S. Carter Studios

I know it’s been a while since I posted but it’s certainly not because we haven’t been busy. If you like to stay on top of our new content then I would encourage you to become a Facebook Fan, you’ll get a chance to see the latest content first! There are about 8 sessions/weddings on there that have yet to debut here. I know it’s sad but we’re working on it! So, anyway! Let me introduce you to Devin & Katelyn. They are some of the best clients a photographer can dream of. Not only did they really come ready for anything but they trusted me completely and even agreed to a sunrise session! I hadn’t really thought they’d take me up on it when I offered but I am so glad they did. We had a great time wondering around taking beautiful pictures before most people even brush their teeth. We finished our photo date off with breakfast at Market at Main.

Between lots of laughing & comments about hairspray we talked about our families, challenges of married life and what we hoped God would do with our lives. It was like being with old friends! So, please feast your eyes on S. Carter Studios first ever sunrise engagement session! Seriously, leave them some love for being this good looking at 6:30 am.

If you found yourself driving over the overpass into Lynchburg and wondering who those crazy people on the side of the road were taking pictures, well, proudly I’ll answer, it was US. I think they’d agree it was totally worth it.

After a quick outfit change (which was clever to pull off at 7:30 am in Lynchburg) we were back in action at a more relaxed location.

one of my VERY favorites!

Bling, Bling.

We went down by the water and I asked them to just go and have fun, this is what I got in return lol

Take a look at the slideshow for more photos from this awesome session!

Devin & Katelyn – Engagement Session from sabrena deal on Vimeo.

It was such a pleasure to spend time with you guys. Thanks for letting me celebrate with you!

Nathan and Courtney were the first couple to sign up for our engagement mini sessions & they came with ideas & style! I loved that they took so much ownership during their session and were flexible and completely trusting of my ability to help them celebrate this crazy time in their relationship. That’s really a win win combination for anyone! I always get a little nervous when shooting for another photographer but was excited to be able to encourage & discuss the biz with Nathan! Enjoy some photos from their session!

Courtney didn’t wear shoes at any point of the session which turns out is how she normally rolls and usually Nathan doesn’t either so we had him take them off. I  love this image, it just makes me think, “All you need is love.”

Congratulations you crazy kids, I think you’ve got what it takes to make it!

I’ve known Brenton for a while, we marathoned it in his little truck on the way back from Nate and Bekah’s wedding! That was a long but fun trip, plus it ended with fireworks, literally, so how can you beat that. After that I’d see him around, always with this bubbly young lady who I anticipated, after a while, would end up being Mrs. Brenton some time in the future. They got engaged earlier this year and when we started scheduling our engagement mini sessions I was hoping it would work out for us to celebrate their engagement together! Everyone should have engagement photos, or at least that’s my opinion. It was a pleasure to hang out with them on just one of a few weekends before they tie the knot! As it turns out my wonderful intern (though sadly not after tomorrow) Jenny is taking their wedding photos so you can keep your eye on her site for some pictures after they say I do!

He makes her laugh, I believe this was the story about discussing a mammal of the donkey family in 4th grade. I had to laugh at that one too.

Just 5 days until they tie the knot! Best of luck to you both!

Angi grew up in Poplar Bluff, Missouri with her mom, step-dad, three brothers, a sister, and a dog.  Solomon grew up in Nonthaburi, Thailand with his parents, two brothers and a sister. How in the world would these two end up meeting, becoming friends, dating, falling in love and finally preparing to be married? Well, Liberty University played a key roll as did soccer, ministry, thai food, thai language & Global English school. She helped him through heart break and he helped her through a broken toe. The rest is three and a half years of history! Angi and I became true and wonderful friends while she spent the year in Thailand. She was there the day I got engaged and I was so thankful to be there when Solomon popped the question to her! I love how he makes her laugh, how he takes such great care of her & really anyone else who happens to be around him. I love how she makes him feel special, loved and important and how she cooks thanksgiving dinner for him, even in April. They are a pretty good pair if I do say so myself, so Josh and I couldn’t help but go all out on their engagement photos! This is a long one so buckle up, but enjoy photos from their 3 part engagement session!

Part 1: Cute & casual

Part 2: Ode to soccer roots

Part 3: Cuddly & Cozy Picnic…inspired by one of their favorite and frequent dates

a plate full of this month’s DIY, button flowers!

We waited a long time for this bling!

Can’t you just imagine how great looking their kids are going to be? Seriously.

That’s all for now but it’s surely not the last you’ll see of these two as we prepare for their end of July wedding!

They began dating while he was on tour with his band. She’s got two addy awards to her name almost graduated name. I’m not going to lie, I was a little intimidated at the idea of taking pictures of a couple of rock stars. As it turns out, rock stars are just like people! Daniel and Emily were casual, friendly and more than happy to hold hands and do anything for a great shot! We shared cupcakes and it was instant friendship. I can’t wait to see what they’ve got up their sleeves for their end of July wedding!

Sometimes photographers have dreams, like a client saying they have an original polaroid camera with just one picture left in it that they are willing to trust you with. Dreams like this come true sometimes…

I cannot wait for their wedding, just learned yesterday to expect five classic muscle cars at the wedding. H-yes, I’m excited! Here’s to July 31st!

