‘Tis The Season to Pop The Question!

Did you know that November through January is THE MOST POPULAR time of the year to ask the BIG question?! The holidays account for roughly 43% of all proposals in the United States! (Holy Cow!?) I know as you are planning to ask the question it can be nerve racking and hectic. You have a million things running through your mind and you want it to be perfect.

The best way to capture these precious moment you have taken so much time to plan is to work with a photographer to ensure they are there. When you are able to have a photographer at your surprise proposal, you get the most genuine and real moments captured from one of the biggest moments of your life. Your photographer can help you get everything just perfect. They can also remind you of any little things that might be forgotten when planning such a big surprise.

Then, right after you get the “YES!” you had been dreaming of, you get to have a sweet engagement session to show off the outpouring of emotions you are both sharing. Neither of you ever want to forget a single detail about this day!And let’s be honest, what better way to announce your engagement than with professional photos?!

My Own Personal Experience

As a girl who had her boy surprise her during a photo session by getting down on one knee and popping the BIG question, I can say they are some of my most treasured photos we have ever taken! Below are a few photos from the session he surprised me during.

These are the exact moments he asked the question and put the stunning ring on my hand. All moments we could never “redo”. These are also all photos that have been displayed in our home since right after we got our photos.

Welcoming A Second Event Photographer

This is just a short sweet blog to tell you the super exciting big news! We just can not keep to our-self anymore!

LA Photography is OVER THE MOON to welcome our second wedding/event photographer to the mix of things, Tyler. Adding Tyler to the LA Photography family have been awesome and I can not wait to bring him out to his very first wedding with LAP.

 

Photo Credit: Scott Trippler Studio

 

Tyler’s big debut will be this Saturday, November 4th, for the Kelly Wedding at the Sky Line Ranch in Groveland, FL. From now on, when you book TWO photographers with LAP you will get the pleasure of having both Tyler and myself capture your big day.

You can learn a little more about Tyler at our website! Check it out here! http://www.laurenangelaphotography.com/about-us.html

Why has it been so quite here at LA Photography?

If we take a little journey back to August, we can start our series of fun but hectic events that have lead to the radio silence over the past few months here at LA Photography.

 

AUGUST 2017

The first three days of August were full of rehearsing lines of a presentation. We were also finalizing the details of what to wear to ensure the most professional appearance for our Capstone final. This meant I was on campus by about 9 am and I did not leave until the campus was closed at 10 pm. That’s a lot of practicing!

On August 4th, I got my Capstone presentation and business document grades. That presentation and document concluded my FINAL semester of my Bachelor’s Degree. After a grand total of eighteen years in school I had officially given my last presentation, written my last paper, and had my last meeting with a professor.

It was a bittersweet moment for me. I had been in school the majority of my life and it was now time for me to figure out my next move.  I did what any college grad does, I started applying for jobs. I had a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Information Management, a passion for photography, and a willingness to learn. What I have yet to mention is I also had my wedding coming up just six weeks after my graduation.

(Everyone from the graduating Summer class in the BIM program and professors)

Now that I had my degree it was time to enter the “Big Girl” working world and finish the wedding planning. The very first thing on the to do list was to visit all of the (almost) in-laws before the wedding one last time in South Florida for the annual summer trip. Tyler (the now hubs) and I had a great time seeing everyone and playing with the nieces and nephew. The family time was just what we needed to recharge. We love family time ❤

I usually try to at least post about the pretty places I am at so you guys know I am still here, but most of the time I was looking at my computer screen to apply for jobs, finalize wedding details, or going to group job interviews and let me tell you THAT IS NOT AT ALL PRETTY! There was a lot of google searching photos of the beach or looking at photos of my wedding dress on my phone getting me through all the not pretty stuff.

SEPTEMBER 2017

September brought a whole new level of craziness that not even I was prepared for. We decided that moving just days before our wedding was an awesome idea (we were very wrong, do not do this!) Learn from my mistakes!! (lol) We were downsizing so made the decision to let go of a lot of my props I did not use very often as well as my seasonal props. Since we didn’t have a lot of extra room I knew it was time to clear out the office/prop storage room (for the first time ever).

Everyday there was a meeting for something wedding related because none of the vendors were available on the same days (which makes me that much more understanding for my clients). Then before I knew it I was two weeks out from the wedding and very excited. However, Mother Nature had other plans for how things should play out. Apparently I was WAY to calm leading up to the big day. Hurricane Irma started to hit the Gulf Coast one week to the day before we were supposed to say I DO.

