A few years ago, a friend and I started Spotlight Photography to just do team photos around our community. There weren't many team photographers around and the ones that were out there charged outrageous prices.  We both had children playing every sport so we knew what we wanted and what we were willing to pay.  We soon got a few teams, which grew over time, and we learned and practiced and practiced and learned, and as they say, the rest is history.

My partner and I did go our separate ways, as friends, and I kept Spotlight Photography.  Eventually, other work came in like weddings (eek!), families, and more, and the business grew to a point that a couple of years ago, I separated the sports and started Spotlight on Sports devoted solely to team photos and sports specialty products.  I am humbled to say we've grown (through a few hard knocks) to work with teams all over Alamance County and a team of now six photographers and one coordinator who manages the scheduling for all the teams/photographers, editing and ordering all team orders, communications with all the team managers and coaches, and delivering of top quality products to all of them in a two week turnaround (she's super-woman Tami Zubler!).  It would not be possible without her and the photographers who are now on board... Angie Newton, Beth Everhart, Brandy Fleming, Shannon St. Pierre, Stephanie Brown, and Jennifer Wolfe.  And you know what I love?  All the photographers are women who have worked with or had children for years, been around sports and children playing sports, so they know those twisted shorts and shirttails hanging out are not okay and they care and they know how to have fun doing it!  

My photography life outside of sports continues to grow beyond anything I could have envisioned in my wildest dreams.  God is moving and shaking and causing me to do the same!  I have to take a step back daily as the phone rings and thank Him and yes, wonder why, but just trust and know that it's all good and in His timing and that yes, it can all end tomorrow if that's part of the master plan.  But while I am blessed, I hope to bless others through the love and images that I can provide.  

I still shake my head to realize my wedding calendar grew from just 8 weddings in 2012 to 20 weddings in 2013 and my portrait calendar is almost full for months to come.  I shake my head as I type.... All of this abundance of work caused me to make some tough decisions but ones that I am so excited about that I can't sleep!  I think these decisions will take Spotlight to the next level for me personally and for my family but also for my clients!!  So far it's all been a wing and a prayer and now it's taken on substance and a life of its own!  

I am so excited to now have Marcia Culler, who was already a dear friend, as my new Photography Coordinator.  Marcia has always encouraged me and been a big cheerleader in my corner and now she'll be taking on some of the details that take away from the shooting and working on images which is desperately calling my name.  Marcia will be implementing new systems that have been needed for so long, sending awesome information to new and old clients, working with session fees and money, helping clients with their final images and how to best invest their money in those images, just everything detail and most importantly, everything to make our clients' experiences personal and beyond amazing.

And the last big decision (for now) is in an area that's near and dear to me but a struggle.  I love designing personalized albums for my couples and even for families, seniors, and new parents.  However, they do take a substantial amount of time to design as each one is different and special to me, and with the growth of the calendar, there aren't enough hours in the day to do them the way I want them done and turn them around to clients as quickly as I'd like.  This meant finding help in this area, tough to do and tough to admit, but I did!  Divine intervention perhaps but my path crossed with another old friend, Beth Hildebrand, who designs amazing albums for people, and who does them more beautifully than I could have hoped for! She was praying for this very type of thing to come along and there I was... there she was... and again, the rest is history.  Beth will be our new Album Designer and working on albums with input from me and the families or couples for whom we are doing them and I guarantee each one will walk away with a masterpiece that is a masterpiece, uniquely their own.   

So there you go.... doors opening, windows flying up, and the roof shaking as it gets higher.  I am blessed, I am blessed, and humbled by all of the amazing people who love me, support me, and believe in me.  Thank you is such a small phrase for such a big blessing you are!

So, got photos?  I've got camera in hand ready to go!