• For the last several years (because let's be honest, many of us have been having these difficult conversations about race, police brutality, systemic racism, and racism within the wedding industry for YEARS) Facebook has been my go-to. My engagement here probably won't match my participation there any time soon, but I'd love to be Facebook friends with you if you're missing me. I will link my profile in my stories. Several racists have been deleted over the few days opening up new spots for loving and open-minded friends. Xo
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    For the last several years (because let's be honest, many of us have been having these difficult conversations about race, police brutality, systemic racism, and racism within the wedding industry for YEARS) Facebook has been my go-to. My engagement here probably won't match my participation there any time soon, but I'd love to be Facebook friends with you if you're missing me. I will link my profile in my stories. Several racists have been deleted over the few days opening up new spots for loving and open-minded friends. Xo
  • Racism exists and it’s closer to your life than you know. It lives in your family and friends, the schools you send your children to, the organizations you are a part of, our health care and legal systems. It’s all around us. I haven’t watched the video of #GeorgeFloyd’s murder because I just don’t have it in me to watch another black man die. I am glad that videos of these atrocities exist and that the accompanying public outrage at least brings the option of accountability to the table ——- BUT social media has become the modern day public squares for lynchings. I just can’t watch another one.
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    Racism exists and it’s closer to your life than you know. It lives in your family and friends, the schools you send your children to, the organizations you are a part of, our health care and legal systems. It’s all around us. I haven’t watched the video of #GeorgeFloyd’s murder because I just don’t have it in me to watch another black man die. I am glad that videos of these atrocities exist and that the accompanying public outrage at least brings the option of accountability to the table ——- BUT social media has become the modern day public squares for lynchings. I just can’t watch another one.
  • Happy Anniversary Tay and Jahmal! #ellebrides . . . . #nashvilleweddingphotographer #destinationwedding #destinationweddingphotography #loveauthentic #weddingphotography #love #marriage #weddinginspiration #blackbride #munaluchibride #theknot #thatsdarling
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    Happy Anniversary Tay and Jahmal! #ellebrides . . . . #nashvilleweddingphotographer #destinationwedding #destinationweddingphotography #loveauthentic #weddingphotography #love #marriage #weddinginspiration #blackbride #munaluchibride #theknot #thatsdarling
  • Tomesha and Carlton's engagement session is a classic. Happy Anniversary you two! #ellebrides . . . . . #engagementphotos #engaged #engagement #wedding #weddingphotography #love #weddingphotographer #engagementring #photography #bride #engagementsession #weddingday #weddingplanning #theknot #shesaidyes #weddingideas #engagementphotography #weddingphoto #engagementphotographer #destinationweddingphotographer #prewedding #bridetobe #weddinginspiration #weddingdetails #loveauthentic #weddings #munaluchibride #blackbride #nashvilleweddingphotographer
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    Tomesha and Carlton's engagement session is a classic. Happy Anniversary you two! #ellebrides . . . . . #engagementphotos #engaged #engagement #wedding #weddingphotography #love #weddingphotographer #engagementring #photography #bride #engagementsession #weddingday #weddingplanning #theknot #shesaidyes #weddingideas #engagementphotography #weddingphoto #engagementphotographer #destinationweddingphotographer #prewedding #bridetobe #weddinginspiration #weddingdetails #loveauthentic #weddings #munaluchibride #blackbride #nashvilleweddingphotographer
  • Happy Anniversary Rashida and Mike! #ellebrides . . . . . #nashvilleweddingphotographer #engagementphotos #engaged #engagement #wedding #weddingphotography #love #weddingphotographer #engagementring #bride #engagementsession #weddingday #weddingplanning #theknot #shesaidyes #blacklove #engagementphotography #weddingphoto #weddinginspo #engagementphotographer #destinationweddingphotographer #prewedding #weddinginspiration #weddingdetails #loveauthentic #weddings #munaluchibride #blackbride #southernoirweddings
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    Happy Anniversary Rashida and Mike! #ellebrides . . . . . #nashvilleweddingphotographer #engagementphotos #engaged #engagement #wedding #weddingphotography #love #weddingphotographer #engagementring #bride #engagementsession #weddingday #weddingplanning #theknot #shesaidyes #blacklove #engagementphotography #weddingphoto #weddinginspo #engagementphotographer #destinationweddingphotographer #prewedding #weddinginspiration #weddingdetails #loveauthentic #weddings #munaluchibride #blackbride #southernoirweddings
  • Happy Anniversary Alicia and Kema! Planning by @onetoucheventsllc #ellebrides . . . . . #nashvilleweddingphotographer #alabamabride #alabamawedding #loveauthentic #weddingphotography #love #marriage #weddinginspiration #blackbride #munaluchibride #theknot #thatsdarling
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    Happy Anniversary Alicia and Kema! Planning by @onetoucheventsllc #ellebrides . . . . . #nashvilleweddingphotographer #alabamabride #alabamawedding #loveauthentic #weddingphotography #love #marriage #weddinginspiration #blackbride #munaluchibride #theknot #thatsdarling
  • Five years. What a milestone! Happy anniversary Kelsey and Brandon! Can we plan for an anniversary (+1) session when the outside world is safe again?! #ellebrides . . . . #nashvilleweddingphotographer #loveauthentic #weddingphotography #love #marriage #weddinginspiration #blackbride #munaluchibride #theknot #thatsdarling
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    Five years. What a milestone! Happy anniversary Kelsey and Brandon! Can we plan for an anniversary (+1) session when the outside world is safe again?! #ellebrides . . . . #nashvilleweddingphotographer #loveauthentic #weddingphotography #love #marriage #weddinginspiration #blackbride #munaluchibride #theknot #thatsdarling
  • As a photographer, I always try to connect with clients -- to catch a glimpse of the type of person they are, and of the relationships they have with those who love them. My goal is to capture the nuances of those relationships; to freeze those moments in time. I sometimes only get one day with clients. But usually, a single single session or wedding day leads to more sessions over the course of years. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This week, I learned of the passing of Cory Ray. Each time Cory was in front of my camera, he was the client we give gold starts to. He was the helpful dad-assistant during his daughter's first session, jingling keys to get her attention, playing peek-a-boo behind the reflector to make her laugh. A few years later, he was the perfect model with his wife for another photographer's mentoring session with me -- eager to take direction (and sometimes suggest his own, lol) to help my mentee learn. The last time I saw him (shown here) he was a wonderfully cooperative groomsmen at a wedding, the one who was getting the rest of the guys in line for photos and encouraging them to listen. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Cory's absolute adoration and pride for his wife, his children, and his friends was easy to see and capture. My prayers are with his loved ones.
