Fall is approaching!! Fall Portraits in Ohio

"A fallen leaf is nothing more than a summers wave good bye" - unknown

Good bye, Summer... I'm always sad to see the summers go. I loved the summer growing up- the sun, the pool, the freedom! As an adult, I don't get to enjoy those the way I used to but I always am sad for the season to end. This is the first week it's felt like fall here in Ohio, today and tomorrow are forecasted to be windy and in the 50's and 60's. I peer into my closet and see my tank tops to the left, sweaters to the right, and ponder, "How do I dress for today??" :) As Josh says, "why does it always have to be so difficult? They are just clothes..." I fight the temptation to grab my chunky cardigan and boots already and go with jeans and a sweatshirt, but I keep the flip flops on, savoring as long as I can what may remain of summer...

Not to sound all negative about the fall... I love the fall in Ohio. It is beautiful! The leaves are changing, the apple orchards are offering hayrides and pumpkins patches, and of course trick or treat! I am so excited to get some great fall shots this year of our family and our memories. It is a busy time of the year for me as a photographer, which is great! September and October are busy months for weddings- in fact, I have one EVERY weekend except Halloween from now through November 7th. WOW! I never thought I'd be saying that. Working with another studio has given me a lot of experience and keeps me learning for sure. In addition to weddings, I have had a few senior inquiries, more requests for 2010 weddings, and many family portrait requests. Well folks, I am here to accommodate! :) I've set up October 18th as "family photo day", providing the fall weather permits, at Inniswoods. I am booking appointments now to accommodate holiday cards, gifts, etc. Another idea is to give a portrait session as a gift to your friends or family, or to surprise your significant other! Think creative, think personalized!!

Here are some samples of "Fall" from last year to get you inspired.

Caelyn's Two! (just a little late with posting the pictures!) Birthday Photography

I know I have said it before, and I surely will say it again, but I do not know where time goes! Recently, our little girl, Caelyn, turned two! I honestly can't keep up. It feels like yesterday when she was so tiny that we bought her premi sized pj's and were swaddling her in blankets. It was just last night that we gave her first try of baby food, wasn't it? Wait, when did she start walking??  :) I hear it from most parents, it just goes so fast. It certainly does. Looking back on her two years of pictures, the sweet memories of her infant stages, I am realizing more and more that it is so important to make a big deal out of everything!! Every event is big enough for pictures, keeping mementos, and documenting her life, and our lives together. Hmmm, maybe this is why I love taking photographs so much? I love reflecting on how things were at that moment- in this case her birthday! But in any case- a wedding, graduation, holidays, etc. It is so important to document life with pictures to reflect upon a week, a day, or years later just so you too can remember when...

For those of you who were not there and able to take part in the celebrations, I wanted to let everyone in with photos and the details of the day. We had a great ice cream party for her and celebrated her special day with our family and friends. Caelyn's big day is very special as she shares the date, September 14th, with her Great Mamaw. We love that they share a birthday- it makes it even more of a special date! Caelyn loves ice cream. She'd probably live on that alone if we let her (we had Mint Chocolate Chip today!). It was a very cute party if I say so myself. We will for sure have another ice cream party in the future for her and her friends when they are old enough to really enjoy the details like the adults did! I'd like to say thanks to everyone who came to celebrate, we love you all, and to everyone who helped with the party- I know it wouldn't have come together so perfectly without the help of family and friends. Oh! and a unique and random 'thanks' to people who sell things on Ebay (http://www.ebay.com/), without you, I couldn't have gotten such cute ice cream cups and balloons!  I'll also shout out to Party Store and More in Westerville, OH- http://www.partystoremore.com/- they have cute things and I love supporting a local business!

Enjoy the photos! :)

Nathan & Jill - Getting Married! Engaged in Westerville, OH at Hoover Reservoir

What a great young couple- can you believe they have been dating since the 8th grade??? Well, they are still in love and are getting married on October 24th. Nathan is Josh's cousin and I remember Nathan at the ripe age of 10, and he sure has changed since those days. But one thing that hasn't changed is his attitude and outlook on life. Nathan is a smart, Christian, family man and Jill is super lucky to have found him! Getting to know Jill, and their son Cole has been a lot of fun, and they were a joy to photograph for their engagement and family pictures. We re-enacted the proposal because there was a lot of meaning in where it happened. Nathan popped the question to Jill in the exact spot his Dad proposed to his Mom!! He shared that there was a science to finding the spot, and I was privileged to be a part of this story.

I was so excited to do pictures at sunset. It was a first for me... I am not sure why I hadn't done this before, but it worked out well, the pictures are beautiful and I'm happy to share them with you all. There were about 100 to choose from, so here are some of the favorites. Congrats Nate and Jill- we'll get the wedding pictures up in just over a month!!!

Our trip to The Wilds - www.thewilds.org - Photography by Sarah Gaylor Photography

www.thewilds.org

We had an awesome experience last weekend at The Wilds. Most Ohio residents are surprised you can find rhino's, giraffes, cheetahs, camels, and more roaming acres of land just an hour or so away from home! As part of our stay-cation this year we planned a trip to this wonderful animal preserve. They emphasize wildlife conservation- both animals and plants! We weren't sure what to expect, but what we got exceeding those expectations.


It was a neat thing to get on an open air tour bus and ride on the road gazing at a herd of camels. Yes, camels. :) This particular guy was fond of the camera for sure:

The animals seemed happy and were not scared of the tour bus, and didn't even seem to notice we were there! I thought that was pretty cool. Here are some pictures of the animals and our time at the wilds. Josh and I loved taking pictures- he had one camera, I had other, and we took turns. We both agree that the giraffe was the most photogenic! Of course, these are only a few of about 150! :)

There are more pictures here! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=112762&id=715493651

Our experience at The Wilds was great! We have wonderful memories and it was truly unique! I'm happy to be a supporter of organizations like this. We gave our contributions while we were there to help fund this organization. Here is one last picture of Caelyn on the way home with her toy Rhino. She made a point to tell us the rhino was "hard and wrinkled" and that he had "big toes" and to "be careful of the horn". She learned a lot despite her not napping all day. What a great time!!!

Now Open! Sarah Gaylor Photography is open for business- store front and all ;o)

As you may know have recently designed my website via MyWebWow (Columbus, OH) and their excellent team. I just wanted to share their website with you all, and my featured spot (slide show #5) on their homepage, http://www.mywebwow.com/.
The My Web Wow! team was able to create a store front for my business and publish it on their site. In the bottom left box, it shows off their portfolio websites and SarahGPhoto.com is right along with them.
I am happy that their business is taking off for them and that they wanted to include me in their marketing!