...Meet Haley...

Hey everyone! I want you to meet my new intern, Haley! She'll be working with me part-time over the summer. She's already been a great help. Check out her bio:

"My name is Haley Berryman and I'm 17 years old and a senior at Cox Mill High School in Concord, North Carolina.  I am an only child and have three pets who I enjoy photographing often.  I am extreamly passionate about fashion and especially photography.  I am obsessed with high fashion and couture.  My dream is to one day become a famous photographer and live in Italy.  It would be a dream come true for me to have one of my photographs in a spread in Italian Vouge. 


When I am behind the camera I feel comfortable and in my own element.  I take pictures of everything and anything and I always have my camera with me because you never know when the oppertunity for a great picture will present itself.  I believe that photos capture memories so I take pictures of everything I do.  I never want to forget how I spent my life so I never miss a chance to take a picture!"

-Haley

...Waiting for Palmer...

One of my favorite things to photograph is pregnant women, especially a first pregnancy. It's such a special time and definitely should be documented. A lot of women feel funny about having maternity photos. They feel too big or unattractive but it's one of the most important times in your life. To me, every expecting mother is absolutely beautiful!

The following images are from Lauran and Shane's maternity session. Talk about a gorgeous pregnant woman! And Shane's not too bad either. :D This will be their first baby girl, Palmer, due in July. I can't wait to meet and photograph her!

Spring Sessions and Great Gift Ideas for Mother's Day and Father's Day!

Easter, Mother's Day, and Father's Day are right around the corner!

Looking for a great gift for Mother's Day or Father's Day? Whether you book a new session or order from your previous sessions, photo products are the perfect gift for your loved ones. If your family is looking for a gift for you, ask for gift certificate!


Great Photo Gifts:

• Gift Certificates
• Accordion Books (Set of 3)
• Prints, Gallery Wraps, or Stand-outs
• DVD slideshow (I can also make slideshows with your own personal images as well!)
• Memory Books

Now that the weather is getting nicer and flowers are in full bloom, it's time to book your spring portrait session! April and May are filling up fast so call or email today to schedule your session!


info@imagesbymichele.com or 704.584.9516

A Lot Has Happened in 5 Months

I cannot believe it's almost March and I haven't written a single post in 5 months! A lot has happened during that time:

1. My sister (one of the 7) Terri got married
2. The busy season was awesome, busier but smoother than the year before
3. Pretty relaxing Christmas and New Year's (spent in NC...a little sad I didn't get to see my family but I needed some rest)
4. Attended Imaging USA in New Orleans (AWESOME!!! I got a great new gadget to help me entertain the little ones while I'm taking their photos)
5. Painted and redecorated the Gallery (not totally finished but it's going to be AMAZING)
6. Got a new car (Toyota Highlander, which I will be adorning obnoxiously with the Images by Michele logo!)
7. Jessy got her license! Ahhhhh!!!! I'm pretty sure I have a whole head of gray hair! She's actually a really good driver but I still worry like crazy. 

That pretty much sums up the last few months. I also discovered that I am gluten and dairy sensitive and that if I eat anything with either of those, my immune system gets thrown into a hiatus. Needless to say, once I gave up all of my favorite foods, I lost 10 lbs! :D I actually feel great and even though it's been rough, I've found lots of substitutes for some of my favorite eats. 

On a photography note, here are a few newborn images that I've recently taken that I love..yup I have baby fever!!:

Beginner Photography Classes Are Back!!

“Most photographers aren’t willing to share their “secrets” for fear that clients won’t need them anymore, but Michele was so open and an excellent teacher. Not only do I know how to use my expensive camera to a fuller capacity, I know the tricks to taking better and more thought-out pictures. The photography class flipped on the light switch for me and I would definitely recommend to others! Loved the mix of classroom and hands-on learning so that I could apply the knowledge to real life. And even though I’m better at taking pictures, I still need Michele and her professional skills!”     -Brooke W.

“I bought a nice digital SLR camera without any knowledge on how to use it. It was frustrating to spend that kind of money and keep ending up with photos I wasn't happy with. Michele taught me how to use my camera much better than the manual could. Thanks to her photography class, I have been able to take some amazing photos that I'm proud to display in my home!”     -Katie C.

