Kelly Prior Photography

Change in contest

2009-04-15T08:14:00.002-04:00

It seems that there is going to have to a little change in the contest. It has been brought to my attention that there is some "cheating" going on through the use of technology. I have always said, sometimes technology can be too much of a good thing! It saddens me to think that what was suppose to be a fun little contest caused people to think that cheating to win is the way to go. So with that said, I have decided the only fair way to select a winner for the contest is to create a panel of fellow professional photographers and have them select a winner. I hate to do it this way, but I do not see any other way to avoid the cheating that is taking place in the contest. I have already assembled the panel and will have them select the winner by Monday. So, instead of the winner being announced today, he or she will be announced on Monday. My apologizes to all of those who were honest and voted the correct way. Kelly

Place your vote, please!

2009-04-02T12:07:00.006-04:00

Please place your vote to the left of the images. Winner of the contest will be announced April 17th.

Voting Poll

2009-04-02T11:58:00.000-04:00

Please vote for your favorite Sweetest Face!

Sweetest Face goes to Miss Tatum!

2009-02-25T15:06:00.006-05:00

I was so excited when I finally got to meet Tatum! She won my Sweetest Faces contest and I am so glad she did. She had the best little personality. I had no problems getting her to "play" with me. I love, love, love how these photographs turned out. I can just see her playful self in all of them. Here is a sneak peek at a few from our session. Thanks to her Mommy for coming all the way to Milledgeville, I had a blast! Enjoy!

Miss Miley

2009-02-24T15:47:00.002-05:00

Miss Miley came to see me in my new studio the other day and she is just about the sweetest little baby you will ever meet. I have been photographing her since she was 3 months old and this time, she seemed like such a big girl. She is crawling and pulling up. She gave me so many great smiles. I love this age, it is one of the easiest to photograph! Minda, Miley's mom, always had the cutest outfits and best of all, she lets me choose which ones I like the most. However, Miley came dressed in the precious pink outfit because it is one of her Daddy's favorites. I have to agree is to pretty darn cute, especially on Miley. Enjoy!

Yummy, Yummy to my Tummy!

2009-02-23T14:05:00.003-05:00

If you were to ask Miss Makayla about her sucker, she would tell you that it was YUMMY! I had the pleasure to photograph Makayla this past weekend for her 3rd birthday. Her mommy had brought all the cutest little candy you could imagine. Makayla had so much fun showing me each piece and telling me all about them. Of all the candy that day, my favorite were the big suckers. I just love how these turned out, the colors are so vivid and the suckers just add so much to the image. Miss Makayla was too cute, especially eating that big ole' sucker. Thanks Tasha for letting me photograph your little one, I had a blast. Enjoy!

Dance, Dance, Dance Miss Madison

2009-02-20T11:06:00.003-05:00

Last weekend I photographed Miss Madison for the first time and let me just say, I had a blast! She is just about the most precious thing ever. I was so excited to have this session, not only because Madison was so cute, but I was also able to shoot in my new studio. It was wonderful inviting Madison and her Mom into my new space. So here are a couple from our session together! Enjoy.

AND THE WINNERS ARE...

2009-02-09T19:55:00.003-05:00

Below is a list of the winners from yesterday's grand opening drawings.

16x20-Lynde Lowery
11x14-Jamey Hargrove
11x14-Grace Moore
11x14-Tonya Burnette
Mini Session Album-Jennifer Deason
Free session-Jessica Jones
Free Engagement Session-Amanda Peeler

Congrats to all the winners!!! I will be in contact with each of you for all the details.

Just a quick note...

2009-02-08T19:02:00.009-05:00

Thank you so much to everyone who came out today to help me celebrate my grand opening. I was so excited to see everyone and show you my new space. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I will. Also, thanks to my hubby, parents, London, Danielle and Jody for all their help and hard work. I could not have done it without them. I am worn out from today, but I will post pictures for everyone that was unable to make it out, as well as announce the winners of the drawings at the beginning of the week! Thanks again to all who have supported me during this journey!

It is OFFICIAL...the studio is open!

2009-01-28T17:04:00.007-05:00

YES, I am now open! I was trying to hold out until I hosted my grand opening before I actually start shooting in my new space, but I could not wait! In case you are wondering, I am having grand opening Sunday, February 8th...so make plans to stop by. Many drawings will be held for free prizes and 1/2 off any session booked that day. I am so excited to show off my new place, it is amazing. You may just see your little on or even you on my walls. Be on the lookout for an e-mail later this week with all the details of the grand opening. Ok, so back to the shoot. I just could not wait any longer to start shooting, so I didn't. Last Saturday, I held my first two photo sessions in the studio and it was WONDERFUL!!! As many of you know, natural light is what I love, so I did not even set up the lights or a backdrop. I just used what light I had available and worked with that. I love the results. I am really not a big backdrop and prop fan, so having all this wonderful light is amazing. My first session was with Emmie and Brenton. I have been photographing them since Emmie was born and she just gets more precious every time I see her. Brenton is a little sport model himself. We had the best time dancing, running and singing. Next came Evie. What can I say about this little one. She melts my heart and always has. She has gorgeous blue eyes and cheeks that I just want to squeeze. The same went for her shoot, no studio lights, just the natural light from windows. After my sessions were over, I felt such a sense of joy being able to share my new space with my wonderful clients. Thanks to all of you who helped make this dream possible. I hope you all will be able to stop by next weekend and take a peek at my new studio.

It's time to start thinking about the beach...

2009-01-28T15:36:00.006-05:00

Ahh, yes, the beach. How nice would it be to be there right now? With the weather being so messy this week, I could not help but wish I were there. I know it may seem a little ways off, but I have had several request for beach shoots again this year. If you would be interested in a session, please send an e-mail for more information to kprior@kellypriorphotography.com and I will be more than happy to get all the info to you. I am looking forward to another great couple of trips to the beach this summer, I hope you will join me.

My new favorite spot

2009-01-14T10:22:00.005-05:00

So, over the weekend, I did a little baby sitting for my friend Danielle while she ran to an appointment. As you know, I think Kinley is really mine, so of course I did not mind keeping her for a while. Well, I decided to play with her a little at my house and I found a new spot in myliving room I just love. It has the perfect light that allows me to use only the natural light and not my flash. I just love the results of these. After Kinley left, I could not help but to play with Rhen as well. Here are a couple from the day. I have always said and still say, natural light is what I love to shoot with!

VROOM...VROOM

2009-01-12T11:25:00.003-05:00

Yes, that is right, Kelly Prior went to the Monster Jam this past Saturday. Michael and I took Keaton to see the show and we all loved it. I was not sure what to expect as I have never been to one before, but it was awesome. I am not sure how they get their trucks to be so loud, but boy are they, it will make your heart skip a beat the first time your hear them. Several drives lost tires but still tried to race. They even had a lady driver, which was pretty cool to see that she could hang with the men. It was a great time if I do say so myself!

My Wilson fix...

2009-01-11T14:03:00.004-05:00

Saturday morning I was so glad the rain held off until the afternoon. I sure did not want to miss my session with Wilson. Since Wilson first started coming to me, I have always said he is about the cutest little thing I have ever seen. I just love photographing him, he is always in the best mood and this time he talked up a storm. It was so much fun to have a conversation with him. He always has the best outfits on and I have to say, this is one of my favorites. He looked liked he could be in a magazine. Here is a little sneak peak from our session yesterday. I am sure you will agree at how precious this little guy is.

Mia and Bo

2009-01-09T10:50:00.003-05:00

This is a little late being posted, so I apologize. However, I could not let these not be posted, as this wedding was beautiful. Mia and Bo were married in mid-November. I had the pleasure to photograph their engagement as well, and I was very excited when the wedding day arrived. I knew this would be a fun, relaxed wedding and it was just that. Everything was perfect and Mia looked stunning. After the wedding ceremony, everyone headed back to Mia's mother's home for the reception under a big white tent. It was breathtaking. Check out the rest of the gallery under client proofing. Enjoy.

Sweet Ben

2009-01-07T19:02:00.002-05:00

Isn't Ben just the cutest thing you have ever seen? The more I photograph newborns, the more I love them. Even though they are not my own, I just fall in love with all these precious little ones. These were from Ben's newborn sessions and I must say he is a big fella. I have a fondness for big babies since both my boys were big. They are just so sturdy and alert. Ben had a wonderful first photo session and was just the perfect model. And as always, I loved the hat his mommy had for him to wear! Ben is also the grandson of Mrs. Irene. Irene has always been so very kind to let me use her beautiful home and garden to take many photographs for clients. I know she is enjoying her first grandson as well. Thank you Blair and Jimbo for allowing me to capture your little guy, I cannot wait to do it again!

Memories

2009-01-06T10:50:00.005-05:00

What memories this little one brings back to me. I had the pleasure to photograph Kathleen over the holidays and I have to say it was such a joy. I could tell from the moment I meet her parents, Sharon and Mike, how in love they are with this little girl. The first image above is my favorite from our session. Why? Take a good look at it...it just brings back so many memories of my two little boys sonogram images. You can tell Kathleen is only a couple of weeks old by how her little hands are up around her mouth and the legs are all curled up. I can just imagine this was one of her favorite positions inside the womb. As I think about to only a short year ago when we brought Rhen home, it is amazing how a baby grows and changes. I am so glad Mike and Sharon will have these images to reflect back upon when Kathleen is a year old. It will be hard to believe she was ever this tiny. Thank you Mike and Sharon for inviting me into your home to work with your precious little one. Enjoy!

