Kellan Studios

D.C. Trip~ Personal

Kelly — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:26:03 +0000

We/I are not brave parents. True confession. I don’t pile my three kids into a grocery cart and shop, I don’t do the public library with all of them or go on long walks pushing two in a stroller while one walks at my side. I want to give a slow clap for the moms that can do it and don’t sweat it when one or all of their kids are freaking out. I have a mild panic attack if my kids are talking above a normal pitch in the grocery store let alone engage me in a battle of wills in public. I’ve never liked any attention on me and seeing as all children six and under are emotional ticking time bombs I would rather they explode in our house or in one of my friends homes than public. I have an incredible circle of friends where we have a deep understanding that all of our kids can be complete butt heads and we still love them regardless. It’s a safe environment to grow. We have encouraged each other through long seasons of poor behavior (IE…screaming, hitting, throwing, etc…) So that is as brave as I get during the day time. Playdates! Game on when Ryan is around. We switched up the ratio last year and are now out numbered and sometimes I think they know it. On the whole we have some pretty awesome kids who have incredible senses of humor, are interesting to talk to, play really well together and are loveable (most of the time).

Anyone who has multiple kids under the age of five knows that doing a “vacation” is basically packing up all your crap and doing the same routine somewhere else much more expensive and not child proofed. We just haven’t been able to justify the time and money and so vacations have been on the back burner for many years. The good thing is, because of Kellan, Ryan and I have gotten to trek up and down the east coast from NY to Miami for the last 5 years. Those trips have worked as mini emotional/mental vacations for us even though we are still physically working. Even a long car ride, plane ride or train ride without kids is a vacation!

Now that 2 out of 3 of our kids are potty trained (well…mostly….stinking Bennett!) sleep in big kid beds and don’t have to nap we got a whiff of what I call FREEDOM!!!!! It was time to test the waters. We decided to leave Rhett behind with my parents for a long weekend and take the big kids up to Washington DC to see Uncle Joe and Aunt Joanna and do some kid centered activities. We took the train from Richmond to DC and thus began our weekend of excursions from going to a MASSIVE outdoor playground, laying in the grass letting airplanes fly over our heads, riding in a pedicab, the Smithsonian, the butterfly exhibit, IMAX, Zoo, National Harbor in MD and visiting friends. They were long days and the kids get a 9 out of 10 on behavior and stamina. As long as we kept the pace moving and didn’t stay anywhere too long they did great! They got to ride massive escalators, take the metro and get spoiled by their aunt and uncle. Joe and Joanna were selfless hosts taking us EVERYWHERE in their little Yaris. Joanna had to ride in the trunk on many occasions to make some of our excursions possible. That is love! Thank you Joe and Joanna for being so generous and loving to us all. We were so blessed by your time and intentionality that weekend! We had a great time, came back exhausted and made some family memories with the big kids that they hopefully will always remember. If not…well…we took some pictures :-) Enjoy some moments from our family trip.

Jenn and Clifton~ Married

Kelly — Thu, 03 May 2012 02:36:40 +0000

Just a few weeks ago we debuted Clif and Jenn’s farm fresh engagement session. Like we mentioned before, Clif and Ryan work together and we all go to church together. It was a really sweet wedding full of many familiar faces and the best part, we only had to drive a few miles to shoot it! Clif and Jenn opted for a first look (cue fist pump) at the front gallery of Riverviews Art Space. Frist looks will always feel like an amazing honor. It is such an intimate moment and I love how some couples are shy, some are romantic, some laugh, some cry but all beam. Clif and Jenn were no exception. They ALWAYS make each other laugh and they speak so kindly to one another. We were honored to be a part of their day and hope you enjoy some of our favorite moments from their sweet affair.

