Sam’s a very creative guy, so his method of proposing was a little out of the ordinary. That evening, he sent Krissy on a scavenger hunt around Knoxville (the pair are also known for hosting awesome scavenger hunt parties in the summer). At each checkpoint, she received a little gift and a card. The first card had “WILL” written on it. The second card at checkpoint number two had “YOU” on it. The third card has “MARRY” on the front. And the fourth card, which Sam held as he stood in front of a giant Christmas tree on the Market Square stage, said “ME.” And inside were two checkboxes with “Yes” and “No” — with “Yes” checked off.

And of course she said “Yes!”

Steph and I are really honored to have been part of the proposal excitement. It was truly a joyous occasion and a wonderful holiday experience! Congratulations to Sam and Krissy! We’re looking forward to the wedding!

Wedding Photography | The Proposal | Krissy and Sam – Images by Lia Ballentine

Below are just a few of my favorite images from the lifestyle session. Click here to view the entire gallery.

Below are just a few of the photos from our session together. Be warned… their smiles are infectious.

Congratulations to Sara Beth and Kevin! The two tied the knot on a breezy fall day at her family’s home in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Wedding Photography | Sara Beth and Kevin – Images by Lia Ballentine

Saving Little Hearts is an organization dedicated to helping children with congenital heart defects and their families by providing emotional assistance and educational information primarily through the distribution of Care Packages.

Several weeks ago, Karin Coulter, director of Saving Little Hearts, contacted me about the possibility of photographers donating time to create portraits of Knoxville’s “heart kids.” Through the KNOX PHOTO community, I was able to help spread the word to local photographers — and several, including myself, volunteered time and talent to help the organization.

This past weekend, I was so happy to meet up with my heart kid, Landin. We had to reschedule our photo session a couple of times because of the rain; but, luckily, we were greeted with beautiful weather on Sunday and had a great time playing at Fort Kid and the World’s Fair Park.

Landin, who is only 14 months old, has already been through two open heart surgeries. But you’d never be able to tell from his energy and infectious smile, which are both probably the results of being loved so much by his parents and sweet big sister, Abby. He’s a curious little boy — and it was fun to watch him pick up pebbles around the play area… and attempt to eat them! And he surprised us all towards the end of the shoot when he started to run across the playground to his sister by the swings. Landin may have tiny feet and little legs, but he sure could move fast!

I know I always say this, but I love being a photographer. I’m so thankful to be able to meet wonderful families and children like Landin and Abby, and capture photographs of them as they play together and show their love for one another through smiles and hugs and laughs.

(Check out the slideshow below.)

Landin and Abby 2009 – Images by Lia Ballentine

An Evening With Gilles Marini – Images by Lia Ballentine

Interested in purchasing prints? Contact me for more information. A portion of the proceeds will go to Relay for Life.

Photo from gillesmarini.com

Spend an evening with Gilles Marini — actor from “Sex and the City” and “Dancing with the Stars” contestant! And support the American Cancer Society Relay for Life!

When: Saturday, August 8, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.

Where: The Cider House (next to The Valarium), Knoxville, TN

Tickets for the event are $35 for general admission and $75 for VIP. VIP tickets get you special access to the venue, free Hors d’oeuvres, a photo op with Gilles, and a chance to win a dance with him!

In addition to Gilles, there will be other celebrity guests! Meet celebrity chef Mark Kearney, Scott L. Schwartz (The Ultimate Bad Guy), and Amanda Brown (Dating Diva).

As you know, I’m a big supporter of and fundraiser for Relay for Life. I held several portrait sessions this spring to benefit Relay, sold “Fight Like A Girl” shirts, and I’m continuing to show my support by sponsoring the photography for this event. As the official paparazzo for Saturday night, I’ll be hard at work following Gilles (and his entourage, VIPs, and fans) around at dinner, at The Cider House, and at the after-party. Photos from the event will be available for purchase through my online store, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting Relay.

I’m excited to be a part of this star-studded event — and I hope to see you at the party!

For more details and to see a list of the event sponsors, visit PropjetPR.com. To purchase tickets, go to Tickets Unlimited at knoxvilletickets.com.

Congratulations to John Shim, whose winning photograph — Delicate Hands — was submitted to the Worldwide Photo Walk contest!

The toughest part about being the leader of the Downtown Knoxville Photo Walk was choosing which image would go on to represent the group in the big competition. Everyone submitted such awesome photographs to the pool, and it was so difficult to choose just one to submit.

After much deliberating, I picked John’s image. The black and white photo is beautifully composed. The perspective and depth of field is interesting. I like how the soft, bokeh’d background contrasts with the subject’s gritty, clay-covered hands. The moment captured is amazing, too. See the way the artist’s fingers are forming the sculpture (with pinky and index fingers up!)? And the tiniest details, such as the sharp clay knife on the ball of clay and the silly t-shirt graphic… all of those details make this seemingly simple black and white photo so visually complex and full of interest.

So once again, congrats to John — and congrats to all of the photographers who participated in the Photo Walk! Thanks for sharing your creativity with photographers around the globe!

In front of Remedy Coffee on Jackson Avenue -- ready to start walking!

The Worldwide Photo Walk on July 18 was awesome! It was a beautiful day in downtown Knoxville, and it was so amazing to make new friends with great photographers in the area.

We had a wonderful turnout. And in fact, because there were two walks in Knoxville, there must have been a hundred photographers running around the Old City and Market Square. A photog flashmob!

Thanks to Remedy Coffee for being the starting point for the walk. Remedy is the best coffee shop in the area! They even gave out free drink coupons to all of the photo walkers. Thanks to Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria for setting up a pizza buffet for the hungry walkers. And thanks to Express Photo for giving the photogs a special discount on gallery wraps!

Now that the walk is over, there are images all over the place. To see pictures from the Worldwide Photo Walk, you can go to the main event site — or you can check out the Worldwide Photo Walk group on Flickr. Photos from the Downtown Knoxville Photo Walk can be found at the following sites:

• KNOX PHOTO
• Worldwide Photo Walk 2009 – Downtown Knoxville (on Flickr… just created today!)

Also, you can check out the individual photographer’s sites to see photos. Check out the KNOX PHOTO group or KNOX PHOTO Facebook Fan Page to find some of the photographers. I’ve posted my photos on Flickr.

I’m really excited about doing this again next year! Can’t wait.

(And in the meantime, KNOX PHOTO is going to host some mini-walks just to keep the momentum going. Yippee!)

My Reflection

The KNOX PHOTO community continues to grow! There are so many talented artists in the area, and it’s awesome to see them sharing their work and inspiring others through our little social network.

Now, in addition to the Ning site, KNOX PHOTO is on Facebook — and you can be a fan! It’s a great way to stay updated with the latest news and announcements from the group. I’ll be posting great links to photography contests, resources, events, and more. I’ve also got other projects in the works for KNOX PHOTO (coming soon).

Hope you’ll “fan” us soon! (And don’t forget, you can follow KNOX PHOTO on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/knoxphoto.)