I Just Love Her to Pieces!

As a professional photographer, I look at lots and lots and lots of photos.  I have become so critical ESPECIALLY when I take on the challenge of photographing my own kiddos.  They are what inspire me with everything I do.  In the spotlight today was my baby girl, Morgan.  It didn't take much to convince her to step in front of the camera - just the tutu that was delivered today.  (I won a custom tutu from Tutu Girlz. Thanks Michelle - she loved it!)

Morgan is a competitive gymnast.  The girl has got skillz (& I'm not just saying that).  I can sit and watch her flip, jump, stretch & point until I'm exhausted.  She trains for an absurd amount of hours a week, but she loves it and all her hard work has paid off.   Now as a proud mama, I must brag on my baby girl and mention that she was a state champion last year - WOO-HOO!!!


What is she doing when she's not in the gym?  She enjoys watching t.v. and shopping (she gets it honest), but just can't seem to resist gymnastics when she has some free time - especially on the trampoline.   Which is what inspired our HALLOWEEN TRAMPOLEEN session...

Everything seems so effortless for her.....(sigh)

She thought she was waiting on me, but I was admiring the back light...

Not that she needed any help flying, but I couldn't resist handing her a broom because I knew she would play it up good-- and oh boy did she!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Now for some campaigning...  

Marcia Todd Photography is competing to be named the BEST Photographer on the WMBFNews Best of the Grand Strand and needs your vote!  First, you need to join the WMBFNews Best of the Grand Strand to get your ballot.

The WMBFNews Best of the Grand Strand is a contest where YOUR votes are all that matter in determining the BEST.  Vote for your favorite businesses and show your support by spreading the word.  

I really appreciate your support.  To vote for Marcia Todd Photography, follow this link:

http://wmbf.cityvoter.com/marcia-todd-photography/biz/511968?r=em

It is Well - The Richardson Family & Me ;-)

I'm a little emotional today (many of my closest friends will tell you that's not too different than any other b/c I am sappy)
I was opening up the photos from a great family session I had with the Richardson's.  I've had the pleasure of photographing this family before - I photographed Amy & Bryan's engagement, their wedding, their baby girl, Reese, when she was a newby and Amy has done several portrait parties with me.
There's a reason why us photographers schedule sessions later in the day b/c the natural light is simply gorgeous.  Right before sunset, the day produces a mystical, dream-like image through that lens that makes photographers sit and stare at what pops up when culling their work.

I was swept away at how beautiful these shots were.  The light, the bubbles, the kids, & seeing how happy Amy & Bryan are.
So why am I so emotional?  The hubby & kids went away to my sister's for the weekend.  I stayed home so I could get a mountain of work done (see prior posts).  NOTE - if I skipped out going to visit my sister/BFF, some work HAD to be done people!  After sitting at the computer and staring at all the great, happy images, it makes me miss them so much.  Well, Sara Grove's "It is Well" song started playing from my iTunes just as these images opened and it was a sweet moment.  Sara sings like an angel - lifting my heart with every note.  It made me so happy for Amy & Bryan and made me realize how everything is well for them and how, on a personal evaluation of my own life, it is with MY soul.  How wonderful God is to me, covering me with so many blessings that I don't even feel I deserve.

"My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!  

My sin, not in part, but the whole, 

is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more.  

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!"

I can't wait until they get home - I'm gonna give Morgan & Ret some "mommy, you're hugging me too tight" squeezes and gonna latch on to Robert and never let go.

I had to do something special for Amy & Bryan - I just know they are gonna like love their photos.  Check out their special video.  It seems that a perfect world does exist in that 3 minutes and 27 seconds.

My prayer for them and all of you is that: 

"Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, 

let your [this] blest assurance control, 

that Christ has regarded your [my] helpless estate, 

and have shed his own blood for your [my] soul"

Amen.

The Hostess with the Mostess & The Solar System

Congratulations Jessica you get 2 prizes...
1-  Portrait Party of 2010 with Most Guests
2-  Kid with bluest eyes

I would do a Blue Eyes Kid Contest, but it would be tough to beat out Maddie Grace.  Just check out these baby blues!

I first met Ms. Maddie five months ago at another portrait party.  Her mom decided to host a portrait party 2 weeks ago.  It was one, if not THE biggest portrait party I've had yet - 17 mini-sessions!!   We set up in a cow pasture ( I know sounds a little gross & if you would have seen my feet from wearing flip flops in a dew covered cow pasture....ewww) & had a great day (minus the gross feet & gnats).

So in the process of editing all 17 mini-sessions, I managed to have 5 other sessions (none of which have been edited yet) - 1 of which was the Aynor High School Girls' Tennis Team  A-N-D help my 4th grader build the solar system:

Here's a few more peeks from Jessica's portrait party, but be sure to check out all the images by clicking here

    

Newlyweds at the Party (with behind the scenes footage)

Tyler & Casey are newlyweds - just married in June of this year.  They were guests at Jessica's Portrait Party....they were so great.