A Winter Wonderland Wedding

2009-01-05T11:30:00.004-05:00

What a great way to end 2008 with a spectacular winter wedding. Christen was such a beautiful bride and her wedding was just a lovely. I was so excited to photograph this wedding, as I taught Christen when she was in high school...not that I feel old or anything! The wedding ceremony took place in Deepstep and afterwards the reception was held at the Magnolia Ballroom in Milledgeville. Before the wedding, Christen and Jason saw each other, as you can see from the first couple of photos, this was such a special moment. I always love when brides choose to see the groom before the wedding. It makes for such a smooth day and no pictures to rush for after the ceremony. Everyone in the bridal party was a joy to work with and so relaxed. The reception was a great party. Everyone danced the night away to the sounds of Grapevine. At the end of the night, the ballroom was still packed with guest. I hope Christen and Jason had a wonderful time on their honeymoon as the new Mr. and Mrs. Davis. Thank you for letting me be part of your special day.

What I've been up to...

2008-12-20T21:37:00.005-05:00

Many, many things! First, let me say Happy Holidays to everyone. I have been so busy lately that I have not had time to update the blog. I have not posted many sessions here or on my client site because so many clients are using them for Christmas gifts, and of course, I do not want to spoil the surprise! Once the holidays are over, I promise to show all the wonderful new sessions I have been shooting. I'd like to give a special thanks to those who allowed me to photograph them for Christmas. I had a blast with each and every one of you.
Today, we spent the day in Madison with Michael's dad and his wife. We had the best time, it was nice to spend time with family and celebrate the season.
On another exciting note, power has been turned on at my studio! I am so excited because this is one of the final steps to opening. I plan to open in January, so please check the blog for updates and to see when the doors will open. All the decorating begins now, and I have been busy shopping for just the right decor. I look forward to welcoming everyone into my new space!
I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and the new year is filled with great things.

Did I mention I love horses?

2008-11-13T19:19:00.003-05:00

Well, I do! There is just something about a horse, when you look into their big eyes, they just seem to have something special about them. So, when Sara's mom, Stephanie, asked me is we could take some with Sara and her favorite horse, I was fast to say of course! This session was so much fun. Sara was great to work with and such a sweet and beautiful young lady. She had the best personality and so very easy to photograph. We first started with just her and then she brought out her favorite horse and we took some of the two of them. As you can see their relationship is special. This fun-filled session will stick in my mind for a long time.

Is there something in the water...

2008-11-13T19:04:00.003-05:00

with all the newborns I have been photographing lately, you would think so! Newborns use to be hard sessions for me, but now that I have done so many, they are one of my favorite types of sessions. One reason it I just love babies and another is I get to meet so many new Moms and Dads and watch the relationship between them and their daughter or son develop. What a cool job I have. Miss Kayleigh was just as sweet as she could be. She did a wonderful job during our session and I love the results. Kayleigh was such a happy and content baby and let me do whatever I liked. It was a perfect session with a perfect little one. Enjoy!

Everyone needs a baby girl....

2008-11-11T19:24:00.002-05:00

and since I have two little boys, Miss Kinley is mine. Isn't she just about the most precious little thing you have ever seen. Ok, so maybe I am a little biased since her Mom, Danielle, and I are great friends, but still, she is a beautiful baby. Shh...I am not going to let Danielle know that I really think of her as my own. I took her 3 month pictures the other day and she put on a show for us. And of course I love the hat, it is my favorite from the day. By the way, notice the cute pearl bracelet she is wearing, well her Mom made it and you may be able to purchase one at my studio boutique for your little one to model in her photo shoot as well...that is if I can twist her Mom to start making them for me! I have a feeling that Miss Kinley Chapel will have a camera in her face a great deal of her life with her Aunt Kelly around!

Very Merry Sessions

2008-10-30T09:34:00.004-04:00

Well, it is that time of year and I have been busy wrapping up the senior season and starting the holiday one! I love this time of year, the air is so crisp and cool and the leaves are starting to change. The Very Merry Sessions have been a big hit with customers and I am loving all the Christmas colors and outfits I have been seeing. While I will not post any of the sessions on my blog because I know many of my clients like for their pictures to be a "suprise" to all their friends and families, I will say, we are having a blast taking them. So just a little note to say if you have not booked your session and are still interested in having one, let me know. I have decided to extend the dates since I was not able to get all the request filled because I booked up so fast. Just call or send an e-mail with a date that will work for you and your family and I will fit you in.

What a session...

2008-10-29T17:25:00.004-04:00

Last week I had a session with a senior named Chase. Ok, so this was so neat. He and his Mom came to do his formal session first before we did his casual. I had never met Chase and his Mom, Twanna before this. After the formals, Chase wanted to go to his house to take the casuals. So they told me where they lived and I knew the area well as we use to own a farm in the area. So I followed them out to their house and you would not believe it...but it was our farm. I have to say, I got chills and teared up as I drove into the long drive way. I have so many memories of the farm, from hayrides to birthday parties and camp outs. We spent at least one day out of the weekend going to the farm when I was little. My grandfather loved that place so much, it was such a part of him and he would be so proud to see how beautiful they have it looking. Chase, his Mom and I quickly found a common connection and I loved talking with them about the farm. The leaves had started to change and air smelled so fresh, just like when I was a child. I am so grateful I was able to do this session and able to see a favorite childhood memory, not to mention work with a great family!

Family Fun!

2008-10-29T17:07:00.004-04:00

Last week I posted some images from a fun session with Isabelle, well what I did not also tell you was I had the pleasure to photograph her family as well. When I woke up on the morning of our session, it was cloudy and about to rain. So, I called Jennifer to see if she wanted to reschedule and she said no way, it would be too hard to get everyone together again (which I know how that is) so I told her we would make it work and we did. I loved this session. It was my first time photographing the Jone's and the Graham's. They all did so well. Blake is Jennifer and Justin's precious little boy and Savannah, Grayson and Isabelle belong to Jason and Hope. I love sessions with large families, it is so fun to look at all the expressions I get in each shot. Jennifer wanted to have photographs taken for her parents for Christmas...so if you know them shhh...it is a surprise. Jennifer did tell me it would be fine to post these as her parents are not bloggers ;-)

Here are a couple from our fun filled session! Enjoy!

Out on the range...

2008-10-20T12:08:00.005-04:00

Meet Cody. He is a senior this year and I had the opportunity to take his senior photographs. Cody wanted his session to be at his grandfather's land. I was so excited when I found out where we were going. See, Cody's great-grandfather and my grandfather were brothers and the land is right next to where I grew up and where we live now. Needless to say, I felt right at home. So when Cody asked me if I thought I could climb over the gate with barbwire on it, some may have passed, but nope, not me. Growing up on a farm a girl learns how to do many things. The cows even stopped by to watch our session. I love how these turned out, it just reminds me of my childhood memories and going on adventures in the woods. I think Cody is one of the first guys I have photographed that actually climb up a tree. Gotta love it.

Where has my baby gone?

2008-10-16T19:54:00.005-04:00

It seems the other day while I was looking through my lens at Keaton, it hit me that he is growing up fast! It seems like only a couple of months ago I was still changing his diaper. He has become such a "boy" in the past year. He makes me laugh all the time and I love our daily conversations. Being a parent is the most challenging job in the world, but it is also the most rewarding. To watch a child go from being so dependent on you as a baby to being so independent, even at 4, is amazing. It is a job I would not trade for anything in the world. So here are some four-year shots of Keaton, who will ALWAYS be my baby. By the way, if you know me, I'm sure you have guessed that of all the images above, the last one is my favorite. I love those moody shots!

Do flowers bloom in the fall?

2008-10-15T16:27:00.006-04:00

Yes, they sure do, and look at this precious little hat Miss Izzie is sporting. This past weekend I photographed Izzie for her one year birthday. This was my first time photographing her and she was great. Again, as many of you know, I love hats, so of course I fell in love with this one. Izzie has more than enough spunk to go along with her hat. Out of all the one year olds I have worked with, she liked her birthday cake the best. Cake sessions are always so much fun: I love all the expressions babies make when they first taste the cake; they are truly priceless. Izzie was born a couple of days after my youngest son, and they are also in the same class at nursery school. Hmmm, do I see a little girlfriend in his future?

Could it be Pebbles?

2008-10-14T10:41:00.005-04:00

No, it is not Pebbles. It is Miss Eva! Eva has been melting my heart since her infant sessions almost a year ago. She is growing so fast, and it is hard to believe she is already six months old. I fell in love with her little pig tails the moment she came to see me. How cute are they? We had the best time and she laughed and smiled the whole session. I have to say again that six and nine month-olds are my favorites. They are just always so happy and quick to laugh at my silly antics during the shoots. I look forward to seeing how much Eva has changed at her nine-month session. She can't possibly get cuter than this!

An adventure, that's for sure!

