Studio 310 Photography's Blog

Beginning Photography Class - NC Family Photographer

2012-01-23T14:14:00.001-05:00

I'm scheduling one more Beginning Photography Class before I take a break from work to focus on the baby. (We can still schedule private classes weekday evenings, if you get a group together to take the class; but this is the last one I'm scheduling--for a few months--that's open to individual sign-ups.) I'm anticipating resuming teaching in the late summer or fall.

Beginning Photography Class: Saturday, February 18th, 9:30-12:00

The usual details: the class is $100 per person and must have a minimum of 3 participants.

Each person will receive a textbook to keep as a reference. The class will last 2.5 hours and will be limited to 3-5 people.

I will help you learn more about your camera and take better photos of your kids and friends. Here is some of what we will discuss:

- 10 tips for Taking Better Pictures

- Introduction to Exposure

- ISO

- Shutter Speed

- Aperture

- Using your Camera's Basic Settings

- Lens Overview

i heart ___.

2012-01-04T05:39:00.001-05:00

With 2012 getting off to a spectacular start, I thought I could review some fun things from 2011.

1. Nia's bridal portraits

My highest blog traffic day in 2011 was Oct 23rd, the day after my brother's wedding, and the same day I posted Nia's bridal portraits. Click THIS LINK to see the post.

2. Our Party Rock Anthem Flash Mob

Speaking of Austin and Nia's wedding. . . I loved their wedding and reception, and the flash mob dance we did with the bridal party and some of their friends involved with the wedding. I'm all the way on the left (18 weeks pregnant). I get hidden some of the time, but I'm wearing my tan bridesmaids dress and brown sweater. My sis (the reverend/ wedding officiant) is next to me wearing the purple dress, gray sweater, and silver glitter Toms. Her husband is the crazy guy bouncing around near the front right in the bow tie. And I find all those groomsmen in suspenders on the back row quite impressive/ entertaining--they are NOT dancing kind of guys, so they were really good sports to go along with all this. Watch the video.

3. Ninja Christmas

Say what?!? I have no idea. But it was the most interesting google search that sent someone to the Studio 310 blog in 2011. I have a feeling my blog came up because of THIS POST from a couple years ago of Emily and Jim's portrait session. But really; Ninja Christmas. Thank you world wide web and google analytics for that interesting info.

4. Teaching Photography Classes

I started teaching group Beginning Photography Classes in 2011. I really enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to the classes coming up in January. I'm going to open another Beginning class this winter, so look for that info in the next couple days. Click THIS LINK for more info on the current classes being offered.

5. My BABY!!!

My best news of 2011. I'm pregnant!! (I couldn't NOT say it here--again.) I'm so excited about meeting my baby boy in the spring. Just a few months to go!

Happy New Year & a Baby Update

2012-01-02T09:31:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas season, and that 2012 is getting off to a great start! Jonathan and I have been shooting maternity photos every 2 or 3 weeks since I was 16 weeks pregnant. This past Saturday (Dec 31, 2011) marked the end of the 28th week. Here are some photos from our little shoot this week; and one of me with my first (and furry) boy, Ben.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! - Studio 310 Photography

2011-12-25T06:00:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas!! Thank you to all my awesome customers for a great year. Have a wonderful Christmas day!

the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Luke 2:10-12

Baby H's Christmas Session - Smithfield, NC baby photographer

2011-12-24T06:00:00.005-05:00

This little guy came to the studio this week for his 6 month portrait session and some cute photos in his little Christmas suit. Merry Christmas!!

i heart ___.

2011-12-14T06:00:00.001-05:00

1. Ginger Cookies

I'm loving ginger cookies this season. Gingerbread cookies and ginger snaps had never been one of my favorites in the past. (When I was a child, I really disliked them. I think that might be because I had them when I was sick one time.) But in my adult life, I didn't totally hate them, they just weren't my favorite. I don't know if they've just grown on me, or it's the pregnancy hormones making things taste different, or because my brother and his new wife served Moravian ginger crisps at their wedding, but this year I love them. I haven't made gingerbread girl cookies yet, but sometime before Christmas, I will.

2. Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips

I made some chocolate peppermint chocolate chip cookies a couple weeks ago that were delicious. But, I used crushed up candy canes in the batter. They were good, but the candy cane pieces were a little sticky for my liking. A couple days ago I learned about these awesome baking chips, when my friend Katie brought cookies that looked like the photo above to our Bible study fellowship. Now, hopefully I can find these baking chips, and I'll try them in that yummy cookie recipe. (I have lots of cookie baking plans.)

3. Cranberry Jello Salad

I found this festive photo on the Taste of Home website, but their recipe doesn't match how I make this Christmas-y jello salad. Jonathan's family has fun Christmas Eve traditions including supper with Wild Rice Soup and Jello salad. Last year I switched up their salad and took this cranberry jello salad. It seemed to be a hit, so hopefully they'll let me continue to contribute this. Here is my basic recipe (I think. if I decide this isn't right, I'll fix it here too):

1- 6 oz (large) package raspberry flavored jello mix

2 cups boiling water

1- 16 oz can whole berry cranberry sauce

1- 8 oz can crushed pineapple, undrained

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Stir the jello and boiling water together until the gelatin dissolves.

Mix in the cranberry sauce, pineapple, celery, and nuts.

Pour the jello mixture into a serving dish. (I like a 9x13 pyrex)

Refrigerator overnight.

I usually stick with this recipe, but you can use different jello flavors--strawberry, orange, lemon, cranberry etc. If you have the smaller size gelatin packages, you can mix it up with a couple different kinds. Also, you could experiment with different fruits like mandarin oranges, apples, cherries, or grapes.

Christmas Gift Idea: Photography Class - NC Family Photographer

2011-11-23T21:36:00.000-05:00

I'm setting up several photography class options for early 2012. This is the perfect companion gift (or treat yourself) for someone receiving a new camera for Christmas this year. OR have you had your camera a year, or a few, and still don't know how to use it the way you want? Sign up or give a photography class as a Christmas gift.

Beginning Photography Class: Saturday, January 7th, 9:30-12:00

The usual details: the class is $100 per person and must have a minimum of 3 participants.

Each person will receive a textbook to keep as a reference. The class will last 2.5 hours and will be limited to 3-5 people.

I will help you learn more about your camera and take better photos of your kids and friends. Here is some of what we will discuss:

- 10 tips for Taking Better Pictures

- Introduction to Exposure

- ISO

- Shutter Speed

- Aperture

- Using your Camera's Basic Settings

- Lens Overview

NEW! Advanced Photography Class: Saturday, January 14th, 9:30-1:00

the class is $175 per person and must have a minimum of 2 participants.

