eSATA

I'm a nerd, it's official. I think my new eSATA drives are super sexy in their sleek silver case. With their JBOD mounting and hot swappable drives....

Anyway. This is what I spent most of Wed doing. Downloading my files from my regular Firewire external drives to these eSATA drives. Much better way for me to store all of the amazing images I take each year. The firewire drives are now allocated to other computers and jobs, while these little guys are in charge of all client files, business documents and such. This is a quicker more user friendly method for me to store my files. The ability to hot swap my drives into the same case allows me to store multiple drives in other areas and not be daisy chaining all those externals together. Hopefully I'll also be able to use this new system to eliminate all of the dvd's I use as the second back-up (instead using extra drives).

I got my eSATA PCIx card from the wonderfully helpful people at Mac Gurus (who's eSATA burly units are also nice)
and the eSATA drives and unit are purchased from G-Technology. They are the same company I have used for a few years for my firewire drives.

Fire Pit

Still with out a bag...

Miss my guys. Here is the night before I left. We got a fire pit. It's a great way to bribe Ayden to pick up sticks in the yard. I'm excited for some spring time fun.
CA

New Shoes

My new cole haan's, which unfortunately are lost somewhere in airline land.

I have arrived in NY for the wedding I'm photographing on Saturday. I'm so excited to be out here! I'm glad that I was smart enough to carry on all of the photography essentials, because all of my other stuff in my one checked bag (hey did you know that now you have to pay $25 extra for more than one bag now?) is officially lost. Ok well maybe not lost, but will not arrive until noon tomorrow.

More later.
CA

1001 Contest Amended/Extended

So it seems that a few of you can't tell time and thought the deadline was tonight. So here's what I'm gonna do. Since I leave for NY very very soon (have a huge list of stuff to do) and don't have time to judge and post I'm going to give everyone an extra week. That would be the 12th. The evening of the 12th, when the clock strikes 12 on the 13th the contest is over. Hope that's clear for everyone. For those of you who did it in time - good job, I'm loving the entries.

In celebration of 1000 posts I'm going to hold a little contest for all you blog readers out there in cyberland. The prize is good so I'm going to make you all work for it....

What you can win:
First prize: 4GB silver iPod nano
Second prize: 1GB red iPod shuffle

How to enter:
Send me an e-mail containing your name, mailing address, e-mail address and a picture containing the following three items in the same image. Toaster, the words "AC Ellis", and a rock. E-mail to: acellis@mac.com Other items may be in the image.

Who may enter:
Anyone who is not an employee, affiliate or family of an employee of AC Ellis Inc. However, I do expect to see something from Maria and anyone else who wants to submit for the fun or it! You may enter up to two images each. Send in an image of any size you want, but at least 760px on it's widest side.

How the winner is selected:
In a completely biased process by me (cory ann). I'll pick my favorite image. There are no standards on composition, focus, color, lighting or camera. Photoshop is ok. It will simply be what I like. Creativity is key.

Deadline:
All e-mail submissions must be submitted by 12:00am, May 12, 2008, winner announced soon after on the blog.
Changed

What if I already have an iPod?
Photographer Option: You may select to trade out your prize value for some AC Ellis Templates.
Client Option: You may select to trade out your iPod for a standard session and an 12x8 print
Random Option: select from a variety of my personal random images to be printed and signed and delivered to you.

Release:
By submitting your image for the contest you and giving permission to AC Ellis to post your image and name.

and because no post is complete without an image.

Intimate of C

Allison + Charlie: 05.03.08

Just a little peek from yesterday's wedding

Kappa Epsilon

A few years ago I photographed some of the members of Kappa Epsilon from SDSU for their composite photo and this year they came back for another one. Here are a few of the lovely ladies.
CA

PS. Adrienne, I'm going to bed for a nap now.

M Girls

What a wonderful relationship between mother and daughter!
CA

Commands

I really like these little pieces of art from My Little Underground

In case you don't know what they say, the commands are shortcuts used in the computer world:

Please do not copy | Create something new

Close your Eyes and Open your mind

Somebody save me from these fools

Laura + Chris: The Album

I love our albums from this company, they are simply stunning! Even the ladies over at CASA had to check it out when I was photographing it today. Every time we get one in from this company I'm blown away at the beauty. I think generations down the line are going to love opening this and looking at what happened on the day of their great grandparents wedding. Of course the bride and groom and family will enjoy it right now.

Each of these albums is custom designed by us, then sent off to be handmade out in California. The silk is stretched with a ribbon to accent. They recently changed the box closer to a magnet and I love it. The box is also custom made to match the album. with a ribbon inside to allow easy remove of the album.

Anyway I could gush forever. I think we need another to order for the studio (we do have one in stock now). We have a few more - a bit different on order from this company and we are excited to get them in our hands - and our clients of course.

It's nice to see our works of art, in a work of art.
CA

The box.

Box and album

The beautiful Laura.

in motion

The pages.

the ribbon binding.

the deckel edge pages.

From Kelly

My office smells yummy thanks to Kelly who sent this nice gift that arrived today. Thank you Kelly, happy to help. I look forward to seeing your upcoming changes.
CA

CA-
Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy day to talk with me. You gave me lots of things to think about along with much encouragement. I appreciate your honesty, willingness to share so much with me... and for all you share on the forum.
Thanks again!
K Haynes

Flower

Can you name this flower?

B Family

The B family came into the studio. I get all the cute ones.
CA

not feeling well, but still cute.

The must for mom and dad.

Intimates of CA v.2

So I've been playing with this little device called a wireless trigger for my camera. And of course with this lovely new tool I'm working on some self portraits. Now my friend Amanda is bugging me for some more intimates to show up on the blog and while I have shot a bunch lately they are not ready or approved for showing just yet. So your stuck with me instead.

These are pretty much unretouched. Taken during a break in the Saturday sessions in the kick arse hotel room.

Girlfriends

Some more girlfriends who came in for some images together.
CA

H Family

I'm starting to catch up on blogging all the families that have been in the studio. Here is the H family I photographed the littlest H when he was just born, it was good to see them again.
CA

D Family

Once again one of my fab wedding couples got prego on the honeymoon. Audra and Jake said I should put a clause about that in my Agreement. They weren't the first this happened to.

Meet the new addition. Such a cutie.
CA

J's First Communion

I had the pleasure of photographing J's first communion at Holy Spirit Catholic Church with the fabulous Father Morgan.

While I've photographed a lot of catholic weddings with full communion it was very different to photograph an actual Sunday mass. Fortunately I had a wonderful family to focus on and Father Morgan was more than accommodating. J did a wonderful job remembering everything to do and he looked mighty handsome in his suit.

Father Morgan during mass.

First Communion

Receiving his certificate

Some portraits of handsome J

And his adorable little sis.

Ok off to bed, this is a very tired CA coming at you from MN where I just got done from a full day of intimates. More to come on that

M & J

These girlfriends came in for some fun images together. They were a lot of fun!
CA

Here is their upper east side WASP photo.