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month: February 2010




02.19.2010

Let me be honest.  I’m not exactly Sporty Spice.  I’ve been trying to pay attention to UK men’s basketball for the last several years, but I just couldn’t get into it. This season however?  Haven’t missed watching a game.  It’s a perfect storm of positive energy.  The talent, the coaching, the fanfare, the story—it’s hard not to stare.

UK’s PR department asked me to come out and document in my own style the events surrounding the record-breaking live broadcast of ESPN’s College GameDay.  I knew it was going to be a cool gig, but I had no idea what I was in for. 

Completely ovewhelming.  Electric.  For 4 hours, I raced around trying my best to capture the spirit of the events.  I hope you’ll love looking at these images, but trust me—You just had to be there.  Thanks, Kelley B!

When Coach Cal talks, everybody listens.  Love that guy!

Awhhh, yeah!  Who’s that guy?!  Thanks to Paul Hooper for grabbing this crazy shot of me.

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02.11.2010

Once the holidays have passed and there’s a bit of free time in my schedule, it’s always fun to spend a couple snowy winter days reflecting on the previous year’s images.  After combing through the 4,000 images that I used for wedding highlights slideshows in 2009, I got things narrowed down to one slideshow with 200-ish images. 

Could I ask a HUGE favor from each of you?  Here in a few weeks, I’ll be hanging some HUGE prints (6′x4′?) inside of Simply Love Studio’s new space downtown Lexington (at the corner of Main and Broadway).  My problem?  I have NO CLUE which three images I want to print.  Would you mind watching this Best of 2009 slideshow and pick out your favorite one or two images?  When people walk into Simply Love for their one-stop-shop wedding planning, I reeeeally want to make a good impression and I’m hoping that you can help me pick images that will resonate quickly and powerfully with folks.  Beyond just being pretty, I think it’s important that the images embody my style as a photographer—warm, clean, real, timeless, emotional, human images.

When the slideshow is finished, you can browse through the gallery and jot down the number.  Leave your favorites in the comment section below, or feel free to hit me up directly by email, facebook or whatever.  Thank you!  I really appreciate any help that you can give.  Bye! :)

16 comments so far
  • Amy Goodlett
    February 11th, 2010 at 5:15 pm

    I like 103, 56, 19. I think the attention to detail and how the photo makes everything in the pictures beautiful. Not just the subject!


  • Homeskillet
    February 11th, 2010 at 5:34 pm

    I love the shot of the pipes!!!

    Young bride by herself, hair up, strapless dress on antique green sofa.

    In front of house with ivy hedge, Bride leaning back with laughter. He is bearded and she has black frame glasses.

    I hate to recommend a pic of just a cake, since you don’t do cakes. But the one with the green ribbons, on the silver tray and the Lily on top is gorgeous!!!

    All the groomsmen in front of brown building. They’re wearing pale green ties/ [or] couple pics later brides dress hanging in front of oriental umbrellas

    Bride and her side of party in front of brick building. Dark dresses with red roses.

    Bride coming down isle with Dad. He has white hair, her dress is strapless. Church has pale yellow wall in background.

    BW pic, wedding in open church [I think] cross in background. Party has heads slightly bowed.

    Little boy and girl walking holding hands. Bride and grooms in background.

    Couple on small walking bridge holding hands.

    Not sure it would work for your add space but I love the american gothic pose!!! Ok I’m not sure who picked the shots with these two [your idea's or their's] but I love almost every one! First Am Gothic, then the elevator kiss, now the wedding party in pairs outside!

    Anyway, hope this helps you out bro! Great work as always!


  • Mike Metzler
    February 11th, 2010 at 6:34 pm

    Ahhh…I found the numbers for these photos! lol.
    photo pick #1, the Father is image 4,
    photo pick #2, the Couple is image 220,
    photo pick #3, the Children is image 43.
    I hope this helps even thought his is email response #3 today. I told you 3 is my favorite number….Mike


  • Rachel Caruso
    February 11th, 2010 at 8:44 pm

    178,183,218,225,237, 263,14,22,41,47,57, 70, 77, 85, 90,120, 131, 129, 126, 137,153, 175, 168


  • Taryn Layton
    February 11th, 2010 at 9:03 pm

    I LOVE #25…it’s like in the movie 27 Dresses when her favorite part is looking at the groom when the bride walks in. He looks so happy :) They are all amazing though. I also love the shots of shoes, lipstick, cakes…stand alone accessories. You do awesome work!


  • Kevin Reynolds
    February 11th, 2010 at 11:42 pm

    4, 40, 70, 84, 110, 153

    Seriously dude, do you only accept jobs if the people are beautiful? There are a ton of great shots there. The kid mesmerized by the cake is probably my favorite though.


  • Lisa
    February 12th, 2010 at 2:17 pm

    135, 145 & 259 - all are beautiful shots!


  • Kellie
    February 12th, 2010 at 3:33 pm

    Hi Shaun,

    I do not envy you trying to narrow these down! You have a ton of ‘wow’ images!

    These were some of my favorites that shriek ‘Shaun Ring’ to me:

    9, 35, 47, 49, 68, 77, 79, 95, 104, 129, 131, 135, 175, 191, 210, 229, 230, 234, 237, 242 and 259

    =]

    Good Luck! I can’t wait to see what you choose!!!

    Kellie


  • Robin Doyle
    February 12th, 2010 at 3:40 pm

    It was so hard to choose!! They are all very very very good pictures! I have it narrowed down to these:

    #47 is awesome!
    #210 is awesome!
    #163 I love love love!
    #245 is aboslutely priceless (I think my fav)
    I also love #3, #43, #205 & #226

    And by the way, where were you when I got married??? And why didn’t I know about your amazing skills???