The class will last 3.5 hours, will be limited to 2-4 people, and includes lunch. The first part of the class will be devoted to hands on teaching and learning. You will observe me shooting, then you will practice your photography shooting a model. We will have some basic instruction on editing followed by a brief critique. The last part of the class will include lunch and a question and answer time. Some of what this class will cover:

- hands-on practice photographing in different lighting situations

- basic editing including:

cropping

straightening

color correction

adjusting lightness/darkness

retouching minor flaws

Students should have previously taken the Beginning Photography Class or have a good understanding of exposure and their camera's basic settings (as outlined in the Beginning Photography Class).

One-on-One Photography Classes

One-on-one classes are great for people that would like to learn more about their specific camera or photo editing software. This class can be geared for a beginning or advanced student. A three-hour one-on-one class at your home or mine is $295.

Email me to book your spot or ask questions.

(all students' participation is at the discretion of Studio 310 Photography. ie: in fairness to my local photographer colleagues, I can not teach other professionals with a photo business in Johnston County, NC.)

Callie M's Maternity Portraits - NC Maternity Photography

2011-11-10T05:45:00.000-05:00

I shot these maternity photos almost 2 years ago; but I enjoyed looking through them recently for Callie, so I thought I should share. I don't remember posting any from this session before on the blog. Of course, I have a baby on my mind all the time now, so it seems extra appropriate.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T16:48:00.000-04:00

This little pumpkin stopped by the studio a few days ago for her 9 month portrait session. I'll share more photos from that session soon. Happy Halloween everyone!

Nia's Bridal Portraits - North Carolina Bridal Portrait Photography

2011-10-23T00:01:00.004-04:00

This is my new sister-in-law, Nia. She and my brother got married Saturday!! (I look forward to sharing some wedding details soon.) I photographed her bridal portraits a couple weeks before the wedding on her family's farm near Lexington, NC. Here is the beautiful bride:

i heart ___.

2011-10-12T05:35:00.003-04:00

1. my baby

Yep, this is a photo of me, 16 weeks pregnant. The baby is due in late March, but I'm counting on early April. I would post an ultrasound image, but I haven't had an ultrasound since week 8, and at the time, the baby was an 11mm butter bean with a beating heart. I'll have another ultrasound soon, so I'm sure I'll be sharing that--and the baby's gender. Weeee.

I'm starting to feel better, so hopefully the blogging will get back to being a more regular thing.

The photography business will be a little different next year. This probably deserves it's own post, but I'll go ahead and share. I'll continue to shoot portrait sessions--engagements, bridals, families, and babies, but I am not shooting weddings in 2012. It's a tough decision now, because I'm not holding a baby yet, but I know it is the right decision for our family. You are still welcome to contact me about wedding photographers though. I have a couple great photographers that I've been recommending, and I'm happy to pass their info along.

Stay tuned for some blog updates from recent portrait sessions and baby news too.

Baby EC at 6 Months - North Carolina Baby Photography

2011-08-02T09:00:00.003-04:00

We had EC's 6 month session recently. We took some traditional photos to go along with her 3 month photo session, and we took some fun casual photos too.

i heart ___.

2011-07-27T08:30:00.006-04:00

1. Ben's new tag from Make Your Dog Smile by Hattie Rex

Yall remember those cute garden and farm tees I shared a few weeks ago? That artist, Beryl Lynn, hosted an etsy giveaway on her blog a few weeks ago, and I won the prize from Hattie Rex. I got a credit to the Make Your Dog Smile etsy store, so I picked out this cute copper and nickel star tag and had it personalized with Ben's name and our phone numbers. I deleted the phone numbers from the photo--Jonathan doesn't need a picture of his phone number roaming around the world wide web.

In normal little boy style, Ben was more excited about the box. He stole the box off the kitchen table and ran around the house with it--that's what he does when he gets hold of something he knows he's not supposed to have. I retrieved it, and put it up until Jonathan got home and could see the whole package. After Jonathan had a chance to see it and made a plan to attach it to Ben's collar the next morning, he put it all on a table in our den. Ben stared at it and danced--he can be very poodle-y sometimes. So we gave him the box, much to his satisfaction.

2. carrots from my garden.

This was my first carrot growing experience. If my parents ever grew carrots, it was before I can remember. I started them with my spring garden, and probably would have needed to harvest them a lot earlier, but since my garden is getting over watered this summer, the spring fruits and veggies are still thriving. I planted a variety, hoping for lots of purple carrots, but I ended up with mostly white and yellow. It turns out, the white and yellow aren't my fave. I much prefer the orange and purple ones, so that's what I'll try next time.

3. the cooking with my kid website.

This website is full of healthy, fun recipes and photos. There are several recipes I use regularly, a few I've tried out, and sometimes the website is just good for cooking inspiration. I was thinking today, I cook and bake almost everything from scratch, and it's recipes like these that make it so doable!!

If you have kids, you can check out how they can help you out in the kitchen. If that isn't something you're used to doing, I can imagine you're thinking about how they'd slow you down, or make a mess; but it will be worth it for them to learn. My siblings and I helped my mom bake (sweets) and watched her cook when we were growing up. She taught us how to read recipes and measure ingredients. I don't know that I ever prepared an entire meal until I got married, but I knew how! My cousins are great cooks too, and I credit it to us being in the kitchen--occasionally--with our moms and grandmothers.

Here are some of my favorites:

pumpkin mini muffins

banana nut mini muffins (i make lots of muffins--i have other recipes too)

tzatziki

mediterranean 7 layer dip

pumpkin pie granola

and here are a few I want to try soon:

cucumber limeade

whole wheat olive oil muffins

zucchini tart with whole wheat olive oil crust

Tracy & Jeff - Smithfield, North Carolina Family Portraits

2011-07-20T08:30:00.002-04:00

My cousin Jeff and his family came into town to visit last week and asked me to take some photos of their family of four, with a baby on the way. So exciting.

Photography Tips & Tutorial - Raleigh, NC Photography Classes

2011-07-19T08:25:00.009-04:00

My most recent photography class was a couple Saturdays ago. I had some great students that brought some good questions. We got a lot more technical than I expected, but I thought it was awesome they wanted to learn so much. I still seemed to be in my instructor mode last week, when one of my friends who is interested in improving her photography, asked me about one of my photos from a recent blog post. I almost wrote her a dissertation. I thought that was a good idea for a blog post, though, so I'm going to try it out--hopefully without too much wordiness.

I'm going to try to give you a little tutorial about the technical side of how I photographed and processed a portrait. I'm starting with a pretty basic setup, and if this works well, I may move to explaining more challenging situations in the future. Here we go:

Let's start with some context; shall we? I took this photo at a spring photographers' retreat this past April. It turned out to be chilly and windy, and the light condition was constantly changing with clouds getting blown in and away again. When I did the guest blog post at Great Smitten a couple months ago, one of my tips for improving your photos was "use natural light," and seek shade: "In the middle of the day, look for shady spots like under trees or awnings to help cut down strong contrast and squinty eyes." And that's exactly what I did for this photo. (if you haven't read through that post, you should click over to check it out. You'll get some good tips.)