Happily ever after……

Monica and Tim~ Married

Kelly — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:28:46 +0000

It was just a few months ago that we debuted Monica and Tim’s super sweet fall engagement session. You might night recognize Tim after he shaved about a pound of facial hair off. “Wedding Tim” was smooth and styling unlike his mountain man counterpart all rugged and tough. (Although I have to be honest, I love beards, I was sad to see it go!) Monica looked drop dead gorgeous Pronovias gown and uber glam Jimmy Choo heels. I knew Monica would not disappoint with her flawlessly classic style and beauty.

We’ve seen brides “light up” over the years when they see their grooms…but Monica…she simply glows when Tim walks into a room. This is a good set of people coming together. It was a super fun night filled with some familiar faces I haven’t seen in almost 10 years. Super way to start off the 2012 season for us. Welcome back from Costa Rica guys, enjoy your preview into your gorgeous day!

Headed over to where the boys were getting ready. The whole reception was at the elegant Boars Head Inn.

Smooth operator. Love the name mash-up known as Tonica embroidered on the inside of Tim’s jacket.

I don’t normally show this many shoe shots but I do love them in front of the fireplace as well.

Love how the wind lifted her dress

I ADORE this series of Monica.

UVA Chapel hosted the ceremony.

Tim’s parents

Wait for it, wait for it….

Man and wife…

I want to make it known that the next three shots were all the brothers doing. We never asked them to hold hands, be goobs or jump. I am not kidding when I say these guys are beyond hilarious. Sneaky funny, a lot of joke bombs being tossed.

Let’s turn down the music on the dance floor for a minute and bring in a slow dance.

All the groomsmen sported some antler socks.

No one is ever going to accuse Tim of not “feeling” a song. EVER.

Oh Neff….this is how I remember you 10 years ago…still being a total goof and hilarious.

Fun, fun, fun!!! There you go TONICA…..and many many many more coming your way soon!

Jenn and Clifton~ Engaged

Kelly — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 04:10:58 +0000

In full disclosure we know Clif and Jenn. They go to our church and Ryan and Clif work in the “nerdery” at Moore and Giles together. So we know them but we know them even better than we thought we did because their story of getting together is so eerily similar to Ryan and my story.

You know how it goes…..friends for years until attraction starts forming and then you agonize over how in the world you could ever cross over into “Loversville” when “Friendville” has been so awesome. What if “Loversville” didn’t work out or “Loversville” felt weird? ”Friendville” is so comfortable and familiar…WE DON’T WANT TO MESS UP “FRIENDVILLE”! I am so glad Ryan and I got over our fear of leaving “Friendville” and I am soooo glad Clif and Jenn got over it too! What an awesome couple!

I am fairly certain if you looked up the word “kind” in the dictionary you would see Jenn’s smiling face looking back at you. She is so sweet, generous, and just plain nice. You can’t not like her. Clif is devilishly clever, ridiculously smart, and totally in love with his best friend and soon-to-be wife. They are pretty rad.

We had a sunny and cool February afternoon roaming the grounds of my friends land. There was LOTS of laughing, joke cracking and stories but these two managed to pull it together with a serious dose of romance. Without further ado…..

Not gonna lie, this is pretty steamy awesome!

So I have never hidden the fact that I am not a cat lover. I have never harmed a cat but I certainly don’t go out of my way to be nice. We have had a lot of bad experiences with cats in our neighborhood and I just think they are erratic and not friendly on the whole (don’t throw rocks cat lover readers). Any who….we had a furry friend following us EVERYWHERE the WHOLE time! It was more than annoying and you probably spotted this little guy in some of the photos even though we tried hard to chase him out of the way. I mean how can this kitty be anything but sweet?

He was SOOOO sweet he couldn’t keep his claws off of Jen and Clif. I had to show these shots because they make me giggle now even though at the time I was ready to punt the cat across the field. The last shot on the right is right before Ryan ripped the cat off Clif’s chest only to have the cat claw Clif’s tie causing some not-so-pleasant results to the tie. We owe Clif a tie now.

It was so worth cats clawing and sticks poking in order to get dreamy shots and beautiful lighting all evening long.

