Deana Johnson Photography

Food Storage

2011-04-02T13:14:00.000-04:00

I make Branson's food in bulk and freeze it. I have several containers ranging from the Williams-Sonoma beaba silicone pods ($25) to Dollar General plastic tubs ($1). This is frozen mango and strawberry applesauce. I froze them in the DG plastic tubs. If I use the WS pods or the cheap DG brand I still cover EVERYTHING in plastic wrap. I have noticed that I get freezer burn if I don't do this. I think making sure you let the purees come to room temperature can prevent freezer burn.

I also DO NOT microwave the plastic. I run warm water over them and pop them into a glass dish like the one above in the photo. Then I nuke it for 1 minute.

Beaba silicone storage pods

The perfect Pair*

2011-04-02T12:58:00.002-04:00

Harry & David pears are de-lish!

Pair of Pears ;)

Pear Puree

My mother in law got us a gift from Harry & David's fruit of the month club. Their pears are unreal! I didn't like pears until I tried these. You have to eat them standing over the sink because the juice runs down your arm! Branson LOOOOVES THEM.

Peas on Earth

2011-04-02T12:47:00.002-04:00

Peas (before straining)

The peas were too lumpy for Branson and I had to strain them by pressing the peas w/ a rubber spatula through a metal, mesh strainer.

Too runny! But pretty pic.

Final product! I added the 1st batch of lumpy peas to the second one and this was the right consistency.

First bite of baby food!!!!!!!! Peas are nummmeee!

Baby Food Photos

2011-04-02T12:39:00.000-04:00

I love this series of photos. So funny!

Uh oh, all gone!

Waaaah!!!!!! More!!!!!!

I think this is pumpkin...

More Food

2011-04-02T12:35:00.000-04:00

I have time mgmt issues. My goodness it is SO HARD to be a SAHM, work as a pt photog' and keep up w/ the house & laundry. Sadly, blogging is last on my list.

Butternut Squah

Sweet Potatoes

As Brandt & Branson nap on this pretty Saturday I am gonna try to post some baby food pics.

Paul & Kirsten Huffman 10-10-09

2011-02-12T08:56:00.001-05:00

I met Kirsten spring of '09 at a local coffee shop in town. Our meeting was orginally scheduled to go over her wedding package and show her my portfolio. We ended up staying for over an hour, girl-talking.
Now she's one of my good friends and has been married over a year!
Sorry K, just now saw that I never posted ur pics on the blog! Email me ur love story and I will post it! MWAH!

I threw in some photos of Kiersten & Paul's daughter, Lauren. She's one lucky girl to have u for a step-mom!!

We finally meet Kailyn!

2011-01-14T12:18:00.000-05:00

My best BEST friend (Sondra Lafferty Riney) lives in San Antonio with my niece Kailyn and her husband J.R.

This is my favorite shot of her. I love white backgrounds with babies.

Its so pure and simple and I love how you just see Kailyn in this, nothing else. :)

Kailyn is 6 weeks younger than Branson and we'd never seen one another's babies until this Christmas! I have been dying to love on her and of course take her first portraits. She's such a beautiful child. We love you SO MUCH Kailyn Elizabeth!

She looks so snuggly in her winter hat. :)

Love the color in this one. She looks like an actress. :)

She loves her feet! This was her momma's favorite. I love her eyes. They sparkle.

This & That

2011-01-14T12:03:00.001-05:00

Hello All! Just posting previous work, trying to get caught up on this blog...

My studio is here at our home. I am currently working out of our media room but my actual 'studio' is a big room on the 3rd floor that my dad & uncle finished out for me. Its technically the attic but it makes a great studio, but its still is not heated... So, until I get it finished I shoot out of the media room. But I have no windows in that room so I rely strictly on my lights.

Showing off his big boy toofers! I love this one but I cropped off his head accidentally.

Before I started shooting professionally I used natural lighting for all of my portraits and I really miss the way window lighting looks and feels. So, for Branson's last photo shoot I put him in a toy basket in my living room and snapped a few. Here's what I got:

I love the vintage feel of this one.

