Brenda Upton Photography

Days Ten & Eleven: Homeward Bound

2009-03-31T21:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm am currently on a plane:( Heading into Dallas, our layover for the trip home. Boo.
While we don't want to leave sunny San Diego, we know it is time to come home. We are exhausted and missing our doggies (oh, and friends and family too!). We thought about having them FedEx-ed to us, but that just wouldn't work out logically or legally.
Our last few days here have been so fun and relaxing. We hear it's just about 70 degrees, sunny and low humidity year round. When I think about the upcoming Georgia summer, I am envious. So, let's catch up shall we? Let's see, on my last post I told you it was a gloomy cloudy day in San Diego. We drove around for a bit and checked out Coronado Island. It was gorgeous even on a gloomy day. We walked on the (cold) beach for a while and saw the famous Hotel del Coronado in the distance. I hear this island is where the Wizard of Oz was written, with the Hotel being the inspiration for Oz. I can see why, that place looks amazing.

So, after freezing our feet off, we got back in the car and headed to Old Town and grabbed some lunch at the Casa Guadalajara. Another suggestion from the awesome Katie B. Probably the BEST Mexican food I've ever eaten. It's a close tie between that and Los Hermanos back in Tucker. I got a chicken chimichanga and they basically had to roll me outta there. Mmmmm. Sooo good. The best part, though, was the conversation at the table behind me. One of the guys (who was Mexican) was trying to describe every show that's on television to his friends in broken Spanglish. Hilarious!!! Imagine a Cheech and Chong accent saying: "Yeah, you know that show Lie to Me? It's like this guy, and he can tell when you're lyyying." Or, describing Heroes, "I like it when they use their super powers, but other than dat, ees really confusing." My favorite was his take on Lost: "At de first episode, there was dees plane crash, and everybody leeved. I mean, c'mon...eets a Plane crash!!! Dats when I stopped watching". This guys should have his own show.

After lunch we headed back to the hotel. Went and bought Ben a shirt for our photo shoot, then got some tasty tasty Margaritas. The town seemed like a ghost town compared to the night before! Seems spring break was over, or everyone was too hungover to come back out. Here's a few pics from our jaunt around town.

Came back and made an early night of it. And, while on a trip to get ice from a few floors down, I slipped on the marble stairs and totally busted my you-know-what! I have bad luck with stairs lately and after my fall back in January in which I really bruised my tailbone, I instictivley turned slightly and let the cheek take the blunt force:) Ouch. Now it is completely black and blue, but at least I can still walk.
Our early night turned into a late late morning. I think we woke up around noon or so. That hotel bed was so comfy. Wandered down to Richard Walker's pancake house and had an incredible breakfast. Then we headed over to Mission Beach to catch a few rays. First we had to check out the roller coaster at the park there. We were the only one's on it so we got the front row. It was old and a little rickety, but fun nonetheless. Walked down the beach afterwards and watched some surfers trying to catch waves...none were successful. So we wandered back to the boardwalk and stopped into an outdoor bar to watch some more surfers trying to catch fake waves on a wave simulator. Pretty cool. After getting a little sun, we headed back to the hotel to wash up for our "end of the trip" photoshoot!!!

When we were planning this trip, I thought it would be a cool idea to hire a local San Diego photographer to take some portraits of us on the beach. Sort of an anniversary present to ourselves:) I found Kim Seidl online and her work was just awesome. And when we met her, we found out she is just an awesome person as well! She came and picked us up at the hotel (door to door service!) and drove us up to La Jolla (which I embarrassingly found out is pronounced La Hoya). This place is incredible. We caught it right at 6pm, when the sun was setting. Beautiful.
It was really strange being on the other side of the lens, But Kim made us comfortable and I'm sure we got some great pics. I should be receiving those soon!

I'm so sad to be leaving, but we are ready to be home. This was absolutely the trip of a lifetime and we throughly enjoyed every moment. If you are thinking of an adventure to take and have a week or more to do so, I highly recommend doing this. Here's some highlights, recommendations and things we would have done differently.

Where we stayed:

Seattle- Hotel Max (great!)
San Francisco- Parc 55 (good, but watch the extra fees they add on!)
Big Sur- Big Sur Cabins and Campground (quiet and relaxing, not very scenic though)
Ragged Point Lodge (amazing in every way)
LA/Santa Monica: Sheraton (rip off!)
Ocean View Inn (our room had no view, and was a little smelly)
San Diego: Gaslamp Plaza Suites (great location and sooo comfortable)

Our favorites:

Hotel: Hotel Max (I'm a little biased because it's totally a photographer's dream hotel)
Big City: Close tie between Seattle and San Francisco
Area: Big Sur Coast for sure!!! This was our favorite part of the trip hands down.
Restaurant: Casa Guadalajara (Old Town San Diego)
Airline: Our Virgin Atlantic trip from Seattle to SF (US and American were awful)

Things we wish we had known:
-Almost all hotels in big cities have valet only parking. Some are reasonable, some are ridiculous! We paid between $20 and $44 (SF) a night to park our car! It adds up quickly.
-How cold California can be! When you imagine the Pacific Coast, you don't really think it ever gets cold. We packed 3 times as much summer clothes as we did fall clothes. Got a little stinky wearing the same long sleeves and jackets over and over! We didn't even wear our bathing suits once!
-How expensive food would be. When planning out our budget we thought we would have plenty. And we even skipped a few meals and ate at Denny's a few times (which is even way more expensive than back home). We totally went over budget, but it's ok.

Things we might have done differently:

-Booked direct flights!!!! Even though it cost a little more to fly Delta, I would love to have gone back and just bitten the bullet with it. Changing planes is a pain in my bruised butt!!

-While there's really not much else we would have changed, I think we would have taken the 2 days we spent in LA and driven to either Las Vegas or Joshua Tree. Although we would have missed going to my crazy show and missed seeing my old high school buds which was so fun. I think a drive through the desert would have been an awesome photo adventure and a great time. Maybe next trip.

The Best Thing:

The best thing about our trip is how it brought us closer. I think sometimes a relationship needs a little something to give it a boost, and it totally did. It's been 2 years, and a lifetime to go. I'm so happy I get to call my best friend my "husband". :)

Til next time! Auf Wiedersehen!

Days Eight & Nine: LA to San Diego

2009-03-29T15:30:00.000-07:00

Oy. Where to begin! It's been a crazy couple of days and I haven't really had the chance to blog. After our night at the Sherton, we packed it up and moved down the street to the Ocean View Inn which was way less ritzy, but a much better deal. And, it was right across from the pier which was an awesome location. I had just enough time once we checked in to head on out to go see Chelsea Lately! It just so happens that our hotel was only 2 miles from the studio where they shoot the show! I was so glad I didn't have to drive into downtown LA. I ended up going to the show by myself because Ben wasn't feeling well and wanted to rest. It turns out, that was the best thing because it's the only reason I got in!!! When I got there, there was already a huge line...but I figured since I had my ticket it wouldn't be a problem. Well, turns out it's only a standby deal, where it's more of a first come first serve basis. I got to the end of the line and found out I was #37 in line of standby only. The guard said there was slim to none chance of me getting in. But one by one, they cut off the line in front saying none gets in after this point. Well, I just stuck around to see and waited til the last minute. It was so crazy! With 3 minutes til showtime, there were 8 people in front of me. The guard came out and said they could let in 4 people. Well, 5 of the girls were together and didn't want to split up, so it was a group of 3 and ME!!! They shuffled us in and I got the last available seat in the very back row. But, I was so excited to be there. The show kicked off and here's the thing about what you see on tv. There is a guy that gets the audience to do whatever he wants them to do. The whole show was very coached by this guy and he told you when to laugh, when to say "ooooh" and "ahhh" and when to clap. It's actually a good idea because you can't really hear the people because it's not amplified.
It was really cool seeing the show. AND! At the very end the guard in front pointed to me and told me to come down and sit in the front row! ME! Some one sitting there had left and they needed to fill the seat! Being by yourself can work in your favor sometimes! And at the end of the show, Chuy (the little nugget) came by and I gave him a big hug! It was so much fun:) Of course I wasn't able to bring my camera or even my cell phone but on the way out, I came back and snapped this photo of Chuy's car, right before I got kicked off the lot for doing so!

