and the winners are!

thanks to all who entered the contest to win a free engagement session or a lifestyle portrait session. after a long and tough process of trying to decide which of the three winners are, here goes!

KAREN & SHAWN WASHBURN:
though we never had the opportunity to do an engagement session with karen and shawn,we had the pleasure of photographing their wedding last october in durham, north carolina. shawn lost his job shortly before their wedding, but since has recently started his own business doing custom body work and race car fabrication on porches, located in the triangle. they've also had two mortgages on two separate houses due to the slow real estate market, among everything else. while in st. john, us virgin islands last october, i actually ran into them on a beach near my friend's house where we were staying. they were there on their honeymoon! sadly, it was my last evening on the island making no time to arrange a portrait session while there. i was disappointed we didn't get that chance. karen and shawn entered the contest hoping to get some nice shots of them with their sweet pooch, sparco. i can't wait!



TATYANA YEMETS & FIANCE, RUSS
tatyana happened to stumble across my blog and entered this contest by telling me about their proposal this past valentine's day and how they were saving every penny so that they could have a destination wedding in mexico next may. they met six years ago while in canada and both currently reside in new york. russ proposed to tatyana at castle on the hudson in tarrytown, new york and they are hopeful to have their e-session done here as well. they've also told us about the town of tarrytown, which sounds lovely and so quaint.possibly another location for some creative shots. i think it would be a blast to take a trip up to new york and such great fun to meet this cute couple! i love the idea of going to a new place and meeting new people!!




NICOLE ANDREWS & DAUGHTER, RUBY
nicole is a single parent originally from san francisco and now residing in charlottesville, virginia with her sweet little girl, ruby. when i read (and re-read) nicole's story of raising a child alone and all the struggles she's been through, i just knew. also knowing that nicole is self-employed as a designer, and with the recession as it is, things can be tight at times. nicole wrote to say that she has so few photos of she and ruby together and how she wished she did. ruby, what a beautiful little girl with rosy cheeks. and from what nicole writes, she adores her. I can't wait to meet these two!