keep calm...

Sometimes if feels like everything is going bad. Everything around us is failing and falling apart. "Surely, it's not as bad as it seems?" You know the weeks when the car breaks down, there is no money in the account, and the bills are due. The kind where you have to remind yourself to breathe in, breath out. The trip over every curb, drop every little thing, and stub your toes on the furniture - kind of week. I'm having one of those...

But I'm determined. I will not be in a bad mood, I will not let it get me down, because honestly - I've got it pretty good. I'm well loved and taken care of. I get to wake up everyday and do what I love. I have a wonderful family and friends who support me. I've got food in the cabinets and power in the lights. I've got a husband who won't stop loving me even when I'm a hot mess. You see - sometimes you just have to remind yourself to just keep calm...

And if all else fails...eat cupcakes.

kendra+jessica

These two crazy little two year olds were a blast! We chased them around the park for a while, saw baby turtles, fuzzy caterpillars, and then as so many two year olds do, we got tired :). But before then, we got lot of great shots of the girls with their smiles on! Kendra + Jessica are both gorgeous and super sweet so it made our job pretty easy :)... 

Plus, being cousins and the same age, its like built-in best friends! This shot is right before a dizzying ring around the rosy! :) Can't you see it coming??!

Those eyes are to die for, huh? 

on springtime...

"If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall..." 


Thank you Springtime for not passing us by...We thought for a minute that we were going straight into Summer with its blistering hot sun and choking humidity. But you have returned with your breezy, sweet smelling afternoons...


Oh how i love you...

Thinkin' about a family session this spring? Only a few spots left on the calendar with us at H+D!  Give us a call today!

ana+shea (+churro)

We photographed our dear friends ana + shea and their lovely pups a couple of weekends ago on the square in Marietta. Ana and Shea were up for whatever so we just started shooting anywhere and everywhere we could find that looked like a fun place! We kept getting tickled at how awkward it is to make out in front of your friends for the sake of pictures but overall we had a blast...

I don't know why I love this photo so much - I think it just explains their life together. The dogs acting crazy, Ana laughing, and Shea being the constant. It's just them. I love it!

My favorite.

We needed to document this time in their life because in about 7 months its about to change in a big way. They are having a baby!! AHH! Little Churro! We are so excited for them and we know that they will be great parents! But until then - they now got a few pictures to document their love (and their skinniness!) before the baby comes! ::) We love you guys!

Book Cover Design: Gravely Mistaken by Janis Ann Parks

We can hardly believe its time to say this but - we are so excited to have designed our first book cover! Complete with our own images!

Local writer Janis Ann Parks was working with our friend Dan Pearson (of Augusta's Medical Examiner newspaper and Drug of Choice Brand Coffee) on her first published book project doing some copy editing, and he mentioned us to take some photographs for the book cover. Of course, we jumped at the opportunity to work on something so big for her! (and for us!)

The book is considered Historical Fiction because it is a story based around events that happened here in Augusta at the Medical College of Georgia!

Here is a description of the book from Amazon:

"Grave robbing is a suspected source of supply for the bodies used as specimens in the anatomy classes at the Medical College of Georgia in 1854. Two students, John and Sterling, take a break from their studies one night and have a drink at the tavern. While there, they spy Grandison Harris, the slave purchased to work as a porter for the school. They decide to see what he has in the back of his wagon. A shovel and a body in a bag on the floor of his wagon convince them that Harris is a resurrectionist. The students resolve to play a trick on the porter. Removing the body from its bag and hiding it, John crawls into the sack, intending to scare Harris. But, as the porter climbs in the wagon, the prank goes awry when the horse bolts and runs away. John remains trapped in the bag and when he tries to wriggle free, Harris sees the movement and mistakes the body for an evil spirit. The porter hits the squirming sack with a shovel, takes it back to the cemetery and puts it in the grave. John is either dead or buried alive. Surrounding the mystery are stories exemplifying the best heroic medical treatment of the day including; bleeding, purging and application of plasters for the treatment of Yellow Fever and other maladies along with development of ether anesthesia, surgical procedures, use of laudanum and the practice of autopsy to further medical knowledge."

We couldn't be more delighted with the way things turned out. The book is now available on Amazon for purchase! Support our local writers and artists by buying your copy today!!

two years...

Today...we have been married for two whole years. It's hard to believe that we have come so far from where we were just two short years ago. We've had our ups and downs, but overall it's been pretty up :).

It's amazing the things we learn about each other day in and day out - I wonder if it is the same for every married couple. That you're surprised by the things your husband/wife thinks, says, or does on a pretty regular basis...

Things I've learned since being married...