I figured it was his car since the license plate says L NUGGET. Haha!

So, I headed back to the hotel. When I got back, Ben and I decided to walk down to the pier to check it out. It was so cool. This is the famous pier that's in alot of movies. We didn't really have enough time to ride any of the rides but it was cool to walk around. I was actually taking a picture of one of the rides, and realized there was an actor sitting on it! I couldn't remember his name, but he's been in a ton of stuff! When I got back, I googled him and his name is Alan Tudyk.

Here are some more pics on the Pier...

After our Pier adventure, we went over to meet up with Billy and Chelsey. They live in Marina del Rey, a short drive from Santa Monica. I was so excited that Ryan and Eric, also from Shiloh High, came out with us! It was so much fun. They took us to an awesome sushi restaurant named Kava down the street from their house.
Billy showing off his new "tats"Sake!!!
Billy and Chelsey

Me, Ryan and Eric

Woke up yesterday and hit the road. As cool as Santa Monica was, we really weren't feeling the whole LA vibe. So, we headed on down the road. But, first, I had to get my shot of the sign. Not such a great shot, but it'll do!
We pulled into San Diego around 8 and just grabbed this shot. Thought it was cool.

Our hotel is awesome, the Gaslamp Plaza Suites. Right in the middle of everything! We went to eat at Rock Bottom Brewery (ok food), then hit a few pubs on the way back. It turns out it's spring break here and the town is packed! We actually slept til 11:30 today! And it was much needed. It's really cold and cloudy today so we just drove around a bit today..I'll post those pics tomorrow!! We have one more full day (with a photo shoot of us tomorrow by the awesome Kim Seidl!) then we are headed home:(. It's a little depressing, but it'll be ok. Ok, gotta go live it up on our last few days!

Day Seven: Let's buy a map.

2009-03-26T22:38:00.000-07:00

Today was probably our least favorite day so far. It's hard to follow yesterday though. We decided to go ahead and drive all the way to LA today. We didn't have a hotel booked and didn't really know where we were going, so we just started down the PCH. Today's post is nothing but scenery:)
Here's our last view of the place we stayed.

And another along the way...
Got to an Elephant Seal beach around San Simeon..pretty cool, but really windy!

I gotta say, I have a love-hate relationship with my GPS. When it's good, it's all love, but when it gets us lost (which it has many times) I'm screaming at it like it is a real lady trying to mess with me. Today was one of those days. Eventually, we pulled over and bought a real map. Which helped a little. All in all, we can't complain. It was a gorgeous day.
We ate lunch in Santa Barbara at a Pizza joint named Taffy's and met the owner, Greg.
He and his wife were so awesome and helped us navigate around the area and gave us some awesome suggestions. Everyone here is so laid back and nice. It's refreshing.
So, we headed down the coast during rush hour toward LA. Even though they said it would be awful, it really wasn't that bad. We are from Atlanta after all...we know traffic.
We finally got to Malibu right as the sun was setting. Beautiful.

I was a little flustered pulling into Santa Monica with no reservations anywhere. The first place we wanted to stay was booked up, so we booked the first thing we could find. Ended up at the Sheraton (which we now find is a rip off!). After all the driving, we were too pooped to do anything. Just hanging out in the room and relaxing. We still have 3 and a half days to go! Gotta rest up!

We are really excited about San Diego and will probably be heading down there tomorrow night or Saturday. My friend from high school, Billy, lives in Huntington Beach and we are supposed to meet up for dinner:) Haven't seen him in 10 years and am really excited to see him and meet his girlfriend. We are also going to see Chelsea Lately at 2 tomorrow...turns out, it is only 2 miles from out hotel!! Woo hoo! I also want to go check out the Santa Monica Pier and ride the roller coaster! Ok, nighty night. Hope to post more pics and fun tomorrow.

Day Six: Best Day Ever

2009-03-26T09:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was quite possibly the best day ever. We rolled out of bed around 9 and headed down the coast. We probably traveled a total of 30 miles, but it took about 6 hours. We stopped almost every 5 minutes. The scenery will not allow you to travel any faster...it beckons to you. "Brenda, you must take my picture...you will admire me..."

So, we did. We got a little crazy with the poses since we were tired of the same smiley pics...so we got to jumping and it was hilarious.

We stopped for lunch in Lucia and ate amazing food with an amazing view. After lunch, we stopped at a beautiful spot to just sit and stare. Then all the sudden a seagull appeared. We decided to feed it the rest of our french fries. Then all of his friends showed up. We headed down the road and spotted this human sized birds nest that is at a resort. It was really cool.

Headed down a little bit further and stopped at Ragged Point. Once we pulled in, we knew we had to stay here. Room with a view, wifi and tv (because we are nerds and had to watch Lost!). Here we are at dinner...just check out this crazy beautiful sunset. I ask again, are we dreaming?

Days Four & Five: Big Sur Coast

2009-03-25T15:40:00.000-07:00

I feel like I am in a dream. Ben and I keep asking each other "Is this real? Are we really here?" We had heard this place was beautiful, but you just don't know what beautiful is until you actually see it for yourself. But, before I get to it, let's catch up on the last couple of days.

San Francisco was awesome and a little overwhelming. Like I said in my last post, I was amazed at how big it is. I had visited here with my family when I was 14 and didn't really remember a whole lot about it. I guess that is because when you're 14 you pretty much have everything taken care of and planned out for you (thanks Dad!). But, now that we're all grown up decisions are all us.

So, after our long day of walking on Sunday we woke up at 8:30 to the lovely sounds of sirens and jackhammers right outside our hotel. Oh, the joys of staying in the busiest part of town. (By the way our hotel was the Parc 55 on Cyril Magnin. If you are thinking about going to SF and looking for a good hotel, this place rocks. It's in the middle of everything so you can either walk or hop on the trolley to get anywhere you like. It's fairly cheap for the location, but they charge a ridiculous $44 a night to park you car there!!! We didn't know about that until checkout...ugh.) So, once we were up and about we got our car and headed to Sausalito. I had never heard of the place and fortunately my awesome bride Katie Bible helped us out with a TON of suggestions for our trip, Sausalito being one of them. Just over the Golden Gate Bridge is this tiny little town. Once you arrive you feel like you've pulled into a European Village in the Meditteranian. Breathtakingly beautiful. We walked around the little shops and bought some sunglasses (since that's the one thing I forgot to pack). Walked down by the water and took some pics. It was late morning light, so I don't really feel I was able to capture the true beauty of this place with my camera. You really just have to see it for yourself!

After that we headed back over the bridge and tried to find a good place to photograph it. Found a few good spots.

After that we drove over to the Fisherman's Wharf. Really could have honestly skipped it. Just very touristy and crowded. Reminded me of Myrtle Beach in a few spots (the "dirty myrtle" to you Kelly and Daniel!). Took a few pics, ate lunch and headed over to Haight Ashbury. Of course we had to visit here, it's where the Grateful Dead started up! We arrived right when school was letting out so it was a little congested. But we finally got to the house where they started up...710 Ashbury St. We weren't able to stop so I just snapped this shot while driving by. Of course the house is purple...would you expect anything else?

By this time we were getting a little sleepy so we thought we'd head back to the hotel for a "power nap"...but just then I saw this incredible hillside just up the road. I thought we'd just drive over and see what it was. Turns out it was such an amazing find! It's called "Twin Peaks" and it has the greatest views of the city. It's crazy what you can find when you are not really looking.

Back to the hotel to clean up for dinner. We found a good recommendation for dinner in the guidebook I bought so we thought we'd give it a try. The walk was a crazy mile and a half uphill and by the time we got there, the place didn't really look all that great. So we kept walking to find something else. Poor Ben's knee was almost about to go. But a few blocks away we found this awesome restaurant called "The Stinking Rose". Great food...great cocktails. And after all that food and all those cocktails (I only had 2, but whew!) we cabbed it back to the hotel for night night.