Here's a little video Jessica shot of me shooting them...

Here's the shot:

More of me coaching....

And here are the shots:

More video (please excuse the butt shot - I know that's not very pleasant)

Nonetheless, the sweetest shots of Casey & Tyler:

I had a great time with these two!  I hope they like their sneak peek - the rest of their session will be uploaded to the website soon.

Party Over Here!

Lots of photos have been going up in Jessica's Portrait Party album.  Here's a peek:

           

Click here to see all the fun pics from Jessica's portrait party so far...LOTS more will be posted as soon as I can edit them. 

Who is Marcia Todd?

Name: Marcia.  Pronounced "Marsha", however many people innocently say "Mar-see-ah" when reading my name.  And if I had a dollar for every time I've heard "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!"...(thanks mom)

Age:   33 & proud of it.  It just sounds sophisticated doesn't it?

College:  Horry-Georgetown Technical College.

College Major:  Received my Associates Degree in Public Service Technology (which is a fancy way of saying Paralegal)

Occupation:  Well, I could be a smarty-pants and start randomly listing my everyday activities (i.e. wife, mother, taxi driver, chef, etc), but I guess I'll be politically correct.  I'm an Administrative Assistant to a Family Court Judge & Photographer (in no particular order)

Hometown: Conway, SC

Quick, interesting facts about Marcia:

• I was a Junior Varsity cheerleader my sophomore year in high school
• I sang (notice the past tense).  In weddings, church solos, our family gatherings. 
• I'm a twin & wouldn't know how to function without my sister (even though we have 4 hours between us).
• I eat some form of chocolate everyday
• I do not rest well unless I take a bath before getting into bed (no matter what hour)
• I love watching the TLC channel (except for the cop shows, those don't really interest me) 
• I have two AMAZING kids.  They are the most precious blessings & I thank God for them each and every day.
• I could not imagine myself with any other man than Robert.  He is truly my soulmate and put on this earth just for me.
• (singing) I am a C.  I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N and very proud of it!

Chick-fil-A combo: Grilled chicken sandwich with cheese & Sweet Tea
Brand of Ridiculously Expensive Blue Jeans: Big Star & Rock Revival.
Boutique Cupcake Flavor: Pumpkin!
Chick Flick:  Pretty Woman
Preferred Form of Accoutrements: Scarves. No, boots. Wait, are boots accessories? Headbands with flowers or feathers.  Earrings.  Starting to love broaches too.

Favorite Subject to Photograph:   Children (all ages) & Couples.  I love photographing seniors, but I don’t get that many opportunities to do so, Not yet anyway.

Where your business is now: My business is in the growing process, but definitely booming. I feel it has a way to go to reach where I desire.

Where its going or want it to be: I feel my business is moving forward.  I’m getting more visible due to Facebook and clients sharing my work with their friends and family which is bringing in more inquiries, etc.  I want to be more visible in my community and in the areas around my community.  I want to have my work displayed in businesses and to be able to use my gifts to help organizations such as abused children.

Your biggest challenge right now: Finding time for my family & marketing that draws in the clients that desire Art and something different than the everyday photographer…Setting myself apart from everyone else and creating unique images that people appreciate.

A recent good thing that happened to you: I went to bed at 8:45pm this week!

If you could voice your opinion to other photographers out there, what would it be? 
There's a few things --
(1) If you don't know what you're doing, PLEASE don't act like you do. 
(2) If you like my ideas, great.  Don't be a copy cat without acknowledging you're a copy cat.
(3) Make your session fee worth your time!  It MAY be the only fee you receive from that person (you're not guaranteed an order)  Do I really need to remind you of how many hours you put into 1 session (not including the shoot itself)?  If you pay your babysitter more than you pay yourself, something's wrong!

What's in the bag? 

I’m just going to share what I have and what I like about it.
Camera body: Nikon D700 –the high ISO is killer, and it’s FULL FRAME!  This was key when I was deciding which camera to upgrade to.
Favorite lens: 70-200mm 2.8 – Great zoom, zoom, zoom! This lens is perfect for a low light ceremony where you have to stay near the back or in the balcony. I also use this lens for children and families.  It's really the only form of exercise I get these days.
Other lenses in the bag: Nikon 50mm 1.8 – What’s not to love about this lens? This and a camera that has high ISO capabilities means you can shoot in some pretty dark churches and receptions without the need for a flash.
Flash: Nikon SB600 Speedlight – I’d love to take a masterclass workshop on my flash so that I could rock out some super dramatic lighting techniques like some of my friends, but this flash does all I need it to and I rarely use it.
Bag: Crumpler Bag – It’s a camera bag, but I use it as a lens bag. That’s what I need! It holds my 50mm and zoom lens.  My flash, some other lenses, extra camera battery, iPhone, AA batteries for my flash and CF cards are in my LowePro bag.



