Jayla & Cheryl Portrait Session

We have been moving the past week and to break up the madness Lori and I were able to go to the park for a little time hanging out with Cheryl and playing with her cute daughter Jayla. We met at Centennial Park in downtown and decided to go over to the flower garden close to the Parthenon. It was a beautiful morning and lucky for us the rain had stopped for a few hours and the sun came out for about 3 hours and we had our window of really great pictures. Lori and Jayla played in the flowers and ran around the garden before heading off for the day. We had a great time and really hope to do it again sometime. Jayla is such a Pro and great model that maybe someday we will see her in some GAP Kids ads or something before too long! 

Great job Jayla can't wait to see you guys again!!!!

Schmerhorn - Hymn Sing

Sunday April 13th 2008 was an excellent Sunday. I was asked to participate and photograph in the Nashville Hymn Sing with the Nashville Choir & Nashville Symphony at the Schermerhorn in downtown. They invited an inspirational group to come and be apart for 2 shows on Sunday one matinee and one evening concert. 

John Coates contacted me to come and photograph him with several of the guests and then take part in capturing images of the worship service. The guests I was able to meet while documenting John's day was Amy Grant, Bill Gaither and some other members of the the Gaither Family, Melinda Doolittle, and Travis Cottrell. Everyone was extremely nice and just made for a tremendous afternoon to be able to be apart of such an event and hear such amazing talent. I feel really blessed to be apart of our Christian community.  

I was fortunate to have my family in the audience and particularly my Grandma who was thrilled to say the least that I could get her a ticket for the day. :-)

I was also able to reconnect with Matt Andrews a friend of mine and fellow photographer who was also hired to come and participate for the afternoon. 

The hall itself is exuisitly decorated and probably the most beautiful building in downtown Nashville to say the least. This is my third time to be apart of events down at the hall and I hope many more will follow for both business and personal. 

Baby Madelynn

This afternoon I had the pleasure of visiting with some good friends, Paul and Chandler. I was blessed to be apart of their wedding day in July of 2006 and today they allowed me the honor of photographing their new addition to the family, Madelynn. Paul and Chandler are the proud parents of this little cutie and they should be she is adorable. Madelynn or"Squirelly" as they call her was amazing for her first photo session with me and briefly lived up to her sweet nickname. We had a great time catching up and I hope to take many more photographs for her as she grows up. 

Super Monday!!!

Today was my first SUPER MONDAY!!!!!! I have to say at first I was dreading it since I was a little tired from a great wedding day yesterday but was really glad once I arrived at the Hampton Inn in Green Hills for the seminar. David Wright was our speaker and he taught us about how we can better ourselves and our photography by taking the time to work hard and earn our degrees and certification from PPA of which we are all members. PPA is a great organization to be apart of for anyone from an aspiring photographer or if your an old pro. You will love the networking, the great people, and enhancing your skill as well as getting to know other wonderful photographers in your area or nationally. 

For those of you who know David, this comes as no surprise but I love to see and be around him. He has an amazing attitude is an exceptionally gracious human being and if you didn't know anything else he is easily the best wedding photographer in Nashville today. Can you tell I admire him?!?!? Plus I hadn't seen David since we were at Imaging USA earlier this year in Tampa. 

Today we were able to bring in some of our work and talk about our images and get feedback on what we are doing today in photography. I was fortunate to meet some other really cool photographers of which I already knew Joe Burlingame which was a great surprise to see him again since it has been a few years now since we worked together. Joe is a really great commercial photographer and all around great photographer. I was also able to get to know Scott & Kimberly Butler of Butler Photography from Florence AL who are a really sweet husband and wife team and do some timeless portrait artistry and also Elaine Hudson from A Private Gathering, she is really sweet and fun to be around and I hope to be able to get to know all of them so much better in the future. Not to be cheesy but what a Super Monday it was. I am excited to go again and to get the prints going for some competition. 

Katie & Jason Wedding on Sunday April 4th 2008

Yesterday was an amazing day! I was able to photograph Katie and Jason's Wedding here in Nashville. We had wonderful weather 70's, sunny and a little wind which anyone would love to . Both of their families were so gracious and wonderful to work with we really had a great time. We started off the day with some outdoor pictures before going in for some family pictures before the ceremony. 