  • Cynthia
    February 12th, 2010 at 4:58 pm

    Ok, SO many awesome ones to choose from! I jotted down 17, 39, 49, 54, 76, 85, 88, 90, 127. :)


  • Jess Manning
    February 13th, 2010 at 4:05 pm

    Hi Shaun! We are so honored to be included in some of your “faves”!
    Here are our choices (biased as they may be): 40, 135, and 263.
    And, in the name of modesty here are our “fair faves”: 4, 243 and 135 :) Ok, so there are a million more that we love. What if you just bought a warehouse, printed them all, and started your own “gallery”. It’s brilliant….and soooooooo cost effective!
    Looking forward to seeing you soon,
    J and B


  • Kelly H.
    February 13th, 2010 at 9:14 pm

    I guess I think if the place is called “Simply Love,” you should have photos that reflect that emotion.

    I like: 22, 33, 67, 77, 118, (I just LOVE 137), 147

    All of the shots of cakes and shoes and peripherals are AWESOME but brides want to know you can make them look beautiful and capture the emotion of their special day. Just sayin . . .

    Also, my daughter got engaged today (surprised by her beau a day early). . . if I can get her to come home to KY, can we work a deal??


  • Lisa
    February 15th, 2010 at 2:23 pm

    I love your work. Here are my faves:
    16
    49
    65
    81
    110
    153
    206
    213
    242
    262
    264


  • Amber Boozer
    February 15th, 2010 at 2:52 pm

    OMG! You know I LOVE all of your pictures….some of my faves are #135,40,61,126,163,175,249,263,183


  • Hanna S.
    February 25th, 2010 at 7:15 pm

    12,41,51,79,90,110,135,150,254, :)


  • tracy jones
    March 9th, 2010 at 11:17 am

    The shot near the beginning with the dad/grandfather crying and the bride to the right. Made me cry for a split second!


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02.02.2010

2009 was a crazy busy year, thank goodness.  In an otherwise tight economy, my real estate stayed pretty steady, and photography jumped WAY up.  Katie, Carson and I took a couple fun vacations.  I was hitting all of my deadlines, delivering awesome service to my customers.  Everything on the surface seemed pretty good, but behind it all was one insanely stressed out person, trying desperately to hold it all together.

Trying to still carve out time for Katie and Carson during the day, I would work through the night on more occasions than I care to admit.  I leaned on caffeine as a way to keep me moving.  Zero exercise.  Poor eating.  With no time left, I rarely visited with my friends.  I still got to spend some time with my parents and brother, but not as much as I would have liked.

During one of my last weddings of the year, I thought for sure I was going to pass out on the dance floor, right there with my camera in my hand. My heart started racing, my head was spinning, and each thud from the speakers was reverberating through me, almost syncopated with my quickening pulse.  Yikes.  That’s when I knew something would have to change—and quickly.

2009 ended with me taking a 1 month break from blogging.  Real estate and photography were pretty much wrapped up for the year.  I slept—a lot.  I reconnected with folks.  I spent a bunch of time at home recouping.  It was during this period of reflection that I made the decision to hire somebody that could help take the edge of things during 2010.

I will always thank my good friend and equally amazing realtor John Rice for telling me about Candi.  They had worked together before in real estate, and he knew that she was also an aspiring photographer.  Could it be?  Someone organized, who also had some real estate and photography background?  After some informal meetings, I quickly came to realize that Candi was a talented go-getter with a super-optimistic personality.  A perfect fit for helping me with my businesses.

In just the first full month of 2010, Candi has helped me to get things organized and she’s been setting up systems that will allow me to just focus on what I love most—being with people.  I’ll be able to focus on my relationships, personal health, and still keep providing rock-solid service in real estate and photography.  I know that 2010 will be a year I’ll look back on as being a game-changer.  It will be the year that I took back ownership of my personal life.

There’s a lot that I’m looking forward to sharing with you all, and I hope that you’ll root me on as I work to find balance in my life.  It’s not easy!

Let me introduce you to Candi Thies (”h” is silent, rhymes with “peace”).  She’s my right hand from here on out.  Thank you, Candi, for all you’ve already done to improve my life and businesses.  Katie and Carson thank you, too!  2010 is going to rock!  :)

5 comments so far
  • Jackie
    February 2nd, 2010 at 6:41 pm

    Woohoo! Can’t wait to meet you, Candi!


  • Jesse
    February 2nd, 2010 at 8:43 pm

    I’m so happy for you… And envious! I wish I was so busy I needed help.
    But your right in your decision, family first!


  • Brandi
    February 2nd, 2010 at 10:30 pm

    Shaun,
    Yahoooooo! Yay! I am so very happy for you! FINALLY! You have been saying this forever. You are so deserving of this. I’m confident Candi will make things much more enjoyable for you. I am so proud of you. YAY KATIE, you’ll get to see your husband more :)


  • Candi
    February 2nd, 2010 at 10:57 pm

    I am so humbled….Thanks so much, I am having a blast! I can’t wait to meet everyone! Thanks for welcoming to your family.

    See u first thing in the morning!


  • John Rice
    February 3rd, 2010 at 9:27 pm

    I bet even when you thought you were going to pass out, you still had a big smile on your face and the pictures you would have taken on your way down would have been amazing!


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02.01.2010

The biggest change I’m making to my personal and business life in 2010 is restructuring things so that I can spend more time with Katie and Carson.  I’ll be discussing some of those changes in future blog posts, but in the meantime, enjoy these pics of our family fun out in the snow a couple days ago.  Good times!

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