Daylight Photography

May Self-Portrait: Hope Town

Daylight Photography — Mon, 20 May 2013 07:01:13 +0000

Hope Town: a special place I called home for two years, and a place that still has a piece of my heart. Last week I traveled back to that beautiful Bahamian island to visit friends and introduce Noah to people who have become family to us. I’ll be blogging later about the whole trip, but I wanted to make sure that I got in a self-portrait this month of me in one of my favorite places.

The porch behind the Mission House is one of my resting places. You can feel the wind, hear the ocean, and really just be still there. I used to sit out there many evenings, reading or just listening. I don’t do either of those as much now, and this trip really reminded me of that. I have a chair outside that is becoming one of my still places in Durham, but man oh man is it good to hear the ocean while you’re being still!

Here’s to the ocean, to Hope Town, to stillness.

“The LORD will fight for you, you need only to be still.” – Exodus 14:14

Noah: 10 months

Daylight Photography — Tue, 14 May 2013 03:03:18 +0000

One more monthly photo, and then I’ve made the executive decision to go to 6-month intervals! I feel like I say this every month, but Noah is changing so fast. I’ve been debating whether he is really saying words or still babbling, but we did a double-take last night: we all heard him say “bye!” (I felt like Ross on F.R.I.E.N.D.S.) He hasn’t said it again, but I’m inclined to think it was the real deal! We’ll see…

Also note: he has his first teeth on the bottom, but of course I couldn’t get a close picture of them. The kid moves fast.

Jonathan and Beth’s Surprise Engagement Party!

Daylight Photography — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:19:51 +0000

Mike called me on his way home from visiting school Monday. ”Jonathan’s going to propose to Beth tomorrow! And he wants us to be at a surprise party to celebrate afterwards!” I always feel extra excited– and a little guilty– knowing about an engagement before it happens. This was no exception!

Jonathan had thought of everything, even arranging for his mom and brother and Beth’s mom to make the trip to Durham to be at the celebration. A bit of the plan hinged on the weather, but once he felt confident it wouldn’t rain (quite the feat right now), he set the plan in motion. They first had dinner at Vin Rouge, an incredibly romantic restaurant in downtown Durham, and also a place that had a history with these two. Then he took her to Duke Gardens, where they also had sweet memories. (Beth adds here that at this point, she’s thinking Jonathan is really mean if he isn’t planning to propose!) Relieved to find his #1 choice of a bench open at the gardens, they sat down and he popped the question.

Right about that time, several of their friends were gathering for the next step. Champagne was poured, desserts were prepared, and all were excited to see the freshly engaged couple!

Thanks again, Jonathan, for inviting us to be a part of such a special, memorable evening! We’re so happy for you both!

Lauren & Friends on Film

Daylight Photography — Mon, 06 May 2013 06:00:28 +0000

I had so, so much fun with my friend, Lauren, on her visit. She is one of the most amazing, talented, brilliant people I know… and I’m incredibly thankful for her! Aside from all those things, she can be just plain silly. What a perfect treat for me on the day I chose to spend an entire roll of film downtown.

We started off in the center of Durham:

Then we headed over to Triangle Brewery for their brewery tour…

Then we headed to our friends’ house for some DIY action: turning lockers into a colorful pantry! (complete with live music)

And a few more to end the roll. Dang this is fun!

Shot with a Canon Elan II on Kodak Portra 400 film. Developed and scanned by Southeastern Camera.

April Self-Portrait

Daylight Photography — Sat, 04 May 2013 01:48:11 +0000

Ok, ok, it’s May now, but this picture was taken in April… I also didn’t take it myself, but I did get on some Kodak Portra 400! My second recent roll of film was more or less a success (full post coming soon!), and I’m excited to share my first in the self-portrait series on analog. Many thanks to Sean for the capture.

Developed and scanned by the fine folks at Southeastern Camera.

Matt & Casey… Essential Durham

Daylight Photography — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 02:33:45 +0000

Last year, Casey took some fantastic maternity photos of our family as we were about to expand. I was so happy to return the favor recently to do a session with Casey and her husband, Matt. Casey is a fantastic local photographer, and Matt is in the same program as Mike at Duke (and they’re both about to finish their Masters! Wahoo!). They’ve always wanted a picture on their front stoop (located right in the middle of Durham in an AMAZING spot, I might add)… so hopefully these will hit the spot! They even brought out their beloved sweet weimaraner, Wilco, for a few shots of the whole family. She is a hoot!

Matt & Casey, hope you enjoy!

A Visit from Mom and Dad

Daylight Photography — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 01:31:43 +0000

Last month, my parents came to visit. They always look forward to seeing us (and Noah, of course!), but this was more of a “working trip.” Projects around the house are much more difficult to tackle with a baby added to the mix, so Mom and Dad took a few days to make some things happen!

