And by “The Beautiful People,” I mean you.  <3

At the very beginning of my decision to become a photographer – well, I say decision, but really, it just HAPPENED – I was timid about a lot of things.

Weddings, for example. They terrified me. After hearing countless horror stories, I had pretty much made up my mind that I would never be interested in shooting weddings. And then something changed my mind, and now I’m kind of obsessed with them.

A similar thing happened with me and boudoir. I had never been interested women’s portraits, and boudoir was scary for someone who was a bit of a prude {well, I was}. I didn’t understand it.

Now, I do. I understand how important it is to have images of yourself that you LOVE. I understand that some women don’t think of themselves as beautiful, even though they are. I understand that absolutely everyone can have a beautiful portrait taken, even if they think they’re “unphotogenic” {which is a word not found in my dictionary}.

I don’t really shoot “boudoir” in the traditional sense. I like to call what I do “Glamoir.” {Pronounced “glam-wawr,” with a bit of a purr. And yes, I’m patenting that.}

What I shoot are portraits, plain and simple. But they combine elements of boudoir and elements of modern glamour into simple images that make women feel AWESOME.

The awesome thing about the way I shoot, is that it covers pretty much any level of shyness. So if you want to stay in a regular and fully-dressed state throughout your whole session, let’s do it! And if you want to get down to your skivvies, or even less, we can do that! And if you want to run the complete gamut, we can do that, too.

My entire mission, if it could be boiled down into a sentence, is to make people FEEL GOOD. Feel good about themselves, feel good about their pictures, feel good about LIFE in general.

And glamoir, or glamour, or boudoir, or whatever, is an awesome way I’ve found to do just that.

Thank you, ladies. You. Are ALL. Awesome.

Now that BabyRoX is 6 months old, I thought I’d give y’all an update about our journey with Elimination Communication.

It’s going well, but that doesn’t mean BabyRoX doesn’t ever go in diapers. He would probably use the potty a good bit more if I was willing to take him all the time, but I quickly realized that I was not a fan of pottying him at night – it interrupted my sleep too much. Some nights he stays dry, but he’s been growing – and thus nursing – a lot lately so he’s been going more at night. It’s way easier to put him in a super absorbent diaper and change it once than take him to the potty a few times. So we don’t do EC at night. We’re good about practicing EC when we’re at home, and BabyRoX still signals fairly regularly that he needs to go, although now that he’s crawling/scooting around, sometimes he tells me right as he is going or just after he’s gone, rather than giving me a minute’s heads up like he used to. I’ve been told to expect more misses as he gets more engaged in exploring the world.

I’ve started signing the word for “potty” each time I say it and take him to the potty, so hopefully in a few months he’ll be able to sign when he needs to go. For now he just gets squirmy and a little fussy and I take him. I plan to move more towards taking him to the potty at specific times throughout the day rather than waiting for his signal as he gets even more mobile – and then of course taking him when he signals, as well.

On days we are out and about, I rely on diapers. (My fave diapers are FuzziBunz, by the way! So soft and cute and easy to use!) It’s hard to potty him when we’re in the middle of running errands, especially if I’m shopping or making a bank run or whatever I happen to be doing. And then when we’re out visiting people, I’m not always aware when he signals because I’m chatting with someone else or the grandparents are holding him and I don’t know that he needs to go. So we’re pretty part-time with the EC for now, but we’re still definitely doing it and BabyRoX still goes on his potty at least 3-4 times a day even on the crazy/busy/lazy days.

In case you’re wondering the “tools” we use… We have 2 potties in the house and one travel one for the car. We love the Baby Bjorn Potty Chair because it has a high back and is sturdy and easy to clean. We also have the My Carry Potty for the car because it seals up good’n'tight in case we’re not somewhere we can easily dispose of the contents. I really haven’t used the travel one much, because if BabyRoX needs to go while we’re out and about, it’s usually while I’m driving, so I tell him to go in his diaper and then I change him when we get to our destination. But it’s nice to have just in case, and especially for when he’s older and transitioning out of diapers – I like that he’ll already be familiar with the travel potty. We primarily use the FuzziBunz for diapers now, and I just got some Bumboo ones for overnight (we had been using disposables overnight previously). If it’s been a few days of craziness and BabyRoX hasn’t been signaling, I’ll switch back to the prefold diapers with covers because they are less absorbent and he feels it more when he wets, and then he starts signaling again.

