When we sit down with a couple and talk about their engagement session we always offer a few main suggestions:

1) Choose locations that are meaningful to you.

2) Plan to have an outfit change so there’s variety in your images.

3) When selecting your outfits, stick with solid colors so your faces are the focus.

4) And don’t be afraid to have FUN!

Amber and Joe followed every bit of our advice and their session was so much fun! As cheesy as it may sound, our cheeks actually hurt by the end of the evening because we laughed so much together. This fantastic couple even chose us to design their custom Save the Date Postcards. Here’s the front of the postcard:

And here’s the back with helpful information for their guests:

We started off at Coffee Underground in downtown Greenville.

Then to Falls Park for some beautiful back-lit portraits.

One outfit change later and a quick drive and we arrived at Frankie’s Fun Park, where Amber and Joe had their first date! Part of Curtis and I’s first date was playing mini putt putt so this brought back some good memories

Celebrating a hole in one!

Stay tuned because up next on the Blog is a Charleston wedding with multiple first-looks, a venue straight out of a magazine, and a kickin’ party! Can’t wait to show off those images later this week.

Emily & Curtis

Kismet Photography

We met Carol and Todd at the Wedding Festival Expo a few months ago when they signed up for our Engagement Session door prize. It must be a really small world because, according to Facebook, we have a few mutual friends already, and Carol and Todd happen to know one of our past couples. How cool is that!

Furman’s Asian Garden is such a pretty backdrop!

Their “love shack” for the session!

Can you tell whose foot is whose?

Curtis & Emily

Kismet Photography

The following two families have been such a joy to work with! These posts are long over due, but having a growing, teething baby of your own tends to keep you busy

I love photographing newborns knowing that I’ll get to see the baby again during it’s first year milestones, and then watch as the first bite of cake is consumed! These two sweet families pre-scheduled sessions through our “Growing Up Portraits” to ensure that none of the special moments will be missed.

First up, Tammy and Josh:

Introducing adorable baby Lucas!

Another gorgeous little boy, baby Ashton. His mommy and daddy are extra special people because Curtis and I had the honor of photographing their wedding a while back.

Congratulations again Tammy and Josh and Heather and Josh! I’m looking forward to seeing your boys again soon and how they’ve grown up!

-Emily

Kismet Photography

We’ve had an absolute blast photographing all the adorable babies and kids for the contest and now is when YOUR fun begins! The voting is open for Kismet Photography’s 2nd Annual Cutest Kid Contest! Voting starts February 21st and ends February 28th at midnight. ANYONE can vote!

There are three different ways to vote:

1. Check out all the adorable kids on Kismet Photography’s Facebook page and cast your vote by clicking the “Like” button that corresponds to your vote for “Cutest Kid”. This requires a Facebook account and that you “Like” the Kismet Photography Facebook page by clicking the “Like” button at the top of the page.

2. While on Kismet Photography’s Facebook page leave a comment on your vote for “Cutest Kid”.

3. Leave a comment at the bottom of this post stating which child you think is the cutest. (First names only please)

Each person can use all of the voting methods only once. Any more than one vote per person per method will not be counted.

The winner will be notified on February 29th via email.

Bentley

Beason

Carter

Bennett

Jackson

Brayden

Daniel

Ellie

Logan

Lochlan

Curtis & Emily
Kismet Photography

Think you’ve got the cutest kid around?! Then enter your adorable child in our 2nd Annual Cutest Kid Contest. Kismet Photography is hosting a FREE contest and all you have to do to enter is schedule a FREE studio portrait session for your kid to take place on or before Monday, February 20th. This year we are expanding the age limit to 5 years!

After your child’s session we will select the most adorable portrait and feature it on our Blog and Facebook page on Tuesday, February 21st so all your friends and family (and anyone else who thinks your kid is cute) can cast their votes. The kid with the most “Likes” after one week will be declared Kismet Photography’s 2nd Annual Cutest Kid! In addition to bragging rights, the winner will receive a 15″ Wall Portrait of one of their contest portraits as well as a Gift Certificate for one of our Signature “Anytime” Sessions to be used within one year.

