Rebecca & Marshall: 7 Minute “Anytime” Portraits

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As an only child, my parents have always made a special effort to love my friends and include them as a part of our family. Because of this, I have rarely felt lonely or like I was missing out by not having a brother or sister…my friends ARE part of my family. Of all my close friends, Rebecca is probably the most like a sister to me. She has been there nearly my entire life, and our paths have been a shared experience. We were in the same kindergarten class, we graduated from high school together, we shared the dumpiest college apartment on the planet (you could literally see through holes in the wall into our neighbor’s apt), and I was the Maid of Honor in her wedding. (Our friend Brandy and I knew before Rebecca did that Marshall was “The One.” 😉 ) Rebecca is ridiculously funny, fiercely loyal, pretty darn tall, protective of her friends, supportive, an animal advocate, and loves to run an inside joke into.the.ground. I *heart* this girl!

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This fall, Rebecca and Marshall celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary, and I helped Rebecca research photographers in Alabama, where they now live, to shoot some anniversary portraits. Marshall surprised us both when he said, “If anybody is going to take those pictures of us, it’s going to be Amy!” Um, hello good husband! We got together in the mountains of North Carolina during New Year’s weekend….when the highs were barely 20 degrees and wind chills were in single digits during the heat of midday. “Brrrrrr” doesn’t begin to describe it! We scrapped our plans for an “anytime session” all throughout the mountains and opted for a whopping 7 minute session (yes, I checked my starting/ending stats after downloading my photos!) at the Mountain Farm Museum near Cherokee NC. After only 7 minutes, my fingertips were grayish and burning…yes I will sacrifice my body for good photos, as I’m guessing that was some sort of pre-frostbite!!

Just like in life & love & friendships, the cold and wind are easier to bear when you hold close to the ones you love…

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This is true Rebecca and Marshall…full of laughter!

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Love this one!

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Daniel, add this one to your campaign kit, hehe…

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Just past the Mountain Farm Museum, we saw a bunch of elk on the side of the road! Several years ago, the parks department in Western North Carolina reintroduced elk into the mountain habitat…very cool to see them grazing just a few yards from all of us excited tourists. I like that this girl looks like she’s chatting with her elk buddies….

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Happy Anniversary to my longest friend and her perfect match. Marshall, we’re all glad you didn’t get on the train. 😉 Love y’all!

Don’t forget to leave a comment and “show me (and my BFF) some love!”

The Duncan Family: Sneak Peek

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I first photographed the Duncans way back when the boys were actually still boys! Drew is now a senior, so our session doubled as his senior portraits. This family loves one another, loves to play, and loves the country. I think their sneak peek shows all of that…

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I ADORE this photo. If you know Wendy and Dwayne, you know this is so “them.”

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Brandon and sweet old Moonlight

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A couple of Drew’s senior portraits. He’ll be entering the Marine Corps this summer…thanks Drew for serving our country!

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Thanks Duncans–you guys were awesome, puppies included!

Alright folks, you know I love your comments. 🙂 Feel free to “show me some love!”

Sneak Peek! Victoria & Annalee

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On of the best feelings for me as a photographer is when my clients trust my vision. Victoria, Annalee, and their mom didn’t bat an eye when we drove up in front of a grungy old loading dock, a brick building with the paint peeling off, or a field with lightning striking in the distance. (OK, the lightning really wasn’t all that distant, but we all survived without even a drop of rain.) They were totally on board with my ideas, and I had a great time with these gorgeous sisters!

Here is a tiny little sample of the awesomeness that we got…more photos will follow soon!

Um, yeah. They pretty much rocked this.

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Victoria…

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Annalee, Class of ’10…

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Check back for more from this session and from last month’s family beach session with the Thomas Family…another triumph over a thunderstorm. 🙂 Gotta love summer afternoons in the south! And as always, I love it when you show me some love!