Wow! It’s hard to believe that it’s been three years since I started my photography business. It was funny when I sat back to reflect over these past three years this morning, in some ways it seems like it was forever ago and in others it seems like just yesterday. The journey has been an interesting one with trials and successes that have stretched me as a person in all areas of my life. I look forward to what the future brings for my business and for myself. Thank you to all who have been apart of this journey!

Last Monday, I had the pleasure of shooting a newborn session for some dear friends of mine. When I got home and uploaded the images, I fell in love with this one!  So, I quickly retouched it and sent it on to BWC Photo Imaging (my local print lab, that is absolutely AMAZING btw) to have a print made for the monthly DPPA print competition. (In case you missed that story, here is the link to the blog where I discussed DPPA and my commitment to entering print competitions.)  I absolutely adored this image, and the men in it!  I wanted to emphasize my client who is a professional football player and racked my brain for ideas.  I decided this pose was the perfect way to display both the newborn baby’s tiny size and his father’s mature, athletic build. The contrast of the father’s muscular body and callused hands as he cradles his son’s soft, smooth, and flawless skin provides an excellent visualization of the newness of life. The image is complete with the warm, loving gaze from father to son, an absolutely breathtaking moment!  I am pleased to announce that this sweet portrait of father and son won first place last Tuesday in the Portrait category!!

Before we get to the image, I’d like to brag on BWC for a moment. They make my life soooo much easier, and I love the great relationship I share with the lab and it’s employees, especially Edythe! Thank you so much pretty lady!! I can’t stress enough how beneficial it is to develop a relationship with your local lab AND the employees.  They are the ones that can save your butt when you need it most! I have yet to have a bride ask me at the last minute for a print for her wedding, but it will probably happen someday, and when it does, I know BWC will be there for me!  My last minute decision to send this image for the DPPA Print Competition was just that type of situation.  Not only were they very polite about my request, but they remained in communication with me throughout the day, keeping me in the loop on the progress of my image.  Three cheers to BWC!

As tradition with every Southerner on New Years Day we each black-eyed peas in some form or fashion. May it be Hoppin’ John, plain baked beans or some other concoctions of your own…however it’s done, most Southerners share in this tradition. I opted for my own concoction in the crock pot! I couldn’t tell you what I did, but it turned out yummy!

It was brought to my attention that I had no idea why black-eyed peas were tradition and on that note, I really didn’t realize that this wasn’t everyones tradition. Really I think I’ve just never really thought that much about it. So I decided it was time I understood a bit more about our southern charm! I knew eating black-eyed peas was considered to bring good luck and prosperity to those partaking in this tradition…what I did NOT know was the source of its origin. So I did what any typical college student would do…Wikipedia! Haha, ok so I know I’m not a college student anymore but Wikipedia is still a quick go to source for basic information for me. It was interesting to discover that black-eyed peas were traditionally eaten on Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, the swelling of the pea when cook symbolize growing prosperity, which is where the ideal of the peas bring good luck derives. The belief is that this Jewish practice was adopted by non-Jews around the time of the American Civil War. The other part of this southern tradition I did not know was each person was to leave three beans in the bowl assuring Luck, Fortune and Romance in the New Year! What are some of your New Years traditions?

I couldn’t help but to post a few shots from our New Years Day meal…I made Ramen Noodle Salad, Rice Pilaf with dried cranberries, marinated chicken, cornbread and of course…the star of the show….my black-eyed peas concoction! Here’s to Luck, Fortune and Romance in 2012!!!

Hope everyone has had a great start to their 2012!

We have been hard at work over here at Brittany Nicole Photography, doing lots of updating to the studio AND business. Looking forward to a fabulous 2012!! Like most I too have my resolution list and am ready to tackle it.

As I’ve been hard at work these past couple of weeks, I have been reflecting over the past year and just how much I was able to grow and learn as a business owner and person, and how much more growing and learning I will always have. I believe I have mentioned it on here before, but I am constantly making an effort to better myself and my business. So New Years Resolutions are something that happens in my life year round…if you know what I mean …(I find little to do lists ALL over my house – New Years Resolutions, Monthly Lists, Weekly Lists, Daily Lists, it’s seriously ridiculous)!!! Can’t help it, I just function better off of a list. Really it’s not the point that I actually get to EVERY little bullet point that’s on my list immediately (unless it’s work related) I find it’s just really therapeutic for me to write out my thoughts, in bullet format, straight to the point! The lists I find range from business to personal growth to house projects to groceries. Geez, I’ve gone on a tangent…reflecting over last years list…I just wanted to share a few things from last years list and leave you with a few from this year I’m excited about! Feel free to hold me accountable with this years list!!

2011 New Years Resolutions

• New Website & Blog
• Keep images up to date in my portfolio
• Become a better blogger – I’m still not blogging as much as I’d like, but I’m MUCH better!
• Set-up a (informal) weekly schedule for productivity optimization
• Shoot at least one destination wedding

2012 New Years Resolutions

• Become a more consistent blogger
• Better organization in my office/studio
• Submit to Wedding Blogs
• Be more involved with my community (both photography and general)

Off to a great start over here with a new studio space, check out the video below. I apologize now for the redundant music, there isn’t a lot of selection on free music sites. Enjoy!!

Merry Christmas! Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas with family and friends.

