We’re well into 2020, but somehow I’m just getting the time to post my favorite behind the scenes photos from 2019! This is arguably my favorite post of the year (see past years here and here) because it’s the less polished version of how my team and I look behind all the pretty and perfect images I share on my blog regularly.

In 2019, I photographed 14 weddings as a lead shooter, 9 as a second shooter, 12 engagement sessions, and 14 other shoots that weren’t wedding related! I traveled outside of Atlanta for 9 of those weddings, including to Texas and New Orleans for the first time. I also temporarily moved back to Virginia for the summer where I taught a photography class at a summer camp. I dyed my hair, got featured in my first major publication, went to Puerto Rico on vacation, joined a new church, moved again to a new house in Atlanta, and my sister got married. It was an extremely busy year! I’m sure I’m forgetting some moments and milestones, but overall, I learned SO much last year about the importance of balancing my personal life and work. I learned what my breaking points are and how much I can and should say yes and no to in order to keep my mental health in check! It was a year of growth and I’m thankful to have made it through. Now, for fun BTS photos!

First, I want to highlight my two amazing interns from last year. Sabrina was on my team from March through May and even joined in for another wedding at the end of August. I think these pictures perfectly show how enthusiastic and helpful of an intern she was! She mastered the dress-fluffing, bouquet-holding, and light-testing aspects of the wedding day perfectly. And, of course, those Instax photos!

My fall intern, Ari, was also wonderful, but somehow I barely have any pictures of her from the four wedding she worked with me! You’ll notice her in other pictures though because I shot her wedding in August! Honestly, this first picture of her is all that really matters and (hopefully) sums up her internship experience so at least there’s that! Also, I love this picture of us with Rikki! We became a dream team and had so much fun for the weddings the three of us worked together.

Now for way more pictures of me with my camera in my face than anyone has ever asked for or wanted! Starting with a few of me in the middle of the ceremony aisle. If there was an award for the most awkward place to station myself, it’s right there smack dab in the middle of the ceremony! As much as I love the shots I get from that position, I ALWAYS feel like everyone’s watching me and wondering “Why the heck is she in the way like that!?” Oh well!!

Some more fun ones, where you can see more of the wide variety of outfits I wear during weddings. That’s totally a joke because I cycle through the same exact jumpsuits and dresses and the same two pairs of shoes. It’s really just my hair that’s changing! These pictures are actually encouraging me to get some new outfits for the 2020 season.

I find these next few pictures just hilarious. My face in the first one is an accurate depiction of how I was struggling to get a 26 person bridal party to line up for a photo. The struggle was real! In the next two, I’m excitedly talking to Kyler and Brian before their first looks and they both look SO unenthused, haha! I’m sure it was just nerves 🙂 And the last photo has a great back story for context. In 2018, my dress caught on fire while I was making s’mores during a wedding reception. I was fine but my dress was not and I left the wedding with a big hole in it! So, as I bravely made s’mores at this wedding, I made sure to hold tightly to my dress and be extra cautious to not catch fire!

Now that I’m at the age where a lot of my peers are getting married, it’s been so fun to reunite with more friends at different weddings. Last year was a special one because I got to photograph three of my sister’s best friend’s weddings and my mom was invited to one of those so it was the first time she’s seen me in my wedding photographer mode.

Lastly, I try at every wedding to get in a frame with the bride and groom! It’s easy to forget with all that’s going on during the day, but whenever I remember, it means so much to me! These are all but 3 of the wonderful couples I worked with during 2019! I love my job mainly because of the people that trust me and choose me to document their wedding day, and I put my heart into all that I do for them and their loved ones! Thank you all SO much for another wonderful year of Kiyah C Photography!