May 1st, 2010. While this day might be known as the day rain feel so hard that we would have a Nashville flood of historic measure... There were a handful of people that had no idea what was unfolding around them. Liz and I. The family and friends of Racheal and David. I mean we knew it was raining hard. And we got those texts that told us that landmarks near our homes were under water. Im not trying to be grim... Im just trying to say we had no idea. We celebrated the marriage of two of the coolest people we know. We just partied.

Wedding: Racheal and David.

I know the anticipation has been mounting... I present to you the first photoshoot of the 2010 wedding season.

Engagement: Kristin & Brandon

I don't want to make a habit of distracting you guys with my words on these kinds of things, but I do want to make mention of how awesome this shoot was. Kristin and Brandon we're champs. We were supposed to shoot on Sunday, but due to 25 mph winds and rain, we rescheduled... and then, two hours before we were set to go on Wednesday night, Brandon calls me to let me go that Kristin burned herself while at work and was at the doctor. She toughed it out and we were able to go ahead with schedule. We got set up and were rolling just in time to enjoy that "golden hour."

One of the big reasons I started this blog is to keep you up-to-date with my photography without changing my website every time I turn around. So, stay tuned in and check back from time to time. I would love to know your thoughts and get your feedback! And by the way... it's okay to tell all your friends :)

A few weeks ago, I had this moment where I knew which way to take my next step. I'd had this hunch for some while... I even tested it once before. But this time, my "moment" gave me peace and clarity.

The goal for my commercial photography is product advertising.

Let me tell you, its perfect. Its not flashy, its not showy, it just is. I've struggled with how to approach my career for some time. I feel like most directions within my industry require selling a bit of your soul to someone or a way of life. Im not willing to give up a simple life for tons of money. I prefer to stay a course I enjoy and take whatever it brings.

And the funny thing is by accepting where Im at, Im happier. I don't feel the need to judge myself according to those around me. I have ideas and I want to execute them well. My driving force is artistry and taking care of my family.

An excerpt from this article describes my old motivation perfectly:

"Rather than building confidence, I was accumulating doubt. As my business expanded, I grew nervous and self-conscious. I began to feel as if my accomplishments weren't enough, that I had to take things to "the next level." I thought if I didn't get there fast enough, I'd be bowled over by the competition."

Here are some images that have come from this new direction.

It's late (in married time, of course. Its only 9:41 pm), Liz has already gone to bed. I just downloaded the leaked version of Band of Horses' new album Infinite Arms. The vocals of their fourth song, Blue Beard, transcended me to somewhere outside of my dimly lit office. Somewhere where my incessant thoughts couldn't bog me down. And it was good. I felt peace. The past few nights I've been reading CS Lewis' A Grief Observed. Each morning Liz would ask me what i thought and I can never come with anything other than "... it was good." Truth is, I wasn't reading to tear it apart. It had that same ability to transcend me to somewhere else. I was able to put myself in Lewis' perspective and feel something different. It was some place where my incessant thoughts couldn't bog me down.

What I'm trying to say is my mind races. About everything. It always has...

We are already 8 days into April... and while that might not mean much to you, it means that April 5th has come and gone. Likewise, that may be of no consequence; however, that means I can spill some beans.

Liz is preggers.

For the past month and a half, Liz and I have lived with the knowledge that we're going to be having a kid in the near future. I find it funny, after most people find out, they inevitably ask, "We're you trying?" Let me assure you, this was an accident. We would have loved a good five years before all this started.

My good friend, Josh, puts it beautifully. "I'm not sure that I'm done with being selfish." Me either. At least, for those first few days. Now that we've had some time, we definitely recognize the inopportune timing, but we're excited. I've had to pull away from hanging with large groups of people, because I have such a hard time with keeping the information to myself.

So, why April 5th?

That's the day we went to the OB/GYN. She told us all the answers that we wanted to know... and gave us this picture. She said everything is good and healthy. Liz's due date is October 23rd. We'll find out the sex of the child in two months. You have to be at least 19-20 weeks pregnant, and Liz is currently 11 weeks and a few days.

Keep us in your prayers...

Its been a long while... Of all the months, I've always felt like March is the longest. It was only last year, liz, corrected my thinking that March had 32 days. Im not sure what it is... but it seems like March is one of those months that i just endure. Its never been painful... just in between what was and what's to come.

As the weather gets warmer and warmer, all I can do is get excited about the summer months and the business that comes along with it. I look forward to feeling productive again, to the feeling that I need more hours in the day, and the feeling of laying in bed and falling asleep without a fight.

That said, March has been a great month for me. This past weekend, My family and church family worked on our church. We called it our beautification day. It was nice to get my hands on some tools. I greatly appreciate physical or manual labor now having a job where Im in front a computer. The weekend before that, I had an amazing trip back to my homeland... but it was a little different. It was for business. My grandfather is running for re-election for the Hamilton County Clerk's Office. This is the first time since his first election 35 years ago that he has a little competition. If he wins, he will hold the job for 40 years. Pretty impressive I'd say.

Here's a little work from the weekend:

and then some shots of my uncle's vehicle.

I apologize for the delay... I've been sitting on something for some time, and i didn't think i could write anything without mentioning it. For the past week, everything i experienced was filtered through that. And not that i love suspense, but, you'll have to wait a few more weeks to find out.

On to what i can tell you...

I've decided its time for me to start reading. After not being challenged intellectually for the past 8 months, Im afraid that if i fail to stimulate my brain, its going to turn to mush and i'll only discuss facebook, twitter, or reality television.

I just started and finished CS Lewis' The Great Divorce. I loved the way Lewis presented his theology in an easy to read conversation. Most of the theology i've heard in the past 4 years has felt like its had a southern conservative spin (propaganda). In that same 4 years, i would describe my soul as undergoing some sort of reawakening... I would latch on to what i could affirm and that which troubled me I would assign to being "grey area." So, this read was refreshingly different. At every point his ideology challenged my own, i had no way of demeaning or belittling his logic (He's from a different time and space). All i could do is let it settle and resolve within me. Which is good. Because while my ideas on faith are wide, im not very open-minded.