katie mcgee photography

happy new stuff!

2009-07-22T18:03:00.004-04:00

hey friends,

the website is about to have a makeover! it should be launching this week/weekend, and i'm pretty pumped. lots of new portraits, children's photos, and wedding photos.

July has been the craziest month! i thought May was bad, i though June was bad, but July is making me sleepy...ha.

i have 4 shoots this weekend, so there will be even more happiness!

hope everyone is having a splendid summer.

here are a few photos for a sneak peak..

trent & rebekah.

2009-06-29T14:30:00.005-04:00

here is a sneak peak from Trent & Rebekah's wedding at the Acanthus in Greenville, SC!
everything was beautiful - the bride & groom, the location, the glisten on everyone's forehead...haha.

it turned out to be a much cooler evening, and it was so great to be surrounded by their close friends and family.

josh & loren.

2009-06-25T02:41:00.005-04:00

i took photos for the Abernathys today.

Josh's parents celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary this week, and the kids (Josh & Samantha) decided to throw a surprise party and have photos taken for Mr. and Mrs. Abernathy.

we got done with family photos, so i took a few of Josh and Loren...and this one happened to be my favorite...

they are expecting a little Abernathy in January :)

starstruck.

2009-06-23T23:54:00.002-04:00

i met kelly preston today.

yep - john travolta's wife.

she is down here in savannah filming with the new miley cyrus movie...we've all been expecting to see someone famous, but how crazy..

my sister and i were taking our dog and a friend's dog for a walk in forsyth park this evening, and kelly and her daughter (and 2 other people) walked towards us and started petting the dogs and talking to us. i was freaking out inside, but i tried to play it cool, and didn't bring to attention that i knew who she was. my sister thought she looked familiar, but couldn't place it.

it was lovely. i am starstruck.

updates.

2009-06-15T00:53:00.002-04:00

the website is updated!!

there are new galleries, including ones from my travels (europe).

you might just take a peak... :)

also, i am finishing adam & katie's and curt & emily's wedding photos this week while i am at fripp island with the family.

it's very relaxing to be here, and i'm pumped to get things completed!

these past 2 months have been crazy!

i don't know if my website calendar reflects that, ha, but there has been much unexpected work!

and yes...i'm thankful for that :)

have a great week!

colten.

2009-06-13T23:38:00.005-04:00

i took photos of Colten James Gardner today.

he is a cute little fellow, and i'm pretty fond of him :)

his parents also happen to be some of the coolest people i know...fo' real.

i hope he doesn't mind me documenting his life, cause it's basically gonna happen...

impact.

2009-05-31T01:09:00.002-04:00

hey beautiful people,

i am headed to help out at IMPACT as a team leader this week, so please know that i am not ignoring and emails/phone calls/facebook messages...haha

so much is going on right now! i have 2 weddings and a few photos shoots to finish, so please know that i will be contacting everyone when i get back.

i will actually be leaving at 5:00am to set out for toccoa, ga...pretty excited about seeing the sunrise as i'm driving...pretty unexcited about being awake at 5:00am.

please pray that God works in my life this week, and also that i may be an example for Him to the youth that will be at IMPACT.

have a great week, and congratulations to all graduates!

hooray for summer :)

adam & katie

2009-05-25T23:57:00.005-04:00

-sigh-

lovely people.

adam & katie headed over here from australia to have a small family wedding in savannah, ga.

it was supposed to rain a lot today...and what do you know? the sun was shining the entire day :)

they are such a blessed couple.

today was full of accents, beautiful music, and lots of charming people.

today made me happy.

curt & emily

2009-05-23T23:27:00.006-04:00

i had the opportunity to photograph a good friend's wedding today.

we actually studied photography together, so it was kind of crazy when he asked ME to shoot his wedding. he is the person i gathered a lot of inspiration from while i was in school, so it was amazing.

emily looked gorgeous and is one of the most charming people. curt is the guy who is a great mixture of serious and silly.

as i was hanging out with the bride/bridesmaids, we heard curt's very distinctive laugh everywhere, and it makes everyone smile :)

i enjoyed today so much.

praise the Lord for good weather when we needed it!

top 5.