I shoot with my camera in manual mode for everything, all the time. I was using my Canon 5d, and 50mm 1.4 lens. I had the aperture opened all the way up to f/1.4, with a shutter speed of 1/640 of a second, and an iso of 100. This combination of settings allowed me to have the proper exposure for the photo--not too dark and not too light. It's really important for me when I'm taking photos, to get as much right in the camera as I can. That saves me time and energy later in post processing.

I used Lightroom to crop and rotate the photo. I adjusted the color balance for cooler skin tones. The red brick wall was casting red light on everything--the model, the floor, ceiling--so I needed to get that red out for more pleasing and accurate color.

I exported the photo and opened it in Photoshop. For this photo, all I needed to do in photoshop was soften the skin with the blur tool, and soften the lines on her face with the clone stamp tool. Finally, I sharpened the image for printing using a photoshop action and saved it as a jpg. If I thought I would want to do more work to the photo, I would have saved it as a psd, but that wasn't necessary this time.

Here is a higher resolution comparison of the model's face, so you can see more detail of what I did.

And for fun, I'm including a similar photo in black and white.

If you want to learn more about how you can improve your photography and better enjoy using your camera, you can sign up for the beginner photography class. And if you didn't understand any of the terms I was just talking about, that's totally OK!!!

If you want to take it a step further and learn more about the things I'm describing in this post--manual mode, editing photos--an advanced photography class is in the works to include some shooting practice and photoshop elements work (maybe elements, we'll see). You'll see more info on that soon.

As always, I'd love your feedback. Let me know what you thought about this post, or things you'd like to see me discuss in the future. If you have any questions about the Beginner Photography Class I'm currently offering, or the Advanced Photography Class that I'm planning, please let me know. Send me an email or leave me a comment.

i heart ___.

2011-07-18T08:30:00.060-04:00

1. the BEACH

I love it. I enjoy going with my family and hanging out on the beach all day. This photo is from Oak Island, NC. It has a good balance of being not too crowded, but still enough people for some good people watching.

2. little girl footprints in the sand.

these were still on the beach hours after my little cousin-niece left the beach. precious.

3. custom TOMS.

my oldest cousin-niece (no, that's not a technical term. i call my first cousins' children my cousin-nieces and cousin-nephews.) anyway, my oldest cousin-niece has these cute custom TOMS she had painted at the Style you Sole Party, at Marsh's Surf Shop at Atlantic Beach, NC.

Nia & Austin - North Carolina Engagement Photography

2011-07-13T08:30:00.001-04:00

I'm wrapping up the blogging for Nia & Austin's engagement session in Lexington, NC. Enjoy the photos from engagement marathon part tres: Country Nia and Austin

(check out part uno / retro, and part dos / grunge.)

Beginning Photography Class - NC Family Photographer

2011-07-12T08:30:00.010-04:00

The next group beginner photography class is scheduled for the morning of Saturday, August 20th, 9:30-12:30.

The usual details: the class is $100 per person and must have a minimum of 3 participants.

Each person will receive a textbook to keep as a reference. The class will last 3 hours and will be limited to 3-5 people.

I will help you learn more about your camera and take better photos of your kids and friends. Here is some of what we will discuss:

- 10 tips for Taking Better Pictures

- Introduction to Exposure

- ISO

- Shutter Speed

- Aperture

- Using your Camera's Basic Settings

- Lens Overview

Email me to book your spot or ask questions.

I am also offering one-on-one photography classes. One-on-one classes are great for people that would like to learn more about their specific camera. In a beginner one-on-one class we'll cover the basics of what goes into an exposure, go over the features of your camera, and help you learn when to use certain features of your camera to all you to take better pictures. We'll cover the differences between different lenses and which lens is best during different circumstances. A three-hour one-on-one class at your home or mine is $250.

You can now pay online for the beginner group class: $100

i heart ___.

2011-07-11T08:30:00.243-04:00

Southern California!

Jonathan and I visited the Los Angeles, CA area for a long 4th of July weekend. We loved it! One of the great parts of the trip was getting a break from NC's weather. We left temperatures in the high nineties and higher humidity for sixties and seventies with very low humidity. It was amazing. We also enjoyed visiting one of Jonathan's friends and his family for a day. We visited some of the cities around Los Angeles, like Beverly Hills and ate supper one evening at a restaurant on the beach in Malibu along the Pacific Coast Highway.

Here are some of our Southern California favorites:

1. big league baseball. and a ballpark hotdog.

Jonathan and I attended an Angels, Dodgers game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. I was a little confused about which team to cheer for since the Angels are in the same division as the Rangers (my Uncle Johnny plays for the Rangers), but I decided to cheer for the Angels for the following reasons: a. it was ok to cheer for the division in this interleague game, b. my Uncle Jerry played for the Angels in the 80s, and c. it's fun to cheer for the home team. (I put a lot of thought into it.) It was so exciting to go to the game and fun to see a different stadium!!

Now, about that crazy hotdog; I think it is called a Halo Dog. It's a hotdog wrapped with bacon, and topped with chili with beans, jack cheese, and pico de gallo. I ate some of it with a fork because it was huge.

2. Balboa Island and their competing "original frozen banana stands."

Jonathan's friend, Jim, took us to Balboa Island in Newport Beach, CA, and it was CROWDED--holiday weekend. The guys got balboa bars from one of the frozen banana stands. I enjoyed seeing the diverse architecture and all the pretty flower gardens.

3. Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown LA.

This beautiful work of architecture was designed by Frank Gehry. The lobby and garden of this concert hall are open to the public. The actual concert hall is never open to the public because of performances and rehearsals, but we had fun checking out everything that we could. We visited on Sunday, and people were setting up for 2 weddings, and there was a concert going on while we were there.

4. Santa Barbara, CA

Jonathan and I spent a couple days in Santa Barbara. As I mentioned earlier, we loved the weather!! We didn't get the normal Santa Barbara experience (although I'm not entirely sure what that would have included--maybe visiting vineyards and wineries, and some bike riding or kayaking). However we did get the Santa Barbara, 4th of July experience, which was a lot of fun. That included a parade, walking to shops downtown, music on the beach, fireworks, and lots and lots and LOTS of people. Jonathan said early in the trip that CA does nothing in small quantities. The people in Santa Barbara on Monday were no exception. The rest of the photos are from Santa Barbara. . .

5. an ice cream cone during an Independence Day parade.

6. a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting at the whimsical cupcake shop, WhoDelicious.

