Jessica Vess' Blogography

moving

2010-04-16T12:37:00.002-04:00

i've decided to move my blogography over to tumblr. from now on, check me out there: http://jessicavess.tumblr.com/

easter

2010-03-23T16:02:00.003-04:00

DSC_0046, originally uploaded by jessvess.

being an aunt is fun! last week, i got to take pictures of our two nieces - Jilian & Atalie. these are the two most gorgeous girls on the planet. so that made my job easy. :] we went to hurley park, in salisbury, to try to snap a few early Easter pics. atalie will be celebrating her 1st birthday in a few weeks, so expect more cuteness to follow soon!

the thompsons

2010-03-18T19:56:00.007-04:00

DSC_0066, originally uploaded by jessvess.

last fall, i got to take some photos of our friends, the thompsons. traci and nathan have two adorable boys, andrew and eli. we went out to the koontz' new property, and took some shots by the barn and the field. i had a blast and i hope they did too.

the millers

2010-02-10T09:35:00.004-05:00

DSC_0368, originally uploaded by jessvess.

i realize that i have gotten pretty slack on posting photos. so much so, that i'm only now uploading pics from last may! what used to be an almost obsession, became a job, and then stopped being an obsession. oh well. anyway, jerm & i got to visit nashville last summer and in the process, visited with some good friends. here are the millers!

Me & Chuck!

2010-01-08T11:06:00.005-05:00

revelantmag, originally uploaded by jessvess.

Hey, I'm back in Relevant Magazine, for my friends at Clover! This time, I'm on the inside back cover, and look who I'm next to - CHUCK!

Ariella - 1 yr old

2009-10-23T18:11:00.001-04:00

DSC_1091, originally uploaded by jessvess.

That's right, another adorable baby! My neighbors had a beautiful baby girl named Ariella. (Kind of like the little mermaid.) Here are some of her 1 yr pics!

Feather in the Wind Video

2009-09-07T18:24:00.000-04:00

DSC_0123, originally uploaded by jessvess.

This year has been full of surprises. The biggest of which would probably be the opportunity for Jeremy to shoot a music video for his upcoming album! It was amazing how people came together out of the kindness of their heart and with all kinds of talents to share to see this project through. We feel so blessed! Can't wait to share the actual video when its ready. Here are some shots from the day of the indoor shooting.

Vote Blake Jarman

2009-08-18T18:06:00.001-04:00

DSC_0001, originally uploaded by jessvess.

My good friend, Blake, decided to run for Salisbury City Council in 2009 and asked me if I could help a little with his campaign. So, we went downtown and took some pics.

Clover Photo Shoot

2009-07-15T05:33:00.002-04:00

Jess - Final, originally uploaded by jessvess.

As I blogged earlier, I won a contest to fly to LA and be in a photoshoot for a new ad campaign for Clover websites. (If your church or ministry is looking for a web solution, by the way, you MUST check them out!) Anyway, here are a few of my photos from the experience. It was an absolute blast to meet such amazing people. Everyone seemed like they had known each other for years. Its truly a miracle how the family of God works. I'm blessed to have met more of my family from across the country and I look forward to keeping up with them and what God is doing in & through them until we meet again.

I'm a winner!

2009-06-05T13:36:00.005-04:00

Last week, I submitted a video entry into a contest called The Face of Clover. [Clover is the web company that my church uses. They are planning a new marketing campaign that will include real clients with real stories. And that's what this contest was for.] Anyway, I found out today that I am of the 4 winners that have been selected! Hooray!! What that means is that I am flying out to LA at the end of the month to be in a photo shoot, have a swanky Hollywood dinner, & an overnight stay, as well as a sweet Flip Mino HD video camera (seen below)! [Jeremy & I are especially excited about the camera, because we plan on taking road trips and taping ourselves for a web show! Ha.] I'm so excited for this fun LA experience. As you know, I love to travel. And I definitely plan on bringing my camera and trying to get some fun pics of LA and the surrounding area. YAY for Clover! Read the winner announcement on the Clover blog!

Hallie - 1 year old

2009-06-02T18:00:00.000-04:00

JVP_HC_041, originally uploaded by jessvess.

It was an honor to take Hallie's 1 year portraits, almost exactly only year after we did her first family portraits. She is a doll! And again, we got to be in the great outdoors.

Atalie - 1 month

2009-05-19T17:48:00.000-04:00

DSC_0208, originally uploaded by jessvess.

Sisters are the cutest. (Especially when they're your nieces.) Here are some pics when Atalie was one month old. Boy has she changed!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T10:05:00.001-04:00

mothersday, originally uploaded by jessvess.

Since my sisters and I live so far apart from each other, I thought it would be fun to take this series of photos for our mom and create this collage. (And yes, that's my husband on the end.) No matter how far apart we all are, we can love just the same.

Also, on Mother's Day, Jeremy's mom requested a simple family photo to commemorate the new addition to our family. So, here is that image too. Happy Mother's Day, to the moms out there!

Jackie's Bridal Shots

2009-04-30T22:44:00.000-04:00

DSC_0888, originally uploaded by jessvess.

On April 30th, I had the privilege of shooting the wedding of Jackie & Derric Maddry. These two have such a sweet love story and testimony, I just had to be apart of their special day. (And, since I had never seen Jackie wear a dress before, I knew this was an event not to be missed!) Being such a gorgeous girl, I convinced her to pose for some bridal portraits right before the wedding. So here are some of those images. Enjoy, because you may never see her in a dress again! :-P

Jackie & Derric

2009-04-30T14:08:00.000-04:00

DSC_0078, originally uploaded by jessvess.