Am I glad we’re doing EC, even if it’s only part time? YES, definitely! I think it’s important to help BabyRoX maintain an awareness of his bodily functions and feel comfortable using a toilet for his elimination. I think it will make the true potty training phase easier, because he will already be aware of the sensation of needing to go, and aware of where it is appropriate to go to the bathroom. I also understand his cries and gestures much better, because I’ve been paying such close attention to deciphering them. I know when he’s hungry or tired or gassy or needs to go to the bathroom, and I can respond to those needs accordingly. BabyRoX hasn’t had a diaper rash since he was 2 months old, and I think that is in large part because we practice EC. Even when he does go in his diaper, he lets me know right away and I change him, so he never has to be in a dirty diaper for very long. I’m a fan of EC. Yes, it takes work, but to me it is totally worth it!

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Atlanta Photographer | AMA Atlanta | Fashion Show | Photography Internship | LeahAndMark.com

I have always considered myself a night owl. I tend to stay up until the wee hours of the morning. I find myself most productive during the middle of the night. In college, I pulled my fair share of all nighters especially during finals week. I remember taking study breaks to watch the sunrise. There is something so majestic about watching the light spill over the landscape. So when Maria first approached me about doing a sunrise engagement session I was thrilled!

I made sure to go to bed at a semi-decent hour the night before so when my alarm went off I was raring to go! If you’ve never been to Piedmont Park at 6 am I would highly recommend it. It is quiet, serene and of course beautiful.  We saw a few joggers and cyclist, but for the most part it felt like we had the park to ourselves.

Maria and Sean are amazing! I knew from my initial meeting with Maria that they had a special bond. Maria’s eyes light up when she talks about Sean. That bond was even more evident when I saw them together.  You can tell by the way they look at each other they truly belong together.

Thank you, Maria and Sean for spending the early morning with me.  You are awesome.  I can’t wait for your wedding!

Also a special thanks to Intern Christine for waking up early and braving a mound of ants to get the shot! Check out her blog here.

do you know what the Human Rights Campaign is? you should. I didn’t. I do now. when I first heard of it I had some vague notion of an organization having to do with the violation of humane treatment of individuals in other countries…prison conditions, political prisoners, canings. or something. I’d seen the ubiquitous blue square with a yellow equal sign in it, and knew what it represented. I just didn’t know it belonged to the HRC. I don’t necessarily say this proudly, but I live in a media vacuum when it comes to world events. hell, local events. what’s going on at my kids’ schools, even. largely, if not exclusively, by choice. avoidance of reality is a thing with me. probably why I read a lot. not to say I don’t check topline news stories, or try to learn more about issues that are important to me. I guess it’s a selective reality. and I know I’m not the only person guilty of that.

so ANYway, I was assigned to shoot the HRC awards dinner at the atlanta hyatt regency as my first official post-internship/+elaine shoot. and I get that for some of you, HRC might not be your thing. but for me, the evening, the organization, was a revelation. people being themselves freely, in an atmosphere of support and acceptance. people who were involved, emotionally and financially and politically, trying to make the world what I would consider to be a better place. it’s hard to work a camera when you’re busy applauding and laughing and cheering. but I’m a professional and managed it.

did you see my post on facebook that night? I had minions. some of the season 8 interns (andrew, christine, kristi and vee) were mine to do with what I would. this was their first official shoot after their intern introduction night. they were nervous, and I encouraged and instructed and checked back with them when I could, because that was just me a few months ago. but really, I had to trust them to do their jobs, and they just had to get out there and shoot. and they did. and I was one proud mama. but let’s get back to me. I was THE photographer at this incredible event. I got to be that person who firmly but politely gets to shove other shooters and camera-wielders aside so I (or my interns) can get the shots we want. such a night of satisfaction and potential and a sense of so much further to go. for me, for HRC.

from that moment when I first got bitten by the photography bug, and the years since—asking, practicing, helping, assisting, interning–and finally, it was me. mine. power, baby! I promise I will do my best to use it for good.

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Atlanta Wedding Photographer | Photobooth Rentals | LeahAndMark.com

Well, I finally visited New Jersey. And it was more than a little terrifying, for this slow-moving Southern tortoise. BUT Eileen & Alex’s wedding MORE – way, way more – made up for dodging all those quick hares and their no left turns on the highways. And no convenience stores.

There’s a lot of traveling left to do this year, and I’m STOKED that this one was in the list.