7. an Air Force jazz band playing música Latina en la playa.

I can't figure out exactly who these guys are, but I'm guessing they're one of the ensembles from the USAF Band of the Golden West.

8. our view and the best Oysters Rockefeller I've ever had at Brophy Bros. seafood restaurant.

9. watching the fishermen bring in their catch next to the restaurant.

We understood that those sea urchins were being exported to Japan. Does anyone like uni? I've never tried it, and I'm not sure I will anytime soon.

10. baby seals playing in the water near the beach.

I know this photos is very Loch Ness Monster-esque, but really, who doesn't love baby seals. At least that's what we were told they were. The people looked at us like we were stupid when we asked what the barking noise was, but we don't have seals in NC. We have sharks and jelly fish, neither of which are cute--even baby ones.

i heart ___.

2011-07-05T20:28:00.000-04:00

Here are some of my summer favorites:

1. these ugly beasts. These tomatoes grew in my garden.

They finally gave up growing bigger and decided to turn red. Jonathan and I recently had some landscaping done in our backyard, which requires some heavy watering, so my garden is drowning. I'm pretty sure that is what is causing all the splitting. That doesn't affect their deliciousness though. Which leads me to:

2. a BLT.

Bacon, lettuce, tomato sandwiches are a summertime treat. M&M sandwiches are too (maters and mayonnaise). One way I help contribute to a ridiculously low grocery budget is only buying produce when it is in season. Not only does it save money, but I really don't trust fresh tomatoes not grown in NC or SC in the summer. I may be spoiled, or maybe it's just practical. If my tomato plants do well, hopefully I won't have to purchase any tomatoes this year.

3. wild blackberries.

Free fruit is always good. They definitely require a lot of work to pick though; lots to contend with: heat, bugs, thorns. Last year I probably picked 3 quarts to a gallon of blackberries. No joke. I knew when I was picking them last year, they would probably not come as easy this year. And it's true. A lot of the canes got cut down. They've come back, but they missed the flowering and fruit. The fruit that is available is both smaller and some of it, completely impossible to get to. So this year it was more like wild blackberry hunting rather than picking. I'm happy with my quart though. I should be able to make a small cobbler. yummm

4. the farmers market.

I love the farmers market! and Smithfield, NC has their own farmers market this year. Downtown!! I also love the hugeness and awesomeness of the NC State Farmers Market too. I'll have to show you photos of that one another time. I get summer and fall produce that doesn't come out of my own garden at the farmers market. Like:

5. peaches.

I love peaches. Sweet, juicy goodness. Like eating candy.

6. these garden and farming t-shirts from Beryl Lynn.

I yanked these photos from her etsy shop. You can also check out her cute blog. She writes about her baby boy, gardening, sustainability, vegan eating, and other things I can appreciate.

I end up wearing shorts and t-shirts in the summer and jeans and t-shirts, over long sleeve t-shirts in the winter. Sure, I'd love for my style to be a little more cute or dressed up, but this is what seems to work for me since I do a lot of work at home. (or I'm getting down and dirty or hot and sweaty at my outdoor photo shoots). So it turns out I like t-shirts, and I really like these cute ones.

Nia & Austin - NC Engagement Photography

2011-06-29T08:30:00.001-04:00

For the second part of Nia and Austin's engagement session we headed to the furniture factory and warehouse district of Lexington, NC. We had a break in the action when 3 policemen showed up. three. really? We wondered if they thought we were dangerous criminals or were just really bored. (Either way, I'm thankful for law enforcement guys that help keep us safe.)

Here are the photos from engagement marathon part dos: Grunge Nia and Austin.

North Carolina Engagement Photography

2011-06-28T09:00:00.003-04:00

What's a good engagement session without the cops getting called?

THREE, no less!!

More from Austin and Nia's engagement session tomorrow.

i heart ___.

2011-06-27T17:44:00.000-04:00

I'm going to try a new feature on the blog. I'm starting small and going to see where it goes; maybe nowhere, maybe somewhere. We'll see what happens. One of my favorite things on others' blogs (photographers, friends, family) is when they share lists of their interests. This sort of goes along with everyone's new favorite, pintrest, but I don't need a new distraction. So I'm choosing to stay away. I'm inspired by Faith, and Jasmine (of course we're on a first name basis!), and I believe I've seen some of my local photographer friends share some of their favorite things from their houses or work space on their blogs. I enjoy seeing that part of people's lives.

If this becomes a regular thing, I'd love to hear your suggestions for a title. I'm not as creative with my words as I am with my art, so I need your help.

For now, the title is I heart blank. :) And these are some of my faves.

1. these pretty orange, double daylilies that came from my great grandparent's farm.

I don't know if they came from plants from 50 or 75 or 100 years ago, but I think they are awesome. So it seems my mother's Granny and Grandsir have given me a long, lean skeletal structure with a really high probability of early osteoporosis and pretty orange flowers for my yard. I'll take it (and a calcium supplement).

2. my future sis-in-law and brother's wedding save-the-date postcards with vintage stamps.

Country. Vintage-y. Real, oldschool stamps, customized for Jonathan and me. Hand canceled. Adorable models. I love it. And I'm looking forward to their wedding in the fall, and the parties between now and then.

3. my fluffy boy dog, Ben

Oh yes. Go ahead and get ready for plenty of Ben photos. He is our lanky, curly, goldendoodle. Poodles are supposedly water retrievers, so we try to help Ben embrace his inner poodle and let him swim and retrieve tennis balls from the water a lot during the summer. Enjoy those last two phone photos.

Nia & Austin - North Carolina Engagement Photography

2011-06-24T23:36:00.000-04:00

I met with a customer today and as I was leaving she said, "update your blog!!" Apparently I just needed a little encouragement. So for her and all you other photo blog stalkers here you go: Nia and Austin - engagement marathon part uno.

Jonathan and I went to Lexington, NC in April (on the tornado day) to photograph my brother, Austin, and his soon-to-be-bride, Nia. She is a professional photographer too, and Austin frequently assists and shoots with her. So it was fun for me to have them on the other side of the camera.You can read about the sweet proposal from Nia's perspective on her photo blog.

We had a marathon photo shoot, so yall get to see these photos in at least 3 parts. We started the shoot with lunch and the biggest banana split I've ever seen at the Bar-B-Q Center in Lexington, NC. Today you get to enjoy Retro Nia and Austin.

Beginner Photography Class Scheduled -- NC Family Photographer

2011-06-13T16:17:00.005-04:00

The next beginner photography class is on the calendar: 9:30 am -12:30 pm, Saturday, July 9th.

Here are all the details again--the class is $100 per person and must have a minimum of 3 participants.

Each person will receive a textbook to keep as a reference. The class will last 3 hours and will be limited to 3-5 people.

