Armosa Studios Blog

Kelli & Spencer. Forever.

Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 7:26pm Posted in Weddings

I am going to keep this quick and simple. All attention to the photos.

On December 19th, God looked down at Kelli and her love and said, “you know what?… today is going to shine for you. the sun will radiate, the sky will burn blue, and I will make the grass glow a little greener… all because I love you” I felt like He just set this day up so perfectly for this couple. I loved every single moment of this day. Every moment.

Kelli, you are the definition of beauty. Yes, it is obvious from the outside.. you are absolutely gorgeous. But you may have one of the most genuine hearts of anyone I have ever worked with. I wish I lived in Sugarland, Texas, so you could teach my little babies and show them love and patience. I have really enjoyed getting to know you. Spencer you are one lucky guy I hope that we get to see each other again sometime. I hope that God blesses your marriage just like he did on that day. I know he will.

Here are your shots:
strickland-274 strickland-126 strickland-021 strickland-236 One of my favorite shots of the day. Spencer wore the same shoes his grandfather wore when he married his grandmother. Love. strickland-245 strickland-179 strickland-209 strickland-319 strickland-337 strickland-379 strickland-427 strickland-479 strickland-439 strickland-469 strickland-445 strickland-287 strickland-501 strickland-515 strickland-306 Be Happy and Love each other.

T

by Tera

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Party People

Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 11:47pm Posted in Personal

Hey Party People,

Ok, I know it has been wayyyy to long since I have last said hello. I am starting to get hate mail… haha… almost Thank you to everyone who has complained to me about not blogging. It really says that someone actually looks at this once and a while.

I am blogging right now to tell you that I have been working like a beast on getting everything from 2009 done before 2010 wedding season officially starts. I have been finishing up a couple of weddings, and creating albums left and right. Therefore, if you are a 2009 client and are wanting an album… hit me up. Now is the time to do it! I am on a roll and not slowing down.

I also want to say how excited I am about this coming year. Wes and I traveled over to the great city of Decatur today to do our first shoot of 2010. It was a bridal of the lovely Anna. She brought the heat and Wes and I were just keeping up. It was absolutely fabulous. One of my favorite bridals ever. I cannot wait to show of her photos. But you will have to wait til February 27th! I will try to post them that day! This shoot really reminded me of what I am passionate about. I love having the opportunity to be creative and work with someone who trusts me wholeheartedly. I could tell within the first few frames of the session that Anna was there with confidence because she knew that I was going to take care of her. This is the best thing I could ever ask for. 2010 is going to be so great. I am singing happy tunes.

I will have a real blog up hopefully tomorrow!!!! Kelli and Spencer’s wedding was so fantastic I could hardly contain my happiness. We had so much fun. If you didn’t see their crazybooth, please scroll down. Wes is so proud of it. He did an awesome job with the whole thing.

So watch for tomorrow. And also, Wes and I will give you the scoop on our trip last week to Los Angeles for America’s Funniest Home Video’s. It was definitely the trip of a lifetime.

I can’t leave you without a photo. So I give you the best friend in the whole wide world on four legs… 17533_547925996585_183400352_31965454_4907301_n

Be happy and love each other.
T

by Tera

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Molly & John Michael. Love.

Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 1:32am Posted in Engagement

Molly and John Michael, it was such a pleasure getting to do this engagement session with you. I loved loved getting chauffeured by Molly’s dad around their 600 acre farm… which is some of the most beautiful land in Colbert County. It was absolutely gorgeous. There are several of my favorite things involved in this photo shoot. Here is my list:
1. Laughter. Definitely my favorite favorite part of any shoot.
2. Live animals including a donkey, and a cow… I love cows.
3. Old wooden barn.
4. Haybells.
5. Rain. Yes, rain can sometimes ruin a shoot, but sometimes it is nice to just feel it on your skin. You can’t see it… but I know it is there moulrie-027 I shall call him… Bruce moulrie-007 moulrie-039 moulrie-058
Thank you Molly and John Michael for hanging in despite the cold and rain. I can’t wait for the wedding!