Grounds for Sculpture is one of THE most amazing places I’ve ever been. And it’s right smack dab in the middle of Jersey. Who knew?! You should look it up. It’s crazytastic.

Aside from having completely breathtaking and amazing sculptures every five feet, there’s a whole aviary dedicated to peacocks, which wander the property.

When I was going through these shots, trying my best to narrow down the ones I wanted to post on the blog, I was dumbstruck – AGAIN – by the sheer amount of LOVE and JOY that exude from Eileen and Alex. In every single shot I have of them – except for the ones when I made them do “apathetic model face” – they’re GRINNING. Ear to ear. Superbly happy. I loves it.

Thank you, Eileen & Alex. You. Are. Awesome.

- Posted by Krista

Once upon a time, I didn’t like high school. I got good grades and managed to avoid the shame of riding the bus once my friends and I could drive, but mostly, high school sucked. I couldn’t wait to break out and move on, away from the math classes I loathed and the mean girls that teased me. (And now, the lessons of adulthood: I really don’t ever need to differentiate functions or find the points of tangency in a right triangle, and while some of those mean girls have changed, some haven’t changed a bit.)

But what I did like about high school- loved, in fact, more than just about anything else but graduation- was the Prom. I always loved the Prom. Dress-shopping and corsage-wearing and boutenniere-pinning and limo-riding and awkward-photo-posing and dancing the night away. It was just FUN. I got to dress up, dance with this tall, handsome guy that I ended up marrying, and have a night out on the town. And almost ten years later, those are the date nights I still like the best.

Not everyone can take something like the Prom for granted.

That’s where Athena’s Warehouse comes in. They’re a nonprofit charity organization devoted to improving the lives of teenage girls in the Atlanta area and beyond, and one of their specialties is the Prom Project, where they distribute donated prom dresses to young women in need. Little things like that have an enormous impact on the lives of teenage girls, and that impact fuels self-empowerment where it belongs the most: in our youth.

Athena’s Warehouse had their 3^rd annual adult prom fundraiser at Sutra Lounge a few weekends ago. My fellow Intern Alum Edwin (ha- say that one ten times fast) and I covered the event, mostly manning the Photo Booth but also sneaking off for some event photos here and there. (Check out Edwin’s post about it here.)

This year, the theme was “A Night in Paris”, which translates into Awesomeness of Exponential Proportions when you’re adding French-themed props to a Photo Booth. Berets, roses, mustaches, feather boas, and baguettes. REAL BAGUETTES. They don’t mess around with props, people. I WANTED TO EAT THE PROPS.

Thank you to Athena’s Warehouse founder Bee for having us be a part of the night. It was a tremendous honor to be involved in something so important as granting a young girl her dream of dancing at her prom.

To my dear son,

Thank you for making me a mother. Not just any mother, but YOUR mother. For you are a radiant and joyful being, serious yet happy, intense but filled with light. You take my face in your tiny hands and stare so deeply into my eyes… focused, probing. I wonder what you see there. And then you break into a smile so huge (and toothless!) that I wonder if your look of intense concentration was just a figment of my imagination. How do you switch so quickly from seriousness to levity? Perhaps one day you will tell me.

This is an imperfect world, and as you begin to encounter some of the harsh and painful aspects of it, I hope your seriousness will allow you to give each issue, each feeling, due consideration. And I hope your levity will help you continually find the joy of this world, to shine light into the darkness.

I love you with a fierceness that scares me at times, and I will use that ferocity to fuel my efforts to make this world a happier and more just place. I will be your protector, your biggest champion, your most adoring fan, and hopefully one of your best and most favorite teachers. I will listen. I will ask questions. And sometimes I will talk too much and sometimes you will humor me and sometimes you will let me know that you have your own answers and I need to trust you.

We will have grand adventures and more ordinary ones, but I promise that each day will be an adventure.

One day you will not need me so much, and I will be enormously proud and incredibly sad at the same time, and I hope that I will smile and wave you on your way and I hope you will remember to look back and blow me a kiss, to call and write and visit, because at this very moment I cannot imagine a single day without your sweet face greeting me, your tiny hands cupping my cheeks, your serious eyes staring into mine, and your smile lighting up my world.

Love you always and then some,

Your mother

- Posted by Mark

One of my favorite things about being a wedding photographer is simply the fact that I get to attend so many different types of weddings. Along with all of the traveling I do – the many variations of ‘wedding’ is one of the reasons I’m never bored – and why every wedding is both a challenge and honestly still very entertaining to me.