The the ratio of shadow and light that window light produces. I really like the tone of this one too. I chose a more magenta colored sepia for a vintage feel.

This one is my favorite. I really like the composition and I LOVE the way it looks like he's just peacefully sneaking a peak at me. This cracks me up because it looks like such a beautiful moment between the two of us but really I snapped this so quickly. What you can't see is I edited the vent in the bottom left and the electrical sockets. ;0)

I was terrified the basket was going to tip over. My dad is inches away from him, ready to grab him if he had fallen over!

Carrots

2011-01-09T14:42:00.004-05:00

I buy the bags of baby carrots to save me time. This way I don't have to cut and peel them. They take probably double or triple the amount of time to steam as do other veggies. I don't measure the amount of water. I 'eyeball' it. I also don't use the Beaba machine because I need to steam these on high and the beaba doesn't get quite hot enough.
So, I add the entire bag of baby carrots to my medium stock pot (actually the steam basket). I then pour approximately 4-6 cups of distilled water in the bottom of the pot and cover them. I steam these for 20 min or until for tender. Remove the carrots and reserve the water. I usually don't have the time to do this all in one step. Mostly after my food and reserved water has cooled down I wrap them up in the fridge and blend it the next day or sometimes two days. You can even pour some of the water back over the food to ensure it stays hydrated. It makes it easier to puree`.
Make sure your carrots are very fork tender the 1st couple of times I under cooked them and had to sautee the blended chunks in the bottom of the pot because they weren't blending smoothly.

This is hilarious! As you can see it took a while for us to get the eating with a spoon thing down pat. Despite the expression, he enjoyed them!

Total Cost: $1.99 for a one lb. bag of organic carrots (16 0z).

Earth's Best Organic Carrots: $9.99 for a 12-pk of 4 0z jars. I save $4.00

Amazon.com has 20 0z of Gerber carrots (2.5 tubs) @ $25.00!!!! That's $1.25 per 0z!

My cost

$0.32!

I'm sort of back lol! AND Baby Food 101

2011-01-09T14:30:00.002-05:00

I am embarrassed to say I haven't blogged since August!!!!!!!! I've been so busy being a SAHM, taking care of Branson that when I do get a free minute I usually check my facebook or do something productive around the house.
I've been thinking a lot about blogging my baby food recipes. I make all organic baby food for Branson and I LOVE doing it. I know exactly what he's getting, the quality and cleanness of it and it gives me some ME time. Plus, I'd be lying if I didn't say that I am a paranoid nut when it comes to what my baby eats. My family jokes w/ me all the time that they've given Branon chicken tenders behind my back. There will come a day when he will get bad stuff...I'm just not there yet!
My MIL got me the Williams Sonoma Beaba machine. It it a small machine that steams food and blends it into a smooth puree`. It is not as powerful as a food processor but its much easier to clean and it makes small batches. When I'm steaming one small bag of frozen peas I use the Beaba because one bag yields approx. 5 or 6 servings and its the perfect size. But if I'm making an entire bag of apples or a 6-7 sweet potatoes I steam them on the stove and use my food processor for larger batches.

Peas:

I buy them frozen because they're not in season. I let them partially thaw on the counter and then steam them w/ distilled baby water for approx 10-12 minutes. You can even shock them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. This will keep the brightness in the color. I reserve the water I've steamed them in because it holds a lot of nutrients. Slowly add the water until you get the consistency you're looking for.

This is what peas look like.

Kelli (my SIL) would be grossed out beyond words bc she despises peas but oddly, Branson likes them.

Okay, considering he'd never had baby food before, I thought the consistency was too chunky. I bought a metal strainer from Walmart and pressed the peas through the mesh w/ a rubber spatula. Below is what I got. They were way too thin. You could've drank it, it was really watery.

So next I added some of the un-strained peas to the above photo and below is what I got.

This was the 1st bit of baby food! Peas, Love, Happiness! ;)

Two HEART BREAKERS!!!

2010-08-14T12:30:00.001-04:00

These two beautiful boys came to my home studio a few weeks ago. I am so in love with this shot!! It looks so natural and relaxed. I wish everyone could see their beautiful blue eyes. Gage looks just like his dad, Tony, and Gavin looks exactly like Bridgette, his momma. What a beautiful family!

