Rachel & Coleton Johnson - EngagementHistorical Edna Hill Church was a great place to make some of their engagement portraits.

Rachel & Coleton Johnson - EngagementHistorical Edna Hill Church was a great place for their engagement portraits.

Then, we walked (hiked) to a cabin where Coleton and his dad stay while they’re hunting.  It was so beautiful there.  Peaceful. 

Rachel & Coleton Johnson - EngagementColeton's hunting cabin was a great place for more engagement portraits.

*****     *****     *****     *****     *****     *****     *****

Rachel and Coleton’s May 21st wedding at Asbury Methodist Church was simply beautiful.

Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingRachel & Coleton Johnson's wedding at Asbury Methodist Church, Fort Payne, AL.

Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingRachel & Coleton Johnson's wedding at Asbury Methodist Church, Fort Payne, AL. Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingDon’t you know her heart was pounding?

Don’t you know her heart was pounding?

Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingRachel & Coleton Johnson's wedding at Asbury Methodist Church, Fort Payne, AL.

Do you see how he looks at her?  That’s the real thing.

Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingRachel & Coleton Johnson's wedding at Asbury Methodist Church, Fort Payne, AL.

It is such a beautiful church. 

Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingThe bride's cake was an assortment of delicious cupcakes.

Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingThe perfect cake for a groom who loves to hunt and fish and loves delicious cake.

Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingBeautiful decor and design.

Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingSweet, personalized decor.

Tina Birmingham did an amazing job of keeping the day running like clockwork and with such lovely wedding design and decor. 

Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingGorgeous bridal bouquet of calla lilies.

Beautiful bouquets of calla lilies.

Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingAn amazing dress.

What a gorgeous dress on a gorgeous bride!

Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingRachel & Coleton Johnson's wedding at Asbury Methodist Church, Fort Payne, AL. Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingThe handsome groom. Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingThe gorgeous bride. Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingJars filled with ingredients for cookies and pies. Best wedding favors ever! Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingRachel & Coleton Johnson - Wedding Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingThe wedding rings. Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingTouching memorial to some of the bride's grandparents.

Congratulations, you two!  I loved being part of your big day. 

Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingRachel & Coleton Johnson - Wedding Rachel & Coleton Johnson - WeddingRachel & Coleton Johnson - Wedding

Now, go love each other for the rest of your lives!

Rentals: Traci's Wedding & Event Rentals

Cake:  Fyffe Flowers, Gifts & Catering

Catering:  Jennifer Fields

Coordinator/Designer:  Tina Birmingham

Evelyn and Cyley’s April wedding was all that and so much more!  Such a sweet, fun couple – I had the most fun doing a great engagement session for them back in January.  Evelyn & Cyley - EngagementEvelyn & Cyley - Engagement

Evelyn & Cyley - EngagementEvelyn & Cyley - Engagement

Evelyn & Cyley - EngagementEvelyn & Cyley - Engagement

Two become one.

Evelyn & Cyley - Wedding PortraitsEvelyn & Cyley - Wedding Portraits

A whole new family begins.

Evelyn & Cyley - Wedding PortraitsEvelyn & Cyley - Wedding Portraits

History starts writing a new story.

Evelyn & Cyley - Wedding PortraitsEvelyn & Cyley - Wedding Portraits

Love binds two hearts together.

Evelyn & Cyley - Wedding PortraitsEvelyn & Cyley - Wedding Portraits

It was awesome to see all their hard work come together in the beautiful details to set the stage for their love story.

Evelyn & Cyley - Wedding PortraitsEvelyn & Cyley - Wedding Portraits

Their faith plays such an important part in their individual lives.  Beginning their married life with that as the foundation is a wonderful thing.

Evelyn & Cyley - Wedding PortraitsEvelyn & Cyley - Wedding Portraits

Simple elegance and style.

Evelyn & Cyley - Wedding PortraitsEvelyn & Cyley - Wedding Portraits

We love because He first loved us.

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Cyley Subias!