And to everyone else. I want to say thank you for your patience. The past month has been an absolute whirlwind… which because of the holidays I know everyone understands. I have been out of town definitely more than I have been here. And I am so thankful for that. But I am also ready to return to my bed for a good solid week which will finally happen next Monday. This Sunday Wes and I will be heading to Nashville for an annual photographers conference! This is our first big conference and we are ready and excited to soak up as much information as we can so we can do the best job for you that we can possibly do. When we return on Wednesday, we pack up again to leave Thursday night for Los Angeles! We are excited to say that my wisdom teeth video… which was blogged in November (and had to be removed due to AFV rules) has been selected as a finalist for America’s Funniest Home videos!!! haha. I will admit that I am extremely embarrassed to be on National Television, but I am so excited to go with Wes and have one more experience to tell our kids about. It should be lots of fun. I will keep you posted on when the show will air. Cross your fingers for us

I am not sure I how much internet time I will have over the next week due to the traveling and being in and out of conferences. If you need me please feel free to call and I will respond as quickly as possible. If you email me, please be patient in the response.

Be Happy and Love each other.
T

by Tera

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Anna & Matt. Love.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 9:36pm Posted in Engagement

This session was my last engagement session of 2009. And I must say, it couldn’t have ended any better. I cannot wait to get to know this couple better, and better yet, I cannot wait to shoot their wedding. They have been dating since Anna was a freshman in High School… Matt was a senior. This is most dad’s worse nightmare… and at first, I believe it was for hers. But now I am sure he realizes there was not a better man for his daughter. Anna and Matt complement each other so well. Most couples I know that have dated this long have turned into totally different people. When I asked Anna and Matt about it, they said, that they too had changed… but they changed together. Their growth has only made them better for each other. I love that.

Here are a few of their photos…. of course, the field photos are definitely my favorite… I can’t help it, I am a country girl at heart. dahlem_031 dahlem_051 Possibly my favorite photo of 09 dahlem_060 dahlem_069 dahlem_081 dahlem_090 dahlem_099

Be Happy and love each other.
T

by Tera

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2009. A year in review.

Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 11:58pm Posted in Personal

The end of 2009 marks the end of a decade, the end of an era. Most everyone I hear talking about it cannot wait for it to be over. (Lucky for them, they only have a few more hours) But I cannot help but stop and reflect on what this means. This decade has been, and may forever be, the most impactful decade of my life. This decade holds all of my beloved high school memories, I made the best friends I will ever have in those years. They are some of my most treasured memories and I always smile when I think about it. Half way through the decade I took the plunge, moved from my hometown, traveled a mere hour and a half to find my first apartment and the beginning of a journey that I will never forget… college. That year I ended what had been the most meaningful relationship of my life to finally find my love, the man God designed for me. December 2005, I began the process of experiencing the peace I had spent my entire life looking for. I found forgiveness and took hold of what it meant to follow Christ with everything I am. In 2007, I graduated college, proud of what I had accomplished. 2008, I married my groom in the most intimate ceremony I have ever attended. Two weeks later I officially shot my first wedding, this marked the beginning of something great. In the last year of this decade, I have experienced life with my husband, purchasing a home, expanding a business, learning about how to love unconditionally.

This decade, as a whole, holds more meaning than any other probably ever will. I am thankful to be able to look back and see how blessed I am, I know there must have been some hard times in there, but all I can see is how happy I was in each experience. 2009 is a great way to go out….

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by Tera

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Kelli + Spencer. Crazybooth.

Saturday, December 26, 2009 at 8:30am Posted in Crazy Booth

So we’re really excited to bring you our new version of the Crazybooth!!! I really think we had just as much fun behind the camera as the guests in the booth!!
To the attendees at the Strickland wedding… THANK YOU!! Enjoy.

If you can’t see the video, click here.

by Wes

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Merry Christmas

Thursday, December 24, 2009 at 8:00am Posted in Personal

cardf From our home to yours, we wish you the happiest Christmas of all. I hope you smile, and laugh, and hug your favorite person! I am so thankful for this year and getting to end it by celebrating life with those I love most. I hope you do the same.

Be happy and love each other.

T

by Tera

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Ashley & Boyd. Forever.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at 1:35am Posted in Weddings

Ashley and Boyd are probably in my top favorite couples of the year. I love their energy, their quirkiness (mainly, Boyd’s quirkiness ), their willingness to try anything, their FABulous dance moves, and their freaking love!!! Whoo Hoo! It sets me ablazing. I love to see couples IN love with each other. It makes my life all tingly and makes me want to stare into my husbands eyes and giggle with him… haha. It really does.

If you missed Ashley and Boyd’s engagement session you missed a good one. Boyd came prepared with poses and props. That is when I knew… this couple, is going to rock my world. And they did.

