emily peyton cook

change

Change. This is a word I've been hearing a lot lately in the political arena. Change can be good, but I have never been one to accept it very easily. I am a lover of nostalgic people, places, and things and the stories that come with them. I was saddened to hear that a landmark in Rosemark was about to be torn down to be replaced with a modern day school building. When a former student of Rosemark contacted me to set up a photoshoot at the 100 year old school, I jumped at the chance. I was honored to be able to try to capture the people who make up the memories of a building I've passed by so many times in my life. I remember wondering, as a child, riding in the backseat of my mom's car, "Do girls really have to go in the 'girl' door and boys in the 'boy' door?" : )  

I didn't go to Rosemark, but my best friend did. It was wonderful to be able to walk the wooden floors of the halls she walked the last year of her life, to see the desks she sat in, and the lockers that she put her books in. It was so nice to be able to put images with all the stories I heard her tell about the school she transfered to her senior year. She had a love for that school and it loved her right back. They even voted the "new girl" Snowflake Queen at their winter formal. This was a huge honor to Laura, who came from a school where many didn't appreciate her for who she really was. Rosemark must have seen what I saw in her and for that, I am thankful.

I overheard a grandaughter talking in the parking lot while I was shooting the session. She commented that this was not just a building to her, it represented her grandfather who graduated there many years before. She is so right. Not only, are we losing a treasured landmark that represents a community, but we losing the building that represents the memories of the people we hold on to.

So, goodbye old Rosemark. I haven't accepted the void you will leave when I pass by the next time. I might not even be able to look. 

a baby plan of my very own

If you didn't figure out my news long ago with this post (emotional), or this post (exhaustion and morning sickness), or this post (making room for baby), then today, I'm making it official with photographic proof. It's been about the hardest secret I've ever had to keep. I wanted to share this exciting news with you back in May, when I found out, but being the cautious person I am, waited until we heard the heartbeat before I made it public. So, now you know why I've had to take it slower than usual this summer and haven't been out and about quite as much.

I thought I would share with you my current plans with my "bitty baby" on the way. 

Here are some dates you will need to remember:

September 27, 2008:

4th annual Heritage Day Mini Sessions (Location TBA)

August 2008 - April 2009: 

No more babies will be enrolled in the Baby Plan unless you are already on my list. I have reached my maximum number of babies for the open dates I have available in December and April. 

November 13-15, 2008:

Special Mini Session Event Benefiting Tipton County Junior Auxiliary (details to follow) 

December 1: 

Deadline for all Christmas card orders and Christmas photo orders. December will be reserved for my Baby Plan participants, so if you want custom cards, you can either use a photo from a 2008 session or schedule a session prior to December 2008. 

December 2008: 

Babies born in the following months that are currently on the Baby Plan will need to schedule an appointment December 1-19 at either 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., or 3:00 p.m. This month is reserved especially for you.

April (8 months)

July (5 months)

November (2 weeks)

December (1 year)

January 2009: 

I will not be taking any appointments this month, but will retain normal office hours (10-5) to complete orders, proofing, and any other computer design work you may need. 

February 2009: 

Closed for maternity leave.

March 2009: 

Closed for maternity leave. 

Late March (Date TBA) 2nd Annual Easter Mini Sessions with a live bunny!

April 2009: 

Babies born in the following months that are currently on the Baby Plan will need to schedule an appointment March 31-April 30 (Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday 8:00 or 4:00). This month is reserved especially for you.  

January (15 months)

February (14 months)

March (13 months)

May (11 months)

June (10 months)

August (8 months)

September (7 months)

November (5 months)

May 2009: 

Schedule opens up to the general public and open enrollment for new Baby Plan participants begins.

Thanks again, for your continued support as my business and family continues to grow. : )

FREE SHIPPING!

