month: July 2009




Catherine and Stephen married Saturday at Myers Park Baptist Church and continued the celebration with an elegant reception at Myers Park Country Club.
It’s been a busy summer for Catherine’s family with her sister, Melissa, getting married some five weeks earlier. And experience paid off as all of their planning came together beautifully.
Flowers from The Blossom Shop enriched the entire event, which was coordinated with great skill by the talented Ivy Robinson and her assistant Jenna Schmitt.
Myers Park Baptist wedding coordinator Ella Weathers and Myers Park Country Club social director Bobbie Eller helped keep everything on schedule. And Kathy Allen’s cake was another edible masterpiece.
Company photographer Laura Mueller helped capture all the great moments.
Congratulations to Catherine, Stephen and their families. It was a pleasure working with you all.
Catherine and Stephen

Catherine and Stephen

Myers Park Baptist Church is a beautiful setting for a wedding

Myers Park Baptist Church is a beautiful setting for a wedding

Some of the wedding florals from The Blossom Shop

Some of the wedding florals from The Blossom Shop

The ladies arrive at the church

The ladies arrive at the church

Catherine fixes her hair in the bride's room

Catherine fixes her hair in the bride's room

Adding the shoes

Adding the shoes

Catherine's mother gives an assist with the veil

Catherine's mother gives an assist with the veil

Melissa, Catherine's sister and Matron of Honor, helps with some finishing touches

Melissa, Catherine's sister and Matron of Honor, helps with some finishing touches

One of the bridal portraits we did earlier this summer at Myers Park Country Club

One of the bridal portraits we did in May at Myers Park Country Club

Another bridal portrait

Another bridal portrait

Melissa jokes with her sister as they wait for the ceremony

Melissa jokes with her sister as they wait for the ceremony

The girls do a little pre-wedding flower bump

The girls do a little pre-wedding flower bump

Catherin's father gets plenty of help getting everything just right

Catherine's father gets plenty of help getting everything just right

Stephen's mother, left, and Catherine's mother help one of the young ushers get ready

Stephen's mother, left, and Catherine's mother help one of the young ushers get ready

Laura captured this usher at his post

Laura captured this usher at his post

Stephen makes a quick glance skyward as he readies to walk into the church

Stephen makes a quick glance skyward as he readies to walk into the church

Catherine and her father make their way down the aisle

Catherine and her father make their way down the aisle

Catherine and Stephen glance at their families as they leave the ceremony

Catherine and Stephen glance at their families as they leave the ceremony

Melissa helps Catherine a they exit the church

Melissa helps Catherine a they exit the church

Catherine and Stephen celebrate after the ceremony

Catherine and Stephen celebrate after the ceremony

Catherine gets a congratulatory hug from her grandmother

Catherine gets a congratulatory hug from her grandmother

Catherine's parents, who had weddings for both of their daughters this summer, relax a bit after the cermeony

Catherine's parents, who had weddings for both of their daughters this summer, relax a bit after the cermeony

Catherine and Stephen captured in some pretty light inside the church

Catherine and Stephen captured in some pretty light inside the church

A quick kiss before heading to the reception

A quick kiss

Catherine and Stephen get a cheer from the bicycle riders taking part in the 24 Hours of Booty cancer research fundraiser

Catherine and Stephen get a cheer from the bicycle riders taking part in the 24 Hours of Booty cancer research fundraiser

Catherine with Mellisa and junior bridesmaid Kathleen

Catherine with Melisa and junior bridesmaid Kathleen

The wedding party in front of Myers Park Baptist Church

The wedding party in front of Myers Park Baptist Church

Catherine and Stephen head off to the reception

Catherine and Stephen head off to the reception

Myers Park Country Club adorned in flowers from The Blossom Shop

Myers Park Country Club adorned in flowers from The Blossom Shop

Catherine and Stephen make their entrance

Catherine and Stephen make their entrance

Stephen dances with his mother

Stephen dances with his mother

Recipe for a great reception: flowers from The Blossom Shop, cake by Kathy Allen and planning by Ivy Robinson Weddings and Events

Recipe for a great reception: flowers from The Blossom Shop, cake by Kathy Allen and planning by Ivy Robinson Weddings and Events

It's almost a shame to have to cut this piece of edible art by Kathy Allen

It's almost a shame to have to cut this piece of edible art by Kathy Allen

Everybody get on board the "Love Train"

Everybody get on board the "Love Train"

Catherine and Stephen head out after a great night

Catherine and Stephen head out after a great night





I’ve been working with a talented and inspiring group of Charlotte area photographers and graphic artists on “Charlotte Through Our Eyes,” which gives youngsters whose families are facing difficult financial struggles a chance to learn and express themselves through photography.