I have to brag on them for such a incredibly unique bridal party entrance into the reception. Katie had the girls wear sashes as if they were in a pageant or Miss America and then Jason had his boys come out wearing custom made basketball jerseys and did a hilarious intro with them dancing or dribbling in to the reception it was great!!! 

A good time was had by all who attended the reception and then we topped the night off with some really cool dusk shots outside of the Union Station Hotel as well as doing some stuff inside the Hotel and in their room before saying our Good-bye's. I know they will have a wonderful time on the honeymoon and really enjoyed getting to know them better they are amazing friends. It was an awesome day!!! 

Click Here for Katie and Jason's slideshow

Brian & Cara Wedding Day

On Saturday we were able to be apart of Brian & Cara's special day. The first half of the day we were able to take pictures before the ceremony and get some really fun pictures in and around the mansion. Even though the weather changed later and it rained the rest of the evening we were very fortunate to have the fantastic staff from Riverwood Mansion there to help keep things organized and running smooth. Plus everyone from the wedding party was so cool and willing to work with them and help support Brian & Cara. We had a great time and were also able to meet with Lisa and Carlos from White Chocolate Video who was there to video the event. It was a an amazing event and a great way to end March.

Katie Bridal Portrait Session

Last week I was able to go and hang out with Katie from California and her Mom Kathryn and her sister who is well into her third trimester.  Everyone is looking forward to the new addition to the family other than Jason (Katie's fiancee) right after the wedding! We went to the Cheekwood Gardens on Thursday and it was suppose to rain and it ended up being a perfect day. I was really glad we stuck to the plan sometimes it pays to be patient. We had a great time and were able to get some amazing shots before their wedding this coming weekend. Katie was ultra cool about the entire experience and working with her crazy photographer. We even popped in and talked to the curator in the mansion it was an awesome day! 

Rockstar Roadtrip

I was able to go to Atlanta for one of the legs of the Rockstar Roadtrip featuring really amazing and fun photographers Corey McNabb and Amber Holritz. They are touring the country doing 1-2 day seminars sharing their style and approach to wedding and portrait photography. 

Corey McNabb is from Asheville, NC and is one of Grace Ormonde's Top 100 Wedding Photographers in the US. Amber Holritz is part of the incredible husband and wife duo of Holritz Photography out of Chattanooga, TN. Amber is one of the nations most recognized Lifestyle Baby Photographers. 

I have not been able to attend for many seminars this year other than Imaging USA. Not only are Corey and Amber amazing photographers and really great people to give their time to share their craft and talent with others they are also Nikon users just like me. It was really great to get their perspective and insight. PLUS...I won a raffle and was given a free album design and album from White Glove Books so hopefully this will be one of my new album companies I will be offering. Check out the Rockstar Roadtrip BLOG, Corey's website and Amber's Website and see the awesome work they are kicking out. They ROCK !!!!

Ashley & Russ Engagement Session

I am a little behind on my blogging so I will fill you in on the highlights. For this segment I had the opportunity to hang out with Ashley and Russ downtown at the Schermerhorn. It was really great weather and we were able to go up to 2nd Ave and over to the Pedestrian Bridge for some shots as well. It was a good day to be a photographer :-).

~jg

Bobby & Andrea Wedding Greenville, SC

Bobby and Andrea were married the past weekend in Greenville, SC. We had a fun weekend. I was able to be apart of their rehearsal, rehearsal dinner and be able to spend the entire day with them for their special day. The wedding was held at John Knox Presbyterian Church and then we went over to the Greenville Marriott Hotel for the reception. The hotel was beautifully decorated in a winter theme and as spectacular place to take pictures. Here are just a few of the many images Jana Candler and I were able to photograph. Jana came to help me and it was great to reconnect with her and be able to work together in her hometown. This was one of my favorite weddings to photograph this year it is always a blessing to be able to work with such great people from the family to the staff at the Marriott. Simply awesome.