Big brother Gage is the best little helper. I had Branson in his bouncy chair and he started to cry. While I was shooting pics of Gavin I turned to check on Branson (bc he'd stopped crying) and there stood Gage w/ him in his arms! What a little man!! He'd gone over, gave him his pacifier and picked him up. I almost cried. So, of course I had to snap a picture. :)

Oh my gosh this tugs at my heart. He looks so proud. :)

His mother is going to have to fight off all the girls with a stick! Not only is Gage an awesome big brother but he's also a state champion baseball player. Gage plays baseball with my nephew Jackson. This season they went to nationals in Michigan after winning the state title.

I love this shot of Gage. He's fast!!

Baby drool! I think this is so funny. No way would I ever edit out the slobber. :) It adds character to the photo. Look at his baby mohawk! What a cutie.

Precious! Makes me want another boy. :)

Isaac is 3!

2010-08-14T12:09:00.000-04:00

Little boys just melt my heart. Isaac was so energetic and cooperative for his bday session. Each year his momma has a photo shoot w/ his favorite toy. This year its Mickey Mouse!

This is my favorite from his session. He looks like such a big boy. :) Love the hands in his pockets.

Happy Birthday little man!

Grayson Reed

2010-08-06T18:22:00.001-04:00

This is a 6 mo. session I shot here at my home studio. Grayson is such a ham in front of the camera!!! I love this shot. Check out the drool running down his chin!Now its bathtime!

He's such a happy baby. Probably the easiest baby to photograph, especially at this age. All he did was giggle. Mark & Danielle make really pretty babies. :)

COMING SOON: BIG BROTHER BRAYDEN'S SPIDERMAN SESSION N PVILLE...

Brooklyn Gray

2010-08-06T15:56:00.001-04:00

This is my beautiful niece, Brooklyn. I shoot photos every couple months of Miss Bumble B. She is the sweetest baby girl with the prettiest brown eyes you've ever seen.

Miss B. at four months. Little miss sunshine!

Cutie pie! This was my fave. Brooklyn is becoming a pro in front of the camera. Coming SOON Bumble B's 6 mo. session...

NEWBORNS

2010-08-06T12:51:00.003-04:00

Since becoming a new mommy my love for newborn photography has been rekindled. These itty bitties are my absolute favorite to photograph. If you're interested in a newborn session email me through deanajohnson.com.
Sessions need to be scheduled in your 8th-9th month of pregnancy. A newborn session should take place before the baby is 2 weeks of age. This will ensure your angel is sleeping soundly, doesn't have baby acne (which normally occurs after 2 wks), and positioning the baby is much easier.

Here are some of my faves:

This is Miss B. She is my beautiful niece. I shot this on my sister-n-law's couch!

This lil' angel is Adalyn Grace. She's 5 days old in this photograph. I shot this in the client's home, which is something I offer for new mommies. Sometimes its easier if I come to you to shoot your newborn session. Email me if you're interested in an at-home session.

Mr. Griffin Hayse was 6 days old when I traveled to east Tennessee to photograph his session...And I was 34 weeks pregnant! This shot was taken in his nursery. Its one of my all-time favorite photographs.

This is has not been edited!! I didn't realize Griffin was peeing because I was focused on his sweet smile. I was sitting in the floor and felt something warm (and wet) on my foot. In his one session he peed on both my feet!!

It was worth every drop. :)

I'm Baaaack!

2010-08-06T12:20:00.003-04:00

>I haven't blogged in months. I took a break while pregnant and now that Branson Jude is finally here (and he's perfect) I've decided to catch up on all my blogginess.

Being a mommy is the most gratifying job you can imagine. I am SO IN LOVE with my lil' boy. Brandt & I just sit and watch him sleep sometimes. We feel so incredibly blessed that God chose US to be his mommy and daddy.

Here are some of our baby's photos.

Barrett Hunter

2009-12-22T14:44:00.005-05:00

Check out this beautiful little boy! Honest, he could me a Ralph Lauren baby model. I've known his momma, Bekah since 5th grade. She and her hubby Brian are really sweet parents. He hung their moon, for sure. :)
This session was shot in their beautiful home in Harold.