Determined not to let it ruin the day, Tyler and I talked through all the possibilities and began to make jokes to keep it as light hearted as possible. We knew that no matter what a few things would not change, we would still get married on September 16th, my brother would still preform the ceremony and sign the license making it official, and one way or another it would be near water (even if that meant a flooded yard from the impending hurricane known as Irma). Come to find out, we weathered the storm (only lost power for two days) AND the wedding venue was STILL STANDING!!! Now we just had to piece everything else together and find out if the other vendors were nearly as lucky. After a day of phone calls and a few tears, we had everything worked out (a bit different than originally planned) and ready for a wedding!

On September 16th, I got married to my high school sweetheart in front of friends and family on Indian Rocks Beach. Scott Trippler Studios was there to capture every moment for us. (http://www.scotttrippler.com/) The wedding had beautiful skies and an amazing sunset was the backdrop for our formal photos. As dinner was ending during the reception, it began to pour down rain. Tyler and I along with our bridal party, friends, and intimidate family stayed outside to have an amazing rain party. Dancing and singing at the top of our lungs enjoying every moment and making memories to laugh about for years to come.

Photo Credit: Scott Trippler Studios http://www.scotttrippler.com/

After the wedding, Tyler and I got on a plane and flew to Hawaii (my dream since high school) and started our first new adventure as Husband and Wife. Thousands of photos were taken, we hiked Diamond Head, rode horses, explored the island, ate some of the most amazing food, and we met some of the nicest people.

OCTOBER 2017

We were back from or honeymoon and finally had time to start unpacking from our move. I unpacked my camera and knew I missed it so much, missed my clients SO much! I had former clients reach out about the Christmas Tree Farm, and even though I was still in boxes and suitcases I just knew it would make my photographer heart happy. So now you see the Tree Farm posts as spots quickly fill up, I also have a wedding, two family sessions, and two birthday sessions all coming up. Did I mention every single one of the sessions I just mentioned is scheduled in a two week span?! That is the busiest month I have had in a long time and the BEST welcome back I could have ever asked for! I have also added a new piece of equipment to the lineup. I am very excited to start photographing with it.

Now my promise to all of you!

I will be posting and keeping you up to date with whats going on with everything happening with LA Photography. I will even throw in a little bit of personal life, when fun stuff is going on. I am also going to be blogging again, I can not promise every session will get its own post but I will be sure to get more blogs out to you guys!

You can keep up to date will all things LA Photography by connecting with us on Facebook, Instagram, and our website.

 

~ Lauren

“Love is patient, Love is kind”

Wedding photography is something that pulls at my heart strings. Watching two people say “I Do” is something that sends chills down my spine and warms my heart. Mary and Chris were no exception to this!

On Friday I went to the walk through for the Smothers’ big day. It was full of laughs and fun, all while working through everything to prepare for the WEDDING DAY. While everyone was enjoying themselves and practicing the “wedding walk” I was able to sit back and watch. I observed how the bridal party interacted with each other as well as the bride and groom. I watched as everyone talked about work, the big dinner plans after the rehearsal, and all the exciting things to come out of the big day I was able to see the true bonds between everyone and the over pouring love Mary and Chris had or each other.

Fast forward to Saturday afternoon, I arrive at The Withers-Maguire House to start the day. Mary and her bridesmaids are downstairs listing to music and working on their hair and makeup. The general mood in the bride’s room was excited and upbeat with the girls singing and getting ready. 

The girls lined up and we took a “before” photo. After all the dresses were on and we were ready to walk out of the The Withers-Maguire House we naturally had to take an “after” photo.

As the girls sang and danced to get ready for the big day I went up stairs to the groom’s room to start photographing the boys. 

The groom and his men were having a blast listening to country music and opening their gifts, flasks WITH funnels. Yes, the funnel was the most exciting part for the boys! As they started to put on their vests, and shoes I got to see just how silly grown men could really be. 

I learned that cuff links are a job for a minimum of two people and the top button of a dress shirt must be hidden, unbuttoned, behind a tie to make sure you can still breath. The groomsmen were sure to give Chris advice and tell silly jokes to lighten to mood as the time quickly passed.

Before we knew it, it was time to get everyone to the alter to say the “I do’s”. As the guests look their seats and the groomsmen got in position the bride and bridesmaids made their way to the ceremony location.

As Mary and her father make their way down the isle, Chris’ expression shows the absolute joy and love he has for his new bride. Mary’s two aunts read a Bible passage and six words stood out to me “Love is patient, Love is kind.” Theses six simple words stuck with me and reminded me that your true love will always being patient with you no matter the scenario and your true love will always be kind no matter the circumstances. Watching Mary and Chris interact, I saw the living embodiment of these six words.

