I was honored (and grateful) to photograph another Extreme Makeover: Home Edition last week. This time I photographed The Creasey Family, and the designers selected more than 50 of their portraits for their brand new (gorgeous) home. Thanks, again, to Buckeye Color Lab for the fabulous, fast printing. It was a joy to watch the craziness unfold, and to be a part of it. I'll be posting the photographs of the family - including some cool extras inside the house of the designers at work - after the episode airs, which should be right after the new year. While I was on the tent & trailer set, I also did a photo shoot with Ty Pennington, who actually is that nice and funny and friendly of a guy :)

If you're following me on twitter, you might have seen this image that I re-tweeted from Ty - his post had a great lead in... "Also this week I met one of the neighbors. We had a connection, a moment. Molly has the most beautiful eyes - and ears. " He wasn't lying ... she really did :)

A life on set: A life in trailers.

...although there's time for both work & silliness inside the trailer...

This last one was a very difficult capture. You see, there's this multi-talented photographer/ 'film guy'/assistant-to-Ty guy who says to me ... yeah, your photographs might be good and all, whatever - but I have captured the supernatural on film - can you say that *you* shoot ghosts?" I do not think so, lady. I do not think so at all ... A small caveat: I saw his ghost on film and - well, it's a stretch, and he knows it ;) I mean, if you're going to shoot a ghost, you have to put in a lot of time, effort, have the right equipment, maintain your central point of interest in a compelling intersection in terms of the overall composition, watch your depth of field, keep tact sharp while constantly keeping your eye on shifts in lighting and, of course, stay in control of the actual pose while maintaining an interaction that elicits the desired expression you want (because you don't want to overshadow the non-ghost) ... but, probably more important than anything else is this: If you're going to shoot a ghost, you should make sure that they are, indeed, .... friendly :)

I am very excited to announce a new one-day workshop: "audrey & tamara: {a portrait photographer's workshop}" with my extremely talented fellow photographer and friend, Audrey Woulard. We will be offering this workshop together in Las Vegas, Nevada just before the start of the WPPI 2010 Convention.

We will be teaching two separate workshops, one on Thursday, March 4th and a second on Friday, March 5th, 2010, and they will be held at the MGM Grand. I'm also quite happy to announce that the cost of the workshop will include full registration to the WPPI 2010 Convention and Tradeshow.

To see more details - and to register - please check out the website. Registration will open Thursday, November 19th at 12pm EST. Hope to see you there!! p.s. thanks for those of you who have asked about seeing the photographs from my shoot with Ty Pennington (thanks) - that will be my next post!

Livi & Jeremy were married at The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, surrounded by the exuberance of some high-energy friends & family... the girls were in great moods, getting ready for the happy, emotional ceremony that took place outside on a golden, sunny day - and the guys were a great combination of thoughtful, polite and, well, guy-ish ;) Livi had such strong enthusiasm for her wedding, her groom, and all the festivities - she was truly a joy to photograph - and I love how Jeremy was ready to be anywhere Livi needed him to be. These two are a lovely couple, of course, but also truly great friends with each other, a friendship built over time and through some significant experiences together, and it really shows in how they genuinely they interact with each other. (A big thanks to Courtney, who photographed this wedding with me and got some beautiful images, too :)

These images were actually shot nearly at the same time - just in different rooms :)

Livi and her mom not only look alike, but share so many of the same mannerisms and expressions, not to mention such a sweet caring for each other.

Taking the elevator down to the ceremony (!!!)

Livi's friends Carrie & Eddie, great friends of the studio after I photographed their wedding a few years ago - this photograph was taken before Carrie delivered her adorable baby, Cal, whose photographs I just shot (they will be on the blog soon)!

Manly Men :)

I think it's hilarious how liberally guests will shower their friends ;)

Love the joy in this image :) :) :)

(And I just have to include a few of Livi's bridal portraits)

Congratulations, Livi & Jeremy!!!