I love the family portrait in the snow. What a beautiful family.

Barrett had a blast playing in the snow. I love his eyes in this shot. So sweet.

Jordan & Sydney

2009-12-22T14:10:00.010-05:00

I've known Char for over 10 years. She's one of my BEST friends, more like sisters really. Once ever few months I try to document Jordan & Syd'. It has been a blessing to watch them grow up. They're so big now. Jordan is in kindergarten! Here are my favorite photos from their fall session.

This shot above is so precious! Makes me wanna cry!

This shot is so sweet. It was spontaneous. He just wrapped his little arms around her. I love the position of her hands too. Its so natural and sweet.

This shot of Syd' is my fave! I love how the focus is on her beautiful blue eyes. Her hair is so fluffy! I think the fall leaves in the background really compliment her blonde locks. :) What a beautiful little girl!

This is Jordan's best shot. He has

the most handsome brown eyes and long

black eyelashes.

His momma is going to have the fight off the

first graders!

What a charmer. :)

This is one of my FAVORITE children portraits I've ever taken. They were giggling and rolling around in the leaves and I just snapped away. I love this shot.

Tickled Blue!

2009-12-22T13:50:00.008-05:00

Its been a while since I've blogged. A lot has happened recently. We found out in October we're expecting our first child! Sunday we drove to Lexington to Baby Belly Spa and found out we're having a boy! It was almost unbelieveable how it felt to see my little baby boy on the monitor, kicking his legs and moving his arms. I was (and still am) so overcome by emotion. Its hard to even explain how much I love him already. My heart feels like its going to explode. I don't even feel like the same person. Its the most amazing feeling. I'm a mom! And Brandt is a dad! Thank you, God!!!
Here are a few pics of our little Branson Jude from my 14.5 wk ultrasound.

This is his profile pic. You can see his little hand just under his chin. I love you little man!!!

There's no mistaking this one! He's ALL BOY!!! :)

This melts my heart. That little nose!!!!! I can't wait to kiss him from head to toe!!!

Hallmark Moment

2009-09-01T13:40:00.007-04:00

For those of you that don't already know. Two of my pet portraits were chosen for Hallmark greeting cards. This pug shot was my '08 birthday card.

I photographed Junior for a friend in Nashville. He had recently been shipped off to Atlanta for obedient school, so it was easy to have him sit still. I hid some dog biscuits in my pocket and every time I said "Wanna biscuit?", he made this funny expression. This shot cracks me up. You can find this card at Walmart, Walgreens, Kroger and Hallmark Gold Crown stores across the country.

This is Sophie. Sophie was photographed at my old studio in Nashville. She graces the cover of my second Hallmark (thank you) card.

Looks like she's ready to tango. Ha Ha

I offer a discounted rate for pet photo sessions. They're $75 for one pet, $15 for each additional pet.

Ava & Peyton

2009-09-01T11:49:00.014-04:00

Little miss Ava Kate Skirvin belongs to proud parents Allison & Justin. Ava was only 6 weeks old when we shot these photos. I think she looks just like her big brother Peyton.

Peyton is three and loves to put on a show! Here are some of my favorite shots.

Peek-a-boo!

I love his eyes. He has the biggest eyelashes, just like his momma. Look out pre-schoolers, this young man is a heart breaker!

This little smile came out of nowhere.

He sure loves his sister. What sweet babies!

He's so cute...Its BANANAS!

2009-09-01T11:28:00.009-04:00

This cute little monkey is the proud baby boy of Gary & April Fields.

Brody is 7 mos. old and has the most beautiful brown eyes you've ever seen. I could just eat him up!

Capturing little moments like these really make my job so rewarding. I love the shot of April smelling Brody's little neck.

Brandt & Gary grew up together, so they're like family to us. We can't wait to watch Brody grow. We love you little monkey!

Secret Garden

2009-09-01T11:13:00.010-04:00

I am so in love with this garden! I shoot here a few times a year and its my absolute favorite outdoor location in Kentucky.

