Ben Finch Photography » Modern Portraits

Andy & Meghan Wedding {Cornerstone Church of Knoxville | Hilton Downtown, Knoxville, TN}

Ben Finch — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:00:46 +0000

It’s what happens when you’re single & have people in your life who know you intently & love you deeply. Eventually they work behind the scenes to set you up on a date. Sometimes this can be good… really good!!! Such is the case for Andy & Meghan. Courtesy of their church caregroup leaders, Dave & Krista, Andy & Meghan got to know one another in their small group & via many games of ping-pong!

Andy was right when describing Meghan’s “energetic” & “spunky” personality. Before you know it you feel like you’ve known her forever as she has a way of connecting with others. And the same is the case for Andy. He’s a genuine guy… caring & interested in others. There’s no question why these two make such a great pair.

On a trip to Charleston, Andy took Meghan to visit a lighthouse… “it actually turned out to be a metal skinny building,” she joked. Admittedly, Andy was a bit disappointed as his expectations were thwarted. Yet, sitting on the beach, enjoying one another as they watched the sun set, all seemed right in the world. Andy asked Meghan’s hand in marriage… “yes!”

… which leads us to their beautiful wedding. Andy & Meghan were wed at Cornerstone Church of Knoxville (which is also our church… hooray!). Outside it was a bit wet, windy & cold, yet we were able to work around it & I can’t imagine having a better time. I think you’ll love their day.
Meghan’s personality is so radiant & easily communicates in her photographs.
Beautiful.
And her ladies were such sports as they fought through the cold & wet weather.
(R) When her father saw her for the first time in her dress.
The fellas getting ready.
You never know what you’re going to get into with a groom & his guys. This was no exception… good times!
Andy preparing a gift for his bride.
The details… just prior to the beginning of the ceremony.
The incredible designer, Natalie Clayman, provided the design details. Her work was featured at the reception as well.
It’s time.
Love this reaction!
The reception was held at The Hilton, downtown Knoxville. Due to the early sunset, we faced a dark sky yet braved the cold & had a great time using the city lights as our backdrop before heading to the reception.
Love these!
We headed to the reception & spent a few moments in their beautiful lobby.

The reception was beautiful.
This crew knew how to party!
Congrats friends! You’re wedding day was wonderful; thank you for the opportunity & privilege to share this occasion with you.

Levi & Caroline {Engagement Session | Athens, TN}

Ben Finch — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:41 +0000

He had no idea where it would take him when Levi shouted, “Hey baby!” to Caroline from the balcony of her friend’s apartment. They were attending the same party, yet had never met. And from the look of things, it would never lead to anything since they wouldn’t run into one another for several months afterward. They were both students at UT (University of Tennessee) where he played baseball & she studied Art. Thankfully, when they did end up seeing one another, she was on the market. And he’d make sure that was never the case again!!!

These two are such fun. Meet Levi & Caroline. Levi is literally from across the country, raised in the beautiful state of Washington. Caroline, on the other hand, raised in the small town of Sweetwater, TN. Who would’ve thought they’d find one another. But they have… & it’s wonderful.

As the story goes… on a trip to Washington to visit his family for Christmas, Levi planned a two-day trip to Victoria, Canada. They shared an incredible dinner together followed by a walk through the park lit by Christmas lights. As she turned to speak to him, she realized he was several feet behind her, kneeling on the sidewalk. Admittedly, neither of them remember what he said… but she cried & said “YES!”

Levi & Caroline came by the studio last week for their engagement shoot. Since it was rainy & cold when we started, we opted to capture some shots in the studio. Here are a few of my favorites:
It was so much fun to hang with these two… always serious laughing when I’m behind the lens!
The rain clouds passed so was ventured outside for a bit.
Love this! Can’t wait to see you guys again!

The Pinkners {Lifestyle Session | Knoxville, TN }

Ben Finch — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:55:56 +0000

Occasionally I wonder what it is I will remember from this time in our lives. Things go by at such a rapid pace & we are so busy making memories, aka surviving, that we rarely have time to reflect. I find myself saying, “Joy, what was it that Knox said yesterday that made me laugh so much I cried?” Or, “Remind me again, what day of the week is it?” Ha! If you’ve ever been a parent you can relate. I guess that’s why photography is so important. Almost instantly after viewing a photo from your past, stories & memories come to mind that bring a nostalgic feeling. It takes you back where once again you remember that season of life… it’s a beautiful thing.

Meet the Pinkners: Greg, Jennifer, Jack & Bailey (the dog). There is so much I could say about this incredible family. I’ve known Jennifer since my childhood & have really fun memories of her at church camp & events. Plus, her mom was my music teacher in elementary school… those were the days. Without a doubt, I could easily say that Jennifer was such a great example & godly influence on us all! And still is… check out her blog here! She married a Texan by the name of Greg. Greg happens to be one of the most gifted communicators I’ve heard & through his teaching is making an profound impact about students locally & abroad. He is a teaching pastor at Fellowship Church in Knoxville & when I was in grad school I would listen to his podcasts faithfully. I can’t overestimate how much the Lord used that in my life.