Five more weeks guys till we are shooting the real deal! We can’t wait to spend your big day with you both.

Lara and Matt~Engaged

Kelly — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:20:05 +0000

The first thing I notice when Lara and Matt walked over to greet us were they have the most gorgeous peepers and amazing double row of teeth smiles! This is going to be easy. Lara is the picture of class with her side chignon bun and satin pants….wowsers. Then we started shooting and I realized she could do the most amazing vulnerable, intense gaze into the lens. Jackpot! Poor Matt was getting sidestepped for Lara, not because he wasn’t killing it, but Lara was stealing the show. Rule number one of couples sessions, the girl always gets more camera time!

We spent a beautiful afternoon out at Leo Grande Vineyard. Although the leaves and grapes were long gone, it was still a rustic fall view with it’s own beauty. Lara and Matt and their dog Hoagie fell into rhythm quickly as did we.

You can’t shoot at a winery and not indulge in some wine, a complete hobby and past time of this couple.

This pergola is not only cute it boasts an amazing view. If it is this beautiful in the “dead” season…can you just imagine?

Classic first family photo.

I always love photos where you go from a serious shot to a laughing one but in the same position. Someone always breaks the ice.

Matt brought a family heirloom to the shoot. An amazing curved bench with this awesome yellow velour on it. Lara pretty much made that bench look the best it ever has!

I mean really….REALLY?

Yup….some purdy children in their future….wowsers! So great Matt and Lara, seriously! Thanks for ending our 2011 season with your awesome sauce all over it! We hope these keep your motor running till the big day in May. I can’t wait to get my hands on you in the spring Lara…bridals will be such a treat! Many blessings.

Monica and Tim~Engaged

Kelly — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:50:48 +0000

The Pamer brothers have a reputation with those that know them. They are highly creative, have some killer style and are incredibly witty. Ryan and I were so excited when we got middle brother, Tim’s, inquiry earlier this year. Not knowing Monica, we were pretty sure that Tim was marrying up and we wanted in on it.

We were totally right. Monica is kind, sweet, fun and an amazing compliment to Tim. She has an explosive laugh and “smiley eyes” that I adore. I told her the whole session that every time she looked at Tim her face settled into the most loving and sincere expression. It was really amazing. This is one of those sessions that flip flops feelings. Starting out in downtown Charlottesville and ending up at a rustic vineyard, you get a little bit of everything for the eyes. Happy Monday!

So beautiful Monica!

Want some fries with that shake? Oh snap….

Working the wall like he’s gettin paid.

I had to copy and paste this quote from Tim and Monica’s questionnaire because it is so sweet and honest and why they chose this spot for part of their session. “Having spent so much time downtown together there are many sentimental places here in Charlottesville. The most sentimental being the walk back to Monica’s old apartment where it took probably 20 to 30 attempts before I mustered up the courage to tell her how I felt. There’s a railroad bridge right off of the downtown mall on 4th St SE near Water St that we both cherish as a milestone in the journey to her front door.”

It was time to completely shift gears and go from urban to rustic. Tim and Monica chose a winery about 20 minutes outside of Charlottesville for us to explore. Castle Hill Cider to be exact. The sun was getting lower and the wind picking up but it was gorgeous everywhere the eye could see.

A quick game of Bocce before we headed to the tree line.