“My camera was always on the same setting until I took this class. The pictures I take of my children have drastically improved. I've even had friends ask if they were professionally taken. Thanks for a great class!”  -Colleen Y.

Beginner Photography Classes are here again! You can bring any camera you own and we'll figure out how to get better photos using it. We'll discuss photography lighting, background, composition, as well as camera basics including aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc. At the end of the course you'll know what each of the settings on your digital camera can do. Once you have a better understanding of your camera functions, you'll be able to decide when to use them to get higher quality photos. Beginner Photography Class Details: 4 1.5-hour classes Classes meet at my house on Wednesdays (starting September 7th) Time: 7:00 - 8:30 pm Limit 6 students per class (If more than 6 sign up for the class I may open another night) 3 of the classes will be lecture/open discussion and the remaining 1 will be outside, hands-on (we'll schedule a Saturday or Sunday that works with everyone) $30 per person per class ($108.00 for all 4 sessions if you pay for all up front) Also, these classes are open to everyone so if you know someone who might be interested, pass along this email. If there are certain topics you'd like me to discuss, send me an email. Sign up today! Spaces are limited!!

Wow - It's Been a While...

If I could fire myself from Blog Editor I totally would! I really meant to keep this blog as up-to-date as possible but I've failed miserably!! Ahhhh! A LOT has happened in the last few months.

The Beginner Photography Classes were a total success. I found it fulfilling to teach clients and watch them become better photographers. As a result, I think I've also become a better photographer. In the upcoming months I'll be organizing another class and eventually an advanced course.

For Memorial Day break we went to Carolina Beach for the week. It's a trip we take every year and it was awesome! The slideshow below is from that trip. We had one rainy day and then several windy days which made some awesome photos. I also discovered (with Leigh) a love of finding unique shells and also sea glass. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all of the pieces I found but it'll be cool. CAROLINA BEACH MEMORIAL DAY WEEK SLIDESHOW 2011

The next big trip we took was to Italy!! It was amazing!!!! I will have a full post on that trip as soon as I'm finished editing. So far, I've only edited 350 images...and that was only the last day in Rome!

One week after we got back from Italy, Jessy and I drove to Connecticut for a family reunion. It was the first time in 5 years that all of the sisters were in the same state. We all had the week off, including my mom!! We had something planned almost every day and it was great seeing everyone. I took some family photos which I'll post here soon as well.

And...the final thing (so far) that happened this summer: Jessy became a big sister! Gabriel Anthony Maldonado was born on July 27th and is sooo adorable. Jessy can't wait to go back to Connecticut to visit her "baby brudder". :D

I will definitely try harder to keep this fresh but I might just have to hire Jessy to do this job. ;)

Spring Sessions and Great Gift Ideas for Mother's Day and Father's Day!

Easter, Mother's Day, and Father's Day are right around the corner!

Looking for a great gift for Mother's Day or Father's Day? Whether you book a new session or order from your previous sessions, photo products are the perfect gift for your loved ones. If your family is looking for a gift for you, ask for gift certificate!

Great Photo Gifts:

• Gift Certificates
  
• Accordion Books (Set of 3)
  
• Prints, Gallery Wraps, or Stand-outs
  
• DVD slideshow (I can also make slideshows with your own personal images as well!)
  
• Memory Books
  

Now that the weather is getting nicer and flowers are in full bloom, it's time to book your spring portrait session! April and May are filling up fast so call or email today to schedule your session!

Beginner Photography Classes Are Starting Soon!

Beginner Photography Classes will start in March. You can bring any camera you own and we'll figure out how to get better photos using it. We'll discuss photography lighting, background, composition, as well as camera basics including aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc. At the end of the course you'll know what each of the settings on your digital camera can do. Once you have a better understanding of your camera functions, you'll be able to decide when to use them to get higher quality photos.

Beginner Photography Class Details:

• 6 1-hour classes
  
• Classes meet at my house on Wednesdays (starting March 9th)
  
• Time: 7:00 - 8:00 pm
  
• Limit 6 students per class (If more than 6 sign up for the class I'll open a Thursday night session)
  
• 4 of the classes will be lecture/open discussion and the remaining 2 will be outside, hands-on (we'll schedule a Saturday or Sunday that works with everyone)
  
• $20 per person per class ($108.00 for all 6 sessions if you pay for all up front)
  

Also, these classes are open to everyone so if you know someone who might be interested, pass along this email. If there are certain topics you'd like me to discuss, send me an email.

