Graduation and Vacation

It has been a busy week! Last Saturday I finished all of my Thesis work and had the gallery opening for our show. I was so proud of my class and the amazing work that they produced. This week I have been preparing for Zach & I's trip to San Francisco, and getting ready for graduation. I cannot believe that graduation came and went so quickly, and I still cannot believe that I am done with school forever! So on Saturday May 9th at 2pm I received my Bachelors in Photography, and I couldn't have been happier.

So here it is, 12:30 in the morning, and I am writing my last post before we leave tomorrow for a week. I cannot even tell you how excited I am for our trip, Zach and I never had a honeymoon, so this is long overdue! We'll be taking two day trips to Monterey & Muir Woods, both beautiful locations that I cannot wait to go to. My dad's family if from California so I've been many times, but Zach has never gone. I cannot wait to show him all of the beautiful things! We have a jam packed schedule so hopefully that will produce some gorgeous photos.

Below are some photos from my graduation, our trip route, and some photos from my trip to Cali back in 2006. Oh, and maybe even our little stow-away ;)

I'm trying to make this as much as a vacation as possible, so unless it's urgent, I won't be answering any emails or returning calls. So please bare with me until the 17th!!

Have a wonderful start to your summer, blog world, and we'll see you when we get back!

My favorite people :)


Stow-away - I wish I could actually take her!


Our route


Photos from my 2006 trip

I have a sign!! :D

Hi Everyone!

I am so ridiculously excited right now! I just went down to the studio to meet with a client, and I was shocked to see that my sign was put up! I cannot even express how excited I am :)

Studio photos will be up soon. Also we'll have a grand opening sometimes hopefully this summer. Hooray!!

SNEAK PEEK!! *Sorry it's blurry, you'll have to wait!*

Happy Anniversary to us!

Today is Zach and my 3 year anniversary. I could not ask for a more wonderful husband and life that we've had together. He constantly makes me smile and I love him for always making me laugh, even if I don't feel like it. One of my favorite quotes is by Joanne Woodward and it goes, "Sexiness wears thin after a while, and beauty fades, but to be married to a man who makes you laugh every day, ah, now that's a real treat."

Zach has brought so much happiness to my life, I cannot even imagine it without him.

I love you so much Zachary! I couldn't be happier with our lives together and I cannot wait to see what the next 3 years and all of the years after that bring us. Happy Anniversary!

♥Our Wedding ♥

Down for a bit

Hi Everyone,

My computer has decided to plot revenge against me for being on it too much, and I am having to take it to the shop. There will be a delay on some of my recent jobs, and I am very sorry for this! I also have been having server issues, so if your photos aren't up yet, this is why. Hopefully things will be back up and running soon! I am currently using my husbands computer. I will let you all know when everything is running smoothly again! Thank you so much for your patience!

{In My Own Words}

I came across this site recently, Wordle, where you can enter in your blog or other site and it randomly generates words that come up most frequently in your blog, the largest ones being the most popular. I love that two of my biggest words are love and beautiful. :) So click the link above to create your own word cloud!

2009 Bride's Choice Award!

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced that we here at Ashley McCormick Photography have won the 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards!

The Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and honors vendors from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. This year’s recipients represent the top three percent of WeddingWire’s vendor community, which includes over 100,000 wedding vendors from across the US. That means Ashley McCormick Photography is one of the very best in Photography!

Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride’s Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews.

I just wanted to thank all of my past clients for speaking on my behalf and helping me win the 2009 Bride’s Choice Award! I couldn't have done it without you!! Thank you all so much!

20,000 Hits!

20,000 hits on the blog! So awesome!! I wanted to thank everyone for being so supportive of me and my business, without all of you, I wouldn't be here! You rock!!

Thankful

This is my first Thanksgiving to have a blog, and with the nature of blogs, I though this would be the perfect time to reflect on everything I am thankful for:

1. Always to top my list, my husband, my parents, my friends. They are always there for me when I need it, whether it’s Zach, loving me despite my craziness, my parents, who I can always count on for a good meal and good advice, and my friends for retail therapy and to gossip. I love you all so much and my life wouldn’t be complete without you!

2. My kitties. Though they are both very sick at the moment (kennel cough cat version) I love them very much. I snuggle with them even when they don’t want to be snuggled with, and the fact that they don’t scratch out my eyes tells me they enjoy it (just a little) too. My furry little children, I love them!

3. Our House. The whole thing happened so fast last Fall; I don’t think I really ever thought about what happened. Not even being in the market for a house, we suddenly were and had one in two weeks. Then with all of the fix-ups and moving, I never even though how amazingly awesome it was that we live in a house and not an apartment. Apartment living has its perks, but I wouldn’t trade my location, backyard view, or just the feeling that it’s mine for any luxury apartment. Our first home, I am so thankful for.

