Let’s start this new years off right for the furry friends that need our help. We are accepting donations for the SPCA. In return, get your FREE Facebook profile pic to update your page!
We will be at my studio: 147 Central Avenue Summerville, SC 294
83 on Wed. Dec 30th from 2 to 7pm.
*Email me with questions at gallery.tommehilton@gmail.com
Oh.. sorry. I’m singing aloud again. I get ahead of myself. And since I sing around the house, in the shower, in the car and while my Ipod is on full blast without noticing anyone is around. I figured this is no different. Right? The real me. I sing. I dance. I’m goofy. I’m stupid. So that’s the song that was in my head.
I will post some pictures. Simmer down. I’ve also got some NEWS! squeal! I have switched from Canon to Nikon. This is a big deal as I’ve spent thousands. Gasp! of benjamins on my quip. So I essentially am starting over. Which is tough. A friend of mine let me borrow her Nikon and the rest was history. So.. I am cleaning house. Any hobbyists/amateurs or other photographers intersted – here is what I have:
24-70mm/2.8 L series USM *Excellent condition* approx 2 yrs old $900
Battery Grip for the Canon 5D *Couple scratches, but other than aesthetics works perfect* $100
Adobe CS2 Mac version educational version $150
Adobe Lightroom 1.0 $75
I am still deliberating on selling my fisheye 15mm/2.8 (less than 200 shutter release) $550
and my 16-35mm/2.8 that I JUST bought in January. (have maybe 60 S R’s) $1400
Email me if you are interested. tommehilton@gmail.com (well, just in case you didn’t know!) I still have a Canon back up camera that I use as my 2nd camera so I don’t have to get rid of everything but I’d like to let someone else use what I very rarely will instead.
And we have an addition. STELLA. She is a gift from Jim. I have always wanted him to get me an animal as I always thought that was the cutest gift of affection. Well, she is CUTE and BAD! So, be careful what you ask for. She is a biter. A chewer. Who really enjoys peeing on my carpets! She is about 9 wks old so I think we are still in the young stages and I can only hope the bad traits she grows out of. x fingers.
Ok, don’t be fooled. Turn off your cute radar! She is feisty and her teeth are like little razors!
Ok, enuf about my life. Let’s get onto my recent Wedding. Rachel and Kevin. When I met Rachel she was so happy go lucky and whatever ish (then at the wedding turned into bridezilla!) he he. Just kidding. She was one of the most laid back brides EVER. I ask that my brides get dirty after a wedding – the nuptials are done and the majority of the pics are done. Let’s worry about great pics now! Right? Right.
We were at Harmon’s Tree Farm in Columbia, SC. And the place was a BUFFET of great stuffs. Rain threatened, but I secretly did my hula/rain go away dance (which if those kids that were chasing rabbits mention that girl in the back acting like a maniac, that was prob. me.) – So we got gray and some rain.. when it did come down it REALLY came down. But DUDE! We had a BENTLEY.. which Kevin’s uncle owns and told me that if any brides want it for their wedding to contact him and he will be happy to accomodate! Umm SUPERB picture opportunity. AHEM! Needless to say, Rachel was game for whatever I threw her way. Dirty, great attitude and in my opinion — great pics as a result!
One of my favs. Isn’t that car Bad ASS? that deserved a cap lock!
Hot, right? The couple isn’t so bad either. 
They naturally were very cute together. Sometimes I get told that they don’t want any intervention. The couple would prefer total photojournalism. Well in my opinion, and it’s just MY opinion. I’m hands on only because not EVERYONE is animated. And I’m not saying that in a derogatory sense. The best PJ pictures are one of VERY animated, emotional couples. And some folks are naturally shyer than others and don’t feel comf showing emotions in front of their f/f and the camera. So sometimes I have to coordinate things and be hands on. IF that is something you don’t prefer, just remember that PJ is just showcasing the emotions and feelings you had so you have to wear your feelings on your sleeve for that to be successful.
These are textures that just make a photo feel moody. I like how its warm and gives mood to the photo.
