tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26414369231382422272012-02-02T21:46:13.153-05:00Central Florida Portrait and Wedding Photographer. Wedding Photography, Senior Pictures, Maternity Photos, Babies and Children, and Family Portraits. Serving all of Central Florida including Orlando, Lake Mary, Altamonte Springs, Deland, Sanford, Deltona, Orange City, Daytona Beach, Fern Park, WInter Park, New Smyrna, Port Orange, Ponce Inlet, Heathrow, DeBary, and most Central Florida areas.photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.comBlogger271100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-6883946863370955132011-12-30T22:31:00.001-05:002012-01-03T23:45:17.264-05:00

What a beautiful November day it was for a wedding, in Wilbur by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, Florida. Anthony and Kristen, it was a great joy to be able to share your special day with you. Also check out Anthony + Kristen's Wedding Slideshow. The wedding was full of great shoes. From the kickin' royal blue suede pumps that the groom's mom wore, to the gorgeous mega-heeled sandals, worn by a

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com1Wilbur-by-the-Sea, FL 32127, USA29.1289351 -80.9574023000000129.1214566 -80.96255130000002 29.1364136 -80.95225330000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-83794391207400183802011-12-05T22:02:00.007-05:002012-01-03T23:40:28.402-05:00

I recently had the pleasure and honor of photographing my brother, his wife (who is expecting their second child -- a girl!), and my nephew, just in time for the holiday season! Thought I would share a little slide show from the session with everyone.

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-34572268976046351012011-09-23T22:42:00.000-04:002011-09-23T22:42:34.939-04:00

I am now booking limited Holiday Mini Photo Sessions for the 2011 season. What is a Mini Session? It's a shorter photo session, geared towards getting you and your family some images that are perfect for those end of year gift and holiday greeting cards. September, October, and the early part of November are the time to start planning for, and wrapping up, these end of the year photography

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-32262701590866345672011-05-01T21:07:00.002-04:002011-05-01T21:11:23.298-04:00

Brewster and Bella. They looked a lot alike, which I soon found out was because they were brother and sister English Bulldogs. And, what a cute and calm pair they were too. I never realized how strong bulldogs could be either. They have short legs and very stocky bodies, with the majority of the strength appearing to be in the upper half of their body. And, of course, they both had massive heads!

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-32856983076405477002011-04-28T17:48:00.005-04:002011-05-01T21:12:51.438-04:00

So, I was recently reading a message board thread where other photographers and wedding service providers were talking extensively about the use of QR codes in their advertising. I have seen QR codes before, but hadn't really paid much attention to them. Then a few days later, a fellow photographer submitted a copy of his newly redesigned business card, which contained, oddly enough, a QR code on

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-13400530225425299182011-03-18T23:25:00.006-04:002011-04-21T18:53:39.779-04:00

This past week, I had the privilege of participating in a photography posing workshop, given by Orlando based wedding photographer Misty Miotto. I learned a lot of new techniques and it was great getting to see how Misty interacted with her clients one-on-one. A big thank you to our host, South Orlando PUG (Pictage User Group), Misty, and our beautiful couple, Jason and Susie. Below are a few of

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-91148630561304816572010-12-09T23:31:00.008-05:002011-04-27T11:20:24.591-04:00

As I was winding down, this past weekend, after a long day spent at the Central Florida Coalition for the Homeless, with our 2010 Help Portrait Event, it gave me some time for reflection on the day's events. Taking a long, hot shower, soothing my aching muscles (yeah, I know, I really need to get in better shape to pull a 12 hour work day!), playing with my puppies and kitty, who obviously missed

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-16408860397328402602010-11-22T21:42:00.011-05:002011-04-21T11:54:08.404-04:00

I got to spend another beautiful Fall Florida day in Winter Park, this time photographing the Winter Park Harvest Festival 2010 in downtown Winter Park, Florida. Here are some highlights of the day. Of course, I have thrown in some of my favorite shots of people's pets from the day...anyone who knows me knows I can't resist stopping and taking those! :) Of course, the day was also an excuse to