Woke up ready to hit the road and get out of the city. We needed a break and just wanted to get to the coast. But first we stopped by this diner around the corner from the hotel called "Lori's Diner". It was awesome. Check it out if you are ever there!

Before our final exit of SF, we had to stop one more time at the bridge for a few more pics.

Once we finally figured out how to get on to Highway 1 South (GPS not helping at all) we were outta there. From this point on, I could not stop saying "WOW"!!! Once we came around a bend, there it was. The Pacific Ocean. The most incredible thing I've ever seen. For the next 90 miles or so, we stopped about 10 times to just pull over and stare. If you have never taken this drive, you have to do it. You just have to see it. I've been all over Europe, to St. Lucia and the Caribbean...nothing has compared to this. And it's right here...in our own country!!!

We stopped in the adorable town of Carmel by the Sea for a quick lunch. Another little European town full of charm. Had the most awesome Portobello and Mozzarella sandwich ever, so I had to take a pic of it.

We picked up a few groceries because we booked a cabin in Big Sur! After 20 more gorgeous driving minutes we arrived at our cabin. Completely different from the big city we had just come from, but a much needed relaxing break. No phone, no tv, no internet...not a single luxury. But it was perfect and right on the river. Knowing Ben's horrible luck with trees lately, we were a little hesitant to stay amongst the Redwoods (haha), but so far we have not been killed. We got to do some laundry at the campground next door, came back and kicked up our feet, opened a bottle of wine and re-laxed.

Here we are with our self-made (redneck style) cups. We chopped the tops off of some plastic bottles. Cuz that's how we roll.

Today was our 2 year wedding anniversary, March 24th. I am a very lucky girl to have found Ben and I can't imagine life with out him. 2 years in, going strong, and I love him more and more each day. Corny, I know...but this trip has really brought us together more. And we still have a week to go!!!

It's now 7am, I don't know how I've been waking up so early! I will hopefully get to post this when we get to the next town. We don't have any real plans, but I do have tickets to see Chelsea Lately on the 27th in LA! I love love love her so I'm really excited to see that. Ben, not so much. But, sometimes we take one for the team (or group as my friend Stacy used to say).

Until next time!

Day Four: Too Much!

2009-03-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

I wish I could say I got up early to blog...but I slept instead:) And it was nice. We are just pooped out!
Just a short post to let you know we will be internet-less for the next couple days! I don't know how I'll survive! I will have a big huge post when we get to civilization.
Here's one pic to leave you with. Here we are at the top of San Francisco, on Twin Peaks. The view was breathtaking and you really got to see how HUGE this city is.
See you in a couple days! We will be celebrating our 2 year anniversary tonight in Big Sur:) Can't wait!

Day Three: San Francisco

2009-03-23T08:25:00.000-07:00

We have sooo much we want to do today, but we are already so sore from walking these crazy hills here yesterday! Oh, well...we will be in much better shape when we get back! I'll keep this post short so we can get to exploring the city:)
We got in around 2:30 yesterday and rented our car! Left the airport and immediately, the GPS screwed us up. Figures! Apparently turn left and "keep" left are 2 different things! We ended up on the Bay bridge, which you cannot turn around on since the other direction of traffic is directly above you! So, 8 miles later we were able to turn around and come back. No worries! Got to our hotel and walked around the city to Chinatown...which is an awesome photo spot! Wandered back toward the hotel and stopped in a cool bar called Gold Dust (?) I think. Came back to rest up for today (which Ben is still doing).
Here are the pics I took yesterday. Should be plenty more for tomorrow!

Day Two: I Heart Seattle!

2009-03-21T23:41:00.000-07:00

Wow, I think I'm in love...with Seattle that is. We had such an awesome time yesterday just wandering around the city. One of the great things about it is how close everything is to each other. You can pretty much walk to wherever you want to go, or take a quick monorail ride. The city is really clean, and the air is just so crisp...and the light...well, enough about it. :)
It also feels really safe. Amanda says she used to walk home from work through the city at night by herself and never felt afraid. That's mind boggling to me! I guess coming from Atlanta, that just seems so unreal. I'm sure we are just in a tourist cloud and unaware of things, but that's just the feeling we got here.

We got up around 10 and walked down the block to...you guessed it...
That's right....one of about 150 or so Starbucks in the city. Our Starbucks actually faced another one across the street!
After we got our coffees we headed down the street to the Market. I know it's such a touristy thing, but it was really amazing. So many cool photos ops. Here are just a few...

There were some interesting characters. This guy was collecting funds to get cats spayed and neutered...Bob Barker, is that you?
Laser Cats!
We thought the cops here were interesting. So little crime, they were able to take pics of tourists...

And some more of the scenery...

We met up with Amanda and Todd after lunch and decided to take a ferry up and around the city. Got to learn some stuff and get some great pics at the same time. Imagine that.

By the time we got back, we were so tired and lazy, we took a bike cab back to the market. I couldn't zoom out wide enough but here we are on our ride. Poor guy.

Later on we met up again and went to Buca di Beppo for dinner....delish! Full on pasta and tired from the booze we headed back to the hotel to go to bed. We are now getting ready to head to the airport for our flight to San Francisco! We are so excited...gotta pack it up!!

Day One: Traveling to Seattle

2009-03-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo! I can't believe I'm waking up in Seattle! One thing is for sure, after our full day of traveling yesterday, I definitely wasn't "Sleepless"! We woke up at 4am yesterday (which if you know Ben and me, is pretty much a miracle) to get to the airport by 5. (Thanks to my Mom for getting up so early to take us!) The airport check in and security was a breeze and we made it to our terminal with plenty of time to kill...so I took some pics of course.

Our flight took off at 7:15am and we arrived in Phoenix, AZ around 9:30. Going back in time 3 hours, ugh. Sidenote: if you have the opportunity to take a direct flight, do it!!! We changed planes uneventfully and headed to Seattle. Flying over the Grand Canyon was amazing, but my pictures didn't really do anything justice. We arrived in Seattle at 1:35pm (4:35 Atl time).

We went to Baggage claim and our bags were the FIRST ones to come out!!! When does that ever happen??? Walked outside and got a cab immediately, got to our hotel in 20 minutes. We could not believe how smoothly everything had gone.

The first thing I noticed about Seattle is the light here. It just hits everything so crisply! A photographer's dream. We pulled up to our hotel, Hotel Max, and walked into the lobby...wow! This place looked cool online, but it was just a-mazing. If I were to design a hotel, it would be just like this (with slightly bigger rooms). The hallways are awesome and each guestroom door has a full size black and white photo from an artist here in the area. Each floor has a different theme, of course I made Ben go to all of them with me. Our hall features cool abstract architecture photos from around town. Other floors are similar with a different theme. There's a Seattle grunge music floor. Each door has a concert photo of different musicians from here.. Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, etc. That was Ben's favorite floor of course!

At this point the sky opened up and it started POURING and HAILING!!! We sat in our room and thought, "Rain in Seattle". What a cliche. But after about 10 minutes, the sun came out and it was the most beautiful light I've ever seen! (Sorry to go on and on about the light..). We walked around the block and took some pics. Stopped by the sushi restaurant, Red Fin, that's connected to our hotel and had some of the best sushi we've ever eaten!

We made our own art
We headed back to our room (exhausted) and chilled out for a bit. Then my old college roomie, Amanda (who has lived here for 4 years) came and picked us up! I was so excited to see her after 4 years:) We got to meet her boyfriend Todd, who has lived here all his life. He gave us some good suggestions for what to do while we were here. So, the 4 of us headed to an awesome restaurant (I know we just ate sushi, but it's vacation). It was a seafood restaurant (Mc'Cormicks and...something) that was right on the water (not the ocean...I think it was a salt water lake?). Good food, good catching up with an old friend.
We are definitely hanging out today too.

