California, Part 2 : : Through My Lens

Yesterday, Jen and I took a drive to the old Mission in Santa Barbara. There was so much beauty, amazing architecture and history that we couldn't put our camera's down.

We also got to play paparrazi later that night at the Santa Barbara Film Festival and met Kate Winslet...Jen even snagging an autograph! We were totally star-struck and pretty excited to have had an opportunity to snag some photos of this lovely actress.















Doing a little wine tasting on the wharf
A friendly Heron


Actress Bai Ling

Kate Winslet!

California, Part 1 : : Through My Lens

Jen and I are into day three of our trek down the coast of California. It has been a journey of incredible sights, encounters with wildlife and truly getting back to our roots of our beginning love of photography. Today we sit in Santa Barbara, sipping coffee at a hip little coffee house, and look through our many images we've taken.

The following images are just a few from the journey thus far.



We stopped dead on the street to take pictures of this coyote. Totally amazing.

You know I can't resist a bird picture.


Elephant seals. There were hundreds of them lining this beach.
One thing I absolutely love about this state...the many organic fruit farm stands along the way.


Our first night in California we stayed at the Hotel Diva in San Francisco. A totally appropriate stop for this duo.

Packing Up and Heading Out!

Today I am flying out to warmer climates and meeting up with my dear friend and studio partner, Jen, for a little winter getaway in California! After a busy year, I am taking 10 days to get out of the cold, rejuvinate my spirit, and spend some time trekking down the coast and taking in the beautiful sights. It's a trip we have been looking forward to and a much needed getaway from my computer!

I will be checking my email and voice mails while I am away, but please allow me a little extra time for me to get back to you. Check my blog and Twitter for updates while I am away!

Lindsay + Ben : : Preview Gallery

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Lindsay and Ben's wedding was absolutely fabulous in so many ways. Not only is this couple sweet, warm and loving...I quickly learned that so were their friends and families. And speaking of family, Lindsay and Ben had a unique family dynamic in which Lindsay's older sister is married to Ben's older brother. Both of their families had already been through a wedding together five years ago! Totally cool.

This couple was married at the beautiful Third Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, followed by a reception at the University Club. Between the ceremony and reception, we headed out for some pictures downtown where this group was more than willing to get chilly for a bit for some pictures in the snow. Lindsay even going it alone without her coat! That's dedication friends!

Lindsay and Ben also rented a horse-drawn carriage for some of their pictures and we rode along in the snowy streets of Grand Rapids. Ben proposed to Lindsay on a carriage last year and it was a perfect sentiment to incorporate into their wedding day.

Ben and Lindsay - I hope you are enjoying the warm weather in St. Lucia! Enjoy your preview!

The glamour girls, showing off their fabulous shoes

Reminder : : Full Day Workshop...Only a few spots left!

Due to increasing demand, Jen and I have decided to make all your wishes come true and host a FULL DAY WORKSHOP!

We are super excited about this and have done a ton of brainstorming about what we should include and teach you!

Here are all the juicy details:

Cost: $500 (or $350 per person for studio teams)

Date: March 14th, yes, finally a Saturday!!

Times: 10am -6pm

Whats in the bag?

Getting your business started, branding yourself, advertising and marketing tips by the pro’s (us)
Shooting RAW and JPG, Manual settings, working with natural light, using flash, off camera flash and post process of your images and just about anything else your little heart desires!
We will be spending a majority of the day working in our studio building with a little side trip included in the afternoon for some location work.

Who is this class for?

If you consider yourself an amateur photographer or beginner, then this may not be the class for you.

This class is for people who have working knowledge of their DSLR cameras and flash. Please bring with you the following items:

Your camera
Any lenses you have
Your flash
Memory cards
If you have a laptop, please bring that as well
A notebook to take notes with

Deposits are $100 to hold your spot. We will be providing morning coffee and yums with lunch being provided in the afternoon.

We will also have a bride and groom plus a high school senior to model for us!

To ensure everyone gets enough hands on attention we are limiting the amount of sign ups, so act fast!

Please email me amy@acarrollphotography.com or Jen info@jkphotographyonline.com for more information, questions or to sign up!

Thanks to everyone who has given us suggestions and requests over the past year on what they would like to see! We look forward to a fabulous day and can’t wait to share this course with you!

Lindsay + Ben : : Married!

Lindsay and Ben were married yesterday in Grand Rapids in a fabulous winter ceremony. This couple was totally committed in the chilly weather for the photos after the ceremony as we headed downtown for portraits and a carriage ride. Look for a preview later this week!

Kate + Jason : : Preview Gallery

Friday, January 9, 2009

My first wedding of 2009 started off on a high note...creative, unique and full of love.

Kate and Jason were married Friday evening at the Grand Haven Community Center. Upon arrival, I found Kate calmly putting the final touches on decorations. This creative bride made her totally fabulous feather bouquet, the boutineers, and many of the other unique touches of their wedding day.

With no formal wedding party, it was a gathering of close friends and family. Kate and Jason kept their wedding day true to them, an intimate celebration, beautiful details and a few twists to keep it interesting.

Kate + Jason : : Married!

Kate and Jason had a truly unique and truly fabulous wedding Friday evening in Grand Haven. Don't miss their preview gallery later this week (totally loving her handmade, feather bouquet!)

The Johnston's : : Family Session

Saturday morning this adorable family drove over from the other side of the state and we rocked out a super fun session at the studio. Evelyn is turning 1 next week and was nothing but smiles the entire time. Talk about a perfect session!


No first birthday celebration should go without a fabulous, messy birthday treat.









Multi-tasking...this series of pictures were taken with baby Evie on my hip.

2008 Wedding Recap

While I've been enjoying a little break in my busy schedule, I didn't want anyone to think that I've completely forgotten my blog, and wanted to take a few minutes today to thank all of my fabulous 2008 clients for their business.

Throughout the next few weeks I will be putting together some of my favorite pictures from my 2008 sessions and weddings. Today's post features all of my amazing 2008 brides and grooms from the past year. Looking through all of the images today gave me some fond memories of some amazing moments, laughter and the fun of working with so many great people. I can't wait to see what 2009 brings!