Congratulations, Kelli & Mike!

I am blessed by the people I serve. It’s been true since the day I began Natural Elements Photography in 2003 and remains so today. Last month I photographed Kelli & Mike’s wedding in my hometown of Fayetteville, WV and loved every minute of it!

From the thoughtful handmade touches, such as the “welcome cross” a family member had made to place on the lawn, to the gorgeous flowers and arrangements adorning the church, to the warm smiles and giddy anticipation by the wedding party-- this is something wonderful to be a part of.

I especially enjoyed the touching ceremony and music, including the sweet sounds of a harp; it was a very elegant service. The humorous antics of the ring-bearer did nothing to detract from the atmosphere, in fact, I believe the smiles and polite laughter he garnered only enhanced the joyous occasion.

Thank you, Kelli & Mike, for inviting Natural Elements Photography to document this momentous day; you are a special couple and I wish you God’s blessings throughout your life together.

PhotoBiz

The following review is for my fellow photographers...

Because I think good customer service is a rare commodity these days, when I DO encounter an above-average experience, I make sure to tell the manager or business owner about it; they usually seem surprised, yet full of gratitude.

Last fall I found myself in need of a new image hosting company in order to show my session previews and provide an opportunity for my clients to purchase images online. I researched various companies for weeks, spoke with other photographers and navigated many photography sites in my quest for a solution. My criteria was really pretty simple: easy navigation, compatible with Mac and all for a reasonable rate. Thankfully, I eventually stumbled across PhotoBiz and knew I had found exactly what I was looking for.

Not only did PhotoBiz meet my needs, they have far exceeded my expectations! I was unaccustomed to friendly customer support in this area and was surprised to receive a phone call from PhotoBiz after I signed up online to ask if I needed any help with the initial set-up. I was also provided an email with my very own contact person (who speaks English as a first language!) in case I needed help. I didn’t.

In truth, the program is SO user friendly, I cannot make one suggestion in this area to better it. For every page, such as setting up galleries, events, pricing schedules, coupons, products, shipping, etc., there is a video tutorial to walk you through. I love that! The videos are short, concise and very helpful.

The only area that required a bit of brain work was setting up my merchant account, which required an application process through a third company. Even though this process took several days, it was worth it. These folks, also, were friendly and helpful. And, surprisingly, the two times I had to phone in to have my questions answered, I spoke to the same lady. No waiting, no automated phone directory to stumble through - just a helpful, knowledgeable voice on the other end.

PhotoBiz is a member of PPA, WPPI and also the BBB which tells me they care about giving me, as a professional photographer, the best, most reliable service they can. The icing on the cake? ...they are a relatively small business growing up right next door in North Carolina which means we're in the same time zone and, well, that pleasant southern hospitality seems to be an ingrained characteristic of PhotoBiz.

Five Stars.

Bridal Session

The evening was perfect, a bit of rain earlier in the day only enhanced the quality of late afternoon light and made the colors all the more brilliant. Kelli is a beautiful bride and it was a privilege to capture these images for her and her new husband, Mike.

Because I'm a huge fan of Pre-Raphaelite art, the image below is my favorite from our time together. Take a glimpse of more previews from her session. Thanks for the opportunity, Kelli!

WV Super Pickers

Alan Smith, Steve Sparks, Dave Hicks and Roger Hicks

My day began @ 4:30 a.m. and by sunrise we were hiking out to a spectacular spot in the New River Gorge. I was reminded, quite brilliantly, of why I love West Virginia and why I need to catch more inspiring sunrises! It wasn’t just the awesome landscape I savored, but getting to know some very talented West Virginia musicians made the morning all the better. I love my job!

I was asked to create images for a cd being produced by the WV Hall of Fame to highlight some talented local musicians known as the WV Super Pickers. I was privileged to hear some of the tracks for this project and especially enjoyed their unique rendition of Take Me Home Country Roads.

According to Steve Sparks, the group’s drummer, “The WV Super Pickers project serves to exemplify the talented artists who hail from the great state of WV. The brainchild of WV natives and Nashville legends, Charlie McCoy and Russ Hicks, the WV Super Pickers are a group of WV artists who have made their mark on the music industry and made West Virginia proud.”

Roger Hicks

The group features the talents of Buddy Griffin, Robert Shaffer, Steve Acord, Steve Sparks, Rad Lewis, Dave Hicks, Roger Hicks and studio manager Alan Smith. The cd will be released this summer.

It was my pleasure to meet you all; thank you for asking Natural Elements Photography to help with your photography needs. Best Wishes on this outstanding project!

Farm Session

Ah, I do love the new life that springtime brings! Thanks to Larry Dingle of Treworlas Farm in Beckwith, WV, I have the opportunity to photograph one of my favorite subjects: critters!

His farm is teaming with new life, from the Percheron foals to the miniature donkeys to the calves and goslings...

Oh, I could sit in a pasture and while away the hours with my camera... what peace, what beauty. Thank you, Larry, for asking Natural Elements Photography to capture images at Treworlas Farm.

Engagement Session

What a lovely young couple I had the privilege of photographing. Kelli, Mike & I spent a beautiful spring evening around Ansted and Gauley Bridge, WV in order to create some lasting memories before their wedding day.

There's just something special about celebrating love & a new life chapter in springtime =-)

Family Fun!

I recently had the pleasure of spending time with and photographing a family dear to me. I’ve known Jeannie practically all my life and so, it was an honor to be asked to photograph some memories for them.

As always, I find it best to photograph the little ones doing what they do best ~ play!

Warm faces that make my heart smile....

Jonathan & Angela

Congratulations to Angela & Jonathan! The crisp cool March morning gave way to a beautiful day filled with sunshine, love and good cheer...

Jonathan & Angela did an excellent job putting everything together for their special day; what a privilege to be a part of it all.

I love the hair details....

the romance....

...and the FUN of it all!

Best wishes always!

We Have a Winner

Yea! Congratulations to Tiffany, of Melbourne, Florida for her whimsical entry, "I'll trade for hot chocolate!" She'll be receiving this new card in her box set as a prize.

Thank you to all who participated in our first Caption It! Contest. It was a real treat reading through all the entries!

Caption It!

Hi friends! Take a moment today to share your wit & good humor by entering our

Caption It! Contest.

This little fella, "Winter Visitor", is gracing our next Images of West Virginia notecard and we'd prefer YOUR clever caption to go with it.

Entering is easy: share your caption (10-12 words MAX)

on our Facebook Page or email your caption to:

naturalelementsphotography@yahoo.com

Enter as many times as you like.

Winner will receive a free box of notecards (12 ct.)

(6 of the "Winter Visitor" & 6 of the "There's No Place Like Home" cards)

and be announced here on February 5th.