Bridals - Erika
Engaged - Joshua & Erika
Engaged - Adam & Nikki
Love Story: Ashley & Eddie
Posted on July 27, 2010
“The moment I met him, I knew I had to get to know him more. So that night, we talked, laughed and slow danced until 2 a.m.”
Meet Ashley & Eddie, another couple in the running to win the Love Story giveaway!
Beginning next week, you will have the chance to vote for them or for one of the other couples who’ve entered to win my first-ever EDP giveaway.
To do so takes some participation, though:
It’s a contest! Send me the best snapshot of you and your significant other – your husband, your wife, your boyfriend, your girlfriend – and a brief history of the two of you as a couple. I’ll post the photos and histories here on the blog and the couple with the most votes wins a free session, $50 print credit, 10 web-sized photos for social networking and best of all, a soft-bound photo book containing 10-15 images AND your detailed love story! This is a prize valued at more than $200.
The catch? No catch, really, except you have to live in West Tennessee (from the Tennessee River to the Mississippi River, Newbern down to Memphis) and be willing to be photographed. Easy, peasy!
But I’m not engaged … It doesn’t matter if you’re a new couple or one who’s been married for 40 years, everyone needs to be in pictures! You can make “Facebook Official” look even better, have photos for the newspaper engagement announcement, make up for not having wedding photos, mark an anniversary, announce an impending arrival or just celebrate couple-dom. You don’t need a reason to capture the love you share!
Ready? Set? Go! Send a snapshot of you and your love to echodayphotography@gmail.com – and don’t forget to tell me a little bit about you! Or, you can surprise your favorite couple by nominating them (and who doesn’t love surprises?)!
Contest rules (aw, man!): You must be 18 years or older to submit an entry; one entry per couple. Entries must be made by 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, July 31, 2010. Voting will begin on Monday, Aug. 2 and end at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 8. Winners will be announced by Aug. 12. Entrants must live in West Tennessee and must use their session by Oct. 31, 2010. This is also an anti-discriminatory zone; couples of any age, race or sexual orientation are welcomed to enter.
Quick Tips: Extreme Heat
Posted on July 15, 2010
I love sunflowers and have ever since I was a teenager. And lucky for me, living in a rural area, I see plenty of them in the summer.
Tonight on our way to church I drove down Holly Grove Road, which locals may know as a road that stretches from Covington, through Brighton and Gilt Edge. With its winding curves, quaint little farms and rolling hills, it’s one of my favorite roads. My favorite spot in the county, the spot I find the most serene, is along this road.
We slowed as we passed the patches of sunflowers and on our way home, traveled down the same road. It was now twilight, a great time for taking photos, so I stopped.
I started shooting photos and then realized the humidity – which was at 92 percent! – was fogging up my lenses. I’d wipe them with the edge of my t-shirt, snap a few more photos, and have to wipe the glass again. Ah, the joys of living in the South, right? Though I was born in California, I’ve spent most of my life in the South and Southeast and humidity is all I know about summer. (What is this dry heat of which you speak, West Coast?)
In the winter we talked about protecting your camera from condensation and cool temps, but now that we’re in the middle of our second heat wave of the season, it’s time to flip the script and discuss protecting your camera from the sweltering heat and exhaustive humidity.
These are going to be quick-quick-quick tips because they’re common sense but probably need to be said:
1. Don’t store your camera equipment or memory cards in your vehicle, which can heat up to a much higher temperature than the outside temp. Cameras perform best within a certain temperature range, usually from 32-104 degrees; check your camera’s manual for exact specs.
2. If possible, acclimate. Ease your camera into the blistering temps by moving it from the house to the garage, then outside. This will reduce foggy lenses and possible condensation.
3. Use a soft cloth when wiping the fog from your glass so you don’t scratch your lens.
4. Buy and use UV filters over your lenses.
Even thought the humidity was ruining my shots a little bit, I still love the first one. I got lucky with the shot and the processing just added to it. There’s a certain hazy, summertime feel to it, don’t you think?
While We Waited …
Posted on July 14, 2010
Tuesday and Wednesday are my busiest days at my day job, so I typically do not do anything with my photography business, but I did want to share this snapshot of my oldest daughter this morning.
We grilled dinner last night and while we waiting, I popped my 50mm lens on and took a bunch of photos – our dinner as it sizzled inside its foil pouch, of the smoke rising from the grill, of my children when they would stand still long enough for me to manually focus my lens and play with my settings.
Jaiden is eight and soon will be at that age where she hates me, but for now I think I’ll enjoy her and all of the joy she brings.
I shot this at f/3.5, 50mm and processed it with Marybeth Mills‘ defog & sharpening actions (the best!) and My 4 Hens Photography’s Glee and Pastel Pretty.
In Focus: Amy Sandoval Photography
Posted on July 13, 2010
Please tell us a little about yourself.