So, we got back to the hotel around 9, but it was more like midnight to us. And since we had been up since 4, we were beat. We ordered "The Wrestler" on Pay per View and unfortunately I passed out about 15 minutes in. Ben says it was good though!
So, here we are...it's about 9am here and Ben's still sleeping. This is the best time to blog, so I will probably try to do this every morning!

Thanks for checking in! Will have a ton of more pics tomorrow!

This blog is coming back!

2009-03-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

But only for one purpose. Ben and I will be traveling down the West Coast for 11 days at the end of March and I will be blogging that trip on this blog! It's a little easier to use than my new one, better for the road. So, be on the lookout for new postings around March 20th! Check it!

PLEASE REDIRECT!!

2008-10-29T21:02:00.001-07:00

From here on out this blog is a thing of the past. Please direct all your bookmarks to this link:

www.brendaupton.com/blog

Thank you!!!

I've been a bad blogger...

2008-10-24T13:41:00.001-07:00

...and I'm sorry:(
I am trying to get the new blog up and running but I've just been so busy lately (October is the new June!). I promise I will have it up next week sometime. But this weekend, my husband Ben and I are going to the mountains! Woo hoo!!!
I have promised him I will do no work and will just relax, breathe in the mountain air, drink a glass of red wine and maybe cheer on my Dawgs! We are bringing his mother, sister and brother in law as well and it should be a lot of fun. So, if I don't respond to your email right away, please be patient. I will be back Tuesday morning.
To catch you up a little on what's been going on in the world of weddings, here are my latest slideshows! Have a fabulous weekend:)
Click the following names to view the show:

Sarah & Ryan : Watkinsville
Amanda & Salem : Kimball Hall
Jen & Trey : The Georgian Terrace
Aundrea & John : Lawrenceville
Kim & Chris : 103 West

Big things coming soon!

2008-10-20T16:55:00.000-07:00

New blog, bigger pictures, more posts, more awesome-ness. Stay tuned this week!

Sneak Peeks!

2008-10-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

Just a short mini blog here to share a couple of my favorite moments from my past 2 weddings. I'll do a full post for each later, but for now...here's a few nuggets.
The first 2 come from Sarah and Ryan's super fun wedding in Watkinsville. It's a good example of why it's a great idea to have 2 photographers at your wedding. While I was on a chair getting this pic of the dancefloor...
Angie, my second photographer was getting this!

Amanda and Salem's wedding was so fun too. Here's Salem making one last attempt to escape;)And more reception fun...I love garter shots!

Stay tuned for more!

Nakisha & Michael-Kimball Hall

2008-10-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

Nakisha and Michael's wedding at the gorgeous Kimball Hall was fabulous. The day started out with a few hitches, but quickly smoothed out and turned into a dream wedding. Julie, the director at Kimball Hall has a way of getting things taken care of without sweating one drop. She's so great to work with because of her laid back attitude and sweet southern accent, but she's truly a machine behind the scenes.
Here are just a few pics of Nakisha and Michael's big day back in September.
The beautiful Nakisha

And the very handsome Michael

And check out the slideshow!

Things are still really crazy busy here, so just keep checking back for more posts!

Rebecca and Zach-Dahlonega

2008-09-26T14:30:00.000-07:00

Dahlonega is such a beautiful place to have a wedding. Is such a quaint little town away from the hustle and bustle of Atlanta, but not too far of a drive! And, like always, it was such a great time, with some awesome people!
You may remember Rebecca as Jessica's maid of honor back in June! It was great to see all of Jessica's family again. It was also great to get to meet Rebecca and Zach's families who cracked me up with their killer dance skills! Their wedding day was so perfect and here are a few pics from the day...
One of the bridesmaids alerted me to this awesome shot from the parking lot!Becca's comfy shoes
I had to do something with this awesome piece of art.
Becca has the best smile
...and I wonder where she gets it?!
Becca's nieces weren't quite sure what to think of Aunt Becca all dressed up.But they soon discovered how fun her veil was!
Meanwhile Grandpa was getting his hair done too!
Just love these little munchkins!
We had some fun with her veil too...
Our little Abbey Road rendition
Just before
Love this shot of Zach and his dad as Becca is coming down the aisle.
Unity Candle

A few quick smooches....
Then off to the winery!

No, that's ok, I got this lollipop...
First dances

Bouquet Toss excitement!
Zach workin his way toward the garter...Pom poms for the exit...Alabama fans...but I still like them;)

One last kiss, back at the hotel

Thanks to the Byrne's and Phillip's for another great time!!
Click here for the slideshow and stay tuned for Nakisha and Michael's wedding.

Post featured on Brides.com!

2008-09-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to see a little snippet and shout out we got on the Brides.com blog! This is a pic from Shelby and David's wedding back in July. Click here to check it out!
Yay!

New slideshows!

2008-09-22T17:09:00.000-07:00

I'm really behind in my blog-ventures, and I'm making time in my schedule this week to catch it up. But I wanted to post a couple links to my most recent slideshows! I've had some really amzing weddings lately and I didn't want to keep you waiting:)
Rebecca & Zach- Wolf Mountain Winery, Dahlonega
Nakisha & Michael- Kimball Hall, Roswell

I love my job...

2008-09-16T15:41:00.000-07:00

How awesome is my job. I get to be with people on the biggest, happiest day of their lives! And I get to capture those moments to be shared for generations. I can't tell you how great it is, and how lucky I am do be able to do it:)
I'll keep this post short, because I still have alot of editing to do. But, I wanted to share just a few images from my last 2 weddings. Up first is Christy and Mike's big day at the Marietta Garden Center. They were so cool and laid back and their families were so cool! Grandma could bust a move better than me! Sorry, there's not enough hours in the day for a full blog, but please check out the slideshow for the whole wedding day tale!
I found this great spot on this staircase...isn't Christy just gorg??

And you gotta have a dramatic couch shot!The best part was the cake smashing, which you got a peak at earlier. Here's a few more
And my faves...last danceAnd the exit...Thanks to Christy and Mike and your awesome familes! I had a great time (and the leg has since healed)!
Here's the whole shebang...

Megan and Ross-Big Canoe

2008-09-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well...where have I been, you ask? Sorry I've gotten so far behind on le blog, but I've hardly had any time to even breathe lately! I've been so blessed to be so busy and I'm not complaining...I just miss my blog:( Fortunately, I got all day today to finish a few things up and play catch up a little.
So! Let me take you back 2 weeks to Labor Day weekend. I had 2 amazing weddings, and Megan and Ross' was the first. We headed up to Big Canoe in Jasper on a beautiful mild day (for August anyway).
Can I just say how much I love Megan and Ross? Megan and I met in the most random way, but we hit it off from the beginning. She was trying to sell me advertising space for the Perfect Wedding Guide and we met up for coffee one morning. I didn't end up using them, but that's ok, she quit soon after anyway! Flash forward a few months, Megan calls me up and wants me to shoot her wedding! That was the biggest compliment I've ever had. She said she met with alot of photographers at her job, but remembered me because of how great we got along (and bc I'm awesome and all that...) haha!
So, anyway, let's get to the pics shall we?
Here's Megan's awesome dress...

Seeing each other for the first time all dressed up...
Ross and his comfortably dressed groomsmen (love that idea!)
Megan and her ladies
Divas (sunglasses Megan gave the ladies)Gorgeous flowers by Vickie Powell of Affairs to Remember
You cannot beat this view I had during the ceremony

My fave of the day...No matter how many jumping shots I take, I love them all...
So, there were a few bees flying around the reception. This poor girl happened to swallow one while we were taking a picture...haha
Fun times by the lake
Having a great time, so I had to be in a pic or 2...

I'm so honored I got to be Megan's photographer, but I'm really glad we are also now friends. Had such a blast that weekend...also at Christy and Mike's wedding on Sunday which I will soon post as well:) Then, stay tuned for Rebecca and Zach's vine-aliscious wedding in Dahlonega!!!
Please please leave your comments below!! I love getting feedback...
Here's the slideshow...

Sneak Peeks!