I had so many old cars in the background to give a STELLAR backdrop for me. UGH! My mind was so racing at this location. I’m just grateful that Rachel was up for it all!
HE HE HE! Another old car. A DIRTY old car, right Rach? Looks awesome in pics tho.
Locations I’m not familiar with or have shot before, I go in and assess and do a quick scan of what is safe and what is capable of being photographed. Well, this yellow horse was begging for a rodeo show!
This is their cake topper! Cute, huh?
Well ok now. I hope I made up for a little lost time today. I have a wedding and a bridal this weekend and several still to edit. So see you shortly with new stuff.
xoxoxoxo
Until next time
by Tomme
no comments
If you emailed me or know anything about my life, this is prob. OLD News. I spent some time in Arizona this past week. It happened to be a blur, we were so busy learning and networking and working and playing…….that I can barely believe we went and it’s over.
I’m sure it’s no surprise that I’m always weak in the blogging department. I’m a VISUAL person and not so much of a journalist……maybe a photodocumentalist or how ever you may coin that phrase. Writing doesn’t come so natural to me, but I’d like to try to paint more words within my photos to give them life and dimension. So here goes. Feel free to let me know how I do.
We found ourself having the conversation of whether there is a such thing as singular ‘Cacti’ or if it was just plain ole ‘Cactus’? Needless to say, we were busy most of the day so we were always rushing to get in the few photos we could. This, we pulled into what looked like a park called ‘The Boulders’ and it was sunset. There were lots of people not very happy with us as we snapped away! But, we are photographers. It’s in our blood lines.
My first impression of AZ. when we got out of the airport and on our scenic way was how VIBRANT the colors were. Ya know that color that we are always trying to capture in photoshop? Well, in AZ. there is no need for it…the blues are so crisp and clear and the red, orange mountains and rocks just are a seemingly amazing vista view. I was shocked at the color palette. It felt so clean and light there, the air being thinner and lighter. I’m a fan.
This image is STRAIGHT out of the CAMERA or SOOC. I took about 10 to try to tweak the settings to get the lens flare…… I bought a new lens so I wanted to see if it had my standard qualifications of ‘mad flare’. It passed.
Me and my friend Lisa kept comparing cameras. She shoots Nikon and I shoot Canon so we were constantly taking the same shots with the same settings doing side by side comparisons. I got a new Canon body and I’m not sure about all my settings yet, so it was fun to play and see them working comparatively. *End Result* Canon Rocks! ahem.
I don’t know why, nor have I really thought about why.. but when you turn an image b/w it suddenly has feeling beyond the conception of the image. It takes you there and it draws you inside the photograph. I wished I would have had more time, I would have done a whole series in b/w. Truth is: We didn’t have much photo taking time.
There were lots of oranges and warm colors… ya know, the ones I like best. This was a lone flower in front of a warm stucco bldg. the edge of this is a wrought iron sign to the shopping complex we were at. I love how it turned out.
We escaped for a few mins and went to a nearby town (Carefree Arizona) and found these little shops. This pot was just sitting here, a mosaic in the brightest blues. Was gorgeous!
This was one of the stores. It was an art gallery with lots of native american paintings and relics. I happen to have almost an unhealthy obsession with cowhides and loved this storefront.
Well, there are plenty of photos from this trip and may add a few more as I go.
Until next time.
xoxoxoxo
by Tomme
no comments
In my quest for blog perfection. My quest is to blog once a week. I feel like I’m falling behind if by hump day I’m not humping. (In the military I think that means working……….so…you dirty minded people give it up! )
I am still editing away at a few sessions so I wanted to take some time to reflect. A blog is a way for the reader to connect with the writer. In doing these blogs I certainly hope that you connect with me and I can reconnect with myself. I think of myself as a terrible writer, but I really hope to improve.
I look at people through the lens all the time. When is the last time I took a good hard look in the mirror at myself? Well, I did. I figured I would share my findings with you. Good and Bad.
Me. Webster’ s describes this as an ‘objective case of I’. These are things I want you to know about me that I find hard to talk about. I feel like I’m kind of guarded as a person but it’s healing to talk about things that define ourselves. Even those things we don’t like so much.
