Monday, January 26, 2009

Baby Tag-Along with Amber Holrtiz-Top 10 :)

Saturday I had the AWESOME opportunity to spend some time with Chattanooga photographer Amber Holrtiz. I think the best way to describe my adventure is to say it's definitely in the Top 10 Moments of my life. :) (Amber-when you read this, please don't think I'm crazy!! I am just super exited!) After I read Amber's blog post about our day, I told Wesley today that it made my week, month, year. That is not an understatement. I am just THAT excited.

We met Saturday morning at 10:30 at Panera in Chattanooga. I had my list of questions ready (after losing my original list, panicking, & recreating it, but no worries!) & we whizzed through those fairly quickly. We were supposed to have a session with a sweet little 10 month old boy, but at around 11:20ish we had to change our plans. Baby Zachary was very sick and not quite up for a visit from some crazy photographers. Thankfully, Amber was able to find a family who wanted her to come do a session for them on short notice (imagine that!-I texted Brittany during the search & I think she got a little hopeful that we would make a trip to Cleveland!). The change of plans allowed for some extra question/answer/discussion time, which I loved. Amber & I discussed client relations, pricing, album design, post-processing, etc. It was a very valuable experience, & I am looking forward to making some important changes in Skelton Photography. Then, we headed on over for our session. Amber handled the session as she would any other & I was free to ask questions, etc. as needed.

I tried narrowing down the number of images I wanted to share in this post & decided it just wasn't worth it. :) Sit back, relax, & enjoy my favorite images from the day, with a few moments of me in action thanks to Amber.
Katie & Emeline love playing bubbles when Emeline is in her high chair. Gregsby joined in the fun too. My 2nd favorite moment I captured during our visit.

Amber in action :)

LOVE this baby girl's face. It totally cracks me up.

Gregsby being a great father, husband, & all around person by changing a horribly stinky diaper. :)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE baby eyelashes.
Amber caught me taking.....
....this image. Fun reading times. Katie taught 1st grade, so she had lots of my favorite books. :)

My favorite Amber Action moment. So funny because she got a similar one of me lying on my belly for a shot.

Katie is so beautiful! Such a wonderful mom. I LOVED hearing Gregsby & Katie sing "Chicken Fried" & "Dixieland Delight" to Miss Emeline. She was hysterical-she danced & bobbed her head the entire time.

If I have ever been in your home & stood in your chair for a shot, it's because I learned from the best. :)
This is my #1 Favorite image from the day.Sweet, quiet moments.



Amber taking her famous self-portrait.

And I LOVED this series Amber had on her blog. So fun!
Thanks Emeline & Family, you were GREAT!Amber, a simple "thank you" cannot even begin to touch what I want to say. I thoroughly enjoyed "tagging along" for the session, for your advice, input & help, & the nicest words of encouragement I have heard. Thank you.
If you are a photographer who is interested in a tag along, be sure to contact Amber. If you are on the fence & have questions, please feel free to email me. I am more than happy to tell you about our amazing day.
If you are STILL reading this long blog post, THANK YOU!
Please enjoy the slideshow Amber put together of the favorites we chose of my images.
Be sure to click on over to her blog & see the galleries & her slideshow as well.

Whew. That was long! :) To my loyal blog readers who are wondering about that 2008 Image Contest, since some people cannot choose ONE image (how hard is that?! I mean, look at me, can't you see how I narrowed it down for this post!!?!!), I will be having a "Vote Off." More info to come this week.

The End. :)

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Baby Tag Along with Amber Holritz

Saturday I had the awesome opportunity to accompany Chattanooga lifestyle baby photographer Amber Holritz to visit with sweet baby Emeline and her family. I have been SO incredibly excited about this opportunity for a few weeks! I am going to post a sneak peek now and will have a full post tomorrow.
Katie & Gregsby love to play music and sing with Emeline. And she LOVES it. I have never seen a baby so into some music! It was great!

I swiped this image from Amber's Facebook. Can you find me?
More to come tomorrow!