Brian and Susanna BlessingBrian and Susanna Blessing - Photographer: Images by Keri Their wedding on a very cool, mid-November afternoon couldn't have been sweeter or more fun.  

Brian and Susanna have such a sweet courtship and engagement story.  Their love - young love - is the bubbly kind.  It makes you grin.  Not smile.  Grin.  When you hear the groom say the word "wife" over and over just for the joy of having one of his own, you grin.  When the bride tells you she wants everything to be perfect but still wants to have a fun time, you grin.

When you realize that these two really understand that a wedding is a big deal, but the really big deal is the marriage they'll build together, you grin and wipe your eyes.  Because they get it.    

Congratulations, Brian and Susie!  I love you both and wish you a wonderful, loving life together!

Hannah Graham | Senior Spokesmodel 2015Hannah Graham | Senior Spokesmodel 2015

Let me tell you a little bit about this beautiful young woman.  A love for horses and children brought her to Challenges Met Therapeutic Riding School, where she assisted special needs as they rode the sweetest horses and experienced the outdoors in a new way.  Roo, the beautiful brown horse you see in her portraits, retired from Challenges Met and became Hannah's.  (He's a real sweetie!)  

Hannah Graham and RooHannah Graham and Roo Class of 2015 Senior Spokesmodel

Hannah is the typical busy, independent young adult.  She works at Salty Dawgs, a new "hot dog hangout" in Fort Payne.  She loves her church family at New Oregon United Methodist Church and loves playing volleyball and basketball.  Spending time with her friends and boyfriend and family fills her schedule.

Hannah Graham | Senior Spokesmodel 2015Hannah Graham | Senior Spokesmodel 2015 A beautiful smile.  A great sense of style.  AMAZING eyes.  Wonderful personality.  Hannah Graham is just beautiful.  

If you're interested in a Senior Portrait Session that shows your style and perfectly captures who you are right now, call and schedule with me today.  I offer session packages that meet everyone's needs and budgets.  256-418-5014  photos@imagesbykeri.com

Do you know Hannah?  Contact her to learn how to get a special discount off any session!  You don't know Hannah?  Don't worry.  Just mention this blog post for your discount!

Judd & Jennie Maxwell

If I could write a love story (other than my own), I think I’d tell one that includes a wedding just like this.  The bride would have the most electric personality, a smile that lights the darkest of rooms and a confident sense of style that all of Paris and Milan would envy.  The groom would be soft-spoken and absolutely stricken with love for his beloved.  The setting would perfectly complement the look and style of every last detail chosen by the bride and groom.  The ceremony, itself, would be sweet and concise.  It is, after all, the act of making official what everyone already knows:  this couple is meant to be together. 

Jennie and Judd were married at the Woman’s Club of Gadsden, a beautiful historic home full of classic and period furnishings, an amazing grand staircase and perfectly vintage bride’s and groom’s rooms.  It was a perfect fit.  It is so easy to imagine this great couple and their portraits lived 100 years ago.

I’m excited for my new friends and their new beginning… together… husband and wife.

Congratulations, Jennie and Judd Maxwell!

The Bolton Family 2014.

I am not sure when I have had more fun with a family for their portraits.  As a photographer, I *know* that not everyone likes to have their portrait made.  I certainly don't.  (That explains why I'm usually holding the camera, rather than smiling at it.)  This family was just plain awesome.

The ones that lived in other states had driven home to visit their parents for the Easter weekend.  They had been trying to get all four siblings, spouses and children under the same roof at the same time for too long not to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and do a big family portrait.

They coordinated a basic color scheme that would be easy for everyone to work with, which is such a smart plan.

We were threatened by some light rain showers right up to our session time.  Thankfully, they faded and just the right amount of sunlight came out.

The Bolton family is filled with the fun-loving people that you want to spend the afternoon with.  Pull up a lawn chair.  Sip on a sweet tea.  Talk about the kids and growing up.  And laugh until your side hurts.

Thank you, Sandy, Cindy, Becky, Eddy, Mr. and Mrs. Bolton.  Thank you for sharing an afternoon of your Easter weekend with me.