This year so far I’ve photographed engagement sessions in San Francisco, weddings in the Bahamas, Arizona and of course here in Atlanta – and even flying up to Chicago and down again for back to back weddings. Last year’s weddings included stops in New York, Maine, Michigan, Florida, North Carolina, California, Alabama, and New Jersey.

This year we’re still headed to Connecticut, back to California, back to Arizona, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan (Three times!), Nebraska, Virginia,and Colorado. And that’s just what we have so far. There’s still so much year left and somehow, we’re still getting booked for 2012.

Even though I’m not likely to say this to your face, or act like I get choked up – weddings are one of the few things that hit me hard, and that do get me choked up. Because you know what? Weddings are badass. All that love and emotion flying around and filling the air – just makes me want to hide behind my camera rig. It’s powerful stuff and when I think about how many couples have decided that I should be there for them; that I should be the one to photograph such an important and meaningful celebration – well – that’s probably the main reason we work so hard while we’re photographing a wedding. I just can’t F*ck it up. Ever. And you know – that’s alright.

Sarah is the awesome artist behind The Small Object. Just like us – she and Dawn are regulars at the Indie Craft Experience and over the past few years we’ve been fortunate to know them both.

Sarah & Dawn. You. Are. Awesome.

Atlanta. Wedding. Photographer. LeahAndMark.com LGBTQ. Same-Sex Couples. Mistletoe State Park.

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Atlanta Wedding Photographer | Photobooth Rentals | LeahAndMark.com

- Posted by Mark

So here we are at Season Eight of our Photography Internship. We have a studio, we have way too much gear, and we have an army of photographers. Of course – running the internship and making sure it’s actually worth something takes a lot of effort – which is why no one else does what we do – and definitely not for free.

We’ve always said that our Photography is ‘Free & Unpaid’ – even though that’s largely untrue – since what we’re trading is worth a considerable amount even if it’s not actual money. Interns average about 30 photoshoots during the 3 months that they spend with us (some really go all out and get upwards of 50… yeah.) With an average of 3 hours per shoot… that’s 90 hours of ‘work’ that each Intern gives us – and sometimes it’s easily way more than that. SO – for me and Leah it’s really a question of how do we get people to work 90+ hours for us, for no money? Where is the value? What do we offer? Apparently a great deal.

This year I will personally photograph about 35 weddings, and we’ll contract out another 20-30 to our Alumni Interns. No matter what you might think of our photography, we know that our biggest business advantage is simply that we work harder than almost anyone else. We’re rarely published in the traditional wedding blogs or print magazines – and we just can’t seem to buy into the whole wedding industry complex that’s just there to sell you everything they can whether you need it or not. Yet somehow – clients are finding us and hiring us – and not only are they great clients, but they’re the best clients for us. Our business is amazing because our clients are amazing.

This is Season [Eight]. They will be the Best. Ever.

Click on each photo to go to their Intern Blogs (and if they haven’t posted anything yet then they’re losing.)

Atlanta. Photography. Internship. LeahAndMark.com Weddings. Portraits. Events.

- Posted by Mark

You might remember Allison & Chris from when we posted their engagement session photos a few months ago! It was really great to finally be able to photograph their wedding – because I knew it would be crazy amounts of fun, lots of cool, and more awesome than most people can handle. And it was all of that.

Also. Have I mentioned how great it was to hangout with some folks from New Jersey? ha. Yes. The best.

Allison & Chris. You. Are. Awesome.

And thank you very much.

Atlanta. Wedding. Photographer. LeahAndMark.com Piedmont Park. Tavern. Georgian Terrace Hotel.

Gabi & Marc are kind of amazing. And I seriously mean that.

They’re two of the healthiest, most positive, and genuinely fun people I’ve ever met. Hands down. They run marathons together. They cook together. They’re raising 5 amazing and uber-talented kids. They have crazy-impressive jobs {rocket scientist and a government agent!}.

And their families are unbelievable, too.

Almost every single aspect of Gabi & Marc’s wedding was lovingly handcrafted by either themselves or a family member. Marc’s daughter made their cake & cupcakes. All of the flower arrangements, including the bouquets, centerpieces, and corsages, were made by Gabi’s sisters. Her mother rolled and styled her hair. Her sister-in-law did her make-up. Her younger brothers & friends set up the reception space. Her sister helped her dress, and Marc’s youngest son helped him get ready.

