My sweet little lady-bug:)

This morning I had the pleasure of working with the incredibly beautiful and talented Erin Cline.  We worked together on a concept for this shoot and she totally rocked it!  Here is just a tiny sneak peak at one of the images from the shoot showing the styling – I can’t wait to put up a full set but for now you will just have to wait for the rest!!

This past weekend I had the incredible honor of photographing the wedding ceremony for Janelle and Mike on St. Pete Beach.  In the few short hours that I spent with them I was reminded of something…that weddings are about love and marriage and committing your life to someone in the presence of God, family and friends.  Not about committing to that perfect floral arrangement or the designer silk gown or about the biggest wedding party with the largest guest list in the biggest reception hall.  Sometimes we so easily loose sight of the fact that, at the end of the day, whether or not the string quartet started Canon in D at precisely the right moment – and whether or not the weather turned plan A into Plan B, C or D – at the end of the day you are married to your best friend!  It was refreshing to see family and friends come together to celebrate love, instead of celebrating a wedding.  Janelle and Mike, you are a genuinely kind couple with wonderful family and friends – I wish you the most incredible marriage!  Here is a little sneak peak at a few images from their wedding day.

Four years ago today I walked down the aisle with my best friend.  We made promises with no way of knowing exactly what the future would hold…or what those promises would have to withstand.  What I did know was that Graham was the most genuine, caring, respectful and selfless man that I had ever met and we knew that if we committed to doing marriage God’s way, and not our way or the world’s way, that by His grace it would grow and persevere through anything.  These past four years have been the most amazing and most challenging of my life.  Our life is nothing short of a wild ride and there is no one in the entire world that I would rather have by my side then Graham – a man who is both a leader and a servant and who seeks like crazy to know what God wants for our little family.

Exactly, one year ago today we found out that we were pregnant.  It was an absolutely amazing celebration of our anniversary and the new things to come.  One year later we find ourselves in a new state, in a new home, in new jobs and roles and with a new baby….like I said our life is nothing short of a wild ride…

Thank you does not begin to say enough for all you are Graham and all that you do as a husband and as Chloe’s daddy.  Thank you for your encouragement and your support in everything that I do.  Thank you for your diligence in praying for me and for our future.  Thank you for mid-night Slurpee runs and for still asking me to slow dance with you in the kitchen.

Thank you for the last 7 years of friendship, 4 years of marriage and for your commitment and companionship in the years and adventures to come.

I love you.  Happy Anniversary my sweet.

-Shay

This week I had the privilege of meeting Dustin and Melissa in St. Pete for a fabulous engagement session on the beach where they got engaged.  Not only are these guys a handsome couple but they are super sweet as well and clearly enjoy each others company.  They were so laid back and easy to photograph – my favorite part was that they were up for anything and had already made a request to get some fun shots in the water.  They even brought their four pet turtles to get in on the action! I could seriously post 100 pictures up here but I will try to limit myself!  Here is sneak peak at how their images are turning out!  Melissa and Dustin – you guys rock! Best of luck with wedding planning!

Above image by Studio Foto featured on MSN.com on Oct 7, 2009.

Check out this fun article and images featured on MSN.com yesterday about Trash the Dress Sessions!  You pay so much for your dress – why not have fun with it and get some incredibly hot and fun post-wedding-day images to keep forever!

We have a winner!! This contest entry was submitted by Danielle Osbrach on behalf of her best friend Kristen and her husband Joe. After getting this entry I decided that there was no way that I could let this couple miss out on a free couples session, even though the contest will remain open through the end of October (so keep those entries coming!) Kristen and Joe sound like a truly awesome couple and I can’t wait to meet them!! As winners they will receive a totally FREE 2 hour outdoor photo session as well as a CD of all of the digital negatives from their shoot! Enjoy reading their story below and congrats to Kristen and Joe!