2008-10-13T19:19:00.005-04:00

On one of my recent senior shoots, I had the pleasure of photographing Jason. I had been to this location before with another senior, but it holds special meaning to Jason because his family owns it. It has a wonderful covered bridge and mill. However, the real adventure came when Jason said he wanted some shots at the old rock quarry. We had to drive up what seemed like an enormous cliff, but Jason is a skilled driver and got us safely up and down the face of it. I am so glad he wanted to have his session there. It's just too bad that the "senior season" is almost over.

A Festive Day

2008-10-13T12:24:00.003-04:00

When I first met Pat, I knew she would be such a wonderful bride to work with. She was so relaxed and easy going and so in love. Pat and Ken were married a couple of weekends ago and I was there to document the day. These two were a pleasure to photograph. I enjoyed getting to spend the day with them. At our first meeting, I quickly found out that Ken is all about surprises. There was a grand surprise at the Fox in Atlanta for the engagement and many little surprises throughout the whole wedding day for Pat...from a beautiful oil painting to a chorus line routine by Ken and guest. Pat was so organized and everything down to the last little detail was perfect. I also learned from Pat and several of her guest, that it really is "all about the shoes." Instead of one large wedding cake, Pat had the wonderful idea of having mini wedding cakes of all different flavors and designs for the guest. It made for a beautiful display. The day went by quickly, but Ken and Pat enjoyed every second of it. Congrats to Ken and Pat.

Goin' to the chapel and...

2008-10-12T19:59:00.003-04:00

...we're gonna get married. Yes, that is right, Jamey and TJ were married last weekend. Jamey was a beautiful, relaxed and fun bride. I have known Jamey for what seems like forever and I was so honored to photograph her wedding. She was glowing the whole day. TJ was the same. He did not seem nervous, just excited to be getting married. They had a lovely ceremony at Chapel of All Faiths here in Milledgeville and then danced the night away at the Milledgeville Country Club. I felt like I was photographing family and I had the best time. Here are a few from the day, it was one to remember. Congrats to Jamey and TJ. All the best to the two of you!

Oh My Goodness...

2008-10-10T04:34:00.004-04:00

If I could bottle up this little one and take her with me, I would. This is Jackie and she was the perfect model. I had the pleasure to photograph her mom, Connie, when she was pregnant, and it was wonderful meeting Jackie for the first time. She had a head full of black hair and to be only 10 days old, she was so alert. I could immediately see the love her parents, Jim and Connie have for her. Connie's Mom was also there from Canada and it was a pleasure getting to spend time with them. I am always amazed at how inviting my clients are when I arrive at their homes and the Wilson's were no exception. As I was leaving, Connie offered me fresh eggs (right from their own chickens) and egg plant from their garden. It was such a kind gesture and one we have enjoyed at our home. Thank you Connie and Jim for opening your home to me and allowing me to capture your precious new baby girl.

A VERY important month

2008-10-02T13:34:00.003-04:00

October is...National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This month help educate women about the importance of early detection. More and more women are getting mammograms to detect breast cancer in its earliest stages. As a result, breast cancer deaths are on the decline.
Encourage the women in your life to get mammograms on a regular basis. Visit the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month website at http://www.nbcam.org/ for more information.

This issue really hits home after my recent surgery. It seems more and more women are being diagnosed with this disease. It is not just in older women anymore, it effects women of all ages. I hope that with the publicity this issue is now receiving, people will be more educated and take the steps needed to make sure detection is made early. I have joined a charity organization called Think Pink. It is an organization where professional photographers are contacted to photograph women that have been diagnosed with breast cancer and would like to have their pictures taken to celebrate life. I am proud to be a member of this organization as I believe this disease has touched so many people in one way or another.

So, help spread the word about awareness.

Newborn Sweetness

2008-09-24T15:56:00.004-04:00

Look at Miss Riley; she is the perfect picture of how sweet newborns are. I met Riley's Mom, Erin, by chance one day at Dr. Marisol's OBGYN office. We started talking about when she was due, which was the next day, and how excited she was about finally getting to meet her precious daughter. As we talked, I mentioned I was a photographer, and she asked about a good time to have photographs taken of a newborn. She said she would call, and sure enough, a couple of weeks later, I heard from Erin, a proud new Mommy.

Today I finally got to me Riley. She was so sweet and tiny and was the perfect baby. I love the images I was able to capture of her today. Many mom's decide to just wait until a baby is 3 months to start having photographs taken, but an image of a newborn is just so powerful to me. It documents the beginning of a life and the goodness of everything that is to come.

Oh how cute is Davis?

2008-09-23T18:19:00.003-04:00

I love photographing Davis! I have been taking pictures of him since he was born and it is so neat to watch him grow and change each session we have. He is always so happy and boy can he talk. We had such fun together and he told me many stories. His Mom requested that we go to the railroad tracks because she had seen the ones I posted of Cole and really like them. Afterwards, we went back to my house to finish our session. It was another beautiful day and a great session.

Look what I woke up to this morning

2008-09-23T08:57:00.003-04:00

Isn't this sunrise just amazing? As a little girl I can remember waking up early on Saturday mornings to watch cartoons. I would get up so early that it would still be dark out and as the minutes passed by gorgeous colors would appear in the sky, like someone had painted it with a brush. Growing up I was so fortunate to live on acres of land and to be able to walk out the front door and smell the nice crisp air, it was one of the many things I missed when we moved to Macon. As I woke up this morning and saw the beautiful sunrise, it made me realize the saying is true...there really is no place like home.

A Beautiful Family, A Beautiful Dog, and A Beautiful Car

2008-09-22T19:24:00.005-04:00

The Bell's were another great family I had the pleasure to photograph this weekend. They came to have their photographs taken for a couple of very special reasons. Farrah, the Mom, wanted family photos, photos with a classic car that is being restored by Steven (the dad), photos of their little girl that just turned 1 and some very special ones of their beloved dog, Sampson. Sampson has cancer and they are not sure how much longer he will be around. I could tell right away how special he was to this family and I was honored I got to photograph him. I loved this session and was able to capture some very unique shots. After our outdoor shots, we went inside to photograph Scotlyn and her birthday cake. I, of course, got all the classic birthday cake shots that all Mom's love; however, the one posted here takes the "cake". I think she had just about enough of all the fun!!!

What a great family

2008-09-22T09:04:00.002-04:00

This weekend I had so many great sessions. The McDonel's were no exception. Ryan and Felicia have been friends of mine for many years and I am so glad they have moved back to Milledgeville after being away for several years. They have two precious boys...Patrick and Bryce. I have photographed Bryce before, but this was the first time I worked with the whole family. They were a joy to photograph and I think we got some great shots. The weather matched this family perfectly...beautiful!

Can you guess how old Cole is?

2008-09-21T15:07:00.004-04:00

I know it is hard to tell from his shirt, but yes that is right, Cole is 1. It is so hard for me to believe he is already one. I feel like it was only yesterday that I was 8 months pregnant sleeping in the hospital waiting room chair waiting for him to be born. I have posted about Cole several times and you may recognize his face, as it is the little guy on my home page. He is my nephew(my cousin's child....but I consider her a sister) and oh how I love him. He has the cutest laugh and sweetest smile. Ivey's sister Tina had given my oldest son a shirt with the #4 on it for his birthday, so when Cole turned 1, Ivey had to have one for him as well. As we were shooting yesterday, Tina, Ivey and I were talking about how much we loved these shirts and how different they were from your standard corny t-shirts. That thought soon turned into "wouldn't it be cool to have some of these for certain year sessions, like 1, 2 or even 4 year birthday sessions?" So, you are hearing it here first, I plan of offering these shirts as birthday session shirts. If you like them as much as we do, you can have your child's birthday session done in one. They will also be available for sale and if you are in my baby program, it will be a gift on their 1 year session. I am loving this unique look that can only be found at Kelly Prior Photography.

Beautiful Day + Beatiful Home= Beautiful Couple

2008-09-18T13:32:00.007-04:00

Wasn't today just one of the most gorgeous days we have had in a long time. The air had that touch of crisp fall air and the breeze was ever so slight. Mia and Bo's engagement shoot was actually scheduled for yesterday, but with the gray day that we had, Mia decided to wait until today. Obviously she made the right decision. We could not have asked for more perfect weather. We did their session out at her mom's home. It was truly a breathtaking backdrop and I am so excited they are having their reception there as well. I am already envisioning all the wonderful places we can take wedding photos. Here is a quick little preview of our session together. Mia and Bo were great to work with, so comfortable with each other and not afraid to cut up and have fun. I have known Mia for several years and I have always thought she was such a beautiful girl...but she is also just the sweetest person you will ever meet. I am so excited she chose me to photograph her special day.

Mr. Ivey

2008-09-18T13:32:00.002-04:00

Meet Tyler Ivey and look at his beautiful eyes! Tyler was the winner of the Union Recorder's Cutest Faces Contest. The winner of the contest received a complimentary photo session with me. I was so excited when I saw how precious this little guy was. Now being that my maiden name is Ivey, I wondered before I spoke with Tyler's mom if we were related and sure enough we are. Tyler's great-grandfather and my grandfather were brothers. I was even more excited to get the chance to photograph a family member. The Ivey's are known for their beautiful eyes, all of my grandfather's brothers had beautiful big blue eyes. Something obviously Tyler received as well. Being a photograph I am always drawn to the eyes and Mr. Tyler's eyes just popped out at me. I am so glad Tyler was the winner and I was able to meet him. He was just precious.