4. Photography. Without it, who knows what I would be doing. Seriously. Who knows? Though I spend more time in front of the computer than I’d like, I love all the other times I get to go outside and photograph happy people. I get to eat cake (awesome cake) year round, I'm always surrounded by love, and I get to document very special moments in my clients lives. What could be better? I truly love what I do and am blessed to be able to do it!

5. My Clients. Without all of you, I wouldn’t even be writing this. There would be no blog, no website and no expensive camera equipment sitting 10 feet behind me. You have all been so awesomely amazing to me; trusting me with your events, referring me to your friends, and giving me the praise and encouragement I need to keep motivating myself to do better than before. So many of you have become my friends, friends I would have never made had it not for photography. I love you all so much, and am truly thankful for how fantastic you have been to me. Thank you all!

Now for random items I am super thankful for:

1. Music – you get me through long days of editing *especially you, John Mayer*

2. Chocolate – no explanation necessary. I love you too much.

3. Mashed potatoes – seriously. I love you, probably more than Chocolate *sorry chocolate*. With butter and salt, you are the best. Plus, I will be eating you in 3 hours. Yum

4. Chapstick – my best friend in tube form. My lips love you.

5. Lavender Linen Spray – you make my bedroom smell amazing. Plus your soothing scent puts me to sleep after a long day.

6. Movies/Hollywood – you entertain me frequently and sometimes disappoint, but once a year there is always something you give me that rocks.

7. May 9th at 2pm. – Graduation day. Best day of 2009.

8. Fat birds – Little fat birdies, you make me soooo happy. There is no reason for it, you just do. The fatter, the better.

9. Solitaire – I have played waaaayy too many hours of you on my phone (over 50…I admit…) but you always clear my head and I love a challenge. Every game can be won, so figuring out the key is exhilarating. (Yes, I know. I’m weird…)

10. The Mall – Oh Mall, you present me with so many lovely things that can be mine with the swipe of a card. You provide my therapy, creating sheer joy for shirt, which cannot be matched anywhere else. You give me a place to chat with friends, forget about the world and eat greasy food. You are a haven, and you try to make me stylish. You are fabulous.

To everyone, I hope you all have a wonderful, safe, family filled, love filled, and tummy filled Thanksgiving. Happy Turkey Day!!

Frost!!

This morning I had to get up super early for class (ok... super early for me is 7am, I am not a morning person) and woke up to my backyard filled with glorious frost! Frost? Glorious? Well, it's glorious for Florida and for me. And for November in Florida. I rushed in to Zach, so excited I could hardly contain it, giddy with frosty thoughts, and looking at me as if I had lost it, suggested, "Why don't you take some photos?" Of course, why didn't the photographer think of that. So I found my heaviest ski jacket, put on my shoes and trotted outside with my camera. Ok, I am not a landscape photographer and I will NEVER pretend to be, but I was super excited at 7:15am bouncing around my backyard photographing frost. We have a little stream that runs behind our house to a lake, and the steam coming off of it was beautiful. It truly felt like fall/winter, and despite my cold fingers, my heart was warm. Fall and Winter are my two favorite seasons, and though I'd like to think I could survive up North, I know I wouldn't. So I settle for a Florida fall and winter taking pleasure in any little bit they throw my way.

So Happy Fall and Winter everyone!

Look!! Red'ish leaves! How exciting!!

Water droplets are so much fun :)

Golden Rain blooming early. So beautiful!

Happy Halloween!

So after eating waaaayyy too much leftover candy, it is time for me to say goodbye to another Halloween, one of my favorite holidays. Though we didn't do much this year, we just has a nice dinner with family and sat around a bonfire. I loved it. So I had to get our one Halloween photo in, with our horrible little point-and-shoot, both of us scruffy, makeupless (that would be only me) smelling like campfire smoke and super sleepy. But here it is!

Happy Halloween everyone!

I was featured on SHOOTSAC!

Ok, so this actually happened 3 weeks ago, but I have been so busy I just haven't had a chance to post! So here I am, at 12:50 in the morning, finally updating before I have to get up at 6:30am (why am I still awake?!?)

Three weeks ago I was featured on one of my FAVORITE blogs to stalk :) SHOOTSAC!

I purchased my shootsac this past summer, and it is seriously the most amazing camera bag ever. Plus, you can purchase all of these amazing covers to coordinate with your outfit! A true stylista's dream. So instead of the horribly ugly backpack, we photographers get the option of this amazing stylish bag.