On April 30th, in the mountains of NC, Jackie & Derric tied the knot and I was there to capture the event. Congratulations and blessings!

Casey's Graduation Shoot

2009-04-29T23:50:00.000-04:00

DSC_0115-2, originally uploaded by jessvess.

One of the things I love about spring and this time of year is the opportunity to get back outside and have some fun outdoor photo shoots. So, a couple weeks ago, I took East Rowan senior Casey Little to downtown Salisbury for an outdoor graduation shoot. The weather was perfect as we went from alleyways, to railroad tracks, to even the courthouse steps having fun and snappin' it up. Here are some shots from the day. Take note of the last one - that was his home run ball from the previous night's game. Congrats, Casey! (I'm suddenly reminded of "Casey at Bat".) Good luck at WVU in the fall!

Atalie Selah Vess

2009-04-29T23:34:00.003-04:00

DSC_0844, originally uploaded by jessvess.

On Tuesday, April 14th, our brother & sister in law celebrated the birth of their daughter and our niece, Atalie. Just under 4lbs, she was the smallest newborn baby I'd ever seen. But she is strong and healthy, gaining and growing every day and now home with her family, doing fine. Here are some shots of her first day on earth. Welcome to the world, Atalie!

Jenny's Bridal Session (Sneak Peek)

2009-04-13T14:42:00.009-04:00

DSC_0624-1, originally uploaded by jessvess.

This week I went to the quaint and beautiful Memorial Gardens in Concord for a bridal portrait session with Jenny. And I had some help from my awesome assistant, Toni Blackshire. (Check out her work!)

Jenny is getting married in May to her fiance Tyler and I'm honored and excited to shoot their big day! Jenny's an absolutely gorgeous girl and her dress is equally as stunning. But, we can't spoil the big reveal, so this is all you're getting until after the wedding.

Jenny's Bridal Session

2009-04-09T10:29:00.001-04:00

DSC_0775, originally uploaded by jessvess.

This bridal portrait session was lots of fun. The gardens in Kannapolis were the perfect backdrop. And my assistant, Toni, rocked! Jenny & Tyler tie the knot in May. So here are some images from her bridal portrait session. Check out that dress!

Winter Wonderland

2009-03-03T18:16:00.007-05:00

DSC_0002, originally uploaded by jessvess.

Sometimes its fun just to take pictures for pictures sake! I haven't done that in a while, admittedly. But yesterday, I got the chance. As many of you easterners know, we experienced a great snowfall this week. I haven't seen snow like this since my senior year in college! Anyway, we stayed up late with our next door neighbors, watching it accumulate. But was awoken early the next morning by my sisters puppy (who is staying with us for the week). I'm not a morning person, but when I went outside I was glad the pup woke me up at 6:30am! The winter wonderland was well worth it. So, the rest of the day was spent taking pictures of the beautiful view and some fun too. Enjoy!

Sunrise sky

My sister claims this looks like a Folgers commercial.

Jeremy made snow cream!

The most pictures you will ever see of me holding a dog.

My man and his banjo!

Jessica's Modeling Shoot

2009-02-19T01:40:00.008-05:00

DSC_0012, originally uploaded by jessvess.

My sister's best friend, Jessica, plans on making a career out of acting. But in the meantime, she's looking into modeling. So this week I met up with her and we took a few shots of her for an upcoming interview with a modeling agency. Here's a few shots!

Koontz Family Portraits

2008-12-20T15:45:00.000-05:00

DSC_0471, originally uploaded by jessvess.

Before the holidays, my best friend's family always gather together for a family portrait. In years past, they've let the timer do the work. But this year, they decided to call me up. I was a bit nervous taking a portrait with this many children, but thankfully all the eyes & smiles came together for a great family memory! Merry Christmas!

Lisa Easter's Artist Shoot

2008-11-22T15:23:00.002-05:00

DSC_0237, originally uploaded by jessvess.

A friend of mine attends Catawba College here in Salisbury and recruited my help on a Music Business project. They had to promote an artist from start to finish. So, they brought me in to take care of the photography. Lisa was the subject; not only is she gorgeous, but I also got to hear her sing, and she has a great voice! Who knows, you may be seeing this face quite a lot in the next few years. Look out world, here comes Lisa Easter.

Bryan + Ashley: Engaged

2008-10-19T20:44:00.005-04:00

DSC_0380, originally uploaded by jessvess.

This summer, my friends and former youth group members, Bryan and Ashley got engaged! Recently I took the two of them out for an engagement shoot. We went to downtown Salisbury, as well as Hurley Park (where they got engaged). Here are some favorites from the day.

Hallie Caroline Canup

2008-08-18T20:35:00.003-04:00

DSC_0026, originally uploaded by jessvess.

Some more friends of mine, Joy & Donnie, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She was born just hours after Father's Day! Here she is a few months old, and here are some family photos I took for them as well.

Amanda + Justin: Wedding

2008-08-15T20:11:00.006-04:00

DSC_0280, originally uploaded by jessvess.

On August 15th, my brother in law Justin tied the knot with his fiance Amanda. They definitely didn't want to do things by the book. For example, Amanda wore a black wedding dress! But it turned out beautifully and an event that people are still talking about. Here are some photos from the days festivities. Congrats, brother!

Lola Bliss Koontz

2008-08-08T20:02:00.002-04:00

DSC_0524, originally uploaded by jessvess.

On Father's Day, my good friends Marc & Jessica gave birth to their 5th (yes, 5th!) daughter, Lola Bliss. Here are some photos that I took for her birth announcement. Awwww.