Soccer Time

2008-09-16T12:06:00.002-04:00

I had the pleasure to photograph the JMA vs. Tattnall soccer game yesterday afternoon. I was there for both the c-team game as well as the varsity. At first, it was so hot and humid, but after a 30 minute rain delay, it cooled off quickly. I have to say, when I was in school JMA did not have soccer, so I did not know a great deal about it, but I quickly learned that you must have a good deal of athletic ability to play this sport. I really enjoyed watching the games. I had several request to come out to the game to photograph certain players. I tried my best to get all the players, but if you like what you see and your son or daughter plays a sport of any kind, feel free to contact me about attending his or her sporting even to help capture some exciting moments in their lives. Check out the galleries in my proofing section. All sports photos are for sale for a discounted price.

How sweet is Luke?

2008-09-09T19:19:00.003-04:00

Words cannot descibe how much I enjoyed my session with Luke and his Mommy and Daddy. I met his Mom at a wedding I was working and she and I talked about our new babies. She had just had Luke at the time. I was so excited when she called me about doing Luke's 3 month session. He was such a happy baby and so easy to work with. I love meeting new clients and I love building a relationship with them. The Thorton's are a family it seems like I have know for quite some time. I am already looking forward to our 6 month session.

Thomas

2008-09-01T20:40:00.002-04:00

I have been so busy preparing and worrying about my surgery that I completely forgot to post some of Thomas from our session. I actually thought I already had and now I see that I didn't...sorry about that Thomas. Thomas kept me laughing most of our session. He has the best sense of humor. I have some outtakes just for his teacher Mrs. Latimer that he was sure to pose for. Again, another great senior to work with.

Twins...double the joy

2008-09-01T17:27:00.004-04:00

It seems these days I am around so many twins. Two out of my three best friends have twins. I have the pleasure to photograph them and each session is double the work, but double the fun. A couple of weeks ago, I photographed the Hodges Family, who have a 4 year old little girl and had just had twins. Here are a couple from our session. Each time I work with twins, I always have such admiration for the Moms and Dads of twins. I know it is much more work than a single baby, but the joys they must get from having two of everything.

On another note, since I have been in bed since Saturday, I have had a chance to update my website with my latest sessions. Take a look at my latest work, I have also added a section for senior information.

Thank you everyone!

2008-08-30T21:24:00.002-04:00

Just a quick note to say thank you to everyone that has been kind enough to call, e-mail or check in on me. I am doing well, just a little groggy and sore. I hope to be back full force by the middle of next week. For those of you that have no idea what I am talking about, I had surgery yesterday...not on my 10 ten list of things to do on a Friday, however, I am glad it is over and all went well. So, if I have missed your call or e-mail, I am sorry and I will get back in touch with all of you very soon. Special thanks to my hubby and family who are being so helpful and taking great care of me. Much love, K.

Go Dawgs, sick em'

2008-08-28T22:42:00.002-04:00

For all those UGA fans out there and in honor of the 1st game Saturday, I thought I would share the cutest little Georgia fan out there. This was Mr. Graysen's 2nd visit to see me and boy how time flies. I cannot believe he is already 7 months old. He is sitting, pulling up and even crawling all over the place. His Mommy was one of my wonderful nurses when I had Rhen and I can remember sitting in the nursery talking to her (she was pregnant with Graysen at the time) about her upcoming shower and how excited she was to be having a little boy. She is an excellent nurse and took such great care of Rhen, so I know she is a wonderful mother as well. Graysen put on quite a show for us and when I saw his cow blanket, I knew I had to get one for Rhen...so guess what UPS delivered to me today? So, to all those UGA fans out there, I think Mr. Graysen is a good luck charm for the upcoming game. GOOOOO DAWGS!

Carmen and Cameron

2008-08-28T22:28:00.003-04:00

What a precious brother and sister. I just loved my session with these two little ones. We did not let the pending rain stop us from having a great time last weekend. We picked flowers, climbed on the play set, and even jumped on the trampoline. Carmen was happiest on the trampoline, so that is where we did most of her shoot. It was so cute, she would start jumping and then could not stop. I even got to catch up with a former student of mine from Brentwood, she is cousins with Carmen and Cameron, and she is getting married. How old does that make me feel?!? I was so glad we were able to go outside for some of the session, as that is always my favorite place to shoot. Hope you all enjoy these two cuties...they were a joy to work with.

Who says you can't have fun at a photo shoot?

2008-08-27T21:57:00.005-04:00

It sure is not Lauren. I photographed Lauren for her senior portraits this afternoon at The Ritz on Lake Oconee. What started out to be a rather cloudy day, turned into a beautiful afternoon...great weather for a shoot. Right when we got out of the car, Lauren's Mom told me she read where I posted that I love when a client knows what they want, however she said they really did not know what she wanted. I have to disagree, she said all she really wanted was Lauren to be Lauren and for me to capture her personality...that was so easy to do. Lauren was so much fun to work with and was so relaxed in front of the camera. Not afraid to act like herself. It is so nice when a subject can just be themselves, it really shows in a photograph. We did get a little bit of a work out walking around the grounds, but hey, who does not need a work out. There was even a playground for Lauren to swing, slide and yes, even climb the monkey bars. Her Mom had told me when we spoke about her session a while back that if anyone knew Lauren, they knew she loved cars...so it was fitting that as we were leaving she spotted a Mercedes in the drive. We could not resist and took a couple. I hope her personality will show through my work and she and her family will always remember this special time in her life.

Fun on the tracks

2008-08-26T16:24:00.002-04:00

This year I have worked with so many wonderful seniors. They all have opinions about exactly what they like and dislike, which makes my job so much easier. Ashley had seen some of my work from last year and really liked some of the shots I did of a senior on a railroad track...so, that is what we did...we went to the tracks as our last stop during the session. I love photographing on railroad tracks, I love the clean straight lines and there is always a certain mood about them in photographs. Ashley picked great outfits and perfect locations. I have had such a great season with seniors, I hate it is almost over, but I am already looking forward to next year.

Mr. Cool, Calm and Collected

2008-08-26T10:22:00.004-04:00

As I was looking back through some images from Kimberly and Lance's wedding, this one popped out at me. No, it is not one of the breathtaking ones of the two of them on the golf course or a loving kiss...it is of Kimberly's nephew Patrick. Doesn't this image just make you smile? Patrick looks like he is a pro at escorting little ladies around. Just look at his hands clasped over each other. I have seen so many little boys shy away from walking with the flower girls, but not Patrick. He knew exactly what to do, I am sure his Daddy practiced with him before the big day. I cannot wait to see how cool, calm and collected Patrick will be at his own wedding years from now.

In the woods...

2008-08-25T11:36:00.004-04:00

This was such a cool senior shoot. I love, love, love going to new places and shooting and this was no exception. Hank and his Mom took me to an old covered bridge that was such a unique shooting spot and one that made great senior images. Not only was there a covered bridge, but also an old mill, cool stream and some interesting crawling creatures. This location seemed to fit Hank's personality and I love the results of our session. Hank's mom, Susan, was even so kind as to bring me a chick fil a biscuit for breakfast...my favorite! So far, this ranks up there with some of the best senior sessions I have done.

Fun with Chelsi

2008-08-13T21:13:00.005-04:00

I had so much fun with Chelsi at her senior session. Chelsi will be a senior at GMC this year. She is the 2nd person that has worn yellow as a color option and I just love it. It really seems to pop. I took her photographs at GC&SU and after some persuasion by her Mom and brother, we went to the GMC softball field and finished the session. I found out that she is a good softball player and is excited about her upcoming season. Good luck, Chelsi, I am sure you will have a great year.

Meet Kenny

2008-08-11T20:57:00.003-04:00

I had the pleasure to photograph Kenny recently. He will be a senior at JMA this year. I really enjoyed our session and I found out we have a common interest. Kenny enjoys graphic design and hopes to major in it during his college years. I, too, love graphic design. Before photography became a full time career, I taught college computer classes. Graphic design was always my favorite, which for me, is also a great skill to have in editing images, building my websites and layout design. It seems Kenny enjoys graphic design as much as I do. For his session, we went to Lockerly, where we braved the heat. Kenny was such a good sport and was so easy to work with. Hope you have a great senior year, Kenny.

How cool...

2008-08-11T13:48:00.004-04:00

If you were to ask my husband about this session, one word would describe it...JEALOUS! Anyone who knows Michael knows how much he loves bikes, any kind of bike. If it has two wheels, I do not even think it matters to him if it is running. So, when he saw some of the images from my session with Will, he thought the idea of taking some shots of Will on his dirt bike was great. And, yes, I know Michael was jealous that a photographer never captured him riding his bike years ago. I had a blast watching Will ride, however, I asked his Mom how she could watch him jump all the hills and she quickly told me she usually does not watch. I doubt if the riding images will make the annual, but I know they will be a great memory to look back on one day.

