The owners of Taco Mamcita, Taylor and Mike Monen, did an incredible job with their first restaurant located on North Market Street but they REALLY outdid themselves with their recently opened Nashville location. And people are absolutely loving it.  Only 7 weeks old, it’s completely shoulder to shoulder on Friday and Saturday nights. That’s pretty good with virtually no advertising at all. It just goes to show that they have something really special going on.

Here is the outside of the awesome new restaurant located close to Vanderbilt at 1200 Villa Place in the Edgehill Village area.

I got some cool detail shots but I’m always drawn to the more artistic ones.  This photo was for me.

Some specialty drinks!

Taylor did all of the interior decorating and just did an amazing job with it.  After leaving, I was trying to figure out what Mike and Taylor aren’t good at.  As you can see, not much.

Interiors:

EVERYTHING in the store is made completely from scratch with the freshest ingredients.   Hands down the best tacos I’ve ever tasted.

Sangria!

Unbelievable tacos with unbelievable drinks. Good combo.  If you live in Chattanooga or Nashville, definitely do yourself a favor and go check them out!

Here’s the crew: Steve, his wife Shannon, Heather and Alana, and me!

Morgan, thank you so much for your time, your expertise, and your “I’ve got it covered!” personality! It’s so good to know that brides and grooms who hire you are not only taken care of, but their expectations are exceeded and their lives simplified because of your skills.

We loved every second of meeting with you, and look forward to many, many perfectly executed weddings together!

And to our clients, please let us know if you would like any more information about Soiree’s! We would love to help connect you with Morgan!

I’m just going to come right out with it: We have worked long and hard to bring you our brand new portfolio website, RichSmithWeddings.com!!!

Here is a screen capture of the Home Page and we are hoping that you will find the site beautiful, clean, informative, and easy to navigate.

Along with the galleries of images, be sure to explore the “More Info” section, which includes a brief bio and a photo of us, some client raves, information on our pricing, frequently asked questions, and a section for photographers.

And be sure to contact us through our online form if you are interested in booking us for your wedding or for a workshop!

So, don’t hang out here any longer…shoot on over to our new site and spend some time familiarizing yourself! If you love it, we’d be honored if you twitter and facebook about it using the links right above the comments area!  And of course, if you have friends or family who would also be interested, let them know about us!

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Please let us know what you think about the new site!

More stuff to come!

Rich put together the unbelievable fusion slideshow below, blending our still shots with some video that we took during our time with the Engels. These photos are from the end of our session, when the family spent time cutting Christi’s hair before the chemotherapy could take it from her. Kenny had his head shaved right along with her, and his love for her could not be more beautiful or inspiring.

Perfect, wonderful self portrait:

I’m just going to let this video speak for itself.

Please use the comments section to let the Engels know that you love them and are praying for them.

I think that we met Steve and Shannon first through some mutual friends at church, and there was some dialogue about the fact that Steve is a fabulous, rock-your-world graphic designer. Those are my words, not his. It’s all kind of fuzzy to me, but next thing we knew, about a year or more later, Rich was doing sessions for the Hamaker Family (now plus one with baby Foy!) and we had a perfect and exciting new brand for Rich Smith Photography. We actually looked forward to our logo designing meetings with Steve because we stinking liked him so much. He and Shannon are just incredible people and we truly love every second with them. And just for posterity, this is the first session Rich did for them (what feels like a VERY long time ago), here is the second, and here is the third and most recent. Wow…time FLIES and babies somehow become two year olds!

Then we had the pleasure of getting to know Jimmy and Brittany Moncrief. Again, it was photography related as Rich photographed some family sessions for them. Then it got really exciting because Brittany decided she was inspired by Rich and wanted to be a photographer herself. Now she and Jimmy are neck deep in their own business and Rich and I are super proud of them! Also very amazing people. Extremely energetic and likeable. And again, just for fun, here is the first session Rich did for them, here’s the second session, and the third and most recent session. Baby Ada is growing up so quickly!

Most recently, we have had the pleasure to get to know Meghan and Eric Campbell. We’d been chatting via Facebook and email for months and decided it was absolutely time to meet and get to know each other. It was getting a bit ridiculous to be in the same industry in the same city with the same friends…and yet, to never have met. Looking back it’s strange how long we lasted without becoming friends! It is SO time!

