Stacey Bode Photography

There’s always a fun element of surprise when I show up for a session with someone that I have yet to meet. I’m used to working with unfamiliar locations, but people are a little different than places. I had been communicating with Holli via phone and email and expected to see the word “adorable” tattooed across her forehead. However, until we finally met, I had no idea of the full scope of her awesomeness. She was so welcoming, kind, and has a rare balance of exuberance and calmness.

I could have spent all day laughing and taking photos of Holli. She was such a pleasure to work with, and I know she’s going to make such a wonderful mommy.

I had to snap a few shots of Holli getting ready in her fabulous blue curlers. I’m so glad that I got to meet her talented makeup artist, Alyson. Her company is called Authentic Beauty, and I LOVE her philosophy. She’s all about acceptance of who we are naturally, which she and I discussed a bit. I’ve been wanting to start a project working with people who have body/appearance issues to discuss them, photograph them, and learn to appreciate them. Alyson is working on a similar project. Now I know there are probably some folks reading this who are like, “wait a minute, makeup artists and photographers are in the business of making people look good….isn’t that the opposite of ‘natural’?”. I won’t speak for Alyson here, but I feel that there’s a huge difference between making someone look different to look good, and making someone look like themselves to look good. My job is never to change, always to enhance (more by using light and angles than photoshop tricks). So, there’s my 2 cents….or maybe more like a buck and some change.

They may not realize it, but there are several things I need to thank Cassi and David for. I’m completely grateful for things such as: the fact that they trusted me to photograph their wedding, that they are such absolutely lovely people, and for getting married at Fernbank!

I was excited about this day on so many levels. Cassi’s sister Carribeth has been a good friend of mine for many years now, and I know what a fantastic family she has. I think the last time I saw Cassi before the wedding, she was only about 14 years old! It’s amazing I’m not already wearing dentures and orthopedic shoes. Anyway, it was so cool to see Cassi marry her long-time sweetheart, David.

I was thrilled that the wedding was held at Fernbank Museum. I love that place! Weddings held there satisfy both the right and left side of my brain….the scientist and the romantic artist. Hooray! It really was beautiful, and I couldn’t have asked for a more charming couple than Cassi and David.

What a sweet and adorable couple. I feel so lucky because I’m convinced that I have the best clients in the world. I don’t know how it happens, but instead of questioning it, I choose to simply be thankful for the magical arrow that somehow points wonderful people in my direction. Sara and Gerard are thoughtful, clever, down-to-earth…..and they know how to throw one heck of a party.

These two fine folks were recently married at the Trolley Barn in Inman Park. It was a beautiful, sunny fall afternoon, and every guest seemed to be having a great time and their support for Sara and Gerard was blindingly evident.

I try to avoid drama as much as possible. I will put on a disguise, move silently like a ninja, and speak with an accent….yet drama still manages to find me.

It was a beautiful Monday afternoon, and Christa and I were on our way to Kim and Mitchell’s day after shoot. Christa is a lovely lady that I’ve been mentoring, and she wanted to come along for one of my portrait sessions to check out how that all works. Well, we found the hotel where we were to meet Kim and Mitchell, and we were in the process of finding parking (easier said than done with the 50 one-way streets downtown that all go the same direction). Without warning, smoke begins to billow aggressively from the hood of my car. Fortunately, we were able to park somewhat illegally right away. A nice gentleman on the street urged us to exit the car ASAP. His facial expression can be traslated as “lady, I think your car’s about to explode like an un-poked potato”. So, we got out of the car and got our bearings. A car overheating is not that big of a deal. However, my crappy car was our only car since Matt’s crappy car had been stolen a week earlier.

That was a good lesson in shaking off my “baggage” to not affect what I need to do photo-wise. I didn’t want to throw a fit in front of Christa, and I certainly didn’t want to be a downer while working with Kim and Mitchell. We ended up having a great time, and the car lives! Take that, drama!

I’ve posted a LOT of images for this entry. I can’t help it. You can blame Kim and Mitchell for being so daggum photogenic. They are one fantastic couple.

We started their day-after shoot at The Ellis Hotel. Wow, what a beautiful place. I love how it’s decorated. Very clean-modern-chic. Here’s the newly-married couple adding to the ambiance with their own gorgeousness…

Here are some of the fun shots from the photo booth at Kim and Mitchell’s recent wedding. These are some guests who know how to have a good time. I love to see what people come up with in front of the camera!