The brainchild of David Johnson, founder of the non-profit Silent Images, the program is bringing together the creative energy of several local visual artists. Johnson quit his teaching job in Charlotte to travel the globe documenting persecuted and oppressed people. He uses his work to raise awareness and money for indigenous people, sending any profit from his work back to the people he has documented.

Helping coordinate the project is Elizabeth Marx, another photographer with a passion for helping the oppressed through her work with her Almond Leaf Studios. Richard Sharpe, an architect who decided to shift his focus to his love of photography, was documenting some of yesterday’s session.

The youngsters and their mentors spend part of each session in different areas of Charlotte with the kids taking digital images that will later be used in an exhibit at the Levine Museum in Charlotte.

I showed some of my images and talked to the youngsters about photojournalism and documentary photography. Thanks to Richard Sharpe for the photo.

I showed some of my images and talked to the youngsters about photojournalism and documentary photography. Thanks to Richard Sharpe for the photo.





It’s always nice to see families grow and we recently had the chance to photograph William, the newest addition to Callan and Nicole’s family.

We’ve been photographing his brother Cal and sister Lilly since they were babies and now it was Willim’s turn.

Topping off the shoot on a hot July day with a run through the sprinkler was a great idea!

Congratulations Callan, Nicole and family.

It was great to meet the newest family member - William

It was great to meet the newest family member - William

Nicole and Callan with their newest family member

Nicole and Callan with William

Nicole holds baby Will

Nicole holds baby William

This family has alot of sole

This family has a lot of sole

Little Cal with his namesake

Little Cal with his dad

Let's not forget Lilly

Let's not forget Lilly

Nicole with Cal

Nicole with Cal

Are you lookin' at me?

Are you lookin' at me?

Cal gets a little crazy as we search for a portrait location

Cal gets a little crazy as we search for a portrait location

Callan and Lilly check some of the pretty flowers in their yard

Callan and Lilly check some of the pretty flowers in their yard

Lilly

Lilly

Trying to get everyone ready for the family portrait

The before shot...

William joins the group for his first official portrait

The after shot - with new addition William

Will unwinds after the photo session

William unwinds after the photo session

Lots of love for Will

Lots of love for Will

Callan tries to chase his dad down with the sprinkler

Callan tries to chase his dad down with the sprinkler

Lilly enjoys some cool relief from the spinkler

Lilly enjoys some cool relief on a hot day





We just returned from a bittersweet trip and I wanted to share a few images from our stop in New York City.

The trip included a stay in Saratoga Springs, NY, where we attended a memorial service for my father Ben, who passed away in February. While there was much sadness, it was also a celebration of my father’s life and I got to see relatives and friends I haven’t seen in many, many years.

We spent a few days in Saratoga before we headed to the city for a couple days of sightseeing and fun.

Pretty light outside Rockefeller Center

Pretty light outside Rockefeller Center

The sun glistens off the tall buildings

The sun glistens off the tall buildings

A Chelsea storefront

A Chelsea storefront

Shopping new Chinatown

Shopping near Chinatown

An evening street scene

An evening street scene

Trinkets for sale in Chinatown

Trinkets for sale in Chinatown

Walking on the Brooklyn Bridge

Walking on the Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the US

The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the US

Another great view from the bridge

Another great view from the bridge

We ran into a group of street dancers paying tribute to Michael Jackson

We ran into a group of street dancers paying tribute to Michael Jackson

Tribute to Michael

Tribute to Michael

These guys showed some serious strength

These guys showed some serious strength

Big finish

Big finish