Shawna Haywood Comer, my best girlfriend from middle school and high school is now a mommy of two. Kennedy and her baby brother Anderson are so photogenic. Kennedy is amazing in front of a camera. She's a trained dancer and it definitely shows in her portraits. Her posture is so graceful and she follows direction like no other child I've ever photographed.
I have been photographing Kennedy for several years now and she's become my little muse.

I love this shot of Anderson. For a few months now I've been playing with glare from the sun trying to get really soft, ethereal colors. I love how it looks dreamy. He is such a sweet little boy. Shawna and Kerry said we could borrow their kids anytime we wanted! LOL

Meet Lynlee, Pikeville High Student Rep

2009-08-13T16:57:00.009-04:00

Lynlee is our Senior Student Rep from Pikeville High School. This summer she was a lifeguard and we thought it'd be fun to do some pool shots. It was sooooo cold. Thank you for being a good sport...and you can't even see her goosebumps!

Lynlee has amazing eyes and the camera loves her. This photo reminds me of a magazine ad. I love it when my subjects want to have a non-traditional photoshoot. I am proud to capture photos that reflect my style of photography AND the model's style and personality too.

Did I mention her shoes? Luv 'em. Lynlee looks great in bold colors. I love her style!

You gotta love a Southern girl! This is such an all-american, down home portrait of a Kentucky girl. LUV IT!

.
Thanks girl! Have a great Senior yr!

Have a little Faith (and Hope)!

2009-08-03T15:25:00.014-04:00

This was such an easy assignment for me. I met Faith & Hope last October at their big sister's wedding in east Tennessee. I met my husband at that wedding and he is their first cousin. Now we're all family!! Its funny how my wedding clients went from clients to family members. I think I owe them a refund!! LOL

Faith and Hope are recent graduates of SVHS, where they ranked #1 and #2 in their class! I soon realized that the twins & I had something in common (aside from being a twin myself). We LOVE shoes! Their sessions were literally like playing dress-up. It was so much fun choosing their clothes, accessories, of and course shoes. Oh, and I wear the same size which is great b/c they have some hot heels! ;)

Honestly, they're probably the most photogenic subjects I've ever photographed. We had such a good time at the studio and around Pikeville playing with different colors and funky walls/scenic backdrops in the city.

Thanks Kathy for being my #1 lip gloss technician and professional reflector holder!

We're so proud of you girls and hope you have a great freshman year at U.K.

Good Luck!!

Faith looked so good with this blue garage door. I love this shot.

This is my favorite image of Hope. I love the urban feel. She looks like a model!

Welome To The World Alivia Williams

2009-08-03T14:53:00.012-04:00

This gorgeous baby is the newest member to the Williams family. Proud parents Jill & Jason welcomed home Alivia just one month before her photo session.

Alivia slept during most of her session, but I was able to capture this stunning "baby head shot" before she snoozed off again.

Sleeping beauty on a bed of roses.

Fuller Family

2009-07-13T10:13:00.011-04:00

The Fuller session took place here in Pikeville. I just love this town! The city park is a great backdrop for portraits.

Collier & his little sis, Caroline had a great time playing in the fountain. Maybe we should have shot these pics last!!?

The bridge photos are my favorite. I love to capture children playing because it is so natural and spontaneous.

Thanks Megan & Rodney for being so easy going with our location choices. You have a beautiful family and it shows in your photos. :)

Welcome Home Grant

2009-07-13T09:54:00.007-04:00

I recently photographed baby Grant & his big brother Conner. Proud parents Christi & Nathan welcomed home Grant Reed just weeks ago.

Although I shoot several weddings, babies & toddlers are the most rewarding of all. I love that it keeps me on my toes.

I have to move fast because chances are you have only a 2-3 minutes to get the shot, especially when working with toddlers. Conner did a wonderful job for me and I'm proud of the shots we got.

Welcome home Baby Grant!!

Goodbye Little Red Car

2009-07-02T17:11:00.005-04:00

Today is sort of a sad day. My husband & I are trading in his red Porsche Boxter. We love it and have lots of memories in that car. But, its not practical and there's no room for a baby (in the future).