Instead, I'll tell you that she is an example of the wonderful results of home-schooling and Christian education.  At 17, she is dual-enrolled in college.  She studied ballet locally for many years.  She now teaches dance to younger students, while driving to Huntsville each week to continue more advanced training for herself.

It was so much fun to make her senior portraits.  I have to admit to being excited to take pictures of her dancing.  She is so graceful and strong.  

I'm always honored to make a person's portraits.  Joanna is no exception.

God bless you out in the world!

Ryan Pierson | Senior Portrait | Fort Payne High SchoolRyan Pierson | Class of 2014

Everywhere he goes, he inspires and encourages and impresses others.  He is so creative and intelligent.  He has great, big dreams that I believe he will, one day, fulfill.  God has given him many gifts, and it is exciting to wait and see how He will use them.

Ryan, you're my hero.

Miss Tatum Campbell
Sylvania High School
Class of 2014

One day, this girl will write a book.  I’m not sure why I believe this, I just feels right.  I think she has a story to tell.  I think she may have many stories to tell. 

Tatum’s mom contacted me for her senior portraits.  She wanted to do something really special to honor her amazing daughter.  How amazing?  Let’s see if I can hit the highlights (forgive me, Tatum, I know I’ll miss some things.)

• Honor roll
• “Most Talented” in her class
• Faithful and active in her church youth group
• Taking college courses while finishing high school
• Tennis team
• Hunts deer
• Rides horses
• Sings like a lark
• Plays the guitar

Her mom describes her as her “joy, light and inspiration”, her “sunshine.”  That is so easy to see and understand.  Tatum is a beautiful person with a loving, generous soul.

Knowing these things about Tatum, we planned an excursion to some beautiful locations in our area.  The weekend we chose was perfectly timed with the peak Autumn tree colors.  Tatum brought the cutest wardrobe, which we planned to coordinate with the locations.

With a total of 13 locations, we were busy all afternoon.  But it was SO MUCH FUN!  The wind was just right.  The sky was bright and beautiful.  The temperature could have been about 5 degrees warmer for the outfits with bare legs and arms, but you would have never known Tatum was freezing.  She was a trooper.

---

I have learned something as I’ve edited Tatum’s portraits.  I have thought about her family and her life.  I have realized that life is what you make it.  One choice can have an impact on your life and the life of others for years.  Some choices are trivial.  Some are huge.  When I think of Tatum, I see a life where the big choices are being made carefully, considering the long-term – even eternal – impacts.  I see a life where really good things happen.

I see a life where really big things *will* happen.

---

Your child only graduates from high school once.  This time is amazing and unlike any other in their life.  Give them your best.  Give them your love.

---

Tatum Campbell
Sylvania High School
Class of 2014

This amazing beauty is one of my older daughter's close friends.  She’s part of the flock of girls that comes and goes at our house so much that we expect her to be here and miss her when she’s not.  In fact, she's more than that.  She is the daughter of a friend of mine from my own childhood. 

It's just the sweetest feeling when life comes full circle like this.

Harley is one of those girls who is involved in a wide variety of activities.  She hunts with her dad, plays soccer, is an honor student, involved in her church youth group and competes in pageants.  Actually, she wins most of her pageants.  That should be obvious when you look at her.

So, when her mother asked me if I would do some new headshots for her photogenic competitions, I was so excited.  It’s a new niche for me, and I couldn’t wait to give it a try. 

---

Let me tell you something I’m learning lately.

Teen girls are fascinating and challenging, in many ways.  They’re so smart.  They’ve seen so much of the world already, most of which they would be better off having NOT seen yet.  They’re constantly bombarded with negative messages about their worth or the source of that worth.  As a parent of a girl who will turn 13 in two short months, I do my best to stand guard over her innocence and reinforce the truths her dad and I have taught her. 

Harley’s parents are doing a great job of this with her.  She has a confidence in who she is and who loves her.  She knows that her physical beauty pales to the beauty in her heart.  She believes that anything is possible and is determined to make the world a better place.

I pray that she never, ever forgets this.

To be five years old again...

To live in the magic of childhood...