From ceremony to formal, the bride and groom never let their passionate gaze towards each other dwindle. After formals; the wedding party, parents, as well as the bride and groom are introduced and the real party begins!

To start the party off they had their romantic first dance, then parent dances, the garter toss and bouquet toss, the cutting of a delicious cake, and of course dancing the night away! Mary and Chris, along with their family and friends, celebrated the new marriage! As the evening dwindled down and the night came to an end, all of the guests lined the exit to send off the newly weds for an amazing honeymoon!.

And just like that, Mary and Chris begin their forever!

 

Starting 2016 with a BANG!

WOW! What a crazy holiday season it has been! Now that it is officially the new year I wanted to let everyone in on the big things happening at LA Photography in the next three months.

*LA Photography has started booking boudoir session!

Boudoir sessions are so much fun and such a great way to pamper yourself! You can book a session for yourself or that special someone. Boudoir sessions with LA Photography are centered around pampering you with professional hair and makeup before the session and then bringing out the confident and sexy side of you during the session. If you are waiting to lose that extra few pounds, DON’T WAIT! Book your session now, you will not regret it.

*LA Photography has two weddings booked!

As many of you know LA Photography took the plunge into Weddings in 2015 and absolutely LOVED IT! This year I get to capture the wedding of Mary and Chris in January and Sharmeta and Jeremy in February. Both of these weddings will be posted on the blog as they are completed, so make sure you keep an eye out for them!

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me. I would love to answer them! This year I am going to do my best to blog about every session AND post about every session!

Here is to a new year and many exciting things taking place!!

Seeing L O V E

When you are a photographer you get to meet tons of people and learn their stories. You also get the unique opportunity to capture moments for people you know personally.  I was lucky enough to get to capture very sweet moments for my older brother and his gorgeous girlfriend!

While I get to see these two almost every week, having the chance to photograph them showed me something I never thought I would be able to actually see, TRUE LOVE! Love is not normally something you can see, it is something you can only feel, or so I thought.

 I have witnessed this man be rough and tough for years, yet always kind and gentle when it was needed. Tonight I seen a different side, the side of true compassion and devotion.

On the lake there was a strong breeze, Chad quickly, and without any hesitation, pulled Devon in close to try to keep her warm. Even grabbing the blanket I had brought with us, all in an effort to comfort Devon from the breeze.

When he thought I wasn’t looking he would lean in and kiss hr forehead or whisper in her ear to make her smile. All the while i was watching and waiting to make sure I captured these sweet moments between the two.

Seeing these two together makes your hear skip a beat and your knees week and I was the lucky one o get to spend the evening with them and my camera!

 

A Little Thing Called LOVE

We all like to think of the fairy tail love story and on a cool day in Georgia I have the honor of witnessing a love story fit for the the story books. On October 24, 2015 Jennifer and Jeremy said their “I DO’s” overlooking the Blue Ridge mountains of Georgia with their closest family and friends.

These two embody true love. Being able to photograph their big day showed me what love looks like. Seeing the love they have for each other was magic! I was able to capture it all in one single photo.

 

Every wedding is special, but this wedding held an extra special place in my heart. The Groom is my Uncle and his blushing Bride is my new aunt! (WOW! that’s crazy to say out loud) Jeremy and Jennifer had a small, intimate wedding in the mountains. The decor was very simple. I mean really, how much decorating do you have to do when your wedding is overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains!?

I wish the newlyweds a lifetime of happiness and an amazing time on their honeymoon cruise!! All the best from LA Photography!

Born A Fighter!

If you look at sweet little Miss. Scarlett you would see a happy baby. One who is loved more than she will ever know and as cute as a button! One thing you would not see is a little girl who was born at just 26 weeks.

Little Miss. Scarlett was born at just 2 pounds and 2 ounces and at 26 weeks. She was a fighter from the moment she was born. She was transported from one hospital to the NICU at Nemours Children’s Hospital. Miss. Scarlett spent 85 days growing bigger and stronger with the love and care from the, out of this world, NICU staff and her mommy and daddy.

I had the pleasure of meeting this sweet little fighter two months ago on a very special day, the day her mommy and daddy would get to hold her for the FIRST TIME EVER! It was such an emotional time for everyone.

          

Sara (momma) and Kenny (daddy) love Miss. Scarlett more than words can ever express. Watching them hold their baby girl for the first time sent chills down my spine. When you get to be witness to something that is so moving and emotional you can not help be feel connected to everyone involved.