Kristen and Joe Torres

Who do you think of when you hear…remarkable, inspiring, memorable, selfless, giving and
determined to beat all odds? Instantly there are so many people that come into your mind
that match some of those words, but rarely do you find a couple that resembles every single
one of those words. When I think of this couple I think of all those things and more because
I can’t say enough about how wonderful and special they are to one another and others.

My best friend Kristen and her husband Joe are an amazing couple. In 2003, Kristen Shelley
met Joe Torres through their mutual friends, Alaina and Mike. At the time, Joe was a left-
handed pitcher for the Angels Minor League Baseball team. He was pitching 92 miles per
hour in high school so needless to say he was amazing athlete. During the off season,
Kristen’s sorority sister talked her into meeting Joe. She told Kristen she thought they would
be perfect together. When Kristen and Joe met they had a blast and decided to start dating.
Kristen is one of those people when you walk into a room she will make sure you are having
a good time. She can get anyone excited and turn his or her day around immediately whether
it is with one of her crazy voices she does over the phone or her getting up and dancing in
the middle of the mall or party. Joe was a little more reserved but whenever he was around
Kristen he would always smile and have fun. He would just sit back and let her have her fun
but she would always make sure he was having fun. They definitely balanced out each other.

When Joe returned to California for the season they decided to continue dating despite the
long distance and different time zones. This seemed difficult but it actually turned out to be
the least of their worries. After Joe left for training, Kristen’s mother’s cancer took a turn for
the worse. Kristen decided to take a semester off from college so she could be at home to
take care of her mom, Irene. She truly spent every waking moment making sure her mother
had everything she could possibly need. When anyone would talk to Kristen she held her
poise so well and would try to cheer up anyone who had a problem or complaint. Not once
did she tell people what she was going through or how difficult it was. It is amazing to think
back on this time and when you remember talking to Kristen because she would still take the
time out of her day to listen to others and try to make them happy despite the fact that she
had so much more going on in her life. Not only was she juggling her mother, her family,
her friends but she somehow managed to talk to Joe, whether it be between his games and
practice or in the middle of the night.

What people did not realize was that Joe was her companion and shoulder to cry on this entire

time. She would talk to Joe and he knew exactly what to say to get her through a tough time and

helpedher to see the brighter side of things. It was not until Spring of 2003 that Kristen’s

friends and family realized just how special Joe was to her.

Joe was invited to pitch in the playoffs the same time that Kristen’s mother was

given a few days to live. Instead of taking this opportunity to pitch in the playoffs, he made
the decision to fly back to support Kristen and her family despite Kristen telling him
otherwise. Joe took the earliest flight back so he could be by Kristen’s side and to tell Irene
in person how much he loved her daughter. Through all his efforts it was unfortunate that
he did not make in time to express his feelings for Kristen to Irene. Even though he was
unable to read what he wrote Irene in person, he made the decision to read his letter on the
day of her Celebration of Life. This letter was truly the sweetest and most heart wrenching
letter people have ever heard especially when it came at a time when all of Kristen’s family, her
mother’s friends and her friends where there to witness it. Instead of dwelling on what didn’t
happen Joe again made the best of the situation and made sure that his letter was read to
Irene and all of her closest friends and family. Everyone in that room had tears in their eyes
but it was not tears of sadness it was tears of happiness because it was at that point everyone
knew that Irene would be so happy to have Joe apart of his daughter’s life.

Ever since that day each of them has overcome every obstacle imaginable. From when Joe’s
Escalade was stolen and stripped down to nothing to his two year recovery from Tommy
Johns surgery to a disappointment with their wedding photos to Kristen’s family witnessing
their father lose his fiancé to pneumonia and experiencing what he had already went through
once before. No matter what has been thrown at them they will always make the best of the
situation.

They are always concerned with how their friends and families are doing and
making sure that everyone is happy.

When you ask anyone about Kristen and Joe you will
only hear wonderful things and funny stories. That is why I would love for them to have the
chance to win the couple’s photo shoot, so they can take this time to enjoy something just
for themselves. I am sure you will immediately see what makes this couple so special!