“We all love a real engagement session here at Southern Weddings. Nothing to styled or prepared. Just a couple being themselves-relaxed, happy, authentically joyful-in an environment that tells their unique love story. You can feel the love…” -Lara Casey, editor of Southern Weddings
Oh yes. I can get behind a photo session like that. I grabbed my journal and penned the quote with loopy letters and hearts and everything, like I was writing a message in the yearbook of my 4th grade crush. (Yes, Sarah, that one is for you!)
So, grab a cup of coffee and settle in for these sweet images. Bonnie and Armon, bless their hearts, live miles away from each other–she in Texas, he in California–and their joy at being together for our session was the happiest thing ever. I chose two spots for their session: one that reflected the beauty of the Texas hill country, and one that reflected the beauty of the West Coast. A little bit. A tiny bit. Okay, maybe I’m reaching for that. But there were palm trees, so… good try, Texas. :)
And I’m just going to say it. I want Bonnie’s dress. Don’t pretend you don’t. It was the most perfectly perfect thing you could possibly wear to an engagement session. Oh, and her tattoo says, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” LOVE!
Bonnie & Armon, thank you so much for inviting me to be your photographer. I am genuinely so happy to have met you both and I hope these photos make you smile. You are both fantastically fun, kind, and let’s just face it, you have ammmmmmazing style. xoxo Caroline
Happy Friday!
February 17
Happy Friday!
I am so thrilled to have had my work featured on three of my favorite wedding blogs this week.
1. Style Me Pretty CA | Aimee & Vantana’s Orcutt Ranch Wedding
2. Southern Weddings | Southern Valentine Inspired Shoot
3. Ruffled | Texas Wedding Guide
Valentine’s Day Styled Shoot for Southern Weddings
February 15
Enjoy our sweet, southern, Valentine’s day shoot from Branches & Light 2012. Southern Weddings featured both Nancy and myself on their blog just yesterday! :)
Branches & Light 2012 | Behind the scenes video
February 14
Happy Valentine’s Day! :) I have TWO super fun things to share with you today!
First, I’m so excited to show you this behind the scenes video from our January workshop! Aaron, my incredibly talented husband, put so much work into creating a video that reflected the Branches & Light experience. You’ll love getting a peek into our classes, our shoot, and our fun. Enjoy!
Next, I am also so proud to direct you over to the Southern Weddings blog to see our full styled shoot from the workshop. I’m grateful beyond words to Emily Ayer, who was our guest speaker at B&L, for making it possible for our shoot to be featured on Southern Weddings. From the warmest place in my heart, thank you Emily!
I hope you have a beautiful Valentine’s day!
Fixes for a sick week
February 13
I was sick this last week, and I mean like the don’t-talk-to-me-and-don’t-turn-on-the-light sick. I hate that kind of sick. But there were a few good distractions that got me through the week, and I thought I’d share them with you, in case you find yourself in the middle of a sick week too.
1. The Perfectly Imperfect Home by Deborah Needleman (one of the original editors of Domino Magazine) (SIDENOTE: Did you know that discontinued Domino is coming out with a NEW special issue on April 17th!? I CAN’T WAIT!). Different than your typical decor book, this sweet book is full of hand drawn illustrations and uplifting ideas + quotes. It’s a fun read if you’re under the weather.
2. Am I the only one who still has the urge to be productive even when I should be resting to fight off illness? Well, painting my nails was one happy way to “do something” without really doing anything. :) I became obsessed with Essie’s Matte About You topcoat, which essentially makes any ol’ nail polish matte. Fun!
3. PBS’ Downton Abbey: I really don’t have the words to describe just how much I love this show am obsessed with this show. I stumbled across it on the Hulu Plus welcome page, and it’s raves of “the most successful British period drama” were no lie. Good TV shows are a necessity when you’re sick. You can watch full episodes on Hulu Plus or on PBS.com.
I sincerely hope you don’t have a sick day in your future, but whether you do or don’t, these three things are just plain good. :)
Happy Friday!
February 10
YAY! We’re getting close to valentine’s day–one of my favorite days! What do you have planned?
I still miss the valentine card swap that always happened in grade school. Part of me wants get crafty and make my own valentines post office box like we used to back then, and set it in the middle of the living room…you know, for the hubs to take note of. ;)
You’d better believe I made a Pinterest board for valentine’s day. Get ready to be smothered with sap!
On the note of love, I want to leave you with this thought for the weekend:
Doing the right thing will always win in the end. Doing the right thing with love at your core will give you and everyone around you wings. -Lara Casey
Happy Friday!
…As an art form
February 8
I know it’s just the beginning of February. But in Austin, it pretty much feels like Spring. Time to get in all the engagement sessions I can before the heat sets in.
I’ve been preparing for my sessions, exploring my new city, scouting for drop-your-jaw-to-the-ground locations, researching outfit ideas for couples…all that good stuff. And it happened yesterday: I got inspired.
I drove around yesterday, up in the hills of Austin, and found the most glorious corners of nature. My town is beautiful. For the first time, I got to know it well. Each time I climbed out of my car to explore, even in the cloudy, slightly damp weather, I was happy.
I love each year that I get older…as a person and as a photographer. Last year was transformative. I got back to the basics. I set my course by the stars, not by the light of every passing ship. I learned that real life is more important than fear, and that truth is more important than feelings. Age brings wisdom + clarity and I hunger for it more and more. I can f e e l the growth that came last year. It came primarily from the total flops, the screw-ups, and the times I ended up sitting on the edge of my bathtub crying my eyes out. Our worst moments can be our best moments for growth it seems, if we let them. I’m okay with this, because it gives purpose to the hard things in life.
I came home yesterday, my iPhone full of new pictures of picture-taking spots, and I started pre visualizing some of my shoots. I always do this when preparing for a session. I like to go in with a strong vision of the photographs I want to create, the feelings I want to convey, and how I’m going to pull it off. Photographing well is a challenge that takes work ahead of time. And I love it. I’m inspired to connect with a moment and a place and a feeling…all in a photo. I’m inspired to be the best photographer I can be…not for the sake of competition. But because what I do is a contribution to someone’s life…and I’m proud of that. Because I send a message by the way I live my life. Life as an art form. Business as an art form.
I share all this with you to say, simply: I can’t wait for what’s next.
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Photo outtakes. Don’t even pretend like you don’t have ‘em. :)
