the blog has moved = www.zmichaelstudios.com/blog

Friends – I hope you are all well!

I know that I have been absent from blogging for a while – but I am back with a lot of stuff to show you AND with a new site for the blog! If you are a subscriber – please switch to this url:

www.zmichaelstudios.com/blog

Thanks so much for all of your support and encouragement.

Zach

Jacob Zachary – house show, Columbus, GA

This past Wednesday night, a good friend of mine and my brothers – Jacob Zachary – came down to Columbus, GA, to play his music for us during his “house show” tour. He is an incredible musician whose music is just beginning to make ripples. His friend Luke Ash came and opened for him as well as my brother, Luke Smith, who played as well. Here are some moments from the night:

It started out with Luke Smith, lead singer of the late POANNA. He has an awesome style and great voice:  [www.poanna.com]

The next artist that actually travels with Jacob Zachary as he is on his “house-show” tour is Luke Ash. He has a great voice and you can check him out here: http://www.myspace.com/123lukeash

Then the final act was Jacob Zachary. All of these guys are really good and you should check them all out! Go to www.JacobZachary.com to check out this last artist. You won’t regret it.

check them all out.

I am Thankful.

I love this time of year… I love how it encourages us to think beyond ourselves and about what helps, encourages, uplifts, and makes us smile, laugh, and cry. I know that I spend much of my time taking things for granted… so = in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to post a few pics of a few things that I am thankful for… namely, my family and friends. –> It is said that a man is blessed in life if he has one true friend. If this is the case, than I am EXTREMELY blessed by my friends and of course, by my incredible family.

Chelsey and I had the pleasure of traveling up to Virginia this past weekend to visit some family and friends that we hadn’t seen in a while – and it was awesome! Griffin, our nephew, has grown up so much and was so cute… here are a few pics of his craziness!

[Griffin is one of the cutest babies I have ever seen.. and no... I am not partial!]

I am also very thankful for my grandmother, Alice Murawski. [She is the one who knits hats for orphans in India.] Almost two weeks ago, she fell and broke her hip and has been through a lot of pain! Her surgery went well (praise God) and she is doing well in physical therapy. Yesterday, was her birthday!!! And I am so thankful that we were able to celebrate it with her. She turned 87…

I am also thankful for my beautiful mother – who was able to come back from Saudi to help with Grandma – and am happy that we were able to celebrate Thanksgiving with her! She lights up a room and brings so much joy and life with her…! I think I know where she gets it:

Let me say one thing about Grandma that I am thankful for: She fears the Lord. If there were ever a Proverbs 31 woman that I would want my wife to imitate – it would be her! Grandma loves the Lord – and meditates on His Word. Even throughout this whole ordeal with braking her hip and being in lots of pain… she still praises the Lord and remains grateful. I know that she is ready to be with Jesus… but we aren’t ready for you to leave Grandma – and we am thankful you are here!!! We love you.

Every Thanksgiving, Chelsey and I spend the day switching between families… eating one meal with this family – and the next with the other family. It is a day full of fun, incredible food, and lots of laughter. Here are a few pics of some of the beautiful people we were with yesterday:[McKenzie, Delaney, Aunt Carla, and Victoria]

[My great friend Peter Carr!]

[Chelsey and her sisters - Caitlin and Halley]

[Carter... one of my favorite people to photograph on Thanksgiving!]

[My other family... the Morris' (with David and Halley Hancock!)]

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Last but not least… I am thankful for my wife. Chelsey is my love, my comfort, and my best friend! I can’t imagine going through life without her right next to me – helping, encouraging, and pushing me to be a better person, to love more, and to fear God. She is awesome – and I am SO thankful for her.

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I had to throw this image in… because it is one of my all-time favorites! Enjoy. [I love jumping on hay bales!!!]

My Hero.

I love photography for one main reason – to re-live beautiful memories and captivating moments. Photography can be all about getting great shots and taking beautiful images… but it is also about capturing life. Life happens in many different ways and comes in all sizes, shapes, and forms. The life that I have had the privilege to capture through photography but also live with down the driveway is… Alice Murawski, my grandmother. A little over two years ago, my grandfather, Melford Murawski, passed away – leaving his sweet wife here on earth for a few more years while he is praising God in heaven! When he passed away, my grandmother seemed to have lost all purpose in life. She had no one dependent on her, she was too old to drive, and she didn’t feel like she had a purpose. This was, until, my wife (Chelsey) gave her an idea of knitting hats for orphans in India. She had heard about a group of women here in Columbus that started knitting hats for orphans – called Nifty Knitters – and knew my grandmother could do it. Needless to say, my grandmother picked up on the idea and has found a new sense of purpose and knitted over 400+ hats! Here are a few pictures that has somewhat captured her life.God has been good to us – and to Grandma. I am thankful for my beautiful wife who has helped restore a sense of purpose to an old lady. Grandma is awesome, I wish everyone could meet her. It would only do you good! Here is a picture of the two ladies I spend the most time with! 

Sisters / Photographers

These two beautiful women are very special to me. One of them is my wife, Chelsey, so of course – she is the MOST important/awesome person in my life and the other is her sister, Caitlin – who is also pretty awesome. Both have been my second photographers and biggest supporters and their skills have grown a LOT with each event! Since they are always behind the camera, I thought I would take advantage of some awesome light at the beach and take some pictures of them! The one in the white shirt is Chelsey (my wife) and the green dress is Caitlin (who left for college today!). Good luck Caitlin… I’m looking forward to you coming back for our Big events!

Snow in Columbus, GA = Very sweet!

It was probably about a week and a half ago, on a Saturday afternoon, when my family and I heard sirens warning us of a tornado! We had some eery weather and it seemed like Columbus was experiencing its first deluge. Water poured in from everywhere. It was then, that my brother, sister, and I decided to take the kayak down the creek! Man, was it cold – but man, was it fun!

The very next day – we woke up to snow – falling everywhere! I heard from one news-weather-person that this was the most snow that Columbus has ever experienced!? I don’t know if this is true – but it is definitely the most we have had in a long time! And, of course, it is supposed to get up to 80 today. Georgia weather = ever-unpredictable… Gotta love it! Here are a few pics of the snow:

Luke Smith. His motorcyle. The farm.

Over Thanksgiving Break I had the opportunity to take some pictures of my brother, Luke Smith, on his bike while we were up at the farm. His bike is pretty sweet and it was a gorgeous day. After riding on the back of a four-wheeler and risking my camera to fatal dust and driving by my brother-in-law (Jay Morris) – I finally got some good pics. It was a lot of fun.. thanks Luke.

Thanksgiving with Carter and family!

Thanksgiving was awesome! – What made it awesome was the family you see right below you. The four kids were a blast to be around and, in fact, I can thank them for a few bruises I found on myself today… the boy, Carter, was just about the most comical little boy I have ever seen. I hope that when I have kids, they will bring as much joy into life as these kids did. Thank you Tara and David for bringing your kids to the farm for Thanksgiving! 

beautiful beach… beautiful leaves

I got a chance to shoot some photos this past month with a beautiful young women named Caitlin (who also might happen to be my sister-in-law) at the beach and at home underneath the most incredible yellow tree! We had a lot of fun taking these shots and couldn’t have been handed better weather with the beach and with the incredible Fall we have had so far!

The Website!

Dear friends,

–> I am happy to announce the start of my new business and website: Z Michael Studios – www.zmichaelstudios.com – I appreciate all of the encouragement and support that you have given me over the last year. I miss all of you in Virginia and am thankful for the friends that I have made here in Columbus, GA. If you or any friend or family are interested in pictures, just let me know!

Thanks.

Zach