Amanda + Justin: Engaged!

2008-08-04T18:56:00.005-04:00

DSC_0258, originally uploaded by jessvess.

Today is my 30th birthday! But it wasn't a usual day for me. Or a usual birthday for that matter.

It all started back in July, when my brother in law, Justin, got engaged to my friend Amanda. The happy couple wanted to tie the knot within a month. So, speed wedding planning went into high gear. Some friends and I wanted to throw a bridal shower for Amanda, but were really pressed for time. The only date that could work just happened to be my birthday. But it also became the perfect cover for the surprise shower. So, that afternoon, I shot an engagement session with Amanda and Justin. And that evening, we threw a party for Amanda, which she thought was going to be a party for me. (Although, I think she started to figure things out the closer it got.)

Anyway, here are some of the engagement shots. You might recognize the little one, Jilian. I did a photo shoot of her about a year ago. Cheers to the new happy family! Enjoy!

Katie + Andrew: Reception

2008-07-23T10:58:00.004-04:00

DSC_0260, originally uploaded by jessvess.

It's finally done! After many many weeks, I am finished with all the images from Katie & Andrews wedding. It was a lot of fun to be able to document their special day. And I wish them all the best! Thanks again!

Katie & Andrew: Ceremony

2008-07-03T18:34:00.009-04:00

DSC_0053, originally uploaded by jessvess.

It was a beautiful, traditional wedding ceremony on a rainy day in April. But the rain didn't stop these two from saying their "I do's", nor did it even put a damper on the day's events.

Here are some photos from the ceremony.

Katie & Andrew: Pre-Ceremony

2008-06-26T20:53:00.006-04:00

DSC_0401, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

The bridesmaids work vigorously at fastening each tiny button on the back of Katie's wedding gown.

Katie & Andrew had a beautiful wedding ceremony in Wake Forest, at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. With Andrew in his military attire and Katie in her gorgeous princess-like gown, it seemed like a fairy tale wedding in the historic chapel.

Special thanks to Chi Wang, my second shooter throughout the day's festivities. The rest of the event will be coming soon. Here are some shots of the preparations leading up to the big moment.

i heart brooklyn

2008-06-10T20:54:00.013-04:00

brooklyn, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess

I just got back from a week in NY, visiting with my aunt and sisters. I always enjoy myself up there. It's like going to a different world. And that's a nice thing to do sometimes. ;)

I flew up Friday morning with my youngest sister, Rachel, from Roanoke, VA. Friday night we all celebrated (my aunt) Jacquie's 30th birthday (and yes, she's my aunt - not my cousin). The rest of the trip was, of course, spent eating out. This trip we had lots of food from their neighborhood in Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn: ny pizza, take-out chinese, mexican, brunch at a french cafe. And we also hit some restaurants in the city, Landmark being my favorite. We even stopped in at a few bars: at camp we played a few rounds of guitar hero, at another brooklyn establishment we got to play some old school pac-man, and at a sports bar in the city we watched the stanley cup playoffs and battled each other on the Wii. I found it interesting that video games were the main entertainment at each bar we visited.

You can't go to the city without seeing a broadway show. And they are usually pretty pricy. So if you are ever in town and on a budget, but want to hit broadway, I recommend Broadwaybox.com. They have better deals than TKTS and you can print off the coupons and take them right to the box office the day of the show. Anyway, we ended up seeing Mel Brook's Young Frankenstein. Sadly, being such a fan of the movie, I have to say that it was a disappointment. All the punchlines were the same. No new jokes, really. The songs weren't very funny. But I will say that the part of Igor was played very well! And the scenery was amazing. They spared no expense on the sets, that's for sure. But next time, I will fork over the extra money and see Wicked.

My favorite part of the trip was probably taking a trip in the Dance Cab. (Or, so we dubbed it.) You see, in NYC, even visiting a Target store is a major hassle. After waiting at customer service for over an hour for our items, we have to figure out how to get 2 miles home carrying a kitchen microwave cart and a window unit air conditioner. A cab is the only option. So, we walk out of Target with our heavy products and right away a gentleman appears asking if we need a cab and carries our items off to the trunk of his 90s Volvo. I was pretty suspicious. But since we outnumbered him 4-1, I figured we were safe. It ended up being the best cab experience I've had to date. Half way through the trip, he started flipping through the radio stations and landed on "With You" by Chris Brown. And when you are a Dumas/Yeager/Vess, a song cannot come on the radio without dancing and singing to accompany it. So, here we are riding in a cab, singing and dancing all the way home. We also jammed to Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body" and ended with a classic Michael Jackson dance tune. We had a blast. So, if you are ever in NY and a guy in a Volvo wants to give you a ride, you might want to consider it. You never know, it might be the Dance Cab.

We tried to go to a preppy roof party, but we didn't make it in time. Unfortunately, we still had to walk around the city dressed preppy for no reason. Ha.

Poor Rachel ended up catching mono somehow, so she was sick for much of the trip. So, we didn't do a ton of sight-seeing. But it's always fun to see my sisters and aunt, no matter what we're doing!!!

Cha cha now y'all

2008-05-28T00:33:00.009-04:00

DSC_0275, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted. I'm working hard on the wedding pics for Katie & Andrew.

In the meantime, I thought I'd post a favorite pic from our youth group prom we had a few weeks ago. It was a blast. Here is Jeremy and our fellow youth leader, Marc, going low, all the way to the flo' in their best cha-cha style. Let me see you clap your hands!