I will help you learn more about your camera and take better photos of your kids and friends. Here is some of what we will discuss:

- 10 tips for Taking Better Pictures

- Introduction to Exposure

- ISO

- Shutter Speed

- Aperture

- Using your Camera's Basic Settings

- Lens Overview

This is a great time of year for a class to learn to use your camera better--right before the start of summer.

Email me to book your spot or ask questions.

You can now pay online for the beginner group class: $100

Guest Blogging at Great Smitten

2011-05-20T16:07:00.001-04:00

Go check out my guest blog post over at Great Smitten. You can view my article with tips for improving your photographs of your kids HERE.

After you peruse the rest of Faith’s blog, stop back by here and let me know what you think. Or leave a comment there; that would be awesome too.

Baby EC at 3 Months - North Carolina Infant Photography

2011-05-14T12:09:00.000-04:00

I photographed Miss EC again for some traditional 3 month portraits. We had a little session in the studio; I set up a mini studio inside the bigger studio room. I'm looking forward to watching her grow throughout her first year. If you missed her 6 week session you can view it HERE.

Upcoming Beginner Photography Classes

2011-05-13T18:05:00.007-04:00

We have two Beginner Photography Classes scheduled for early June: the morning of Saturday,
June 4th, and the evening of Monday, June 6th. Each class is $100 per person and must have a minimum of 3 participants.

Each person will receive a textbook to keep as a reference. The class will last 3 hours and will be limited to 3-5 people.

I will help you learn more about your camera and take better photos of your kids and friends. Here is some of what we will discuss:

- 10 tips for Taking Better Pictures

- Introduction to Exposure

- ISO

- Shutter Speed

- Aperture

- Using your Camera's Basic Settings

- Lens Overview

This is a great time of year for a class to learn to use your camera better--right before the start of summer.

Email me to book your spot or ask questions.

You can now pay online for the beginner group class: $100

Navy and Yellow Wedding - Cary, NC Wedding Photography

2011-04-30T09:00:00.021-04:00

I liked the finished look of the blue and green wedding post from yesterday so much I decided to do another one. Here are some of the navy and yellow details and decor at Travis and Whitney's wedding last fall in Cary, NC. The ceremony was at Greenwood Forest Baptist Church then they headed to MacGregor Downs Country Club for the reception.

The florist was Victorian Seasons. And check out the CAKE. I think the baker who made the cake also did the candy table; and if I find out who that is, I'll let yall know.

Bride and Groom - North Carolina Wedding Photographer

2011-04-29T09:30:00.006-04:00

My favorite photos from the wedding day are usually the ones of the bride and groom. It's awesome when the couple sees each other before the ceremony, and we can take care of all the posed or directed photos before the ceremony. But that doesn't always happen. Sometime I only get a few minutes between the ceremony and the reception to work with the couple. Here are some of what we grabbed of Callie and Buzz before their reception.

Blue and Green Wedding Details - NC Wedding Photograhpy

2011-04-29T05:00:00.002-04:00

Callie is a designer, her grandmother is an interior designer, and Buzz's grandmother is an interior designer. Callie, like all my brides last year, has a beautiful style--elegantly contemporary but in a classy, traditional kind of way. So I knew her wedding was going to be gorgeous. Check out some of the blue and green details from her wedding day.

Mr. and Mrs. Wilkinson - North Carolina Wedding Photographer

2011-04-28T18:25:00.000-04:00

I don't know how you can be a girl and not be excited about the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. (Although I've heard plenty of discussion, and I know these people exist--I just don't understand it.) I think the Royal Wedding is super exciting. The pretty girl is marrying the handsome prince tomorrow--really, it's like a fairytale.

In honor of the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, I am posting some wedding things on the Studio 310 blog. I don't always blog complete weddings, just because it can be crazy trying to choose a few photos to represent the wedding day from the hundreds of final photos. I do enjoy the variety of photos I get to show you when I blog a whole wedding though.

These are photos from Callie and Buzz's wedding day last fall. The ceremony was at Callie's small home church a few miles from her house, then we headed to her family's farm for the reception, where many MANY more guests were waiting. You can look for a couple posts tomorrow with some more of my favorites from their day.

blog post from Callie & Buzz's engagement photos at Fort Macon and Atlantic Beach, NC
blog post from Callie's bridal portraits in Smithfield, NC

Miss EC - North Carolina Infant Photographer

2011-04-01T11:31:00.000-04:00

I photographed this sweet girl when she was about 6 weeks old. She was very alert and followed me and my camera around as I worked. Check out these bright eyes and sweet cheeks.

The Fry Family - Clayton, NC Family Photographer

2011-03-07T16:43:00.002-05:00

Enough with this blogging hiatus, I'm ready to show yall some photos. Today you get to see the Frys from a session I photographed last fall for their Christmas cards. Matt, the dad, is the lead pastor at my church, Cleveland Community Church. And his wife, Martha, is our minister of creative arts. aaaand you also get to see their awesome kids.

Mr. and Mrs. Steiner - Wilmington, NC Wedding Photographer

2010-11-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

Here is a sneak peek of a few favorites from Clare and Matt's wedding day in Wilmington, NC.

I hope you all are having a wonderful Thanksgiving day. Enjoy the turkey, and the pie, and the time with family and friends.

baby B - Smithfield, North Carolina Newborn Photographer

2010-11-11T09:00:00.010-05:00

I photographed this sweet girl last week when she was exactly two weeks old. She was born four weeks early, so she had been sleeping A LOT--until her portrait session. She wanted to stay awake most of that time, which made things interesting for her mom and me. I got some cute photos; here are a few of my favorites.

Clare's Bridal Portraits - North Carolina Wedding Photographer

2010-10-27T10:00:00.002-04:00

Clare married Matt a couple Saturdays ago in downtown Wilmington, NC. I'm looking forward to sharing photos from their wedding day soon. But first you get to see some photos from Clare's bridal portrait session we photographed in downtown Smithfield, NC.

Studio 310 Photography

The Wellons Family - North Carolina Family Portrait Photographer

2010-10-25T17:08:00.003-04:00

I photographed the Wellons family on their farm several weeks ago. Here are two of my favorites of the whole family. We shot family photos in a cotton field and with bales of tobacco. This crowd was a lot of fun to work with. Enjoy the southern-ness.

Studio 310 Photography

NEW WEBSITE - North Carolina Wedding and Portrait Photography

2010-10-05T11:23:00.000-04:00

I have a new website. I'm super excited to share it with everyone. I started working on the new site a long time ago, mmmmm, like over a year ago. But I finally decided to finish it up in the last week. I love the photos from a lot of my shoots recently, so I think that's what helped me get to work finishing the site.

This blog is still going to be my home page, but I'll keep a link at the top of the blog for the website that will include my portfolio, the 'about me' section, pricing info, client proofing, and a few other things.

