It’s not the men in my life…

… it’s the life in my men.  – Mae West.


Alex is so Dapper.

ALEX. He's so DAPPER.

We all know I love quotes… so in keeping with tradition I wanted to lead off this post highlighting our June QUICKTAKE:  DAPPER DUDES with a great and noble quote about men.  I didn’t know this was going to be such a challenge.  This lead quote is probably the most PG and fitting one I could find.  Because this Sunday were looking for youthful and lively men to show up at Buckhead Grand for our monthly QUICKTAKE… I get its implied meaning… I do… and I still like it! :)

Find your favorite dude and get him dapper for this Sunday… bring the babes (dudes and chicks) dressed in their finest for some fab and chic ‘in-studio’ shots!  Only $40 for 15-minute sessions… HALF OFF for three generations and only $25 for the lovely residents of Buckhead Grand that open their doors to ELP this weekend!  More details can be found here.

I planned on writing about some of my DAPPER DUDES… but got highly inspired (and happy) after reading many hilarious men quotes.  please note:  ELP does not agree with all of these (key word: ALL) though some may find their appropriate place in response to various situations in me and my friends’ lives.  I must mention… lyrics from Dude by Aerosmith were reviewed… very unfitting.  MORE unfitting though a song called ‘Dude’ by Beenie Man… funny, but unfitting.  Check them out (if you’re over 21 and need a laugh).

‘Can you imagine a world without men?  No crime and lots of happy fat women.’  Attributed to both Marion Smith & Nicole Hollander.

‘If it can’t be fixed by duct tape or WD-40, it’s a female problem.’  Jason Love.

‘I want a man who’s kind and understanding.  Is that too much to ask of a millionaire?’  Zsa Zsa Gabor.

‘If men can run the world, why can’t they stop wearing neckties?  How intelligent is it to start the day by tying a little noose around your neck?’  Linda Ellerbee.

‘Boys will be boys, and so will a lot of middle-aged men.’  Frank McKinney “Kin” Hubbard.

PLEASE PLEASE… if you have any GOOD and REASONABLE quotes about the goodness of men… comment with them below or send to fun@erikaleighphotography.com!  I’ll need a few more for this week! :)

As always… stay in touch!  erika@erikaleighphotography.com

Devon - Mae West: “Personally, I like two types of men–domestic and foreign.”
Can I be a volunteer at dapper dudes? :)
So fun!June 22, 2010 – 12:42 pm

Jenny - I don’t know what it is about your photography or your site, but everytime I look at it I have a renewed sense of hope…In life, in love, and in men. It’s like you are able to catch the moment that seem imperfect and not posed but in fact are what it’s all about. Love the Dapper Dude idea…love dapper dudes :) June 22, 2010 – 10:18 am

how to assemble a crib…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnsSUqgkDwU]

go saints… really go falcons but hey.  I spent three days in Miami with good friends and good drinks and now I’m back hitting the shooting schedule… not without first watching the SuperBowl on TV from a comfortable couch/chair… not from Section 104 or any other.  Couldn’t have been happier.  Good Saints victory… and also… good google commercial!

love love… more soon… erika.  erika@erikaleighphotography.com.

Dev - so sweet :) February 9, 2010 – 1:58 pm

dear blog…

I’ve missed you… again.  No excuses, I know… but here is a good excuse.  YESTERDAY… January 18th 4 pm-ish was like 12:01 AM January 1, 2010 for most… I wrapped up 2009 and am ready to start the new year.  18 days late, but HEY, better late than never.  Truly yesterday was the bless-ed day I finished up ALL my 2009 client work and am ready to get back to my usual January: BUSINESS PLANNING.  Attending ImagingUSA in Nashville a few weekends ago and am re-AMPED and ready to tackle awesome and fun in 2010.  It means new and fun things for erikaLEIGHphotography.  Oh, I can’t wait.

It starts right off with a bat with January’s LIVE PHOTO BOOTH special.  This wedding add-on, event showstopper and memory maker was MADE for erikaLEIGHphotography.  Two words mean fun, unforgettable wedding:  OPEN BAR  but if you had three words it would be LIVE PHOTO BOOTH.

Live Photo Booth

Book by January 31 for HALF OFF your very own LIVE PHOTO BOOTH.

For more information on this and all the other good stuff coming up in 2010 email ELP:  fun@erikaleighphotography.com.

More updates as the promotions get locked in… ELP is gonna work hard in 2010… but with everything in the planning sessions so far… it will be more FUN, than work.

As always… be in touch:  erika@erikaleighphotography.com

NON-PHOTOG NEWS:  That Michelle on this season’s ‘The Bachelor‘… she’s one-of-a-kind.

Other things may change us…

…but we start and end with the family.  - Anthony Brandt

ELP September $125 Holiday Special.

ELP September $125 Holiday Special.