Here are some more memorable images from the night.

Katie & Andrew: Engaged

2008-04-01T22:46:00.006-04:00

0087, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

Last week, I met up with Andrew & Katie in Wake Forest for an engagement photo session. It was very cold and windy that day, but we bundled up and braved the weather. In fact, here's a shot of the two keeping each other warm. ; ]

In a few days, we'll go to the beach to get some shots. And then Saturday is the wedding!

Me in action

2008-03-12T14:08:00.001-04:00

3bride2, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

Here's a picture that was taken by a photographer from the Herald Sun paper in Durham, NC. I was shooting a bridal portrait session with Katie at Duke Gardens. Just thought this was fun. :)

Katie P.: Bride-To-Be

2008-03-12T13:52:00.007-04:00

DSC_0141_1, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

Monday I drove to Durham, NC to meet up with Katie Pettyjohn and her mother, Karen, for Katie's bridal portrait session at the lovely Duke Gardens. Although many of the spring blossoms had yet to bud and bloom, we still found some beautiful backdrops to photograph Katie against in her gorgeous wedding gown.

It was a great day! The weather cooperated quite nicely. And we even met a photographer from the Herald Sun, who took a few shots of us in action (which appeared in the paper yesterday). So, we're officially famous!

In a few weeks, I'll meet up with Katie again, but this time her fiance Andrew will be there too so we can get some shots of the engaged couple before their big day in April.

Posted above is just one of the fun shots we took Monday. Katie has got a great sense of humor, so we enjoyed goofing off some, too.

Dreams

2008-03-03T23:04:00.008-05:00

view from brooklyn bridge, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

So, i have a bridal portrait session with Katie scheduled a week from today. It's very exciting! Lately, I've been spending time looking at cameras and lenses online, because I'm finally ready to purchase equipment of my own. :] And to get prepared, I've also been looking at a lot of other photographers work to get inspiration and ideas for my upcoming shoots. I'm feeling really blessed that I have the opportunity to go for this dream. I've never really had a dream of my own before that seemed within my grasp - so I'm really enjoying the ride.

Wedding season

2008-02-16T12:17:00.006-05:00

central park wedding, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

Guess what. I recently had my first client meeting and I'll be shooting a wedding in April. I'm really excited! The bride is a good friend of my sister, who happens to be a bridesmaid. Also, my mother will be helping with some wedding coordinating. In addition to shooting the wedding, I'll be doing a bridal portrait session, an engagement session, and some other fun things too. I'm looking forward to the experience, and praying that everything goes smoothly.

Modeling gig

2008-02-03T15:20:00.003-05:00

P1150512.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

My cousin, Colin, used this photo for his modeling portfolio after I shot it back in November. I was really honored that he and his mom liked the photo that much. But the coolest part is that with it, he was able to book a print ad modeling gig with Disney World! I'm so excited for him (and also for me)! :) I definitely feel special that something I shot was good enough to help get him work. It's little things like this that make me think that maybe I really can do this - maybe I can be a professional photographer.

Jessica Vess Photography

2008-01-31T19:36:00.005-05:00

P1130550_bw-be.jpg, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

The time has finally arrived! I am starting my own photography company. It has to be a God thing, because I definitely didn't strive to make it happen myself. Over the past few weeks, 3 weddings have been brought to me by friends and family. So, if that isn't a sign, I don't know what is.

In response, I figured I needed to put some pictures together as a portfolio. I think I've chosen some decent ones. It's always hard for me to select the ones I think are the best, because I know I have so much to learn. It almost feels like I'm being prideful by creating something like this. Even making this blog was hard for me at first. But I must learn how to promote myself and what gifts I have. And I definitely hope to learn and let those talents grow, so that eventually it won't be so hard for me to show them off. Ha. Anyway, here is my free portfolio site: jessicavessphotography.mosaicglobe.com. It's a mouthful. But hopefully within a year I will have my own fully functioning website up and running.

Thanks everyone for all the support, kind comments and encouragement. I'll let you know how it goes! Pray for me!

Thanksgiving skies

2007-12-15T21:13:00.008-05:00

P1150015.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

So, I probably took around 2000 pictures over Thanksgiving week. Obviously, I have a hard time editing myself.

Here are some beautiful skies I enjoyed on our family vacation to the outer banks of NC.

Family

2007-12-03T04:04:00.006-05:00

P1140583.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

Over Thanksgiving break, I also did a shoot with my sister, Emilie, and aunt, Jacquie, who recently became roommates in Brooklyn. I thought it would be neat for them to have some fun pictures together for their new apartment. So, we coordinated some outfits and hit the beach. It was fun and we had a little bit of drama too. The ocean almost claimed a brand new pair of rainbow sandals from Em, but she selflessly dove into the freezing waters to rescue her poor flip-flops from eminent disaster. Since she was already soaking wet, we figured she might as well pose in the water. Thanks Em!

My cousins

2007-11-27T23:51:00.003-05:00

P1150420.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

Thanksgiving week was a blast! My mom's family came from Florida, Maryland, and New York to the outer banks for a week of family fun at the beach. We rented a huge house, with 9 bedrooms, plasma tvs in every room, a movie theater room, pool table, hot tub, etc. We were living like rock stars. It felt like we were on an episode of cribs.

Anyway, I thought it would also be fun to do some photo shoots with family while we were there. So, naturally, I took some photos of my cousins who already happen to be into modeling. Hopefully they'll be able to submit some as new headshots.

(The shots posted above are of my cousins, Colin and Ethan Fuller. Models, actors, dancers, musicians, and all around great kids.)

