It’s 2016 already!! Wow! Where did the year go?! It feels as if it went by in flash but it was actually a jammed packed and incredible year. I wanted to write a blog post that also summarized all of the non-wedding work I was so fortunate to do in 2015.
I LOVE weddings. What I love more than sharing such an intimate and powerful moment in a love story is the challenge. I began my career in weddings because I wasn’t sure what niche of photography I wanted to be in, or what I was best at for that matter. Luckily I had some amazing friends and family that were somehow willing for me to jump in and just go for it! Looking back it’s crazy to me. I am overwhelmed with essentially shock but so much gratitude that they trusted me when I was so green. It was the best thing ever though!
I quickly learned that I could use almost every technique imaginable on every subject and situation imaginable during the course of a wedding day. I shot inside, outside, in daylight, and at night, with horrible fluorescents, my strobes, and incredible sunsets. I shot rings, paper, flowers, people, poses, and candids. The pressure and the challenge still gives me butterflies before every big day and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love being at the ready to handle time lines that go out of control, wind, rain, and even sparkler explosions. My artistic side eats it up! Of course my nerdy side also loves the preparation and they anticipation for an amazing day. And when it all comes together and the toasts are made I am in awe of how so many things come together…it’s just like falling in love. Magic.
All of these facets of wedding photography have really helped me to hone in on what I love the most. Portraiture comes in first place and it’s been amazing to apply my craft to boudoir and lifestyle, but surprisingly details are a close second. I could spend hours with the wedding rings and found materials. For me, it’s still like taking portraits, just of inanimate objects. My wide and varied skill set has given me the opportunity to work on so much cool stuff this year outside of weddings.
So here’s a little slice of everything else I had in front of my lens this year. Gorgeous women embraced their beauty with me, I traveled to far off places, I shot an entire children’s activity book (crazy!), fellow small business invested in me, I was featured in the newspaper, baby bumps needed documenting, awesome people popped the question, and more! Take a look.
First of all where would I be without these ladies!! In January Regina, Gayle, Becky, and I announced that we joined forces to take over a vintage Bungalow in Seminole Heights! Together we created the Vintage Heights Studio. A co-op space for us to work out of, shoot in, and generally be elated about!
2015 was incredible for us and we are so excited for the new and improved direction we’re taking in 2016! Stay tuned for details about an anniversary party!
I started the year with Olfaction! These handmade soy soaps and candles are to die for!
Early in the year I hopped on a plane with a few photog friends to Vegas baby! We spent a week in the dessert at WPPI, going to classes, rubbing shoulders with our idols, and having a blast of course!
We took a trip to Red Rocks Canyon to shoot each other. The temperature dipped to 34 once the sun went behind the mountains but were so giddy with the color and the drastically different environment that we didn’t care!
I also was sooooo pumped to meet my hero Joe McNally again and take his shoot along course! We go to photograph this gorgeous model in the noon day sun by the pool at the MGM. I can’t tell you how amazing it was for shooting in full sun to “click”. I felt even more confident in being able to capture compelling and beautifully/flatteringly lit photographs in any conditions.
HIGH SPEED SYNCH!!
Soon after our trip the amazing Cat Pennenga of Sarasota asked me to photograph her head shot for her new and improved website. It was such an honor!
My couple Erin & David had an amazing wedding in the backyard of their new home. But before the big day David hired me for a lifestyle shoot. He wanted to have some great content for his new website. He has a very successful business as a motivational speaker. We had a great time using their new, mid-renovation home and surrounding neighborhood as an authentic backdrop.
Next the Fiol Law partners were in need of new portraits. We shot head shots in the studio then ended with some epic frames in front of the old courthouse in downtown Tampa at twilight.
In the spring the rest of the VHS girls and I started a wonderful relationship with a fellow girlboss over at the Coppertail Brewery. Our first project together was a steampunk & nautical inspired styled wedding photo shoot in their incredible space! It was even featured on Offbeat Bride!
Over the summer I went to ICELAND!!! And had some naked adventures with my amazing friend Sabra. Check out all of the highlights from our week there here!
Another year another FWCON! And chocolate….I love being invited to photograph this amazing 3 day event every year!
AHHHH! Over the course of 4 days I photographed 60 out of 100 “Fun and Easy Learning Games” for an awesome Mommy Blogger Duo! It was probably the hardest thing I’ve ver done. We coordinated 2 dining room tables worth of crafting supplies and up to 6 children at a time. I cannot wait to see the finalized book hit the shelves very soon!
Since launching my co op studio VHS I have been able to photograph more Boudoir. I will always remember Miss A’s beauty and strength when she came in after surviving ovarian cancer. We had a stunning session but it was this final frames with her wig off that blows me away.
