I always seem to have some sort of song lingering in my mind. Ask me to name the title of the song, the artist or the album name.... well, suddenly I'm clueless. However, my brain often thinks "in song". When I see pictures of the gorgeous gent below, I immediately think of Gershwin's Summertime. It's been sung by numerous artists. Do you know it? It goes something like this:

Summertime, and the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high
Oh your Daddy's rich and your Momma's good looking
So hush little baby don't you cry

Now look at the following and see if it puts you in the Summertime spirit!









Happy Summertime!!!!!!

My goal is to take the best picture staight out of the camera that can possibly be taken! But sometimes, a little cropping of that SOTC shot can make a picture shine! Here's an example of a picture of recent newlyweds Sarah & John before any cropping action has taken place:


Now for 3 different views thanks to the beauty of cropping!

Crop #1 is just a little bit tighter. You can still see the all the wonderfully different textures but Sarah & John's faces are closer to us.


Crop #2 is even closer, just a non-conventional size. I just loved Sarah's expression and John looks so fulfilled in his newlywed bliss! I wanted to keep that newly planted tree in the background to symbolize the blossoming of their lives together.


Crop #3 is my favorite! An even square around this magic called LOVE makes my heart flutter.


Hooray for cropping!

Here's post #2 from Sarah HEARTS John HEART Sarah's 'Day After' Wedding Session. Have you heard of Daddy D'zs? My first experience at this delectable BBQ joint left me longing for more. If you have a chance to visit this establishment, try their famous Que Wrap Appetizers! They rock!

Sarah & John are such a fun couple! We thoroughly enjoyed Daddy D'zs BBQ and even managed to keep the sauce in our tummies rather than on Sarah's beautiful dress.













I love this next shot of Sarah adorned similarly to jazz legend Billie Holiday.


I just loved Sarah's bouquet and couldn't resist getting a picture of them as they rested on the table.




Thanks Sarah & John for a truly delightful experience!

Last month, I was elated to be given the opportunity to assist Photographer Extraordinaire Stacey Bode, with one of her "Day After the Wedding" shoots. Sarah & John's "Day After" session happened literally the day after their wedding. We started out at Grant Park which is adjacent to the Atlanta Zoo.







Sarah & John are avid Scrabble players. They brought along their Scrabble board and pieces (which were collected in a nostalgic red bag courtesy of a special Aunt? - help me out here guys!).



I'm not sure if it was Stacey's idea or if it came from the couple themselves, but look at these great set-ups that can be used for their thank you cards!









Who can pass by some swings without going for a ride? This couple was so much fun!





Look at this shot of the multi-talented Stacey Bode! She can carry all her gear, hold your flowers AND take a fabulous photo all at the same time. Don't forget to check out her site by clicking on her name.



This is what happens when I try to hold the flowers AND take a shot - some flower shadowing on the left side!


Sarah & John were completely comfortable in front of the camera. This doesn't happen easily for some folks, but these guys were pros!









This post could go on and on; there were just that many good shots of these spectacular newlyweds. Stay tuned for post #2, a continuation of time spent with Sarah & John including some yummy bbq! If you can't wait 'til then, visit my Flickr page. Thanks Sarah & John for providing me with a delightful couple of hours sharing in your love and connectedness with one another. Wishing you all the best! Christa

Puppy Love is in the air! It's here in Georgia that you'll find a random stranger in the parking lot of your local grocery store with a pack of pups in his truck just looking for that longing heart. Recently, a friend of mine came across this exact situation. Not only did she leave the store with more items than were on her original shopping list, but she also came home with a new puppy! Guess who wins the award for being "The Most Fun Mom on the Planet!" Her kids are so proud of their new puppy. Who wouldn't be? Little Lola makes my heart swoon!




Puppy Play Time is so much fun!






Thank heavens for Puppy Naps!



Thanks for all the fun Lola! It was just the puppy fix that I needed.