I'll be adding new photos to the portfolio, and I'll add a section with info about classes in the next couple weeks.

Head over there and let me know what you think: Studio 310 Photography Portfolio

Baby Izzy - North Carolina Newborn Photographer

2010-09-29T19:08:00.000-04:00

Meet baby Isabella. I photographed Isabella at her home last week. I know her and her family from the nursery at my church, and I had the honor of photographing her older brother, Matthew, for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, last spring.

We started Izzy's session with some family photos, for which she decided being awake was the best idea. Here are my favorite photos: are after she had a full belly and fell into a comfortable milk coma.

Happily drunk on milk.

She looks like a baby doll, especially in her white gown and bonnet she'll wear for her dedication at church.

Isabella's initials are IZ, so I think her nickname, Izzy, is perfect.

Studio 310 Photography

Callie's Bridal Portraits - Smithfield North Carolina Wedding Photographer

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

Callie and Buzz's wedding was this past Saturday. They had a beautiful wedding and a rocking reception. Here are two of Callie's favorites from her bridal portrait session a couple months ago. The first photo is the one Callie is using for their wedding announcement in the newspapers. We printed the second one for a wall portrait, and it looks gorgeous, printed and framed and big.

Whitney's Bridal Portraits - Cary, NC Wedding Photographer

2010-09-22T18:53:00.000-04:00

I photographed Whitney's bridal portraits several weeks before her wedding on a sweltering day in August. We had our session at the beautiful Matthew's House in Cary, NC. If any brides or photographers are looking for a excellent place for portraits, I recommend this venue. The house was beautiful, the grounds were nice, and the staff was gracious and accommodating.

Now for the bride:

The Groom - North Carolina Wedding Photographer

2010-09-03T09:00:00.006-04:00

How about a little love for the groom. This is Claire's groom, Mark. The ladies get bridal portrait blog posts, so I thought I'd share this photograph of Mark on their wedding day. We grabbed this portrait right before Claire came down to meet him before their ceremony.

Mrs. Mark Samosky - Smithfield, NC Bridal and Wedding Photography

2010-08-27T16:12:00.000-04:00

I photographed Claire's bridal portraits several weeks before her wedding. The weather was better than you'd typically expect for a July afternoon. We got some beautiful photos inside her parent's house and out around the house too. Look for a blog post with some of my favorites from Claire and Mark's wedding soon.

hair and makeup by Jamie O'Branovich at John Michael's Artistic Hair, Smithfield, NC

flowers by Abbington Wolfe Florist & Interiors, Downtown Smithfield, NC

Studio 310 Photography

Callie and Buzz - Fort Macon & Atlantic Beach Engagement Shoot

2010-06-23T08:30:00.004-04:00

Meet Callie and Buzz. I had so much fun photographing their engagement portraits at Atlantic Beach, NC recently. I've known Callie since she was in middle school, and she was one of my first senior portrait models in 2005, when I was just getting started in professional photography. I met Buzz the day of the shoot, but that didn't matter at all; he's one of the friendliest people I've ever met.

I'm super pumped about shooting the wedding in this fall. Callie is an interior designer, so I know the wedding is going to have some beautiful styling. You can check out some photos of her work on her facebook group page, Callie Collins Interiors.

We started the session at Fort Macon.

Callie's sweet dog, Coozie, made a cameo.

Baby Drew - Smithfield, NC infant portrait photographer

2010-05-20T17:49:00.002-04:00

I photographed Drew and his parents when he was about 6 weeks old. We got lots of sweet photos of this baby boy. I love the ones with him in his smocked duck outfit. I'm probably going to get some of these details wrong, but I think one of his aunts made that outfit for him. And another aunt gave him the silver rattle that's in a couple of the photos.

Enjoy the video.

Matthew's Portrait Session - NC nilmdts photographer

2010-05-04T09:00:00.004-04:00

updated 19 May 2010:
This might be the only opportunity I'll ever have to share photos from a session I've done with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. I met this little guy and his family about 6 months ago when his mother dropped him off for the first time in the nursery at church, and I've had the privilege to take care of him and pray for him at church lots of times since then.

Matthew spent a lot of his life at Duke. He was recently diagnosed with Adenylosuccinate Lyase Deficiency, ASLD, which took his life last week, at 11 months old. A couple weeks ago, he left Duke and went home with his family. I got to take photos of Matthew and his family at their home--before he went to his eternal home with our Lord, Jesus.

Matthew's parents are setting up a foundation in Matthew's honor to raise money for family support, research, testing, treatment and a cure. Here is some info from the Miracle of Matthew group on facebook:

We are a soon to be non-profit organization created to help find a treatment and cure for the families who have children diagnosed with ASLD.

ALSD is a rare autosomal recessive genetic metabolic disorder with only 60 cases reported world wide, It was first documented in 1984, and the first US case was identified in 1996. Matthew is the 2nd case in the US. He was also the 1st case at Duke.

Announcing: Photography Classes - North Carolina Family Photographer

2010-04-30T20:46:00.002-04:00

I'm so excited to announce that I'm going to start offering Photography Classes. We're going to start out with beginner group classes, as well as one-on-one classes that we can cater more to the needs of the student (beginner, advanced, and everything in between).

I'll be able to help you learn more about your camera and take better photos of your kids and friends. Here's some of the stuff we'll cover:

- 10 tips for Taking Better Pictures

- Introduction to Exposure

- ISO

- Shutter Speed

- Aperture

- Using your Camera's Basic Settings

- Lens Overview

I'll schedule some classes, but you also have the option to get your friends together for a night out, or a daytime class while the kids are at school. The three hour group class is $100 per person with a minimum of three participants. Each person will receive a textbook to keep as a reference.

The classes will last 3 hours for 3-5 people, and can be extended to 4 hours for over 5 people (due to the extra questions that may come up for a larger group size).

One-on-one Classes are great for people that would like to learn more about their specific camera. In a beginner one-on-one class we'll cover the basics of what goes into an exposure, go over the features of your camera, and help you learn when to use certain features of your camera to all you to take better pictures. We'll cover the differences between different lenses and which lens is best during different circumstances. A three hour one-on-one class at your home or mine is $250.

At the Ham & Yam Festival tomorrow I'll talk to people interested in classes to get an idea of some good dates for group classes. If you'd like to schedule a one-on-one or a group class for you and some friends please contact me with some possible dates/times that work for yall, and we'll coordinate a class. Or if you'd like to jump in on a group class that I schedule let me know what kind of scheduling works for you: morning, evening, weekend, certain night of the week etc.

Email me here or call me at 919.915.2231 to discuss dates and times or reserve your spot.