1. Sometimes things are amazing.
2. Sometimes they are not.
3. It's okay to be irritated and mad at each other sometimes.
4. He will always leave the top of the Q-TIP jar.
5. Life isn't perfect. 
6. I can't control everything even though I will try. (This is something Daryl's learned I believe..haha)
7. Married life is the best. It's better than dating any day.
8. Feeling this kind of security cannot be matched.
9. Being married makes you want to be a better person in all aspects of life.
10. He will always air guitar at every available opportunity - even while doing the dishes.
11. He will always love me. Even at my worst.  
12. There is no manual.
13. Laughter is indeed the best medicine. It fixes all levels of arguments and disagreements. At least for us.
14. It's okay to thinking differently, as long as you can happily compromise. :) Or at the very least - do it my way. haha...
15. Life is most certainly a box of chocolates...

I know it seems silly, but sometimes it's nice to remind yourself where you've been and where you are going. I'm just happy to know that I have someone who is along for the ride, no matter what. It's not perfect, but its exactly what I always wanted. I love him. (that's you, D.)

(Photo credit to Matt Yung Photography.)

ian+emily+ella

Last weekend, we traveled to Atlanta for the mother of all family sessions! We had 3 shoots in one day! Whew! It was kinda crazy but in the end we got it done. We photographed this beautiful little family, Ian+Emily+Ella, at the Botanical Gardens there in Atlanta. If you've never been there, and you love to see beautiful flowers and landscapes, that is the place for you! Its a great place for pictures too as there are lots of options (only if you start taking pictures in mid-day sun like we had too, your options for locations become more limited!) We had a great time spending time with our friends and taking pictures of their growing families...

Now - on to what you've been waiting for...

We think it's so important for parents to take some time out for a few pictures of the two of you alone during a family session. Sometimes it's easy to forget that you aren't just parents, but you're a couple too. So we took a few of Ian and Emily by themselves (and gave Ella a smiling rest!).

And I couldn't resist posting just one of Emily alone, she's just looks so beautiful...

Ella has the cutest smile - but she's easily distracted! So we had to be on our game to catch some perfect shots of her real smile and her laughter. And those beautiful eyelashes...*sigh*...jealous.

oh - and just a p.s.

oh - we forgot to thank THIS GUY...

...for hooking us up with the most awesome deal on our amazing new iMac. We. Are. Mac. Zombies. And Jordan would be proud.

the rockefeller kids

These kids had us running all over the place - doing silly dances and trying to keep their attention! But we had a blast doing it - despite the nasty yellow pollen that was blowing the wind! We had so many favorites that it was hard to narrow them down to just a few to share!

It always seems that the kids that seem to be the most difficult to their parents, we get the best pictures of! Camdyn was cracking us up with his little smile...

and anyone who knows me - knows that I am a sucker for baby toes. I can't help it. They're just so tiny and perfect...I'm not the only one who thinks that, right? I mean look at them!

The newest addition to the Rockefeller brood is Lucas. He wouldn't open his eyes outside but as soon as we walked into the house, he was up and about! But I like sleepy baby photos too, so I'm happy either way!

I love how kids start to develop their own little personalities as they grow. They sometimes surprise us from day to day how different they can be. Especially from each other.

Baylie is growing up to be such a pretty little girl. She's serious, and observant, but she loves to laugh.
Jackson seemed very shy at first, and then he busted into his silliness quickly. I like it when kids try to make me laugh too. Camdyn is just a mess. He's happy one minute, and upset the next. But it makes for a crazy ride. I love this black and white of his serious face below. It just melts my heart.

I thought this picture, although without Lucas, was one of my favorites. It was soooooo them. I can hear their mom right now saying, "Jackson - stop pulling on your face! Goodness gracious!":)

I love it. It's who these kids are right now...By next week, they'll be different. It's good to catch it while you can. They just grow up so fast.

Happy Thursday! :)

robin+phillip

So who else would call on a Monday night about shooting an impromptu wedding THAT NIGHT?! This lady. Robin is the lovely mom of one of my best high school friends - Christine. Robin has always been that crazy character who you never know when she gonna make you die laughing or have a real heart to heart. She's fantastic. And gorgeous!

If you know her, you know exactly what I'm talking about. So many of our middle and high school nights (and summers) were spent hanging out watching The Bachelor, eating at Monterrey, and just hanging out at Christine's, I mean ROBIN's house! So when they called about catching a few pictures of her little wedding to Phillip, we jumped at the chance to be there! :) Phillip seems like such a sweet man and we are so happy to see their two little families blending right in there together!

It's been just Christine and her mom for such a long time - so it's nice to see Robin finally REALLY happy and in love!

and it wouldn't be a wedding without beautiful flowers and rings!

These are just a few to make you die with excitement over all the others! :)