To see everything through her eyes...

To search tirelessly for a four-leaf clover...

To chase fireflies...

To believe everything is possible...

---

I love this sweet, little girl.  She is so full of energy and curiosity.  In the past year, she has grown and matured so much.  She had my little boy's attention as I made her portraits a few weeks ago.  As we would walk from one spot to another, they would hold hands and talk about the dog or the cat or superheroes or whatever came to their imaginative minds.

Her mom is a treasure to me, personally.  Our connection as friends began through her work as a nurse and our common interests and challenges as moms.  Now that I know her as a friend, I'm so thankful to know there are professionals in her field with such a loving and giving heart. 

---

Portraits of children are so much fun.  I always make a plan and lead them and am patient and make it fun and take silly-time breaks.  But there is always a large level of unpredictability - which makes for the best surprises.  The image above was taken toward the end of our session, and I was suspecting that she was about to thank me for my time and services and dismiss me.  One last glance my way, though, and click!

---

Fall is at its most beautiful right now.  Go see the glowing colors around you, they will blow away in just a few days.  I have my plans made for finding some amazing foliage this weekend, do you?

---

Click here for a slideshow of all the images from my session with Miss J and her beautiful mom.

For a peek back at Miss J's session from 2012, click here.

Heather is beautiful.

It's portraits like this that I love most, and it thrills me to be able to capture this and share it here. 

Saying much more would only detract from her amazing, natural beauty.

...

Heather is an excellent musician and plays in her high school bands.  Making her senior portraits was big fun, probably because I reminisced with her about my own high school band days more than a little bit. 

With her thoughtful approach to life, I am sure that she will do great things after high school.

Congratulations, Heather!  Your world awaits!

Confident.  Sweet and confident.

Silena's grandmother (Hi, Jennifer!) asked me to make her senior portraits for her this past weekend.  I don't think I could have imagined a better day for it either.  A blue-bird sky.  Nice breeze, to move her beautiful hair and the skirt of her dress.

It was just perfect.

Silena is a beautiful girl.  I really enjoyed talking with her and getting to know her.  I feel sure that her days after high school will be full of adventure and joy. 

Go conquer the world, Silena.  Nothing can stop you.

This portrait of this young man stopped me in my tracks.

Koty is a local high school senior.  He charmed me so much during his senior portrait session this weekend.  He is so polite and handsome.  He is a great catch for his girlfriend and someone that should make his mom proud.

In planning his session, his mother and I discussed how we could incorporate his interests and hobbies into his portraits.  In addition to a more classic and casual style portrait, we used his duck decoys and camouflage hunting clothes, and he wandered out into the edge of our pond for some duck-hunting portraits.  The last few minutes he pulled on his (very heavy) fire-fighting gear. 

His post-graduation plans are to go to school so that he can be an EMT and continue to be a fire-fighter.  This is one amazing dude with a generous, sacrificial nature.  I see a bright future for him.

Robin, you've done well. 

It's October, and here in north Alabama, the trees haven't yet reached their beautiful, colorful peak.  Watch out, though.  It will be over before you realize it.  And this time of year is such a great time in our area for outdoor portraits. 

Yesterday was a really fun, busy day for me.  I had a great time making senior portraits for three really cool kids.  (I sure do hope I don't kill their cool factor by calling them kids!) 

I'm still sifting through, TRYING my darnedest to find images that aren't beautiful.  It's hard! 

So, I'm teasing you with a portrait from last year of a really cool guy who will be featured in an upcoming senior portrait-themed post.

(Hi, Ryan!)

If you have a high school senior in your family or group of friends, send them over to me.  If they book with me, you can get something cool too.

!!!!

Almost forgot!!!  Christy Keith of Salon MaC and I are partnering up to provide senior portrait sessions for girls who would like professional hair and makeup styling too.  (You have NO IDEA how much I would have loved to had this when I finished high school!)  (no idea!)  AND we are giving a 50% discount to one girl during the month of November.  Click here to go to the facebook post and enter by leaving a comment with your name or the name of the senior girl!  On November 1, we will randomly choose one name from all comments. 