2008-09-03T08:20:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun this Labor Day weekend! We had 2 weddings and they were both so awesomely delicious. Obviously I am still editing, but had to show you one sneak peek of each...my favorites of both days. These are hilarious!
Here's my Saturday wedding of Megan and Ross...this is her hilarious bridesmaid:And here's Sunday's cake smashing of Christy and Mike!

I know you're dying to see the rest! Check back in a couple of days:)

Great advice about Family Formals

2008-09-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple of months I have become an avid blog-reader. There are 5 or 6 photographers that are just amazing that I have bookmarked in my list of blogs I check every week. I get inspiration from their photographs and sometimes, I get some great advice. I just read a blog from Almasy Photo that just puts Formals into a new perspective for me. I would highly recommend all brides out there check it out. It gives you some awesome tips on how to prepare a list and why it is important that we (the photographers) have a list beforehand.
Check it out here!

Becca's Senior Portraits

2008-08-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I got to photograph the gorgeous Becca for her Senior pics. She and her mom drove all the way from Newnan to Stone Mountain in the rain, but luckily the sun came out right when they got there! Becca's personality is way too big to be captured in a black drape and 3 poses by the lame school photographer. So, she came out to see me and we had a blast hanging out at the park. I think we really captured who she is in these pics.

We even got mom to be in a few!

But there's more! Not only is Becca smart and beautiful...she's really talented too! She plays Clarinet, and she's on Colorguard! Of course, I made her show me!

And finally, the slideshow!

Jen & Ric

2008-08-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

Jen and Ric's wedding was so great. A photographer's dream. Laid back people, small crowd, great venue and artistic freedom to do anything I want! Oh, throw in a super sweet and gorgeous bride and groom...did I have a genie grant me this wedding?
Jen got ready at the Mary Gay House in Decatur. It's got this great colonial feel to it that really inspired me. Check out these getting ready shots of the lovely Jen...

Of course, the guys were there too...well, at the Church anyway

This is definitly the family Christmas Card this year:)

Leaning on an actual "hitching post"!

Yummy chocolates
I love love love this cake topper!
This little girl was sooo cute! She was pointing at Jen's dress saying "that's pretty"All the ladies in blue!
A little dramatic lighting...
and a little more for the exit...

What a great time! Click here for the full sized slideshow, or watch below!

Jen and Ric-Sneak Peek!

2008-08-17T13:03:00.001-07:00

I couldn't decide on one pics for this week's "sneak peek", so you get 2! Aren't you lucky;) I will have the full post tomorrow or Tuesday so check back!
Here's the beautiful Jen:

My cute little office!

2008-08-13T20:41:00.000-07:00

Cute is the main word here...not much more you could say about a 7x9 room:) But, it's perfect for what I needed it for, which is meeting with those wonderful clients of mine! I've spent the past week or so decorating and making a few adjustments. I absolutely LOVE it!!! If you are meeting with me and bringing your whole family and bridal party? No worries:) I have access to this awesome conference room too!
I would give out the address on here, but I have to listen to my mommy and "be safe about things". You know how Moms can be:) So, if you'd like to set up a meeting at my killer office space, shoot me an email or give me a call. Hope to see you there soon!

Here's the Conference Room

And....today I met my neighbor, and get this...she's an awesome Wedding Planner!!! How perfect is this set up? Her name is Gail and she's super sweet. She runs Wedding Soiree. So, when you come to meet me, set up a meeting with her as well! 2 birds...1 suite! haha.
Oh....and P.S. I bought a dang refridgerator and stocked it up, so please don't be shy about accepting a drink! There's really only so many Diet Cokes I can drink by myself.

Shelby and David

2008-08-04T17:29:00.000-07:00

Whew! Sorry it's been a while since I've updated the blog. Things have been really busy around this part of the woods and I'm trying to catch up! Before I get to it, I have some more big news! I will be getting my own office/meeting space this week:) So long Starbucks! It's in Decatur, so it's very convenient to everything and right off of 285. I'll have pics up as soon as I move in:)
Now, onto the wedding pics! Shelby and David's wedding was so great. Even though we had a little rain right before the ceremony, the sun came out right on time!
Here are some getting ready details from the gorgeous Whitlock Inn in Marietta...

What a great smile!
You know I gotta find a creative shoe-shot! Watch the slideshow, it fits perfectly!
David and the boys

Emma was the flower girl...such a cutie!Just before, with dad.

I love it when the girls agree to do this:)

The ring bearer just couldn't help but pet the doggie! Cuuute.
After ceremony Sunshine:)

This was Shelby's favorite toy as a child...apparently she took it with her wherever she went. Well, grandma slipped it into this vase at their table!Shelby had no clue
Just a little embarrased;)
Shelby is actually good friend's with my October 07 bride, Becca! It's great to see my old clients again:) So, I had to include her here...And the party continued...

I have to mention 2 great vendors I met:
Karen Casey Events, Wedding Coordinator...she took care of everything and was really easy to get along with!
Hans Daniels, DJ, played awesome music and used actual records, which I love!

What an awesome time we had! Here's the slideshow I put together with Shelby's cool song pics:)

What's in a Name?

2008-07-28T07:52:00.000-07:00

Well, this is huge. I have thought and thought about doing this since March 24th, 2007 (my wedding day), but just wasn't sure it was the right move. I didn't know how or if it would effect my business and I didn't want to rock the boat. But, I decided that I could do it, and if I was going to do it, it would have to be now.
Let me introduce you to...

Same ol' Brenda, same great photos...just a little change in the name. All contracts with Brenda Winn will still be legal, and all checks made to Brenda Winn can still work til the end of the year. This is going to take a little while to change everything over. There is SO much to change! I am hoping to have it done by the end of the week, but I can't guarantee it.
You will still be able to access my website at www.brendawinnphotography.com and brendawinn.com. That will just redirect over to the new domain which is www.brendaupton.com
You will still be able to access your online gallery at brendawinn.instaproofs.com
However, if your event is after 7/27/08 it will be at brendaupton.instaproofs.com.
I will be sending out an email to all my clients from this year to let you know about your slideshow link and all that stuff.
I hope everyone likes it!
Please leave comments below...let me know if I'm crazy or not! And please feel free to email with any questions you might have about this.
Thanks for your support!

Big News...Coming Soon!

2008-07-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

Check back Monday for some big news! This is regarding the business (no, I'm not pregnant, Mom!) I'm really excited about it and hopefully you will be too!

Jen and Ric- Engaged!

2008-07-26T06:18:00.000-07:00

I am always up for shooting in new locations, so I was so excited that Jen and Ric wanted to do their engagement sitting downtown, starting at the Fox. We had a blast walking around in the city. Well, except for almost getting hit by a car...a couple of times. But, that's another story. All that matters was that we got fabulous pics of the gorgeous couple:) They will be getting married very soon, August 9th...so check back for their big day! Here's just a quick few as I'm running out the door for a wedding:) Check back for that next week!

and my fave of the day...

New Portraits!

2008-07-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

I had been thinking for a long time that I needed a new picture of me for my website. My friend, and fellow photographer, Andrea Taylor was kind enough to take them for me! She had this great spot in mind, Casa Grande on Peachtree (I think). Very colorful. I totally feel what you guys feel now! It's so awkward to be on the other side of the lens and I now have a new respect for my clients:) Luckily Andrea made me feel comfortable, even as many people were walking by to go into the restaurant. Yeah, next we won't be shooting at lunchtime! Here are a few of them...

Please leave comments for Andrea below!

Nikki and Tate

2008-07-16T07:20:00.000-07:00

Nikki and Tate are one of those couple's that you can just look at and know how much in love they are. They're also really laid back and funny, which makes my job that much better! Their wedding at the awesome Kimball Hall was so beautiful. Kimball Hall is such a wonderful place to get married (I should know, I got married there last year!). Julie Stephens(who owns and runs the place) is so sweet and takes care of every little detail. If you're still looking for a location for your wedding, definitely swing by and check it out. Here are some of the best of the day.
First, I'll start with all the great details from Kimball Hall. A little collage I put together. Click on it to see it larger...
Hair and Makeup by Susan and Sharen from Jyl Craven Studio.