Lindsey

2008-08-09T18:27:00.006-04:00

I was so excited when Lindsey's mom called me about taking her senior pictures. I can remember when Lindsey was a little girl, and it just amazes me how fast time goes by. She will be a senior this year at JMA. As I said in an earlier post, I really enjoy working with this age group. I also love how fashionable all these seniors are. I only wish today's fashions had been in style when I was a senior instead of big hair and tight rolled jeans...oh my! I like all of Lindsey's outfit choices: she kept her colors solid and style simple, which enhanced her beautiful eyes and smile. Her Mom said during the session that she thought she was especially going to love the one of her in the swing. It's one of my favorites, too!

A Mother's Love

2008-08-07T17:52:00.004-04:00

One of the things I love most about my job is working with newborns. I have to say a newborn shoot is a great deal of work, but I love every minute of it. There is something about a new baby that makes my heart melt. It reminds of me of how quickly times goes by when I look at a tiny newborn and then look at my 4 year old and 9 month old. I can still remember all the details from both my deliveries. From pain, to cries, to laughter, to the first time I laid eyes on my children. From the first time I held them, it was like a love I have never known. I can honestly say I would give my life for my children and never look back. So for me getting to see such a unique and strong love between a Mother and baby is an amazing experience each and every time. Whether it is a first time Mother or a Mother's 3rd baby, the love is always the same-unconditional. When I am proofing a newborn shoot, I always love the shots of Mother and baby, the bond that I see each time is so powerful. There is nothing like the joys of being a Mother and I am so lucky to be able to experience that with my children. I hope, I can give a new Mother the joys over and over again each time she sees her baby in my images. Above are examples of the bond a Mother shares with her child from a recent shoot with Miss Taylor. You can just see how much love her Mother has for her.

Jamey & TJ

2008-08-06T20:47:00.004-04:00

I had the pleasure to photograph Jamey and TJ's engagement a couple of days ago. They are getting married in Milledgeville this October. I am cannot wait to work with them on their wedding day, it is going to be so much fun. I have known Jamey and her family since we were in school together and I am so excited she chose me to be her photographer. If this session is any indication of what is to come the day of the wedding, my job will be so easy. TJ and Jamey were so relaxed with one another. We had the session at my home right before a HUGE thunderstorm. I am so glad we were able to get all the shots completed before it started to rain. A couple of days before they came, I drove around on our land and found some great locations for us to work with. There are many more to come, so check back to see their full gallery. Congrats to Jamey and TJ, I am looking forward to the big day!

A Day to Remember

2008-08-03T22:31:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was such a beautiful day for a wedding and that is exactly where I was. I photographed the wedding of Kate and Jeff. Kate was a beautiful bride and enjoyed every minute of her big day. It makes my job so easy when two people are so in love and relish the beauty of the day. I have known Kate's family for several years and when I met Jeff at their engagement session, I soon found out that he is just as nice as Kate's family. While I knew Kate's Mom and Dad, I did not know Kate well. After our first meeting, it seemed as though I had known her for years. She is just one of those people that lights up the room and always seems to have a smile on her face. I loved working with this couple and hope they have a great new life together.

Sweet Little Miley

2008-08-03T09:56:00.005-04:00

Meet Miss Miley! Don't you just love her name? Miley was a model client, so happy, playful, and easy to photograph. Her mom also thought of everything needed to help make the perfect shoot - even Miley's favorite toy. For being just three months old, she sure knows how to grin, something not always seen in a baby that young. These pictures are just a couple from our session. I cannot wait for her mom and dad to see the rest!

P-R-O-G-R-E-S-S

2008-08-02T10:01:00.004-04:00

Yeah for progress! My studio is coming along nicely. This week it was sheet rocked, and hopefully next week the workers will begin painting as well as putting up siding. I cannot wait to bring all my clients here. By the end of August or beginning of September, I should be able to move in all my work. Kudos to David Dunn and his excellent crew for working so hard in this 100 degree heat and helping to make my dream come true.

Yes, she really jumped on a trampoline

2008-07-31T20:39:00.007-04:00

I just love it when a client knows exactly what she wants, and Page and her Mom knew. They had already scoped out spots for us on their family land. I always love going to new places and this time was no exception. We rode to several different spots, but I think my favorite was the path of trees. It seemed so peaceful and quiet, a special little place tucked away in the woods. Page will be a senior at GMC and was so great to work with. As you can see from the image above, the last shot we took was the one of her jumping on a trampoline (which, by the way, was her Mom's idea). It was a great way to end such a fun shoot!

4 times the fun with Sisters and Cousins

2008-07-31T11:30:00.006-04:00

The title of this posting says it all. I had so much fun with these 4 little ones. I have been friends with their Moms for many years and I was so excited to be able to take their children's photographs. Ivey and Emma are sisters and Mogan and Payton are sisters AND they are 1st cousins. I love the relationship that these girls have. It reminds me of how close I am to my cousin. She is so much like a sister to me and I know the 4 of them feel the same way. We were able to get some good shots of all FOUR together after a quick trip to the store for a snack, some great dancing and singing from Sally, Farrar and myself. I have to say, I am so glad I am friends with Sally and Farrar because if anyone else heard me singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider would have died laughing. However, it worked and we got some great shots.

Meet Samantha

2008-07-30T20:45:00.006-04:00

I had the pleasure to photograph another senior, Samantha. She was so easy to work with and photograph. Samantha has such a beautiful smile, one to match her beautiful personality. I cannot begin to say how much I enjoy photographing seniors. They are so much fun and so great to work with. One of the things I love so much about my job is getting to meet so many wonderful people and seniors are no exception. I often think what it will be like when my oldest child and all my friends' children become seniors and I photograph them. It seems far away, but I have a feeling it will be here before I know it.

Kimberly and Lance

2008-07-24T10:21:00.004-04:00

Let me just say right from the start, that Kimberly and Lance had such a fun wedding. I was so excited to be a part of it, as I have known Kimberly since we were children. She made such a beautiful bride and was so relaxed the whole day. If you have ever photographed a wedding, sometimes, the groomsmen want to hurry things along because we all know men do not like having their picture taken. However, Lance's bunch was a different story. Tara and I had the best time working with this bridal party. The guys were awesome and even came up with some shots they wanted to do on their own. Apparently, Lance is known for what they call the "pop in". As you can see from the above image of the groomsmen, Lance "pops in" pictures when you least expect it. The day was beautiful and I could not have asked for a better couple to work with. They made my job so easy. Right now they are soaking up the rays in St. Lucia. Hope you two are having a blast.

David & Tiffany

2008-07-23T21:28:00.004-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I photographed David and Tiffany's wedding. In all the weddings I have done, I have to say, this wedding ceremony was the most touching and most personal one I have attended. They had a full choir singing, the whole church received Communion as the bride and groom watched and the vows were lovely. I was so honored to be a part of such a special day. The first time I meet with Tiffany and her mother, I felt like I had known them for years. Tiffany knew exactly what she wanted and planned everything perfectly. It was a beautiful day, one I hope you can see through the above images. So congrats to the new couple, Mr. and Mrs. David Cole.

Another great senior

2008-07-17T18:23:00.002-04:00

I have to say, I love this time of year. I get to meet so many new people and remember over and over again the excitement of my senior year...however long ago that was :-). Yesterday I had the pleasure to photograph Amy. She was such a natural and I love the results of our session. She is beautiful both inside and out.

JMA senior

2008-07-12T16:18:00.006-04:00

Meet Macie! She had her session a couple of days ago and we had a great time. She was up for anything and was such a good sport about it all, even in the hot weather! She climbed rocks and even rode an old bike. She is a beautiful girl inside and out and I really enjoyed our session. I also hear she is a great softball player...so best of luck to you in your senior year, Macie.

Footprints in the Sand

2008-07-10T14:35:00.005-04:00

What a successful first annual Footprints in the Sand session. First I would like to thank all of those that made the trip down to Hilton Head for the beach sessions. We had a blast and I enjoyed each and every family. Secondly, I filled up quickly, so if you contacted me and you were unable to get a session, please keep an eye out for the next beach session. The weather was beautiful and the scenery was breathtaking. I love sessions at the beach, the white sand is just an awesome reflector for lighting. Above are a couple of the ones I have looked over quickly. There are many, many more to go through, but I just thought I would share a sneak peak with everyone. Again, thank you for allowing me to help create lasting memories for you and your families.

Time for Tea

2008-06-18T15:31:00.005-04:00

I had a session not too long ago with two precious girls. Their mother wanted photographs of them having a tea party, so what better place to do the shoot than at Tara's Tea Thyme. Bailey and Jordan did fantastic. They were the two easiest girls to work with, not to mention they got along so well. I really enjoyed our session together and hope to work with them again soon.

