Happy Friday!!!. Today we’re sharing another one of our most favorite things and raving about an amazing time management technique.
Our fave this week: Sweet Summer Time
Get ready, it’s almost here!!! The calendar says it’s still Spring for a few more weeks, but we’ve already hit 90 degrees so we might be calling this one early! Our Summer loves: family time, green grass, gorgeous flowers, pool time, beach lounging, summer break with no school (for the kids) and of course wedding season!!
We absolutely swoon over beach weddings this time of year too. So, if you are wondering…. yes, we are willing to travel to ALL places beachy!
Summer time sure is sweet, but it’s also our busiest time of year. So, to make the most of it we have to be super efficient which brings us to our rave…
Rave: The Pomodoro
The pomodoro is a time management technique that enhances focus and concentration. It’s designed to break up tasks into little chunks and motivate you to get them done. I (Jessica) have been pomodoroing ever since Bobbi taught it to me at the AMAZING Bobbi+Mike Workshop and it has revolutionized how I work.
What you need: A kitchen timer (one that ticks) and a to-do list
Steps:
1. Choose a task to be accomplished
2. Set your timer to 25 minutes
3. Work on the task until the timer rings
4. Take a short break (5 minutes is OK)
5. Every 4 Pomodoros earns you a 30 minute break
One thing that has really helped me is adding a time next to tasks on my to-do list. For example: upload images for a wedding post – 1 pomodoro. Not only does it help me break it up large tasks, but it has also forced me to re-evaluate my workflow so that I can be more efficient. And, because I am (almost sickly) competitive it makes me work faster. If I culled 300 images in one pomodoro I’ll try to complete 350 during the next one. Basically… I’m killing my to-do list. Like a boss. All thanks to the pomodoro and Mr Hooty McOwlson, my pomodoro buddy.
So brides, I challenge you to some pomodoring. Do you have invitations to stamp and address? Got a pile of Thank You’s to write? How many pomodoro’s will it take? And… GO!!!
PS. I totally wrote this post in one pomodoro… BOOM!!
Ellen and JT have made a little home on the blog this year. You might remember their awesome engagement session in Montevallo or Ellen’s bridal session in Tuscaloosa. We loved getting to know them and were super excited about their wedding but must admit we are a little sad that we won’t be seeing them again for a while. Before we say goodbye let’s get on with the good stuff… Ellen and JT said, ‘I Do’ at First Baptist in Tuscaloosa, AL.
This photo of Ellen’s Dad seeing her in THE dress for the first time… LOVE!!
Time for the first look. We think they were kind of excited to see each other.
Congratulations Mr and Mrs Spann!! We are going to miss y’all!
Catering: One Stop Weddings
Happy Friday Y’all!! This weekend is Mother’s Day, YAY Moms! As a gift to each other we got together and took some portraits with our girls.
Alisa: Choosing a favorite from our session was so hard. I had about 25 “favorites” tagged. I loved getting to have photos with just me and my girls. I have photos of each of them individually that I have taken and of the 3 of them together, but so many times, I am behind the camera and not actually photographed in the photo with them. It was special for me to have photos of me and the girls together. So, after much thought, I decided to choose one individual of me and each of them. My favorite thing about being a mom is learning and knowing each of my children individually. They are each so unique and have such vast personalities. As they are growing up, it is amazing to see them develop into their own unique person. I hope to help them each grow in each of their abilities that God has given so uniquely to them as individuals. I also hope to help them learn from mistakes, try new things and just learn to appreciate all that they have to give. They are already each strong, independent, funny and smart young girls. While sometimes I want to stop time and cherish the moments that seem to go so fast, I am excited to see what the future holds for each of them too.
Jessica: My favorite photo is of me, mini-me and puppy playing peek-a-boo. My favorite thing about being a mom is being an example. Having a daughter makes me face my fears because I want her to know nothing is impossible. Being a mom has pushed me to follow my dreams because I want her to do the same. Knowing that I am her example is super rewarding yet, sometimes scary because I am not perfect but I hope to teach her that’s OK too.
We loved getting all the girls together for a session. It is, no doubt, a tradition we will keep as a gift for us and for our daughters. It also made us realize how much these portraits will mean when our girls are moms themselves.
Also… Happy Mother’s Day to our wonderful Mom’s!! We Love You!!
“Y’all have to drive to Atlanta after this, right?”
“Yes, but we can take our time. I know it’s important to Whitney.”
That is the moment we fell in love with Lanier. They had an early afternoon wedding and Whitney arranged to have an extended portrait session with us after their reception. Lanier was a man in love and he was happy to pose with his bride. And she… she adores him for that. Whitney and Lanier said, ‘I Do’ at Children’s Harbor overlooking Lake Martin in Alex City.
This last photo… can you imagine what their grandchildren will think when they see it? Do you have photos of your grandparents like this? If you do, treasure them!!
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Today we are debuting a new series of blog posts to address some of our most frequently asked questions. And, were kicking it off with “The List.” (dun dun dunnnn).