Digging the mustache socks

Emilie and Grayson Engaged

Kelly — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:46:26 +0000

“The first ten minutes are the most awkward for all of us, after that we will get in a rhythm together and it will be super comfortable” This is the usual line I lead with when we start a portrait session. Afterall, we easily could have been changing diapers and giving bottles just moments before we arrive to shoot. We have to shift gears from being parents to being professional photographers and that doesn’t always happen at frame one. Unless…..UNLESS you are handed a couple like Emilie and Grayson. I knew I liked them when I met with them for coffee in Richmond last year about booking their wedding. Easy, kind, loving, thoughtful, and full of great wedding ideas. Ryan wasn’t able to join me for that meeting but when I got home I said, “You are REALLY going to like them, they are totally our speed and a great fit for Kellan!” I was right. From frame one, the ease and delight they have in each other’s presence radiated through the moment the shutter clicked. It was a metaphor if I ever saw one! The next couple hours FLEW by and we shot until it was literally dark. We then spent the next hour/half warming up our fridged bodies over some Indian food and terrific conversation. They sent us off for our ride home with the most ADORABLE goodie basket of soup, bread and dessert….who does this? Wow! We felt so loved and still do.

It was a blustery afternoon at Carter Mountain Orchard in Charlottesville, VA but it was so insanely gorgeous that none of us minded. Enjoy this beautiful fall session.

We headed over to Ashlawn Highland, James Monroe’s summer home, for a change of scenery.

Emilie and Grayson wanted to incorporate some vintage elements into their shoot. She scoured some vintage stores in Atlanta to find some of these great details to help pull off their looks. She is positively DARLING in her hat and hatbox! We literally had 10 minutes of daylight left so we tried to squeeze as much as we could in.

Can you not just eat them up with a spoon? Gah, we adore you guys! What a spectacularly easy evening of shooting we had. Gorgeous views, great conversation, and incredible company. You have spoiled us rotten for what our 2012 season is going to look like! We can’t wait to see you guys soon!

Jessica and Drake~Married

Kelly — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 01:09:01 +0000

I can’t lie…I play favorites. It’s a well known fact that October is the BEST month to get married. I always wanted a fall wedding but was teaching at the time and couldn’t have a honeymoon if we got married during the school year, so like so many, we had a blazing-hot summer wedding. Even though wedding photographers are running on fumes by the fall a new sense of energy seems to emerge. The swampy summer humidity is traded for crisp evenings and leaves starting to blush their new shade to be. It’s invigorating and inspiring. I love it!

We met Jessica a few years back when shooting her brother’s wedding. She was sweet, kind and laid-back. Everything we love in a bride. When we got her inquiry over a year ago about her 2011 fall wedding plans we were happy for two reasons. One, we LOVE keeping it in the family. It’s so great to walk into a wedding and see so many familiar faces. Two, it was in October and it was local. YES PLEASE!

Jessica and Drake have a quiet love. The kind you see across the room at a restaurant. They don’t demand attention, they are quite unassuming in nature. They deeply and truly enjoy and love one another. It radiates from every glance you see them give one another and the kind gestures of affection they exchange. You just like them but more than that, you like them TOGETHER!

Jessica was the easy breezy bride you hope for that literally let everything go on the wedding day. An unbelievabley relaxed demeanor as she waited to see her groom standing at the end of the aisle. We enjoyed hitting some staples of Lynchburg with the bridal parties before the main event at St. Johns. Enjoy this beautiful fall celebration of two very incredible people.

Big Drake and Little Drake

Jessica’s grandma and her brother, Aaron

The beautiful matriarch of Drake’s family.

The uber manly groom’s cake. Apparently, Drake’s nickname is red dragon. This is the cake to symbolize it.

We stole the last moments of daylight for some private moments with the new couple before the festivities really kicked into gear!

Now that’s a dip!

Jessica made a quick change into this adorable knee length dress to finish out the evening!

Welcome back from your honeymoon and welcome to your new life as husband and wife!

Maria and Luke~Expecting

Kelly — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 19:22:53 +0000

Kind, gentle, genuine, sweet, loving, talented, godly, and expecting. Just a few words to describe Maria and Luke. Seriously…you can be around them for like two seconds and you will marvel at how incredibly sincere this couple is. A few of the Portnoy brothers have known Luke and Maria for some time now. Luke is also our amazing worship leader at our church. How blessed we are to be lead into the throne room in scripture and song by Luke’s beautiful voice each Sunday.