OH YES OH YES!  It’s that time of year… to start organizing the address book, start writing the annual update and start piecing through photos to send to the inlaws/outlaws, neighbors, co-workers, friends, brothers, sisters, cousins, grandparents, etc… Make it fun and easy this year and take advantage of ELP’s Special… $125 will get you one on location two-hour session, two online galleries, and three digital files… the only hard part will be trying to figure out which one’s your favorite!

But seriously… I’ve got much love for family but ELP’s availability is limited this fall!  So take advantage quick.  Email fun@erikaleighphotography.com for more details!   Tacky sweaters not required, but appreciated…………. jokes, jokes.  :)

Can’t wait to hear from you!  erika@erikaleighphotography.com!

What if there's hope…

… you never dreamed of hoping for.  - from the song ‘What if?’ by Nichole Nordeman.

Light Love.

Light Love.

1lightlove

It’s a dangerous shot for my sweet little camera… going into the sun like that.  I knew it’d be worth it.  I look at it and feel it’s just them but at the same time feel like something else is there with them in the  shot……..

1God

I will keep this so very short.  I touched on my belief in the importance of faith in my number four inspiration, Buckhead Church.  I also touched on how sensitive a subject faith and religion is in that same write up.  I must say though I think it is too taboo now a days… I understand not pushing religion or belief on others but to feel odd to even talk about it is a sign of our times.  We are all so worried about being ‘politically correct’ that we forget what our own opinions are.  God is my number one inspiration… in work, in life and everything I am.  If I make anyone uncomfortable, I do apologize.  But at the same time I make one feel uncomfortable I hope that person is uncomfortable because they have as strong as an inspiration elsewhere just in another form.

I have been in and out of religion.  I went to church when I was younger because it is what we did.  I didn’t believe… in a lot of what they were saying but it wasn’t something that bothered me… I just went, because it’s what we did.  Biggest thing I didn’t agree with though was the thinking that if one didn’t go to church they weren’t religious or spiritual.  Because they preach the love of God but warn that one has to attend church in order to talk to  Him… it just seemed odd to me that the love He gave could only come for an hour on Sunday.  But ironicially after it was made clear by my pastor at Buckhead Church you didn’t have to be in the building to be with God, I starting attending without fail.  I attend the 6pm service every Sunday even after long work days or big Falcons wins or if I am traveling I find it online.  Buckhead Church has done wonderful things for me in that one hour a week… but it is God that has done them for me the other 167 hours in the week.

My friend always says ‘God is painting the ‘perfect’ picture in your life.  Just let Him paint.’  My life has been next to perfect already… I’ll admit this, but I still find those moments or those experiences where you should wonder what do you do now, why is this happening, how do I go on.  I think back on those times and the answers were always so small and for the moment.  My answers have changed as my ‘relationship’ with God has changed.  I still most definitely have problems (dang) but I find my answers in the bigger solution, in the bigger ‘picture’ if you will.  I’ll be very open (like I’ve been anything but, but still) I used to make fun of people who were what we would call ‘Bible-beaters.’  If we allow ourselves to believe in the non-human power we find less human, less strict interpretations and answers we then act less human in response… with more care, with more understanding than a human brain would less us.  Example:  You’re boss tells you, ‘You’re terrible.’  Human response:  ”No, you’re terrible.”  Lil less human response:  I’ll forgive him for that comment, he’s probably facing a harder battle.  I thought that was all nonsense until it started happening in my own life.  There’s more warmth, there’s more understanding for horrific events, there’s content in death and more joy than jealousy.  I am not a perfect Christian… I swear, I speed, I drink (among many other things I won’t mention) but my God teaches forgiveness and love and just the simple understanding of a ‘person’ that only wants to forgive and only wants to love, though it seems we’d try and get away with so much more but I’ve found it only makes me want to be a better friend, a better roommate, a better business person, a better family member… just a better person every day of my life.

I’ll go back to my #4 write up one more time in emphasizing the idea and notion of faith.  Though God is what I put my faith in… may you all find a faith that makes you believe the good is good for a reason and the bad is good for a reason, too.  There were endless quotes I thought would apply to this write up… but I chose this one about hope.  With faith, this title quote is not a question… there is hope… and I’ve said time and time again, God has hoped bigger things for me and you, than we can even begin to believe and/or hope for… He’s painting a more beautiful picture than we could comprehend… “Let Him paint”… have hope… have faith.

That wraps up ELP’s ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY IMAGE AND INSPIRATION EXTRAVAGANZA.  Heartfelt thanks to all of those who were even with us for one day!  I have FAITH that this next year will find even more beautiful images, keep the same inspirations… and maybe even, find some more.

FAMILY PORTRAIT SPECIAL rolling out soon.  Make sure you’re on ELP’s mailing address by emailing me or fun@erikaleighphotography.com to get details.  NEW BLOG DESIGN will be up as soon as I finish my second ‘Technology Tackle’ of ’09… come back soon!

As always, stay in touch… erika@erikaleighphotography.com

f a c e b o o k   f u n .
t w e e t   w i t h   m e .
t w e e t   t w e e t .