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-380533010461570512010-10-30T21:10:00.007-04:002011-04-21T12:08:46.858-04:00

This past week I had the pleasure of being able to attend a Lighting Workshop. Since I am primarily an on-location, "natural light" shooter, this was an area that I knew I could benefit learning more about. And, boy, was I right. I have had other photographers tell me that indoor studio lighting is the easiest to work with, but just looking at all the strobes, soft boxes and backdrops is so

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-16216871563723131542010-10-17T18:00:00.006-04:002011-04-21T12:07:54.259-04:00

Most people consider professional wedding photography for their "big" day when they get married, but what about the other events in their lives that would be great to have pictures of for the future? Event photography doesn't have to be limited to just weddings. What about other once in a lifetime events like special birthdays (when baby turns one or the "sweet 16," for instance), bar and bat

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-79412297439307427312010-09-30T09:10:00.002-04:002011-04-21T12:11:04.884-04:00

I am so excited after the second planning session last night for Help-Portrait Central Florida's 2010 event(s). For those of you that aren't familiar with Help-Portrait (and how can that be after I gushed about it so much last year? LOL), it is a movement of photographers, across the globe, giving of their time, talent, and equipment, to help those less fortunate. And, remember, you don't have to

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-49908789204184479112010-09-15T12:51:00.008-04:002012-02-02T21:44:15.489-05:00

Wow. It has been so long since I have been to Church Street in Orlando! I remember frequenting it when I was much younger, but back then it was called Church Street Station and was one of the few places to go in Orlando. This was long before City Walk and Downtown Disney showed up in the Orlando night life scene. The last time I was there must have been at least 20 years ago! I finally visited

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-61997683837019833712010-08-02T11:26:00.008-04:002012-02-02T21:45:07.484-05:00

I had a wonderful Maternity Photo Session with Lisa a couple of weeks ago. She was only 17 weeks along, and just beginning to show a bit. Although the weather was very hot, she held up beautifully and looked absolutely glowing! I, on the other hand, looked like a big bucket of sweat by the time the session was completed. Did I mention it was hot? I mean, July in Florida – not the best time for an

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-54157731904866029322010-07-02T10:59:00.002-04:002011-04-21T11:22:38.307-04:00

I so love Saturday mornings at the Winter Park Farmer's Market! There are always so many interesting people to see, so many beautiful flowers, so many adorable dogs, in all the size ranges, and, of course, great, fresh produce to be had. I hate that it is getting hotter now, which makes the market a little less bearable in the summer, and can't wait for the cooler weather to come back to Florida

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-10685231067843304422010-05-29T22:48:00.016-04:002011-04-21T11:22:38.310-04:00

It's odd to think that I have lived in Florida all of my life and had never been to Epcot. I finally had the chance to visit last month, and what a great time to go, as a photographer – during the 2010 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival! Wow, what a great festival they had too. The flowers were amazing, and I was mesmerized by the Disney characters made out of flowers and plants (topiaries). I also

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-10295251104035255622010-04-28T14:18:00.004-04:002011-04-21T11:23:42.961-04:00

Wow, it's hard to believe it's been so long since I have posted to my blog. I must confess, I have been in a "picture taking funk," as of late. It is sad how life "gets in the way" of the things we enjoy so much. I am trying to make a concerted effort to get organized using David Allen's GTD method of organization. While I tend to be a very organized individual, with lists of things to do, and

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-45201902762565955632009-12-14T18:48:00.010-05:002011-04-21T12:20:04.586-04:00

Wow, what an amazing day at Help-Portrait in Orlando this weekend! I spent almost eleven hours there and would not trade one hour of them...not even one minute of them. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. I have to admit, I spent the 40 minutes or so, on the drive home, crying like a baby. Hey, it was my one good cry of the year...okay! I was crying just reflecting on the day's events,

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-56857469723181218092009-12-04T22:29:00.005-05:002011-04-21T11:22:38.314-04:00

Earlier this week, I visited Volusia County Baptist Church's "Journey Through Christmas" program. The pageant was very well done, and surprisingly professional. With real live animals, lighting and, often times, very believable acting, the "Journey" took you through the scenes of Jesus' life. Shooting was difficult as they explicitly said no flash photography at the beginning of the program. I