I am shy
Now, you’d probably think this is a negative thing for a photographer but I think it’s a blessing. I have seen things and observed things my entire life. I capture those things that other people never noticed and it’s a personality trait. I can be very talkative and sociable when I kind of get to know you, but my strengths really are documenting things that most people take for granted or never take time to see.
I’m by far the better friend
I’m the friend that always listens to my friends woah’s about life. I listen, trying to understand all sides of the stories to give aim and perspective. And I lend an ear. Always. Non judgemental, but open to all they may have to say. And then…………..I decide to throw in my discussion about MY life. Stupid self. No one wants to hear about other’s angst (except me). It’s a selfish world and people only want to talk about themselves. That’s not me. That’s not my style. When I’m your friend, I’m your friend. Thick and thin. It’s not all about me nor all about you. I have been so disappointed and run over by “friends” most of my life that I’m on a friendless mission right now. I do believe in the laws of attraction and I have put vibes out in the world for great, warm, loving friends. I did this for photographer friends and have met some of the warmest photographers anyone could ever ask to meet .I know it works. World, please send me friends that aren’t selfish. That aren’t full of themselves. That aren’t crazy! (Don’t ask, have had WAY too many crazy friends in my life). That will help me grow as a person. That will have chocolate cake with me at 3am if I want to. Will talk smack about our husbands with me and love them still afterwards. Will understand that my work, my love consumes alot of my time but still be my friend anyway and understand. Will help me wade through issues and give me another opinion or idea. That will believe in me when I can’t find it inside myself to believe in myself at the moment.
I’m a good person
If I have ever hurt you or done anything stupid that I don’t know about. I’m sorry. It wasn’t intentional. I am not a malicious person. I don’t steal. I don’t lie. I don’t do things back handedly thinking I will get ahead. I am such a firm believer in Karma that I know all influences in this life will surely haunt me some chapter eventually. If I have done something stupid, there are explanations for it. Don’t judge me hastily as there are always two sides to every story. In my obituary, I want to be remembered as a good person. An honest, down to earth midwestern girl with core values that really made her business excel because of her beliefs and not being a business tycoon. I’m against the corporate lores- I believe in helping small businesses thrive and flourish and I’m not about being a cut throat anything. I think we’ve forgotten that mentality to help a fellow person out when needed. We’ve all been down and out at times and that helping hand always goes a long way. I’ll be that hand for you and hopefully, if I need it you can be that for me.
I believe in LOVE
That’s another reason I’m NUTS! over wedding photography. I’m so stupidly blinded by people being in love. My husband and I met when I was 13 (put down the calculators) EVERYONE, and I do mean EVERYONE said it was a passing thing, I didn’t know what love was at 13 but I did. I knew he made my heart leap when I would hear him talk. The smell of him to this day (and there has been MANY days inbetween) is a smell I long for. It’s a familiar smell, it’s a smell that makes my heart happy. I knew love then, I know love now. I love my husband deeply. He is such a good man, and to beat all he loves me back. I feel like it’s such a gift to share love and to be loved, that truly I can’t even begin to describe how I feel being a part of the love a couple feels towards each other. I love doing engagement shoots to just sit back and watch a couple be in love. There is no trick to that photography. That is just chemistry, and I again with a little prodding on my end get to be the photodocumentalist that watches it all happen. I know this sounds a little sappy, but deep down I am girly, and sappy. I still cry every time I watch the ‘Notebook’, there are certain songs I catch myself reaching for a kleenex for. I think I’m just a girl that Values Love. Values Life. Values Relationships, and people and friends.
And I could go on and on about some things but I will continue this later, if I’m still editing by next week I will continue my exploration of life. Life-o-logy. 
(Umm, that’s enough about you now!)
by Tomme
2 comments
August 3, 2008 - 6:02 am
It’s amazing
July 13, 2008 - 8:39 am
Tomme,
Thanks for sharing your heart. I enjoyed reading this and getting to know you a little.
Good luck with all the photo editing. I can’t wait to get a peek at some of it on your blog.
Jaime
by Tomme
no comments