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It was a beautiful evening for a wonderful beginning as we arrived at the lovely Tavern on the Lake for the launch party of the Orlando chapter of Wish Upon A Wedding.

This is a wish granting organization that was founded this year and hopes to make wedding wishes come true for US citizens where one person has been diagnosed with less than three years to live.  This is an organization that we at C&K Photography hope to be a part of since making people’s wishes come true is something that really moves me.

We had a good time that evening.  The music provided by DJ REKKA was great and kept me moving my head and my feet all evening.  The decor was stunning and me being the foodie that I am have to say that the cake pop provided by Cake O Licious were as beautiful as they were tasty.  We enjoyed the Mango Sorbet that Three2OH  served and my husband went back for the Carmel Ice Cream as well.  There was a photo booth that was fun but you won’t see them here because we got a little crazy with them.  The highlight for me had to be the cupcakes made by Cakes by Design Inc .  I love cake all cake and they did not let me down Sylvette was a delight to talk to and of the two flavors there I’m still not sure which was my favorite the Pina Colada or the Chocolate Coconut. 

All in all it was a great evening, fun to party with the people who make the parties happen for so many others.  As much as you hate to think of someone dying I think this is a great charity and if you know of someone who is in that situation but is still looking to get married please send them to the website or have them contact me so we can make a wish come true.

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.

How did you start?  Why do you do this?  Questions that I hear often.  Everytime I get asked this question I have to take a deep breath and exhale slowly, while trying to decide if I should give the short or the long answer.  Is anyone even interested in the long answer?  I think not, but I figure I can put the short version here.

It all started  long long ago when I was a little girl growing up in the Washington DC/Maryland area.  No wait a minute this is about the business not my life story.   Sorry lost track for a moment.  But in some ways the two are intertwined becuase my Grandfather who was my entire world growing up owned his own business.   I knew without a doubt that I too someday would also own my own but didn’t know what it would be.  Fast forward to getting out on my own and at job after job I never felt satisfied and some jobs were never satisfied with me.  At the one job I was fired from during the exit interview they actually told me I would probably be happier working for myself.  To say I am a bit of a do it my way not always the right way kinda person is an understatement.

I have always had a camera in my hand.  A point and shoot, SLR, Video Camera didn’t matter the type I was just happy to be recording events as they happened.  Knowing this a friend asked my now husband and myself to record the events of thier wedding for them and they offered us money to do it.  Now I would have done it for free but hubby didn’t see it that way.   Well as they say one thing led to another and before we knew it we were working on the video business more than our jobs.  But I still wasn’t completly satisfied.

One day we got a call from a friend who wanted to know if we could do a very small wedding not just the video but pictures as well?  A little hesitant but always eager to be behind a camera I quickly agreed to take the job.   That was truly a turning point for me.  Capturing the emotions of the day is something I love, love, love to do.    Owning a photography studio gives me the freedom to do it the way I want to.   Meeting with people, helping others, being able to take time out to play with my Granddaughters that makes it all worth the endless hours behind the computer, lack of sleep, and the other things that go along with owning your own business.  It’s the best and the worst all rolled into one but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.  And that is how C & K Photography came to be.

Here is a an image that I shot at one of my first weddings.