Cody & Anna Marsh

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of shooting Cody and Anna’s engagement photos at the beautiful chapel that they would be married in 7 months later. I knew both of them beforehand, but the day of their engagement pictures changed the game for me. Those few hours with them powerfully demonstrated their easygoing attitudes, their lightheartedness, but most importantly their love for one another.

June 22 couldn’t get here fast enough. Finally, their wedding day came, and I was honored to be a part of it. Everyone laughed a lot, cried a little, but mostly celebrated the start of a beautiful marriage. Cody and Anna have taught me a lot through my time with them. Life may not always be easy, and marriage definitely isn’t, but having a good atitude makes all the difference. Their laid back wedding day demonstrated this: a day that could have been stressful and chaotic was peaceful, smooth, and incredibly fun.

See for yourself!

We did this photo as a reprise of one that we did at their engagement session. Remember?

Cody and Anna, thank you so much for allowing me to share your day with you. Congratulations!!

Love,

Mallory

Adventure

This summer, I have my very first big-girl jobs. I work every day from 8-5 in two different jobs for great supervisors. I am learning a lot and deeply appreciate the opportunities presented to me. However, my biggest lesson so far has been a very pleasant surprise.

I am definitely supposed to be a photographer.

I like my jobs. I am grateful for them. But there is no doubt in my mind that I was not built to sit at a desk all day. Working 8-5, 5 days a week has been my first dose of “the real world”, and I have mixed feelings about it. I appreciate the learning experience, I appreciate the stability, and I appreciate the air conditioning (I have lived through 18 Georgia summers and still not gotten used to the dang humidity). However, I would give all of that up in a heartbeat to shoot weddings every weekend to the day I die.

Being a photographer means I get to be outside, do what I love, and hang out with super fun people. I look at Pinterest a lot. I can take breaks whenever I want. My job includes hanging out with clients at Panera. I can work in my pajamas and watch Netflix and eat cookies. I get to take pictures of people dancing.

So its always easy, right? What sounds hard about that? I was born to do it, now I’m doing it, so I can happily play outside and dance at wedding receptions forever.

Right?

Wrong.

I saw a quote recently that sums this up so well. It said:

Adventure may hurt you but monotony will kill you.

Amen, hallelujah, WHY HAVE I NEVER HEARD THIS.

So as soon as I finished tattooing this on my forehead (kidding), writing it on every notebook/mirror/whiteboard/spare post-it note that I could find (not kidding), and telling everyone I know about it (sorry), I got to thinking.

My adventure is in my occupation. I am an entrepreneur, and I can confidently say that running a small business is nothing short of an adventure.

By “adventure”, I mean to say “incredibly fun and rewarding experience that is simultaneously terrifying”. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love the independence, I love the risk, I love the creativity. I call the shots (whether or not I should actually be allowed to is still out for the jury), and I am solely responsible for the consequences of my actions and decisions. Whether or not my business succeeds or fails is up to only me.

It rules. I was made to do this.

However, working a 9-5 doesn’t mean that you can’t have adventure, too. In my head, there’s a strong difference between monotony and consistency. Consistency won’t kill you, but monotony will. Even if your schedule is the same every day, your life can still be passionate and adventurous.

What are you doing with your life to break the routine? What do you do to change things up? What are you trying to do to expand your reach, push your limits, become an adventurous person? Everyone needs some form of consistency, but no one deserves a monotonous life.

So where is your adventure?

Seniors

For the past two months, I have been working with seniors graduating from Berry College to provide them with high-quality senior photos for a low price. Graduation is not just a day but a several month-long process that takes countless hours of preparation. Sometimes senior photos get swept under the rug, and I wanted to prevent that from happening. As much as this is a hectic and stressful time, it is an exciting one that should be remembered.

The seniors that I worked with were on a journey, and entering into this project, I didn’t know that I was on one as well. These two months have truly tested me as a photographer. I have been tired, busy, frustrated, and overwhelmed; but every day, I have been grateful. 

I owe personal thank-you’s to each of the seniors that I worked with.

Thank you to Sami for your patience and good attitude, despite the wind. Your enthusiasm and good attitude permeate everything that you do.

Thank you to Naysia for your confidence. I have so much respect for you, and I am better off for having met you. You are are fierce and fabulous, but moreover, you are kind.

Thank you to Maureen for your uniqueness and creativity. Working with you at a place that you are so passionate about truly allowed me to get to know you. Your photos reflect your personal experience at Berry in the truest way.

Thank you to Taylor for being so sweet and easygoing. Taking your photos was a breath of fresh air. Your gentle spirit is refreshing to be around.

Thank you to Marley for being brave, and never saying ‘no’ when I asked ‘can you do that jump one more time?’.  You are a huge player in making most of these photos happen, and I will eternally be grateful.

