Brandi had the chance today to surprise Coach Cal with a totally edible cake modeled after the University of Kentucky Wildcats’ newly acquired 2012 NCAA Championship trophy. She and her husband Shawn are Big Blue Nation devotees, so getting the chance to present Cal with the cake was a pretty huge deal. I don’t think Brandi had a bit of sleep all weekend, though I’d bet she’s taking a nap right now…LOL.

To Brandi—I love seeing awesome things happen to awesome people. Your work is outstanding, but it’s your spirit as a person that shines. Congrats on this opportunity!

Here are some of my favorite shots from this morning:

We met at the back of Cumberland Hill in a quaint, little-known section of Veterans Park, for what the boys had been told was a family portrait session. It was cold and cloudy, but they were great sports. This is a place they come often just to play, so it was the perfect fit to keep the boys from suspecting anything.

Of course, they were eager to show me around their favorite spots.

Zachary and Billy were hoping to show me some shrimp they’d been studying. Smart boys, these two.

And here’s where we start setting things up. A casual family shot on the bridge.

By now, though, family-friend Emily has texted Jackie to announce that she’s in the parking lot with the new puppy. So I gather up the family in a section of a field so that their backs are to the parking lot.

I then invite Jackie and Bill to come stand behind me while I photograph the boys’ antics. Meanwhile, Emily is walking down the hill toward us, unbeknownst to Zachary and Billy, of course.

I tell the boys to let their parents grab some iphone video of them playing, while I move out of the way. The boys kept their eyes on Jackie and Bill while I moved around behind them to capture this:

Billy and Zachary decided that Rosie Mosie would be her name. She even waved at me during the group shot. Hilarious, eh?

I think it’s obvious the boys enjoyed their surprise.

Of course Bill seems pretty content, too.

As does Jackie.

And Rosie will be one well-loved pup.

To the Powells—Thank you for including me in your special day. You’re awesome. And I’m looking forward to the day that Rosie and Cera get to meet!

If you’re new to this blog, I hope you enjoyed the story. I’d love for you to stop by again. Keep in touch! -shaun

Eloise and Charlie are awesome. They are already showing their differences in temperament, but there’s definitely common ground there that will keep them close for the rest of their lives. Shaye and Cristina are doing quite well balancing it all, too. I know from experience how tough that first year can be—-with one baby.

To Cristina and Shaye—Thank you for choosing me for the kids’ first photo shoot. I enjoyed my time with you all. You’re amazing mommies, and you have a perfect little family, full of love. I’m glad we’re friends now! Stay in touch! Oh, and thanks for letting me hold the kids. It’s a sweet age and makes me miss Carson being that little. Soak up these days!

To everyone who stumbled on this post—Thanks for stopping by! I hope you’ll connect with me HERE (my personal facebook page) and HERE (the studio’s facebook—great for hearing about upcoming events and promotions). Take care!

I love this series.

Hahahaha…Charlie, I’m sorry to tell you, but this scenario will continue to play out over and over again as you get older.

These pacifiers are the coolest.

At 20 years of age listening to those Counting Crows lyrics, I just assumed that the uncertainty in my life would never change. In fact, it was a romantic idea to think that growing older didn’t mean having normalcy. In 1999, I was a songwriting, music-performing, non-committing wanna-be rockstar. Drama was good. Even if it came at the expense of those around me. Thankfully, those who loved me were patient and supportive as I figured out how to remove my head from, well, you know…

It’s a funny thing. As much as music was a huge part of my life, I rarely play anymore. The piano and guitar sit in the living room gathering dust, except for when Carson wants to make up new kids songs. The truth is, I wrote music back then as a way to sort out my ideas, and I performed that music as a way to garner attention toward a persona I had adopted. But it wasn’t me.

Now I’m thirty-three and this is me. I don’t have it all figured out, but I’m happy and at peace exactly where I am right now. My family is awesome. We don’t have an extravagant lifestyle, but we have a ton of cool experiences. I’m working plenty of hours, but it doesn’t feel like labor as much as it feels like living. That’s good stuff, but it doesn’t make for good songwriting. And that’s a-okay with me.

Thanks for being a part of my life, you all!  -shaun

And since all posts are better with a photo, here’s one of Bill and me (Beast and Ringo) in the fall of ‘99 as we were about to drive to Cleveland for our first Crows show. Crazy…

This is so classic. “Oooh, I love my dress.” vs “Oooh, I love my candy.”

Oops.

No worries…Kelley B and the tickle-monster can make everything better.

Ding!

Thanks for stopping by! Feel free to connect with me on Facebook!