2009-05-06T00:23:00.005-04:00

5 songs that are currently blowing up the ipod:

- "to be alone with you" sufjan stevens

- "sundrenched world" joshua radin

- "why do you let me stay here?" she & him

- "lead me to the cross" hillsong united

- "twenty years" augustana

la musica

2009-04-28T20:10:00.005-04:00

hey friend,

i have discovered 2 things about myself this week:

1. i love some Sufjan Stevens

2. i love some Jose Gonzalez.

look them up...thank me later :)

there's been lots of photos this week!

maybe not lots that were taken, but lots that were finally finished by myself.

i did have the opportunity to take photos of the lovely Bush children and was also able to do maternity photos for 2 of the coolest people i know (Jeremy and Meredith)!

here are a few different sessions in no particular order...

the beginning of May starts the wedding season for me!

i am very blessed to have some awesome people ask me to do their photos...

i will actually be photographing a fellow photographer's wedding (no pressure). he has given me complete freedom...however, i will be carrying around about 6 different cameras. haha. no - really.

have an awesome week!

i am headed to the beach tomorrow :)

hoppipolla

2009-04-27T11:47:00.000-04:00

the bush kids!

2009-04-23T23:10:00.003-04:00

i took photos of 2 beautiful children today!

they go by the names of Davis and Ella :)

we headed out to my great aunt's home on the bluff...she is so wonderful to let me use it all the time!

these two were so easy to photograph and have huge personalities!

these photos made me smile..

@ the beach

2009-04-18T01:28:00.005-04:00

i had the opportunity to take photos of a really fun family the other day at the beach.

they hadn't ever had the opportunity to all be together in Savannah, so this was pretty awesome for them.

did i mention that some of them were from Connecticut and insisted on the beach for the location? :)

here is a photo that made me happy..

published.

2009-04-15T00:26:00.004-04:00

hiiiiii

so...lovely news.

i have been published!

i shot a friend's wedding in the Atlanta area, and a photo was selected by Points North magazine to use for the wedding section of the April issue.

oh happiness!

the photo was printed in color, but here is a black & white copy:

i haven't had the grandest week, so this made me happy :)

here is a link to a glimpse of their April issue:

http://www.ptsnorth.com/content/images/stories/200904/april09_contents.pdf

i took photos at Tybee today, so i will blog with those soon!

one day without shoes.

2009-04-14T01:48:00.001-04:00

happy haas'

2009-04-09T01:11:00.004-04:00

i am probably the most fortunate person ever.

i mean, probably not...but in this case - i am :)

Blake and Allison Haas are 2 of the coolest people i've ever met, and i got to take their pictures today!

they are headed to Russia for 2 years for mission work, and needed a photo for their prayer/info card.

i am going to miss them :(

no really...a LOT.

these photos pretty much reflect their personalities :)

i love you guys!

have fun following the Lord!

Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

1 Corinthians 9:19

gilly.

2009-04-08T01:24:00.000-04:00

thank me later :)

as promised...

2009-04-08T00:55:00.006-04:00

here is the europe video!

hope you enjoy :)

if you would like to view it larger, here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpRGW1l-dnI

america the beautiful.

2009-03-24T22:10:00.003-04:00

hello from the glorious United States of America!

i realized i hadn't written an update about leaving Cortona and heading to Rome...but really...it's not too worth it. the only 2 lovely things about Rome were the really helpful guy at my hotel, and the "Roma Termini" that led me to the airport! i couldn't wait to be back in the States.

not to hate on Europe, but 2 1/2 weeks is quite enough :)

i flew into Orlando to meet my family to go to Disney World (i was pretty delirious, but it was a lot of fun!) and have started taking pictures immediately after getting back into Savannah...yay!

i have made a video (of pictures) of my trip, so i will post that very soon. it was a very inspirational trip, and i'm more pumped about photography.

i had the opportunity to take photos of some beautiful children these past 2 days, so i will be adding some photos to the "little people" section of the site soon.

peace out, fellow Americans :)

day 14.

2009-03-16T15:34:00.006-04:00

ciao from Cortona, Italy!

today was probably the best day i have had so far in Italy :) i woke up and headed to the internet cafe (because i procrastinated on getting a Rome hotel, and needed to book one). Michaele met me at the cafe and we headed to a store to do some gift-shopping, then out to a REALLY cool place for lunch. it was almost as if we were going into a dungeon, but it was surround by wine bottles, rocks, and really cool lighting. it was a really nice place to eat and the waiter brought us out a free appetizer as sort of a “welcome”. we had awesome conversation, then i headed back to start packing up for tomorrow. i got finished soon enough to walk back down into town and to the park...oh man. there were lots of people walking, and i got to sit in the stadium area and just listen to the ipod and write. it was my favorite...

then Mike and Lindsey came into town to get pizzas and drink to take up to “the fortress” that is basically the highest point of Cortona, and we watched the sunset with a group of people. i almost DIED on the way up there, but it was well worth it when we got to the top. we all just sat around and talked, watched movie trailers (ha...i had my computer), then we headed down when it had been dark for a while. we also all went out for a bit, and it was a good way to end my Cortona experience.

a few things i learned today:

1. i like buying presents for people :)

2. do not wear dresses that tend to be brighter than a shade of black...ha. people will stare....