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    As a photographer, I always try to connect with clients -- to catch a glimpse of the type of person they are, and of the relationships they have with those who love them. My goal is to capture the nuances of those relationships; to freeze those moments in time. I sometimes only get one day with clients. But usually, a single single session or wedding day leads to more sessions over the course of years. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This week, I learned of the passing of Cory Ray. Each time Cory was in front of my camera, he was the client we give gold starts to. He was the helpful dad-assistant during his daughter's first session, jingling keys to get her attention, playing peek-a-boo behind the reflector to make her laugh. A few years later, he was the perfect model with his wife for another photographer's mentoring session with me -- eager to take direction (and sometimes suggest his own, lol) to help my mentee learn. The last time I saw him (shown here) he was a wonderfully cooperative groomsmen at a wedding, the one who was getting the rest of the guys in line for photos and encouraging them to listen. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Cory's absolute adoration and pride for his wife, his children, and his friends was easy to see and capture. My prayers are with his loved ones.
  • My greatest joy. My best adventure. 📷 @morgantrinker
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    My greatest joy. My best adventure. 📷 @morgantrinker
  • On February 23rd, 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed while jogging in his Brunswick, Georgia neighborhood. . Gregory McMichael and his adult son Travis saw him running, armed themselves with guns, hopped into their pickup truck, and pursued him. They stopped in the middle of the street. They yelled at him. They grabbed him. They shot him twice and killed him. . The men told the police that they thought he was a suspect from a number of recent break-ins. A prosecutor wrote that he didn't believe the father and son duo's actions were criminal because the men were legally carrying their firearms, acting within Georgia's citizen's arrest law, and shot Arbery in self-defense. . Yesterday, a video of the shooting surfaced and now the case is (hopefully) headed to a grand jury. More than two months later and only after video was made available... . How does reading this story make you feel? Many of you will comment with your shared sadness and outrage while more of you will scroll on past. Perhaps you think this is a sad isolated event (it's not,) or you have faith in the justice system to convict the men for their murders (chances are, it won't,) or you simply don't care because stories like these don't impact your life. You don't worry when your husband leaves the house (like I do,) you don't have to plan for talks with your children about how to come home safe (like we do.) . My hope is that this post reaches one person who has never thought about what it's like to be black in America; one person who thought Colin Kaepernick should have stood for the anthem; one person who argues #alllivesmatter; one person who thinks the term "privilege" is a personal attack, rather than an acknowledgement of the burdens they do not carry. . Are you that one person? . We demand justice. We demand change. We demand to live our lives without the fear of being lynched, arrested, or assaulted for the color of our skin. . Stand with us. #ahmaudarbery
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    On February 23rd, 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed while jogging in his Brunswick, Georgia neighborhood. . Gregory McMichael and his adult son Travis saw him running, armed themselves with guns, hopped into their pickup truck, and pursued him. They stopped in the middle of the street. They yelled at him. They grabbed him. They shot him twice and killed him. . The men told the police that they thought he was a suspect from a number of recent break-ins. A prosecutor wrote that he didn't believe the father and son duo's actions were criminal because the men were legally carrying their firearms, acting within Georgia's citizen's arrest law, and shot Arbery in self-defense. . Yesterday, a video of the shooting surfaced and now the case is (hopefully) headed to a grand jury. More than two months later and only after video was made available... . How does reading this story make you feel? Many of you will comment with your shared sadness and outrage while more of you will scroll on past. Perhaps you think this is a sad isolated event (it's not,) or you have faith in the justice system to convict the men for their murders (chances are, it won't,) or you simply don't care because stories like these don't impact your life. You don't worry when your husband leaves the house (like I do,) you don't have to plan for talks with your children about how to come home safe (like we do.) . My hope is that this post reaches one person who has never thought about what it's like to be black in America; one person who thought Colin Kaepernick should have stood for the anthem; one person who argues #alllivesmatter; one person who thinks the term "privilege" is a personal attack, rather than an acknowledgement of the burdens they do not carry. . Are you that one person? . We demand justice. We demand change. We demand to live our lives without the fear of being lynched, arrested, or assaulted for the color of our skin. . Stand with us. #ahmaudarbery