connect & create

taking a sick day...or two

the fever's makin' me do it. i'm shutting off the computer and resting as much as possible so i can feel better! All phone calls and emails will be answered as soon as possible...thanks for understanding!

Baby Roman Sneak Peek | Atlanta Baby Photographer

Angelena and Michael, you are such a beautiful couple, and this baby of yours is beyond handsome...I had a hard time picking just two for your sneak peek! Enjoy!

This one just kills me- you are the most gorgeous family!

Hopefully these will hold you guys for a little while! :-) 

xoxo, desiree

Ashleigh and Brandon Sneak Peek | Atlanta Engagement Photographer

Here's a little peek for you guys! You have some HOT pictures to choose from! Your gallery will be ready soon!

        

Shannon and Kevin Engagement Session | Atlanta Engagement Photographer

You know in the movie Hitch, when Will Smith (Hitch) is trying to explain to Kevin James (Albert) how to give a woman a kiss at the end of a date? He's says to lean in 90% and let her make the move for the other 10%... Shannon and Kevin were so cute and kept using that example when I told them to "almost kiss." So from here on out that's going to be my new description for that type of kiss- the 90% kiss!

  

  

Shannon had arranged for us to go to Barnsley Gardens and Oh. My. Gosh. I'd never been there before and my jaw seriously hit the ground when I pulled up. BEAUTIFUL. And SO quiet and peaceful. There's a really sweet story about the house in the above pictures, and it's just a really cool, really magical place.

  

I think they should tell people that this is their house... :-)

This next one is one of my favorites...

Shannon and Kevin, you guys are so cute and love that you have such a great friendship in addition to long lasting love! I can't wait to see you at your wedding!! Enjoy!

Heather and Steve Engagement Session/ Atlanta Engagement Photographer

Oh my gosh I think this shoot was one of my favorites so far. Heather and Steve kept saying that they were SO un photogenic- um, I proved them SO wrong! Hottie hot hotness...

As soon as heather got out of the car with her plaid stilettos, I knew this was gonna be good. They wanted a super-preppy look first, so we went to a big open field for the first half of the session. They were troopers and braved the snakes and waist high grass, and I think it was totally worth it, don't you?

Then they did a quick wardrobe change in the car- told you they were troopers- and we headed to the warehouses...

New Favorite- I LOVE this shot! I think it's going on my wall!

Legs for miles! Check out the hotness here- oh my goodness!

Heather and Steve- I just love you both so much and I'm so happy to see you so happy! I can really see the love between you two, and you have a fire for each other that is just so unique and hard to find. I can't wait to be there on your wedding day and I'm privileged that you asked me to be a part of such an intimate day! Enjoy your gallery- your password is on it's way!

Oh, and check out your cool slideshow!!!! Video courtesy of my totally amazing husband...:-)

Heather and Steve from desiree bell on Vimeo.

so much cuteness... {part 1}

had the pleasure of photographing this little princess...

 LOVE that mom was so warm and laid back and chill- makes my job very easy...

 LOVE that little Olivia was wearing stripes and pattern and color- I’m a BIG fan of stripes!

Stay tuned for { part 2 } ...

World Autism Awareness Day

So I’ve been spending lots of time working on my new website, and no time over here at my blog. I have to admit, I really think I should have hired someone to do the website work for me. But now I’ve gone this far, I have to finish it! I’m very excited for the launch, which should be very soon...new, edgy look, new music, new photos...very, very soon! I wanted to write a quick post about Autism Awareness Day...fortunately my family has not been affected by autism, but I think if you’re a parent- you should be aware of autism, the red flags to look for, and the discussions raging in the medical community.

 I highly recommend the book Mother Warriors  by Jenny McCarthy. Even though I don’t have a child with autism, I took some great information from that book. I also received the powerful message that every mother is their child’s warrior. Whether you are fighting for their health, or just their ability to stay happy and creatively stimulated on a rainy day, you are the one most interested and invested in your child’s life. Here are some links for more information on autism and donating to the cause of awareness: 

Autism Speaks

Toys R Us/ Help Solve the Puzzle

Defeat Autism Now!

Today I am thankful for my healthy son, my ever-present quest for knowledge that will make me a better mother, and Brock’s wonderful pediatrician who firmly believes that you are your child’s biggest advocate.

trash the dress...

this session was done back in the fall, but I waited until now to share it with you because it goes along with my Big Announcement. I will officially be booking weddings starting this year. I will be accompanied by an assistant at each wedding, and my bookings will be strictly limited. I want to make sure each bride and groom get the full attention they deserve, so I will not book more than one wedding per weekend, and I will limit the number of weddings per month. April and May are full. I am booking through 2010 right now, and fall is shaping up to be a busy season, so contact me asap if you are interested in wedding/engagement. I’d love to get together with you (preferably at a Starbucks so I can have a chai latte!) and discuss your special day. That way, we can see if we’re the perfect fit for each other! One of the package add ons I will be offering is a Trash The Dress session. I really don’t like that name since it sounds a little scary- we won’t actually be ripping your dress to shreds (unless you want to, of course!). Maybe it should be called Wet The Dress. Or Mess The Dress. I WISH I had done this before my dress was cleaned and preserved. I think these sessions are So fun and sexy and WHEN are you ever going to wear that dress again, really? Trust me, your daughter isn’t going to want to wear it. :-) So, without further ado, here is the beautiful Julie who braved FREEZING water like a PRO to get these shots. Not one complaint from her. My feet were in the water and that was cold enough for me thankyouverymuch.

A Fresh Start...A New Year...

I can hardly believe another year has come and gone! I have SO much to share with you in the upcoming weeks:

• a New LOOK to my website and blog
• a new STYLE for my business
• pictures of some special clients and FUN sessions
• news about new PRICING, PRODUCTS, and PROJECTS
• a BIG announcement
• holiday pics from my little family to yours
• my new affiliation with a very special CHARITY

and LOTS more! But for today, let me just say THANK YOU to everyone who has made my first year in business such a success. I am incredibly blessed to do what I love to do, and I feel privileged to be able to share in the love and laughs of your life. I’ve learned some lessons this year. (Too many choices are a BAD thing. The holiday card season will kick my butt.) I’ve met some wonderful families and some seriously sweet couples. Thank you for trusting me with your memories, and I can’t wait to see what 2009 has in store for us!

cutie patootie family...

This weekend I had an amazing session with this family. They were all so sweet an those kids are Charmers!! It was so fun to see all of the kids interact with each other- they're all really close in age and you can see (amidst the picking on each other) the love that they share. And the boys are so protective of their littlest sister- even though they probably wouldn't admit it... :-)

I hope I get to do a session with the whole family sometime soon because mom is a hottie and I know she'd be fun to shoot- very cool and remarkably chill even with four kids!

Check out the personalities of these kids!! 

Neely- I know you were dying to see this sneak peek! I hope this is what you were hoping for- it was an honor to capture these images of your fun family! I'll let you know when your gallery is up!

hugs, desiree