3. a good song will change your mood and outlook

4. i wish i knew a little more Italian rather than just greetings...

5. i am making a video (of pictures) of my entire trip and i am so pumped about it...it’s half-way completed

6. i met a girl while i was here that is in the lyrics of Taylor Swift’s song “Tim McGraw”...as she says, she was “dissed on a platinum album”...(however, this girl is AWESOME)

7. i really did almost die on the way to the fotress...i said words that don’t usually come out of my mouth...ha

8. i can’t believe that i will be gone from Italy in just 2 days..

9. there have been loads of good quotes while i have been here, and i really wish i had taken them all down

10. i am so thankful for the experience of meeting new people, gaining friends, and experiencing God’s creation

here is our Tuscan sunset...

<- click to view larger

my playist :)

2009-03-14T17:15:00.003-04:00

ok, so here is a playlist of songs that describe my trip.

if you listen to these, then you will know where i am...

1. “hoppipolla” sigur ros

2. “the funeral” band of horses

3. “andvari” sigur ros

4. “a falling through” ray lamontagne

5. “screaming infidelities (acoustic)” dashboard confessional

6. “come pick me up” ryan adams

7. “world” five for fighting

8. “ride” cary brothers

9. “white daisies passing” rocky votolato

10. “lose you” pete yorn

11. “fall at your feet” magnet

12. “track 4” sigur ros

13. “a beautiful world” tim myers

14. “sailed on” landon pigg

15. “lucky” jason mraz / colbie cailat

day 13.

2009-03-14T17:10:00.002-04:00

good evening from Cortona, Italy!

i headed over to Siena today with Michaele and Ashley’s entire study abroad group, and it was a lot of fun! Siena is a very pretty place with loads of amazing old couples :)

we went to a few cathedrals, and also went to an art museum to see some Van Gogh and a LOT of asylum painting/drawing/photographs. it was kinda scurrrry :/

i enjoyed seeing all of the film students with their video cameras...it made me happy.

a few good quotes and things i learned today:

1. “rarely - and i mean RARELY, do stain glass windows pump me up...and those stain glass windows pump me up.” -michaele maddox (referring to the windows in the Basilica Cateriniana Di S.Domenico)

2. Mary (Jesus’ mother) was a big deal in Siena.

3. “it’s like a giant cheese grader!” -ashley curry (referring to the museum walls)

4. i feel like i have been called as a photographer to document things/place/people to raise awareness about particular subjects (hunger, AIDS, mission work..)

5. “i can’t decided where i want to go until i know where i am.” -annie chapman (quote in michaele’s journal book

6. Van Gogh’s makes me so excited every time i see it.

7. goodwill shirts are priceless

8. Jacob (Mike and Ash’s RA) informed us that the last time he was in Siena, they were filming the James Bond movie...(gasp)

9. riding around Tuscany is beautiful...

10. i saw a field today with a very old brick building (it was beautiful) and Michaele even turned to me to say “you know what that reminds me of?”...and i said “The Count of Monte Cristo” (it was crazy how much it did)

we had loads of fun today and had some gelato! :)

i can’t believe i leave in a 2 days :/

(pics coming soon!)

day 12.

2009-03-14T17:08:00.002-04:00

ciao from Cortona, Italy!

today was very chill...Michaele decided to have a picnic in the park today! she, Ashley, Holly, Erin, and i headed on over to the lovely park and sat down with a gilatto (before lunch, ha) and sandwiches that Mike made. a lovely time was had by all :)

they all headed back to class, and i headed out in the desperate search for internet...much to my chagrin, it was “siesta” and everyone was closed :/ i did, however, get to sit down with some guys and the photography teacher from Mike’s school.

i headed back to the convent and took a glorious nap, then headed up to the school to watch the sunset with Michaele and Blair (a cool guy that Ashley teaches with). all of the colors were insane, and i had the chance to take some photos.

we ate at the school tonight (they serve full Italian meals at every dinner), i met some cool people, and we headed to the “common room” for internet (happy sigh) and fun. we also went down to the park with 2 guys afterwards to sit and talk about the coolness of
Italy.

a few things i learned today...