Ironically, I was searching through my pro lab and found this amazing photographer named Michelle Reed. She is in Naples, FL. Her wedding work has graced the covers of many bridal and photo magazines!

Well, to my surprise Brandt called her and scheduled a private class this July!!!! AAAH!!! I'm so excited! I love networking with other photogs' and I can't wait to absorb her knowledge!

So, my porche photos pay homage to Michelle's work. She has a red porsche too and shot a fantastic photo of a bride with her little red car. So, I thought I'd give it a try, put my twist on it, but use myself in the image.

I set up the shot today (in between bouts of rain), and had my 11 yr. old cousin, Nash snap the pics! He may be competition for me in the future. ;)

OOH Last but not least...thank you Ky Mtn. Bride for the dress and shoes!!! I love Kaye & Connie. They have gorgeous dresses, shoes & accessories. Check out their website under our Links section of deanajohnson.com.

ALSO don't forget to check out Michelle's site: www.michellereedphotography.com

AMAZING!!!

A Wedding in South Dakota

2009-06-28T13:15:00.001-04:00

This was a fun wedding for my husband & I. We flew into Sioux Falls on Friday. Both Brandt & I were excited about travelling to South Dakota. Sioux Falls revolves around the cascades of the Big Sioux River and was created by glacial ice over 14,000 years ago...who knew?

Friday night we attended the rehearal dinner at the bride's sister's farm out in the country, where over 100 friends and family members drank beer and enjoyed some local barbecue.

Christopher is from Wellsville, NY and met Brenda (a native of Sioux Falls) at St. Bonaventure College. So, naturally the wedding took place in her hometown.
Everyone involved in this wedding came from all corners of the country. We have a New York groom, South Dakota bride, a wedding party from Colorado and a photographer from Kentucky!

We went to Sioux Falls Park for some portraits after the ceremony. The falls are gorgeous and made a breathtaking backdrop for the photos.

Hope you enjoy them!

I loved Brenda's dress. This was my favorite detail. What you can't see is her bridesmaid is blowing on the feathers!

I love this shot of her. She's so tall and elegant!

Check out this church! Gorgeous.

div>

Canadian Country Singer Heidi Raye

2009-06-23T13:48:00.000-04:00

This was a really fun (but cold) photo shoot. I shot Heidi Raye's photos in my old Nashville studio last winter. We got some studio shots and then drove a couple blocks downtown to get some vintage-inspired images.

The camera loves Heidi, and it was really fun playing frogger on Broadway! Ha! Ha!

We dodged traffic in the rain to get some of our favorite images.

Good luck Heidi with your music career and I hope to hear you on the radio soon!

Studio Manager, Jen Kopecky

2009-06-23T13:43:00.000-04:00

Here she is everyone, the brave soul that runs my studio, Jennifer Lafferty Kopecky. :) I grew up with Jen and Sondra; they're more than best friends, they're my sisters! Jen was born and raised in eastern KY. She has an extensive background in business management and has managed several small businesses in Kentucky and Ohio. Jen oversees all our scheduling, ordering, pricing, phones, photoshop and edit work. Basically, she does everything but take the pictures! She's my superwoman and she keeps me sane...somewhat!I am so appreciative for all she does. You rock and I luv u more than dark chocolate!Contact Jen for an appointment or to schedule a consultation.

Singer/Songwriter Wade Hayes

2009-06-23T12:33:00.000-04:00

I shot Wade Hayes' photos in Nashville, Tennessee at Judge Beans BBQ restaurant. Wade has had several top 20 hits and a couple of #1 songs, including "Old Enough To Know Better" and "I'm Still Dancing With You." Wade also is a CMA and ACM nominee for the Horizon and New Artist awards.
I got to know Wade while shooting photos on the road with Texas singer/songwriter Trent Willmon. So, Wade calls me up wanting some new promo shots and we thought Judge Beans BBQ on 12th ave would be a funky place to get some shots.

Jessica & Jordan

2009-06-23T12:04:00.001-04:00

I met the groom-to-be while shooting a wedding in '08. He was the wedding singer at a beautiful wedding up on Raven Rock golf course. Ironically a year later his fiance, Jessica, was looking for a wedding photographer and he suggested she call me.