Savannah, again

2007-11-08T23:17:00.004-05:00

P1140094.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

So, here I am on the road. But this time it's different. This time I took my husband with me. Hooray!

Life on the road has been okay, but lately its been wearing us out. I've been away from home for over 6 weeks in a row. So, in the past month and a half, I have probably only gotten to spend about 12 days with Jeremy. Wow. That is pretty sad, when I put it that way.

Anyway, this week I was blessed enough to be scheduled on a shoot where the first two days were canceled. So, I got to spend a few extra days at home. Then, I was able to steal my husband away and take him with me for the rest of the week. And then, when I arrived at my shoot today, they canceled today as well. So, Jeremy and I were able to hang out all day together. It was great. I am so glad that he came with me.

(The shot posted above is from our last trip to Savannah, in August. I love the look of cobblestone streets, but functionality wise they're a nightmare. Never walk on them in high heels!)

Fall, finally

2007-11-06T18:08:00.003-05:00

P1070290_1.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

So, the weather is finally turning. I never thought that I would be ready for cold weather, but this year I definitely was. I am a fall kind of girl though. I can't stand the frigid temperatures of winter, with the runny noses and bare trees. And although I always welcome spring, I am not fond of the return of bugs and bees and pollin. Summer is fun, because its the time of vacations and cookouts and most importantly, my birthday. But the drenching humidity makes it very difficult to enjoy. So, fall it is. The perfect days when its so cold in the morning that you pull out your winter coat, but so warm in the afternoons that you want to sun bathe, and so nice in the evenings that you want to build a campfire and look up at the stars.

Thanks for joining us Fall. It's about time!

(The shot above was taken in Fall '06 at Dan Nicholas Park outside of Salisbury.)

edward scissorhands

2007-11-02T02:32:00.002-04:00

P1140360.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

okay, this isn't a groundbreaking photo or anything, but i couldn't help posting this. jeremy was edward scissorhands at our youth costume party last weekend. isn't it uncanny?! :)

PT

2007-10-29T19:17:00.002-04:00

P1140265.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

Guess what? As if I didn't have enough new things in my life, I just bought a car!

I have had only one car in my life, my Jeep Cherokee, since my senior year in college. She has been a great car. But with over 230,000 miles on the jeep and a job where I travel hundreds of miles a week, it just seemed like the right time for something new. I gave the jeep to jeremy and we bought a PT Cruiser.

Its a 2002 Limited Edition with 78,000 miles. It has leather/suede interior, a sunroof, nice stereo, and lots of fun features. The best part is that it has lots of storage for work and my favorite part is that it has cup holders. Ha.

Anyway, just wanted to share yet another new thing in my life lately. Welcome the PT to the Vess family!

my new do

2007-10-25T02:02:00.001-04:00

JESSICA-BC699E-Img02611(Masters Touch).jpg, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

when you like to take pictures, it usually means that you rarely end up with any pictures of yourself. so when i recently decided to get a new hairstyle, i asked a friend at work to take some photos of me. since portraits is what we do at work, she took them in no time! so, now i actually have some updated pictures of myself. :) just thought i'd share the new do.

sister in nyc

2007-10-24T23:09:00.003-04:00

moving subway, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

so, yesterday my sister moved to new york city. i cannot begin to say how jealous i am. :)

ever since our aunt (who is my age) moved up to the city over 6 years ago, i have wanted to join her. she tried very hard for several years to convince jeremy and i to come up there and get an apartment with her. but alas, jeremy cannot withstand cold temperatures. so the ny move was out.

my middle sister emilie decided last winter that she would move to ny this fall. so yesterday she flew up there and tomorrow she starts her new job in the city. good luck in the big apple, em!

(the shot above was taken on my last trip to new york in november '06. subways are fun.)

I have returned...

2007-10-16T22:50:00.002-04:00

LeechSaldanha_0476, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

So, I am finally blogging again. Wow, I can't believe its been 6 weeks since I've posted anything. Shame on me! The blog gods are angry with me and now I must appease them with a new post and photo. Okay, now I'm going a bit too far. But I'm tired, so I shouldn't be expected to make sense right now.

Anyway, its been a very busy past two months. I have pretty much been working my tail off. But I have enjoyed it so far. The new job is fun and I am still enjoying the travel. So far I have been to Cherry Hill, NC, Hickory, NC, Chattanooga, TN, Stanley, NC, McLeansville, NC, Norfolk, VA, Cary, NC, and now Atlanta, GA. I just got a call from my boss and he might be sending me to Greenville, SC this week. Crazy!

So, needless to say I haven't had much time to take photographs for myself. But I am picking up a lot of knowledge on portrait photography, lighting, cropping, and people skills. I have even been able to shoot some. I still hope to learn more and eventually be the photographer, but I am being patient with it.

Anyway, since I am away all this week, I will try to get back into the habit of posting. I do have a few things to share, so check back for more news!

(The shot posted above was taken while I was second shooting for Andrew Bryant at a wedding in Duke Gardens. It was such a fun day for me. I got to go around and use one of Andrew's cameras and take shots of family and friends mingling at the reception, as well as some pre-ceremony and detail shots. It was a wonderful experience and I hope I have the opportunity to do it again. Andrew was kind enough to give me copies of the images from the wedding. Right now, I am sifting through them, trying to remember which ones I took. I do remember this little girl though. Its hard to forget a face like that. I'm apparently a sucker for taking pictures of kids.)

Last year...