1. it feels like there are so many courses in an Italian meal...(in order: pasta w/ bread, meat and side, salad, and dessert)

2. i have been able to experience something new every day :)

3. at night, the park in Cortona smells and reminds me of Capon Springs (where i worked over the summer) and it made me miss it a lot :(

4. i guess i kinda just realized that i will be in Disney World the day i get back...

5. don’t mention Chickfila when you are around the students here (or at least Mike and Ashley...ha). they can’t have it for another 2 months..

6. i have a lot of photos to take when i get home!!

7. i am PUMPED about going to Siena with everyone from the school tomorrow...should be awesome.

8. i am excited to give friends/family their presents :) hopefully i’ll find some more tomorrow!

9. parks are fun at night

10. this is the perfect place for portraits...(though i haven’t really taken any yet)

anyways, i am headed to Siena tomorrow!

not too much picture taking today...

day 11.

2009-03-13T17:35:00.002-04:00

hello from Cortona, Italy :)

today was a good day! Mike gave me a small tour of Cortona so i will be able to find my way around. i spent the day typing all the things i wanted to remember from this experience...(for the record, i have typed my blog every night, i just haven’t been able to post it on the internet...so it’s all as it has happened) ha

i also had the chance to sort of help/watch Michaele with a photography project for class. it’s insane to think that you can open the window to your classroom and you see an entire city below you and how the light hits everything...it’s miles and miles of homes and vineyards. i guess i’ll have to take some pictures to better explain the amazingness!

later, we all got dressed up and headed to dinner and the Italian ballet. it was pretty awesome...i kept finding myself leaning back in my seat, but completely leaning forward by the end of each dance. very cool.

we headed out with a bunch of people afterwards, and it was nice to meet all of the American friends that are over here :)

couple things i “learned” today:

1. there IS a nun who speaks english at the convent! :)

2. it’s nice to have this time to branch out and meet a bunch of people (but i also really miss home)

3. i saw a Tuscan sunset today. oh my...

4. the people of Cortona are very proud of their city, so it makes them happy to see you with your camera

5. gilatto will change your life. (in particular: chocolate, coffee, and chocolate chip)

6. they drive on the right side of the road in Italy! yay!!

7. the dorms that UGA has provided for the students here are amazing...it’s really cool and the lighting is fun

8. everyone here makes me smile..

9. coca-cola is a lot cheaper to buy at a grocery store.

10. i’ve probably mentioned it before, but they don’t give you ice in your drinks in Italy :(

no photos today! maybe tomorrow...

day 10.

2009-03-13T17:14:00.005-04:00

ciao bella from Cortona, Italy!

if you don’t know where Cortona is - it’s in Tuscany...and not to far from the house where Under the Tuscan Sun was filmed. yay!

today was one of the happiest, hilarious, and most adrenaline filled days i have had...ha. i met up with Michaele in Florence (after i successfully took a water boat and train) and it was AWESOME. she was waiting with a sign that says “Lafawnduh” like the one in Napoleon Dynamite. (literally, i died laughing..) Florence was gorgeous and really fun...and it was so nice to spend the day with Mike! as for the adrenaline part...we were leaving Cortona and only had 5 minutes to make our train (so we thought..) and ended up running to the train (which wasn’t the right one), hopped on, showed the lady our ticket (before it started moving) and she tried to open the train door (which was now locked) to let us off the train. unfortunately, there was NO WAY to stop the train (that was headed all the way to Rome), so we put on our sad faces while an attractive older Italian train fellow told us how to get back to Cortona after we got into Rome.

let me just put it this way...Michaele and i rode first class not once, but TWICE...and basically hopped three trains (with adrenaline going and God watching out for us) in the course of about 5 hours.......all for 7 euros! haha (technically, we could have been charged 50 euros just for not having the proper ticket..)

did i mention we were waiting to get to Cortona for dinner?? haha...we had to settle for McDonalds at the train station.

there’s actually a bit more to the story, but luckily we were greeted by 3 lovely people (Ashley, Erin, and Jacob) from Mike’s school who drove us up from the train station and into Cortona at 12:30 in the morning....did i also mention that i am staying at a convent that has nuns who speak zero english? this is a fun time :)

i have realized that my “stuff i learned today” section is just random information, so here’s some more of it:

1. i sat across from a guy for a bit on the train today who disliked Venice as much as i did :) he said he loved Florence, though. (he was American and he was pretty awesome)

2. an Italian woman kept talking to me on the train, despite knowing that I didn’t understand her AND had headphones in (she was also super loud...)