The story of how they met and fell in love is so serendipitous! Jessica is a physical therapist at PMC. Jordan had gotten word from a couple of friends (on separate occasions) about this beautiful blonde who worked at the hospital he just had to meet. So a few days go by and Jordan is driving to Lexington for work. He gets a phone call from an unrecognizable number. He answers. It was an old family friend he hadn't seen or heard from in years. She was calling to ask Jordan about his love life. When he told her it was non-existent she began to tell him how he needed to meet this girl. She would be perfect for him. She goes to church, has a great job, and not only is she gorgeous but she's just as sweet as she is pretty.

Jordan interrupted the lady and said, "Her name's not Jessica is it?" Amazingly it was!

This was the third person (unbeknown to Jessica) that had told Jordan about this great girl. So, he gets her phone number and calls her. They go out on their first date and right away they both knew it was something special. Soon after they fell madly in love and Jordan asked her to marry him. Jessica said yes of course and they set the date for an October wedding.

I can tell you, from my experience with the two of them that they 110% are crazy for one another.

I look forward to shooting their wedding this fall and being a part of their special day.

Jackson & Wade

2009-06-23T11:38:00.000-04:00

This photo shoot was extra special to me. My mother-in-law helped me steal my nephews away for a couple hours to shoot their pics for a Mother's Day gift for Kelli, my sister-in-law.

As you can see Wade & Jackson had a blast. They were very comfortable in front of the camera and actually put on a show for us! I know I'm a lil' biased but they are beautiful, handsome, funny and entertaining! Even though I've only been in the family for a few months I've come to love Jackson and Wade so much!

Kristi & Kyle

2009-06-04T16:41:00.000-04:00

Kristi & Kyle

I travelled to White Pine, Tennessee to shoot the wedding of Kristi Johnson and Kyle Barnes. I can honestly say this was the most romantic setting for a wedding I've ever seen. Kristi arrived in on a horse a carriage while the Celine Dion song "Brand New Day" played. Just before the song began you could hear the "click clock" of the horse's shoes on the paved road that lay between a beautiful row of trees. It was truly a fairytale moment. I even teared up!!
The vows took place in a clearing of beautiful fall trees surrounded by over 200 of their closest friends and family members. In the middle of the ceremony the bride turns around and waves "hello" at the guests. Everyone laughed hysterically. She was so happy you could see her delightment all over her face.
The reception was just around the bend by Douglas Lake, where everyone celebrated until well after sunset. Their first dance was to a song called Someone Like You by Van Morrison but it was slightly interruped by a complete dance off, a full-on performance by the bride and groom to decades worth of dance music such as You Can't Touch This, Baby Got Back, The Brady Bunch, Michael Jackson and romantically ended w/ Someone Like You. It was great. Tears rolled down my face as I tried to capture their moves in between laughing my butt off!
Congratulations Kristi & Kyle. It was an honor to shoot your wedding. You two have a love that will last a lifetime and then some! And thank you for booking me to be your wedding photographer. It TRULY CHANGED MY LIFE...that's where I met my husband and best friend, Kevin Brandt Johnson!

Amber & Adam

2009-06-04T16:32:00.000-04:00

Here's the story of Amber & Adam, as told to us by our bride to be...

We were both attending Pikeville College. Adam was busy with baseball and I was busy with practicing for The Nutcracker. We were also both taking Biology 101. One day I was in the dance studio and one of the dance teachers, Michelle Rowe, asked if I knew Adam Collins. I told her I knew of him, but I didn't know him personally. She said she new him and she thought we would be perfect for each other. She begged me to just say a simple hello to Adam. I told her I couldn't do that! So, she said, "Well, tell him that Michelle says hello!" I figured there was no harm in that. Well, several days passed by and I couldn't get up the nerve to tell him in person, so I messaged him on Facebook! He said that he got so nervous and excited just seeing the messsage. Well, the next day we were dissecting pigs in Biology class. We had always sat on opposite ends of the room, but on this day my seat was taken and the only seat left was beside Mr. Right! I know it is kind of gross, but I guess you can say we started falling for each other during that week of dissection! About a week later, after talking and messaging, we had our first date at my apartment with some friends where we watched Elf. Since then we have been through some tough times, but God had a plan all along. We are so thankful and blessed that God placed us together!