Miles for Madeline

2008-06-16T21:33:00.007-04:00

First I have to say I am sorry it has been so long since my last post. I have been so busy that I have not had time to turn around. Weddings, graduations, regular client shoots and building a studio...I just have not had much time to sit down and type something. So much has been going on that I really do not even know where to start. I thought Miles for Madeline would be the best place because it touches my heart so much. Many of you know the story behind Madeline and if you do not, I encourage each of you to read Mandy's webpage http://www.madelinegracefoundation.com/

and http://madelinegracehopkins.blogspot.com/ The courage, strength, and faith this family has is a lesson to us all. I was so honored when Christa (Mandy's sister) asked me if I would be willing to come out and photograph the first annual "Miles for Madeline" on June 7th. This was a 5k race to honor the memory of Madeline Grace Hopkins and to raise money for the Pregnancy center. I know many of you came out to either run or just watch the runners, but all to the support of this wonderful family and their cause. The race was breathtaking. There were over 160 runners which, I am told, is an amazing number for a first time race. I cannot begin to explain the emotions that flowed through those streets, as well as through me. I have prayed for this family and will continue to do so and if you pray, I encourage you to do the same. Above are just a few of the many shots I took that evening. It was evident that Madeline was watching from above and was so proud of her family for keeping her memory alive. I know Mandy and Brian feel so blessed to have known Madeline, even if only for a short time, but it is also my thought that it is Madeline who is blessed to have such wonderful, loving and proud parents. If you did not come out this year to run, please listen out for the next event to honor Madeline and join in for a great cause.

And the winners are...

2008-05-13T12:40:00.004-04:00

Samuel Hancock & Tatum Matthews. A big congrats to these two winners. I hope everyone enjoyed this little contest and I cannot wait until I get to have the session with these two little cuties! I will be in touch with the winners soon.

Last Chance to Vote

2008-05-08T21:07:00.002-04:00

Just a quick reminder that the contest will close out tomorrow at mid-night. So, all those who have not voted, please make sure you vote. I would like to thank everyone that has been a part of this contest. I have had people from all over, the contest even got some votes from people in other countries, e-mail me about the contest. I cannot wait to meet the winners and photograph them. Once the contest has closed out, I will be in touch with the winners. I hope everyone has enjoyed this and will keep checking my blog for future contest. Again, thank you to everyone that took the time to send in photographs. So, until Friday, keep the votes coming,

Cast your votes now, please!!

2008-05-01T16:14:00.010-04:00

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I would like to thank all the wonderful mothers and fathers that were able to submit their children's photos for the Sweetest Faces Contest. We had an overwhelming response and I cannot wait to see who the winner will be. After much deliberation, we have finally selected the top picks for our 1st annual Sweetest Faces Contest. I enlisted a wonderful group of photographers, not including myself, to narrow down the huge file of images we received. I have to say, I am so glad it was not my job to narrow them down. There were so many precious faces that came in. The team did have somewhat of a tough time narrowing them down to 10, so we are allowing 13 entries to be voted on. The voting will start now and will close next Friday, the 9th of May.

Remember, the top boy and top girl will win a photo session and the outfits for the session. I am looking forward to meeting the winners. What fun we will have! So, with out further adue, here are the top 13 finalist for the 1st Annual Sweetest Faces Contest. Cast your votes NOW!!

It is OFFICIAL...

2008-04-23T22:41:00.007-04:00

That's right! Kelly Prior Photography is going to have a new home. I cannot even begin to tell everyone how excited I am. My studio has been in the works for some time now, and we broke ground two days ago. I have been working with a wonderful architect, Jeff Hulligan of Macon, who did a fantastic job creating the perfect cottage studio.

It took me a while to decide where to build. After much consideration, I finally settled on our family land off of Ivey Weaver Road since 1) we live next door and 2) it is in a central location for customers. We have almost 100 acres of land, which offers a perfect backdrop for portrait photography. From the image above, you really can't tell much, but I took the picture from what will be the back of the studio. As you can see, the land is beautiful. We have a pond and barn as well. In the future, I plan to build several structures that will be great for portraits of various types.

This has been a dream and it is finally a reality. I will keep everyone updated with the progress. I am hoping to have the doors open for the new studio in about 3-4 months. So, thanks to all of my wonderful clients, friends and family that have supported and believed in me. You are the reason my dream has come true!

Precious Little Graysen

2008-04-20T21:41:00.011-04:00

I had the pleasure to photograph Graysen and his parents a couple of days ago. What a little cutie he is! Of course I am known for having a fetish for hats, so you can imagine how excited I was when I saw his mommy bring out this white one. She actually had several, so I think we are going to get along great! ;-)

Toni Michelle is a nurse in Labor and Delivery at ORMC, and I met her while giving birth to Rhen there. She was wonderful to me and especially to Rhen while he was sick in the nursery. I hope I was able to return the gift of her kindness through these images.

Graysen did such a great job during his session, although at the end, he was just plain tuckered out and feel asleep, but we still kept shooting. I love the last two - it was just after he had fallen asleep, and you can just see the love his parents have for this little guy.

It was a pleasure getting to meet Graysen and I am looking forward to our next session together. I hope you enjoy!

What a fun session

2008-04-17T23:38:00.005-04:00

Sometimes I just have the best sessions, and this was one of those times. Meet Misty, Mark and Walker. They are expecting their 2nd little boy in a couple of weeks and Misty could not look better. She just glowed. I only wish I had looked as good as she does that late in my pregnancy. Walker was so cute and I could tell how excited he was about the upcoming arrival of his new little brother. It reminded me of my maternity session and how excited Keaton was. I hope Misty and her family will enjoy these images as much as I enjoyed working with the three of them. It was a true delight. I am looking forward to our upcoming newborn session as well...so stay tuned.

Foot Prints in the Sand

2008-04-16T12:35:00.007-04:00

After many requests from clients, I would like to announce my 1st Annual "Foot Prints in the Sand" Photo Session. Every year I have gotten requests for family photo sessions at the beach, so I have decided it is time. This year I will be in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, the week of June 28th - July 5th. With gorgeous beaches as our backdrop, we will create incredible family portraits that you will cherish for years to come! There will be a limit to the number of sessions each morning/evening so that I will be able to focus on your family. These spaces will fill quickly, so book yours today! Above are some images from sessions on Hilton Head Island.

Clothing suggestions: Simple, classic attire works best. Coordinating each family member's attire (same color and style if possible) not only creates a unified look, but a "timeless" look as well. Some other suggestions: Khaki bottoms (shorts, pants, skirts) and white shirts;White line pants and shirts as well; White dresses for women & girls look great in beach portraits.

A Real Treat for Milledgeville, GA and Kelly Prior Photography

2008-04-15T15:35:00.007-04:00

One day not too long ago, I was having lunch with a couple of friends in my assistant Tara's tea room (Tara's Tea Thyme). As we were eating, I heard two ladies talking about a new magazine coming to town. A couple of days before, I had received a phone call from a lady named Patti asking me if I would be interested in working with the magazine. As luck would have it, the two ladies sitting at the table across from us were Patti and another woman that worked with the magazine, Dottie. I approached them and told them who I was, and we had the best conversation. They were so nice and so excited about the upcoming magazine. Patti and her husband, Jay, are the publishers of Milledgeville Living. At Tara's that day, they asked me if I would be interested in working with them to photograph the businesses that advertised in the magazine. I did not have to think twice and told them I would love to. I also mentioned that my husband was an English Instructor and a writer as well. Patti was excited to learn of this as well. So we got to start right away. A couple of other local photographers and I went out into the community and worked with the businesses that had purchased ads. It was great exposure and great getting to know more of the people that own local businesses.

Little did I know what an awesome opportunity working with the Martin's would become. After I had submitted some of my work, Patti called me and asked if I would submit some recent images I had taken to be possible candidates for the cover of the magazine. My work, along with the other local photographers' work, would be looked over, and they would decide which image they thought would work best. I submitted several images not knowing what the outcome would be. The publishers and editors were very secretive about which image would be used; they wanted it to be a surprise for the community as well as the photographer. So, as I waited for the magazine to be released, I only hoped I would see my work on the cover. Jay was kind enough to drop me off some copies the first day of the magazine's release. You can imagine the excitement I felt when I saw that my work had been selected for the cover of the first edition of Milledgeville Living Magazine.

The magazine has been getting rave reviews and is being displayed in businesses and stores throughout the area. The plan is to also have a copy sent to every Milledgeville resident. I cannot even begin to tell how many people have come up to me and commented on how awesome the magazine is. People that declined to advertise with them because they were unsure how it would turn out are kicking themselves for not jumping on the opportunity. I already have a long list of new businesses that are dying to advertise with Jay and Patti for the next issue.

I am so thankful to have been a part of this first issue and to have established such a great relationship with the whole team that worked so hard to publish the Milledgeville Living Magazine. I feel like I have known Patti forever; she is such a kind and thoughtful lady and one I am honored to know and work with. I am already excited about working with them on the upcoming issue.

Above are a couple of images from the Spring issue. As you can also see, my husband Michael had his writings published in the magazine as well. I hope all of you that have seen or bought a copy have enjoyed as much as I have enjoyed helping to create a wonderful piece of work for our community. It really shows Milledgeville at its finest.

For my Mimi...

2008-04-14T11:21:00.012-04:00

As many of you know, my family lost a very special lady on Thursday. Many knew her as Edith, but she was our Mimi, my grandmother. I cannot begin to describe how she touched my life. No words can express the impact she had and still has on me. She was more than a grandmother: she was a mentor, a teacher, and a best friend. I always knew she would be there for me whenever I needed her, no matter how many things were going on in her life. I told her things I have never told anyone else, and she kept those close to her heart. Even the last time I saw her, we told each other things I know no one else knows about.