Seeing the gorgeous flowers for the first time.

The "just before" moment. I love these quiet seconds just before the big moment.
Classy Chicks Trio...awesome.
Videographer, Paul Wages of Wages Video, does live feeds online so guests that can't make it can still see the fun:) Here they are waving to her grandpa.

The bouquet was actually 12 roses that came apart when she threw them, so everyone got one!
Tate, workin it:) I totally did not expect this and almost fell down laughing.

And finally...les slideshow:

Thank you Nikki and Tate (and Julie!) for an awesome time!

Nikki and Tate-Sneak Peek

2008-07-14T18:38:00.000-07:00

Here's a little teaser for ya! One of my faves from the day..right after the cake cutting/smashing. Aren't they so cute? The rest should be up by Wednesday so check back:)

Introducing...Gift Certificates!

2008-07-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

Due to many requests, we've just added Gift Certificates to our online store! Now, instead of registering at Crate and Barrel, you can register with me! I mean, who really needs a blender or a cutesy paper towel holder anyway? On the site, you can purchase basic gift certificates that can be used toward Albums, Prints, Products, or even future sittings.
There's also a Portrait Sitting certificate that can would be a great gift for that mom-to-be that would love a Maternity Sitting! Or for that Senior in high school who is way too cool for the boring ol' black drape picture and wants some fun relaxed Portraits.
You can get to the store directly by clicking: here
I will soon have a page on my website that will direct people to the store, so if you want to add brendawinn.com to your registry list, it'll be all set up:)

Need a new Do?

2008-07-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

One of my best friends, Katie Cheek, is an awesome hair stylist. She's been doing my hair for about 4 years now and it always turns out fabulous! So, I'm giving her business, Moondance Designs, a shout-out and letting you know that she is offering a free cut and style with your 1st color session. She's Redken Certified which is really hard to come by! Just mention Brenda Winn Photography when you make your appointment and she'll hook you up with the free cut!
Here's her Redken Professional Site
Call today to make your appointment, and pass her name along if you know someone who needs a new stylist!
Moondance Designs Hair Studio
1575 Old Alabama Rd
Roswell, GA 30076
678-622-7658

Happy 4th!

2008-07-08T09:13:00.000-07:00

Did I ever mention I have the cutest Nephews in the world? I know, only maybe about 1,000 times. But they just keep getting cuter so I can't help but gloat a bit. Ben's sister Amy, her husband Brian, his momma Faye and the 2 little runts came to visit us this past weekend and we had a blast!
Here we are hanging out on our new porch.
Baby kisses
That's scratchy Uncle Ben!
We got to learn all about the planets from Owen
Our porch is old school. We listen to old records...Then we headed out for some firework action. Owen loved the sparklers...
So does Brian!
Look out Uncle Ben!
Then we walked up the street where we could see the Stone Mountain Fireworks. I forgot my flash, but I'm glad I did! Check out these cool long exposures.

I was inspired by the long exposures so when we got back, we decided to have a little fun with the sparklers!

Then we started to spell stuff...

Brian's message...I heart Amy, sorry it got cut off!
Nana came out to play tooThis is funny...looks like Owen's got some indigestion! :)

After all this excitement, we went to bed. Had to save our energy for the Aquarium!!!
What a brat:)

Seems everyone in GA decided to come to the aquarium too! Here we are standing in line to get in...not too happy:(
Look at this Cabbage Patch Kid! So cute!

This is Owen's impression of a shark.

Owen is such a little player! Look at him hitting on this little girl...

We asked him what her name was, he ran back to her, came back and said "Raisin". hehe. I'm pretty sure that wasn't her name.

We had so much fun with the family and I can't wait til they come up again:) Those little buggers just grow up so fast!

Become a Facebook Fan of Brenda Winn Photography!

2008-07-06T16:53:00.000-07:00

If you are on Facebook, I'd love for you to become a Fan of my Brenda Winn Photography page! I'll be posting new pics there frequently and hope to have some cool features like Bride reviews and updates. So click here to become my fan!

Jessica and Jimmy

2008-07-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

Jessica and Jimmy's wedding was perfect. I could break out the thesaurus and wax poetic about how beautiful it was, but words are just words. What's the phrase? Oh right. A picture is worth a thousand of 'em. So let's get to it, shall we?
The girls got ready at the Courtyard Marriott in Buckhead

Loved these pink robes Jessica bought for the ladies:)
My fabulous guest photographer, Andrea Taylor, got these pics of the guys

Getting dressed at the Church

Jimmy wrote her a letter to read before the ceremony...so sweet

The ceremony at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Buckhead

These have to be my favoes of the day. Click on them to see them bigger:)

Big thanks to their cordinator, Lisa from My Event Perfect and Sean Thorndike from the Atlanta History Center for letting us shoot at the beautiful Swan House.
Another great shot from Andrea...

The reception was in the Grand Overlook Ballroom of the History Center.

A little bit softer now...shout...a little bit softer now...
A little bit louder now...SHOUT!That's what I'm talking about, girl.
Wow, someone's ready to get married! You ladies know who to call when it's time, right? :)Jimmy's little dance for Jessica...
...had everybody laughing.
I love her mother's reaction in the background!
Best garter toss, Ever.Last dance...
Andrea got this awesome shot of the Rolls

And click below to see the slideshow...it's best to click here to see it bigger.

Jessica and Jimmy-Sneak Peek

2008-06-26T20:27:00.000-07:00

Before I leave for Jekyll Island tomorrow, I wanted to show you a few pics from Saturdays wedding. I'm almost done editing, but want to polish a few more before I post. Check back Tuesday for the final show!
Behold, the hotness that is Jessica and Jimmy:

Home Sweet Porch

2008-06-22T06:59:00.001-07:00

Well, Jessica and Jimmy's wedding yesterday was so great. I'm loading all my cards now and I'm excited to get editing. In the meantime I was so happy to come home from the wedding yesterday to our new screen porch!!! Our house is surrounded by huge trees, we are basically in the woods. We love the location and the scenery but couldn't enjoy it because of the killer mosquitos that have been taking up residence on our back porch. So, I called Carlos at Carlos Construction for a free estimate and the price and timing was right! Let me just tell you, Carlos and his crew had this sucker up in 2 days!!!
I highly recommend using him for all your home improvement needs. Siding, Roofing, Framing, Sheetrock, Masonry...etc. They also do tree work!
Carlos: 404-886-1751

I shot these with my new Fisheye Lens to get the full effect. Obviously it bows the image out on the edges, our porch is not rounded:)

Jack was unsure about his new doggy door at first...But, then he got used to it:)

Chris and Jenna

2008-06-10T15:42:00.000-07:00

Whew! Saturday was a hot one! But luckily it was easy to overlook the heat because Chris and Jenna's wedding was awesome! They got hitched at Brasstown Valley Resort in Young Harris. Weddings in the mountains are always gorgeous and this one was no different. Here are some of my faves from the day (although it was hard to narrow them down!)

Seeing Dad for the first time:)

I love her dimple in this..

drop. dead.gorgeous.

And onto Chris and the boys...

This one might be my fave of the day, just something about it...
Ready to go, Dad?
Just glowing!
First kiss...
...and another

The Reception at the Sunset Pavillion
First dance dip!
Teary-eyed dance with Dad
Cute kids!
This was a great idea for a summer wedding. They made their programs into fans for their guests:) I may have used it a couple times myself!
The reaction to the toastsCake time!
This is my other fave of the day...

And every good thing must come to an end:(

...off the Jamaica! Have a great time!
Here's the slideshow....click here for the full size:) Click below to view on this screen.

Lauren and Greg-Wedding Slideshow

2008-06-04T11:24:00.000-07:00

I finally put together Lauren and Greg's wedding slideshow from back in March. I was waiting on their song choices for it. Normally, I would pick songs out myself for the slideshow, but I knew Greg's choice in songs would be something totally unique and songs I never would have thought of! I was right! I totally love the songs he picked and it completely fits their awesome personalities. So, the long awaited, but totally worth it slideshow featuring Seals and Crofts and RUSH!

