Colorband Buzz

Kelly and Shaun

2009-04-27T14:48:00.014-05:00

Kelly and Shaun's wedding was back in February at the State Capitol with the reception at Will Roger's Theater. It was such a fun wedding and Kelly and Shaun were a blast to work with. Here is a few of our favorites from the night.

Tatiana

2009-03-15T14:01:00.008-05:00

We had the pleasure of photographing the sweet and precious Tatiana. We photographed her parents wedding a couple of years back and we were so excited when Stephanie (mama) emailed me her ultrasound. I knew Tatiana will be amazing, just like her parents! We have done a couple of sessions for her already, and here's a few of our favorites.

Anna & Mike's January Wedding

2009-02-16T17:52:00.032-06:00

This is our very first wedding for 2009! Anna and Mike got married at the Chateau of the Palace event center. All the decor was Anna's vision brought to life by her mom and aunt. It was a beautiful and sweet wedding.

Anna is not a traditional bride, instead of a wedding cake she opted for cup cakes that were by Sara Sara Cupcakes and she also opted to see Mike before the ceremony. At the Chateau, there was this narrow hallway that was kind of private and intimate so we decided to have their first moment there. Mike was a bit uneasy but when he saw Anna, everything was good again in his world. Anna was a vision!

At the reception, Mike being a karaoke king, serenaded his beautiful bride with no other than Michael Buble's "You are my everything". It was so sweeeeet! And Mike should definetly go on American Idol!

They were so much fun to work with and we are so glad that we were part of it.

Here is a couple of images from their engagement session.

Anna's bridal session done at the Sand Plum event center in Guthrie.

Their first moment.

Ice sculptrue by Ideas in Ice.

In Memory of Chelsea

2009-02-06T02:44:00.008-06:00

I know this is supposed to be a photography blog, but as this business is so personal and close to our hearts, it is difficult not to share some of the important things that happened in our lives. Recently, something tragic happened to us and Roy wrote this to remember Chelsea, his best friend of 15 years.

"On a cool, Florida winter’s day, December 30th, 1993 to be exact, two incredible things were happening that were going to change my life forever.

My best friend of 16 years, a little terrier mix named Whiskers was nearing the end of his precious life and passed away January 23, 1994 and my soon to be dear, best friend of the next 15 years was being born.

It would be mid February before I would, at the urging of family and friends that I needed a new canine pal, before I would meet this most precious of God’s creations. I had a friend who had the joy of a Dalmatian in his life and I simply fell in love with the breed. I highly recommend this very huggable breed.

Little did I realize just how rewarding and special this new friendship would be. Don’t get me wrong here, when Whiskers died, it was crushing. He was a pal and, quite frankly, a buddy that was always there no matter what and I loved him immensely. But Chelsea was a whole other story.

I found an ad in Panama City’s local paper about a litter of Dalmatian pups for sale. My Mother thought I should go and have a look and that perhaps having a new puppy to take care of would help ease the sting of losing my old pal Whiskers. So on a sunny, Saturday afternoon, we took a drive out to Panama City Beach to visit the pups and their parents.

Oh what an incredible and wondrous sight to behold! Nine roly poly, exuberant, spotted delights roamed a section of the room, just romping and playing and doing the things puppies do together. Now, I had gotten a book on Dalmatians to study up on the breed and wanted (ha!) to seem like I knew what I was doing. Well, when I met Chelsea’s daddy, Chauncie, the book might as well have been in the trash. I was enchanted to say the least. Here was this magnificent, beautiful, stately dog was far more human than some people I know. Chelsea’s mommy, Domino, while a bit haggard from dealing with nine puppies, was every bit a lady in her own right. So after being enchanted by Chauncie and Domino, I climbed into the pen with the puppies.

Now I have a strict rule that a dog or cat must come to me or choose me rather than me choosing them. Out of nine puppies, this precious, tubby little wonder with solid black, indescribably soft and silky ears and spots around her eyes that resembled hearts came waddling over to me. The lady who bred the dogs said that she called this one “little hearts” and was amazed at this marking. This sweet little pup cuddled up to me and of course, I just melted and knew that I needed this most precious of dogs in my life. I was to soon discover and over the years, confirmed time and time again that there was nothing “little” about Chelsea’s heart.

