Halloween Costume Photo Contest Winners!!!

First, I would like to thank all of you who participated in the J. Michael Photography Halloween Costume Photo Contest!  I was amazed at the amazing amount of votes the winners managed to bring in! I have enjoyed every second of watching you all vote, comment, and support your family and friends. Thank you all so much for "liking" J. Michael Photography in the process.

AND THE WINNER IS......

3^rd place:   $50.00 credit towards an on-site photo session
NICOLE METZ with 115 Votes!!!

 

2^nd place:  One hour on-site photo session for up to 5 people
JESSICA LYN MURRAY with 396 Votes!!

 

1^st place:  Two hour on-site photo session of your choice for up to 5 people with a $50.00 print credit
MEGAN LEWIS with 423 Votes!!

Halloween Costume Photo Contest

J. Michael Photography

Halloween Costume Photo Contest
3 Grand Prize Winners

J. Michael Photography has put together our FRIST ever photo contest for YOU…our fans! Starting Monday, October 24, 2011, you will be able to submit your favorite Halloween Costume Photo for the chance to win some awesome prizes from J. Michael Photography!  It’s time for you to be the photographer!!!

Rules & Regulations

1.   Enter a photo of you, friends, family, pets, etc. dressed up for Halloween!!!  (The subject and image must be PG rated to qualify.)    

2.   Halloween Costume photo entries must be emailed to me at jmichaelphotography@hotmail.com by November 4, 2011 at midnight to qualify.  You must include your name, address, and phone number in the email with your photo.

3.   Photos will be posted to my facebook page:  J. Michael Photography in an album labeled “Halloween Costume Photo Contest.”  Photos will be posted as they are received.

4.   The photo that has the most “likes” will win.   You MUST have at least 10 likes for your photo to qualify.  Be sure to tell your family and friends to like J. Michael Photography and like your photo!!!! SHARE! SHARE! SHARE!

5.   Voting will close on November 11, 2011 at midnight.

6.   The photo MUST be a photo taken by you, family, or friends.  Copies or scanned images of professional photos will not be accepted.

7.   Winners must be willing to travel to a location within a 30 mile radius of Berkeley Springs, WV or within a 30 mile radius of Wilmington, NC.  (Please note that NC photo shoot times and dates are limited.)

8.   Prizes can be used for any type of session (family, seniors, pet, children).

Prizes

3^rd place:   $50.00 credit towards an on-site photo session.

2^nd place:  One hour on-site photo session for up to 5 people.

1^st place:  Two hour on-site photo session of your choice for up to 5 people with a $50.00 print credit.

**NOTE:  All prize sessions must take place in 2012.

Have those cameras ready at those costume parties, trick or treat night, and all those fun times in between!!!!  Photograph those scary, cute, funny, and creative costumes and submit your entry ASAP!!!

Senior Spotlight: Cierra Younker

Full Name:  Cierra Elizabeth Younker

Nick Name:  " C " " lizz " " CiiCii "

Hometown:  Berkeley Springs, WV

High school:  Berkeley Springs High School

Favorite TV Show:  TrueBlood or The Real L Word -that’s a hard one-

Favorite Movie:  Daybreakers or Coraline -also a hard one-

Favorite Food:  Salad ♥

Favorite Music:  Depends on the day, I like all music

Favorite Teacher at BSHS:  Jennifer Michael, DUH

Which is your favorite, Facebook or Twitter?  

TWITTER ♥

Could you live without social networking?  

Yes

If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?  

Germany, for sure

What is your most prized possession?  

My Life

How do you spend your free time?  

hanging out with friends:)

What is something most people don’t know about you?  

My eyes are never the same color two days in a row.

If you had a theme song for your life, what would it be?

An Ever-Growing Wonder by We Came As Romans

What do you consider your best quality?

My eyes or My tattoos

Who is the most influential person in your life?
Both of my grandmothers

How many tats do you have?

8

What does your tat artwork represent?

My diamonds represent nothing (they were my first, and I just wanted a tattoo).   My rose is for my grandmother who has passed. My two swallows stand for loyalty to myself. The saying on my back was a one year anniversary tattoo with my ex boyfriend (mistake, but I love it). The saying on my other side is also for my grandmother and the elephant on my forearm is for good luck. :)

What are your plans after high school?

Beauty School

Tia Marie

As I have always believed that each image tells a beautiful story, these images of Tia Marie tell SO much.  So much that I could never put it all to words, but to show the world just how precious she is to me…I am going to try. 

From an awkward third grader to an amazing, independent, radiant woman in her thirties, Tia Marie has been my best friend for twenty four years.  We have been through just about everything that two friends could go through together. We have had our ups and downs and have even gone through a period of time without speaking.  We have seen each other through marriage, divorce, death, accomplishment, loss, distance, kids, dogs, laughter, tears, sickness…just to name a few.