In need of a loving home...

2008-06-01T19:40:00.000-07:00

I know, 3 posts in one night! But, the hubby is downstairs insisting on watching scary movie after scary movie. So, instead of giving myself certain nightmares, I decided I would retreat to the office and blog away. So, here's what's next on the docket.

Meet Betty. Betty is Ben's old love.
A 1993 Toyota Camry that has been occupying our driveway for a year. It's time for Betty to go and maybe you or someone you know might be able to help.

Betty's a quirky old gal, and she's got quite a few "issues". But she's also a powerful beast when she decides to work. First, the great things about her...

-She's a Toyota!
-She's a V6
-She's got a kick-a$$ stereo system
-She's got beautiful brand new Firestone tires (purchased for $500 right before she decided not to crank anymore)

Then there's the bad news which I'll be completely honest about.

-She won't crank. We have eliminated the battery as a culprit. Potentially the alternator.
-She's got some self-esteem issues. She got into a fight with a Deer a while back. The Deer lost, but Betty suffered as well:(
-Due to this run-in, Betty's passenger side door won't open further than 2 inches. Unfortunately (unbeknownst to us), this door didn't really "shut" all the way either. This lead to a slight leak, which lead to the interior becoming wet...which lead to it being kinda nasty.
A little crusty. We didn't realize how bad the mildew was until I opened the door for the first time in a year to that heavenly aroma. (Hey, I said I would be honest)!

So, basically if you were interested in taking on a new project, or knew someone that fixed up old cars, this could be a great deal for you! She might need new upholstery (or a good interior scrubbing), a door fixed, and potentially a new alternator.

Here are a few more pics:

Oh yeah...this too. Easy fix.

This is Betty's sister. She actually runs like a charm. Betty's jealous.

We are asking $500 for her. This is basically to cover the cost of those tires. But, we are willing to negotiate considering her extreme circumstances. She would also need to be towed from the bottom of our steep driveway.

But hey, who doesn't love a challenge, right? She's a great gal and will run another 100,000 miles + if fixed! (*she has 159,000 now.)

Email brenda.winn@yahoo.com or call 770-337-3697 if interested. Thanks for reading!

Jenna and Chris this weekend!

2008-06-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited about Jenna and Chris' upcoming wedding this weekend that I'd thought I'd post a couple pics from their e-session, since I wasn't really a blogger back then:)
The wedding is in Young Harris and it's going to be so much fun, so check back next week to see!

Jessica and Rich Engagement

2008-05-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

Thursday afternoon I met up with Jessica and Rich at the Mansell House in Alpharetta to shoot their engagement sitting. They are getting married at Kimball Hall in Roswell in November, which is my favorite place! I'm really excited about their wedding, because as you can see, they are such a fun couple!
And I'm super excited that they brought their Boxer, Maggie with them! She's soooo cute!

Here she is...what a sweetie!
She even made an appearance in this pic...can ya spot her?
Smooches!
They are amazing dancers, and this was the best dip I've seen in a while...must have been practicing:)
And my 2 favorite of the day...1st a quiet moment on the swing...Then a crazy 1,2,3 JUMP moment!

I finally learned how to embed a slideshow onto the blog! Click below to view theirs! I also went back and added slideshows to previous blogs if you want to check them out.

Anybody need one of these thingys?

2008-05-30T11:30:00.000-07:00

I have one just like it and never wore it! I bought it for my wedding in March 07, but decided last minute not to wear it...so it's in mint condition. It's from David's Bridal, I prefer not to say the size:) but if you ask me I'll tell ya! Just shoot me an e-mail if you or anyone you know wants it! Free to a good home:)

brenda.winn@yahoo.com
770-337-3697

Brianna and Michael

2008-05-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

I was invited to shoot with a photographer friend of mine, Shannon Wright, a couple of weeks ago. It was in my old college town of Canton, GA so I thought it would be cool to go back! I went to Reinhardt College my first year out of high school. It's a small college a little bit north of Canton, in Waleska. I got there a little early so I thought I'd go by and revisit! It's really crazy how I don't remember that campus at all! 10 years can really fade away in memory...
But, anyway! The wedding was a lot of fun. Brianna and Michael are really cool and laid back...and you gotta love the cowboy hats!
Here are just a few pics.

I loved this one of Brianna's mom and dad about to walk her down the aisle

Oh yeah...check out this groom's cake

Sweep the Mets!

2008-05-23T12:44:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah, I'm still recovering from our awesome trip out to Turner Field last night! For my birthday, my parents hooked me up with the game of my choice and some kick-butt seats! So, of course I chose Game 4 of the Mets, just knowing it would be a sweep. We've never sat this close to home plate before so it was an amazing view. I only wish I brought my 70-200 (big zoom lens) to get a close up of my boys up at bat! But, here's what I got:

Me and the "crazy-eyed killa"

I just loved this guys' shirt...
Chippy-boy is on Fire!!!

Ok, here's the point in the evening where I got a little, shall we say, Angry!
Our seats were 17 rows back, but by the 7th inning I noticed no one had showed up in the 3rd row! Well, why not move on down, right? Get a little closer to the action, cheer a little louder, rally up my team! Well, apparently knocking in the game-tying run, followed by the game-WINNING run is not cause enough to stand up and CHEER????!!!???
I was shouted at: "DOWN IN FRONT! SIT DOWN!"
Excuse me??? But, we just scored! Pardon me for actually being a FAN and getting excited! UGH! Sorry, just had to rant here a bit.

So, back to the awesome action!
Once we got back to our "real fan" seats we were surrounded by people going nuts as they should...

And the end-of-game Fireworks!

Feels so good to be back on the right track and having Frenchy and Texy starting to catch fire this season. From here on out, it's going to get really interesting!

Megan and Ross- Engagement

2008-05-19T12:53:00.000-07:00

I can't explain how much fun I had yesterday with Megan and Ross at Piedmont Park. But, I think the pics will speak for themselves. We met up at Park Tavern where they were with friends having a few beers on the patio. It was gorgeous outside (besides the 30 seconds of rain we got). They are such a fun couple and I can't wait for their August 30th wedding at Big Canoe! Gonna be such a blast!

The 30 seconds of rain

And a portrait of all of us! Right into the sun, that's good!

And here is their slideshow!

Thank you guys so much, we gotta do it again sometime:)

You a Myspacer?

2008-05-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

Then I'd really appreciate it if you could help me out:)
I have submitted one of my photos in a Contest for Maidenform and I need your votes to win! If you have an account (or even want to set one up to vote!) you can go to the following link to get to my photo. Just click "submit" and that's that! If you have friends on Myspace, ask them to vote too! You can get to my page by clicking the Myspace link on the right. Once there, click the contest icon in the about me section.
Or, go here:

http://adsupport.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=advertiser.customcontest&advertiseruserId=313928051&campaignId=625&friendId=99433281&imageId=17642267&mode=3

While you're there, add me as your friend! Who doesn't like more friends?:)

Back from the Beach!

2008-05-13T18:14:00.000-07:00

Ahhh...we just got back from Myrtle Beach and I'm so relaxed. And, I managed not to get crispy-fried as I normally do! Woohoo!
My husband, Ben and I were gone since Friday with my brother Daniel and his wife, Kelly. It was such a blast and I wish I was still there. We were even lucky enough to be there during Bike Week, so needless to say we were pretty entertained by all the people-watching. I didn't really take many pics (I know, shame on me), but sand and expensive camera gear just don't mix well.
But, here's what I did manage to shoot...a little boring, but I'll have some fun pics up soon that we took with my bro's camera.

Backseat view in the Element, glad I'm not driving!

We really need to have someone else take the picture once and a while!
Jellyfish everywhere!
Sunnin with the Sis

Erin and Brandon-May 3rd

2008-05-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited about Erin and Brandon's wedding pics! It was one of those days that was forecasted to be Severe Thunderstorms all day long...but, we of course lucked out with gorgeous weather! I did my anti-rain dance before I left for the day.
Erin is one of those gorgeous brides that just glows and I'm so glad we got to go outside and catch her in some of that glowing light!