2007-09-01T00:35:00.003-04:00

P1060196.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

This month last year, Jeremy and I were heading to Hawaii with my family. We spent an amazing week in Kauai, thanks to my mom's great bargain shopping skills. I have never been anywhere so beautiful. And I really hope to be able to go back again one day.

The job has been going well. Keeping busy with that.

Jeremy and the band are recording right now. We're all really excited to hear the finished product.

But now I must go to bed. 6:30am is gonna come too quickly.

(The shot posted above was taken last year in Kauai, Hawaii off Hanalei Bay at sunset.)

Changes

2007-08-22T20:41:00.004-04:00

P1120754.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

The new job is going swimingly. I really enjoy it and am doing pretty well at it, if i do say so myself. My 3rd day of training I ended up making the highest sales percentage the company has ever seen. WOW! It was totally God. Anyway, they are very excited about me and I am excited about making money to pay off debts and build a savings.

The hardest part about the new job is that I have to travel quite a bit, pretty much five days a week. Sometimes within an hour or so, which allows me to go back and forth everyday, but sometimes farther so I might have to spend the night. That hasn't happened yet, but I heard that they may be sending me to Fayetteville next week, so that would be the first overnight week. It will be hard to be away from Jeremy for 5 days straight. I know we'll be fine, but I hope its not every week like that.

Another unfortunate aspect of the job is that the hours are 1pm-9pm, Tuesday-Saturday, which normally would be awesome -but I will have to miss youth group every week. It has become such a large part of my week and my life over the past two years, that not being there is going to be difficult.

And lastly, going back to work means that I must give up some of the freedom that I have been able to experience over the past two years. Like the freedom to travel. I am going to miss it so much. I love just going away for a few days - to the beach, or the mountains, or to see friends and family. It has truly been a blessing to be able to go whenever we want to. But, as I am joining the ranks of the working world again, this is just one more thing I must say goodbye to.

Change is hard sometimes. But I definitely see the good in this job and the opportunity we have to become debt free. So, we have decided that that is a priority. So, goodbye familiar and hello change!

(The shot above was taken underneath the Avon Pier in Avon, NC this past June. I don't recommend walking on it, though.)

I'm tired

2007-08-17T01:24:00.003-04:00

backside of a building, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

So, I haven't updated in a few days. But its been a very busy week.

It started off on Monday with Andrew Bryant coming to Salisbury to take band shots for the guys. We had a lot of fun. Beforehand, me and the boys hit Marshalls and Old Navy, looking for some fun tshirts and good fitting jeans. Who knew I'd become a stylist? Then when Andrew got there, LOS played a couple songs for him and then we just jumped right in to picture taking. Andrew had some really great, creative poses in mind, and the guys came up with a few too. We pretty much tried everything we could think of. Inside, outside, standing, sitting, jumping, singing. It was so fun. If you want to see a few of the shots, visit Andrew's blog and look for the post called Lords of Salisbury. They are amazing!

The other big thing this week is that I have started working full time again. It's been two years since my last full time job. I took some time off when we moved to NC, simply because I could. Honestly, I thought I would get bored not working and then want to go back to work immediately. But that wasn't really how it ended up. I became a new person. My life stopped revolving around my career. I was able to volunteer in the youth ministry and grow in my walk with the Lord, because I gained a whole new focus and put my identity in the things it should be in. So, I feel now that I am ready to work again after all these changes. We could definitely use the financial boost. And I am looking forward to having more of a set schedule again. I'll be on the road a lot, mostly locally. But if I am ever in a city near you, I'll let you know!

I am so tired now. Time for bed. Gotta work tomorrow!

(The shot posted above was taken in downtown Salisbury, NC back in May '06. I love the look of old buildings, especially in alleys or at back entrances.)

LOS

2007-08-13T11:24:00.001-04:00

P1140047.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

Today, our friend Andrew Bryant is coming to Salisbury to do us a huge favor. He offered to take pictures of Jeremy's band, Lords of Salisbury, for free! We feel so fortunate. The band is trying to get together a press kit so they can start to play more shows, so this is perfect timing.

Good luck to Andrew, taking pictures of these three goof balls won't be easy!

(The shot posted above was taken of the band in Savannah, GA right after the Outreach at Tybee Beach concert.)

Planes, trains, and automobiles

2007-08-09T01:29:00.016-04:00

P1010747.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

If you haven't figured it out yet, I love to travel!

I was asked recently, which mode of transportation was my favorite between plane, boat, and car - and I chose car. Planes are great when you are going long distances, particularly over large mountains or bodies of water. (And of course, you get amazing views that you'd never otherwise have the chance to see.)

But flying is definitely not a feeling that I love. I usually take motion sickness meds to keep from getting too nauseated. I'm also afraid of heights. Ironically, I've been skydiving and I've also been on an aerial acrobat plane.

I've only been on one cruise, and I really enjoyed it.

It didn't make me sick, but it wasn't like it was so fun that I would exclusively travel by boat from now on. However, I did get sick on a smaller boat - Jeremy's uncle's sailboat. It was a 4 day trip off the Gulf Coast. I was okay until we had a storm roll up on us. All day long we were tossed about by the wind and waves. Definitely not my favorite day.

I guess I like the familiarity of driving and maybe that feeling of being in control, but something about getting behind the wheel of a vehicle just feels so right.

I love driving long distances too. Usually when Jeremy and I go anywhere, I drive almost the entire way. Partly the reason is that I have a tendency to get car sick if I'm not driving. So Jeremy kindly lets me drive.