Like I said before, we make a few exceptions to the no family/babies/bellies shoot rule and I am so glad we did for the Hayden’s. This session turned out so beautiful and so “Kellanish” that I couldn’t wait to get home and upload our cards. Enjoy some of my favorites.

I’m pretty madly in love with the whole feel and tone of this portion of the shoot. It had been pouring on and off all day and quite dark by the time we got into the woods. We totally winged it on location and just started walking into various parts of the woods until we stumbled onto this fallen tree covered with lime green moss and incredibly intricate fungi. It was perfect, magical even!

This sign was made by our talented friend, Sunshine Lewis. You may remember her from some portfolio shots we did last year to launch her new shop. She is very good friends with Luke and Maria and wanted to make this sign for little Evangeline or “Evie” as she will be called.

Maria and Luke brought a few props that they wanted incorporated into the shoot. This dress was worn by Maria and her sisters when they were babies. Representing her heritage from El Salvador. How adorable is this dress to be handed down to Ms. Evie?

Luke bought this little dress for Evie

Representing Luke’s gene pool, a rocking MOOSE from his home state of Maine.

Favorite

Literally squeezing out the last moments of daylight…..

Sigh…..love the miracle of new life. Maria and Luke, you did amazing. Such a fun and EASY few hours. We rejoice in your precious, precious girl and can’t wait to meet her in just a few short months! Have a blessed third trimester Maria!

Serene and Doug~Married

Kelly — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 19:47:29 +0000

Like a blind date, we rolled up to Raspberry Plains Mansion one beautiful August afternoon with nervous butterflies in our stomachs. Would they like us, would they think we were funny, would we all have chemistry? Oh yes, yes we would! Serene is like that old friend from college that you had a blast with but hadn’t seen for awhile and you pick up right where you left off. Sure we had one Skype date and a couple phone calls…but this was the real deal…face to face on game day! We couldn’t have been more happy with how relaxed and fun this group was. Despite the threatening rain, there was NOTHING that could wipe a smile off of Serene’s face. She was just minutes away from marrying the love of her life….someone she met on the street outside where she was attending a bachelorette party for a bride we shot a few years ago…how cool is that? Who knew that Heather and Tim were paying it forward with their wedding weekend for another couple in the future!

I love the fresh palette of greens, gold, and ivory both inside and out…natural and manmade. A beautiful and fresh feel everywhere you looked. Huge thanks to Lauryn Galloway for coming up to assist us for this wedding!

Let’s get started by first oogling over her gorgeous Maggie Sottero gown and gold Kate Spade shoes! Uber feminine and mama likey!

Serene’s twin sister and her beautiful mother.

These girls were a blast and looked stunning in their grass green J.Crew dresses.

I can’t even explain how much Doug looks like my cousin but with blonde hair. It’s crazy!

Caught Doug’s dad shooting over our shoulder.

This grandma had some serious sass. Every time she passed my camera she would flash that great smile and do a shimmy for me. Haha…it makes me chuckle thinking about it right now. Hope I have that much spark in me when I get older!

Always love the moment that a couple gets after they finish walking down the aisle and get whisked away into the holding pen. They look at one another and you know the knowledge they are FINALLY married washes over them and they are giddy.

Despite the fact it constantly went from drizzling to flat out raining the rest of the night…Serene was determined to get in a private session outside and I was THRILLED!!! The gown was debuted, now it was time to have some stolen time away with her beloved.

Love with a side of steamy!

Her grandfather giving the blessing over the Challah bread.

I do believe we have caught a bonafied Roger Rabbit going on.

I have to end with this series because this crew LOVED to dance. This gentleman literally killed it on the dance floor by doing the most legit “Dougie” ever. Would you like him to teach you how to Dougie, t-t-t-t-t-teach you how to Dougie?

Serene and Doug, I’m so glad our first date turned out so well :-) We are beyond thrilled for you guys and were honored to play such a huge role in your big day! Many blessings to you as you start your new life together!