The girls getting ready...

Brandon and the dudes...

I love this image of Erin and her dadWe got so many beautiful pics of Erin (how could you not!) I had to post a bunch...

The Ceremony...

Fun with "Formals"

The Reception was at the Ford Center in Powder Springs
Oh, to be a kid again:)

And they're off! Thanks for a great time guys!
Click below to view their slideshow:

Erin and Brandon-Sneak Preview

2008-05-04T08:55:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to show you the awesome pics from yesterday's wedding. But, right now I'm going to get my birthday massage at Spa Sydell:) I sooo need it right now.
Here's a sneak preview though!

Aundrea and John- Engagement

2008-05-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

After a slight rain delay this weekend, I was able to meet up with Aundrea and John at Stone Mountain yesterday. It was actually better this way, because we virtually got the Park to ourselves!
They are huge baseball fans like me, so I was super excited when they broke out the ball and glove to play a little game of catch on the lawn in front of the mountain! They even changed into their team jerseys:) Aundrea is a Braves fan (woohoo!), and John is a Pirates fan (boo!). But, either way, they love each other and that's all that matters, right? :)

Aundrea's diving catch...

Butterflies were everywhere!!!

Aundrea is also an awesome hair stylist! She's done my hair a couple times and it's always turned out great! Her salon is in Flowery Branch, but definitly worth the drive! Call her for an appointment:) 678-316-8246
Slideshow below!

Christy and Mike Engagement

2008-04-20T18:29:00.000-07:00

Another gorgeous day...another gorgeous couple! Christy and Mike are getting married in August and it's sure to be an awesome wedding. I met with them on Sunday at Vines again and had a great time. Sometimes it's hard for me to believe that hanging out and taking photos of fun people is actually my "job"!

Did I mention I love spring yet?

And my favorite of the day...
Here's their slideshow:

Family Portraits

2008-04-20T18:17:00.000-07:00

There's no better word to describe the weather this weekend than "Glorious". Simply glorious.
All the elements came together for 2 portrait sittings at Vine Botanical Gardens in Loganville. This is my favorite location to shoot now and every time I go there I find a new spot that I didn't see before. It's quiet, peaceful and oh so colorful:)
On Saturday I met with Susan and her husband Jason and adorable little Abby (2 years old). It was so fun walking around with them. I learned new ways to make kids smile...quacking like a duck is hilarious apparently! I don't mind humiliating myself for a laugh!

The slideshow should be up soon...check it out here!
www.brendawinnphotography.com/slideshows/susan

Now offering Boudoir Sessions!

2008-04-15T09:39:00.000-07:00

Looking for a great gift to give your beau for his birthday or your anniversary? How about a book of sexy, but tastefully done boudoir photos of you? We now offer these Portrait Sessions done in the comfort and privacy of your own home!
I can't really post much here, but if you are interested in seeing more from my portfolio, email and I will send you a link along with pricing.
C'mon, ladies...don't be shy:)

Email me: brenda.winn@yahoo.com

Nikki and Tate Engagement- Macon, GA

2008-04-14T12:59:00.000-07:00

If you've read this blog before, you probably already know how much I love dogs. I treat my dog, Jack, like my kid because I actually think he thinks he is a human. So, I was so excited when Nikki and Tate brought their adorable Chocolate Lab, Presley to the shoot! What a sweetie she is. And so well behaved...maybe it's because I brought treats! :)
Nikki and Tate are so cute (I promise I'll quit using that word you guys!). You can tell they are best friends by the way the just laughed at each other the whole shoot.

"Where's your Ball?" seems to work like a charm..

Presley taking a break...

Thank you Nikki and Tate, I had a great time:) See you in July!

Oh, and of course I have to post a pic of my boy Jack in his GA Jersey:)He and Presley would make a nice couple, don't cha think?

Spring is here!!!

2008-04-07T18:29:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, Spring. Where have you been, my friend? I feel like you've been gone so long! You came early this year, left....then finally came back to me. Between your tornadoes, hailstorms, downpours and nasty nasty pollen you've left on my car, I thought you were mad at me. But it seems you were only kidding and you blessed me on Sunday with some sun and gorgeous blooms of flowers. Oh how I've missed you.

Here are my latest Engagement Sittings from Sunday at Stone Mountain Park.

This is Rebecca and Zach...getting hitched in September. Sooo adorable and sooo in love...

Railroad track fun

Fun with Green...

From bright green shirts to bright red hair (gorgeous hair!)! Lovin the color today!!! This is Erin and Brandon...They are tying the knot May 3rd and it's sure to be a fabulous one...

Crystin and Jerry...and Austin Cole!

2008-03-31T11:41:00.000-07:00

You gotta love Myspace...where else can you reconnect with friends from Middle School?! When my friend Jerry moved away in 9th grade I thought I'd never hear from him again. Well,what do you know, 12 years later I got his friend request! :)
He is now married to the beautiful Crystin and they have a little baby on the way! Even though they live in Alabama now, they made the drive out to Stone Mountain for a Maternity Sitting.
I had grand plans of a beautiful sunset shoot at Stone Mountain Park surrounded by the new flowers in bloom.
Mother Nature had other plans.
Luckily we were able to take shelter in the Evergreen Hotel in the park. It actually turned out really cool and we were able to get some artistic, dramatic shots in the secluded area downstairs.
Crystin loves Black and White photography, so I did the whole shoot that way.

Right before the downpour...

Isn't Crystin gorg?

I liked how they dupliated the vases on the table...short and tall.

I nominate her for America's Next Top Model...look at those eyes!

You want to be my myspace friend too? Click the link on the right!
Wanna see the whole slidshow? Go here: www.brendawinnphotography.com/slideshows/jerrycrystin

Family Reunion

2008-03-26T08:42:00.000-07:00

This weekend, my husband Ben and I traveled to Portal, GA for his family get together. Yes, that Portal...of the famed recent lotto winners. Oh, and also the birthplace of Turpentine (in case you care, or just love turpentine!).
It's a sleepy little peaceful town on the outskirts of Statesboro, and where my sister-in-law and Mother-in-law live. I drove around a little and snapped some pics of the town.

I was so excited to see everyone and we had such a great time. New baby Noah was there and doing so well. He's a big healthy baby now!

And of course, Owen was there and full of energy as always!Is this how it works?Ohhhh...thanks Uncle Ben!
Playing the "Trombone""I'm Batman!"
"...and Superman!"
"I'll get you Aunt BB!"

But, he can also be a sweet big brother and a little angel!

Pooped out...
A little grumpy

And of course everyone had to hold Noah for a little while...

Everybody looking sharpTiff and SteveAmy, Brian, Owen and Noah
Ma Faye and her kids
Ben and Me (on our one year anniversary!)Everybody, including Ben's Uncle Ray, Aunt Betty and cousin Kim

It was an awesome weekend and I can't wait to see everyone again soon!

Megan and Merritt

2008-03-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

It was a crazy weekend here in Georgia! Hailstorms, Severe Thunderstorms and even Tornadoes! But the show must go on, of course. And so must Megan and Merritt's wedding in the adorable town of Madison. Although the day was slated to be a nasty one, with Tornado warnings all day long...we completely lucked out and got some absolutely gorgeous patches of weather. Stunning skies, orange sunsets, and shiny colorful streets! Like I said before, I bring good weather to weddings:) Kidding of course, but I do always seem to get lucky when the forecast is gloomy.
The wedding party got ready in the James Madison Inn. The photo geek in me came out when I saw how beautiful it was inside and how big the windows were in the lobby!

Merritt's nephew Drew...sooo cute!

Can't forget about Merritt and the guys!

Almost ready to walk down the aisle!

The happy new couple!!

The glowing bride...

And off to the Reception...

You can view the slideshow by going to www.brendawinnphotography.com/slideshows/meganmerritt

Thanks for a great time, you guys:)