Cubbage Family Photos 2013

A few weekends ago my husband and I had the pleasure of visiting our friends in Lynchburg, VA where a few escaped NC State alums are hiding. I met Laurissa at my first engineering internship at Hazen and Sawyer and we've been friends since. She had already graduated from Environmental Engineering and was a great example for a rising female engineer. There's not a whole lot of us after all! Since I started SOR, I've been capturing her family as it's grown, it's been so much fun. 

That's why I was thrilled when she asked us to visit this year and to bring my camera! This was the first chance to snag some photos of her newest son, Everett, and I couldn't wait. 

We took a drive up the blue ridge parkway for about an hour and found some beautiful colors. I do love fall!

I've never had a baby so corporative! 

I'm excited to watch these boys grow up. 

Laurissa & Doug Cubbage Family 2013! 

Liz DiNatale

www.oakcityphotographync.com

Photo Friday: Lonesome

Happy Friday!!! 

It's been a hell of an October for me so far. I found myself in Breckenridge Colorado at the beginning of the month for a 2 week long class on streams. Miraculously, I broke away the Sunday before last and hiked up to see some old mining relics and a couple lakes called the Mohawk Lakes. If you're ever in Breck, when there's not 5 feet of snow, I'd highly recommend that hike. It's absolutely beautiful. 

The trail it's pretty direct and before you know it you're out of the thick trees and on the rocks. That's when you start seeing these old tiny cabins. The first one you come to has no roof and a fallen tree has collapsed most of it. But if you keep going you find this gem right next to some glorious falls. I can only imagine how lonely a night would be up on the mountain alone in this cabin with  nothing but the falls to listen to. 

I've got a busy schedule of family photo shoots this month. I'm looking forward to sharing them all with you! 

Thanks for reading and enjoy your weekend!

Liz DiNatale

www.shadesofredphotography.com

Ashley Mitchell - Bridals Full Edition

Last Saturday Ashley said those solemn vows and became Mrs. Ashley Mitchell. We all applauded as the new couple walked hand in hand back down the aisle and we spent the rest of the evening celebrating their blessed union. Everything was lovely and I'm very excited to see the photos her photographers produce. I came there as a friend and not a photographer, so as odd as it felt, I left my camera at home. 

We had a great time and stayed until they turned on the lights and ushered us out. And now because their day has come and gone, I can finally, with great pleasure, do a full blog post of Ashley's bridal portraits! I'm friggin giddy. I've wanted to show these off for weeks now!

No more yammering, onto the photos!

The State Club on NC Sate's Centennial Campus has a huge grand ballroom with very shiny marble floors. They complimented Ashley's beautiful white dress wonderfully. 

Remember her teaser post featuring that huge chandelier and a silhouette of Ashley? Here's the other side of that photo series. 

These next few are some of my favorites. 

I love how you can see every delicate fold of her beautiful dress in these. 

This one...this is my favorite. Gotta love the cathedral veil. 

This is a close second. She looks so happy and genuine in this photo. 

Alright, I'll leave it at that. I'd post them all but I think that would be overkill. I had so much fun doing these photos with Ashley and her mom. Thanks again ladies, you were wonderful!

Liz DiNatale

www.oakcityphotographync.com

Off topic: DC

The weekend before last I took a short road trip with a friend to the north. Since I was heading all the way to NY and it's quite the drive, I convinced my friend to tag along for half the trip and gave her a reason to visit friends in DC. 

I was pretty excited about my layover in DC. I hadn't visited the city since I was a little girl. The bits and pieces I remember about that trip involved mostly Star Trek and matching family shirts. Yes...we were that family. Considering my incredible improvement in photography equipment since that time (I had no camera) I decided to take advantage of my time in DC and photograph some of my favorite monuments. 

So after an awesome night of local brew-pubs, subway systems and air mattress sleeping, I awoke early to beat all the tourists. I had no idea that by doing so I'd run right into the prime "run around the monuments" time. It was an event for sure. I managed to capture several people sweating in running shorts, oh well.

Here are some of my favorites from my early morning saunter around DC. 

The Lincoln Memorial has always been one of my favorites. 

This was a bunch of Navy guys out doing their PT

The Washington Monument reflected in the Vietnam War Monument. 

I never appreciated these monuments when I was a kid. But being out there alone on a cool Saturday morning with just my thoughts and my camera to keep me company...they meant a whole lot more. I'm very glad that we have them. 

Now's the time to think about family photos for holidays cards! This week alone I booked 3 new photoshoots. Stay tuned for lots of awesome smiling faces!