My dad dug a trench that was probably 60 or 70 feet long to create a drainage system for our side yard. Previously, we would deal with standing water for a couple of days after a good hard rain. Now Mike and I don’t step in water to our ankles when we take out the trash!

I didn’t get any pictures of this, but my mom and I worked quite a bit on repainting the fence outside. What a difference a coat of paint makes! She also planted some really lovely flowers in our yard. They bring a smile to my face every time I pull in the driveway!

Between all the projects, we were able to share in some good meals and have some restful down time. What a blessing!

Mom and Dad, thanks for all your help! We love you both!

Brad & Meredith: Engaged!

Daylight Photography — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 12:54:15 +0000

I met Brad back in October at Clark and Laura’s wedding, and was so excited when he called me about this special news! He was planning to propose to his girlfriend, Meredith, at Duke Chapel, and he wanted me to stealthily document the whole thing. I was honored to be witness to such a meaningful moment in their lives!

She was completely surprised, and so elated! We went outside for a few photos of the two of them together.

The trees were blooming, the sun was shining… Brad couldn’t have planned a more perfect day if he tried!

Meredith had been carrying around a letter for Brad for weeks, just to share with him when they would get engaged. After he read her sweet words, they took a moment to call a few close family members to share the good news!

Brad and Meredith, I hope you two enjoy these photos. It was such a treat to take them! Blessings on your marriage!

To see the complete gallery from their session, click here.

Noah’s 9-month update

Daylight Photography — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 00:21:49 +0000

It’s getting harder to be creative with these monthly pictures! To honor our favorite farmer’s market, I dressed him accordingly (no pants though… it’s ridiculously hard to get them on, and it’s also 80 degrees outside). This kid gets more and more hilarious by the day, and I can’t help but smile at him, no matter what face he is making at me. (Below on the right is his “screaming for fun” face, which is pretty common.)

I’m beginning to see his thought process now, and he has actually responded to a couple of words besides his name. It is a cool/scary thing to see him develop a mind of his own…

It’s amazing that he’s 3/4 of the way through his first year! Happy 9 months, baby!

Allison and Kyle’s Jacksonville Wedding

Daylight Photography — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:50:35 +0000

You could not have picked a more beautiful day for an outdoor wedding. Allison and Kyle’s detail-filled ceremony at the historic Ribault Club was fit for a dream! Between fresh hydrangeas adorning the aisles, a lovely sash to greet Allison as she walked down the aisle, and an intimate setting for loved ones to witness the beautiful occasion, this wedding will go down in my books as one to remember! For a more complete story of their wedding day, click here to watch their slideshow or here to see their online gallery of proofs.

Allison got ready at the Amelia Island Plantation. Wow, what a beautiful spot! My favorite moment from this part of the day was definitely hearing Allison read the letter that Kyle wrote to her for their wedding day.

A little later, Kyle read the letter that Allison wrote to him:

As a gift to her bridesmaids, Allison gave each one a robe individually chosen to fit their personality. So sweet!

Allison and Kyle chose to do a “First Look” for their wedding day. My favorite images of the bride and groom most often come from this special moment before the ceremony where the couple can have a few minutes to see each other for the first time and really soak in the beauty of the day (and one another!).

And these guys had an INCREDIBLY FUN wedding party! Seriously. I may be partial (several FSU Wesley alums here), but they were amazing.

Their ceremony was simply beautiful. Emotion-filled, Spirit-filled, and beautiful.

I don’t usually include family photos in blog posts (you can find the whole album here, though!) but this one I just love:

Allison and Kyle had a really sweet idea for a last dance, just the two of them. The rest of their guests went outside to get ready for the sendoff, and these two had a few moments to themselves. Wedding days are such a whirlwind, and this was a wonderful idea for them to take another moment with each other.

Mr. and Mrs. Rifkin, congratulations to you! I hope you enjoy these photos and can enjoy the beauty of your wedding day for a long time.

To see the whole event and order prints, click here!

If you missed the slideshow, you can watch below:

Here are a list of the vendors that made Allison and Kyle’s wedding day so amazing:

Venue: The Ribault Club, Fort George Island, FL
Planner: Chrissy Sladek
Designer: Emily Grace Designs
Hair & Makeup: Mary Airhart Salon
Caterer, Cake, & Bar: The Bistro Aix
Florist: Park Avenue Florist
Dress: Modern Trousseau, custom work done by Martha Shump Designs
Dance Floor: Beachview Rentals
Lights: Wayne McCoy
DJ: D’Land Entertainment
Photography: Daylight Photography
Videography: Matt Aponte
Invitations: Proper Papers
Programs, menus, & thank you cards: ARThropologyJax
String Quartet: UNF