Through it ALL there is one thing that remains the same…we will always be a part of each other’s story!  We will always share a common bond that only the two of us could understand.  In the story book of life, God intended for the two of us to become friends on that day in third grade as two awkward, skinny girls with glasses shared a moment that has kept us together for twenty four years.  There is one thing that is for sure, and that is that no matter where this crazy world takes us, there is NOTHING that will ever change us to the point where we will not always be friends.

Tia Marie, when I look at these beautiful images of you.  I see our story as friends and your story as an amazing, independent, radiant woman.  I see a woman who like fine wine has only gotten better with age!!  I love you and can’t wait to see what God had planned for our next thirty years!!

"The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart."  ~Elisabeth Foley

Rick & Nicole’s E-Session

What a cute couple!  Rick and Nicole drove two hours to be photographed by me and were the subjects of my first ever e-session.  We started out with a huge laugh when our adventures along the C & O Canal lead us to some bikers who had sat up camp along the trail.  I’m pretty sure they were as startled by us as we were by them. 

I have know Nicole for several years and it was so refreshing to see her so happy and in love.  Her fiancé, Rick, was such a sport as this crazy photographer, who he had just met, asked him to do strange things.  Even their cute dog Roscoe was a good sport and posed for the camera. 

I don’t think they noticed, but deep down, I was nervous and prayed that I was able to capture their special moment in the way that they were hoping for.  I wish them both much happiness and love as they begin their adventure together to becoming husband and wife.

25 Random Things About J. Michael the Photographer

1.   I drink one can of Coke a Cola a day….it is my morning cup of coffee.

2.  I miss my grandma more and more everyday!

3.  I am and always will be a Carolina Girl at heart. You can take the girl out of the south, but you can’t take the south out of the girl.

4.  My mama is my role model. She is one of the most independent women I know and she taught me how to be a self-sufficient, independent woman. She has made me who I am today.

5.  I love to curl up on the couch and nap with my two dogs, Bailey and Chloe.

6.  I am proud of who I am and who I have become.

7.  I have always loved photography a I believe one picture can tell the most beautiful story. I want to tell others your story.

8.  I am married to my soul mate, my best friend!

9.  I have Lyme Disease, but I will not be defeated by spiral shaped bacteria!

10.  I know it will cost you nothing to BELIEVE and everything not to. 

11.  I can be caught wearing flip flops in the dead of winter.

12.  Having a baby of my own will finally connect me to someone in a way that only I could understand.

13.  Some of my favorite things include: flip flops, the beach, sweet tea, diamonds, chocolate, southern hospitality, gardening, my blackberry, country music, a good cozy sweatshirt, accessories, clothes, my Canon DSLR, warm smells, my husband, our kids, Bailey, Chloe, good food, cute hair styles, shopping, and my friends.

14.  I hate lies! I can’t stand to be lied to and because I hate lies, I won’t lie to you.

15.  I am obsessive compulsive. Everything has its place. If you move it, I will know.

16.  Being obsessive leads to anxiety. I have generalized anxiety disorder that causes panic attacks. They are embarrassing…especially in public.

17.  I LOVE my job.  Being a Special Education teacher for the past nine years has been one of the most rewarding career choices I could have ever made.

18.  I have an amazing extended family that I do not get to see as often as I would like but I love them with all my heart.

19.  I have learned that you can’t have it all. You have to find what it is in life that makes you happy and embrace it.  Celebrate life!!

20.  I have an AMAZING support group and I am blessed beyond anything I could have ever dreamed for myself...my cup runneth over!

21.  I love a country home with lots of pictures of family and friends, primitives, and a cozy throw blankets to curl up in.

22.  My heart breaks when people use children to get what they want or hurt them. Children are a blessing and our future.

23.  I hate when others assume they know things about me or what is going on in my life. If you want to know something, just ask. I tell you what you need to know. Spreading rumors about me behind my back is not necessary. Those that gossip with you, will gossip about you.

24.  I LOVE the view from my front porch looking in. My covered front porch with my rocking chairs and porch swing is my oasis.

25.  I believe your story begins at home. Mine did and the story still doesn’t have a conclusion…stay tuned for the next chapter.

My First Blog

Welcome to J. Michael Photography!! This is the first of many blogs as the adventure begins.  All my life I have been surrounded by photography.  I was either being photographed by my father who spent many years as a professional film photographer or I was going through camera after camera.  It seemed that my dad was always buying me a camera or handing one down to me in his own exploration of the best with changing technology.  I ALWAYS had a camera in my hand even though most of the time...I had no idea what I was really doing!

So here I am today learning all aspects of photography through every avenue possible and starting the beginning of J. Michael Photography with the help of my father and my amazing husband.  Their purchase of my professional Canon DSLR has started the makings of J. Michael the Photographer.

Thanks for visiting! There will be photos and more blogs to come...