I had to wait a whole three more weeks before I could take her home but visited her every chance I got. Boy was that a long three weeks. But when Chelsea came into my life, it was a great, great day. So her official registered name was “Princess Chelsea of Hearts.” I am not sure why I named her Chelsea though. It was not after a person or character from fiction. That was the name that popped into my head years before that if I were to ever have a Dalmatian, Chelsea would be the name and there she was.

So, fast forward 15 years to February 4, 2009. This is the date that I had to perform the worst duty any pet owner has to face. I had to let her go. After so many years, age, a small stroke and cancer were taking its toll on my precious friend. She was no longer the robust, prancing creature of just a year ago. She was tired and we both knew that our time together was short. On this day I sat with her for a while and reflected on the thousands of moments and memories that we had created together. From her love of popcorn to stealing cheese puffs from a bowl on the kitchen counter to watching this magnificent creature run as if she had wings to fly. From the Christmas mornings that she would rummage through the gifts under the tree looking for something special or her love of a thick, comfy bed….the friendship we shared was almost human and in so many ways, to me, she was a person. A person like her daddy, Chauncie, and her mommy, Domino, whose spirits always echoed in her. Chelsea was an elegant creature and very much a lady.

As I lay on the floor, in front of the fireplace of our home, on her thick, soft, comforter; cocooned in the most surreal of moments. As I held her tightly and felt her sweet life gently and sweetly leave this world to the very last hearbeat; I KNEW that I had the honor of knowing one of the greatest people God ever put on this Earth and knew that the 15 years I had with her were absolutely priceless.

I knew that inviting a Dalmatian into my life would be special but I was not prepared for just how wonderful and incredible an experience this would be. In the absence of Chelsea, I have found a huge, indescribably empty space in my world. I hope to see her again some day. But for now, all of those wonderful, incredible memories are with me and the solace that somewhere out there, a magnificent creature by the name of Chelsea, aka: little hearts, is running as if she were flying, full of life and will be there waiting to greet me with her Dalmatian smile when it is my turn to go home.

You are deeply missed, my precious, spotted puppy.

In Memoriam: Princess Chelsea of Hearts, December 30, 1994 – February 4, 2009"

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T02:10:00.003-06:00

It's Christmas day and we want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year~

May the next one be even more adventurous and beautiful!

Thank you all who made 2008 a wonderful year for Colorband and Roy and I.

We are truly blessed!

Jamie

Ho~Ho~Ho~

2008-12-09T19:10:00.008-06:00

This has been a extremely busy fall season. Lots of engagement and bridal session. Hopefully in time we will be able to share them on the blog with the world~

However, Tis the season, as they say, we wanted to share the joy we were experiencing last Thursday at the Holiday Happenings with Sam Noble Museum of Oklahoma Natural History. We had lots of fun watching and photographing the kiddos with Mr. Santa himself!

We love Santa, especially how he always took the time not only to take pictures with the children, but he actually talk to each one of them as ask them what they want for Christmas. We watched in awe seeing him light up with joy as he sees the children and talks and laughs with them. It really put us in the mood for some holiday cheer~

Here is a shot of Santa after he was finished with all the happy children. He always knows, if you've been good or bad~

Classic, don't you think?

Kari and Bobby in a Park

2008-09-26T13:47:00.011-05:00

Earlier this month I had the chance to photograph Kari and Bobby's engagement Session. We went to Hafer park in Edmond and had a blast. They are so much fun to work with and I can't wait till May to photograph their wedding!

Jamie

Remembering 9/11

2008-09-11T12:22:00.003-05:00

In all the hustle and bustle of a photographer's life, I could not help but freeze in my tracks at the realization that today is the 7th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and it also gives me pause to remember the Murrah building bombing as well.

We are so busy living our lives and pursuing the dreams that our country grants us the freedom to realize, we sometimes forget to remember those who no longer have that opportunity.

As wedding and portrait photographers, Jamie and I get to see our clients...our friends...living some of the happiest and brightest moments of their lives. This is truly one of life's great honors and quite frankly, it is due to those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom that we have this opportunity.

In this retrospective, I take this time to thank all of our dear friends that we have photographed over the years for choosing to make us a part of their lives. I encourage those who read this, to remember what a great land we live in and those heros, great and small who defend it, and us. To remember those in the World Trade Center, on the aircraft and those brave souls on the ground and also those who lived the nightmare of the OKC bombing...all heros in their own right.

