A few weeks ago I headed out with Emily to shoot her bridal portraits for her announcement. What made this day so much fun is that in spite of the rain, Emily really let loose and had a good time with our session, and in the end, even though we were really shooting for announcement images, we walked away with some of my favorite bridal portraits!

A huge congratulations to Emily and Matt, who married this past Saturday in Birmingham. There are amazing images coming soon from their wedding day. In the meantime, check out the new Mrs. Coe in her striking bridal gown…

Dress from Ivory & White - one of my fave boutiques!

Super hot images to come. (It just seems like a good time for a sneak).

So, I got together with Katie and Jonathan recently to shoot their engagement session. I loved this session because they were just so FUN. At the end of the day, I want my clients to just have beautiful images and a great time…and these two really had fun with each other. It didn’t hurt that Katie might have a double life where she secretly models for a living. I would talk about a concept, and before I got halfway through, she’d say, “Like this?” and BLAM. It was ridiculous. She also laughed pretty much the entire time - so I guess we’re just very like-minded. (Picture me pointing back and forth a lot and going, “we’re like this!”).

I also really appreciated that Katie and Jonathan let me do whatever I wanted. They were up for anything - and I was bound and determined to push myself. We ended up with some pretty cool concepts…I’m not gonna lie. We also did a few things that were just absurd, but that’s part of the artistic experience, right? It’s going to be a lot of fun to share this session when its completed, because I can see a clearer direction of where I’m going as an artist. This has been a slam packed year, and it’s so rewarding to get to the end, look back, and see where your eye and vision are going.

Also, I shot a newborn yesterday - something I almost never do. He peed on a cake-platter. I’ll post some awesomeness from that soon - so there’s another sneak!

Okay, writing this is slightly terrifying. I’m questioning the wisdom in putting this post on the blog before I’ve even started. I suppose that’s a satisfactory introduction to Truth Day. So, if you twitter at all, you may have noticed the #truthday tags already, or even have participated. In which case, you know what to expect in this post. If you are unfamiliar with #truthday (or twitter for that matter); basically, this will be a post of random truths from me.

A couple of weeks back, I was completely inspired and in awe of a blog post by Lara Casey, in which she really just put her heart and soul out on the line. It was refreshing to read, and I found myself mulling over whether or not I had it in me to do the same. Now granted, Lara is far more interesting than I, so I’m really not sure if anyone cares at all about my own Truth Day. But, that’s really not what it is supposed to be about.

I’ve been reflecting on my life a lot lately as I’m going through some pretty major life changes. So, now seems as good a time as any to do this myself. With that said, here goes…

THE TRUTH

I’m scared about our move and starting a new life on the other side of the country.

I believe that what other people think of me is their business and not mine, but I have a hard time living that.

I’m better with music.

I can’t multi-task. At all. Not even a little.

On occasion, I can be a phenomenal public speaker.

I have a “sexy dance” that’s not sexy in the least. I pretend like I don’t know it.

I’m not a very good writer, and I wish that I was.

I know that I haven’t even really begun my professional journey, and I’m excited about where it could go.

I have horrible attention issues. I’ll have a flash of brilliance, and then forget it in the blink of an eye.

I couldn’t possibly be any prouder of my amazing husband.

I’m generous. To the point that it can impact my life in negative ways.

I live a sober lifestyle.

Red Bull is my coping mechanism for long shoots. Then I crash and feel absolutely awful.

I became a Christian on March 25, 2000. On that day, my life was no longer my own.

I’m extremely enthusiastic and outgoing. This can be both a strength and a weakness.

I’m self-deprecating by nature, and need to tone it down.

Sometimes, I annoy myself when I’m alone. I feel like that’s hard to do.

I wish I had the same ambition and gumption as my husband.

I once wore all black for a year based solely on a pair of combat boots I was obsessed with. It really wasn’t teen angst and I was a poser. But I loved those boots.

PHOTOGRAPHY TRUTH

I invest 100% of myself in each client I work with.

I’m emotionally attached to each of my brides.

I prefer film to digital.

I have been blessed beyond measure in my business, and am grateful every single day to be able to do what I love.

I dance a lot in the studio…and I love it.

Well, I never thought it could actually happen. This is my last post of the month of blogging EVERY SINGLE DAY! I can’t believe I made it - it seemed an insurmountable thing to take on. And now I get to check this off of the 101 in 1001 list!