Due to the awesomely overwhelming volume of orders I've been receiving and the lack of space here at my happy cottage o' photography, : ) I have decided to ship all orders directly from the lab to your doorstep, my wonderful clients! This way you can receive your orders in a more expedited fashion, don't have to worry about playing phone tag with me to pick up your photos, and can save the precious gas money it takes to drive to Covington to catch up with me. Since, I am covering shipping, I had to come up with an average minimum order amount and the fair price I came up with was $50. So, happy shopping and enjoy FREE shipping on me.

If you have any problems with any of your orders, please feel free to contact me. Once in a blue moon, FedEx damages a box and I have to get damaged photos sent back to you. If this happens, save the box and call me. I will get you taken care of ASAP.

Since I am shipping to you, I will require 100% payment up front on all orders either by check or paypal. The majority of you do this anyway, so I know this won't be much of a transition. 

Thanks so much for your continued support and business. Keep those referrals coming! : )

watercolor 2008

So, here are the photos you've all been waiting for! First of all, let me say what a wonderful week we had. We would get up each morning around 7:30, head on bikes to Starbucks, eat a bagel, drink iced coffee, go to the beach, sit under an umbrella, listen to some Jimmy Buffett on our iPods, and swim in the ocean until 11 or so. Then, we'd venture to town center or Seaside for lunch, shop around the area, head home for a nap and a 90210 rerun, get ready for the evening, meet our clients for their sessions at 7:00 p.m. and then head out to a wonderful seafood dinner.

Perfect weather. Fabulous families. A relaxing week with my best friend and husband of 4 years. 

What more could a photogirl ask for?

TADA! All images Copyright Emily Peyton Cook Photography 2008. 

Whew! A photo of us after completing our first beach wedding and final photos of the week. 

Here are a few of my favorites from each beach session:

back to an oh so wonderful reality

You know how when you come back from vacation you sometimes get that overwhelmed feeling getting back in the rhythm of everyday life at home? Like, for instance, how am I going to return all these phone calls, emails, place 23 orders for clients, and do ALL this laundry? That's the feeling I went to bed with on Saturday night as I laid my oh so exhausted head on my pillow. So, Sunday morning, we decided to do a devotion here instead of traveling to Memphis to church. I opened my One Year Bible to where I had left off and God spoke right to me through David and his son Solomon. 

I may have mentioned this verse on the blog before, but I never understood it in it's full context. David is at the end of his life and instructing Solomon about building the temple of God. He told him to "Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work." He also told him, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished."

I realized in that moment, that no matter what, God had blessed me with 24 hours to do the work He put me here to do. He's given me a nice, air conditioned, cozy home to live in and all the tools I need to do my work and reach others for Christ from "the temple of God," my body. His work is not yet complete in me. 

After the boost of confidence I received from my time with the Lord that morning, I was brave enough to push play on my answering machine. I took down all 8 messages, but one stood out among the rest. It was a mom who has a special needs child that has never been fond of the "studio" setting for portraits. She wanted some images of her in the comfort of her home with her little brother and family. These are the moments I never expected to have when I decided I wanted to be a photographer when I grew up. I didn't realize what an overwhelming blessing it would be to be able to use my God given gift to capture the life of a child who might be more herself at home in her own surroundings instead of a studio with bright lights and unfamiliar people. I've had the joy of succeeding at photographing another child with sensory issues and I have to say it is a wonderful part of doing what I do. This amazes me, as I always had a fear of people who were different than me. I honestly didn't know how to react to those with special needs. But, I've learned over the years that God will never put you in a situation He didn't prepare you for. 

I read a passage this morning in My Utmost for His Highest that reminded me of this. Oswald Chambers said, " Whenever the Holy Ghost sees a chance of glorifying Jesus, He will take your heart, your nerves, your whole personality, and simply make you a blaze and glow with devotion to Jesus Christ." 