About Rhi

2009-06-04T16:28:00.001-04:00

About Rhiannon Hedrick-SukedanaHello! My name is Rhiannon Hedrick Sukedana and I too grew up in Eastern Kentucky. I graduated from Prestonsburg with Deana in 1997 and went to Morehead State University. While at MSU, I studied Music and Psychology where I obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2002. This is the time in my life where photography and traveling became a hobby and a passion. Towards the end of my studies at MSU, I got the chance to travel to the Caribbean and fell in love with culture! From then on out, Eastern Kentucky was something that had to wait as I had to get out there and travel. After completing University, I decided to take a walk on the wild side and work traveling with a major cruise line where I became even more inspired with photography and photographing diverse people, lots of color, architecture, culture, and events. This was a huge moment in my life because all these years I was afraid of change. I packed my bags and off I went to Boston where my life changed forever.I have photographed all throughout the US in places like Key West, Miami, Charleston SC, Philadelphia, NYC, Boston, Lexington, Memphis, New Orleans, and all over Hawaii to name just a few. Also, I have photographed in at least 30 different countries in Asia, South America, and North America-heavily throughout Central America, Caribbean and Indonesia. While working on board a ship in Hawaii, I met my husband, Wayan Sukedana, from Bali, Indonesia. This man is so amazing and there is no one in this entire world like him! We traveled everywhere together and sought out some wild and amazing things! Traveling to Bali for the first time was so exciting and I absorbed everything from the sights, sounds, the riches of the lands, the poorest of poverty, and fell in love with their culture and the ways of the Balinese. Many people from his village have never had their picture taken ever until I came! Thanks to me, almost everyone there has a portrait. I donated one of my digital cameras to them to capture moments like weddings, ceremonies, and everyday moments.My true passion with photography is finding natural moments and making them into art. I love photographing people and capturing them in their element. I love shooting at Sporting Events, Weddings, and Portraits. I truly believe that everyone has something about them that is unique and specifies who they are... I love bringing that out in with my camera. I am so excited and honored to have the opportunity to work along with Deana!!!!

About Deana

2009-06-04T16:28:00.000-04:00

Well hello there and welcome to our blog! My name is Deana Williams Johnson. I was born and raised in eastern Kentucky. I graduated photography school in 2003 from Nashville State Technical Institute. I love beautiful lighting, thanks to my friend and mentor, Skip Jackson. Skip is the backbone of the photo program at Nashville State. He teaches digital and lighting. That man could light a golf ball so beautifully that you'd want to marry it!! He does actually have a great shot of a golf ball that is really gorgeous. LOLI recently married the LOVE of my life, Brandt Johnson. We have a home studio in Pikeville, KY.I travel all around the country shooting portraits and weddings. You can see me in '09 in New York, South Dakota, New Orleans, Nashville and all over KY.If I were to try to explain my shooting style I say: quirky, casual, relaxed, modern, sassy, and ever changing.A photo session with me is sooo comfortable. I've never met a stranger. I'll talk your head off and you won't feel a bit camera shy.I don't limit my sessions to minutes or x-amount of frames. I shoot your session until we are both satisfied with the end results. Sometimes I'll take 1 1/2 to two hours to achieve this and sometimes we can get it in 30 minutes. I'm open to new ideas and techniques and I'm big on not having your portraits look like anyone elses. I love uniqueness and having a client's images reflect their personality.I love love love photographing animals and I actually have my own Hallmark greeting cards. My designs and greetings were chosen among 7,000 entries to be published and printed in Hallmark, and other retail stores across the globe! So if you have a fur baby, bring it on over and lets get some photos of you and your waggy tailed friend.BIG NEWS!!!!!!!! Just found out last week one of my dog photos will be on another Hallmark card!!! Look for it this summer on a Thank You card!!!!Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day!Deana Johnson