One major benefit of embarking on and finishing this venture, is it really got me to start thinking about blogging in a whole new way. I’m gonna be honest here - I don’t particularly enjoy blogging. Up to now, I really only looked at this blog as a way to update work, as my website was SO outdated (soon to be fixed!), and give clients a little bit of a peek at their images as they were waiting for proofs. But now, I’ve started to enjoy the blog. I can’t believe I just wrote that…I’m picking up my jaw as I write. I’ve realized that this blog can be an incredible networking tool, and a way to connect with people in profound ways.

I used to be terrified of blogging. There, I said it. Petrified really. There were all the normal fears - what to write? would anyone read it? does anyone CARE? what if people hate what I have to say? what if they hate my work? It’s really scary to put yourself out there for the world to see, and then evaluate! But I got over the initial fears with a little help from my friends. Encouragement came from the most unexpected places. And so I moved on to my more specific issues and insecurities to work through. How to portray myself - I’m a southerner after all, and bless my heart, I better act like a lady on the blog! And yet, I wanted to be myself, and…shocker…I’m not always wearing pearls with sorority t-shirts - I mean, there’s a little funky-ness to my personality. Could I be that person on the internet? Is it unprofessional? What about the fact that I’m an atrociously terrible writer? Well, this past summer has taught me how to work through all of that as well.

Picture me looking in a mirror here and having a Stuart Smalley moment. But really, it has been a big lesson that you can connect with people, grow as an artist, and settle into yourself. I feel like by putting myself out there - I’m still working it out a little bit - but, I have started to come to grips with who I am as a photographer, and where I want to go.

Sure, there have been not-so-fun lessons learned. As readership has grown, so have random haters. Always anonymous of course - but you learn to laugh at those who take the time to try to tear you down. My favorite hate mail I’ve gotten so far was, “You’re over-rated and I hate your dogs”. I mean, really? I absolutely love it. And, some friends pointed out that if I wasn’t getting more and more random hate posts, then I wouldn’t be growing my readership base and studio presence. True. Or at least I chose to believe it - and that’s all that really matters. At the end of the day (or month), I learned to be myself, look for the positive, take things in stride, and choose to be remarkable - in my own way and on my own terms. All good things.

So, thanks for reading! You have each been so important to this journey and I am forever grateful. Here I am with a few of my friends, all of whom have been vastly encouraging and supportive! And this is how dang happy I am to have finished this month of blogging!!!

I have enjoyed getting to know Shea and Jeremy! Their friendship with one another is so true and fast, and I think being best friends with your betrothed really comes out in engagement pictures!

We spent a dreary muggy day out and about in downtown Birmingham, and loved every minute of it. Above all else, these two are FUN. And they took me to breakfast after our session - yummy. (That really sealed the deal on our new friendship)!

The spirit of their relationship is so aptly reflected in their images, and they just make me happy. I am SO looking forward to their upcoming wedding! Congratulations Shea and Jeremy!

Yep, you read that title right. Completely random post? Sure. Totally worth the randomness? You’re the judge…

So, here I am in an upscale hotel in Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles. This is our base of operations as we search for our new home on the west coast. Gorgeous town! I really love this community. And really nice hotel - intimate, sophisticated, cozy - you really couldn’t ask for more.

Enter my Larry David life < here >. I’m sitting in the bar yesterday, in the early evening, just taking a break with my husband before dinner. We had drinks and appetizers, enjoying the view. I ordered a shrimp cocktail. After eating four of my six shrimp, I decided I’d had enough and headed up to the room to blog and get ready for dinner. Then, after I left, this guy in a suit asks my husband if I didn’t like the shrimp. He replies, “she liked it, she was just done” - thinking he was asking for a recommendation for appetizers. Like any normal person would assume…

Well, he turned around for a minute to order a drink, and when he turned back around, the dish was still there…but the last two shrimp were GONE. And weirder, this guy is hiding his hand underneath his coat. REALLY? WHAT? Who eats leftover shrimp? In a nice hotel? In a suit? Like a spy? Seriously?!

So, that was that. The Shrimp Scavenger. Just a little tale of my normal Larry David life…but now on the west coast.

YEA! Shea and Jeremy are engaged! I am so excited for these two lovebirds - it is always affirming to see someone choose to marry their very best friend. What a great relationship, and how exciting that Shea and Jeremy found each other. Our whole session was a hoot! They love to be with each other…and laugh…a lot. I tend to enjoy life a lot too, so we were a pretty good match!

A huge thanks to you both for getting up at the crack of dawn for me. I enjoyed our adventures through Birmingham and great breakfast following!

I hope everyone enjoys a few images from the engagement session of one of the most fun couples around…