This may be the hardest question of the interview! Well, I’m a 30-something wife, mom and full-time web content manager who also runs a photography business. I love music, cats and pretending to have a British accent. 
How long have you been a photographer? What’s your target market?
I’ve been taking photos for years. Took some classes back when film was the only option and really got serious about photography about six years ago. I was a “MWAC” (“Mom With a Camera” as some of the industry-types like to call us) and I began to expand my knowledge and my collection of lenses. I decided at that point to portfolio build and the goal was to make enough money to pay for my ridiculously expensive hobby! Fast forward and I’ve now been shooting professionally (as in, for money and with business license and tax forms in hand!) for about four years.
My target market changes as I redefine exactly what I love. I started out primarily focused on families and children. Then I discovered my love for newborn sessions. Then I did the unthinkable and began shooting small weddings! And then, I discovered boudoir. I describe my current target market as “babies, beach weddings and boudoir” – aka “the 3 B’s!”
It’s a Love Story: Meagan & Will
Posted on July 12, 2010
Meet Meagan and Will! They’re the first couple to be entered into the Love Story giveaway.
This is what Meagan says:
My name is Meagan and the love of my life is Will. I found him on Myspace and after chatting him up for a while we met on Christmas Eve morning in 2007. I knew right away that he was something special.
We began dating on February 3, 2008, a day I would later come to think as one of the best days of my life.
He is the perfect other half of me, I love him with everything in me and it blows my mind that he feels the same. Never did I believe in the fairytale “The One”, but now I know I have found mine. I know that in him I have found the perfect person for me who will always be by my side no matter what, the one person I can always turn to, who will love me unconditionally.
We’ve had our rough times, but have never fought, we have mastered the art of compromise. I love him with all my heart and soul and plan to spend the rest of my life with the man who makes me feel like the happiest woman in the world.
Want to share your love story for a chance to win a free session, $50 print credit, 10 web-sized photos for social networking and best of all, a soft-bound photo book containing 10-15 images AND your detailed love story? What are you waiting for? Enter today!
Firecracker, firecracker …
Posted on July 9, 2010
I don’t photograph children. Well, not professionally.
The reason is because, despite having four children of my own as well as nieces and nephews, I’m not that great at it. I don’t have the patience required of child and family photographers (but I admire those who do).
Of course I would love, love, love to photograph newborns. They’re not so bad, right?
But this little guy – Tyler, the son of my former co-worker/friends/neighbors – makes me wish I was. The fact that this is not a blurry photo is miraculous; Tyler’s a ball of energy (a little firecracker!) and he was running circles around me last Friday night at the Celebrate Independence event. This is nothing new. That’s just Tyler; he never slows down.
I shot dozens of fireworks photos that night, bursts of bright colors against the evening sky and the Stars and Stripes, but this photo is my favorite from that evening. Adorable little Tyler with his chubby, firecracker-painted cheeks and innocent smile. He will enter kindergarten this fall.
This was just a quick snapshot, but I don’t think I could have done better if I’d tried. Those big baby blues don’t hurt, either.
It's a love story …
Posted on July 7, 2010
… Baby, just say yes!
Now that I have that song stuck in your head, let me tell you about a fabulous new thing I’m working on: your love story!
It’s a contest! Send me the best snapshot of you and your significant other – your husband, your wife, your boyfriend, your girlfriend – and a brief history of the two of you as a couple. I’ll post the photos and histories here on the blog and the couple with the most votes wins a free session, $50 print credit, 10 web-sized photos for social networking and best of all, a soft-bound photo book containing 10-15 images AND your detailed love story! This is a prize valued at more than $200.
The catch? No catch, really, except you have to live in West Tennessee (from the Tennessee River to the Mississippi River, Newbern down to Memphis) and be willing to be photographed. Easy, peasy!
But I’m not engaged … It doesn’t matter if you’re a new couple or one who’s been married for 40 years, every couple needs a photo! You can make “Facebook Official” look even better, have photos for the newspaper engagement announcement, make up for not having wedding photos, mark an anniversary, announce an impending arrival or just celebrate couple-dom. You don’t need a reason to capture the love you share!
Ready? Set? Go! Send a snapshot of you and your love to echodayphotography@gmail.com – and don’t forget to tell me a little bit about you! Or, you can surprise your favorite couple by nominating them (and who doesn’t love surprises?)!
Contest rules (aw, man!): You must be 18 years or older to submit an entry; one entry per couple. Entries must be made by 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, July 31, 2010. Voting will begin on Monday, Aug. 2 and end at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 8. Winners will be announced by Aug. 12. Entrants must live in West Tennessee and must use their session by Oct. 31, 2010. This is also an anti-discriminatory zone; couples of any age, race or sexual orientation are welcomed to enter.