It was pointed out to me recently that I am pretty much a jetsetter. In the past year, I have been to Hawaii, NYC, Florida, Mexico, Gatlinburg, Maryland, the Outer Banks, Nashville, Savannah, etc. (And not even to mention trips to the NC mountains, several visits to Charlotte, Chapel Hill, Greensboro, & Winston-Salem, and countless visits to Emerald Isle.) And of course, when I visit all these places, I love to take pictures!

I hopefully will one day have a job or the kind of life that involves a lot of travel. I may have an interview this week, in fact, to travel around to various churches and take photos for church directories. It may not sound like glamorous work, but the fact that it combines traveling with photography is quite exciting to me. Now I just have to convince Jeremy that he can live without me for a few days a week!

(The shot posted above was taken in February 2006 on 1-40 West in the mountains of TN on the way to Gatlinburg for a youth conference. Don't forget to hold your breath and of course honk your horn until we're all the way through the tunnel!)

Georgia on my mind

2007-08-08T15:00:00.007-04:00

P1140065.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

This weekend I went to Savannah, GA with Jeremy, Justin, Mikey, and Katie. The trip was great. Lords of Salisbury played an outreach at the beach on Saturday with another band called The Vow from Florida. While the bands played, a local church gave out free hot dogs and drinks, while also witnessing to and praying for people.

Saturday was also my 29th birthday! :) Didn't technically get to celebrate it then, but that's okay. It was a fun day regardless.

On Sunday, we led worship at church. My friend Katie Koontz performed a few of her songs as well. I sang back up for her. We used to sing together a few years back. We called ourselves Sketch. Anyway, it was fun to sing together again.

After church and lunch, we headed to the beach. It was so incredibly hot and humid the entire weekend. I can't remember a moment when we weren't covered in sweat. So, swimming was a nice relief from the heat. After that, we headed downtown and saw the classic spanish moss covered trees and gardens.

Then we went to the river to sightsee and eat dinner. We walked down the old cobblestone streets and visited waterfront historic storefronts.

Sunday was Justin's birthday, and he really wanted to eat crabs. So, we found a great place on River Street called Fiddlers Crab House. The tables had buckets in the middle for your trash. It was awesome. Ha. Actually, it was very good.

Then they brought out some chocolate cake for Justin and I. And it was probably the second best chocolate cake I've had in my life (the first being from Sunset Grill in Nashville, TN called the Chocolate Bombe). Then we all went to see Bourne Ultimatum. (Probably the best of the three movies!)

All in all, a great weekend. But it's good to be home.

For more pics from the trip, visit my flickr page.

(The first shot posted above was taken off Bay Street in Savannah. The trees were gorgeous and covered in Spanish Moss.)

Hooray for lighthouses

2007-08-02T11:59:00.005-04:00

lighthouses rock, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

I don't know why, but I really like lighthouses. Now, that doesn't mean that I want a collection of five dozen cheesy lighthouse figurines in my house or anything. But I have always wanted to visit the lighthouses up and down the eastern coast of the US, just to say that I've seen them all.

I guess part of my like for lighthouses comes from my enjoyment of the beach. The first lighthouse that I remember seeing was on Cape Hatteras Island on the Outer Banks of NC, where Jeremy spent his high school years. Most likely, the first one I saw was the Bodie Island Lighthouse as you travel south on NC 12. It's kind of small, with a few horizontal white and black stripes.

But as you continue to go further south to the village of Buxton, you see the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. I think its so beautiful. I like the diagonal stripes and the fact that its so tall. You can still climb up to the top, which is fun, and see a great view of the island.

All of my memories of visiting this location involve hanging out with Jeremy. I have pictures of us at this lighthouse even before we started officially dating in college. So, perhaps my "like" of lighthouses really comes from my love for my husband. Somehow they are linked in my mind.

At any rate, I love to travel. And tomorrow we are leaving for Savannah, GA. Jeremy's band, Lords of Salisbury, will be playing a show on Tybee Island. And I just discovered today that there is a lighthouse there. So, what better birthday present for me this Saturday than to see a new lighthouse? Hooray!

(The shot posted above was taken at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton, NC in 2006. We try to go back every year.)

Jilian (aka Monkey)

2007-08-01T13:35:00.004-04:00

P1130815.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

Monday I had my first "photo shoot." For two hours, I ran after a four year old girl and took pictures of her. I ended up taking almost 500 shots. It was so fun, but also so tiring - for everyone involved.

Jilian was full of energy. And with that comes short attention spans. She would play one way for only a few minutes, before she would run somewhere else and do something totally different. She was adorable. It made me wish I had a better camera to keep up with every move and facial expression. But I did what I could with what I had.

She also took on so many different faces throughout the day. First she was just a child innocently playing.

Then she became a supermodel, flashing her pearly white teeth and a new pose for every shot.

But by the next frame, her fierce eyes and pouty lips would thrust her into adulthood all too soon.

And suddenly a silly streak took over and she couldn't keep from sticking out her tongue or sporting a pig nose.

Shortly there after, I could see the weariness in her face.

She had given it her all. And she was done for the day.

Her mom helped me weed through the shots, and we got the number down to about 200. They aren't all winners, but they each had something she liked enough not to be willing to toss it in the recycling bin.

(Choosing one shot to post on the blog here was very difficult. But my favorite is the first one. It's definitely not perfect, but something about the peaceful look on her face makes me love it. You can see the rest of the shots on my flickr page. Let me know which ones are your favorites. Now I must learn photoshop.)