3. scratch that - ALL Italians are super loud

4. i’m a pretty unprepared traveler :/

5. there’s a lot of graffiti along the walls during the train ride...who knew?

6. if you want a good deal and great food, go to the Italian restaurants that don’t have any English menus in the windows...

7. Florence is amazing...and the marketplace is really cheap and there’s cool stuff

8. Florence is also known for their leather...

9. i saw the David statue today...that thing is SO tall and really cool. Michaelangelo just straight up made is out of the some marble that noone was using, and even today noone knows how he did....it was very detailed, even down to the veins in his hand

10. Michaelangelo was a gangster. he did EVERYTHING. (i also got to see the gold doors on a building that he used to sit in front of and sketch pictures from, and now that same building has HIS working inside....insane.)

i took some photos in Florence closer to sunset, so here you go...

day 9.

2009-03-13T16:52:00.006-04:00

ciao from Venice, Italy!

today was hectic! being that Italy isn’t really my best friend right now, i decided to get all my train and water bus information today. i leave tomorrow for Florence to meet and spend the day with Michaele...we will head to Cortona afterwards. YAY! it’s sad that i have spent my entire time in Venice figuring a way to get out!

however - i did get a chance to take some photos at St.Mark’s Square and a little around Italy :)

things i learned today...

1. you have to push most of the doors in Italy

2. don’t let a man selling roses hand you a rose like he’s giving it to you...cause then you have to buy it :/

3. God bless America.

4. i am the only guest at the beautiful B&B i am staying at...which means that the people that work here 5. are only here in the morning for breakfast and hard to get in touch with :/

5. stores are cheaper farther from St.Mark’s Square

6. the jewelry is pretty :)

7. go to La Canonica (in St.Mark’s Square) for a pizza...

8. up until today, i had no idea what the date was...haha

9. Italians answer the phone saying “pronto!”

10. there’s a LOT of adorable older people and they look just how i imagined...all walking around arm in arm smiling and speaking pretty :)

if you see me when i’m home, ask me about the particular man in St.Mark’s Square that creeped me out. (ladies, if you go to Italy, take someone with you...preferably a large person...) ha.

i was able to get some photos of San Marco (St.Mark’s Square) during the day and mostly at night, so here you go :)

day 8.

2009-03-13T16:49:00.000-04:00

buon giorno from Venice, Italy!

today was...interesting. i got to fly over loads of snow-covered mountains today (and it was insane). i arrived at the airport, took a water bus all around Venice till we got to San Marco (St. Mark’s Square), and proceeded to walk up and down Venice streets (and steps) with all my luggage for 2 hours searching for my hotel. i think i started crying about 9 different times - even after an English-speaking Italian couple and an art seller told me where my hotel MIGHT be...ha. i then stumbled upon an angel (ok, a man..) who had been following me pretty much. i’d have to tell the whole story later, but he left his shop and came up to me and asked if i needed help (he spoke English). he then made a phone call and spoke to the person in lovely Italian, then told me where to go. i told him he was my hero and he said that if he was my hero, then i was his princess. i don’t know what that means, but i didn’t care, cause he saved my life! i actually saw him later when i headed out for dinner...

anyways, i literally collapsed when i got in my hotel room...then headed out for dinner at 6:30. i have fully decided that i will be eating as cheap as possible tomorrow so that i can spend money when i see Michaele and Ashley in Cortona :) yay!

i am pumped to take a bunch of photos tomorrow! Venice is gorgeous...i literally have water right outside my bedroom window! (happy sigh)

anyways, a few things i learned today:

1. i think Italian people are just as frustrated when they can’t speak English (for example, the adorable lady that checked me in to the hotel could only say “sorry, i don’t speak english” and you could tell she wished she could say more, but....she was really nice)

2. Luca, that works at my hotel, has a dog that is literally a (Czech?) Wolf. kinda scary, kinda awesome..

3. lots of people speak English, you’d just never know...

4. if you are in doubt...ASK SOMEONE.

5. St. Mark’s Square is beautiful...and huge! everything is very tall

6. there are English and Italian menus at restaurants (don’t be fooled, they’ll probably charge you twice as much as the little stores on back streets)

7. i hate asking questions about directions...but i also realized that if i ever see anyone with luggage in Savannah, i will ask them if they need help

8. what was i thinking coming to a place that i can barely even greet people in their language??