I loved her with all my heart, and I am so thankful that she was in my life for 32 years. 32 years sounds like a long time to me, but when I think about the time we had together, it doesn't seem long enough. In the last 4 years, she has gone through what most people might not be able to go through in 50 years. She was such a fighter, and she NEVER complained. Mimi was one tough lady.

The above image was taken about 6 years ago when she was 76. Somehow, we talked her into going for a ride on Michael's motercycle. Oh, how she loved it! She was always willing to try new things and never let her age get in the way. I have also added the lovely program that my cousin Tina put together for her funeral yesterday. It will be something we will always treasure - to read it, click the image and it will enlarge.

Tina asked her sister, Ivey, and I to write down some thoughts on our time with Mimi. I could have gone on forever. We are all more like sisters than cousins, all because of Mimi. Tina and I have often talked about how she had a way of making each of us feel like we were the most special to her knowing all the while she made the other two feel the same way. That is a special talent only she had. I only pray that I will be half the mother, grandmother, friend and teacher that she was.

These past couple of days have been so difficult for us, but I take comfort knowing that she is finally dancing with Papa again. I miss my Mimi and my heart is heavy, but as Tina wrote in her poem to Mimi, even in our sadness, everything will be okay.

One last thing, I would like to thank all my wonderful friends who have been there for me during this difficult time. You have no idea how much your love and support have meant to me. I am so grateful to have such wonderful people in my life. And to my clients, thank you to all of those that have called, sent messages, and flowers. I truly appreciate all the kind words, thoughts and prayers. It is so comforting to know my family is being thought of and prayed for. Thank you again!

Snips and snails and puppy dog tails...

2008-04-09T08:44:00.004-04:00

That is what little boys are made of. Meet Christian and Collin. I had the pleasure to photograph these two precious boys all decked out in their green Polo's. When I was a little girl, my grandmother owned a kindergarten called the Gingerbread House and one of my most favorite teachers there was Mrs. Margie. Oh how I loved her. To this day, I still remember all the fun things we did in her classroom....and now, I get to photograph her grandbabies. It was great getting to see her again, along with Christian and Collin's Mom, Mandy. It seems just like yesterday, Mandy and I were playing on the playground, and now we are all grown up with families of our own. These two little boys were so well behaved, but I should not have expected anything less with them being Ms. Margie's grandchildren. It was a true pleasure to photograph them and made me so excited to see the wonderful bond brothers have even at such a young age.

Miss Eva Rose

2008-04-08T20:52:00.003-04:00

I had a session with Miss Eva Rose the other day. She was so tiny and sweet. It only makes me think about how fast babies loose that newborn look. She is a month old, but is still tiny. We had the best time, we thought she would sleep most of the session, however, she had other ideas. She wanted to be a part of the session and stayed awake most of the time. I love working with newborns and she was no exception. Just look at how precious she is and I could tell how in love her Mommy and Daddy are with her. I hope they will cherish these images for years to come and always be able to remember these first days of her life.

I could just eat him up...

2008-04-07T17:16:00.005-04:00

Rhen is now 5 months old and it is so hard to believe! Where has the time gone and how is he already five months old? At times, I look at him and think he looks just like Keaton and at other times I think they look nothing alike. All I know for sure is that every time I look at him, my heat melts and I know how truly blessed I am to have two precious little boys.

Contest

2008-04-03T12:16:00.003-04:00

Hello all. A big thanks to everyone who has entered my Sweetest Faces Contest. I have had a several of you call asking if it was too late to send in pictures, so I have decided to extend the contest til Sunday! So..this is your last chance to enter your precious photos. I will close the contest Sunday night at midnight. I had some colleagues that are willing to help decide the top 10 entry's and will post those toward the end of next week. At that time the voting will begin! Thanks again to everyone that has already sent in their pictures!

Two Precious Little Girls

2008-04-01T09:12:00.006-04:00

So, I had the pleasure to photograph the two most adorable sisters-the O'Neil girls. How cute they were, all dressed in their pink Easter dresses. They were so much fun to work with. Their Mom was so prepared for the session...she brought everything to help keep them happy, we even sang and danced to one of their favorite Cd's. As you can see from the images above, they really put on a show for me...it was easy to get so many great photographs of them. I had a blast and I hope Mom, Dad and the rest of their family will enjoy the photographs as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Easter...What A Beautiful Day

2008-03-25T11:02:00.004-04:00

Well, Easter this year was quite interesting for our family. As you can see from the photos above, our two boys were looking very handsome! After church, I FORCED them to sit down for a second, and a second is really longer than what they gave me, to snap a couple of shots. Keaton loves to squeeze Rhen just when he is looking at the camera and causes him to scream. For that reason, we have Keaton looking at the camera and Rhen looking off to the other side. I thought it was quite funny. I did, however, manage to get a few of them both looking. As many of you know, my husband, Michael, was in a wreck this past Monday and on Friday had surgery not related to the wreck. He was unable to go to church with us, but did manage to see what the boys received from the Easter Bunny. I have to say, trying to get myself, and two little boys ready and out the door for church was quite comical. I guess you never realize how much have two sets of hands really helps you out until you only have one set. We did manage to make it though and had a wonderful Easter Service at church. Our family has so much to be so thankful for this Easter and thank you to all the prayers and calls over the past week concerning Michael. It is such a blessing to have such wonderful friends and customers. I hope you all had a very blessed Easter as well.

Contest

2008-03-24T11:03:00.005-04:00

Good Morning! I wanted to thank everyone who has responded to my Sweetest Faces Promotion. I wanted to remind everyone that the contest will end this weekend, so if you have not entered your child....please do so this week. I have had a really great response so far, especially with girls....but I would love to have some more handsome men (hint hint). So if you have a young man that you think is handsome...enter him today! I am very excited about this promotion and can't wait until the actual photo shoot. Again, this is the first of many upcoming promotions that I have planned this year. So keep checking my website for the latest!

Grateful...

2008-03-18T13:44:00.002-04:00

Well, yesterday did not go as I had expected, but what in life really does? As I was waiting on my husband Michael to get home from work so I could go to the gym, I realized he was running later than normal. I tried his cell and it went straight to voicemail. Tried several more times and still nothing and that is when I got the call. A patient rep from the Medical Center was calling to tell me they had Michael there. The only information she would give me was that he had been in an accident, flipped his truck three times and was "talking" some. I was in a panic. I scooped my two boys up and put them in the car and took them to my Mom's. Many thoughts were going through my mind, was he ok, how badly was he hurt, etc. My mind was racing. When I finally arrived at the Med. Center, they still would not let me back to see or give me any other information. Thank goodness my Dad had come over to be with me, as we had to sit for what seemed like forever. Michael's family soon arrived as well, and were not given any other information either. I was finally able to get through to him on his cell, but just for a second and still really did not know how he was doing. After 4 hours of waiting, we were finally able to go back and see him. Yes, he had flipped his truck three times and the only injury he received was a broken ankle. Someone up above was really watching over him and our family. To come out of that type of wreck with as little of damage as he has is amazing to me. So, today, I am so grateful. Grateful for God for watching over my family, grateful to have my husband home safe and sound, grateful to my wonderful family for being there with me and to all my wonderful friends who came to the hospital to wait with us and those that called to check on us throughout the night. I have so much to be grateful for and truly believe God has a hand in everything we do. So, today, what are you grateful for?

2008-03-17T12:33:00.003-04:00

I have had so much going on that I have not been posting as much as I would like, but I want to keep everyone informed on all the exciting things that have been going on with me. This weekend was extremely busy. I had several sessions Saturday and will get those pictures posted soon. I was asked to participate in the auction that John Milledge has every year. I graduated from John Milledge and Keaton will be attending next year, so I was glad to donate to this school. I normally donate a free session with a free 16x20 portrait. This year Mandy Eley was the highest bidder for that auction. Donna Ivey also asked me to help her with a special item she was working on to auction. She had a wonderful idea to make a gift basket that would make a little girls dreams come true. The gift basket included a Tea Party for a little girl and 6 of her friends at Tara's Tea Thyme. The party would also include an exclusive photography session and each child will receive their own 4x6 photo from the party to take home and cherish. The basket was filled with items to make her dream party come true. It had boa's, crowns, jewelry, and all sorts of fun stuff. It also included free invitations from Lucy Jane's in Gray. The highest bidder on this item was Sheree Prestridge and she has informed me that it was perfect for her little girls birthday party in May. Payton will be 3 years old and loves to play dress up. I can't wait to be apart of her special day!

I also had a busy day on Sunday with First Methodist's annual Easter Egg hunt. I was so happy to be apart of this event. I was on hand to take pictures for the children who came to see the Easter Bunny. I want to thank everyone who came by and had their pictures made. We had some kids that wanted no part of the Easter Bunny and then we had others who did not want to leave the Easter Bunny. It was so much fun! I will have these photos ready this week and will bring them to church on Easter Sunday!

2008-03-17T11:56:00.003-04:00

It's been kind of crazy with sessions since the weather has been so great! But I wanted to let you know about a contest that The Union Recorder is having for the month of March. They have asked me to sponsor this event and I could not be more excited! I feel so honored to be apart of this contest. The contest is open to all children between birth and 2 years of age. The winner will receive a gift basket from Monogram's and More along with a free photo session from me! They will also be featured in the paper! Now you know how we all love to show off our children and this is a great opportunity to do just that! This is so exciting and I can not wait until the winner is announced. Please grab a copy of The Union Recorder for more details. And enter your child today! See you all soon!