After years of wanting to have children, Greg & Jennifer were blessed with John Benjamin Pinkner, aka Jack… love that name! Jack is around 8 months old & is a big little guy. He was such a pleasure to meet & I had such a great time with Greg & Jennifer. This is their season of life & it’s beautiful. Here’s a sneak peek.

Story time. I loved Greg’s editorial commentary he added as he read.
Bailey was eager to get involved.
Action shot… yes, that’s Bailey’s tongue sprinting in for a kiss on Jack.
Jack & his buddy, Aslan.
As of late, Jack has been quite fascinated with mirrors.
Love this look on his face.
I’m not sure what he was thinking but I like that look!
Congrats my friends. It was such a pleasure to spend time with you guys. Can’t wait to see you again soon!

Savannah Passmore {Bridal Session | Athens, TN}

Alan & Jenn — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:57:12 +0000

Well, slight correction…she’s actually Savannah Blair now, but when Jenn and I met Savannah for her bridal session, she was still Savannah Passmore. You may remember her from previous engagement sessions (here and here). She and Russ were married in a gorgeous New Year’s Eve wedding. However, she opted to do a bridal session several weeks before her wedding. I am in complete agreement with Ben on this one: every bride should do a bridal session! We had so much fun, and it was such a laid back atmosphere! To begin the afternoon, Savannah’s nieces stopped by for some pics that were to be a surprise to their parents (hence the delayed blog posting). After hanging out with the little ones for a bit, we ventured outside to an unusually warm day (hasn’t this winter been amazing so far?!). As you’ll see below, Savannah is absolutely beautiful and has such an easy-going manner in front of the camera. We had a blast capturing these images; congratulations Savannah and Russ!

Savannah’s niece Sadie was first to arrive and she was all smiles for the day. She loved dressing up in her mother’s wedding gown.

Scarlett was blown away with how beautiful her aunt Savannah’s dress was!

Named after her aunt, Savannah Claire has some of the bluest eyes I have ever seen. You can definitely tell she loves and looks up to her cousin Sadie!

After the girls left, it was finally Savannah’s turn.

After a few in the Passmore’s beautiful home, we ventured outside to take advantage of the perfect weather.

Now THIS is what a bride’s dress should look like! Isn’t her dress incredible?!

Savannah’s veil was also stunning. We took full advantage of it in the images below!

We finished up the day in studio. I love the simplicity of a solid white background. It really allows her personality to come out in these images.

The Johnstons {Family Lifestyle Session | Seymour, TN}

Alan & Jenn — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:13:52 +0000

I love Thanksgiving; it’s a time to celebrate food, football, and family. Well, at least food and family; I’m not quite sure Jenn is thankful for the pigskin. At any rate, we were able to celebrate all three this past weekend. We even got to spend some time with other families. Meet the Johnstons. Kirk and Andrea drove in to Seymour, TN all the way from Greenville, SC to celebrate Thanksgiving with family. With their two children Olivia and Isaiah growing up quickly, they decided to get some family pics while they were in. We met them at Kirk’s parent’s (henceforth known as Nana and PopPop) house, where we were joined by Andrea’s mom (a.k.a. Mimi). Since UT was busy losing to Kentucky (and we had all eaten too much for Thanksgiving), we were anxious to get outside for some fresh air and some photography. It was an absolutely gorgeous late autumn afternoon, and we had such a great time hanging out with everyone! Thank you all for inviting us to spend a part of Thanksgiving weekend with your family!

In order to get over a bit of camera shyness, Jenn played a game of Peek-a-Boo with Isaiah; he was all smiles the rest of the day!

While Jenn was getting some shots of the kids, I was able to grab some pics of Mom and Dad.

Isaiah was making sure we were getting the good stuff, while Olivia decided to take matters into her own hands!

After some family portraits, it was time for a piggy back ride courtesy of Mimi.

Piggyback rides were followed by some wrestling with both Mimi…

…and Nana. You guys must’ve been exhausted!

Whenever swinging or more piggyback rides were needed, PopPop could always be found.

OK, so normally the picture on the left is immediately deleted off the card and never sees the light of day. However, this was just too funny to pass up! This is what happened when we said “Give him a hug!” How we got from the image on the left to the one on the right, I’ll never know.

As the sun dipped down behind the trees, we broke out the strobes to capture the beautiful sky.

The Montooths {Fall ’11 Family Session, Athens, TN}

Ben Finch — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 13:00:36 +0000

It’s hard to beat an afternoon on the farm with a fun family like the Montooths. Kimberly, Seth, Boston & Adalyn make us this beautiful crew. You may recall the shoot we did for Montooth family this time last year, click here. And my goodness have their kiddos grown: Adalyn was only sitting up this time last year yet she is running all over the place now. And last shoot I had to employ super-ninja skills in order to catch Boston standing still, yet with the aid of a few kittens on the farm, it helped slow him down a bit… whew!