9. some restaurants charge you just for coming to eat at the store (i.e. my charge was like 2.50 euros tonight...) :/

10. the most rewarding thing in the world is hearing an American talking near you :) ...and, of course, making it back to your hotel...

no pictures today! (after all, i lugged my camera on my back all day and wasn’t about to bring it out for going to dinner)

i’ll see what i can do tomorrow :)

day 7.

2009-03-08T16:44:00.006-04:00

cheers from London, England!

today was the best day ever. ok, maybe not the BEST, considering we got caught outside in the freezing rain...but we took refuge in the National Gallery of Art and got to visit with Van Gogh (happy sigh). he's my fave...

a few things i learned today...

1. do not bring ONLY cloth shoes to a foreign country (i.e. TOMS, moccasins..) the weather is unpredictable!

2. prepare to go back to America with a new haircut and dressing differently...you get a lot of inspiration.

3. Big Ben isn't quite as BIG as you think it is...but it's amazing!!

4. everyone thinks the London Bridge is the big, pretty one...it's not! that is the Tower Bridge :)

5. London goes on forever...and everything is so old and wonderful

6. Hyde Park used to be the private hunting grounds for the King...which he later turned into a public park

7. i want to move to London so i can get a dog and take it on the train, buses, etc. (crazy!)

8. i HIGHLY recommend the "original tour" bus...i learned a lot and it was fun!

9. you can't take cameras into the National Gallery of Art...jerks :/

10.oh snap - i'm going to be in Venice tomorrow!

i learned a lot more today, but i have much packing to do!

photos from the day...

day 6.

2009-03-07T20:35:00.003-05:00

'ello from London, England.

i think it is official...mom and i are completely worn out! :/

we took the train from Edinburgh today, which lasted about 5 hours...then trains and buses till we finally got to our wonderful hotel (with really comfy beds!). i saw about 2 or 3 castles on the way from Edinburgh, and we got to drive down the English Channel, so we saw beautiful cliffs and the ocean. it made me happy :)

we are headed on the "original London tour" tomorrow, which can basically last all day (if you want it to) and you hop on and off of double-decker buses and view popular places in London.

i will also most likely get rid of some British currency :) i have a little more shopping to do...

my brain is literally fried, so i don't have a list of things i learned today or any pictures... :/

maybe tomorrow!

day 5.

2009-03-06T18:31:00.009-05:00

"heilo" from Edinburgh, Scotland!

we went on a 12 hour tour of the Scottish Highlands today! oh. my. gosh.

it had snowed, so half of the highlands were covered in white...probably the most amazing thing i've ever seen...

we also visited Loch Ness (yes, like the Loch Ness monster), but there was no sign of Nessie :(

i took a lot of panoramics so you'd get a better feel of everything..

we also met our first American! he was a man from NC, and was on the tour with us. how lovely :)

i learned LOADS today, so if you're not interested in Scotland - stop reading! these are in no particular order...

1. i saw about 7 castles today.. (from a distance)

2. highland cows is pronounced “heiland coos” (and they look a bit different than normal cows)

3. televisions, telephones, and steam engines were invented in Scotland

4. we passed over a river today that at one time was so filled with dead bodies that you could walk across it without getting your feet wet (basically, there are LOADS of battle sites..)

5. William Wallace is a big deal. (duh)

6. Robert the Bruce is ALSO a big deal.

7. a man’s sword was the length from the ground to under his chin. William Wallace’s sword was 5’7”. (he was 6’5”)

8. according to our amazing tour guide, Angela, the passion for country that was shown by the men in Braveheart was “spot on”

9. the movie was wrong...Wallace and King Edward never met, and Edward died a year or 2 after Wallace (not at the same time, as shown in the movie)

10. Scotland is know for having 4 seasons in one day..ha. (sound familiar, Savannah?)

11. the road signs are written in English and Gaelic

12. in the Highlands, you can’t see where the mountains stop and the sky starts..

13. there’s more water in Loch Ness that all the waters in Scotland combined

14. there are 50 unidentified creatures in the world, and about 20 are in Scotland

15. there’s a lot of green moss in the trees...it made me happy.

16. the Highlands were used for tons of movies...battle scenes, in particular.

17. random important fact: the woman who worked at the desk of our tour company was a body double for Jessica Lange in the movie Rob Roy, and got to lay in bed with Liam Neeson (haha...the women overhere LOVE him..)

we are headed back to London after lunch tomorrow...i finally get to sleep a bit later than usual!

tomorrow i have to say farewell to Scotland :/

here's some photos from the Highlands..

day 4.