I bring my shootsac with me on all of my shoots, and especially to weddings. It holds everything that I need and makes is super easy to switch lenses, memory cards and batteries. It has been my life saver!

So this past August, I photographed Callie & Adam's wedding at the beautiful Paradise Cove with my very good friend and photographer Heidi Mitchell. Heidi assisted me for the day, something we frequently do for eachother. And while shooting she took a shot of me photographing Callie and Adam with my shootsac! I sent it to shootsac, just for fun, and they decided to feature me on their blog! So please check me out (link above) and if you're a photographer, check out their bags, they're awesome!

The Little Pink Card

Hi Girls,

While doing my daily internet searching I came across this website, www.thelittlepinkcard.com
and it is such a wonderful idea. Do you have a Husband, Fiancee, Boyfriend who never knows what to buy you? This card helps him out! I showed it to my husband who promptly wanted one (though he loves me deeply, usually has no clue when it comes to gifts). I just thought this was the cutest idea and with the holiday season coming up, a perfect little reminder!

To all of my regular bloggers, I am sorry I've been MIA for the past couple of week. But I promise there is a lot in the works and I will be posting more soon!

Kitties & Ikea

We just purchased some (long overdue) office furniture from the wonderful IKEA and once our new "Expedit" bookshelf was assembled, our cats put it to good use.



The brown & cream kitty is ours, Nibby, and the gray is Brody, we are kitty-sitting him for a friend who's out of the country (Hey Tiff!) Let's just say the Nibby "tolerates" Brody.

Zach and I were so fascinated by these two (yeah... we don't have a life right now) that we decided to film them playing in their cubbies. Enjoy!

A Fresh Start

After I woke up this morning, I walked from our bedroom, straight to the computer as I always do. (Who knows what emails you've received overnight!) As I sat at my desk, bleary-eyed, I looked around at all of the stuff that I had. There were just things everywhere! Papers, receipts, magazines, calculators, pens, headphones, books, you name it, it's near my desk. Last night I did some blog stalking, a favorite pastime of mine, and where other people had posted lovely little photos of their homes, clean and tidy, I realized this morning that I wanted my life to be that clutter free. Removed of silly little knick-knacks, paperless and organized. So, today I am starting anew and I am determined to keep our little house tidy and inviting. And soon I will have photos of my own to post of my clean and tidy house. Wish me luck!!

My Inspiration: Image from fieryeyed

Always Makes me Laugh

I absolutely love birds, especially fat or funny ones. And this one definitely tops the funny list! This is an exotic Bird of Paradise doing his mating dance. The hopping is just so cute!! I hope it makes you laugh as it does me!

5th Place!!

Thank you all for helping me get into 5th place!! But please keep voting to keep me there! Just click on the link from the previous post, and you will get all of the details. Thank you all so much!!

Please Vote!!

Hello Everyone!

I was nominated for the second year in a row (hooray!) as one of Orlando's Best photographers! I am so honored, and blessed to have such great clients and friends that consider me the way they do. All of your responses have been incredible - Thank you so much!!

But just like last year, you have to vote!! So please take the time and vote for me by clicking here:




You have to enter your email address, and they will send you a confirmation link that you must click on for your vote to count! (Or, at least that's what you had to do last year!)

Currently I am in 14th Place. WOOHOO!! Thank you all so much, I really appreciate all of you support! I couldn't have done it without you!

3rd Place!!

Hi Everyone!! Please Please PLEASE keep voting!! I am currently in 3rd place for Orlando's Best Photographer, and would love to stay there! So please vote for me if you haven't already at:





For all of you that have already voted, thank you so much!! This means so much to me! I am honored to have so many friends and clients think of me as they do. I love you all!!

Please check my previous posts for info about voting. Thanks!

10 Random Things About Me

1) I like fat animals, especially birds.

2) I always have to put a whole dollar amount of gas in my car. If I go over by 1 cent, I go up to the next dollar.

3) I have a deranged cat that attacks me randomly throughout the day.

4) I love Japanese food. I could really eat it all the time.

5) I loath mayonnaise. It makes me want to gag.

6) I don't like it when people say "Photography? That's your job? Really??" YES! I LOVE what I do!! It's so much fun!

7) I am a COACH-aholic. Purses make me happy.

8) I've always lived in Florida, but love to travel *San Fran in August - WOOHOO!*

9) I don't like to be in the car for more than an hour. I'd rather fly.

10) My name is Ashley & my husband's is Zachary. A to Z!!

Happy Anniversary to us!

To Us!! Today is Zach and my 2 year anniversary. I can hardly belive it's been 2 years already! I am so happy to be married to my best friend, this is why I love weddings so much! Congratulations to all of you who have made it from your first to your 50th anniversary!