I hope we all take time to surrender ourselves to the Holy Spirit today and let Him use us to glorify Jesus Christ. It will be an even bigger blessing to you.

while i'm away

OK, guys, the time has come. In less than 24 hours we will make our departure for Watercolor. I've tried my hardest to wrap things up as best as I could, but the only thing I've failed to do is place orders. So, in other words, those of you who had orders shipped will also have to wait until I get back from the beach. I am headed to Memphis to take care of a few last minute things this morning, then it's home to finish proofing/uploading my last few sessions. I've been flying solo, with Zach being on the river long hours this week, so it's been tough to get you taken care of and pack 2 people for a 7 day working vacation. I am so behind on the packing! 

If you need me while I'm away, please shoot me an email. I won't have access to a computer while I'm there, but will take care of responding when I get back.

Until then...

anniversary surprise

Yesterday, Zach burst through the door to tell he had surprise for me in the car. An early anniversary present, he said, to match my swing made by the multi talented Joe McCool, of Brownsville. Fortunately for us, he had two already made and they are now happily sitting in their new home on my front porch.

Thanks, Zach, for a gift that will keep on giving - a place to sit, slow down and soak up the afternoon with my favorite front porch sittin' partner. 

While out on the beach there are two empty chairs, that say more than the people who ever sit there

- "Lone Palm" by Jimmy Buffett 

the vineyard

Monday, we got a chance to go to a client's home in Shelby Forest. It didn't dawn on me, until I arrived there, that it was Russell Macintosh's family, originally from Covington. It was so much fun to shoot in a new location with little ones who loved each other and were ready to have fun with me. Here are a few of my favorites from the day. To see their entire session click here.

a few of my fav uploads from last week

We are trying to wrap things up here at EPCP before our departure on Saturday for our first ever "Beach Sessions."

That means all of you who had appointments last week and this week will be able to view your online gallery by Friday evening. I will call you the first part of July to let you know your albums are ready.

Those of you who placed online orders and chose to have the order shipped, you should receive a Fed Ex package within a week. Make sure that your order is complete, as the package comes straight from the lab to you and I never see it. If you are missing anything, just shoot me an email and I'll take care of it when I return. Those who ordered and chose to pick up will have to wait until the first part of July. We will call you when your order is complete. 

I know, I've been slacking on the blog posts, but I wanted to share a few of my favorite uploads from last week.

taylor kate, tomatoes, and other stuff

I always look forward to early summer because that means the Willoughby family comes back to see me. I have been photographing 4 year old, Taylor Kate, since she was one. I first met her mother Jennifer when I worked at Bellevue as a graphic designer. Jennifer was a paper rep and would come by to show us all the new paper styles that would look great with our designs. She found out through conversation that I was a then, part time, photographer, and decided to bring Taylor to see me when she turned a year old. We have had a great relationship ever since and she has sent me many wonderful clients. Jennifer is now a stay at home mom to Taylor Kate and her one year old Peyton (no relation : ). I like to call her my personal P.R. rep, because she is so good about promoting me to all of her friends.

We had so much fun during the session. We started out at my house and then headed out for an "adventure" to the square. Zach got home from work about this time and he decided to tag along (He's attached to this family, too). After we finished the shoot we were all starving, so we decided to continue the fun at a local Mexican restaurant. After ordering we realized that most of our entrees contained fresh tomatoes. Oops! I guess Covington didn't get the memo from the CDC about the threat of salmonella poisoning. : )

In the middle of the meal Chris, Jennifer's husband, asked what they owed me and I laughed out loud. I was having so much fun with them, I almost forgot to charge them. That's the moment I realized why I love what I do. It is so much fun, that it doesn't feel like a job. It is a joy to work with the Willoughby family and others like them. The best part is building relationships with these clients year after year until they become just like extended family.

Thank you, Chris, Jennifer, Taylor Kate, Peyton, and cousin Noah, for such a fun afternoon and being the highlight of my week! : ) Here are a few of my favorites to hold you over until next Thursday when I upload your session.

The Willoughby Crew + Zach