Sign up today! Spaces are limited!!

Fall 2010 Promotion - Mini Family Sessions

It's that time of year again! Fall is just around the corner and it's one of the best times of year for family portraits. Everything from the colors, weather, to clothing, is just perfect! From now until November 19th I'll be offering mini sessions for family portraits. The session includes 15 edited and retouched photos, fit to a slideshow, plus 25 custom-designed fine-art holiday cards!

Spaces are limited so call or email to book your session today! 

Images by Michele launches NEW WEBSITE!!!

I loved my last website which I designed in Adobe Flash but there were several issues with it. First, since it was in Flash, in order to view it you had to download Flash. This doesn't seem like a huge issue but anything Apple-based doesn't support Flash. Sooo...all the new iPhones or iPads would not be able to view my website. The other problem with it was that it was very hard to update. The third issue was that since it was in Flash the text was not searchable.

I've been busy over this last year with my photography clients and I really had no time to dedicate to redesigning my site. I asked my friend and fellow graphic designer, Holly Harter (www.hhgraphicdesigns.com) to redesign my site. I barely had time to even work on the stuff I needed to get to her for her to move forward but she gave me deadlines and I had to make sure I met them. I absolutely love the new site! It does everything the last site didn't and it has sooo much more information. I spent an hour updating some sections that would've normally taken days.

Comment and let me know what you think!! http://www.imagesbymichele.com. Also check out Holly's website and check out her work: http://hhgraphicdesigns.com

Here's a screen shot of the site:

Carolina Beach - Labor Day Weekend

We try to visit Wilmington at least 2 times a year and now that I'm living here too we try to visit more often. In the past we've always gone to Wrightsville Beach but the last few trips have been to Carolina Beach. 

Our friend Brad owns Surfhouse Cafe and Surf Shop in Carolina Beach so we get to visit him and the shop while we vacation. The food is phenomenal!! A personal favorite is the Turkey Cuban sandwich...it's to die for. In November his shop will be featured in the prestigious Southern Living magazine! In winter months they serve specialty hot chocolates that have gained crazy attention. They also bring back their mushroom sandwich which I've been craving since last year! Needless to say I'm already planning our October trip back! Here's a few images from our recent trip:

My Trip to Guatemala

A few months back I decided to surprise my best friend Tiana by showing up in Guatemala a few days before her 30th birthday. She has been living there since last October and she was a little sad that she wouldn't be able to spend her 30th with her close friends or family. For my 30th birthday, she made me the most unbelievable YouTube video and I decided immediately after watching it that I needed to go to Guatemala and surprise her.

Tiana had some slight suspicions but I called her the day before my arrival and threw her off my scent. She was totally surprised when I showed up...it was perfect! We spent the next few days hanging out in Quetzaltenango (Xela), walking through the town, picking up food for dinner in the markets, drinking "atol" (hot, sweet, corn drink), going on hikes, and just catching up. 

At 6:00 am, on the day of her birthday, we hiked up a mountain with Don Carlos, a Mayan spiritual guide. We discovered that morning that based on the day I was born, my Mayan spirit (nahaul) is "Aj" and it was actually that day, Tiana's birthday! A coincidence? I think not! The ceremony was awesome and I could write pages and pages on it. I actually journaled almost every detail of my trip and I'm going to create a book with photos. We ate cheese and crackers and wine, then went to a spa for 3 hours, got ready and went to her friend Willy's opening night of his new restaurant. It was a perfect day and night and I was so happy to be able to celebrate with her. 

We spent a few days at Lago Atitlan, which took 3 "chicken buses" and 3.5 hours to get to. The buses are so named because there are often animals accompanying the passengers. We stayed in a really nice hotel the first night and spent the next day taking a boat ride around the lake and visiting 3 different villages. It was awesome! The night before I left we decided to stay in a cheaper hotel...not the best decision! We discovered a huge spider problem and at 2:30-6:00 in the morning, about every 30 minutes, we were abruptly woken up to cackling roosters. If I didn't physically see them in the courtyard, I would have bet my life they were actually in our room! Hahah! It was a great trip and I had sooo much fun...even the roosters just add to the story!

