Photographing: Families, Faith, Food & Fun!

Amanda & Brandon

05.29.09

Her girlfriends called her ‘Jones.’

Her husband called her ‘Beautiful’.

After seeing her create flowers, smile as the rain poured down on her (what-was-suppose-to-be) outdoor wedding and dance all night in 3 inch heels, I call her SIMPLY AMAZING!

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I started the day (in NW Arkansas) with Amanda and a house full of her closest friends. There was food, laughs and some great conversation! Amanda was the most laid-back bride I’ve ever seen. She just enjoyed every moment of her day. It was wonderfully refreshing. bdsc_00041 Meanwhile, the guys were having fun too at Pinnacle Country Club. bdsc_01421 Seriously?!?! How gorgeous was Amanda? b1dsc_0434 Brandon looked awesome too. What a couple! bdsc_0067
Gotta love that rock. bdsc_0131

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One of my favorite images from the day.
It represents their incredible relationship: fun, sexy and totally in love. bdsc_0414

Thank you for letting me be a part of your wedding day!

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Tough Cookies

05.27.09

For the first time in eight years, Matthew threatened me.
He told me if I didn’t take some new pictures of Ross and Rayna, he was taking them to a portrait studio. (OUCH!)

In order to maintain our loving and wonderful relationship, I decided to convince myself it was just one more (of his MANY) desperate requests for me to update our kiddies pictures.

Are my kids really overdue for pictures? Uh… yeah. Big time. I have a great excuse though… They are REALLY, REALLY hard to photograph. I was totally ready for lots of smiles and laughs today. I brought a wonderful assistant (aka: my sister), popcorn, M&M’s, alligators and water guns. Nothing worked. (These guys have seen it all.)

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bdsc_0079 I’m not sure why I posted the image below. Not only does Rayna look pretty mad that Ross has his hands around her neck, Ross has ‘that look’ on his face. ‘The look’ that makes me wonder, “Oh gosh. What is he about to do?!?!?” bdsc_0088
A recent photographer’s poll asked, “Do you bribe your subjects?”
I don’t like to label my requests; however, there was a conversation on our way to downtown Buford: “If you sit still and laugh when the alligator spits water, we’ll go get ice cream afterwards.” bdsc_0209n
Eating lots of ice cream makes me want to lay down on the Bruster’s bench and take a nap too. bdsc_0154

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To all the camera-clickers who are reading this:
I may be repeating myself, but, GET IN THE PICTURES! Although I didn’t have time for a shower today look my best today, kids don’t care. They tend to remember their younger years through pictures. Make it a point to hand over your camera and create fun memories!

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Wall Gallery

05.21.09

I really don’t know anything about decorating. However, as quickly as the paint dried in our new house, I had big plans for every inch of our wall space!
Although I’m a photographer and it’s natural that I love photographs, many of my clients also share the same passion for displaying their own family images on their walls. Since I’ve had clients ask for ideas on how to frame and display their images, I thought I’d share a few of mine from my own home.

I have a few different examples I’d like to show you throughout my house. Also, I have a few projects I’m very excited about starting in the coming months. (I’ll post those too once they are completed.) Since it’s late and I have a 12-hour road trip tomorrow, I’ll just post my most recent project.

I used the wall space between the foyer and the kitchen to display 15 of my favorite family images. There were lots of black and white images that I loved. However, the bright colors of some of these images won me over. bdsc_0004
Instead of choosing images where Ross and Rayna were looking directly at the camera, I wanted images that told a story. Some of my favorite family memories on the wall are:
* Ross’ first time at the beach
* Rayna (as a baby) looking at me laying beside her, followed by her first LONG, BELLY laugh (SO happy I had my camera beside me!)
* Ross and his cousins jumping off a cliff into a lake in Arkansas

Word of Advice: If you are like me and ALWAYS the one behind the camera, HAND IT OVER! It’s important that your wall of family photos also include YOU in them! My all-time FAVORITE image of me and Ross (bottom right corner) was taken after I did a shoot for our friends in Arizona. I handed Aaron my camera and he snapped away. He captured an image of me holding Ross as he nuzzled his face under my neck. Before this project, each time I would run across the image on my computer, I would get all-teary-eyed. Now, I get to experience that warm-and-fuzzy feeling all through the day.

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I hope this inspires you to add more family images to YOUR walls!
(To see some of the images I used, check out my gallery on facebook.)

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shellyMay 21, 2009 - 11:50 pm
OH MY GOODNESS, so BEAUTIFUL!!! I love your house from one picture and i love your wall of photos. SO COOL! I can’t wait to see more. Thanks for sharing.
TiffanyMay 21, 2009 - 11:53 pm
Hey Christy- looks great!
Here a delima I have…I find all my fav pics to hang, but I always have more recent ones I like also. I just don’t know how to balance whether to keep up old ones, all new ones, or a mixture.
How do you manage which picture to leave up/take down?
MiriamMay 22, 2009 - 6:56 am
I love it! Simply beautiful.
ChristyMay 23, 2009 - 9:51 am
TIFFANY, That’s a good question. I like to have one (small) area in the house with a LARGE (ie: 8×10 or 11×14) OLDER photo of the kids. For example, I plan to hang a 11×14 of Ross and Rayna’s 1-year photos beside one another.
There is a family picture (that Misty took) that wilL ALWAYS be my favorite. I plan to do an 11×14 of it and keep it forever.
As for the other areas and ‘new favorite’ pictures, I would keep your prints small (4×6 or 5×7) where you don’t feel back changing them out often.
Hope that helps! Christy
mistyMay 23, 2009 - 7:11 pm
christy, those are all great points. excellent advice! GET THE PRINTS ON THE WALLS! Nothing makes greater art than your own life…display it proudly. I love your gallery wall…love it. i’m gonna steal your idea! i have a perfect spot that’s blank…not for long. the house, by the way…amazing! it looks so beautiful.
Decorating with Photos: Part 2 » Christy Martin PhotographyDecember 23, 2009 - 10:11 pm
[…] been a while since my last ‘Decorating with Photos’ post. I have some wall projects that I’m really excited about. As I get more pictures hung […]
Decorating with Photos: Wall Gallery (Part 2) » Christy Martin PhotographyJanuary 18, 2011 - 1:10 am
[…] tell me they love seeing examples of how to display photographs in their home. A while ago, I blogged about the Wall Gallery I have in my own home. Using photos I’ve taken over the years, my mother-in-law recreated the same Wall Gallery […]
Decorating with Photos: Photo Collages » Christy Martin PhotographyOctober 9, 2013 - 10:12 am
[…] here are a few other post I’ve done that may offer some inspiration: WALL GALLERY: https://christymartinphotography.com/index.php/decorating-with-photos-part-i/ […]

“Amazing Max”

05.19.09

Wanna’ know what I love? I love when parents are crazy about their kids.
When I got an email about an “amazing baby boy,” I couldn’t wait to meet him!
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Max did turn out to be amazing… bdsc_0594bw

He was such a sweetheart the entire time we played together! bdsc_0098n

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(Have I said it lately? I LOOOOVE my JOB!) bdsc_0138bw

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Jason & Hannah

05.12.09

Each time we visit my parent’s house, we usually end-up taking their four-wheeler for a ride behind my grandparent’s house. As we drive through their wheat field to the lake, I always think, “I’d love to photograph someone out here.”
So one night after finishing dinner with Hannah and Jason, we headed out to take a few preg-o pictures before sunset. bdsc_0196bw

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I can’t believe they only have a few weeks left! Hannah looks wonderful. bdsc_0228

Can’t wait to meet you, Parker! bdsc_0217

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T-Ball Story Boards Examples

05.05.09

Common Question: “What do Story Boards look like?”

It’s so much easier (and more fun) to create a few examples of Story Boards than trying to explain it. Here are a few…

If you’ve sent me an email regarding the t-ball game, I hope these examples help! Also, if ordering a package, call or email before May 13th to receive your discount!

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Do What You LOVE…

05.04.09

Matthew gave me great business advice that has really helped me out: “Photograph the things that make you happy.”
In saying that, I have a very important announcement regarding the future of Christy Martin Photography:

With much consideration, I have decided to specialize in 3 and 4 year old Friday night t-ball games, featuring super-cute players with dirty fingernails.

Okay, maybe that’s a little too specific. In any case, I had a GRRRRRREAT time during this shoot! I left the game with really dusty camera gear and a huge smile on my face.

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A few of the All-Stars… bdsc_0363

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Who needs t-ball when you have a field full of DIRT? b1dsc_0403
He’s going for it… bdsc_0512

With his laughs and gum, Presley was so animated the entire game. I was happy to get this shot of his serious face. I love the way he’s standing and holding his bat. bdsc_0552

Gotta’ feature some of the cute specators and future players. bdsc_0539

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Thanks for asking me to photograph the team!

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