2009-03-05T19:39:00.010-05:00

<- click to see my panoramic view from the castle

good day from Edinburgh, Scotland!

today was awesome! we went to the Edinburgh Castle...and it started snowing! craziness. there were plenty of opportunities for photos from the view (the castle is very high and on top of a rocky cliff)...it kinda sneaks up on you!

we got a lot of shopping done today! :) we also signed up for a 12 hour tour of the Highlands for tomorrow!! YAY! this was my main reasoning for coming to Scotland.

things i learned today...

1. i love scotland.

2. everyone seems a bit nicer here...they smile more.

3. also, everyone seems to think that we are from Canada...?

4. wet snow + TOMS shoes = me walking as carefully as possible on cobblestones.

5. Sigur Ros is the soundtrack to my trip ("Hoppipolla" in particular)

6. we are not on vacation, we are on "holiday"

7. i'm very pumped to give away my gifts when i get home!

8. it doesn't matter where you look...every bit of Scotland and the town of Edinburgh is beautiful

9. i saw a plaid prom dress today...oh man, i SOOOO would have worn it. amazing.

10. other foreigners (Spain, Italy) are just as confused as we are...and that makes me feel more normal.

i took a lot of photos today, but i will only post a few...

day 3.

2009-03-04T16:24:00.008-05:00

hell-uh from Edinburgh, Scotland! (i tried to make it accentish...)

today was pretty wonderful! mom and i took the train from Chester to Liverpool and spent the day with an older couple (Stan & Irene Sharington) that are friends with our family. they cooked us roast lamb and we drank tea! he gave us a little tour of Liverpool when he picked us up from the train station. i was able to see (from the car) the Beatles museum! he also pointed out a clock tower in which one of his friends lived in because he maintained the clock...crazy! Liverpool was really cool (rhyming intended).

and now for the things i learned today...

1. a "cark park" is a parking garage

2. i have seen 2 Bentleys while being here. in fact, everyone has pretty expensive cars (for the U.S.) over here...and they're usually tiny

3. there are a lot of dark haired people over here! it's like little 'arry Potters everywhere!

4. it cost about £1000 to get caught talking on a cell phone while driving (that is about $1,500)

5. the zig-zag lines on the streets mean the same thing that yellow sidewalk corners mean in Savannah (don't park here)

6. Scottish people are VERY hard to understand...you might as well just smile and nod.

7. England makes me happy in the morning

8. Scottish hair dressers are wonderful (we met one named Brad today and he was lovely...helped us with our bags)

9. speaking of which, i overpacked :/ so i will send a bag home with mom..

10. i am ready to finally shop!

i'm pumped to explore Scotland tomorrow!! i'm sure it will be wonderful. we'll also try to go shopping early (since it appears that most places close down around supper time..)

here are a few photos from our day in Liverpool...it felt a little documentary, so that made me happy.

day 2.

2009-03-03T19:16:00.003-05:00

hello from Chester, England!

we took the train from London today and headed over to Chester...we met a lovely lady on the train and talked about The States, Edinburgh, Italy...

ok, so...top things i've learned today:

1. there are a lot of sheep in England...(little lambies!)

2. every building looks old. EVERY one. (picture Pride & Prejudice)

3. England is quite dreary on a rainy day...and it might make you miserable :/

4. British people use the words "fantastic" and "rubbish" a lot

5. accents are pretty easy to pick up...but it's almost embarrassing when you slip on saying a word in an accent and the rest of your conversation is without. (examples: mum, saw-ry..)

6. people have really cool haircuts. i'm almost tempted to get mine done over here..

7. stores close around 5:30pm (which is pretty unfortunate)

8. the Carriage House in Chester has the best fish and chips. literally - amazing.

9. taxis are fun to take...but pretty expensive.

10. the commercials over here are either hilarious or terrifyingly awkward

we are headed to Liverpool to visit a friend tomorrow, then on to Edinburgh, Scotland tomorrow night. hooray!!

here are a few photos from Chester..

day 1.

2009-03-02T21:47:00.007-05:00

greeting from London, England!

it is almost 3:00AM here, but almost 10:00PM in Savannah...so, now you know why i'm awake!

i won't bore you with a load of details, so i'll make a list of random things that i noticed:

1. everything you've seen in British films is real...(messy brick homes w/ clotheslines, huge old buildings, little black taxis)

2. it seems there are 3 shoes of choice: converse, pointed leather shoes, and awesome shoes that noone in America has ever heard of

3. there's a lot of tall people! it makes me happy :)

4. all of the accents are very distinct...like, if i lived here long enough, i would be able to tell what part of England they are from

5. double decker buses are fun...especially sitting in the front on the top floor.