The wines are complex (numerous awards to prove it) and the menus are clever—no, brilliant. Executive chef Justin Thompson is a true talent. But there’s something else the O’Daniels create that keeps bringing people back.

It’s the passion. From the extensive garden out back, to the beehives, to the servers who come in on days off to help out on the farm because they’re like one big family. From the glassware they have custom-made because it fits their brand perfectly, or to the fact that they told their photographer (ehemm..) to put down his camera and sit down to a five course meal with them and some of their close friends. Very cool. Very passionate people.

With such attention to detail, it’s shocking how approachable and down-to-earth the mood is. Very organic. Not an ounce of pretense.

Here are some of my favorite shots from Jean Farris Winery and Bistro. Enjoy the photos, but please don’t stop there. Next time you want an amazing dining experience, go to http://www.jeanfarris.com and make your plans. And please tell them you read this post! Thanks!

And if you’re looking for all the parts of the series, you can follow the links below. Thanks for stopping by!

Part 1: Style

Part 2: Pricing

Part 3: Experience

Part 4: Personality

I had heard that Julia was an uber-talented singer/songwriter, but it wasn’t until this summer that I had the chance to see her perform live at Natasha’s in downtown Lexington. I once fancied myself as a musician, too, so I’m speaking from experience here—she’s the real deal. Julia has a perfect balance of old-soul and fresh youth. Stage presence. Lyrics that speak to a deeper understanding of life than you might expect at her age—15. And her work ethic? Wow. She inspires me to work harder at the things I’m passionate about.

Julia’s mom Gina contacted me to help out with the photography for the first album being released. So one sunny fall afternoon, I met up with them at an empty, older farm house in Paris (thanks Kris and Molly!). I love how this session turned out. It’s such a tricky thing…I wanted the images to reflect that juxtaposition of youth and maturity that Julia embodies so well. She’s thoughtful and poised one minute, then light and spontaneous the next.

Here are some of my favorites from that session:

Fast-forward to January 5 of this year. Julia’s fans packed Natasha’s for the album release party. Standing room only. Julia sold and signed albums, and then took to the stage to perform both some solo numbers, and well as some with her musical friends who’ve been so supportive along the way.

David McLean is her guitar instructor, mentor and friend.

Julia surprised him with a new look.

Victoria is not only a supportive younger sister, but she’s also quite a talented artist. Some good genes in that family!

Raw talent is essential to grow a successful music career, but equally important is the unconditional support from those who love you most. Steve and Gina are great role models on how to motivate your children in the pursuit of their dreams. In this shot, they presented Julia with a framed copy of her album.

And I got a signed copy. Pretty dang cool.

You can follow Julia’s musical journey HERE. Thanks for stopping by!

587 days ago, I posted THIS. I checked in last night to see how many of my 101 goals were complete. Turns out I have 67 goals still left with 414 days remaining. Not bad, really, but I’d better get a move on if I hope to complete them all in time.

But here’s the beauty in the 101 in 1001 list:

I completed 34 goals.

That’s pretty cool.

If you made a list with me back in May of 2010, I’d encourage you to revisit your list to see how you’ve been doing. What may surprise you is that, without even checking back in on your list regularly (I didn’t either), you’ve probably managed to knock quite a few out. How’d that happen? Call it hocus-pocus, but I believe that writing down goals prepares the body and mind. Once you’ve imagined yourself getting things done, it’s much easier to recognize opportunities for action as they arise.

If you didn’t make a list yet, you might consider checking into it. Need a bit of incentive? How about another little contest?

Between now and this Friday (1/6/2012) at 5PM, please post a link to your 101 in 1001 list from Day Zero in the comment section below. If you feel like you’d rather not have your list made public, no worries. You can send me the link to your list via email at shaun@shaunringphotography.com

I’ll draw at random one name. That person will receive one-hour of my time for a photography session or photography instruction. Cool?

If you feel so inclined please share this post with the people you know and love. It’s on the studio’s Facebook page if you’d like to share it from there. Yes, I realize your odds of winning will go down as more people join, but it’s a beautiful thing when people encourage each other to get positive things done in their lives.

Ready. Set. Go!

I just moved forward with my final Christmas gift purchase. I wanted to make sure I got Katie just the right thing. She’s going to love it.

Perhaps you’re needing just the right thing for someone in your life. Would photography be a good fit?

If you’d be interested in purchasing a session, package, or even one-on-one photography lessons for that person, I’ll be available through Christmas eve to take care of you. You can email me at shaun@shaunringphotography.com

I can take an online payment and email you something to print and put in a card. Easy, eh?

Just wanted you to know you have options!

And no post would be complete without some recent shots of cute kiddos.