Where do you do all your editing?   See for yourself...

This pic above was before my crafty husband installed a rod that hangs right underneath the cubbies so that all my ribbons are at my fingertips. 

Love a Newby

So this little man was maybe 8 days old?  He was the perfect little angel - let me fold, hold and mold him for 20 minutes without not even a stretch or a wimper.

Click here to see the rest of Jayce's mini newborn session.

Howdy Partner!

Little Rhys was such a little sweetheart, with blue eyes that could melt your heart.  He had a little trouble walking in his cowboy boots, so we kicked off his spurs and put him in the trunk.  As if you couldn't tell, he LOVED the trunk (thanks Ms. Judy for hooking me up with that!)  Such a great personality for an 18 month old...

  

Jessica was a super host.  She recorded some video for some "behind the scenes" footage...

And here's the shot we were hoping for...

You can click here to see all of the photos from our mini-session at Jessica's portrait party.

Mini E-Session with S&W

How lucky that Sherena & Wayne got a mini Engagement Session by coming to Jessica's portrait party - so lucky!  What a beautiful start to a long day of mini-sessions.   I just love how folks are a little hesitant with how to act when they meet me, but it doesn't take long for them to realize that I'm a laid back, sometimes goofy person who just wants them to be themselves.  When that happens, I get shots like this...

Thanks Sherena & Wayne, I hope you love your photos.  Click here to see the rest of the images from your session.

By the way, you're in need of a wedding photographer....right?

Glad I Could Help!

Over 6 months ago, Charles contacted me to let me know he was working on his website with a web designer and knew he would need some photos - he would be in touch.  Immediately my mind starts racing  as to what we could do/where we could go...think Marcia, think!

My personal opinion is that when considering what sort of web presence you want to have for a business, you need to decide if you want traditional (stuffy) or modern (personable).  I prefer modern, unposed images when browsing business sites.  Not saying my thought process is correct, but since Charles was contacting ME I figured he liked MY style and put a whole lot of trust in ME capturing something he could use.

So, we met at his office for some nice professional headshots and then the ball was in my court.  We jumped in the car and I was just praying that my car would steer itself to the perfect location.  Where we ended up was perfect!  Here's a hint:

A nearby field full of cotton was soaking in some gorgeous orange rays of sunlight - I had to pull over.

Charles was such a good sport (& his modeling wasn't half bad either)...he just went along with my outspoken requests and I could not be happier with my shots.  They are even better than what I had imagined over 6 months ago!

Charles is a real estate agent.  So if you are looking or know someone who is looking to make a decision in real estate - I'm sure Charles can help!  You can find his contact information here.

Good luck to you Charles.  I hope that I have helped in some small way for you to build your business.  I wish you the success you deserve.

~Marcia

You can see the rest of the pics from our session by clicking here

Newborn x 2

I  LOVE NEWBORNS!!  Photographing a newborn is special, but it's even more special when there are two!  Okay, so remember Anna's gorgeous maternity session...it was hard to believe that there was 2 growing babies inside that little tummy, but I have proof!  It was my great honor to capture Davis & Greer at 13 days old.

After 1.5 hours, I snapped my first shot...it was definitely worth the wait.  Could it get any better than this - seriously?

You can see more of Greer & Davis here.

The Filyaws

Got to spend some time with the Filyaw family again.  If you don't remember the Filyaws just take a look at them here when I visited their home.  And before that, they met me in Conway.  I love when Julie contacts me to do pics because that means I get to see Colton again.  Last time I saw him was in Pamplico and we ended the session with watermelon!  He's so cute and just the happiest little fella - and rightfully so, his parents are so pleasant and head over heels for their little guy.  Here's a peek at our most recent session.

After walking around inside the castle, we hit the beach.  It was bright, but oh what beautiful blue skies!

Thanks Filyaw family - I hope you love your pictures!

Good things come to those who wait!

Tiffany was the portrait party host and has been waiting patiently as I have been posting all of her guest's galleries in anticipation of her little girl's photos.  I first met Avery 6 months ago at another portrait party. Avery wrapped up my day with her sweet smile, rosie cheeks & adorable outfits.  I gasped and then "awww" when I saw this shot.  I would love to say I planned it, but I was in the right place at the right time.  This just happened.

Not only do I love the way she is squatted down and gazing at that bubble, but also the fact that I can see the moisture still in the air from the bubble solution.  I'm a photographer - I pay attention to detail!

You can see the rest of Avery's shots (& outfits) here

Oh Baby!

So glad little Kensley made it to the Portrait Party.  She kinda reminds me of Morgan when Morgan was this age (except for the blue eyes) Her little expressions were so giggly cute.