Friday, January 16, 2009

2008 Year in Review Slideshow

I know, I know, I said it would be Wednesday or Thursday for the slideshow and it's Friday.....but come on, I got the day off from school, people! I am SO SO thankful for our "Too Cold Day." Yes, that's right, it is 5 degrees outside and so we don't have school. Before any people who are used to cold weather say anything, we aren't! :) Therefore, I am thankful that I do not have school-better yet, I have a 4 day weekend!-and that our sweet kiddos didn't have to walk to school, wait on the bus, or ride the bus in these frigid temperatures. Now, on with the slideshow!

I really enjoyed looking at all of these images from 2008 as I put together the slideshow and previous blog posts. I feel like I have grown so much as a photographer in 2008 and can't wait to see what 2009 has in store for me. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for some fun and informative posts from me including: backing up your digital images-important info for all people!, preparing for your wedding day-important info for my sweet brides!, and much, much more!

For now, I hope you enjoy looking back with me at the highlights of 2008.

**I would love to know which are YOUR FAVORITE images! There *might* be a treat for a voter or favorite image winner. Tell your friends and family to come view the slideshow and pick their favorite! Voting ends next FRIDAY (January 23rd). Please only vote one time. You may vote by commenting below with your favorite image number from the slideshow.**

You may watch here or click HERE to view it full screen.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

2008 Year in Review - Part 3

Part 3 will be the final installment of our 2008 Year in Review.


Melanie & Ella's Christmas session.

Tyson's Christmas session.
Maggie's Christmas session.
More fun times with the "McFamily" :) See what Tina thought about our 2 part session HERE and HERE (my favorite!) and HERE.
Fun times meeting the Reynolds Family-we loved the snow! See what Leslie thought about the session HERE. (I LOVE these blogging mommas!) :)
Megan & Rob's engagement session at the Martha Washington Hotel. Brittany & I are looking forward to their wedding this December.
I hope you have enjoyed reliving the moments of my clients' lives. I know I have enjoyed looking back on the families that I have met and been able to spend time with. Many wonderful wishes for a blessed 2009.
xoxo Denise

Check back tomorrow or Thursday for the 2008 Slideshow!

2008 Year in Review - Part 2

Welcome to the 2nd installment of 2008 Year in Review!


Wesley & I had the wonderful honor of witnessing Justin propose to Gabrielle! Brittany & I can't wait until their wedding this May.
We hung out with our sweet best friends Cody, Kristy, and Ryder.

We went to Kentucky to visit our awesome best friends-Matthew, Morgan, Maddox & Lincoln.

They are coming to visit us next weekend! Whoo hoo!

I had a mini-session with Richard & JeannaLynn when they came for a quick visit from Oklahoma.

My teacher friend, Erica got married!

Brittney and Tyler got married too!

Little Mikey turned 2!

Miss Maggie turned 1!!!


We celebrated the "McKids" July birthdays with a family session.
See what Tina had to say about the session here. Now you know why she's the Official Spokesperson on the Skelton Photography Facebook Group! :)
I got to meet up with the McQueeney Family again.
They are so sweet!
Megan & Grey had a beautiful outdoor wedding.We celebrated Carter's upcoming arrival and Camden got ready to be a big brother.
I had a tea party with some adorable little girls!
A fun family session with our awesome real estate agent, Katy.
That's it for Part 2. Stay tuned for Parts 3 & 4 - & a slideshow of course!

Friday, January 9, 2009

2008 Year in Review-Part 1

Welcome to the Skelton Photography 2008 Year in Review! I had great intentions of posting this while I was on break from school, but somehow it didn't quite happen. After sorting through pictures, I decided that this needed to be a multi-part post. So it will be. :)

2008 started off with a Winter ONEderland for sweet Camden.
We had Maggie's 6 month session. Looking at this now, I can't believe how much she has changed in a year!

I enjoyed a fabulous jam session with Eli and Emma.

I met beautiful baby Cele.

I got to see my sweet former student Carter, big brother Collin, and meet baby Parker.

Brittany & I had an awesome time at the Rockstar Roadtrip photography workshop with Corey McNabb & Amber Holritz.
We enjoyed beautiful spring colors for Brittney & Tyler's Spring Engagement Session.

Wesley & I had a wonderful time helping with the Spring Formal (Prom Alternative) for Elizabethton & East Side.

Maggie turned 9 months old. We thought she was SO BIG then.

My best friend from college, Jaime, and her husband had a baby!

I hung out with Lindsay-a teacher friend from school.

Stay tuned for Part 2!