Liz DiNatale

www.oakcityphotographync.com

Ashley Sonday - Bridals

You know the ride at Disney World, "It's a Small World"? Yeah I hate that ride too but the saying can't be more true. Somehow two very separate parts of my life collided when my former roommate, Will Mitchell, met a girl who I went to high school with but never really knew. Even when I first met Ashley through Will, it never really clicked. But then at their engagement party, I got to talking with one of her bridesmaids and found out that SHE had gone to school with me too! She and Ashley were in the class of 02 at Green Hope High School, I was the class of 03. Then, like a wave of consciousness, I remembered Ashley! It's a small friggin world. (I promptly went home and looked her up in my year books). 

I was never sure who Will would end up with. I'd known him for years, living with us in two different houses, working at several different jobs and moving to three different states; he was a nomad and everyone knew it. Somehow North Carolina claimed him and as luck would have it, he met Ashley. She's already polished off a few of his rough edges and perhaps he has scuffed up a few of hers. They balance each other out wonderfully and make a beautiful team. Who could ask for more. 

Onto the point...I'm slightly in love with weddings. Can you tell? I love being a part of them. I love seeing a bride all done up and all a flutter with excitement. I love seeing a groom nervous as hell but deliriously happy. I love the opulence of a gorgeous dress. Which is why when my friends are getting married and I hear they're not getting  bridal portraits from their photographer, I ask if they'd mind modeling their dress for me for my portfolio. It gives me a chance to add pictures to my website and to practice my craft. It gives them a chance to wear that gorgeous dress on a day filled with much less stress and truly enjoy it. And it's downright fun! 

Some of my friends haven't gone for it and that's too bad but luckily it didn't take much convincing to get Ashley to agree to a free bridal portrait session. She left the venue option up to me and I choose The State Club on NC State's centennial campus. It's a gorgeous building that lent itself very well to a bridal portrait session. This building is complete with a massive room with polished marble floors, a grand piano, a grand staircase, lovely leather chairs and sofas, a massive chandelier and floor to ceiling windows. Perfect. 

I wish I could show you all of the gorgeous photos we captured that day but I don't want to ruin the surprise for Ashley's guests and most of all, Will. Ashley and I did agree on one photo that I could publish today. A lovely silhouette with just a hint of things to come. 

Ashley makes a beautiful bride. Will is gonna cry.

Liz DiNatale

www.oakcityphotographync.com

Photo Friday: Smartphone Picture

It really is a testament to how far phone cameras have come when the picture I'm using for this challenge doesn't suck. 

I remember the days when not everyone had a phone capable of taking pictures. I remember the commercials promoting those "picture phones". They would produce the most rudimentary, grainy, blurry but to us at the time, amazing photos. Nowadays my cell phone takes better pictures than my first digital camera. 

So the story behind this picture is a tale of a harrowing escape from doom. Also known as, my race against an approaching storm on my bicycle. Every Wednesday (or so) I ride with a group called Ol Mello Velo. We meet up in Apex and usually ride out into Chatham County, Morrisville, etc. The route on this day was directly in the course of an approaching thunderstorm. We all decided collectively and independently that we'd ride as far as we could and turn around when the storm got too close. All seemed fine in the beginning but then the storm picked up pace and all of a sudden it was on top of us. Some of us took a loop home, I turned around and bolted back to my car. That was the fastest pace I've ever held on my own (I might have had a trail wind). I had been at my car with my bike loaded no longer than a minute before the big raindrops started and then the heavens opened up. 

This picture was taken where I turned around. You can see the wall of approaching clouds so clearly. It was very ominous. 

Today on the other hand is absolutely gorgeous. What a rare treat in July. Enjoy today and the weekend! We've got one more month of hot temperatures ahead of us and this weekend will be a nice break!

Liz DiNatale
www.oakcityphotographync.com

Photo Friday: After Dark

Welcome back to weekly Photo Fridays!! It's been a while...I was preoccupied with passing the Professional Engineering exam and then passing it again because I didn't pass it the first time (whoops). But now I'm less occupied and getting the photography itch (I hear there's no cure). 

I'll start off easy with a photo I took almost a year ago. The Photo Friday challenge word was "After Dark" which inspired me to do the editing on this photo that you see. This pathway was at the top of the Craggy Gardens hiking trail. The trees are tons and tons of Mountain Laurel (or Rhododendron, I never can tell the difference if they're not blooming). The way the path whines and curves through the Laurel makes for a very ethereal/creepy scene. I imagine when these trees are blooming this path would be much more jovial than sinister. 

It's good to be back. I hope to post these Friday photos regularly now. Thanks for reading!

Liz DiNatale

www.oakcityphotographync.com