I still need some suggestions on an alternate name for the photo booth, so PLEASE help a gal out! If I can’t think of anything better than “photo area” or “image station”, I’m just going to have to name it something like “Jimmy” or “Melissa”, and who knows what kind of confusion THAT will cause. Help!

I love contrast. Floral prints with stripes…odd pairings in relationships (my grandma was 4′11 and my grandpa was 6′2)…differences in opinion…and certainly lots of contrast in photos to make them “pop”. A pleasant contrast I was privy to last weekend was the variance in the weddings I shot. As you can see in my previous posts, I shot Andisheh and Christi’s wedding on Saturday at a lush and quaint farm. Then on Sunday, I got to shoot Kim and Mitchell’s stylish city-chic wedding here in Atlanta. Both gorgeous weddings, and both unique.

Throughout the planning process, Kim and I had a few discussions about the style of wedding she wanted. The best phrase I can come up with is “downtown elegance”. It was so cool to see all of her organization and attention to detail come to fruition and exude the exact air of hip sophistication that she envisioned.

Kim and Mitchell are two of the most genuine people you will come across. They manage a wonderful balance of being grounded and being downright fun.

Working with them and getting to know them has been a joy. I can only imagine what an incredible time they’re having in Hawaii right now! Maybe someday I’ll find the strength to forgive them for not taking me along. We shot a “day-after” session, and Kim jokingly offered to shove me in her suitcase. To me, it was no joke, as I was contemplating whether all that yoga would finally come in handy and help me conform to the shape of her luggage. Oh, well. I guess I should have practiced my “rabbit” pose more. Stay tuned for pics from their photo booth and their day-after session!

I have to give a quick shout-out to my second photographer, Robin Nathan, who did a marvelous job. She and I had talked about working together, and we finally got the chance. Yay! Shout-out #2 goes to stylist-exraordinaire, Shai of Face Canvas, who is responsible for giving Kim that extra glamour. The final shout is for Erin Stroup of It’s All in the Details event planning. All these ladies do such great work.

Here are some shots from the photo booth we set up at Andisheh and Christi’s wedding. Everybody really got into the spirit of it.

I have a small confession to make. My photo booth is not technically a “booth”. However, when you say “photo booth” people understand that it’s supposed to be fun and crazy, rather than something like a prom portrait (although doing mock prom portraits would be pretty hilarious too). So I’ve been trying to think of something else to call it that isn’t a blatant lie, but I’m struggling to come up with something that sounds more appealing than “photo station” or “backdrop-on-poles-where-you-stand-in-front-and-act-goofy-thing”. Any suggestions on what to call it would be most appreciated. Also, any thoughts on backdrop preference? I’ve been using white, but I could also do black, patterns, something silly, etc. Opinions please!

I feel like I’m still enjoying this wedding, long after the last song was played and the final glass was removed from the table. Christi and Andisheh are the kind of people you simply enjoy being around. They’re both kind, smart, witty, and quick to laugh. I’m so thrilled to have been chosen to capture their incredible wedding day.

The event took place at the picturesque Serenbe Farm. Matt was my second shooter, and he and I kept talking about how we need to pick a weekend to hang out at this place. The rooms and the property are lovely, and the farm and surrounding areas have a strong sense of community, focusing on nature, growing organic foods, etc. So cool!

Christi and Andisheh couldn’t have picked a more perfect place for their entrance into marriage. Matt and I were inspired by the honest and obvious feelings these two exhibit for each other and with their loved ones. Thanks for such a sweet reminder.

How could you not love someone named Lala? This is a very cool lady. We definitely laughed about the fact that her current headshot is 13 years old. Yeah, probably time for a new one. She has an audition on Monday, and is pretty sure that the casting folks will be shocked that she finally has a new shot. Wish I could be a fly on the wall!

Technically, I am an adult. However, I don’t care to live in a world where I can’t buy some crazy rubber monkeys out of a machine for a quarter. These little fellas have been placed atop my monitor, and are now giving me editing tips, offering advice on how to organize my files, and cheering me on when I’m losing a game of Word Twist.