Okay okay, I confess…

hello, my name is Jessica Smith, and I confess I am a blog stalker!

I’m always so honored to hear when people “stalk” my blog , well know you’re not alone! :0) I have a whole book mark of blogs that I check on a… ahem… sometimes, uhh multiple times a day basis. There are sooo many photographers all over the country that I love, however it seems to be a super cool photographer ,sunny california is the place to be (I swear the light is just BETTER over there!) It’s been so great to really learn and experience the value of networking and getting to know these fabulous people. I’m SO excited for the WPPI conference out in Vegas this February where I can’t wait to meet even more… imagine all the blogs I will have to check after that! :0)

Some of these photographers I know personally and others I have just emailed back and forth with. Thanks to these awesome people for allowing me to “borrow” one of their images for my blog! and just FYI to any other photographers or clients- feel free to pull images off my blog of your session as long as credit is given, the brown frame with my logo and a link back to my site, as I’ve done with the photographers here :0) So enjoy seeing some of my favorites! These are in no particular order… 

Drew Bittel out in california with DrewB Photography is one that I’ve recently emailed back and forth with, but been checking her blog for months! She’s had quite a year and now is getting one of her images published by theknot! Congrats Drew!! :0) 

13-682x454Jessica Claire is another rockstar photographer out in California. This next image is actually one that she took of Drew right after Brayden was born and its still one of my favorites- I LOVE it! Jessica travels literally all over the world shooting awesome destination weddings, and also created shootsacs! I never go to a shoot without mine! acfe506Becker, yet another SoCal photographer, is the expert at running a business and networking. He started the B school which is a huge online network of photographers that has been SO helpful and just a great place to connect! nov15_03Rae Barnes is the photographer who really started it all. A few years ago I had been taking a ton of pictures and my friend Steph who knew how much I loved photography came over and the first thing she said was “OH MY GOSH YOU HAVE TO SEE THESE PICTURES!!!” Rae had taken pictures of some of Steph’s YoungLife friends, Melissa and Dave, when Dave proposed to Melissa. Rae and her husband Chris had sneaked around waiting for him to propose, and to this day they are still some of my favorite images. I knew after seeing those pictures and reading Rae’s bio that I had to email her. She sent me the SWEETEST most helpful email back, which thankfully lead to me 2nd shooting for her. I was able to learn so much from her from that experience! She and Chris are expecting a baby girl any day now!! Congrats again Rae, I can’t wait to see pictures!! This picture of Rae’s I picked specifically; this was Melissa on her wedding day! :0) n1069894577_30033234_1956Kelly Moore Clark is a photographer based out of Louisiana. I found her blog not too long ago, and absolutely love her work. She has such a distinct style, and I love the way she uses light in such a different way (check out her picture below! so cool!) img_39403i’m sorry  but before I move onto the next photograher I HAVE to share with you one more of Kelly’s pictures.. this is her daughter Posey, and I swear I get just as excited to see new posts of Posey pictures as I get to see new wedding and portrait pictures :0) C’mon now.. check out those CURLS! so cute!! :0) img_7553While I really love all of these photographers, I think if I was getting married tomorrow I would definitely want Jasmine Star from orange county, california to shoot the whole thing!  I absolutely love reading her blog posts, she definitely has a gift for writing! Her style is so fun, classy, modern, and well just fabulous! What’s funny is that now even some of my friends that aren’t photographers at all follow J*’s blog cause she’s just that cool.. now thats sayin something! :0) blogbrittanyblake0021When I moved to Raleigh over the summer, after driving around town the first day Tamara Lackey’s studio in one of the shopping centers immediately caught my eye. I immediately looked her up and was so impressed with what I saw! She has a way of capturing children’s portraits that is stunning. I have LOVED reading her blog recently as she and her husband just added a beautiful new addition to their family; 3 year old Ana Elisa. Their adoption story on her blog is so touching and I would definitely recommend reading it and praying for their new family! :0) As must as I love her images, this one of her and her new daughter was too sweet not to share here: bimg_3058Melissa Koehler is another new friend that I actually just found about a month ago. I really love the edge in her images and how she uses textures and just makes every single image look like it should be a big gorgeous canvas print! Look at that image! I’m telling you the light really is better on the west coast!! :Pimg_2512Sharon Clark of Smitten Photography is another one with such a distinct style and always shows a new angel to look at something that makes it look a million times better! She recently launched a new blog and look to her work and it suits her SO perfectly! Since talking with Sharon and hearing her philosophy behind her business, “smitten” has become one of my new favorite words :0) acf1c15and last but most CERTAINLY not least, I love seeing everything that my sweet friend Katelyn James has going on with The Inspired Design! Her business has grown SO quickly and I love how much I’m able to learn from her! Her new little ‘tag line’ to her website is “Elegant. Modern. Inspired.” and those describe her and her work so perfectly. If I’m booked for a wedding, she is always who I refer couples to. Not only is she great with weddings, but she has a way of capturing senior portraits that really show off how gorgeous all these young women truly are. blog121So now that I’ve officially given you 10 new reasons to surf the internet instead of work, I hope you enjoy and appreciate these photographers work and heart as much as I do! Stalk away! :0)

oh yeah p.s.- another blog that I check every day that has nothing to do with photography, is Perry Noble’s blog. He’s the senior pastor at Newspring Church and always has something awesome to share on his blog.. check him out!

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  1. Virginia says:

    My name is Virginia and I am a blog stalker too :) Thanks for more eye candy!!

  2. Jasmine* says:

    Ha! Yes, I think we like the same blogs! Keep on rockin’ girlie! ;)

  3. Jessica-

    Thank you SO much for you sweet spirit and kind words you said about my photography! I truly do appreciate it, more than you know!
    PLEASE, keep in touch!!!
    Hugs
    Melissa :)

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