Amanda Dengler

Ham & Yam Festival - May 1-2, 2010

2010-04-29T09:00:00.018-04:00

Go to the Ham & Yam Festival in Downtown Smithfield this Saturday!! I'm going to have a booth in the Art Station--which is going to be in the road right in front of my studio--East Johnston Street, between Third Street and Fourth Street. I don't know exactly where I'll be out there, but that isn't too big of an area so look for me!! I'll be out there.

Smithfield, NC has an awesome street festival every year. We'll have over 150 exhibitors and vendors, and 3 stages with free concerts all day. Go get your ham biscuit for breakfast and barbecue sandwich for lunch and enjoy the music and exhibitions.

I'm going to have applications and sign-ups for kid models and for next year's high school senior models. So families interested in a free photo session for their kids--3 year olds thru 6th graders--come fill out an application. I want to expand my kids portfolio. I have tons of babies and brides, but I want to photograph more kids. Kids that are accepted as models will receive a free session; a $200 value.

This year's high school juniors can apply to be models too. I need students to represent Studio 310 to their friends for senior portraits. Class of 2011 students that are accepted as senior models will receive a free session, nice cards to give to friends, and some other sweet goods.

AND, I have one more very exciting thing to announce, but this post has too many words already, so I'll have to save it for another post. Look for it soon--like tomorrow. I'm excited!

Hillary and Austin - Prom Photography, Smithfield, NC

2010-04-02T00:47:00.002-04:00

I photographed Austin and Hillary before their prom(s) Thursday afternoon. I'm almost certain they go to different schools in our county, but I forgot to ask which dance they were going to attend. Check out Hillary's amazing dress. So pretty.

Prom Photography for Johnston County Schools - Smithfield, NC

2010-03-30T19:08:00.000-04:00

I'll be at the studio Thursday afternoon for any students interseted in getting portraits before the Prom. Sessions begin at 3:30. Packages start at $40 for individuals or couples. You may make an appointment, but they are not required. If you'd like to schedule a session, please call or text Amanda at 919.915.2231 or email.

Here are some photos we did outside the studio last year of a couple from North Johnston and Princeton High School.

Easter Bunny Portraits - Smithfield, NC

2010-03-30T12:52:00.000-04:00

Wednesday, March 31st is the last day for portraits with the Live Easter Bunnies at Studio 310 in Smithfield, NC. Please contact us today to schedule a session for your child.

Call 919.915.2231 or email.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

2010-03-09T01:31:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted about my work with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (nilmdts). I wrote about my very first session last July. I've taken photos for seven more families since then. Every session is different. Every family is different; they're all different ages, races, and places in life; they all deal with their fresh new pain and grief in different ways. Every baby is a sweet unique person.

Some things are the same though. Every single family wants to see their baby's photos. Even for a few of the moms and dads who weren't sure about having me take the photos at the time, they have been ready to receive the photos several weeks later.

My response to the sessions has been similar every time. I'm always super nervous on my way to the hospital, sometimes sickeningly so. But every time God gives me just the right balance of strength and compassion and control. I haven't had to worry about being overly focused or business like to come across as uncaring or detached, but I have been focused enough to do my job well and professionally to reassure and comfort the parents and hospital staff, and not turn into a blubbering mess of how I'm feeling somewhere on the inside.

I always hate leaving the families, but I always feel good about the work I've done. I'm thankful that I can give them beautiful photos of their baby. They can move forward in their healing, and not worry about one day forgetting what their first child or fourth child or whatever looked like.

One mom wrote me several months after her baby was born; he was a teeny tiny baby boy, and even 3 months later, she still wasn't even close to her original due date. That blows my mind a little bit. It was a short and sweet little note, but this lady has an amazing gift for words, because she said a whole lot. Yall, she wrote me a poem. A POEM. I never expect to hear back from the parents, so this woman's words pretty much cover all the thank yous from any of my nilmdts families ever.

I'm going to share it with you here for my fellow nilmdts photographers. I want you to be encouraged too.

Amanda Dengler
an individual
who gives of herself
who touches many with her gift from God
A selfless act of giving back
life through images
She's captured a love, a lost
an angel sent from above

May God bless you and your family
We have met you only once and you have touched our lives forever

Thank You is a word too small for the memories you have given John and me of our baby boy

Easter Bunny Portrait Sessions

2010-03-02T00:44:00.003-05:00

Happy March. I can't believe it's already March, and Easter is just a month away. I'm excited about Easter Portraits with Bunnies at the studio in Smithfield, NC again this year. We're going to have a new set / backdrop for the photos that will look super cute for photos with the bunnies, or photos with just your kids in their Easter clothes or any cute outfit without a bunny. And I know lots of my customers like my neutral backgrounds--this one is neutral too, and awesome. Get excited.

Here are the details: similar to last year, $50 for the session and a complimentary 5x7. If you order additional prints within 1 week of your session, you will receive 20% off your print order.

Easter Bunny portrait sessions are available March 23 - 31, 2010, including that weekend March 27 and 28. You can schedule your session during the day, after school, or in the evening.

Call Amanda at 919.915.2231 or email here to schedule your session.

Here are my favorites from the last two years.

Studio 310 Photography

Private Video from February 17th

2010-02-17T09:00:00.011-05:00

Enter the password below to view the video. If you've forgotten or misplaced your password, email me, and I'll be happy to send it to you again. My email address can be found HERE.

Emily and Jim - North Carolina Portrait Photography

2010-01-13T09:30:00.000-05:00

I photographed Emily and Jim around downtown Smithfield one cold and misty day in October. You saw a couple of photos from their session on one of my Christmas ads on the blog, but here are some more photos. I wanted to wait til after Christmas to show you some of my other favorites from their session because I didn't want to spoil the fun of their Christmas card. But now I get to reveal Jim's awesome ninja skills for everyone who didn't see their card.

Let's take a moment to appreciate Jim's sweet ninja skills, his awesome ANTM posing, and everyone's awesome timing. For you to better love this photo, I think I need to mention that we got this photo in one take--with one shot.

Studio 310 Photography

Adelyn's Newborn Portraits - Raleigh, NC Children's Photographer

2010-01-11T14:42:00.006-05:00

You might remember photos at the hospital of my cousin when she was one day old. I photographed her newborn portraits when she was one week old, and I'm finally getting some of my favorites from the session on the blog. Yay.

Studio 310 Photography

Jennifer & Stephen - the Wagener House - Clayton, NC Wedding Photography

2009-12-30T15:00:00.000-05:00

Jennifer and Stephen's wedding reception took place at the Wagner House in downtown Clayton, NC. Enjoy the reception video:

Studio 310 Photography

Jennifer & Stephen - Ceremony - North Carolina Wedding Photography

2009-12-24T09:30:00.002-05:00

Check out the ceremony photography from Jennifer and Stephen's wedding:

Studio 310 Photography

Jennifer & Stephen's Wedding Day - North Carolina Wedding Photography

2009-12-23T10:30:00.001-05:00

Here is the first of three photo videos from Jennifer and Stephen's beautiful wedding day in Princeton, NC. This video includes all the wedding day anticipation and portraits of the couple, their families, and the bridal party at Princeton Baptist Church.