Fun backstories.

Now, for tonight.

Rich and I wanted to have these couples over for dinner (plus Tobi and Corey Weldon, who could not come…soooo sad). They’re all friends with each other and we like all of them SO much that we wanted the whole group to come over. So, with Meghan’s homemade fire roasted salsa, Jimmy’s homemade guacamole, Shannon’s amazing chicken enchiladas, my status quo fajitas, and Rich’s homemade cheesecake, we spent several hours chatting, laughing hysterically, comforting crying toddlers, talking photography, technology, and parenthood.

Basically, we had WAY to much to do to fit into one gathering, so my conclusion is that this needs to be much more frequent.

I consider myself the “self-portrait nazi” (must…document…life…) and so as everyone was headed toward the door, I grabbed the camera, threw it at Rich, and the following FUN images resulted. They make me soooo happy.

Notice everyone’s normal, natural smiles in this photo. Now look at Brittany. I like this girl.

And here, she manages to look cute, beautiful, and totally mischievous at the same time. And Shannon decides to break the mold and get a little funky, too.

Yes, we really did have THAT much fun.

Jimmy and Brittany, Eric and Meghan, and Steve and Shannon…thank you guys for doing life with us. We love you all and are truly, truly thankful that you are in our lives.

Corey and Tobi, you better come next time, or else.

And Jimmy, your fake laugh looks a bit like a yawn. But we love you anyway.

So, we need to give a big thank you to Green|Spaces for allowing us to use their incredibly cool location, to Grant and Sara for organizing and planning, and to our local photographer friends who came to support, listen, and contribute. We are truly thankful for all of you!

I grabbed a few shots while Rich presented:

The group! Nathan and Amber Holritz, Grant and Sara Dotson, John and Lindsey Bamber, Michelle McKibben, and our new friend, Eric McCarty of Wedity! (where some of Rich’s photos of Nick and Amber in Jackson Hole, Wyoming are featured! Check it out!)

SO good to see everyone, and great to meet you, Eric!

And a couple fun images of us!

Happy FRIDAY everyone!

The big reveal…

Alana loves her new snowman.

Sadly, it’s 40 degrees today so the our little snowman had a shorter life than most butterflies.  If you went to the Tennessee Aquarium more often, you’d know how long that is.

Cancer is ugly. But as we entered the house to document the Engels family, we have never witnessed something so beautiful.

Rich and I love the Engels family. And I don’t use the word “love” lightly or flippantly. In moving from Fort Lauderdale to Chattanooga about eight years ago, they became dear friends and church family to hundreds of people here. Rich and I became close to Kenny while we served with the youth group at our church for several years, and Kenny travelled back down to Ft. Lauderdale to perform our marriage ceremony. We could not have been more blessed, encouraged, or challenged by him.

Once married, we attended home group at the Engels for a couple of years before Alana’s arrival made it too difficult to make the 45 minute drive to their home every Monday night. It was at their home group that we fell in love with Christi and the girls. We were in awe of their incredible family, and the love, joy, and peace that permeated their home.

Now, in the face of the strongest trial of their lives, the Engels family is still displaying the same love, joy, and peace that they were when the waters were still and the storm was no where to be seen. With daunting news from the doctors about the cancer in her brain and lung, Christi is still believing God, trusting Him, and relying on His strength…and it could not be more beautiful, convicting, or comforting to us.

Without further ado, let us introduce to you the most amazing family you will EVER meet. Kenny and Christi and their four beautiful girls, Riley, Avery, Sydney, and Chloe. Rich and I were blessed and honored to be let in on a slice of their day for some photos on Sunday afternoon. Here are just a few that we love.

Beautiful, valiant Christi..

Tenderness…

Worship:

Laughter:

As we struggle with what we can do for them, I can’t help but think that they have helped us far more during this time than we could possibly offer back. Just by being themselves and giving God the glory even through their trial. So, we pray.

