It’s very humbling to receive a 2017 South Florida Parenting Magazine’s Kids Crown Award for Best Family Photographer. Thank you so much for the love and support of clients, family, and friends over the years. This September is Courtney Studio’s 10th Anniversary. I’m pretty excited about that. As I reflect on the last 10 years and look toward the next 10, and mix that with this amazing award I’ve just won, it’s kind of surreal. There’s a lot of responsibility that comes with being the “best” of anything. I definitely don’t take that lightly. More than anything, I want to do the best for my community. Our community, you, that has supported me over the last 10 years, allowing me to create this dream life for myself and my family. I’ve learned over the past 10 years that owning a small business is less about creating beautiful portrait art for clients, but rather instead, more about creating a beautiful and lasting impact in my community. Using photography as a way to help and support causes close to my heart is truly the best part of my job.
March 21 is World Down Syndrome Day. What is Down Syndrome? Most people have 23 pairs of chromosomes, people with Down syndrome have a third copy of the 21st chromosome. Which is why 3/21 is recognized as World Down Syndrome Day. This past Saturday was the third annual “I EXTRA Love You” portrait exhibit. This portrait project is a labor of love between myself and dear friend, Daniela Roeder. Daniela’s younger brother, Alex has Down Syndrome. This year it was important to both Daniela and I to showcase the special relationship/bond between siblings. Daniela, being very close to her brother and an advocate for him and all individuals with Down Syndrome really wanted to show the love that is there. Myself as the photographer was always so interested in watching the dynamic between siblings when they would come into the studio for the actual “I EXTRA Love You” portrait day. The sibling always seemed to stand in the shadow of the one with Down Syndrome. So it was really exciting when Daniela and I met to discuss this year’s event and we both wanted to add a new feature and photograph the sibling groups together.
On Saturday, 55 gorgeous individual portraits were on display at Gallery 2014, as well as 19 sibling portraits, as a part of Downtown Hollywood’s Art Walk celebrating World Down Syndrome Day.
On Saturday, February 6 we held our second “I EXTRA Love you” portrait session. In collaboration with my good friend Daniela Roeder, over 50 amazing individuals with Down Syndrome came to the studio to be photographed. The portraits will be on display during downtown Hollywood’s ArtWalk on Saturday March 19, from 7-10pm at Gallery 2014 in celebration of World Down Syndrome Day. It’s a family friendly event. You can see highlights from last year’s “I EXTRA Love You” portrait exhibit here. Thank you Daniela for these amazing behind the scenes images.
Spring is almost here and it’s a great time to schedule your custom portrait session at the studio. We have lots of new backdrops and fun chairs.
This Monday, February 29 from 10-1, we’re hosting an open house at the studio and shopping event. Check out the spring release from Matilda Jane Clothing (one of my all time faves), Beautycounter (safe and clean cosmetics and skin care), and Do-Terra Essential Oils. For more information on Monday’s event please go to our event page on Facebook. If you’re in the neighborhood I’d love to see you.
Halloween was a little over two weeks ago, but it’s never too late to share the amazing portraits of the kiddos who came out for our “Trick or Treat to Benefit Mobile School Pantry” event at Courtney Studios. I am overwhelmed by the participation and support of so many friends in the community. With your support, we raised enough money to provide a complete Thanksgiving dinner to 10 families in Hollywood. Together we definitely can make a difference to children in South Florida and say “NO” to hunger.
If you know me even a little bit, you know how much I love Matilda Jane Clothing for girls. If Anthro had a baby, it would be Matilda Jane. I am excited to host a trunk show here at the studio this Thursday from 11-1. The styles are adorable and timeless (and completely age appropriate if you catch my drift), perfect for back to school. We’re also collecting lunchboxes full of lunchbox snacks to benefit Mobile School Pantry. I can’t sing their praises enough. Mobile School Pantry brings food to families in need to the school for distribution rather than having families go to a food bank or soup kitchen. Take a minute and check out their website. And then stop by the studio on Thursday to drop off your lunchbox full of lunchbox snacks.
And because I can’t post without a picture…..how’s this for cuteness overload?
Meet Aniela. Gorgeous, funny, vibrant, and breast cancer survivor. I had the pleasure of spending a morning with Aniela to photograph her for the cover of the Hollywood Gazette. Read her cover story here.
We are so excited to be a part of the “Complete Wedding Package” the ultimate prize up for Auction at the The Gay & Lesbian Lawyers Network’s 4th annual GALA at Ocean Manor Hotel
(4040 Galt Ocean Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308) on Sunday, April 12, 2015.
This year’s GALA features a live auction of a complete Wedding Package. Tom Dowd, from Water Mill Flowers, assembled the package with local businesses. The Riverside Hotel are providing the venue. The amazing wedding package will be auctioned and is valued at just over $21,000; it includes a venue with sit down brunch for up to 75 people (value of $110 per person), flowers, photography, videography, chocolates, spa package, invitations, complete liquor for 75 people, wedding cake, Hair and Make-up, event planning, DJ, and Lipotronic sessions. GLLN invites everyone to purchase a ticket at www.GLLN.org and help support the LGBT Youth in Broward.
“i EXTRA love you” is a photography collaboration between the Gold Coast Down Syndrome Organization and myself. The project evolved really organically. Daniela Roeder, a good friend and very involved in the Gold Coast Down Syndrome Organization because her brother, 15, has down syndrome, has been discussing this project with me for months and we finally went forward with it. On Saturday, 30 kids ages 8 mos-24 years came through the studio for a quick portrait sitting. The focus is what makes each kid so “extra”, referencing the extra chromosome associated with Down Syndrome. It was really amazing. “i EXTRA love you” premiers on World Down Syndrome Day, Saturday, March 21 at Gallery 2014 (2014 Harrison St) in downtown Hollywood.
Portraits from the shoot won’t be revealed until then, but here are some great #bts (behind the scenes) images from that day taken by Daniela with her trusty iphone.
For more information on the project please “Like” the facebook page.
This weekend marked the First Annual Coconut Grove Pumpkin Patch at Peacock Park in Miami. Together with the The Salvage Snob, a fabulous design company that was “born from the idea of designing with what you have, what once belonged to someone you love, and finding new homes for previously-owned things”, I photographed 88 families in a vintage inspired vignette designed by “the snobs” all for the Children’s Home Society of Miami. We raised $1000 which the Coconut Grove Pumpkin Patch matched dollar for dollar making for a total of $2,000.
Here’s the very first family that I photographed on Saturday. Gorgeous family, gorgeous setting all for an amazing cause.
I’ve been shooting for the Heart Gallery of Broward County for 5 years. During this time, I’ve had the privilege to meet amazing people and attend a number of amazing events. Although nothing has been as amazing as my last shoot for the Heart Gallery of Broward at Taylor’s Closet. Taylor’s Closet is a clothing boutique that rivals that of Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters, however the beautiful clothing in this store is for young girls in need and is completely 100% free. I know that my description of Taylor’s Closet just doesn’t do it justice. Take the time and check out their website. You will be blown away by what the women over there are doing for teenage girls. In fact, Taylor’s Closet was started by Lindsey Giambattista when she was 14 years old. Now in college, Lindsey is a finalist in Seventeen Magazine’s “Pretty Amazing Contest.” The way Taylor’s Closet touches the lives of girls goes way beyond “Pretty Amazing.”
Meet Malayzia. Malayzia celebrated her sweet 16 at Taylor’s Closet with a shopping spree (at no cost) and a complete makeover. Malayzia is available for adoption. I photograph children all the time. It’s MY JOB. And let me tell you, Malayzia has “it”. She’s beautiful, sweet, kind, and fabulously photogenic. In fact, she truly could model. But what would mean more to her than a modeling contract, is a family.
If you’d like more information on Malayzia or how you can get more involved in both the Heart Gallery of Broward or Taylor’s Closet please check out their websites and make an inquiry.
See you soon,
court
Fellow photographer and friend Sarah Cardenas also getting in on the fun!
“Her work is distinct and holds a special place in our home.”- Marcy Hirsch -
“Courtney's photographs had a huge impact on NCLR and helped us raise over $1 million in December 2014. Her work is beautiful and engaging and shows the central goal of the fight for marriage equality -love."”- Ace Portis, Major Gifts Officer, NCLR -
“Courtney truly captured the uniqueness of our family and created beautiful, original works of art that we will treasure always.”- Darlene Giol -
