Rob + Rachel [Lauxmont Farms Wedding]

With clasped hands and beaming smiles, Rob and Rachel vowed to love each other all the days of their lives. The scenery could NOT have been more picturesque: their ceremony took place on the rolling green hills of Lauxmont Farms, with the Susquehanna River in the distance. After the meaningful ceremony, guests adjoined to the tent for a fun-filled reception….gorgeous details were everywhere you turned. Rachel is an extremely talented artist who poured herself into designing the eye-catching décor. My personal favorite moment of the day happened before the ceremony, when Rob and Rachel held hands around a stone wall…they couldn’t see each other, but they prayed passionate prayers, thanking God for bringing them together and making all things new. A powerful moment, for sure…and when a groom cries, I can’t help but tear up, as well! I’m a sap! Deep Focus Pictures flawlessly captured this moment and the wedding day, and you can see the video here. Future brides, check them out; Jonathan and Crystal are friendly, fun, and have a knack for capturing the wedding day.

Special moments, with the bride's parents. Such love! 

Clayton Austin Workshop [Austin, Texas]

As I gaze out my window at 16 inches of snow (while wearing about 7 layers of clothing), I’m reminiscing about sunny Texas…specifically the time I attended Clayton Austin's photography workshop. Several years ago, I discovered Clayton Austin’s blog and was absolutely mesmerized for the next few hours. His images were captivating and left me breathless. He penned striking words about romance and relationships, and I knew I had just found a special corner of the internet’s universe. See why I was captivated!? < ---Clayton hauled an old piano across the desert and photographed couples in epic scenery.

When Clayton announced he was hosting his first “Share the Goodness” workshop, it didn’t take long for my friend and I to purchase plane tickets to Austin, Texas, to be part of this. A small group of us photographers from all over the U.S. gathered to learn from this extremely talented artist. We covered branding, story telling, photographing wedding details in a creative manner, business tips, and a plethora of other info.

[Photo by Clayton Austin. That'd be me, with the camera slung over my shoulder.]

This experience, over a year ago, played a pivotal role in my business. While in Texas, I developed the approach I want to bring to each client. I realized my goal is not to be like Clayton Austin…I’m Ashley, not Clayton. Therefore, I will bring my own unique traits to every session and every wedding I photograph. I value the advice Clayton shared at that workshop, and it’s exciting for me to look back and see a shift in my work (hopefully I’m continuously growing!)

Shauna and her husband, James, are a delightful couple who hung out with us for the afternoon’s “live shoot.” They look striking in their wedding attire! And a big congrats to Shauna and her sister, who just won a Grammy for “best recording package.” They’re art directors at Backstage Design Studio.

A (snowy) Toast to the New Year

Each year brings with it the anticipation of a fresh start. It's certainly a joyous time to celebrate, as we recall the previous year's special moments as well as what's ahead. Chelsea + Abram cozied up for "A toast to the New Year" session. I am especially exuberant to show these off, because she's my gorgeous sister and he is my stellar brother-in-law. They were AMAZING to brave the 20 degree weather for over an hour. But it was worth it. So worth it. She looks exquisite in her vintage attire (including a fur coat which belonged to our great-aunt), and Abram looks especially dapper in his classy tux. Cheers to this chapter in their lives, when their love continues growing stronger after several years of marriage. [Also, I just recently added a "pin it" button on the blog, so now you can click on these photos to add them to Pinterest!]