I want to conclude this post with a moving poem that Kenny wrote for his wife four years ago after she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer and was undergoing treatments. As they go through their storm, these words have never rung so true…

A mountain looms.
Ominous and Stoic.
Though the soothing melody of the valley brook
warms the heart to stay.
There will be those that venture beyond
the comforts of pasture
because the mountain calls.
Or is it
that they are called to the mountain?
Awaiting
is terrain Unstable
Steep
Jagged and Rough
Swelling with struggles, stumbles and strain
Body taxed
Teeth clinched
Cries of war
A quest within a journey
to master and not be mastered

Yet what is it I see?
Such beauty approaches
Sure to be swallowed by such harshness
Yet like an eagle taking flight
She steps to the darkness with such ease
Seeming to float over the undulating incline
Watching her body move
It is apparent that she is not in a battle
But in a dance
And that she is not bowing to the mountain
But the mountain has become her stage
Like the feet of a deer
She absorbs the lows
And embraces the highs
It is effortless, yes
But more a picture of the miraculous
Knowing the adversity of the elements
And yet displaying such peace.

Arms outstretched and head lifted high
The rhythm of her feet draw you in
And reveals that she does not dance alone
The speed, the placement, the stability
Indicate that her feet are responding
Simply shadowing the footwork of a masterful lead
And she climbs on
Unaware that there is an audience that watches
Amazed and inspired
As they witness something so graceful
And so full of Grace

He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and will make me walk on my high hills
Habakkuk 3:19

Put on by the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) (of which we are a part), Imaging USA was closer to home than usual and we could not pass up the opportunity to go to Nashville for a few days and learn from some of the best photographers IN THE WORLD.

Dane Sanders was the first speaker of the conference at 7 AM on Sunday morning. Goodness we were glad we drove up to Nashville on Saturday night. Getting out of bed at 3 am to make the drive would not have been fun.

I’m tempted to actually write about each speaker that we heard and what we learned, but that would mean I’d be writing all night. And basically, I’m not up for that. Suffice it to say, Dane, along with each of the subsequent speakers, was inspirational to Rich and I. And the particularly exciting thing was that they all had different stories, different perspectives, different styles of photography, and different business practices. On the one hand it was overwhelming and a bit intimidating to be confronted with vast amounts of talent and information, but on the other, we are challenged and inspired to be all that we can be; both individually and as a husband and wife photography team.

Then we were completely enraptured by the photography and thoroughly entertaining presentation of Australian photographer Jerry Ghionis. I do not exaggerate. I would not have words sufficient to describe the photographic genius of this man. We had a blast meeting him and taking a few photos on the trade show floor:

Then things got a little steamy (which will not surprise anyone who has heard him speak before) Ha!

Here we are with Nathan and Amber Holritz, Dane Sanders, and David Jay during our first visit to the trade show on Sunday. Rich and I had met DJ a few years ago, but Dane is a new friend!

After our overwhelming inauguration to the trade show floor, we grabbed lunch with our friends Garrett and Joy Nudd. Amazing photographers, business owners, and people. Incredible human beings. We love these two and are so thankful for the opportunities we’ve had to hang out. We really can’t wait for the next time, guys.

Taking a two second break in between the craziness

Following lunch we sat in on Nathan Holritz with an awesome Adobe Lightroom presentation. Once again, we are honored to be peers in this ever-changing industry, but also dear friends. Nathan, you rocked it. Keep giving of your time and efforts – people need it, appreciate it, and are better for it. We love you.

Also, if you are a photographer and would like to have a life, Nathan might end up being your best friend. Outsource your wedding post-processing to Photographer’s Edit and let the team there take care of you, creating freedom and a seamless workflow, not to mention happy clients as a result of speedy turnaround. Let us know if we can answer any questions for you!

Following Nathan’s Lightroom presentation, we met up with a group of local photographers for some laughs and a self-portrait. We were so excited to run into so many friends among the 10,000 photographers who attended the conference! Here we are with Daisy Moffatt (and her friend Michelle), David Smith, and John and Lindsey Bamber…all such awesome people who we are proud to call friends!

And then on to Jeff and Julia Woods for a presentation on Substance and Style, the fourth and final class of the day.