Their is no cost to enter and no obligation to purchase. All we require is a model release allowing us to post the portraits online. For this contest we are limiting the age to 5 years old. Families with multiple children under 5 years of age are welcome to enter more than one child. Previous contestants are not eligible, so if your child was photographed last year for the Contest they cannot reenter this year. (We already know they are cute anyway!)

Remember, your kid’s FREE portrait session must take place on or before Monday, February 20th so don’t delay, call (864) 350-2338 and schedule your kid’s session today! Or email us at info@kismetphotography.us. Session availability is on a first come, first serve basis.

Let the Contest of Cuteness begin,

Curtis & Emily
Kismet Photography

We wanted to save the best for last, so for our final installment of Kismet’s Favorite Things we’re featuring our favorite End of the Night Portraits!

With our full day coverage we even include what we call End of the Night Portraits. These take place after the reception when it’s just us and the bride and groom and the rush of the wedding day has passed. Assuming the newlyweds still have energy, it’s the perfect time to capture intimate portraits at their hotel, with their getaway car or anything else that’s meaningful to them. Plus it’s a great way to end the couple’s wedding album by bringing it back to just the two of them.

Merry Christmas from Kismet Photography!

Curtis & Emily
Kismet Photography

Most of the time our goal is to capture everybody at their best, but every now and then a moment comes along where flattery flies out the window for the sake of humor. These are some of those moments.

This cake feeding started out innocent enough…

That is until the cake fell down the bride’s dress!

Stay tuned for the final installment of Kismet’s Favorite Things coming soon!

Curtis & Emily
Kismet Photography

In the spirit of the almighty Orpah, we thought we’d share some of our favorite things of the year. And by “things” we mean photographs we’ve taken. And no, everyone in the audience will not be receiving their very own copy. Sorry. The first installment is Cute Kids and Wedding Details.

She wins the award for cutest pj’s at a wedding

Kismet’s Favorite Wedding Details from 2011

Goodbye old plastic hangers that could never hold the weight of a wedding dress anyway. Hello custom made hangers from Etsy.

*DROOOL!*

We saw a couple versions of the Tree-Guestbook this year, but having guests stamp their fingerprint was definitely original! What a beautiful piece to hang in a couple’s new home!

Check back in a few days for Kismet’s Favorite Funniest Moments!

Curtis & Emily
Kismet Photography

In the world of pregnancy and due dates it’s very rare for a baby to be born on the date a doctor predicts. But Liam is one of those special babies and came into this world exactly on his due date.

You can check out Liam’s gorgeous mommy and daddy here first.

Now enjoy some of our favorites from his Newborn Portrait Session:

Curtis & Emily
Kismet Photography

With Thanksgiving just a few days away it’s the perfect time to reflect on the blessings that came into our lives in 2011. We have so many stories to share with you from the events we photographed this year, but first we need to start with our biggest blessing – all 7 pounds 15 ounces of him – our son Eli.

We planned to have Eli at home, but after 21 hours of natural labor at home plus another 9 or so hours at the hospital it became apparent that a C-section was necessary. This image wouldn’t have been possible without our birth photographer, Kelli Collins, who let Curtis borrow her gear since no one else was allowed in the operating room besides Curtis and myself. Even though I didn’t want Curtis to “work” on the birth day of our child, I cannot thank him enough because he photographed Eli for the first time right as he was being born. And despite having thousands of photographs of our lives together, this is one of the most precious by far.

Eli – 2 days old

Eli at home – 1 week old

One of my favorite portraits of Eli, not only because he’s so stinkin’ adorable but the memory behind this photograph. While setting up for this shot he peed in the mixing bowl at least 2 times! Don’t worry, it’s since been washed!

Eli – 4 weeks old and learning to smile

Who wouldn’t give candy to this cutie?! No, we didn’t take him trick or treating this year but we’re definitely looking forward to eating all of his candy earnings next year!

Eli – 8 weeks old

With so much going on, sometimes we forget to appreciate the little things we take for granted. This holiday season, take a moment to stop, think and be grateful for all the blessings, big and small, in your life. It’s a wonderful feeling.

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

Curtis & Emily
Kismet Photography