This shoot we were able to visit Kimberly’s parents’ home & farm. We had such a great time running around the farm playing with kittens, riding the tractor & simply enjoying one another’s company. Thanks again Montooth family for such a wonderful afternoon… enjoy!
Maybe I need to get a few kittens to take to family photo shoots… they were key!
I really love seeing Seth & Kimberly together… such a fun couple!
Some of my favorites.
Bless these kittens! Adalyn & Boston drug those kitties all over the place… hilarious!
Kimberly’s parents joined us for a few photos… my favorite one of the whole family.
Adalyn is such a cute girl!

Glenn Family {Family Lifestyle Session | Chattanooga, TN}

Alan & Jenn — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:00:35 +0000

Watching families grow…it’s one of my favorite parts about photography. Another favorite about photography is catching up with old friends. Jenn and I got to do both this past weekend in Chattanooga. Several months ago, we were privileged to photograph Audrey Glenn to celebrate her three month milestone. This time around, we met Cory and Amanda in Chattanooga for Audrey’s 6 month session; we also decided to get the whole family involved this time! First of all, Audrey has grown SO much since last we saw her! I’m always amazed at how much they change in such a short amount of time. She was sitting up on her own and was all smiles. We also were able to spend more time with big sister Allie in front of the camera. A little shy last time (we had to use some M&M’s to coax out some smiles!), she was posing like a supermodel this time around. I think at one point she said she wanted to be a princess when she grows up; she’s definitely got the look down! Parents Cory and Amanda were also naturals in front of the camera. Cory, a diehard Arkansas Razorback fan, deserves some recognition. We took these the day of the Arkansas/UT game and he never once complained. Perhaps this is because, with UT’s football team being what it is this year, he knew ahead of time what the outcome would be. Hmm, either way, you and Amanda did great! Also, I think I may have even convinced Cory to join me on a future rock climbing expedition! As always, it was great catching up with you guys; thank you so much for allowing us to capture these memories of your growing family!

The UT orange hair bow was a key accessory; no Arkansas red around here!

What a great family!

Allie came up with these on her own; I told you she was a natural!

Toward the end of the day, Allie took a break from racing dad across the bridge to let me snap these. Sweet toboggan!

Dustin & Sarah {Chattanooga, TN Engagement Session}

Ben Finch — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 13:00:45 +0000

I must say at the beginning of this post that I’m a little jealous of these two. As we met up for their engagement session in Chattanooga, they discussed the details of their December wedding… in SAN DIEGO!!! Little do they know how much I want to visit the Diego o’ San (I don’t even know what that means!). Every since I was in college & passed up an opportunity to play semi-pro soccer there, I have thought about it since… for like 10 years! I think it’s time to move on… ha!

Meet Dustin & Sarah… this crazy-smart couple resides in “Chattaboogie” where they both practice medicine as Pharmacists. Since they are having a small family wedding in California, they wanted to enjoy their engagement session in a city they love. And, their mutual love for the outdoors keep these two outside so we took advantage of a few hours outside.

Congrats friends… enjoy!
I think my new favorite hobby is watching people smile!
I love the feel of these!
I love the beautiful colors of Fall!

The Newmans {Fall ’11 Lifestyle Session, Athens, TN}

Ben Finch — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:00:54 +0000

This good lookin’ crew is the Newman family. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 2 years since I photographed for them (click here for that session). The day we were scheduled to shoot it happened to start pouring rain just minutes before the session. However, we stood our ground & thankfully had just enough time to take just a few pics outside before heading indoors.

Bryson & Halle, Todd & Jackie’s two kiddos, are growing up so fast. As I watched them interact as a family I was encouraged by how apparent it is that the Lord has blessed them. Thanks Newman family… it was so much fun spending time with you!
Halle was happy to let me see her room… she is such a cute little lady!
And Bryson showed me how he likes to hang out in his room… he’s got it made!

Todd & Jackie… don’t they look great!
What a beautiful family!
Thanks again friends.

The Tumlins {Fall ’11 Lifestyle Session, Athens, TN}

Ben Finch — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:51:32 +0000

Last time I had the opportunity to photograph the Tumlin family (click here for previous session), I was taking photos of Alice’s little newborn hands & toes. And I recall chasing Jason around as we zig-zagged through a field of trees. Much has changed since then. Although Jason is still running around like all boys do, Alice is now holding her own & is growing up so quickly. And man, is she cute!!! For the Tumlin’s Fall ’11 session, I was able to meet up at their home & catch a glimpse of their lives on their home turf. It was definitely the right place… enjoy!!!

What a great big brother!
I really love this series of Alice on the slide.
Serious cuteness happening right here!
The Tumlin family: Dana & Kevin, Jason & Alice.
They have a fantastic barn right behind their home.
And the front yard was perfect for blowing bubbles & running around.
Seriously.
Sometimes shots like these don’t quite happen as planned… however, I kind of dig it as is… real life!
Love this!
Thanks Tumlin family… you guys are so fun! Can’t wait to do this again.