So, go out there and make this week great.  Do something fun.  Look around at the trees and the amazing October skies.  Give someone a hug!

My life and work have been a little frenetic this week.  The family has kept me running around - a trip to Chattanooga with the husband, soccer games with the Biggest, to and from school with the Middle, doctor's appointment with the Little, groceries, client sales appointments...

I have high hopes of a nap this afternoon, but I feel sure that it just won't happen.  There's still so much to do.

Being a photographer is a lot like being a parent...  You have to be ready to handle every possible responsibility.  So, today, I'm neck-deep in a couple of projects with short deadlines.

And because you're here, you want to know what I've got simmering in my proverbial pot, right?

right?

Marketing.  I am putting together some new promotional materials, featuring my most recent work.  If I've worked with you this year, keep an eye out for your gorgeous face to be floating around! 

Inspiration.  Dear Sweet Tea, I love Pinterest.  I have a personal account where I keep track of all the things I want to cook and eat.  There are also boards there with links to really fun and neat projects.  I've come to terms with the fact that I'll never really do 90% of those things.  I'm ok with that.  And, because I can over-organize at times, I have a separate Pinterest account where I pin beautiful images that inspire me in photography. 

I have boards that I use to display my own work, as well as link to all sorts of things that are useful to me, as a photographer, and my clients.  Everything from maternity, family and senior portraits to wedding photography and bridal portraits - I am having so much fun pinning!

If you are on Pinterest, take a minute (or sixty!) and click over to my Pinterest boards -  www.pinterest.com/imagesbykeri

If you find something to pin and want me to see it, just tag me with @imagesbykeri  I'll get an email, telling  me you've been (thinking of me) pinning and tagging me.  I'll click on over there and see what you've got goin' on!

I suppose I need to quit my lolly-gagging and get back to work.

What kinds of things keep you going back to Pinterest?

What marketing or promotional things have you received in the past that got your attention?  What did you like most about it?

Happy 2nd Birthday to our sweet, little Cupcake.  They didn't think you'd be here this long.  They didn't think you'd do all the things you do.  They don't know what we know...  

Nothing will stop you.

This beautiful, little girl just turned one.  She has the most beautiful, milky skin and brightest blue eyes.

Her parents, whom I've known for many years, invited me to make her first birthday portraits and do family portraits, as well.  It was a little like a family reunion, with lots of laughs and old stories and catching up on mutual friends and extended family.

As I was going through the photos from this fun session, I realized a few things:

1. A big family is a wonderful thing.
2. This family is one I'm glad to know.
3. This little girl doesn't yet realize how very good she has it, as the youngest in this group of loving, giving people.

I had so much fun.  I did some portraits of the birthday girl alone, with her parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles and then the whole group all together!

Thank you, Marc and Suzanne! 

(This is our youngest child, known online as Cupcake.  This was her first birthday portrait.  I have yet to make her second birthday portraits.)

Cupcake is crossing a big hurdle today.  She has been out of our sight and arms for two hours and thirty minutes now.  She is doing well.  We will be with her again in another hour or so.

We didn't sleep well last night.  We have dreaded today so much.  We dread the next four to six weeks also.  Once she has recovered from this, she will be unstoppable. 

She is such a tough little kid.  She is so smart, determined, independent, resilient, loving, easy-going, opinionated, funny and amazing.  She will do great things in her life.  Her life, alone, is a great thing.

Today...

We are so very thankful for the tender care given to her by her nurses and doctors and technicians.  They clearly love their work. 

We are so very thankful for the access we have to a world-class medical team and a facility designed to meet the needs of their sweet, little patients and families.

We are so very thankful for the friends and family that have, without fail, sent their love to us and their prayers to the Father for us.

We are so very thankful for the honor of being parents to this little girl who shouldn't have survived but is beating every odd stacked against her.

We are so very thankful for the future she faces. 

So, today is hard.  Very hard.  But today holds many bright promises.

Have you ever tried to photograph lightning?  It's terribly difficult.

Did you know that lightning can inhabit the body of two year-olds?  It's totally true.