Kids are fun

2007-07-30T01:27:00.002-04:00

P1130262.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

Those that know me well, know that I do not want kids of my own. This typically shocks most people. I like kids, but I just don't have a desire to be a parent, like most do. My husband feels the same way as me. The kind of life that we feel called to lead involves lots of moving and travel and spontaneity. Plus, right now, being youth pastors, we feel like we already have 40 teenagers to look after. Anyway, I realize that not wanting kids sounds very selfish. And admitedly, I am very selfish, which is part of the issue. But I always preface the subject with the truth that God can always change our minds about wanting kids. And we'll leave that up to Him.

Until then, I'll just have fun playing with other people's kids. And one thing I really like to do is take pictures of kids. In fact, today my friend Amanda has asked me to photograph her daughter, Jilian. When Amanda found out that I was interested in photography, she offered her photogenic child for practice. So we plan to visit the park and get some shots of Jilian playing and having fun. This is the first shoot I have ever done on my own, for someone other than a relative. So I really hope and pray that all goes well and that I am able to get a few decent shots for them.

(The shot posted above was taken in Nashville, TN a few weeks ago at our favorite restaurant, Baja Burrito. This is Genesis, the daughter of our friends Vicki and Chris Lindsey. Ain't she sweet?)

Oh, Mexico

2007-07-29T18:49:00.003-04:00

P1090453.JPG, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

My husband, Jeremy, just got back this week from a missions trip to Mexico. He went with a team of 12 to the city of Morelia to work construction for a local church plant. They mixed stucco and covered the entire inside and outside in one week. Then in the evenings they went to outdoor rallies and church services to minister to the people. Today at church, the team gave their testimonies from the trip and they were very moving.

Then Jeremy shared a message on faith that was very powerful and convicting. Much of the church was moved to tears of repentance for the lack of faith that is so prevalent in the American church today. The genuine response of the congregation was very touching. When God moves in people's hearts like that, all you can do is stand in awe of His presence and love.

We will be going back to Morelia, Mexico in January 2008 to speak at a Pastor's Conference and at local churches. We went last January for the same reason. When you go on a trip like that, you expect for God to use you to touch others. But I wasn't expecting for God to use them to affect me as much as they did. I almost feel like I got more out of the experience than I gave.

Maybe that is why we are all called by Jesus to go into all nations and preach the gospel. Because not only does God want to use us to impact others, but He wants to impact us as well.

(The shot posted above was taken in January 2007 in downtown Morelia, Mexico. There were so many beautiful, historic buildings. I look forward to going back.)

I heart weddings

2007-07-28T23:22:00.003-04:00

348184819NYGlki_ph, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

So, I just got home from shadowing Andrew at a wedding for the first time. I was able to work as a second shooter/assistant for him. It was so much fun! Weddings rock. And even though it was supposed to be work, it really didn't feel like it. (Other than my aching, blistering feet.)

One of the reasons I love weddings so much is that it makes me think of my own at Corolla, NC five years ago. And of course, it reminds me of the love not only of my husband, but of my Savior, Jesus Christ.

I look forward to being able to pursue this new hobby of mine further and watch intently as God opens more doors of opportunity for these skills in me to grow. I am so thankful for these past two days. They have given me so much hope for a future beyond what I had ever imagined. Just the potential for something new and unexpected is totally exciting.

(The shot posted above was NOT TAKEN BY ME. I wish I could take the credit, but I cannot. Erica Simmons, my college roommate, was the photographer. However, that is me in the dress.) ;)

Day Two

2007-07-28T11:23:00.004-04:00

P1030021, originally uploaded by jermandjessvess.

I have never been very good about keeping up with blogs and journals in the past. But this time I am feeling motivated.

I am about to get ready and head up to Durham to assist Andrew with a wedding at Duke Gardens. Its a beautiful location that my family used to visit often, so I look forward to seeing the amazing shots taken today. I am not sure if the entire wedding will be outside or not. The weather service is forecasting rain, so I am praying and hoping for this couple's sake that it holds off until the festivities are over. They say that rain on your wedding day is lucky, but I can't really think why.

(The shot posted above is of a railroad track in Salisbury, NC. I love to travel and have always wanted to take a trip on a train somewhere for fun. Something about it seems like it would be so romantic.)

Welcome to my Photography Blog!

2007-07-27T23:46:00.004-04:00

I purchased a new digital camera for myself a year and a half ago...

SPECS:
Camera Type: Point & Shoot
Megapixels: 5 Megapixels
Optical Zoom: 12 X

...and ever since then a passion for photography has grown in me. I began to become slightly obsessed with taking pictures where ever I went. Recently, my husband, Jeremy, told me that I should consider photography as a career. So, I casually tossed around the idea in my head.

That very next day, I met Andrew Bryant. He is the brother of one of our best friend's wife. Anyway, he was taking pictures of his sister's wedding and I noticed his camera and struck up a conversation with him. It ended up being a God ordained connection for me. Andrew owns his own wedding photography business and he offered me the chance to shadow him. At first, I thought he was just being nice. But sure enough, he did come through on his offer.

Today I went with Andrew to Cedarwood Country Club in Charlotte for a bridal portrait session. I was so nervous. But at the same time so excited. He let me use one of his cameras and take shots. I have never shot with such a nice camera, especially one that is manual. So, the first half of shots I took were all too dark or too bright. But, it's all part of the learning process.

Tomorrow I have the opportunity to be a second shooter for Andrew at a wedding in Durham at Duke Gardens. I am siked, but again, pretty nervous.

(The shot posted above is one of the first pictures I took with my camera a year and a half ago. It was taken at my parents beach condo in Emerald Isle, NC. I love the beach!)