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When we returned to the office after shooting one day there was a message from a young woman who said that Dean had told her to call.  I quickly returned the call because I hadn’t heard from Dean for awhile and was curious to know what he had been up to.

Dean and I met about eight years ago and formed a friendship that has stood the test of time.  He has three adorable sons and a warm generous heart.  He always said he would never give love another try.  He was happy like he was he would say, but the romantic in me didn’t believe him and was always trying to convince him otherwise.

I remember the day he first mentioned her this woman that he had met at work.  He didn’t give a lot of details or even a name but somewhere in the back of my mind I had a spark of hope. 

As I talked with Ashley that day she told me that she and Dean were getting married and he had suggested she call me to see if Iwould shoot their wedding.  I was overjoyed for them both and knew I couldn’t say anything but yes.

That chance meeting over 2yrs ago that he only casually mentioned turned out to be one of those life changing moments.  Dean didn’t know it at the time but Ashley did and she knew he was the one.  After a year and some months it seems he knew it as well because he surprised her with a beautiful diamond and asked her to be his wife.

It was so much fun doing their shoot we met at the chapel where their wedding will take place at the Bride’s request and then moved on to a nearby park.  We spent the afternoon laughing and telling stories and trying to get Dean to loosen up.  As the sun was setting and Ashley’s children arrived Dean’s face lit up as much as it does when he looks at Ashley.

I am so honored and excited to be allowed to capture this making of a new family.  The love I saw between Dean and Ashley when they were looking into each other’s eyes.  The laughter of a child it’s those moments that let me know I have the best job in the world.  I can’t wait until March when they will be married I know it will be a beautiful and laugh filled day.

 

 

This was one of my favorite shots of the day.

One afternoon as Kyle and I strolled through Universal Studios a cast member walked up to us and wanted to know if we are interested in being in the show?  How did he know that Kyle and I are not the kinda people to turn down a chance to do something new, fun, exciting, scary, etc?  And having watched Fear Factor for years we couldn’t say no. 

 As we stood in the waiting area with the other lucky contestants I started to consider myself the luckiest of them all. Compared to what the other participants would have to endure I felt I was getting off easy.  The Mother and Daugther we talked with before sitting told us they would have to eat mystery stuff.

As we were escorted in to our special seating area the tension started to rise.  Despite the fact that we knew in one part of our minds that this was all more show than anything, and they wouldn’t let anything really happen to us. The fear of the unkown was almost enough to make us turn and run from the place.   Before I was ready it was my turn.  My heart was beating in my chest so hard I was sure people in Miami could hear it.  I sat in the chair and felt them strap me in.  You can do this I told myself.  The ear plugs, nose pincher and goggles made it hard to see and hear.  Stay perfectly still and don’t move is all I could remember at that point.  Then it was time, the moment that they were going to put the live creatures they showed me in back on my head. 

From the little I could hear I learned they were putting live scorpions in the box with me about 30 seconds before they did it and I have never been so scared in my life.   Anyone who knows me, knows I am basically a scardey cat about creepie crawlies.  I wasn’t about to move or even breathe I was so terrified.  What was only a minute or two seemed like thirty.  Then wouldn’t you know it one got stuck in my hair and they had a little trouble getting the last little guy out.  All the while I am sitting there praying that I make it out without wetting myself.  When they finally released me I could barely walk back to my seat.   Mom and Daughter were up after me, they had to eat some gross bug stuff that they said tasted as bad as it looked.

It took the rest of the show for my heartbeat to return to normal.  In fact I was shaking and crying as Kyle put his arms around me and told me I had done good.  As we exited the theatre a woman handed me a picture so I could remember my time in the show. 

 People approached me the rest of the day.  Some to tell me what a good job I did and others to question if the scorpions were even real?  They were I assured them, they actually crawled across my face and I will never forget the feel of thier bodies.  Hard with pointy things sticking out of them.  Your brave I heard over and over again.  And you know what I agree with them.

Just so you know this really happened and it not a figment of my imagination I have included the picture of me and the scorpions.

I am brave and fear is not a factor for me, I can’t afford for it to be.  I have too many things I want to accomplish, places I have yet to visit and experiences I have yet to have.

So after considering doing my own 365 project I opted to do a 52 weeks one instead.   I opted for this option so that I would be able to post my work to be accountable.  I wanted to be able to do finish what I started so this works out better for me.  Next year I will be ready for the 365 project.

The way I have decided to approach this is this.   I have set up different themes for each month of the year.  Every week I will take pictures on that topic and pick one or two to post on that subject. 

I am hoping that through this year I will challenge myself and get my creative juices flowing.  All my life other people have always told me that I am creative.  I wasn’t always so sure about that, my Mom is an artist she can draw and paint and the best I can do is stick figures and even those are pretty bad.  I remember once when I was in the fourth grade we had to write a book, illustrate it and even bind it.  I got someone else to draw my pictures because I knew mine would look terrible.   

