rinne allen's studio

Meet Rinne Allen. Rinne is a beautiful woman, inside and out. She is a valuable voice in the creative community, an incredible artist, and a wonderful part of this town. Athens is so much richer because of her presence. 

I first met Rinne through my friend Kristen Bach when I shot some photos of her, Rinne, and Rebecca Wood for their website Beauty Everyday, which they curate. That was also my first time in her studio. I wrote this post last summer and the photos came from the backyard/garden area behind some of her houses on Pulaski street. It's all so incredibly beautiful. During that visit I sat down and talked with her about making and sharing beauty, supporting yourself and growing as an artist, and the importance of collaboration and embracing your community. She shared so much wisdom with me but one thing that has stuck with me in particular is not to pass up work that interests me and will help me grow, even if it doesn't pay well. That advice prompted me to make use of so many opportunities that later led to more work and great connections. 

Rinne's body of work is pretty expansive (you can read about all that she does on her website, rinneallen.com). She co-founded Our Arrow, which is the play space that Piper and Larken go to sometimes. She is mostly occupied with photography, writing for Selvedge, and making light drawings, which is the process that I photographed above. She sells these through Terrain as well as other shops. She takes clippings from her garden, places them on paper that has been treated with a light sensitive coating in her dark room, places a screen over them and lays them in the sun. After they have been exposed for a time, she rinses the paper and the cyanotype emerges. It's a really simple, organic process, and it creates a beautiful piece of art. 

Rinne's work and studio, and the words that she shared with me, are an inspiration. I have had some amazing opportunities through her and others in Athens who recognize the value of collaboration and sharing the creative process with others. It makes me so thankful to live in this town. 

I'll be back next with images from a shoot for Avindy's Fall 2013 look book. It was so much fun to shoot and the photographs are going to be gorgeous. Can't wait to share.
xo

rad athens wedding

Meet Lauren and Davy. They are awesome people, and their wedding was so much fun. From the time that I met them, when they chose me to photograph their wedding day, they have been the most down to earth, kind, and gracious people. I loved working with them, and I love that they got married at Little Kings. If you live in Athens you realize how fantastic that is. They have a beautiful story and the love they share was so apparent. 

I have been photographing a ton of weddings lately, a few of my own, because my focus is primarily on editorial photography. I freelance for an amazing company called Once Like a Spark and they provide me with the opportunity to shoot a lot of weddings and work with some clients who are also amazing and get married in beautiful settings.

Weddings are emotional. They are celebrations of love and commitment. They are representations of a couple's story, community, and personalities. Weddings are beautiful.

Weddings are a hard thing for me right now. In the narrative of my life, recently divorced, grieving the loss of what could have been, I find myself in a place where they are particularly emotional for me. However... they are also beautiful for me. They remind me that love does win in the end, if you fight for it. They remind me that commitment, refusal to give up on another person and the love you share, exists. 

Davy and Lauren's wedding was one of the most poignant examples of this. Y'all, when you read this, thank you for letting me photograph this incredible day. Thank you for reminding me that love matters. Thank you for letting me be present and witness your vows.

Be back next with photographs of a pillar of the Athens creative community, the lovely artist and photographer Rinne Allen, and her beautiful studio.

xo