As if our day had not been busy enough, we opted to go to a bowling party hosted by ShootQ and Livebooks where we were honored to be on a team with J Standifer with Livebooks and George Varanakis of Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI). Our team may not have won the bowling competition but we definitely enjoyed getting to know each other and networking. Very, very amazing opportunity. And, it’s important to note that I beat my husband with a score of 130.

I’m going to try to get my hands on the photo that we took of our humble little bowling team, so I hope to edit this post to add that photo. But we did manage to snag a photo after meeting and hanging with The Becker. I have to say that he was a bit different than what I was expecting after following his work and “getting to know” his online personality. He was a bit more like a teddy bear than I thought he was going to be.  We liked him so much and didn’t have enough time with him. Maybe next time we can spend more time chatting and take a decent photo! This is it for now!

Monday was equally inspiring, beneficial, and overwhelming. The day started with a 7 am presentation by Steve and Jen Bebb of Bebb Studios in Vancouver which Rich and I have not yet stopped talking about. We loved their presentation style, content, and personalities! Check out this horrible, blurry, stupid photo of us with the Bebbs. Hey, we were having too much fun to care that it was bad. Amber, thank you for introducing us to Steve and Jen! Fun times and belt buckles.

I also grabbed a photo of the Bebbs presenting at the WHCC booth on the trade show floor:

Next we had the honor of listening to Yervant from Australia and then to Joe Buissink from Beverly Hills. We were blown away by both. End of story.

Here we are with the calming and passionate Joe Buissink…who, even though he regularly photographs celebrities, managed to make us feel incredibly important and interesting. Amazing.

We concluded the presentation part of the day by hearing the famous Denis Reggie. And to make sure that we were completely exhausted, we headed to a party at the Tin Roof hosted by Pictage. Rich and I were SO glad we went, because we had the pleasure of meeting Jim Collins, CEO of Pictage, and Simon Anderson, CMO of Pictage, and hanging out with old and new friends like the ever entertaining Kevin Swan and Shaun Austin with KISS (whom we love), Sara France (whom we thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet!) and the incredibly smart and innovative Gary Fong and his wife Missy.

Here we are with Jim Collins, and we are sooo excited to see what’s in store for Pictage under this new leadership!

(Thank you so much to J Mark and Rebecca Koenig for these two photos. Rich and I were kicking ourselves for leaving our camera at the hotel and J Mark graciously grabbed these shots for us and, as promised, emailed them to us. Thank you)!

And Gary and Missy Fong! Goodness, it was an honor to meet these two.

Tuesday afternoon we spent a bit more time on the trade show floor and it definitely paid off! Rich wore his bowling shirt in an attempt to be seen by Adam Linke of ShootQ, who was said to be roaming the trade show floor with prizes for those wearing the shirts. I saw Adam, flagged him down, and told him that Rich was just waiting to be seen wearing his Livebooks and ShootQ shirt As luck (and a very awesome Adam) would have it, we reached into the bag of happiness and pulled out a coupon for six months of free service through ShootQ…a very exciting turn out. Thank you Adam and ShootQ!!!  We’re so excited to take our studio to the next level with you guys!

Imaging USA 2010 concluded on Tuesday evening after a presentation by Jim Garner, another by Jose Villa, and our friend Garrett Nudd concluded the entire conference with an amazing presentation complete with chocolate, hair gel, gorgeous work from all over the world, and some meaningful thoughts and suggestions for our businesses in 2010.  He had us laughing and crying at the same time. Incredible.

I grabbed this shot of Garrett while he was speaking on the trade show floor for Graphistudio…but I wish I’d been closer to the front of the ballroom when he’d done his main presentation and was throwing prizes into the audience. That would have made for some entertaining photographic material.

Thank you so much to PPA, Imaging USA, and all of the people who made the conference incredible! We are so blessed to be doing what we love in an industry full of talented individuals and business people who are invested in seeing others succeed!

So to tell the world how much I love my girls, I wanted to show you some pics of them!  I really have the best family in the world! Two of the sweetest girls you’ll ever meet.

How cute is she!?

They were sporting scarves that are HANDMADE as Christmas gifts by their good friend Kellie Dykast.  Check out the quality! Both Heather and Alana love them!

If you want to connect with Heather more, just follow her on her NEW twitter account!  http://twitter.com/heathersmithrsp