Q: Do you work with a shot list?
Wedding websites, magazines and (some) blogs still advise brides to compile a list of cookie-cutter photo ideas to give to their photographer such as, ‘full-length shot of bride in gown checking herself out in mirror’. These wedding resources not only continue to print these lists, but make is seem as if brides would be remiss if they didn’t offer this sort of advice to the professional they’ve hired. Why? We have no clue.
A: Yes, we have a list… but not that kind of list.
We do work with brides to make a list for family formals only. We have a standard set of family photos that we do for each wedding, but we ask for your input in planning any extras so we do not miss a photo with a special family member or guest. While we do need a list of family names and relationships, we don’t
shoot with a photo list for the entire wedding day as described above. Why? Weddings are fast-paced and a sort of organized chaos, but they have a natural ebb and flow. If we are fumbling around checking our phone or a printed list all day, we are sure to miss the moments that are happening right in front of us. The moments that are genuine and unique to your wedding and are not premeditated, stiff or cookie-cutter. The moments that you will cherish for generations to come.
Also, we have photographed many weddings. We know that you want a photo of your bouquet, your shoes and your something borrowed. We have a running list of shots in our minds from what we see all around us. That being said, if you are carrying your great grandmothers bible down the aisle and it has an inscription inside the front cover written by your great grandfather on their wedding day… we want to know about that. We love being included in the details of planning that make each wedding unique. However, when it comes to our shooting style, we love to walk in with a fresh eye to capture what makes this wedding yours. Trying to be a version of someone else’s work is not what we are about and probably not why you liked our portfolio. We feel there is a reason God made us each unique and wonderful in our own way. We love celebrating that with you and documenting it for you. It’s the best part of what we do.
Ellen and JT became MR. and MRS. on Saturday which means you get to see Ellen’s bridals! We photographed Ellen’s bridal portraits at the President’s Mansion on campus at The University of Alabama. The weather was quite literally “picture perfect” and lots of other photographers were taking advantage. One awesome thing about shooting bridal sessions is that other photographers and passers-by are super nice and accommodating. Ellen even had a fan club. Two little girls were having portraits taken and were just smitten. They told her she was pretty a thousand times. It was adorable and we think you’ll agree.
Happy Friday Y’all!! Today we are talking about something we both keep in our camera bag and a thought provoking book.
Fave: Chapstick. Honestly, it’s more than a fave, we miiiight be obsessed. We both keep a (at least one) tube our camera bag because, like Napoleon Dynamite, without it our lips hurt real bad. Gah! We checked and between the two of us we have 13 tubes squirreled away in our desk drawers, purses, cars, etc. So, if you find yourself at a shoot or a wedding and suddenly realize that you are in need of non-chapped lips, we might just have an unopened tube on hand from our backup supply. As chapstick connoisseurs we have probably tried them all and prefer mint flovored (Alisa) and Carmex (Jessica).
Rave: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
This book is not simply about money as much as it is about riches in your grasp such as lasting friendships and harmonious family relationships. As mothers who own and operate a business we’re constantly fighting to find balance between work and life and the chapter on organized planning gave us a lot to digest. The book contains a ‘Six-Step Success Plan’ as well as several exercises to move you towards your own riches. We give this book 5 out of 5 stars!
… millions of people falsely believe that ‘knowledge is power.’ It is nothing of the sort! Knowledge is only potential power. It becomes power only when, and if, it is organized into definite plans of action and directed to a definite end.
It’s almost the weekend! This Alabama weather is looking beautiful! Hope you grab a good book and your chapstick and enjoy it!
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Meet Brittney and Buddy. The race track is their home away from home. Buddy races and Brittney cheers him on. Taking a tip from our post on how to make the most of your engagement session they wanted to incorporate their passion for racing into their session. You want to bring your car and shoot ON the track? AWESOME!
The clouds had been threatening rain but after a wardrobe and location change they parted and gave us a beautiful sunset. Gorgeous couple and a gorgeous sky… what a way to end a session!!
Brittney and Buddy are getting married this Fall but we get to see Brittney again soon for her bridal session! Can’t wait!!
Meet Blaire and Chuck (aaand que the Gossip Girl narrative). Blaire booked her wedding after a series of emails and phone calls and we didn’t actually meet her until the wedding day. After about 5 minutes we were like besties though. It’s amazing how quickly girls can bond over a pretty dress, some jewelry and fab shoes. When it was time for their first look we had literally known them for 30 minutes but their love was so enchanting that we both got a little misty eyed. And that? That’s what we LOVE about weddings! Blaire and Chuck said ‘I Do’ at the First Baptist Church of Selma and celebrated with a reception at Historic Sturdivant Hall.
Meet Halie and Jesse. They’re getting married this year in North Carolina and already have a photographer back at home, but they wanted their engagement portraits to be taken on campus at Samford University. They contacted us y’all know we have a crush on college campuses so how were we going to say no? After meeting them we must admit that we are a little jealous of their wedding photographer because they were so much fun! We hope y’all have a FAB wedding!!