Georgia "Mud" on my Mind

I spent Saturday in East Dublin, GA. photographing the 13th annual Redneck Games. Originally created in 1996 as a joking rebuttal to a comment made in regards to rednecks hosting the official summer Olympic Games, which were being held in Atlanta that year, the Redneck Games were born. A highlight at the games each year is centered around a mud pit belly flop competition. Enjoy the essay "Georgia "Mud" on my Mind"









And Just For Fun!! (I was not a happy person in the picture..lol..Following this photo of course I sucked it up and headed back to the pit for some more photos!) Photo by: Mackenzie Reiland


(the Mud color keeps getting warped when I upload..I promise its all the same color!)

Day 95 and 96

Day 96
Atlanta.. Biker Friendly?!?


Day 95
Book House Wall on Peachtree St.

Day 94

I headed over to the studio of the amazingly talented photographer Zack Arias to mingle with other Atlanta based photographers and those visiting for Zack's "One Light" workshop. I would encourage anyone who is interested in learning more about simplistic lighting to check out the "One Light" workshops and DVD'S. I am so thankful to be surrounded by amazing people who are extremely talented!

Day 93

I'm such a sucker for fresh flowers;) My college friend Laura LaRosa moved to Atlanta this week to intern with Desire Street Ministries and she came over for dinner and brought me beautiful sunflowers.

Desire Street is headed up by 1996 Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel..and YES, he's a GATOR! DSM's mission statement as taken from their website states that "Led by God's heart for the poor, the desire of our hearts is to see impoverished neighborhoods become desirable places to live. Therefore, DSM's mission is to encourage and equip leaders to transform impoverished neighborhoods through spiritual and community development."

It's definitely worth taking a look at their site;) They are up to so much good.

Day 92

Happy Fourth of July!!!

I headed to the Chattahoochee river in the morning with the roommates, but due to circumstances out of our control (I swear an iceberg must have melted or something) the water was to cold to tube, so we headed back to the city for the rest of the day.

We spent the afternoon at a house in Buckhead that a friend was house sitting. A "Castle" if you would. Jesse gets the prize for comparison of the day as he compared it to the "Great Gatsby House" which I agree it was very similar to. Being one of my favorite literature pieces of art, and old time movie, I started to search for artzy light. I didn't have to look to far, it's almost as if the light found us.




After an afternoon of swimmin and grillin I headed to Lenox Mall with the boys to watch the firework show. Such a great night...Made me smile! (see last photo)




And just for old times sake and some inside joking laughter between my UF photojournalism friends .. Here's a throw back picture I took from the Fourth of July in 2005! You can thank me later;)

Day 91

It's the little things when you're on the road traveling that you start to miss. Many of you know I've started gardening, so I was eager to get home and see how my fruits and vegetables were doing!

I was welcomed home to Atlanta with a stint of good news. There was some debate amongst my group of friends if fried green tomatoes were just not riped tomatoes, or if there was actually a green tomato that grew for that purpose. Well, my friend Carrie came over and enlightened me that it is just an unriped tomato.. SO, we did the only thing logical and tried our hand at making Friend Green Tomatoes from my garden:)

Day 90

I was headed back home to Atlanta when I got a call from my friend Brett Roegiers letting me know about an Iranian protest happening outside the CNN center. I arrived to a sea of green balloons and voices chanting "Peace in Iran." I felt it appropriate to find the quiet still moment that smoke volumes of its own.

Day 89

When I first talked to Dan and Nancy about the style of their wedding and reception, they described it to me as a big party. I am here to report that their reception was nothing short of a grown up kids fairytale. From the home brewed beer to the grooms cake which turned out as a home made castle of Krispy Kreme donuts and Little Debbie snacks. This couple and all their friends and family sure know how to have a great time.

I had such a blast shooting this weeding. It was a breath of fresh air strategically placed at the end of my month long journey away from my home base it Atlanta.

They are so in Love, and so Happy:)


And as any true Gator fan would understand, when Nancy and Dan came to me at the rehearsal and told me they wanted to take photos in the stadium after the ceremony in between the reception I said Heck Yeah! So I made some calls to the UFPD, and pulled some connections from my good 'ole Alligator days and was able to get them to open the stadium for an hour for us to take photos on their wedding day! I love the gator nation;) Good thing I spent many Saturdays shooting games on that field, because they not only wanted to take photos on it, but they wanted to play a mock game too!


If you ask the bride she sacked him, but the groom promises that he threw it to his best man for a touch down! Such a fun photo session.


The Boys...


And their Creations...

Day 88

Before I headed back to Georgia, I stopped in Gainesville to shoot the Wedding of my college friends Dan Trifiletti and Nancy Rosselle. You might remember seeing them from when I went down to take their engagement photos (see them here). I must admit that they are such a fun, goofy, light hearted and in love couple and their wedding day did nothing but mirror all those things.

When I got to the rehearsal, Nancy was dressed in a 1970's style purple dress. She proceeded to tell me that it was the exact dress that her mom had made to wear when her parents eloped in the 70's. One of my favorite conversations of the night was right as Nancy was about to practice walking down the aisle and her mother leans over to talk to her grandmother. "Mom, do you remember this dress?," Nancy's mom said to Nancy's grandmother during the rehearsal. "No, If you remember I wasn't there!" Nancy's grandmother replied through a smile.