~Working at Tate Farms in a Whole New Way!~

During the month of October, if you have never travelled slightly farther North of Huntsville to Meridianville, and ventured your way "off the beaten path", and visited Tate Farms then you, my friends have been missing a yearly treat! And... it's not too late to get in on the fun this October! ... Not only can you take a wagon ride out to pick your own pumpkin straight off the vine, but there is a full day's worth of  fun activities to keep you and your children busy for hours!  Refreshments are also available at the Barn Cafe when you get ready for a break, with plenty of picnic tables to have a seat on and enjoy your "snack" or "meal"!  Hay maze... Cotton Jump...Animals...Play Ground...CORN CRIB! (better than the balls at Chuck-E-Cheese! parents can get in the these too!) ...  Country Store...Barn Cafe... Cotton Candy...Funnel Cakes... Corn Train Ride... and More! ... :) ... Just click the "link" for all of their information as well as their hours of operation! ...

For me, Tate Farms is only about five minutes from my house and I have the privilege of watching their cotton grow yearly from my back yard!  I also have the privilege of knowing this family personally, I attend church with many of them, love them, and consider them dear friends, just like family to me!  When my family moved to Huntsville in 1998 I was invited to work with them, but wasn't able to do that until the next year when my youngest, now 17, started Kindergarten.  I began working with them in 1999 and continued to work with them basically every season until I went back to school in 2008!  (and even that first year, I worked part time... I LOVE TATE FARMS and have always LOVED working there, even if I could just work on Saturdays! It was always such a treat!)  

My new Tate Farm Story begins here ...  recently I had the awesome opportunity to do my first ever official "Portrait Session" at the farm!   Now mind you, I have TONS of pictures that I have taken over the years, but as a professional photographer this was my first.  I was so excited to get to spend time with this sweet family and we had so much fun! It was a unique family portrait session, and I knew that there would be challenges.  The farm is open to the public and it is busy and active, so one of the challenges is "dodging other guests".  All in all, I was pleased with our afternoon ... Tate Farms is gracious and open to allow photography to take place on their facility, and they encourage it!  They have such a beautiful farm, and over the years I have thanked the family time & time again for sharing it with me! ...



The Kissel's & I played... took a wagon ride... and also found some spots to take some more traditional family photos as well.  At the farm you have a variety of choices for fall pictures.  However, sometimes I think some of the best ones are sometimes the candids...  

Thanks again Tate Farms for such a wonderful afternoon!  I can't wait to take my next clients there for their "unique family portrait session" ...

Stopping moments in time,
Tina :)
http://www.tinawrightphotography.com/



~A Big "Thank You!" ...~

Thank you all so very much for your prayers... your support... your encouraging words... and your visits to my Photography Exhibit!  Words simply cannot express what you all mean to me!! ... It was quite the undertaking, and a huge accomplishment that I can now somewhat say : "check that off of my list" ... :) ...  I say somewhat, because next I have to place a hard copy on a disk to turn in before the end of the semester and I wait for my grade... I did make a trip to Dr. Colagross' office this week and he was very complimentary of my exhibit with eye contact included! (I insisted! LOL!) ... This is an instructor that I admire and respect and have learned a lot from in the past 2-1/2 years.  Thank you Dr. C!

Dr. Colagross is the Head of the Department and I have had him for several of my Photography Classes along the way.  I have also had the privilege of sitting under the instruction of other local photographers who serve as "Adjunct Instructors" at Calhoun.  Today I am a better photographer because of these individuals and I had hoped to "Thank" them personally at my Reception but they were not able to make it.  Mr. Garth Fraser, who you will find a detailed article about in The Decatur Daily , I had an opportunity to chat with a couple of different times during the course of my Exhibit and I so appreciated his input and encouragement!  I had Mr. Fraser for my Photography II Class and for my Audio/Visual Techniques Class.  Jennifer Culp, a local photographer at 810studio in Decatur is a gifted and talented Photographer that I learned so much from in my very first photography class at Calhoun, Photography I.  I hoped to be able to see her & say a personal "Thank You Jennifer!" ...  I also "sat" under the instruction of a very talented and patient photographer, Mark Davis who goes by the business name of,   Mark Davis Photo and his studio is in Decatur.  Mark taught me about the business of Photography.  He also introduced me to the Studio world of Photography.  I had so hoped to be able to say a personal "Thank You Mark!"  Mark leaves his students in the end, with an "open door policy" so that we can have a future relationship as photographers and a network to help each other!  It is incredible!  I'm sorry that they did not get to come by so that I could let them know how much I appreciate the things that they taught me in the world of Photography, in order to improve my  skills! ...   

