Category Archives: Personal

Atlanta Photographer’s Poker Night

One of the little known secrets in Atlanta’s photography world is that despite the fact that we’re all in the same business and sometimes even compete for the same brides, we’re all great friends and enjoy a good game of poker now and again. We used to do this a little more regularly, but it’s been a while since we played last. This time around, Chris Torres needed some baby diaper money so he rounded us all up to try and take us. I came in 2nd and got my money back so at least I could go home and say, “Sweetie, I didn’t lose any money!”

So here’s the scene (L-R):
Chris Torres from 6 of Four (not shown father-to-be and host), Livingston Jackson, Terrell Clark, Jeremy Roth, Mark Adams from LaCour, Patrick Williams, Drew Newman, I’m the one with the camera in my hand.

No Shows (no link love here):
Zack Arias, Charlie McLarty, Matt Yung, Hassel Weems, Ross Knight, Scott Chester, Marc Climie, Adam Linke, Chris Rank, Andrew Niesen, Jerrod Brown, David Christensen

This one is beautiful, so poetic and full of emotion. The money shot. The caption: “You’ll do better next time honey.”

Jeremy and Mel (above) have a baby on order so these poker nights are crucial for him before his social life goes on lock-down in a month or two. He was last to leave last year. This year…. uh, first. As a father of three, I know the routine. :)

Can you believe that Patrick ditched Bible Study for this…

Chris Torres showing the deep, down, fierce hunter/gatherer in victory.

Twice Published (a little different)

So I was browsing the web this evening checking out traffic sources and geeky web-type stuff that we have to do to stay on top of our online business. I was happy to see The Knot online running with a lead photo (again!) in the destination weddings section. It’s a photo from Nikki and Johnny’s Florida Keys wedding. That was such a fun wedding!

The Knot Destination Weddings

The other is the cover of a book. My first actually. I just got a few of them in the mail and I told Vicky when I saw her the other day that I’d send her a copy. She’ll get a kick out of it and I’m sure her friends will harass her about it.

And I can’t even read it… It’s a german translation of a book by Christopher West, “The Love That Satisfies.” They contacted me last year after seeing Vicky and Jason’s engagement images on my blog. I mean, they are both stunning, passionate, and madly in love so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that someone would want to use them on the cover of a book about… uhm… “marital love”.

Christopher West, The Love That Satisfies

, destination Germany

Skotti & Tony in Atlanta (part 2)

Welcome to part two…

The Wedding Mass

Portal of Love (corny, I know)

Tony & Skotti in front of the Tabernacle

This is where I have interject a little story to set up the next picture…

Fr Todd did the homily (sermon) and he happens to know Tony and Skotti quite well. At one point he told a story and read from an email that Tony had sent him. One relevant fact you need to know is that Tony is 48 years old. There’s probably a cliche or two that we could drum up about a very handsome (I think Skotti would say “gorgeous”), exceedingly nice, personable, “in charge”, and VERY eligible man like Tony who has never married. To dispel any such notions Tony wrote this, in part:

As people see Skotti and I get married they may come to the conclusion that it took me 48 years to find someone like Skotti and although true, the real fact is it took 48 years for God to prepare me for HER – someone that is worthy of her holiness and her goodness.

How AWESOME is that!! Tony’s response was this photo:

Tony's story

The vows…

Tony's Vows

Skotti's Vows

Flowers for Mary…

Tony & Skotti in front of Our Lady

Unity Candle & Fr Dye

Skotti & Tony's First Kiss

You think they’re happy much?

Skotti & Tony's Salute

I just LOVE this shot of Mary Carter and Jim watching their mom and Tony walk down the isle as husband and wife…

Mary Carter & Jim's Smile

Skotti & Tony's Exit

A quick shot I grabbed of Skotti while we waited for Tony to track down his brother :)

Skotti

These next three I think would be GREAT as a framed set so here they are…

Tony & Skotti - 1

Tony & Skotti - 2

Tony & Skotti - 3

Next up, the party…

Ben Vigil, photographer — almost there Skotti & Tony.

Meghan & Nick at Reynolds Plantation

It was such a pleasure to shoot Meghan and Nick’s wedding at Reynolds Plantation! The wedding was at Christ Our King and Savior Catholic Church and the reception was at the amazing Ritz-Carlton, Reynolds Plantation

So let’s start at the end, shall we… meet Meghan and Nick:

I’ve known Meghan a couple years through various friends but mostly through my old assistant, Christina, whose wedding I shot over the summer and who was also a bridesmaid at Meghan’s wedding. Meghan was so STUNNING!

I actually knew Bill, Meghan’s dad, years before Meghan. Check out this shot of daddy greeting his daughter. I just LOVE this shot that my associate, Huy, took!

So remind me again why Meghan is coaching sports…???

Here’s the former Archbishop of Atlanta, who concelebrated the wedding Mass, and Nick just before the start of the wedding.

One of my favorites of the day…

Here’s another favorite…

Oh wait a second, another favorite…

Both Meghan and Nick are trying to hold it together during the toasts by their parents.

You’ve never see a more proud father…

The peace of knowing you’re exactly where God wants you to be…

Congratulations Meghan and Nick!

So check out the slideshow for a bunch more images and remember that you can view the slideshow full-screen by clicking the last icon on the bottom right.

Enjoy!

Ben Vigil, at the Ritz-Carlton

Paul is finally home…

We’re so happy that Paul is finally home today after a short but painful (for us) stint in the hospital NICU.

I think being in the NICU does something to their tolerance for pain and discomfort because as soon as they get disconnected from all the tubes and wires they just sleep and sleep and sleep like they are in a total happy land. Joseph was the same way and he will get deathly ill before he complains about anything. One time his school nurse called saying he wasn’t feeling well — they knew he was sick because he was complaining and they had NEVER heard him complain before. Back to Paul…

It’s so funny to watch him every time he feeds because he acts like he’s drunk and is out like a light in no time.

He’s back up to birth weight now (about 5 1/2 lbs) so he’s still a tiny guy. Just like Joseph, he looks like a little old man with all his wrinkly preemie skin.

Ben Vigil, speechless