The Sweetest Face Contest

2008-03-02T11:57:00.005-05:00

Announcing Our 1st Annual Sweetest Faces Contest

Do you have a little model on your hands? If so, you don’t want to miss this exciting opportunity!

Kelly Prior Photography is excited to announce our first ever Sweetest Faces Contest, which allows you and your child to get involved-and even break out your camera.

How does it work you ask, just a few simple steps from you and your child.
Here’s how it works: If you have a child between the ages of 9 mo. to 10 years, and think they are photogenic, please send in a snapshot (close-up if possible) for consideration for the contest. Non-professional photos ONLY, please! Submit your images from now until March 30th. After the deadline, images will be narrowed down to 10 by a group of my colleagues (not me) and those 10 finalists will then be posted here on the blog and voted on by the general public-which means you. The TOP TWO models (1 boy and 1 girl) with the most votes will win!

What will you and your child win?
A complimentary session and an 11×14 of your choice from our session! But wait, there is a catch, by entering the contest, you are agreeing that I will have complete creative control over the session. That means I will personally select and buy the clothing, as well as, pick the location. You do not have to worry about anything, except showing up-how easy is that?

After the session, you are not required to purchase any additional images, but, of course you can if you’d like.

The sessions will be in the local area. The dates for the sessions will be discussed with the winners as to which date would work best. The two winners will be contacted as soon as the votes have been tallied and the selections have been made.

Now, here is how you can enter the contest:
Please email Kelly Prior Photography with a recent(3 months or less) snapshot of your child to be considered. Please include the name and current age of your child, as well as your address and phone number. If you are entering more than one child, please send in individual images. Send your image to kprior@kellypriorphotography.com. This contest is open to any and everyone-both current and non-current clients.

I plan to make this a yearly event, one I hope you enjoy getting involved in. I cannot wait to see the images everyone sends. Let's get started-get those cameras and those kids and start snapping!

Bridal Fair

2008-02-27T20:02:00.003-05:00

On Sunday, Kelly Prior Photography and 20 other local companies were on display at the Milledgeville Mall for their Bridal Fair. We all had a great time and met some wonderful brides. I had the privilege to be asked to showcase my work at the bridal show and thank you to all of you that came out to see it. Other local services that were in attendance were, GRITS-"A Southern Affair" (Linda Stephens and Teresa Chambers), Reunion Band, Serenity Day Spa, Hallmark, Tara's Tea Thyme, Remax, and many more.

Kate and Jeff

2008-02-21T11:07:00.006-05:00

I had the opportunity to work with the cutest couple-Kate and Jeff. They were so sweet together and make a great looking couple as well. They are getting married in August and I am so excited I will be able to photograph them on their wedding day. We had so much fun at this session; Jeff was such a great sport about all of it. It is so nice to find a client that love pictures as much as I do and Kate is that person. She did not care how long we took or what poses I wanted them to do; she was open to all ideas I threw out. Here are a couple from our session. Hope you will enjoy them. Stay tuned until August!

A beautiful family, inside and out.

2008-02-20T00:47:00.007-05:00

What a wonderful family to work with. Meet the Furr's, they have been coming to me for a couple of years, but this was the first time I got to photograph Bethany's new brother, Caleb. He was such a sweet one, too! He was born just a couple of days before Rhen and I just love getting to me all the new babies that will grow up in the same grade and probably class as my child. Caleb, like Rhen, is a big boy. I love, love, love, a hearty baby. Thereis just more to love. If you check out the gallery, you will see just how much his BIG sister loves him-she helped us make him laugh, gave him kisses and talked so sweet to him. It was a very fun session, and I look forward to watching these two little ones grow through the years. By the way, they do hold a special little place in my heart by having that beautiful red hair-not that I am partial or anything :-).

And the Winner Is...

2008-02-19T15:04:00.005-05:00

#8 with 32% of the votes! Congrats to Lindsey and Matt Cagle, I will be contacting you shortly to let you know what you have won. If you all remember from a posting a while back, Lindsey and Matt were the precious couple in the big RED bathtub that I had the honor to photograph.

I would just like to say thank you so much to everyone who went and voted. I had such a huge response and many people e-mailed as well. I loved going to the blog daily and seeing what image was winning. I hope everyone enjoyed watching as much as I did.

I will be posting a NEW contest very soon, and I have to say, it is going to be a good one. I little hint: Get your cameras READY!!! Keep checking daily to make sure you enter the contest.

So, once again, BIG congrats to Lindsey and Matt!

Just a sneak peak...

2008-02-13T15:36:00.005-05:00

I had a session today with Bryce. As I posted earlier, I LOVE babies in hats, so you could imagine how excited I was when I saw this hat Felicia had brought for Bryce to wear. It was just too cute, I had to come right home and look at them. Here are the first two I opened just to take a peak. Now, back to work for me, but look at that precious hat and those beautiful blue eyes!

Two Precious Gifts

2008-02-12T10:45:00.000-05:00

How can you not think these two are the most precious gifts from above? Twins-WOW is all I can say. I am so intrigued by twins, from how they are carried together inside their mother for 9 months to the close bond they always will share. When I was little, I always remember thinking how neat it would be to be a twin and how when I got older I would love to have twins. While I do not have twins, my two best friends do. I am in awe just by watching London and Jody care for, nurture and raise them. It must be one difficult task, but one that is so rewarding. I know first hand what it takes to be a mother of two children, but mine are different ages; I cannot even image what it takes to be a mother to two babies at once. But as I watch both of my friends, I see what a wonderful job they are doing and how much their children love them. It goes without saying that being a mother is the most fulfilling job on the earth, one I would not trade for anything and one I would give my life for in a heartbeat. So, I know without a doubt that having twins just doubles a mother's love.

With all that, please meet Addie and Brooks Latimer. They have finally arrived after much anticipation on December 21, 2007. I came to know these babies way before they were even born. I was pregnant with Rhen while Jody was pregnant with them. It was wonderful to have such a close friend to go through pregnancy with. Many of you know Jody and Jason's story about the loss of their precious Camden, and when everyone found out they were having twins, it was a sign from God that he was watching over this family. It was such a joyous occasion the day they were born and one I will never forget-thank you Jody and Jason for letting me be a part of your lives. I love ALL 5 of you!!

New and exciting events at Kelly Prior Photography

2008-02-07T13:32:00.000-05:00

As I reflect back on 2007, I have so many things to be grateful for. The highlight of our year was welcoming our second son, Rhen. I have to say having him here with us really has brought such great joy to our lives. Watching Keaton take the role as his big brother has been wonderful to watch as well. We also moved back home to Milledgeville. I am now surrounded by my wonderful family and friends and I cannot even begein to tell you how great that feels. It is because of you, my clients, that this dream has come true. I started out on this journey with photography 3 years ago on the back porches of my best friends London and Jody who let me use thier children as my subjects. It was the two of them and my family that gave me the encouragement to follow my heart and take a leap of faith. I could never have imagined all the wonderful support and kind words people have given me. I have found a wonderful wedding assistant in Tara, who, even though she is busy with Tara's Tea Thyme (if you have not been to have lunch, it is a MUST that you do) always takes time to travel to weddings with me. She is invaluable as an assistant and I could not do it without her. Or great friends like Danielle, Sheree and Beth that used me when I was just starting and have helped get my name out there and have supported me beyond belief. I have so many wonderful clients, too many to name, but you know who you are. It is because of you that I was able to leave a teaching career and follow my heart and become a full time photographer. I have great plans in store for 2008, keep a lookout for the great things that will be happening. I just want to say thank you for all your encouragement and believing in me and my talent.(Look at me being all sappy)

With all that being said, it is now my time to give back to you. So, I am starting a new tradition. Every month or so, I will have a contest for you, my clients, and anyone else that you would like to get involved. Each contest will be different than the previous one. How does this benefit you? At the end of each contest, a winner will be chosen. The winner will receive a prize, but you will not know what the prize is going to be until the winner has been picked. However, the prize will be worth your time to participate. Such things as free large prints, free sessions, free albums, etc., will be given away. So, come on, join the fun and win some great prizes.

Just as a little test so you can see how it will work, you will try to get as many people involved as you can. For this test, I am going to post some of my favorite wedding images from 2007. It is up to you to come and vote on your favorite image. Since I am in such a giving mood, I may just give the bride who gets the most votes a little something. Now, it is up to you to get VOTING!

Above are some of my favorites from the past year. Place your vote at the left of the post and let's see what you all think is the best image from 2007! Voting will close 2/14/08 at midnight.

Oh, baby of mine...

2008-02-05T20:16:00.000-05:00

Where has the time gone? Rhen is now 3 months old and it seems like he just came into our lives yesterday, although I cannot remember what life was like without his precious smile. He is so much like his big brother, in looks and in personality, which are both good things. I took him to do some 3 month images, and I just love babies in hats, especially my bundle of joy! Look at those cheeks. I just squeeze them all the time!