6. speaking of buses, we almost ran over 4 people. these cars/buses stop for noone!

7. i was relieved to see Pizza Hut and Starbucks...though i'd much rather try local places

8. top 3 things Brits love to do: walk, run, and smoke (ha)

9. oh! the signs here are so polite. instead of "watch your step" it's "mind the step" or if you're at a train, it's "mind the gap" (which is a big deal, actually...i'm getting a t-shirt..)

10. bathrooms are "toilets", your name is "love", and almost every sentence is ended with "eh?"

we are headed out of London tomorrow, but will be returning on Sunday to photograph and tour all the really cool places! (Big Ben, the London Bridge, etc)

i didn't get many chances for pictures today, but here are a few photos that i caught tonight...

goodbye united states of america!

2009-03-01T02:33:00.003-05:00

Bryan & Alicia

2009-02-17T00:52:00.008-05:00

i shot engagement photos today!

it's been forever since i've broken out the digital, but it feels good.

i'm still in love with film...

anyways, Bryan and Alicia are an awesome couple and they make me smile :)

hope.

2009-02-09T01:33:00.006-05:00

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. - Psalm 55:22

(this photos was recently chosen in an art show hosted by my church with the theme "redeemed". the judges must have liked my sister's face.. :)

this year's love.

2009-01-26T23:57:00.008-05:00

i have heard this song many times before, but i finally downloaded "this year's love" by david gray...and it is currently changing my life :) i recommend it.

i have finally finished up with Bobby & Sara's wedding! it was so much fun to work with them as a couple and with their families and friends. they are one of the sweetest couples i have had the opportunity to photograph!

travel.

2009-01-25T16:02:00.010-05:00

my best friend, mike the girl, left for Italy today (tear). she is actually making her way to Germany today with our friend Lauren, but will be in Italy in a week. she will be studying abroad there till May, and i will be going to visit in March (!!!)

i bought a Mamiya 645 Super medium format film camera this week...i'm stoked. it will be shipped here this week, so i can't wait! i will be taking it over to Scotland and Italy in March :)

here's a photo from the fellow i bought it from:

pretty :)

the list.

2009-01-23T01:28:00.009-05:00

i like...

- being a twin (even though i forget that i am)

- going into ikea and buying absolutely nothing

- having friends that are amazing and uplifting

- BAND OF HORSES.

- knowing i will finally start traveling this year!

- reading/hearing challenging books or sermons that make me uncomfortable, yet pumped

- finding inspiration in music, people, and other photographers' work

- my mother's cooking.

- forsyth park...where many good times were had

- driving in downtown savannah with the windows down. i love this place.

- collecting old cameras

i dislike...

- when people don't use signals while driving

- going into ikea and buying absolutely nothing :)

- uncourteous fast-food workers (i know your job is no fun, but we all do the time..)

- my amazing gift of procrastination

- flaky people (though i'll admit to being one sometimes)

i'll be headed to forsyth tomorrow for a splendid time.

(by the way, trust me and just go download "heartbeat" by don johnson...and get ready to live!)

hello friend.

2009-01-21T22:43:00.002-05:00

i realized about 3 days ago that is it 2009, and i have decided to finally get organized and make a blog that is specifically for photography (rather than using my other blog that is random and sometimes a little too honest). i am sure i will post random things, but they'll probably all be photography related.

i have recently discovered that i miss film more than i miss eating dunkaroos on a regular basis (ok, not true..). after a little quarrel with one of the ladies at bay camera in savannah, i purchased some film and loaded it in my favorite 35mm, which happens to be my padre's Canon EOS 650. i attached my 50mm lens (r.i.p.) and went to town.

oh my...i have missed the sound of the shutter release on a film camera. God bless america.

here are a few photos from my black & white travels:

i am rusty with film, but i really enjoyed the anticipation of getting the photos back.

i have an overwhelming need to post a like/dislike section on here, so i'm going to do that. i suppose if you are a prospective client, maybe it will help you to know me better (?). but i won't post it yet, because that might seem a little anxious or nerdy....maybe tomorrow :)

i will also post a video at some point with a lot of random information. i hate to admit that after having a macbook pro for almost 8 months, i am just now finding the time to look at all the amazingness that comes with it (including video stuff). thank you, apple.

God bless