Thank you to Courtney for your trust on a rainy day! Your photos are so unique and beautiful. I appreciate your worry-free attitude.

Thank you to Benson for your humble spirit. You are so talented and kind. I wish the very best for you in your adventurous future.

Thank you to Rachel for being open and unique. You were so genuine in the time that we spent together, and your photos reflect your strength and independence.

Thank you to Mary for your creativity and willingness to share your time with me. Even though we had not met before the day of your photos, your kindness made me feel like a friend.

Thank you to Robin for your fun personality. I had a lot of fun working with you, and feel like your personality shines through your photos!

Thank you to Allie for your kindness and adventurous spirit. I look forward to seeing where you end up! You have so much potential and will be incredibly successful.

Thank you to Susan for your patience and effort to help me create a comfortable environment for you. I regret not having met you sooner, and I hope that our paths cross again in the future.

Thank you to Allie for your creative ideas and plans to integrate such an important aspect of your life into your photos. I had so much fun capturing your passion for soccer in your photos, and hearing about your experience in college.

Needless to say, I had a great experience with all of these seniors. Each one of them has enormous potential and has taken advantage of their time in college. They are a strong, capable, intelligent group of people that I am honored to have worked with!

Congratulations to the class of 2013!

Love,

Mallory

The Auto Project: Lizzie and Vesper

The Auto Project is an ongoing series of photos of people that drive distinctive cars. Everyone has a story, and a trusty vehicle is absolutely a part of that. This project serves to document cars with quirks, impressive engines, funny decorations, and overall character.

I fell in love with Lizzie’s car the second I saw it.

This is Vesper. He’s a 1998 Volvo Station Wagon. He is awesome.

Lizzie and Vesper are meant to be together. She bought him in high school, but sold him after an accident. However, the new owner wasn’t pleased, so Lizzie bought him back. True love, y’all.

The reason that I was so interested in Vesper is because Lizzie is so proud of him. Mechanically, he is nothing fancy. But he has cool decorations, a solid history, but more importantly, a really great story.

Lizzie is such a great friend, and a really cool person. She is classy, down to earth, quirky, and absolutely hilarious. This is not the first time that we’ve worked together, and hopefully not the last.

In one use of the word, a ‘vesper’ is an evening prayer, service or hymn. In Lizzie’s words, she “threw a little vesper up to the big man, and got a little Vesper back.”

Spring Break

My spring break was different than most people’s. And it was awesome.

I had the privilege of spending 5 days in Bozeman, Montana at the beginning of March, and I could not have asked for a better first experience out west. I am so grateful for the people that I spent time with, they were unbelievably generous, enthusiastic, and inviting. This trip was incredible but dangerous…the south just doesn’t feel the same after breathing that mountain air. Its hard to not want to go back all the time, but its also a lesson in contentment. If my biggest problem is wanting to be in Bozeman, I don’t have any problems.

This video is not perfect, as I am not a videographer. But I am still very proud of it. Many, many thanks to Brian Regan for his creative perspective and Ted Regan for his knowledge and generosity.

Happy Sunday, everyone.

Mallory

Graduation Announcements!

 Around this time each year, an enormous group of America’s youth are plagued with a brutal disease:

Senioritis (n): a crippling disease that strikes high school and college seniors. Symptoms include: laziness, an over-excessive wearing of track pants, old athletic shirts, sweatpants, athletic shorts, and sweatshirts. Also features a lack of studying, repeated absences, and a generally dismissive attitude. The only known cure is a phenomenon known as graduation.

Need I say more?

Seniors, I have your back. I’m going to be a mom for a minute and remind you that you need your graduation announcement photos done! I know that you have a lot to do, so let me take this one of your hands.

I am offering a deal to college seniors to help you check your graduation announcements off of your to-do list. Not only will I do them for a super low price (seriously, its a steal), but you’ll get ALL of the images that turn out, and I’ll have them on a disk and in your hands within one week. No hassle, no need to follow up. Quick, easy, and on to the next thing.

I would love to work with you. Fill out the form below for more information or to schedule a session with me.

Love,

Mallory

Name(required)

School(required)

Email(required)

Phone Number(required)

Comment

Submit

Δ

 

 

Meanwhile

Things have been quiet lately.

I’ve always been guilty of not giving myself enough breathing room. I work too hard and too fast for so long that I forget what I’m working for. Things become hazy, stressful, and dull.

I have not put down my camera lately but simply used it for a different purpose: to remember why I ever picked it up in the first place.

There will be photos to share soon. For now, enjoy a short film that I put together of a day out with the people that inspire me most.

Here’s to keeping your head on straight,

Mallory

Celebration

I’m going to get a little more personal tonight if you all don’t mind.
But even if you did, I guess that doesn’t matter too much. But know that I still care, I really do.

