Courtney Fries Photography

Lensbaby

So, remember a few weeks back I talked about buying a lens baby ? Well, I finally got the courage up to attempt it on a shoot and for all the learning that is involved in figuring the thing out, I think it is just a really awesome lens once you learn to use it. I haven't given it much priority, so I definitely need to play with it more, but I thought I'd post a picture of me testing it out. I really love it so far...can't wait to experiment more! Props to Nick Haskins for letting me try his and getting me hooked!!

Cool Car #2

I've gotten really lucky the last few shoots with finding cool cars along my path :-) This one was kinda sketchy...it was actually still functional in the back of Ybor City belonging to heaven knows who, so we hurried...got the shot and moved on! haha...I think I may make trying to find cool cars my trademark! They are so vintage and fun!

Jackie and Sean: Engagement

Today was an absolutely gorgeous day...the weather was perfect. I sure do wish that it would stay so beautiful in Florida, but inevitably it will turn hot, sticky and sweaty in the months to come. I couldn't have hoped for a better day and meeting Jackie and Sean only made it better! What a sweet, funny pair...they were incredibly warm to me and I felt like I had known them forever. We had such a great time laughing and getting to know one another :-) I am really looking forward to your wedding in July :-) Thanks guys!

One VERY windy engagement session :-)

This was one of the windiest days Florida has seen in quite some time! The wind was whipping and it was chilly but these guys hung in there and we were able to get some really AWESOME shots that I am just so excited about!! I wanted to post just a few from tonights session for you guys...there will be plenty more to come! Thank you so much for being such an awesome pair and for helping me to create some fantastic images of the two of you!

~Courtney

Temporary limbo...

I just switched my hosting service, so there might be a very temporary interruption of service to my website...but it should be back to normal within a few hours...I'm doing this super late at night so it shouldn't interrupt too many folks trying to access my site :-) Just a heads up!

~Courtney :-)

Sometimes...

an image just strikes you the right way. Something about it cries out to you...it moves you...it evokes feeling somewhere inside of you. I love photography, because it stirs emotions in me that I otherwise may have missed...it truly challenges me to see life from a different perspective...artiscally. Weddings are beautiful occasions. You are constantly surrounded by gorgeous details, so much so that is often easy to stare at all the things you are "supposed" to be awed and amazed by and forget to find something different or "out-of-the-box". What might appear "typical" to one person, can be completely breathtaking to another...that's why I love photography so much...sometimes I see things that surprise me and no one else until they step back and think "wow...I never saw that". I am reminded daily by the work of those photographers that constantly inspire me, that there is always something "more" to be seen. The image below is one from the wedding I shot last Saturday in Miami. I am proofing tons of images and I ran across this one and I thought "man...this image is so serene". I truly love it. I'm not quite sure what sings to me about it, but I'm quite certain it has something to do with the elegance of it...the post processing only enhanced that feeling for me and I'm just so fond of it that I thought I would share! I love the motion in her foot, the look on her face, the negative space of the wall...it's almost as if I can feel what she is feeling as she walks down the stairs to start her journey with the man of her dreams just feet away. I dunno...call me crazy, but it just makes me smile :-) I hope I was able to project my feelings upon someone else with this capture.

Viva Las Vegas!

I am totally psyched to be attending Bob Davis' workshop out in Las Vegas next weekend!! This is such a great opportunity to shoot with Bob, meet Dawn his incredibly fun wife and network with 39 other photographers from around the world. Together, we will be shooting a wedding at the Bellagio Hotel and will also be heading out to gorgeous Red Rock Canyon. I can't wait to see what this experience brings! I am completely looking forward to hanging out with such a wide variety of fellow photographers and getting to know them over the course of the workshop! We are all so excited to go and get things under way :-) I'm headin' out next Friday! Last time I went to Vegas was in August to marry my amazing husband :-) Vegas is just filled with energy...and all of this is going on during WPPI! I will be sure to post images as the workshop progresses :-) Click the link on Bob's name above to read more about it!

~Courtney :-)

Beau and Marcella ~ Wedding: Miami, FL

Saturday was a gorgeous sunny day at the Koubek Mansion in Miami, Florida. The day was filled with such a happy spirit and everything was just perfect for Beau and Marcella. They both looked stunning and were just adorable together! I am so happy that I was asked to capture this amazing couple on their wedding day...it was most definitely an honor. Thank you for sharing your special day with me! Here are just a few from Saturday's wedding :-)