Homeboy here, Carson, is the smartest, funniest and fastest thing on two feet.  Can't you see how cute he is?  For some reason, his dad just couldn't see it when I took this photo.

::snicker::

This was one of those moments when Mom and I were whistling and hooting and quacking and mooing and pointing and doing everything we could to get him to look in my direction.  I am clearly not as interesting as his Mommy. 

Clay and Kim are such beautiful people.  I love them dearly and am honored to be their photographer and sister-in-law. 

Family is a funny thing.  We all have family that is challenging in many ways.  There's always that uncle who thinks he is funny, but he is really only very obnoxious and offensive.  There's the aunt that is more like a sister.  There's a cousin who never ceases to surprise you - good and bad.  Then there are in-laws. 

And I have the best ones.  Period.

 -White River National Forest, Colorado, USA

I'm going to be very honest right now.  I'm in a rotten mood.  I didn't get enough sleep, but that's nothing new.  The rush out of the house to get the Big Kids to school was hectic, again that's nothing new.  Tempers flared and frustrations were spoken without tenderness and respect; there's a pattern here. 

Days like today make me feel like I'm a the high C piano string and someone is banging away on the key.

So, I'm doing what all self-absorbed bloggers do, and telling you all about it.  I'm hoping the exercise of writing about my stress will help me get a better perspective on it and let go of the tension.  I'm hoping by typing the words that I tell Sissy all the time will help me do what I recommend to her...

Choose your attitude.  Choose your perspective.

From J. Donald Waters, via www.quotesoup.com:

"Happiness is an attitude of mind, born of the simple determination to be happy under all outward circumstances."

I think I will look back through some vacation photos and remember the beauty of this world and my wonderful family.  I will try to focus on what went right today, not what went wrong.  I will close my eyes and remember the smile on Dude's face when he saw me at school for the book fair and that strong hug he gave me after he picked out his new book of science experiments.  I will look at Cupcake's sweet, little toes, dirty from scooting and crawling without socks or shoes.  I will remember the expression on Sissy's face when she kicked from near mid-field and scored a goal last night.  I will smile when I think of how happy it makes Chad to be home with his family and how very much he loves us.

I choose to be content.  I choose gratitude.  I choose joy and laughter.

Is that the choice you made today too? 

Are there days when you feel like a grizzly bear with a toothache?

For those of us who have children, it’s a very busy season.  School has started, which brings with it homework, class projects, sports, events, teacher conferences.  Just typing that made me think of all the commitments and appointments I have to keep and all the chauffeuring I have to do, and that made me tired.

And if you are like me and need help prioritizing your Christmas shopping, make this your homepage http://daystochristmas.net/.

Do you want to know something embarrassing?  I haven’t sent out a Christmas card in several years.  Let’s also acknowledge the irony that I haven’t even considered doing a photo card.  Chad and I take the kids to see Santa at the mall and buy the obligatory photo of the almost-teenager cringing at having to participate, the six year-old thrilled and preparing his extensive list and the toddler screaming her terrified head off.  That has been my sole accomplishment in the area of Christmas-time family portraits.

This year, I hope to do better for our family.  I have a plan.  I’m going to put the camera on a tripod.  I’m going to connect the remote to it.  I’m going to get everyone dressed in clothes that don’t have holes or stains.  We are going to look at the camera and wait for the youngest to look there too.  We are going to make a family portrait.

So, how about you?  Do you have plans for your Christmas cards? 

Ducks at Sprague Lake

Since I lack the imagination and focus to develop a fictional storyline, I write about my life.  I remember the old advice to all writers, "write what you know."  That is what I follow when it is time to put pen to paper - or fingers to keys, as it were.

So, I've written about the things I do and see and hear.  I tell about the people I know and meet.  I share the things I love and hate dislike. 

Tonight, as I watch a rerun of Saturday Night Live, I'm trying to figure out how to shape this here blog.  I believe I will share with you a little of who I am.  Anything else seems ... inauthentic.

If you don't already know me, you will soon. 

Brace yourself. 

What do you want to know about me?