I hope you will enjoy the journey as much as I hope to.  I also hope that you will give me comments, encouragement, and feedback.

With that said here is my first foray into this project.  I decided that the month of January should be about Food.  I love food all kinds of food.  I have a dear friend who is a chef and she loves to cook for me. She say’s I enjoy my food so much that it is a treat to see me get pleasure out of what she has prepared.

In case you haven’t noticed this is not real food but plastic miniature food. I have always loved things in miniature dollhouses, food, movies and books about miniature people grab my attention.  So as I was thinking about what to shoot my granddaughter asked me to play tea party with her.  As I started looking at her new foods I started thinking it looks so realistic and tasty.  No wonder kids try to eat it if I was their age I would to!

Oh and just so you know that book I had help with back in the fourth grade……… I won first place.  The next year, I decided to write a sequel and illustrate it myself and got nothing.  That’s when I learned if you can’t do, hire someone who can!

Peace & Blessings

It’s 2010 and I haven’t really posted on my blog like I would like.  While everyone else was celebrating and making resolutions (which I don’t do) I was taking care  of my youngest daughter.  She’s 19 and thinks she’s grown but sometimes she needs and wants her Mom and I am glad to have a chance to be there for her. 

Now that Jasmine is doing better I have decided that it’s time to get down to work.  Last year as Kyle and I were talking and trying to decide what the next step should be in our business  my son (17) encouraged me to write in my blog.  At the time I wasn’t sure what to say or how to say it.  I hadn’t really put myself out there since I was planning our wedding back in 2005.  I had an online journal of a sort on this wonderful site called African American Bride and I had the chance to meet, share, and learn from a great group of women.  I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do that again or if anyone would even be interested in my rambling.

Now that we have a clearer vision for our business and where we want to go I have decided that it’s time to do like my son said and blog the good, bad and ugly.  So here goes with a new year and a new focus I am going to giving you more of me and who I am.  This blog will be about the adventure of changing our entire business at the age of 40.  Our wonderful clients and the events and people we get to shoot.  Dealing with grown children who have had to move back home.  The joys of  being Grandparents.  The trips we love to take and anything else I feel like talking about. 

C &K Photography is in a sense just starting out.  Back in 2003 when Kyle and I were just dating we started a videography business.  Since then we have worked with some amazing couples and had a lot of fun making videos that moved our clients.  During that entire time I was always shooting images that we would incorporate into the final video.  There were times I was asked to be the photographer at the wedding along with doing the video.  As time went on I was finding myself less interested in the video side of our business and more interested in the photography side.  I hadn’t really taken images for pay since I worked for a major studio doing school photography.  But I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

Around June of 2009 the decision was made to not take on any more video clients and only do photography.  So in many ways this is going to be our offical first year of business.  Making this change has been exciting and scary, full of some real ups and downs.  As 2010 starts we are looking forward to a great year.  Hoping to meet lots of great people clients as well as other’s in the business and we hope that you will join us for the ride.

I would love to hear from my two readers if your still out there.  Sometimes it’s nice to know your not alone!  Fell free to leave me a comment, contact me here or email me at Tina@candkphotography.com.

When I was growing up and went to the Baptist Church with my Grandfather who was the Preacher. I would here the people get up to speak and they would always say give them their flowers while they are living.

It seems a strange saying when you are only about 11 or so. Now as I get older I understand that saying and many other ones that the grown-folks used to repeat often.

In light of that and the fact that it’s the beginning of a new year I want to just take a minute to give some flowers to a few folk while they are living.

First would be my Mother because she is always my biggest cheerleader. For my entire life it has been just the two of us and I couldn’t have asked for a better Mom. She has encouraged me, supported me and helped me in so many ways. I love you dearly Mom and just want to know that.

Second would be my Husband and Children. I know that sometimes I am hard to live with. My need for neatness and things to go my way sometimes get in the way of other things. But I am so glad and thankful that I have a family I can laugh with. We have more fun than we have fights and that means the world to me.

Third I want to say to my cast of characters that I am proud to call friend you guys are the best. I have the kind of friends that can call me any time of the day or night and I will be there for them. They also have shown me that same kind of love in these last few challenging weeks. It brings tears to my eyes when I thnk of how they have reached out to lend a hand, support, food and even a ride or two lately as my family and I have gone through a dark moment of our lives.

Lastly but for sure not the least I want to say thank you to the few but faithful readers of my little peice of the world. I would not have made it this far without each and everyone of you. When I get a comment I am so excited to know that someone is reading and the emails have given me the courage to continue.

So while I know you can’t smell these beautiful flowers or touch their sweet softness, consider them to be my way of giving you your flowers while you are living so you may know now why and how very important to me you are.