In 2015 I also teamed up with one of my grooms to create a Proposal Photography brand, Capture the Yes! I had the best time shooting some commercial content for our fancy web site, check it out!
EeeEeeeE! I was so pumped to photograph some INCREDIBLE WOMEN!! These talented young artists and feminists get together and call themselves the Gilded Rag. I LOVED getting artsy with them at the studio to create promos for their fashion show at the Rialto!
One of the Gilded Rag ladies is the bad ass Erin of NailPopLLC . I had the pleasure of shooting this beautiful creature for a feature in the Tampa Tribune! Read it here.
EEeeEeEE!! I went to UCF with this talented woman! Kyle of Adjoin Design is an amazing graphic designer! She is the brilliance behind the branding for VHS, Capture the Yes!, Florist Fire, Offbeat Boudoir (more on that soon!) and more! I cannot recommend her enough! Having her int eh studio for an awesome lifestyle and product shoot was such a treat!
Who could forget Ryan & Nicholas’ amazing engagement! Becky, Gayle, Jen, and I created an incredible surprise proposal complete with catering by Salt Block and an acoustic guitarist at the Cass Contemporary!! This image recently was shared on The Knot’s instagram and currently has more than 7K likes! You know you want to see more so check out all of the amazing details here!
The next small business to come to the studio was Seventh Ave Apothecary! They needed all new images of their products for their site plus a few lifestyle portraits of the lovely ladies behind it all. Becky’s new warehouse is now neighbors with them in Ybor!
Then one of my very first brides Emily came by for new head shots to celebrate her new career in real estate. I recently shot her little sister’s amazing wedding day in Miami!
I got to test shoot for Teeny B Bikinis this summer!!! AHHH!
I also shot a few more events with the Tampa Theater! I was honored to cover a party at one of the home of one of their biggest sponsors. They have a mini replica of the theater in the house!
Kathleen and Casey won a session at the Are You Safe? silent Auction and decided to use it toward a maternity session!
Then it was the Mengees families turn for a baby bump!
The next styled shoot the VHS gals and I worked on was an Equal Love Mod theme at the CL Space. We photographed real couples too! We cannot wait to finally announce where it will be published very soon!
The next beautiful mommy came over for a maternity boudoir session! Miss A killed it!!
In the fall I had my first collaboration with blogger Nicholas Trobiano! We had an amazing editorial shoot at the Station House in St. Pete, see more here!
Hehehe I love this little family! And I love that we took some rad editorial style images of the in their own living room!
These two got married at the Post Card Inn with me in 2014 and they flew back from Baltimore for a babymoon and a maternity session. I LOVE how they came out!
Sabrina came back again this year for another fun session! This time we went edgy at Coppertail!
Sabra came by for new head shots XOXOXOX
The Mulroys were expecting a little brother!
Then Regina and I shot ALL of the awesome swag and merch for Coppertail’s online store!
Then for Halloweeen I covered a meet and greet with Linda Blair of the Exorcist at the Tampa Theater….eeeee
YAS KWEEN! Regina and I launched our new Boudoir brand Offbeat Boudoir this fall!!! CHECK US OUT!!
I photographed fur babies at West Elm to promote the ASPCA!
Then it was more pups at the studio for our holiday mini sessions!
I then recruited the same lovely couple from above for my first VIDEO shoot!! Lucky Lemon Films has literally just delivered the final commercial for Capture the yes!! STAY TUNED!
Teeny B came to the studio for their intimates line 🙂
Then I worked with the amazing Family Foodie, local food blogger and host of the FWCON. Becky from Tufted Vintage Rentals and I styled a really fun editorial in her home with her recipes!
The AMAZING interior designer Ann Cox helped us revamp VHS and then I had the honor of shooting her portrait for her fancy new website coming soon!
The lovely Miss L came over for the first boudoir session under Offbeat!
EEeeE!! I was lucky enough to capture my dear friend’s 30th birthday party! Jen of Oh Hello Events had a wonderful styled birthday party complete with macramé, donuts, custom coasters, and lots of fun! We are so excited to announce that this soiree will be featured IN PRINT for the Celebration Society in 2016! AHHH!!
Then Nicholas and I hit Coppertail for our next editorial collaboration. DENIM ON DENIM.
Lil Louley came over for a birthday portrait!
AHHHH!! I shot a ton of content for Matrick + Eve’s 2016 catalogue! Then I shot the catalogue 🙂 Or course! Check out more here.
PHEW! I think that’s about it! What an incredible 2015! I can’t wait to see where this year will take me 🙂 Thank you for stopping by!
Photo credit to Roohi Photography...Geoff and I finally had portraits done this year! yay!