One of the greatest things we can do to honor those people is to live our lives to the fullest. To be honest and forthright in all we do and to be the best we can be in a country that grants the human spirit the opportunity to fly to its greatest potential.

Roy Groat, Jr.

Brides Against Breast Cancer Foundation

2008-09-10T12:00:00.016-05:00

A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to be involved in the Brides Against Breast Cancer wedding gown sale. It's truly an amazing experience knowing that each gown sold will be helping a breast cancer patient fulfill their wish. One of the most touching stories I have heard from the founder of the organization, Fran Hansen, was a young mother, requesting a video camera, and she recorded birthday messages, prom messages, wedding messages, and as many occasions as she can think of that her children may need to hear and see her. The camera may not have cost a lot of money, but the gift allowed her children to have a lifetime of memories with their mother.

This was their first event in Oklahoma City, and we hope they will come back every year from now on. We took a few photos from the event, it was held at the Holiday Inn on N.W. 63rd St.

This is the co-founder, Fran Hansen.

Some of the beautiful dresses on sale.

Fran being interviwed by the news.

Kami and Ashley with The Brides of Oklahoma were there helping out.

They also sell quilts that are made from wedding dresses.

This one is made from bridesmaids dresses, we love all the colors!

Close up of one of the incredible quilts.

One of our beautiful Colorband brides was there and bought a dress! Congratulations!

Stephanie with Perfect Wedding Guide was also there.

Alison with Wedding Ideas was also there helping. So was Cheryl with Thunderbird Chapel.

We are so proud of our OBMA members for helping out! It was a great event and we are so glad to be part of it.

Kenneth Pool

2008-07-19T22:01:00.000-05:00

This past Thursday (7/17), we attended the Kenneth Pool fashion show at Meg Guess Couture.

It was loads of fun! The boutique looks amazing and the dresses were just breathtaking!

Kenneth Pool is known for their intricate and dramatic designs with flawless beadwork. The crystals on the dresses were sparkling everywhere. The silouettes were so glamorous and dramatic. We loved how all the dresses from the embroidery to the basic construction of the dresses were dripping with perfection. It was inspiring and satisfying to see. Austin Scarlett is truly a talented designer. Thanks to Meg Guess Couture that Oklahoma brides can have access to these designer dresses locally.

Kevin Paul Photography was the sponsor of the event and he was kind enough the share his photos with us.

Wedding Workshop 2

2008-07-11T11:28:00.000-05:00

On June 29th, we had the opportunity of attending the Wedding Workshop that Dolly Levi's Event Design Studio produced. Dewey Joe Beene Jr. did such a wonderful job that all the brides that were there found it to be extremely helpful. We also had the privilege of meeting some of the best wedding vendors Oklahoma has to offer. Besides meeting and talking to the brides at the event, the most fun of all was to meet the host, celebrity wedding planner, Steve Kemble. His vibrant personality and wonderful sense of humor was so contagious that everyone couldn't help but have a great time! Here are some images that we captured of from this wonderful event.

Wedding Workshop

2008-06-27T16:07:00.000-05:00

We are so excited to have the opportunity to be part of the upcoming Wedding Workshop.

Besides representing as a photographer and videographer, we will also be photographing the event.

Presented by Dolly Levi’s Event Design Studio, this Wedding Workshop will be held on June 29, 2008 from 1-5 p.m. at the Montgomery Event Center in downtown Oklahoma City. This workshop is designed to simplify the wedding planning process, it will give Oklahoma brides an opportunity to get connected with local professionals and receive useful tips and tools to help the brides on track to their dream wedding.

The Brides of Oklahoma magazine recently wrote this about the host of the event, "

Steve Kemble , known as “America’s sassiest lifestyle guru,” will host Oklahoma’s upcoming wedding workshop! Steve is the magic man behind countless international events including parties for two American presidents and a fabulous fete for NFL star and “Dancing with the Stars” champion Emmitt Smith. Steve has also shared his wedding, style and entertaining expertise with many leading media outlets, including AOL, Yahoo, People, USA Today, OK and Entertainment Weekly. And, as owner of one the largest couture collections in the world, Steve’s flair for fashion and shopping has landed him style correspondent gigs with national media outlets including TV Guide Network where he does an annual review of “American Idol” contestants’ style for “Idol Tonight,” and his witty fashion commentary is read by millions in US Weekly’s fashion police section. You won’t want to miss this exciting event!..."