If you were to fast forward two months you would learn that sweet little Miss. Scarlett was HOME! This sweet little girl was finally out of the NICU and in the arms of her loving mommy and daddy. That is where I come back into this sweet little one’s story. This sweet little fighter grew so much in the 85 days she was in the NICU. While looking at her you would have never known but this is how tiny she was at birth. Her first diaper is to the left and her current diaper is to the right. WOW! Look at how much she has grown!!!

I spent a Sunday morning with this sweet family of three. They welcomed me into their home as if I was family. Spending my morning with these three was awesome! Miss Scarlett made us work during our session but boy was it worth it!!

Miss. Scarlett is what is known as a rainbow baby. The answer to many prayers and the glue to put together a broken heart.

“A rainbow baby is a child born after the tragic loss of a previous child/children. It is understood that the beauty of a rainbow does not negate the ravages of the storm. The storms mat still hover, but the rainbow provides a counter balance of color, energy, and hope.”

Miss. Scarlett is the answer to many prayers and the missing link to a family that had tried and lost two babies previously. Her mommy and daddy are wrapped around her tiny little finger and are never going anywhere! I look forward to watching this sweet angel grow up!

LA Photography Takes on Blogging!

Woo Hoo! I have said for many months now that I would start a blog to share more about each session with each of my amazing fans / followers and never found the time until now (12:30 am on a Saturday). I would love to say I will post once a week; however, I want to be realistic so I will say once every two weeks there will be a new blog for everyone to read.

LA Photography has finished THREE newborn sessions recently. Two of the three little bundles of joy were still in the NICU, but doing great, and the third was a sweet little one who slept through our whole session. I am beyond lucky to have had the chance to capture these moments for all three families!

The first little one was Miss. Scarlett Eberhardt

Miss. Scarlett was born at just twenty-six weeks, that is fourteen weeks early! I got had the honor of photographing Miss. Scarlett’s first time being held by her momma (Sara) without being fully gowned, gloved, and masked. This sweet little girl snuggled right in and smiled the biggest smile that could ever come from such a little person, and my heart just melted! As Sara was holding her little girl for the first time daddy (Kenny)was in awe. The love and joy that filled his eyes and face warmed my heart. Kenny and Sara spend every evening at the NICU visiting their little one and this was the first time in four weeks they were able to hold her skin to skin, so amazing. These two and Miss. Scarlett showed me the meaning of  being a fighter. Below are images from their session. Look at all the love in their eyes.

      

The second little one was Mr. Raymond Crews.

Mr. Raymond was born at 4 lbs 11 oz. and 18 inches long. Shortly after he was born, he was taken to the NICU. The following day, for our session, he was still in the NICU and stayed there until the day he went home. During my time with this family, I seen the love and pride they took in their new little man. Ray had become their whole world in the second he was born. Raymond’s momma (Caitlin) and daddy (Tim) were simply in awe over their bundle of joy. Ray held his momma’s finger the entire time we were in the NICU and in that moment, everything in the world was right.    

Later, Tim and I went to the NICU and I could tell instantly see the bond between a dad and his son. Daddy had a smile that could be seen from a mile away. Then all in one quick moment, as I was setting up for a photo, Tim bent over and gave Raymond a kiss and told him “I love you Ray you are mommy and daddy’s world”. It was right then I knew this little boy would be loved more than he would ever begin to know.

The third and final little one is Mr. Layne Walker.

Mr. Layne made in entrance into the world at 3:06pm on a Friday. He was welcomed by his momma (Nicole), daddy (Doug), big brother (Leynd), and bis sister (Jacy). Mr. Layne was instantly loved by everyone who met him! At seven days old M. Layne got to see what a photo session was all about. I have known the family for many years and was over whelmed with joy when I was asked to do their photos! Quickly after arriving at their home I could tell how much Leynd and Jacy loved their new little bother. The second I he was within their reach, they just wanted to love on him and kiss him. It was too cute and the family was finally complete.

This momma is a HUGE Alabama Football fan, so naturally there was plenty of Crimson and White as well as the Alabama “A” in their session.

The whole time Layne was in this super cute hat and had his elephant near him his brother and sister would say “ROLL TIDE!” Alabama football runs deep in this family. After we got the Alabama football covered, this momma wanted to capture her passion for welding in a photo with her newest bundle of joy.

So naturally, we laid out her welding jacket and placed all of her tools around and then added the Mr. Layne and it just “fit”. Baby Layne slept through our entire session and was a dream baby to work this. He even wore a flannel shirt, blue jeans, and little boots! (too cute!)

I am beyond luck to have the job that I do. I love every minuet of every session, I even love all the time I have to spend on my computer ‘behind the scenes’ to make everything go off without a hitch! Thank you to all of my amazing clients and congratulations on your little bundles of joy! I look forward to watching them all grow.

• Lauren