I will be filling my time this weekend with family, friends, food and fun! Excited to be hosting Christmas Eve for my family today with our newest tradition of Raclette! Check back later for Christmas updates and photos!

Leaving you with my favorite Christmas song:

What is your favorite thing about the holidays? Any fun/unique traditions your family shares? Favorite Christmas song? Would LOVE to hear from you!

Its that time of year.. Christmas season is upon us all! Some might be sighing thinking to themselves “great..shopping and fruit cake”. While the rest of us closet fanatics, myself included, are screaming ABOUT TIME!! Let’s face it, with the arctic weather nipping in the air, chestnuts roasting (at least in my house ), radio stations playing Christmas music 24/7, the increase of ads on TV and billboards, houses decorated, tree farms taking over parking lots, Santa and his helpers at the local mall, hot chocolate being sold more than coffee at Starbucks…all mark the best season there is. Remember to beat the crowds this holiday season by getting your shopping done early. Don’t forget to contact your local photographers for great ideas on gifts this season and ways to be creative for those you love!

Christmas Checklist

• Start writing shopping list
• Get your picture taken with Santa…you are never too grown up for this one
• Make the front lawn look like a bright light and tacky decor factory threw up on it
• Set a holiday music radio channel to slot #1
• Bake cookies
• Complete writing shopping list, lets face it, you didn’t do it the first time it was mentioned
• Visit family…yes third cousins are family
• Go Christmas light looking
• Find an ice rink and take a loved one skating
• Brave the crowds and get the shopping done!
• Drink your weight in hot chocolate
• Make a ginger bread house. (Remember to resist the urge to eat decorations before you finish).
• Enjoy the season! It comes once a year!

How to tell if you are a Christmas nut like myself.

If you, at any point, do one of the following, you might be a little crazy for the holiday. If you didn’t know this about yourself, welcome! Its great to love this time of year this much

If you,

1. Tune into the Christmas radio station before December starts
2. Have every preset station on your radio set to a Christmas station
3. Break out the tacky sweaters before it drops to 40 degrees
4. Sleep in onesies
5. Decorate your lawn in November
6. Set up a real or fake tree before December
7. Wrap empty boxes in Christmas paper and litter them around the house to add that extra flare
8. Hang tinsel in the guest bath bathroom
9. Watch Elf, with Will Ferrell, 10 times before you get rid of Thanksgiving left overs
10. Go caroling in your office at any time that is not the week of Christmas

Ok, so maybe I haven’t done all these things…but I know you know people that have! Just like Mr. Christmas himself posted below!

Mom relinquished the job of turkey roaster to me a few years ago and decided it only makes since that the turkey roaster host, so here I am! I had the honor of hosting my first Thanksgiving in my new home this year…though I didn’t have a chance to really plan anything until the week of, I was still very excited! I had intended to take more photos but playing host and cook requires a lot of attention. Sorry for the lack of images but here you go!

And just in case anyone was curious – of course everyone who joined brought so much more but here is my last minute menu:

Appetizers
Spiced Apple Cider
Spiced Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Parmesan-Crusted Goat Cheese Ball in Basil Oil

Main Course
Traditional Greek Turkey and Stuffing
More Stuffing
Green Bean Casserole
Sweet Potatoes with Ginger & Honey
Herb Butter and Rolls

Dessert
Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Muffins

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without Dad’s little turkey chef…seriously don’t know where this thing came from…but he loves it! And so do my dogs!! haha

I spent the weekend fixing up my Livingroom/Studio and here is a shot of the new space! More to come on that project soon!!

Busted!!!

Love ya Dad! <3

This is where he sat….most of the day…

…but I had to prove to mom he did the dishes! Thanks bro!!

Of course, the family game time…anyone interested in starting a game night?!

Only needed to note here how poorly I lost… -180 really?!

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Thanksgiving with their family and friends! Wanted to wrap up with my top five things I’m most thankful for:

1. Family
2. Friends (I have a smaller family so my friends mean the world to me)
3. To be healthy
4. A wonderful home
5. and my growing business

Thank you to all of my family and friends, love you all! What things are you most thankful for this holiday season?!

Hi all! Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend a Ross Benton workshop for the day. He was this months DPPA speaker, Ross decided to also include a day workshop but I will be speaking more about later this week. For now I wanted to share about last night print competition. As you all know, I attend DPPA each month and per my ‘New Years Resolution’ I enter print competition. I finally feel like I’m starting to understand what the judges are looking for and how to post-process my images accordingly and wanted to share the work I had done this month.

Here is the original, completely unedited image:      

And here is the post process image that I had printed for competition last night.

Of course, I also getting critiques from the judges and will be making some updates to the image now that I have critiques from the judges, so stay tuned for those updates!

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween!

I went to the fair for a few hours last week with my good friends Matt and Danielle Tolentino. They went in their usual garb and because I spend so much time with them I honestly didn’t think much of it. That is until we actually got to the fair, it was hard not to notice all the looks they were getting from others and eventually stopped by various groups to be complimented on their outfits. Matt and Danielle live in their own world and don’t care what others have to say about their fashion, their music choices or their artistic preferences. I think it’s fantastic! A wonderful reminder to standout from the crowd, be different, be myself!! Thank you friends for always being true to yourself and proud of it, it’s an honor to call you friends!

An image of Matt and Danielle standing out next to the one vehicle in the entire auto show that also stood out!

And just because I love this image!