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-24388959761873704472009-11-25T22:02:00.006-05:002011-04-21T11:22:38.316-04:00

After many weeks of procrastinating, I finally have my shots from the 2009 Volusia County Fair ready for posting! As usual, the Fair was great fun, and I finally got to practice some night shooting with my new prime lens. I must say, shooting at night is still a challenge for me. There is so much more to take into consideration, that I don't really think about when shooting during the day. I

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-61159178581748370522009-11-23T22:09:00.009-05:002011-04-21T11:24:18.905-04:00

Well only 18 days to go until the big day! I am so excited about Help-Portrait and the work we are going to be doing on the 12th of December with the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida. I am excited to be a part of giving back to those less fortunate this holiday season. I am excited for the connections I will make and the people I pray I am able to touch on that day. I am excited to

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-39840554861732965562009-11-22T00:06:00.022-05:002011-04-21T11:24:46.658-04:00

I enjoyed an informative Nature Photography Workshop yesterday at Bicentennial Youth Park, in Deland, just east of the Volusia County Fairgrounds. I have driven past this park many times and never even realized it was there! It's like a hidden "jewel of nature" in the middle of Volusia County. The park, which is owned by the Volusia County School District, is not open to the public, but is

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-46003058276269906622009-11-14T23:04:00.014-05:002011-04-21T11:22:38.318-04:00

The 2009 Deltona Days Festival was great fun. Lots of entertainment, things for the kiddies to do, and vendors to keep you talking and busy. The weather was gorgeous and I enjoyed talking to and meeting new people. I especially enjoyed the opportunity to practice my people shooting skills, which the event lent itself to wonderfully. But, my favorite model of the day was "Simon," even though he

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-3306487441592135982009-11-02T12:13:00.021-05:002011-04-21T11:22:38.319-04:00

So, I really had a blast at the 2009 ButterflyFest in Gainesville last weekend. Needless to say, when you go to a "Butterfly Festival" you can't help but get some great shots. As those who know me well know, I love shooting pictures of butterflies, so I was psyched! Well, over 650 plus photographs later, I was a bit overwhelmed when I sat down to make my picks from the bunch and process the

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-2047160474471949732009-10-27T20:55:00.002-04:002011-04-21T11:24:18.907-04:00

Okay, after months of studying and demoing my options, I think I have finally found the best workflow for my post production on my photographs. This is a flow that works well for me, although I can't speak for others. Many swear by Aperture and Adobe Lightroom for post production, and I did find them to be very neat tools to work with. I demoed both and found that I leaned more towards Aperture,

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-77632947030758448742009-10-18T18:44:00.024-04:002011-04-21T11:22:38.321-04:00

I recently shot the grand re-opening of the Deltona Regional Library and the new Lyonia Environmental Center and Deltona Amphitheater. All I can say is, "Wow!" I was very impressed with the work that had been done after the over year long closure of the library to local residents. The new facility boasts that it is a "green" environmentally responsible facility. The $11 million dollar expansion

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-43254056951811657992009-10-15T00:05:00.009-04:002011-04-21T11:24:18.909-04:00

I decided it was about time for me to go ahead and get Snow Leopard installed on my Mac. I have been running Tiger 10.4 for years and never bothered to upgrade, because, quite frankly, it ran like a dream. But, with more and more programs only running on Leopard now, I felt it was time to make that leap. Installation on my MacBook laptop went great. Smooth as silk. So I figured it would do the

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2641436923138242227.post-12479992791430057662009-10-12T22:31:00.031-04:002012-02-02T21:46:13.159-05:00

So, I had a chance to shoot my youngest son's photos a few weekend's ago. I can't tell you how long I have been waiting to do that! My son is in the entertainment industry, so I knew his photos would be fun to do. And, they indeed proved to be! I am hoping I get a chance to shoot him again soon, if he will let me. View his complete gallery.

photodesignbynorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13685584309484185736noreply@blogger.com0