There were so many amazing aspects of this wedding I will try to break it down… just follow along. And enjoy. partridge-009 partridge-032 partridge-055 partridge-070 partridge-093 partridge-107 partridge-122 partridge-178 partridge-209

The reception was held at Woodrow Hall in east Birmingham. It was my first time shooting there, and I will say I was very very surprised. This place is unique and really great. It is a gem for sure. partridge-461

I will be honest, I didn’t try Ashley’s cake, I am typically not a cake person. If I am going to eat cake it will be the grooms. And I ate as much as my stomach could handle!!! It was one of the most amazing things I have ever tasted in my life! Olexa’s in Birmingham knows how to do a cake right! It is by far the best I have ever had. Whew. If you don’t have a cake person, and need a grooms cake, their peanut butter chocolate is divine. I will come tasting with you partridge-470

This reception is without a doubt the funnest we have ever attended. Everyone was dancing and enjoying the night. It was so great. I know that a lot of it is because their friends are just as lively and energetic as they are, but I will give some serious credit to the man himself, Danny Brewer… yes, the DJ. I would never think that I would actually promote a DJ (I am typically a band girl) but this guy really knew how to keep people out on the floor through different activities mixed with great music… not your typical YMCA. I loved it… and yes, Wes and I couldn’t help but bust a move ourselves partridge-542 partridge-611 partridge-739 partridge-722 partridge-765

I realize that I am not usually one for putting this many plugs about other venues into my blogs, but this wedding was above an beyond with such great people there making it happen.

Ashley and Boyd, Congratulations. I am so happy for you.

Be Happy and love each other.

T

by Tera

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Dreams really do come True!!

Sunday, December 6, 2009 at 1:10am Posted in Personal

Right now my lovely wife is in Disney World and I’m here holding down the fort and taking care of a tired snoring dog; at least one of use can sleep without Tera around!

I was cleaning up a bit here the other day and came across a jar that Tera had in college. I remembered this jar from a couple of years ago and thought it was worth blogging. This was the jar that I guess you could say started it all. Appropriate labeled “Tera’s Camera FUND”, this jar started the savings for her first “big boy” camera, the Canon Rebel XTi….and we all know what has happened from there. Now she has one of the most sought after cameras on the market and it all started with pennies, and a check dated 12/23/06 from her sister for $25 (way to support Jenica!) of which is still sitting in the jar today (I’m sure Tera just wanted to keep it for memories sake). This is just to show you that with a little bit of PASSION anything can become a reality.

I want everyone we’ve worked with or will be working with in the future to know that my wife had a desire to be a photographer before she ever knew what it could bring; the PASSION was there. She’s doing what she loves. Tera… I just want you to know that I’m proud of you and I’m your biggest fan! Thanks for not giving up! I can’t wait to see what’s in store next!

Just for the record… while Tera’s been gone I’ve slept about 4 hours a day – I’ll be glad when she’s home!

tera-003
ceaser

by Wes

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Welcome to the World. August.

Monday, November 30, 2009 at 7:45pm Posted in Family

Wow. Holy Smokes. Wow.

I am not pregnant. I have never been pregnant. I have never had a child. Never experienced giving life to anything. I don’t understand it. It doesn’t make sense to my little head. I get annoyed when I am in a room full of moms and they have nothing better to talk about than the latest virus their kid caught. Birth, and all that it entails, has been a great mystery to me. And has always made me wonder what is the big freaking deal?

But now, now I can say that I have witnessed something miraculous. I have experienced something so much bigger than myself, that all I want to do is give myself away to get more of it.

At 12:51 am, I watched my close lifelong friend bring her child into this crazy world. But honestly, for those few seconds, for that one moment that we heard that first little whimper, the world was perfect…. really perfect. And it seemed like nothing else could be more important than that little whimper.

I still can’t say that I understand it, because I have not experienced anything close to it. But I now see the value and crazy amazingness involved. And my life is changed forever.

Kristen and Dustin. On March 6th, 2007 I shot your wedding. My very very first wedding Now on November 30th, I experienced your love at one of its fullest. Thank you. Thank you for letting me into your life and calling me friend. The two of you are more special to me than you will realize. I love you. August, welcome to the world. I hope it kisses you on the cheek.

bacon-001 Yep, she smiled most of the time… bacon-002 bacon-003 The first glimpse is always the best. bacon-004

“I’m going to open my eyes now, and see the world.” haha… that is what I felt like she was saying… bacon-005 bacon-006 I love the next photos of Dustin…. bacon-007 bacon-008 bacon-009 bacon-010 August, baby, you are loved. bacon-011 New Grandma bacon-001-3 This is pure Happiness. bacon-012 Something about holding a fresh baby… ummm…. just warms me right up… bacon-013 bacon-014 bacon-001-2 The last portrait is by her Daddy. Whew. I could cry. bacon-015