When Tim and Samantha contacted me about their session which we scheduled for the beginning of December I knew the perfect place to take them. They mentioned loving the outdoors and animals and really wanted greenery incorporated in their photos. If you’re familiar with my blog you know this isn’t generally a problem, however, at the beginning of December it was a no brainer. The only place with greenery that I could think of was Green Needles Christmas Tree Farm. It’s owned by some very wonderful friends of ours who were more than happy to host us as we tromped around in the freezing cold weather. Tim and Samantha were flexible and excited, it helps that they are very much in love and comfortable around each other. Enjoy some shots from their engagement session as they look forward to their wedding tihs May!

I couldn’t get over how natural and simply beautiful Samantha was. She wasn’t aware of it but I think Tim is!

Evidence that Tim was…

It’s very clear that she’s fond of him too.

Oh I do love, love. It’s the most wonderful, exciting, inspiring and beautiful thing. There are two things that I’ve really hoped to be a part of : a live proposal and a wedding: as a bridesmaid. God has given me two in one as Angi and Solomon got engaged in December! I posted about them earlier but here is a slideshow I made to a Dave Barnes diddy that shows a lot more of the process and event!

Solomon & Angi – Perfect Proposal – S. Carter Studios from sabrena deal on Vimeo.

I’d like to introduce you to Kyle and Kristin. Well, you probably already know Kyle, he’s oh so famous. Yes, his face and sweet drum moves graced the jumbo screens at Liberty for several years. Really, I like to give him a hard time. We went to Brasil together, I know, there were 18 of us, you’re bound to read about many more of our teammates, just like you have about Julie, Naomi, Collin, and Travis. Kyle, Collin and I shared a few special memories when Kyle severly sprained both ankles and Collin and I carried/dragged him half a mile in the Brasil heat. As you’ll be able to tell from this post, he’s recovered well and God’s given him a beautiful wife-to-be in Kristin. She’s wonderful and a great match for him. I hope you enjoy these photos as much as we did taking them!

I wracked my brain over and over trying to think of something special to do with these guys. I was thrilled to find exactly what I needed just an hour before the shoot was scheduled to begin: two 1970’s Samsonite suitcases, his and hers, delivered to the DAV just one day before. Perfect! We got some crazy looks as we hauled them around but I’ve got to say that they were worth it! Also, please note their matching shoes!

I love when a shot you have in your mind comes out exactly as you hoped it would!

We did not haul them everywhere, I promise.

A short cameo for Kristin’s ring which a friend aptly described as a bracelet for her finger. It’s big, beautiful and sparkly, aka every girls dream! She said it was a perfect combination of all three ring types she’d looked for. I’d say, “well done Kyle.”

Another fun fact about Kyle and Kristin is that they are getting married on mine and Josh’s 1st anniversary. March 13 is a lovely day to tie the knot!

It’s been one of the most highly anticipated moments since Ross and Rachael kissed on friends, since n since New Moon came out and I would venture to say even more anticipated then the coming World Cup. Solomon asked Angi to marry him. Angi is one of my very best friends and favorite people. She’s a good part of the reason I didn’t go crazy while I was planning my wedding and she stood next to me on the day I said my vows. Solomon was one of the first internationals to win me over during college and his friendship has been steady and faithful as we’ve both gone through a couple of Bachelors and Masters degrees! They’d been dating for about 3.5 years across two continents and both had plans to serve full time at Global English School in Bangkok, Thailand as of next year. BUT he hadn’t asked her to marry him yet. I was spinning my wheels trying to be discreet about letting Solomon know that I would love to be there for them in any way to help facilitate the event. It may have been primarily selfish but I just really love them and knew how special that moment was going to be! You can imagine the girls-only-reach-this-pitch scream I let out as he called me last Tuesday night to let me know the ring was on its way and he’d pop the question on Thursday if it came in before. I prayed my little heart out and God must have heard the prayers of mine and of many, including Angi, because the ring came in and the plans were set! Solomon’s brothers, our friend Sam and I went out to West Manor to get things together. And then they came. She was blindfolded and pretty sure she was about to get a puppy, not a ring.

She was pretty confused and disoriented, until he got down on one knee.

Naturally, she got down on hers and enthusiastically said, “Yes! Of course I’ll marry you.”

There was lots and lots and lots of hugging and laughing.

And, a beautiful sparkly ring of course.

I talked them into letting me take a few shots of them around the location. I mean, you really only get one engagement day!

It’s perfect for her and fun to hear her discover all the places that diamonds are extra sparkly, like in the snow.

I love that I got to be there and see them being so ridiculously happy.

Team engagement photo:

Angi was there when I got engaged, listening through a thinly insulated wall and I am so glad I got to be there for her in the middle of nowhere in the cold weather! Love you both!

Jake and Christy made me nervous. Christy had called with the challenge of finding very original locations in Lynchburg. For those of you who don’t know, Lynchburg is super saturated with very talented and curious photographers. Finding places inside Lynchburg that aren’t on at least four other photography blogs is a pretty tall order. So, I thought, okay, this is an opportunity to grow and to push myself. They were the perfect couple for this adventure! I picked four locations (much more than usual, but like I said, I was nervous) that I had always thought about shooting at but had never made it to and we set off! I couldn’t have asked for a better couple to be challenged by. They were fun, energetic, sweet and just the right amount of nervous too. We had a great time and came up with a lot of great images. I’m happy to say they were very pleased with the locations! Enjoy a few from their engagement session as they look forward to their April wedding in Connecticut!

I think this one is my favorite. Probably because I had my reception in the building behind them!

« Older Entries