For more information on the Oklahoma Wedding Workshop or to register online, visit http://www.wedding-workshop.com/. We will see you there~

Grunge

2008-05-16T12:21:00.000-05:00

We have started to experiment with some of the images we have captured from engagement sessions. By adding interesting textures and graphic design elements, we turned an ordinary image into a unique and edgy work of art. Here is a couple of examples.

Before

After

Before

After

New Website Launch

2008-05-16T12:03:00.000-05:00

We have once again changed our website. We wanted to have a site that truely reflects who we are and our artistic vision. We are really excited about this site design and we know the world will love it as much as we do! Drop us a line, we love to hear your feedback~

First Bridal session of the year

2008-04-07T15:07:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since we blogged...

So here it is the first blog of the year with the first bridal session of the year.

In Asian culture, it is customary to have photographs taken of the bride and groom together before the wedding, and we had the opportunity to do so with Calvin and Kayle.

We had a blast doing this session, they are just such a beautiful couple. We were very glad the wearther cooperated enough for us to do the session at Myriad Garden after the studio session. With the mist of the day we were able to create a very dreamy feel in the images.

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

2007-10-23T00:57:00.000-05:00

Just the other day I was confronted with something that I believe is absolutely extraordinary. Something that touched me down to the very depths of my soul and my heart.

I am talking about the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep www.nilmdts.org organization.

NILMDTS quite honestly is one of the greatest organizations I have ever known. This non-profit organization, started only a few years ago, that has grown to literally hundreds of photographers contributing their time and resources.

The Mission of NILMDTS is to create a network of photographers who, giving of their time and talent, photograph a family's final moments with their newborn child. The grieving family, robbed of the gift of seeing their child grow now have the opportunity to receive precious moments they would not otherwise have and provide them with a photographic record of those moments, not only to help give the family closure, but to give them a tangible memory they can hold of their little one forever.

Just think about it for a moment. A young couple rushes to the hospital to have their baby, only to discover that something is wrong, dreadfully wrong and the child may only live a few days or a few hours. Normally, if they are lucky, the grieving family might only have a polaroid snapshot of their baby or may have nothing at all. This is where NILMDTS comes in. By networking with photographers and hospitals, a family going through this unimaginable pain, now has the opportunity to create a precious memory within the confines of the short time they will have with their little baby.

Through the hospital, they contact a photographer who is part of the network and he or she comes and photographs the family with their little newborn child before and often, after the moment of passing. The images are then processed and the digital negatives given to the family free of charge. The need is real and this can and will happen at any hour of the day, often with only a moments notice.

As a professional photographer, I am privelidged to capture so many wonderful and precious moments through my career. I have seen hundreds of couples start their lives together and scores of children grow from infants to toddlers and so on. But some of the most precious and fleeting moments are not always the happy ones. The final moments a new mommy may have with her precious child, sometimes only a few hours old, are some of the most incredible moments I can imagine and the opportunity must be given to these precious parents to grab hold of this moment and keep it forever.

Having just recently become part of NILMDTS.org, I have yet to experience first hand the raw emotion photographing such a moment. However, knowing how much photographing the happiest times of my incredible and dear clients has touched my life, I am certain that this, when the time comes, will certainly change my life and touch my heart and soul deeply.

While I sincerely hope this experience never happens, I know that the time will come that I am needed to help a family through one of the most emotionally devastating moments of their lives and give them the memories, through the incredible power of the photograph, to bring comfort and much needed closure in a time of need.

I, and Colorband Photography Studio are now a part of Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep and I am honored to be given the wonderful gift of being able to give these incredibly precious and priceless moments to these families in their greatest time of need.

Roy

Welcome!

2007-10-23T00:56:00.001-05:00

First of all, I want to take this opportunity to peronally thank you for visiting our website and welcome to our new blog.

It has been long overdue and I am excited about the opportunity to share my thoughts, emotions and experiences with you as we journey through the wedding seasons.

I hope to post frequently and keep you up to date on the latest weddings and goings on at Colorband Photography Studio!

If you have comments or suggestions, please drop me a line at blogger@colorbandproductions.com

Look for new posts and images coming soon. Til then, see you in the pictures!

Roy