My old co-worker & friend, Kristina just recently got engaged to Ray - and I am so excited for their wedding in October!! & I can't believe I've never used a Carousel as a shoot location before! I guess there's a first time for everything. Short & sweet, sadly... work in the A.M. I have some ideas forming for my next photo shoot.. & spring weather is long over due in these parts. 

& P.S - for those who were following my camera bag adventure - I was literally pulling my debit card out to pay for my new bag (of which I've changed since the last time...) when it told me it doesn't ship till APRIL!?!???  So, all thanks to the roomies boyfriends' genius idea - I ebay'd it and lo and behold, there it stood. The very bag (in the very color) I was about to purchase (and wait 3 months for).... all I have to do now is message the buyer and beg them to sell it to me now instead of making me wait 8 days. Ha.. ha. I'm really not this impatient, it's just that I've been waiting like 6 months to find the perfect bag and now that I have - I don't want to imagine going any longer without it. It will be an amazing investment.

But enough on that. Here's to an awesome week!!

& Congrats to Kristina & Ray!! Yay!!

Goofballs.

xoxo, Danielle

Running out the door....

I was checking out a few random photo blogs before another day at the office when I spotted something that definitely made me physically slow down. It's rare that I stop to read something out loud & I immediately knew that I wanted to share it with my readers. (oh, how I love thee.)

Between the crazy schedules, the dreams & desires for the future & all the other in between thoughts that pass through our minds like those ships sailing in the night, take a deep breath. Life moves far too fast for us to even keep up with it sometimes.

I found this while perusing Tessa Janae Photography's blog. Enjoy!

Now I am off in running, going to help all those in need of chiropractic help. I need to go fill my thermos with my earl grey tea. & grab my emergency bottle of ibuprofen to nip this cold in the butt. 

Have a great day!

xoxo, Danielle

Kristina & Ray : Sneaky Peaky

Kristina & Ray : Engagement


But wait, there's more!! 

I had the opportunity to showcase my best friends younger sister (I almost typed 'little', but seeing as she is now a senior in highschool, that makes her younger, but not little. It's crazy!! I remember when she was like... 12!!) Anyway.... 

Yes, anyway.

I got to run around the Ocean front area of Virginia Beach to shoot a couple of fun/a couple of mature photos for both her yearbook & some life changes on the stairwell wall. It's one thing to see your best friend get married. It's another to see her -younger- sister graduate from high school. I feel old.

Regardless, here are a few highlights from this photo shoot. Like what you see? Do you think it's high time you got some new photo's taken of yourself? Your babies? Your babies who are no longer babies but... almost adults?? Your dog??? Expand that thought! Email me your inquiries at graydon.avenue@gmail.com

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Congratulations, Mere! 

We all talked about stealing that car....

She looks like such a grown-up here! *sniff*

A favorite.

 It was raining... She's hardcore.

Another fav.

Coming up next... A sneak peak at Kristina & Ray's engagement session! :)

Switching Positions

Hibernation. Something I think all creatures whether they have fur or not, should indulge in every once in a while. I've been avoiding my camera lately, mainly because my desire to create has been far less inspiring as of late. But truly, it's mainly because no one wants to go out in the cold with me to shoot pictures. I mean, there's some true bribery that has to take place for me to get anyone out in this unusual Virginia weather. I mean, it's been in the 30's for the past couple of weeks. That, & the combination of trips to various and sundry places has stunted my photo blogging. I'm sorry.

I apologize a lot, I know.

But, I actually have something to share with you all today. It's nothing much, but still something to share.

I rarely do this, but I did it this year. I made actual resolutions - ya know - I literally put them down on something. (even if it's just virtual notebook paper) .... I'm trying to wrap my head around the fact that It's 2011. I graduated high school six years ago this June. I have been dating my wonderful boyfriend for three years as of the end of December. I've been driving Mae for five years as of Christmas day. I feel like so much has been happening in the past few years, so much of which I can't really keep up with. But regardless of all of these changes, I am going to post these little resolutions in hopes that I can actually hold them as self-evident as I make another year's worth of progression. Not only on the photo-front, but in all aspects of my life.

Here's to 2011!

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I have some senior pictures to share with you all too... stay tuned!

Crimson & Clover

Fall is HERE!!!

I've spent some time shooting randomly, having a pause in the madness that was my spring/summer weekends where I was shooting constantly. I'm opening up a few more weekends in the coming month to finish up any Fall sessions and begin on Christmas/Winter pictures for family's holidays cards.

As I may have mentioned in a previous post - I was in the process of researching a new camera bag with which to tote my beloved camera around with me, but not be so big and, well, camera-bag-y. I had found one on etsy that I was very excited to purchase until a friend of mine sent me the link to these charming purse like bags!

I found the one in which I had been long waiting for:

The Clover, which is not only large enough to fit my camera body and a few lens's, but also my macbook pro for any sort of emergency uploads, or just the fact that carrying a laptop bag + camera + all gear is overwhelming when trucking it a few blocks (during the winter months when my fingers are cold) to the visual arts center for my studio lighting classes. The sheer convenience of it is is awesome, not to mention it's so cute!

They don't ship till the end of December, so i'll have to pre-order. But maaaan.... I'm IN LOVE with this bag.

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I found my sister and I had an aligned schedule one Sunday afternoon during which we took a drive to down town Norfolk and the surrounding Freemason area. I got a few shots that are bursting with fall colors and bright blue skies. Warm red brick and loose wavy curls. I hope to shoot a few more sessions with her during the upcoming months.

Be on the lookout for more changing of the seasons!

Until then. :)

Memory Lane

I wanted to get these pictures posted before mid October rolled around so they could still be considered engagement pictures and not I-was-too-lazy/busy-to-post-these-before-they-got-married pictures. 

My best friend, Kelsey Essmann is to be wed to Mr. Jared Bethune this October 23rd. This will be a day that I know will have very fond memories attached to it. I've known Kelsey since the beginning of High school, and Jared only a few short years less than that. It's been so exciting watching Kelsey and Jared fall in love and I have been fortunate enough to use my blooming desire to shoot pictures of this journey as it progressed. It goes all the way back to their 1 year (ish) anniversary when we took a walk through the same neighborhood where Jared asked Kelsey to be his girlfriend.

Circa May 14th, 2007
- Our First Shoot -

Since that time, we've shared many a session together and I've fondly referred to them as my "photographic guinea pigs" ... But! With time came practice, and practice hopefully will lead to something that resembles perfection. Here are a few pictures from over the years (new photos from our latest shoot at the bottom!!) - a tribute to the journey that has made up so much of my photographic experience (believe it or not) & a testimony to Kelsey and Jared's true & time-withstanding love. :)

Love to you both & many congratulations!

Mini Shoot - July 26th, 2008

October 26th, 2008

Oct.26.09
(I just realized that I took this exactly 2 years & 3 days away from their wedding date.)

April 23, 2009

May 2nd, 2009

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July 21st, 2010:

Until Next Time...

(New jams ; Over the Ocean's Paper House.)