I didn’t know that I was a good producer until I became one. A few really daring people at a really incredible church trusted me to do something that I didn’t even know that I could do. Maybe they saw something in me, or maybe we all just got lucky. Either way, it changed the game for me.

It probably makes a whole lot of sense that our church is centered around celebration. We celebrate well and we celebrate always. We aren’t people who believe that church only happens on Sunday mornings, but that it requires constant effort and being intentional with each other.

I am most heavily involved in the worship and production environments. At first the concept of “production” at church didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. But what I quickly learned that is not about how well the stage is lit, how smoothly the service goes, or how good the sound mix sounds. What matter is that people are using their God-given talents as an act of worship. And that’s pretty dang cool.

Lately, I’ve taken a step back. I’ve needed to clear my head a little bit. I had nothing to do with the production of our night of worship at the beginning of the month, but I had the opportunity to take photos. While our worship team used their talents as an act of worship, I got to use mine.

Churches are messy. Why? Because people are messy. But these pictures show the heart of these people, and their deep desire to lead people straight to Jesus and celebrate his work in their lives. Its about celebrating that night, celebrating Sunday morning, but mostly celebrating every single day.

Worship isn’t about music. It also isn’t about traditional vs. contemporary, hymns vs. Hillsong, or sitting vs. standing. It’s about offering. It’s about giving credit where its due. And its about celebrating.

Lately

I thought about doing a marathon blog catch-up, posting everything that I have done over the last few months all at once just to have it other with. I decided better of it because I don’t ever want to be in the habit of writing or sharing photos out of pressure or obligation. I’ll catch up when I’m good and ready to. For now, here is a sneak preview of what I have been up to.

Fall engagement shoots. I can’t get enough of ’em. When you go to Berry College, its virtually impossible to make it through the month of October without kicking studying to the curb for an afternoon and taking advantage of its glory. It is road trip worthy, bad grade worthy, allergies worthy. There are no excuses, y’all.

Taking photos at different events for my job in residence life at Berry College. I’ve been paid in favors, Andes mints, and Thai food for these gigs, but mostly in the opportunity to genuinely get to know people. These are some of my favorite jobs to do.

Practicing event photography at Connect Rome’s most recent Night of Worship. (More to come on this very soon!)

I am so unbelievably grateful for the last 3 months. This time has been a continual reminder of why I do what I do (which is celebrate everything and everyone, if you forgot), and there has been much celebrating. There will be details soon with fun stories and plenty of pictures, but for now take a moment with me to sit back and be satisfied. This poor blog has been neglected, but the people in these photos have not. At the end of the day, that’s what matters.

Until next time,

Mallory.

Michaela

As a photographer, it is very rare to be completely happy with an image straight out of the camera. The camera is not magical, it does not hide imperfections. It is an honest instrument to freeze reality, to relentlessly and unforgivingly see things for exactly what they are. The camera has no mercy; it does not glaze over anything, it does not think, it only sees. Just like everything else in life, a photo is never perfect. The lighting could always be a little bit better, the colors a little more saturated, the contrast a little more intense, the skin a little bit smoother. There is always room for improvement, for growth, for tweaking.

But every now and then, you get lucky.

This, my friends, is a raw photo of Michaela Grass, hands down one of the most beautiful women on the planet inside and out. Not only does she look like an amazonian jungle princess…she is so loving, so kind, and so encouraging. She is two months older than me but a hundred years more wise. We took a lot of pictures one afternoon, and I edited the majority of them. But in the midst of imperfection was this gem, Michaela’s spirit immortalized, no editing needed.
And did I mention that she looks like a goddess?
Do I need to?

 

Here is the tricky thing about people: they’re messy. Messiness doesn’t disappear in front of the camera. It manifests itself in quirky ways, and that’s a good thing. It keeps you honest. When you photograph people, you get exactly what you have in front of you. No amount of photoshop can mask shyness or hide a genuine laugh that you caught by accident.

Exhibit A:

But why would I want to? This is what Michaela looks like. The kind of photographer I strive to be is one that can bring out tiny parts of peoples’ personalities and make them tangible. Success to me is not making images perfect by learning how to us photoshop well; frankly I hope I never know all of the capabilities of the program. I hope to never fall into the habit of saying “I can fix that later” during a hectic shoot. Photography isn’t about fixing, and in my book it isn’t about creating a lot of the time either. It’s about discovery.

I don’t want to be able to change people, I want to be able to find them.

          

          

          

          

No one that I ever have or ever will photograph has been perfect: physically, emotionally, whatever. They are all messy, they all have flaws, they have all hurt and been hurt. There will always be things to fix and room to improve. It is a journey with no destination, no attainable end goal, no conclusion.

 

But you guys, if this isn’t about as close to perfect as it gets, then I don’t know what is.