Because both Gabi & Marc have children from previous marriages, they were married by the water in Annapolis, Maryland in a ceremony that not only combined the two of them, but their children, as well. Each of them spoke to the others’ children; telling them how they weren’t coming in to replace anyone, how they promised to be good, and fair step-parents, and how they love them and were so happy they were a part of their lives.

Shoot, I’m tearing up again.

Anyway, it was a gorgeous ceremony. Then there was the unique unity ceremony: the building of a rock cairn. Gabi, Marc, and their kids took turn building a pile of smooth stones, followed by everyone in attendance adding on their rocks to the pile, as well. All symbolizing the building of a strong foundation that blends the two families.

What made the biggest impression on me is how much of the entire day reflected who they are as people. From start to finish, it all spoke of their love: for nature, for their families, for each other.

They’re such fantastic people, and I’m so thankful I got to spend the day with them.

Thanks again, Gabi & Marc. You. Are. Awesome.

-Posted by Leah

We just moved from a teeny tiny space to a much bigger one, to accommodate our growing business and family better. So now I have some
advice for moving house with a baby!

1. Don’t.

2. Ok, just kidding about #1. Sort of. I mean, don’t approach this
like I did and think you can do it all by yourself while taking
excellent care of your offspring. Get help! We had lots of help but I
should have asked for even more, because I only really got packing
done when someone else was watching BabyRoX.

3. Hire movers and cleaners. Soooo worth the money!!

4. Don’t think the hard work ends after moving day… Then the
unpacking begins. Time for more babysitters! And the jumperoo. And
singing silly songs to keep baby entertained. And wearing baby in the
Ergo/Moby/carrier of choice while he naps. You know, all that stuff
you had to do while trying to pack because you didn’t schedule enough
babysitters in the first place.

5. Label all the boxes!! And pack a suitcase or backpack of essentials
for the first night in the new place. It’s not fun trying to find a
favorite lovey or your toothbrush when you are exhausted and have
piles of boxes to go through. Label clearly and color code… All
green labels are baby stuff! All blue labels are bathroom stuff! Makes
it easier to ensure each box ends up in the right room for quicker
unpacking.

6. Take it slow. Take time to nap and play with your baby. Don’t be a
crazy stressball because baby will pick up on that.

7. Did I mention get help? Yeah. Do that.

8. Schedule a spa day after the move! Or a massage student practice
session with your brother’s girlfriend who goez to massage school.

Trust me, you’ll need it.

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Atlanta Wedding Photographer | Photobooth Rentals | LeahAndMark.com

I follow a lot of people on my various social networks. Between Facebook, Twitter, and now – gods help me, my newest addiction – Pinterest, I probably follow about 1 billion photographers. Well, maybe one million. And that’s not to mention all everyone whom THEY follow.

Basically, I’m constantly inundated in photography. Which, most of the time, is FANTASTIC. I eat, breathe, and live photography. And I’m always thinking about some facet of it.

Lately, I’ve noticed a trend in photography that I don’t much like. It’s STUFF. So many people are wrapped up in the STUFF that they MISS the actual PHOTOGRAPHY. Here, let me explain: I love details. I love styling shoots. I love planning and organizing. But at the end of the day, those shoots are still about the PEOPLE IN THE PICTURES. They’re not about the trappings that people seem to be getting so wrapped up in. And it sure as HELL isn’t about the post-processing or editing.

I don’t ever want to look at my photos and think, “Hmm, look at that editing” or “Hmm, look at that STUFF.” It detracts from the feelings, the emotion, the REAL REASON WE TOOK THOSE PICTURES: you.

Yes, take pictures of the details. They need to be paid attention to and remembered. Yes, shoot the things that the clients brought. Those things are important. Yes, have styled props. Have bits and bobs. Have an entire living room suite out in a field somewhere. But USE them. Don’t let them take over the shoot.

This is Chris & Sabrina, a couple of really awesome people. Since Chris is a Jack Sparrow impersonator {which he’s amazing at} and all-around huge fan of Johnny Depp, we decided to do a fun Benny & Joon-inspired couples shoot before Sabrina left for college across the country.

It was, to say the least, A BLAST.

Chris, Sabrina, and Intern Krista: You. Are. Awesome.

Custom Cupcakes: The Sugar Dolls