The other two videos will be posted in the next couple days; they include the wedding ceremony and the reception at The Wagner House in Clayton, NC.

Enjoy the photos. Let me know what you think.

Studio 310 Photography

35 Year Class Reunion - Studio 310, North Carolina Event Photography

2009-11-05T09:30:00.005-05:00

Smithfield Selma High School, Class of 1974, recently got together for their 35 year class reunion. They had a fun party and I had a fun time photographing it. Check out the video of some of the photos from the evening.

The disc with all the images from the evening is available for you to purchase for your personal use. If you buy the disc you can view the photos on your computer or print them, and I'll include this video on the disc for free.

Click the "Buy Now" button below to purchase the CD with all the reunion images.
$20.00 (includes shipping)

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Studio 310 Photography

Jack-o-lantern and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

2009-11-01T00:09:00.005-04:00

Jonathan and I had a fun Halloween. We carved a jack-o-lantern this year. Last year we went house hunting after work on Halloween and got home in time for the bigger kids trick or treating. So no jack-o-lantern. This year we are in our new house and hung out together all day--no work--since it's the weekend before our wedding anniversary; and we had plenty of time to carve this cute pumpkin face.

Ta-da!!

I also toasted the pumpkin seeds, and I think they're very tasty.

Here is the "recipe" I used for the toasted pumpkin seeds:
--Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
--Boil the seeds in water with salt for 10 minutes--I used quite a bit more salt than I would if I were boiling pasta for example.
--Drain and spread the seeds out in one layer on a greased baking sheet--I sprayed the pan with canola oil and then sprayed the seeds after they were on the pan.
--Bake for 10 minutes or until they are toasty brown.

Amanda Dengler

Brand New Baby Girl

2009-10-29T09:20:00.002-04:00

This is my newest cousin, born earlier this week. She's the first baby for any of my family (siblings and cousins) on my dad's side; which means she's my grandparents' first great-grandchild. We're all super excited! I went with some of my fam to visit Daniel and Lauren and their new baby girl at the hospital less than 24 hours after she was born.

I opted not to use a flash--embrace the grain.

My fave--happy mom.

My dad shot this one of me and the baby girl.

I like both their faces here.

Lauren said she really liked to see Daniel holding his daughter--he makes her look teeny tiny.

We'll do her newborn portrait session soon--look for a blog post with those photos in the next couple weeks.

Amanda Dengler

Twins - Raleigh, NC Children's Portrait Photography

2009-10-28T09:15:00.000-04:00

I recently photographed these busy 15 month old twins. They are probably just as active as any other children their age, it just seemed a lot crazier with two--constantly going in separate directions.

Studio 310 Photography

Breast Cancer Awareness Month - Portrait Sessions with Studio 310

2009-10-01T14:51:00.007-04:00

PinkFact: 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime.

Today is the first day of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Studio 310 is joining with other wedding industry professionals to help fund awareness, outreach, education and research for breast cancer through Pink Initiative.

During the month of October, proceeds from all portrait session fees will go to Pink Initiative to help fund a cure for breast cancer.

Also, to say THANK YOU to my customers for supporting this cause, those who purchase either a digital or print collection will receive 50 custom Christmas cards. Click here to see a couple examples of cards from last year.

October is a busy month at Studio 310, so please call or email me now to book your session. Thanks for considering partnering with Studio 310 Photography and Pink Initiative.

PinkFact: About 85% of all women diagnosed with breast cancer do NOT have a family history of it.

Studio 310 Photography

Wilmond's Video - Studio 310, North Carolina Children's Photography

2009-08-27T14:32:00.004-04:00

Check out the music video from Wilmond's one year old portrait session earlier this summer. You might remember his blog post with some of my faves from the session. This video includes a lot more fun photos.

If the video isn't showing up, (if you're viewing the post from facebook) or you want to see it in high res, here is the original on vimeo.

Studio 310 Photography

Website Sneak - Dunn, NC Wedding Photography

2009-08-21T13:18:00.003-04:00

Pretty bride on her wedding day in Dunn, NC.

I probably won't post more photos until next week. The wedding I'm photographing tomorrow starts early, and I'm looking forward to my Saturday evening off work. YES!

Studio 310 Photography

Raleigh, NC Wedding Photographer Studio 310

2009-08-20T15:00:00.005-04:00

This photos is from the same wedding as yesterday's post--at the Mordecai House near Downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.

Studio 310 Photography

Website Sneak Peek - Raleigh, NC Wedding Photographer

2009-08-19T13:38:00.003-04:00

This is from another 2008 wedding. I photographed this wedding with April at the Mordecai House in Raleigh, NC. I hope I can use a lot from this wedding on the new website, because all the details, locations, and people were so unique and fun.

I love this photo. I have it in a 20x30 canvas for my office.

Studio 310 Photography

Website Sneak Peek - Chapel Hill, NC Wedding Photography

2009-08-18T11:56:00.005-04:00

A solitary hunter. . . the photographer stalks her prey.

Here is a sneaky shot I got in 2008 when photographing a wedding at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, NC.

Studio 310 Photography

Website Sneak Peek - Raleigh, NC Wedding Photography

2009-08-17T12:13:00.005-04:00

I'm working on my new website, so anyone trying to see my main website and portfolio is temporarily being redirected to my blog. I hope no one has been confused by this.

It's been fun and tediously time consuming looking through images and getting them ready for the website. I've been doing a lot of freelance shooting for other studios lately, and I don't always look through the images immediately. I'm almost certain I've never posted any on my blog. So, I'm challenging myself to post one new image a day on the blog. That will give you blog stalkers some fresh material everyday and get a sneak peek of what I'm working on for the new website. This will also help me get moving on finishing the website.

Bride and groom from a wedding I photographed with April in Downtown Raleigh.

Studio 310 Photography

Baby Robbie - Studio 310, Raleigh, NC Children's Photographer

2009-08-07T14:07:00.007-04:00

I photographed another baby boy recently. He was so happy and content during the whole shoot. He was already about a month old I think, but he was still small and sweet.

Robbie's a rock star, hanging out in his very masculine baby boy gown. I love gowns for baby boys.

This little guy doesn't specifically look like one parent or the other, but he looks JUST LIKE his big sis. Very cute.

Robbie's mom, Shannon, told me a fun story about this table. I can't remember all the details, but I do know that it's furniture from family, it's old, and it got cut in half so more of the family could share it.

Studio 310 Photography