Category Archives: Personal

Hi friends!

I’ve had a lot of people ask me why I am not scheduling any new sessions right now….people are wondering if I’m ok!  Just wanted to let you all know I am ok!   In fact I am doing really well!  I just wanted to let you know what’s going on with me………no, I’m NOT preggers -yet :) I AM NOW!!! :) But that is part of the reason I want to slooooow dooooown a little bit!  My friends and family know I can be a bit of a workoholic.  Can’t help it!  I just take on too much sometimes.  But, as some of you know, Phillip and I are wanting to start a family.  Since I am also a full time school teacher, during the school year I find myself working 14 hour days plus weekends.  I teach all day, then I come home to my second full time job-photography!  I work so much that I hardly have a life at times.  The stress of this is obviously not good for trying to have a baby!  I have realized I need to back off and relax a bit. I want to be good to my family & friends, good to my students, to my clients, and last but not least good to myself!…..over working myself isn’t good for anyone!  Especially my poor husband, Phillip who has to deal with me when I am stressed to the max. (Thanks honey, I don’t know how you deal with me sometimes!)  So, that is the only reason why I am not accepting any new bookings at this time.  I LOVE this job and want to continue as long as I am lucky enough to.  I have lots of weddings and portrait sessions scheduled for the rest of the year, so I am closing my calendar for a bit. Thank you so much for being concerned about me!  Being this busy has been an amazing blessing!  I NEVER in a million years thought my business would grow this fast. I am so grateful for meeting such wonderful people and having such amazing clients! I have yet to decide if I will do this full time in the future, or continue teaching and doing this part time.  I love being an art teacher, and I can’t imagine giving that up yet.  I guess time will tell & I will just have to wait and see where life takes me & my family. If you don’t mind waiting around for me, I have started an email list. Contact me and I will send you an email when I am accepting new appointments again.

Thanks again & love you all,

Meredith

In the meantime….here are a couple of my favorites from Karl & Laurann’s wedding this past Saturday! More posts from this wedding and portrait sessions coming soon!

I officially started my photography business just 7 months ago. I am so excited and thankful for how it has grown in this short amount of time. I have learned a lot and continue to learn….that’s what makes the journey so exciting. A lot of people have asked me how I got started in all of this. I kind of just fell into it really. With a LOT of determination, and a lot of faith from family and friends- their encouragement has kept me going. They make me feel like a rock star when I feel the complete opposite! Sometimes I still can’t believe people actually pay me to do what I LOVE! I feel so lucky! It all started when Lauren, a teacher I work with asked me to take photographs of her daughter, Emily. You will see her photo at the end of the post. I was a little hesitant…I had never conducted a real “photoshoot” before. I had been taking a lot of pictures around school of the kids in my classes. I guess she saw something in me. After Emily’s session, I was hooked. I was in LOVE with the whole photo session gig. I love making people feel beautiful & capturing who that person is right at that moment in their life, documenting it forever. Emily’s mom was a big cheerleader of mine….she showed her pictures off (thank you for that Lauren!) Then to my shock and amazement, calls started coming in from people asking me to take thier children’s pictures! Really?!?! I thought….you actually want to pay me??? For a while I couldn’t accept money- I thought I was terrible! These people were letting me experement my photography skills on their children! How could I charge them?! Well, after being booked up for a few weeks I realized I needed a business plan. So I started charging…..and calls STILL came in – and now from people I had never met. Wow! I felt like a real business woman now! haha-  little did I know then just how much work was ahead of me! (Anyone who has started their own business knows how much blood, sweat & tears goes into it!)  But I was so exctited and immediately called my husband and my mamma when my first “stranger” booked an appointment. I am such a dork, I know.  Somehow things took off from there and now I have a full fledged business. How great is that!? It has been one of the HARDEST and at the same time, most REWARDING things I have ever done. It has truly changed my life! I also am excited to say I have several weddings booked for the spring, and while I will always have a special place in my heart for child and family portraits (and I will always continue to do them) I hope to move towards more wedding photography. I am in love with LOVE.

Most of all, I feel blessed to be able to capture emotions. My ultimate goal when I am photographing someone is to catch that “in-between” moment. The moment where it is really you. Not posed. Not saying “cheeeeese! ”   It’s that second where you didn’t think I took the picture….yep, that’s my favorite shot. I still have a lot to learn, but I want to thank all of my AA-MAA-ZING clients for believing in me. Trusting me. Letting me come into your lives and document special moments. I don’t think you realize how much it means to me. So, thank you :)

Here’s to a HAPPY NEW YEAR…and another year of capturing emotions. You all have made me happier than you will ever know!

Love, Meredith

And here is Emily from my very first photo shoot EVER! Isn’t she beautiful! Thanks again Lauren & Emily for seeing something in me and giving me that extra little push to get this business started. This photo session will always be special to me!

I’ve been a bit of a workaholic lately….I hope my friends and family forgive me! I teach all day, then when I get off work I either grab my camera and go straight to a photo shoot, or get on the computer to fill orders, answer emails, edit pictures, make Christmas cards….the list is endless. Since a few of my photo shoots were rained out I was able to completely catch up on my work….well just for today. It starts all over again tomorrow! But let me tell you, the past few months have been AAHHH-MAAAZ-ING!! My photography business has really kicked off and I could not be more excited. But one Sunday….a gorgeous, sunny day with cool breezes…..can you feel it? My husband, Phillip and I decided it was a much needed day for some R&R. No work…time to play. Besides, it was WAY too beautiful to be sitting in front of a computer. We took a little trip out to Grand Bay here in Valdosta. It’s one of those little hidden treasures that some people don’t know about in this town. We took the paths through the swamp and found some beautiful things, and funny creatures. It is so peaceful out there…so quiet. As you walk through the entrance of the swamp, a sign reads “leave only footprints, and take only pictures.” That sums up our day. It was perfect. Enjoy some pictures from our little walk through the swamp of Grand Bay. I can tell you, it completely refreshed me. Its amazing how a little play can make you feel like new.

oh….and isn’t my husband just the cutest!?