I concluded my "Exhibit" last Thursday with a Reception and many of you were able to attend.  During the week before I also had a chance to meet several friends and family to give you a personal tour!  That was a treat for me too! ...  Today I am posting pictures from the Reception that are including my immediate family and extended family that were able to be there that night.  They are each a very important part of my life and a very important part of my photography journey!

I couldn't do my life on this side of eternity without my better half!  (and I don't want to!)  God has blessed me with this partner in life.  And this particular night was no exception!  He helped me plan, set up, and we were there until late that night cleaning up, taking down and packing up!  And Craig does have a regular job by the way!  He has his hands full with me... Don't forget to pray for him too! :) ...  Thank you Craig for all you did and all you do for me and for our family!  I love you!!  Always have... Always will!! :) ... 

  

My youngest sister Deb (Thanks for coming!) and My very special Mom (Mary Boyd Bevis)... My Mom is probably my biggest Fan!  She met me on Day 1 to help me hang my pictures and probably would have stayed late to pack up if she hadn't of had passengers in her vehicle that night!  :) ... My other sister Shirley wasn't able to make it due to being in the hospital earlier in the week.  I missed her being there!  My brother Dan and his family also missed it, and I missed them too! ... 

This is my Uncle Dodo (Jim Weaver) and Aunt Gwen... two very special people.  Dodo is an artist himself who does fabulous Folk Art Paintings.  It meant so much to have them there.  My uncle is recovering from a major accident and has only recently gotten "on his feet" again.  It was major for them to be there with me to see my Gallery.  Thank you two for being a part of this Event with me ... :) ... 

This is my sweet Alex... he is my oldest son ... and his girlfriend Corrine, also a sweetheart.  I don't get to see these two near enough so I was so glad they got to come.  Alex made sure a couple of weeks before that he had the date in his phone!  He was ready to be there for me!! and He didn't really want me to show him any of my prints when they would come in the mail, because he wanted to be surprised when he came to see the Gallery complete.  Thanks you two for taking time out for me! ... :) ...    

This is my sweet Austin, who I am still lucky enough to have living under our same roof!  I am going to enjoy that as long as I can, because it passes by SO fast!! and he is growing up to be quite the young gentleman, I'm very proud of him.  On his arm is our adopted daughter... :) ... that would be our sweet Breana Lynn, Austin's girlfriend.  Breana's precious real Mom, Rita is standing next to her!  ... and Thank you Rita for being there too!  Breana gave up some Homecoming festivities of her own to be there with me! Thanks you three!  It meant so much! ... :) ...   

For so many of you that did not get to make it to the Gallery, I will be posting pictures later on my FaceBook Fan Page that will hopefully give you an idea of the Gallery.  I have also been asked by Calhoun Library to display 12-15 of my pictures from the Gallery in the new "Coffee Shop" that is located on the Decatur Campus, connected to the Library.  It is quite an honor to be asked to do that. I am in the process of working with the Head Librarian, Mrs. Beddow on the details.  They should be on display by the end of next week and will be available for purchase as well.

There are so many more to say "Thank You" to!  and if I began to name them I would surely leave someone out.  Just like I missed taking pictures of several guests that I had visiting my Gallery... It always happens when I go through my pictures after an Event and I begin to look through the pictures and I will think of people that I saw and I will notice who I "don't" have a picture of!  No matter how hard I try to capture every single second, it seems impossible. However, I always try harder the next time!  You can count on that!  So... my friends... Thank You again for caring about me and for encouraging me in what God has called me to do!  I am so excited about the days ahead!

   

Blessings to you... as I continue to "Stop moments in time" ...

Tina :)

http://www.tinawrightphotography.com/