Take a look at a few of may favorite photos from the trip and Tiana's birthday video:

A Surprise Trip to Ocracoke Island, Outer Banks, NC

A few weeks back Teddy surprised me with a trip to Ocracoke Island. I had no clue where we were going so I packed a little bit of everything. Even when I pulled out the map and saw which direction we were going, it still didn't help.

Once we got to Ocracoke, I was really excited. We were going to spend the next few days doing nothing! We both brought our laptops because realistically, there was no way we could not do any work. We stayed at a really nice bed and breakfast and after the first night, we moved upstairs into a really nice room.

Each day we had breakfast, did a hour or two of work, grabbed lunch, and then headed to the beach once the sun started to go down. The great thing about the Outer Banks and Ocracoke in particular is the unbelievably beautiful beaches. We would drive miles down the road until we couldn't see any cars and then park, climb over a sand dune, and basically have a private beach to ourselves. We saw tons of dolphins and took full advantage of relaxing. Here are a few of my favorite images from the trip.

Playing with Video - Tristyn singing Scooby Dooby Doo

My nephew is sooo freakin adorable. One day a couple of months ago, I was having kind of a bad day. I was rushing all over the place and feeling really stressed. Just as I was getting out of the car, my sister called to tell me that my nephew, Tristyn, had something he wanted to share with his "Crazy Antie Shells." He sang "Scooby Dooby Doo" and I was on the floor laughing so hard. It completely brightened my day and I kept calling for a new song. As any 5-year-old would do, sometimes he'd sing it, sometimes not.

On my last trip to Connecticut I decided I would video tape him so I could watch it whenever I wanted. Of course I had to do it on his terms...in the living room with the fan. This was my very first video off my Canon 5D Mark II so it's a little rough...but it does the trick. I can now watch Scooby Dooby Doo whenever I want. I thought I'd share it with all of you so you could have a good laugh!

A Week at the Beach - Carolina Beach, North Carolina

A couple weeks ago we went to Carolina Beach for the week. Every year we try to go at least one week. It's always an awesome time, hanging out with friends, relaxing on the beach, and of course, delicious food!

We dined several meals at our friend's store/cafe, Surf House. If you ever get a chance to visit Carolina Beach, you have to check out this place. The Turkey Cuban is unbelievable! If you make it to breakfast on the weekends, try the House Hash. It's loaded with potatoes, cheese, garlic, bacon, ham, and then topped with a fried egg. It sounds kind of funny but it is soooo good!

One night we cooked in and had a shrimp boil or some call it a "a low-country boil." The basic ingredients are shrimp, spicy chicken sausage, mini corn-on-the-cobs, potatoes, garlic (lots of garlic), mushrooms, and then packets of spicy shrimp boil seasoning. It was delicious! Everything cooks together in the pot and is seasoned to perfection. Our batch was soooo hot...I think we used too many seasoning packets! My nose was literally dripping! It was great but if I ever cook it on my own, I'll take out a packet or two!

I can't go anywhere (especially vacation) without my camera. Here's a few of my favorites from the trip:

It's Been Too Long...

Ok, ok, so when I decided to start a blog I vowed that I wouldn't be one of those people that writes a bunch in the beginning and then trails off. It's not that I have nothing to write about, I've just been really busy this last month. I will try not to wait another month before a new post.  Here's what's been going on:

1. My birthday promotion was a huge hit! I even had 7 photoshoots in one week! I'll definitely be creating more promotions like that one!
2. On May 8th it was one year since we closed on our new house.
3. Jasina finished her last JV soccer game...I was sad the season ended... :(
4. I had a major stomach bug...the B.R.A.T diet totally works! Bananas, rice, apple sauce, and toast!
5. I planted my first flowers ever! Let's just see if they stay alive!
6. Oh...and I turned 30! Ahhhhh!!! I had a great day! It started with breakfast in bed and then I spent the afternoon at the pool. Jessy surprised me with a pedicure and then we went out for an awesome dinner at Copper (Indian). Tiana sent me an awesome video for my birthday...check it out:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGF3NreGKGc

Here are some favorite photos I took during the last month: