Jalene Dort Photography

Lilianna - Anytime Sneak Peek

2011-10-09T20:34:00.000-07:00

We met a several years ago in 2003, although neither one of us remember specifics. It wasn’t until recently that we realized our paths happened to cross all those years earlier. It was when I first flew out to Florida, from Arizona, for a visit and while I’m in the process of pulling up my archived photos I’ve realized what a sweet friend and woman of God that He’s placed in my life… and it all started years ago. When I finally moved out to Florida in 2006 Lili and I were attending the same church, we went on the same mission trip to Ecuador and were even roommates on the trip but even after all those years it hasn’t been until the last year and a half that I can say my heart and our friendship was truly knit and I know it’s all in God’s timing. The more I got to know Lili, the more I liked her. She's a radiant ray of sunlight, funny, super talented, a gorgeous woman of God, hip-hop dancer, photographer and has the most infectious laugh...all the things wonderful! Several months ago, she let me know she was pursuing photography professionally and I couldn't be happier for her. I have no doubt she's going places and going to do amazing things in her life and in the photography industry. When she asked if I'd be able to be a mentor to her, I was honored. No, really, I was. I was pretty much sure she'd be tired of me (and my annoying useless facts) after her months together, but, nah. We’re cool :) And I'm happy to announce she still likes me...especially after I photographed her yesterday. I was a little bummed when I found out it would be a constant downpour the entire weekend but we worked it anyway! I had driven by this old brick building that housed a really eclectic thrift store inside about a year ago and instantly envisioned a shoot being held outside! With the chair and everything! Thank God all the pieces of the puzzle came together even the overcast weather was perfect mix in the recipe and I’m happy to say God parted the clouds if only for a few minutes to allow some amazing photos to come through! I’m so in love with the pictures from the shoot and I hope you all love it as much as I do!

Lili, you (and your beautiful heart) rock my world. You’re super fierce and I can't wait to see all the amazing things you'll do! Stay humble, work hard, and everything will fall into place. Love you girl!

xoxo
J

This one's for her sweetie Marlo.

To see pictures from the entire shoot click here and check them out on facebook.

Ruel - "Anytime" - Sneak Peek

2011-10-02T16:16:00.000-07:00

I recently had the privilege of doing an Anytime shoot with one of my very dear friend's Ruel. Not only is he a knock out but he's got the guns to prove it! Joking... but seriously he's definitely a fitness buff and he's single ladies! lol But really I loved these photos and had such a blast working with him! Hope you love them too!

New Beginnings ...

2011-07-10T19:34:00.000-07:00

Like most things new beginnings are tough. Turning over a new leaf, admitting defeat, looking fear in the face and not backing down... it's all a step or rather a leap of faith. None of it is easy and more often then not it takes a lot of effort to do. Deciding to trust God in the midst of trials and circumstances takes guts... but when you run with arms wide open... total abandonment it's liberating! Freeing to know you're not alone. If you fall someone who loves you is there to catch you. Better yet, God himself is there to see you through. I've lived the better part of the last year learning this. Though I'm far from crossing the finish line... for the first time I can see my life clearly. Who I am. What I'm meant to be. Where I'm at in life. Where I've failed but more importantly how God has lifted me up from defeat into His loving arms of grace. For this I am ever grateful. I never want to loose sight of how precious new beginnings are. They are the start of an epic journey but that's the key: Starting.

Today at church we had an missionary and his family come and preach. Though the words at times were raw and not always eloquent, the power behind them was gripping. He asked us, "What will we give our lives to?" and I thought about that for the rest of the afternoon? I asked myself am I really willing to pay for what I want? I'm giving my life away to something... is it really what God called me to do? I know what I want to do but when will this seed of want turn into conviction and conviction into action? The truth is it happens when I make it happen. There's no need to sit around wanting to do something with my life anymore... life is living on purpose and it's time to step out and take action. Sometimes we may want the next step so bad we don't count the cost... when we make decisions we don't really have a clue of the reality check that's about to slap us in our face. The truth is living life on purpose isn't easy. But... it's far more rewarding than floating by day to day with only a mediocre sense of existence. The best part is when we choose to live and trust God... He's there to walk us through it! We don't have to do it alone! I think too often we may find ourselves on the wrong side of a bad decision. We may feel lost or alone, like a failure or worthless but if we let thoughts negative thoughts, those "what if's"... those fear drenched worries come and steal our joy they will steal the life right out from under us! We will be constantly kicking ourselves for those bad decisions and condemning ourselves to a life of defeat. Truth be told there's freedom from condemnation in Christ! (The Bible says so!) :) God so loved the world that He gave His only Son for us... He didn't come to condemn the world but that through Him we can have life and life more abundantly! All it takes is trusting God! It's as simple as that. Too often we've been trained to try to do it all on our own... make our own path... fulfill our own self righteousness... but let me ask you, how's that working out for you? Isn't it time to start over? To have a fresh start and a new beginning? What are you giving your life to? God's here for you and so am I! If you need to talk, I'm here!

You know something? I had something totally different to talk about tonight! LOL... In fact, I even wrote it out half a page longer than this but the blog deleted it. I wasn't even planning on talking about any of this but I do hope somewhere someone got something out of it!

Well, speaking of new beginnings I did want to share another exciting chapter in my life... my new jewelry collection! For years I've had this love obsession with vintage fashion and melding it with a modern bohemian twist and this spring I decided to venture out and create a collection to share with the world! (even if it is only my small influence of the world... he hee he) Now some of it is inspired by fellow artists but all of it is me and custom made with love! They are one of a kind and are for sale (ohhh... ahhhh) ;) Truth: I love them all and would wear each piece! I posted the bulk of the pictures on my personal facebook page so if you want more photos to check out feel free to click here for a link to that page! If you're interested in a piece shoot me an email! Now, with out further ado I present to you ladies and gentlemen... "Beloved - Jewelry Collection by Jalene"

Lastly, since we're on the topic of new beginnings I decided to try something new with my hair! I'm kinda spontaneous sometimes when it comes to that so I walked into the salon on Friday and just decided to chop off my hair and throw in some highlights! I wasn't expecting such a short look but I am thrilled with the results! What do you think? :)

David in Cambodia - Summer Newsletter

2010-08-25T23:12:00.000-07:00

It's finally here! After weeks of delay... please feel free to check out my best friend, David Ferguson's newsletter today!

click here

David in Cambodia - Spring Newsletter

2010-04-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

One of my dear dear friends, David Ferguson, is currently a missionary in Cambodia and I help produce his newsletter. I am ever honored to be a part of this as not only is he one of my best friends but also a fellow minister in Christ. Please feel free to check it out HERE and if you want to be apart of his mailing list just send me a comment with your e-mail address and I will make sure to add you to the list!

Happy Friday everyone!

~JJ :)

Relationship Manifesto

2010-04-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

So, I've been thinking about life lately. I mean I know what life IS... but, "what does it mean to me?" Is the question I keep asking myself? I wonder... if I'm doing everything I possibly can to fulfill all God's asked me to do? The answer regrettably is “no.”

No, I haven’t been executing every moment of my life to fulfill all the plans God has for me like I should. And to you God and the world I apologize. Whole heartily! I feel as if I’ve been going at a turtle’s pace lately! Does anyone else know what I mean?!? Granted it was just a lazy phase I’ve been going through but today is the day it all changes. Today is a new day to start out fresh and confident!

As such I am changing the way I’ve been doing things on my blog. For starters I plan to blog everyday now. That’s right you heard me… DAILY! That is Monday thru Friday at least! So this means more commitment and more posts! I consider my blog my online journal where I will post information about weddings and shoots I’ve done as well as my personal life!

This post will be personal, actually it’s something that’s been on my heart for a while but that I haven’t had the time to sit down and really pray about and write out. As you might have guessed from my heading it’s my Relationship Manifesto.

Last week on a friend of mine’s blog, I discovered an amazing book I want to recommend to all my brides and grooms, and even my single and married friends. It’s called, Project Everlasting If you’ve already heard about it you already know how amazing the book really is. It’s the story of two bachelor guys that traveled around the country interviewing couples who have been married more than 40 years to find out what their secrets are for an everlasting marriage. There are so many cute stories from all the Marriage Masters captured in the book. I fell in love with it and as I continue to wait to meet my husband, being reminded of true love featured in the book is definitely worth the wait.

Consequently several of my friends have written their Relationship Manifesto, which is outlined in the authors bio of their website, www.projecteverlasting.com. After reading these manifestos I was inspired to write my own Relationship Manifesto a few days ago. For those of you that are still single, I pray this inspires you to write your own manifestos to determine what it is you will and will not settle for in a future relationship.

Relationship Manifesto
April 6, 2010

It’s been three years since I’ve dated anyone, and in all honesty I’ve enjoyed taking a break from dating. I’ve used this time alone with God to figure out what I want in life and grow stronger in my relationship with the Lord and further fulfill my purposes in this season of singleness preparing my photography business. As a 26 year old woman, the idea of kissing dating goodbye stumps most people especially when I don’t jump at every offer that comes my way. It’s even more ironic to be in the wedding industry considering I’m not married, let alone really dating anyone. I have always been drawn to other’s love stories. My heart swells with each breath about how they met each other, the little stuff they did that drew their love closer and how they became engaged and decided to spend forever together. True love is not just found in the movies. Every wedding I shot proves that point even more. True love does exist and is worth the wait and I’ve taken with me a piece of each couple’s love story that inspires me to continue to wait for God’s best.

I’ve always known in my heart what I was looking for in my future husband, I’ve written a list but never a vision statement like I am today. I’ve seen so many people settle for convince or average love and I am convinced to go against the grain and wait for something extraordinary. Ok, ok I’ll be honest of course there are days, especially when I shoot weddings, I wish I was married but I am determined to wait!

For my marriage, I envision a husband who is passionately in love with Christ and knows the importance of the role as the spiritual leader of the household and his wife always pushing me into God’s intimacy first and foremost.
I want to wake up early with my husband before the sunrise and read our bibles together over coffee or tea. I envision a marriage where Christ is the head and His love is the foundation for our marriage. Together my husband and I will encourage each other to fulfill our God given purposes together. Through a personal relationship with the Lord my husband and I will share our greatest intimacies together. I want to be able to call my husband during the day excited about a verse I just read and have an open relationship where we can discuss and encourage each other to a deeper walk with God. As his wife I will know the importance of keeping a godly home where it’s filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit. As his helpmate I will strive to always put God first and my husband second. I will serve him with respect, yet be a partner he can draw strength from. When our kids look at us and our love they will know the real love of Christ by looking our example of how we love, live and breathe. God is love and His love will live with in us.

For my marriage, I envision an unlimited creative bond always pushing the boundaries of the artists within us.
My soul thrives on creativity and the arts, and my husband will understand this is a huge part of my heart and actively support my creative vision. He will understand my need for the occasional late night work nights and constant picture taking and will love being in photos with me. He will look at my work and see the love and creative spark from the Holy Spirit and encourage me to push the boundaries further. Being my biggest cheerleader in times I may doubt myself. Whether he works specifically in a creative realm or simply enjoys it my husband and I will use our creative gifts for God. We will both be instruments in carrying out God’s ultimate masterpieces as He works through us to make a difference in the lives around us and the world.

For my marriage, I envision peace.
Where other marriages may lack in communication and truth we will not. Though there may be disagreements the sun will never set on its wrath. We will strive for true love, learning to love as Christ loves us unconditionally. We will have an open relationship enough to express concerns and worries without raising our voices and respecting each other. When life’s troubles present themselves we will look to God first for our answers running to the Word rather than worry, fear or doubt. Trials will not only strengthen our walk with God but also our bond as husband and wife as we seek wisdom from the One who truly gives it. Not only will we look to the Lord for advice in the rainy days but also the sunny ones, when life is perfect because we are constantly looking to the Holy Spirit for advice.

For my marriage, I envision commitment.
When I saw my vows on our wedding day I will mean it with all my heart and love my husband with all my being until death do us part. I love looking at older couples holding hands after all those years of marriage. When I saw, The Wedding Singer growing up I fell in love with the song “I Wanna Grow Old With You” because that’s how I’ve always pictured it… growing old with each other and still being madly in love. My husband and I will still be head over heels for each other as we begin to grow older. For us divorce is not an option. We will be married for better and worse with commitment and self sacrifice on both ends. As I continue to grow in the Lord I trust the Holy Spirit to keep shaping me into the woman of God He desires me to be. Our love will be extraordinary filled with passion and trust because our foundation will be built on the Lord, a solid rock. We will know the importance of the covenant we made before God and not take it lightly as we know we are connecting with each other’s vision, destiny and calling serving God together all the days of our lives.

For my marriage, I envision laughter.

I believe life should be lived out loud! Laughing, music, dancing and signing… OUT LOUD! There’s almost nothing better than laughing until you’re crying and your stomach hurts, seriously! I have always been drawn to men with great sense of humor. I heard a statement one time that I totally agree with when it comes to wanting someone with a sense of humor: “Women want a man who can make them laugh and men want a woman who will laugh a their jokes!” Isn’t that so true though? Although my husband doesn’t have to be a stand-up comedian I know we will have the same sense of humor… always making each other laugh. Pure unrelentless laughter is intoxicating and I envision tat always being in my life.

For my marriage, I envision purity.
One of the greatest paths I’ve been on is the quest for purity. Ever since I said my purity vows when I was 13 I have maintained my virginity waiting until my wedding night to completely be with a man. Though I have not been perfect in the past and have regrets that have dishonored a true purity but I have learned from the past and have made stronger boundaries for the future. I strive first for a purity of heart that will be carried into my actions. I’ve strived to honor God’s command with my promise I made so many years ago and will continue to honor it until the day I say “I Do.” So, I know even before that day he will honor my quest and work with me keeping a pure dating relationship. Call me crazy but I’ve personally longed to see our first kiss be at the altar or on our engagement day :)

For my marriage, I envision passion.

Passion for God, passion for the arts, passion for life, passion for family and passion for each other… and I believe life is the best served with passion. Ever since I was little I heard the story of how my dad and mom came up with my name I’ve known God has a BIG plan for my life… so I’ve never seen my life as average. II Corinthians 6:11-13 is one of my favorite verses in The Message translation of the Bible:
“Dear, dear Corinthians, I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way. I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!”

I love how deep the verse is, “The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way” that is such a big truth! I believe EVERYONE has a BIG calling from God on their lives; it just takes them seeking God out to find it!
For my husband and I, I have always seen our marriage and our lives being filled with passion living out God’s promises in our lives in a big way. No mediocre average life for us!

My husband will have a heart after God’s heart because he will have a real intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. He will be a tither, worshipper and servant of God and will have direction for his life. He will love me deeply and passionately but love Jesus more. We will be passionate about doing the work of the ministry and as his wife I will endeavor be a woman after God’s heart and a helpmate to my husband. I am a very romantic person and I love holding hands, leaving each other notes, sharing chocolate malt together with two straws all the old school romance! Call me old fashion but I love it when the guy makes the first move, or sends me flowers just because… it makes my heart melt… and those are the little things that comes from an overflowing heart and deep seeded relationship enveloped in love and passion. I want that!

For my marriage, I envision a strong love of family and friends.
I believe when you get married you also marry the family and as close as I am with my parents and brother and sister I know my husband would just fit right in. It’s so important to known the family of who you would be marrying into as well. I’m so close to my family and although my husband and I would be starting a family of our own I know he will also enjoy a great friendship with my family, as I hope to have with his also. With our own family I hope to instill old-fashion, Christian values like the importance of sitting down to dinner every night and tucking out kids into bed kissing them goodnight after our family bed time prayers. My husband and I will create a home of love and peace putting out trust in the Lord on how to raise Godly children, with Christ as the head of the home. I love silly family traditions like decorating the Christmas tree or making spaghetti as the first meal in our new home and I know my husband will not only join in on the fun but help create new traditions.

For my husband, I envision a big heart, soft eyes and a great smile.
My friends have all laughed and claimed I had a stereotype for men in the past. But, I’ve learned that although physical features can be important they are not nearly as important as the heart of a man. If I could add a physical feature I would like to see it would have to be facial hair. I’ve always loved seeing a man with facial hair! Additionally, I would also love to marry a man who’s taller than me; I want to be able to look up into my husband’s eyes as he wraps his protective arms around me. Now, I’m not saying physical attraction is not important because it is very important but… nothing tops the cake like the heart (Proverbs 31). Why limit God with a physical attributes checklist, right?! I also want to marry someone who gently motivates me to keep physically fit; as much as I love to work out my schedule more often than not gets in the way. I’ve always dreamed of having a husband who loves to travel as much as I do and loved to go on hikes and see the world together. I want a partner where we can encourage each other to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

I’m waiting to recognize the heart of a guy who totally gets me and the depths of my heart, I know my identity in Christ as God’s daughter and princess and I refuse to date anymore for the sake of dating. I’m waiting for a man who is fulfilling the visions God has given him as I continue to pursue the visions He’s given me and I trust in His perfect timing that as we both strive to fulfill our purpose our paths will cross and in doing so we will join as one to continue the journey together.

Vote for me! :)

2009-12-16T13:14:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon friends and family! For those of you that check my blog regularly... I have been considered for the Mike Colon "Mike's Scholarship Giveaway for The Seven Workshop Hawaii!" Voting has begun and you can only vote once but only until this Friday! I'm in the frist group and all you have to do is visit Mike Colon's blog! Click here to vote and vote, vote, vote! Tell all your friends to vote and let's keep our fingers crossed! :)

Thanks!
Jalene :)

The Cool People

2009-08-27T19:47:00.000-07:00

Next month Dina and Alex will be married officially for 10 years and to celebrate their union they will be having a vow-renewal ceremony... Wedding Style! When they got married 10 years ago all they had was their love, two wedding bands they got at a pawn shop and a Justice of the Peace Ceremony. That was it. So, three kids and ten years later they will have their first BIG wedding and they have asked me to be their photographer! Of course I am thrilled! We've been friends for years and I love them dearly. I could honestly say they have a love for each other that is not only real and true but beautiful and ever lasting! This love is for the record books!

I had the pleasure of shooting their "Engagement Session" a few weeks ago and here are a few pictures from that day! Special thanks to Crystal for helping with the hair, make-up and wardrobe! You did awesome girl!

To kick things off we started at the park and had some fun working the scenery!

Then we headed over to downtown Eau Gallie for our magazine style layout! If only D&G would sponsor Alex and Dina! LOL :)

As you can see they are officially "The Cool People"

Hope you loved them as much as I did!
~Jalene

Isaac & Marisol : Wedding Slideshow

2009-08-23T01:55:00.000-07:00

I am very pleased to announce my third Showit Web Slideshow! This is a collection of some of my favorite pictures of Isaac and Marisol's Wedding! Special thanks to my second shooter and assistant Jinette Ramos for her wonderful job and beautiful pictures... thanks Jinette you're amazing! So, feel free to watch the slideshow and leave me a comment and let me know what you think! I hope you love it as much as I do!

click here to see the slideshow

And because every post is better with a picture, here is another one of my favorites that didn't make it into the slideshow :)
Enjoy!
~JJ :)

David

2009-06-27T18:16:00.000-07:00

Today is a spectacular day! One of my very best friends is turning 25! What can you really say about a friend who's been there for everything?! From bear claw rings, to Christmas diner dates, to monk bags, to Bank One, to Chase, to best friends, to my first willing photography model, to Two from Galilee, to Florida and back to Cambodia you've been there through it all! You believed in me and encouraged me from the start! I don't think I could be where I am today with out your love and support and even though we're oceans apart you're just as dear to my heart! I love you and miss you every day. I know God's got some amazing plans for both of our lives and I am so excited to see where he takes us! You are already an wonderful man of God I feel honored to call you my friend! Not only are you selflessly living your life for others and serving on the mission field in Cambodia but you're doing so with the biggest and warmest heart any one could ask for! Today you turn a quarter of a century a milestone in your life of many years to come. Happy Birthday my wonderful friend hope it was all you could ask for!

~JJ :)

Here's a copy of the "Thank You Magnet" I made for his sponsors at the start of the year!

Andy & Naomi : Wedding (Sneak Peek)

2009-05-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Andy & Naomi! Here's a sneak peek of your fabulous wedding pictures! More to come so stay tuned!

~Jalene :)

Dallas and Laurie : Wedding Slideshow

2009-04-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

I am very pleased to announce my second Showit Web Slideshow! This is a collection of photos from Dallas and Laurie's wedding! For some reason it was a lot harder to figure out how to post another slideshow but here it is! Leave me a comment and let me know what you think! I hope you love it as much as I do!

click here to see the slideshow

Enjoy!
~JJ :)

Isaac and Marisol Wedding : Sneak Peek

2009-04-20T18:27:00.000-07:00

Here's a sneak peek from Isaac and Marisol's Wedding.... enjoy!!!

~JJ :)

Dallas and Laurie : Wedding (Sneak Peak)

2009-03-09T22:11:00.000-07:00

Their Bride and Groom introduction song was Thunderkiss 65 by White Zombie and to say that they were meant for each other would be an understatement! They both like hard rock, even though looking at Laurie you could never tell, and they love to laugh and have a good time, even though just looking at Dallas you might not know that, they are perfect for each other. I would even dare to say they are a match made in heaven complete with their own little angel; their daughter Summer. She has cute little chubby cheeks and beautiful red hair and although she ripped her dress hours before the wedding you couldn’t tell... probably because you couldn’t stop staring at her gorgeous blue eyes! What a beautiful wedding and a wonderful family! Well, I couldn’t wait any longer I just had to post some pictures up! So, here’s a sneak peak of their Wedding, don't worry though there’s lots more to come so stay tuned! Enjoy!

-Jalene :)

Ray and Liza : Wedding Slideshow

2009-02-23T22:02:00.000-08:00

I am very pleased to announce my first Showit Web Slideshow! This is a collection of photos from Raymond and Liza's wedding put to one of their favorite songs by John Legend. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think! I hope you love it as much as I do and don't forget to stay tuned for more pictures from their "Day After" shoot! :)

~JJ

click here to see the slideshow

Ray and Liza : Sneak Peek

2009-01-24T20:10:00.000-08:00

Here's a sneak peak of the Wedding and Day After Session with Ray and Liza! There's more to come so stay tuned!

-JJ :)

Kyla : Anytime

2009-01-23T16:12:00.000-08:00

"Sugar and spice and everything nice" is the perfect description for sweet Kyla! A few weeks ago I had the honor of spending a few hours with a wonderful friend from work, Jessica, and her family! She asked me if I would be interested in taking a few shots of her daughter Kyla and of course I couldn't refuse! I've seen pictures of her and she is gorgeous! :) So as I was driving over to their house I couldn't help but wonder what the session would be like, how Kyla would respond to me and of course how the pictures were going to come out! But as soon as I got to their house and I could hear Kyla laughing in the background a peace came on me and I knew this was going to be a sweet session!

I started to get my camera out and taking a few test shots and there was Kyla running around the house stealing candy canes off the tree and eating them. I sat there for a second and I couldn't help but smile because you could see the love pouring out from Jessica and Scott for their daughter in their eyes. It is so refreshing to see honest love in a family. It doesn't matter if it's between a husband and wife or a mother and their daughter when it's genuine it is honest and pure and you can't hide it because it shines through their eyes! Sure things may be hard sometimes but it's real... and real love there is nothing like it!

Well, as you may have guessed the session went great! I had so much fun it's hard to describe in words how lovely Kyla is because she is so full of life! She is sweet and joyful and has endless energy with an innocence that would make your heart melt and a laugh as warm as Sunday afternoons. I really felt honored to get a chance to spend the afternoon with the Waymire Family and even if it was for a moment it was wonderful all the same. Thank you Jessica for allowing me to spend an afternoon with your precious family! So, here is a collection of my favorite pictures from two very wonderful sessions... I hope you all love them as much as I do.

-Jalene :)

Awesome.

2009-01-22T09:30:00.000-08:00

I just saw this video on a friend's blog and couldn't believe my eyes! This is true Artistry at its best... surely the most paitent video I've ever seen. You have to check it out! :)

Isaac and Marisol : Engagement Session (Sneak Peek)

2009-01-10T10:09:00.001-08:00

Here's a sneak peek of my recent engagement session with Isaac and Marisol... there's more to come so stay tuned :)

WPPI : The Longest Day, Episode 2

2009-01-10T10:08:00.000-08:00

*If you cannot see the embedded video above, go to this link: http://thelongestday.tv

Last time, the teams were divided and the lines were drawn. It was old school captain Bambi Cantrell and her team pitted against new school captain Dane Sanders and his team. In this episode, we see their differing leadership styles. Bambi already has an idea and plan laid out. Will her team get an opportunity to weigh in with their ideas? Dane wants to make sure everyone who wants one gets a voice in the decision making. But will that effectively get the job done? The foundation for the drama and mayhem begins to be laid.

Remember, if you post the video on your blog, you’ll get a freebie pass to WPPI 2010. You must fill out the “freebie” form by visiting here to qualify. To embed the video, click on the three circle shaped icon at the menu of the video screen that appears above. If you cannot see it, visit the link that is listed at the top.

Please let us know what you think about the video by posting comments here or at the official The Longest Day Website

WPPI : The Longest Day, Episode 1

2009-01-04T05:08:00.000-08:00

*If you cannot see the embedded video above, go to this link: http://thelongestday.tv

It’s been a long time in the making, but it’s finally here. The premiere episode of the first online reality TV show for and about professional photographers, “The Longest Day,” this year’s buzz-building videos series for WPPI 2009.

The premise is simple: get 24 of the hottest professional photographers in the country (and Canada), bring them all to southern California armed only with the knowledge that they would be split into two teams and given an assignment to complete in just 24 hours. Once they arrive, they find out their assignment is to write, shoot, and edit an original short film about photography, AND an original PSA about the respective charity for which they are playing: ThirstRelief and Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.

Over a series of ten episodes, you’ll see the drama; the comedy; and the battle for the best video and PSA as voted on by YOU. That’s right, as we lead up to WPPI (February 14-19) we’ll air the episodes. Then, about a week before, we’ll show the final short films and PSAs by both teams. You will then have an opportunity to vote for the videos you like the best. Thanks to our sponsors, the winning team will win $3,000 for their charity. The other charity will earn $2,000. (In this episode you’ll hear me mention $1,000 and $500 as the respective prizes. The ante got upped since the taping of this show).

Also, for each episode we’ll have a drawing for a free song download from show sponsor Triple Scoop Music (A $60 value). You must leave a comment for that episode to be entered into the drawing. The deadline for each episode’s drawing is the post for the next episode (which will vary from 3-7 days).

BIG BONUS: Help us get the word out. If you embed the video episode on your blog, you will get a free entry to 2010 WPPI (not this coming one). Find out more by going here: http://fstopbeyond.tv/?page_id=197

"Being an adult" : Personal

2008-12-19T16:05:00.000-08:00

There comes a time in everyone's life where you have to become an... **gulp**… "Adult." For some it's frightening but others rejoice in its coming. I on the other hand am currently longing for my youth back! I'm sure everyone knows what I'm taking about! The day I turned 16 I went out and got my license and two jobs! My parents warned me I would regret it but did I listen no?

Now when you have to be an adult and be responsible is when it's the hardest to be one. Bills are coming in, rent it due and the economy can look daunting at times. But, I was reading in Philippians this afternoon and came across a scripture that just fit. Philippians 3:10-14 (in the message). When the going gets tough you just have to keep your head up and keep moving forward, keep going. It took a while for me to realize what a good position I really was in… I am not the young pup I once was but I am farther along and closer to the goal! Remembrance of my youth and the prize of the future is what keeps me motivated… I’m not perfect by any means but it’s like Paul said we’re all in a race but I’m not going to finish last! “I’m off and running and I’m not turning back!”

Sure there are benefits for being young but the glory that lies with being an adult is sometimes not even recognized! Think about, we hold such a key role to this generation we can’t afford to stay in the past! With all the new technology out there and media influences the world needs strong “adults” to help teach our youth the right paths to take! One thing for sure we’ve learned from our mistakes in the past and we’re better people for it.

With each passing year we’re blessed with a new beginning in the year ahead, a fresh start. Today I felt more like an adult than I ever have, filling out my Christmas cards and praying over each one… I thank God I am not the silly 16 year old I once was and I feel lucky to be where I am today. Perhaps my yearning to be youthful again came at the perfect time, because with that I realize what a privileged it is to be grown up. Sure it’s hard sometimes but God is always there with me and that is something that has taken me years of growing up to find out! So let us join together this Christmas season and remember the blessings God’s given us and what it truly means to be an adult as we look toward the New Year with anticipation, expectancy and a fresh start!

Brianna : Christmas

2008-12-17T20:06:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago I was asked by a dear friend at church if I would be interested in photographing her daughter for their family Christmas cards. Of course I said YES! Ivette and her daughter Brianna are both gorgeous and I knew I would get some adorable shots. Here's a few of my favorites from that session. I hope you enjoy!

I love these two with a quick wardrobe change you can completely change the atmosphere!

These were the very first two frames of the session and I love them, there's just such a stark contrast between the two yet they are both very beautiful! I would however havet to save the best for last...

My favorite of the bunch. Her smile is just priceless and her eyes sparkle like Christmas lights! Look out world we have a future Miss America on our hands! :)

Rory and Cole : Anytime

2008-12-07T15:40:00.000-08:00

I had the privilege of taking Christmas photos for a dear friend of mine from work, Rory, and her adorable son Cole! These weren't the traditional Christmas photos in front of a tree but they were wonderful all the same. I loved watching how Rory and Cole reacted towards each other because just spending two minutes with them you can definitely tell they're mother and son! He's got the personality of a firecracker just always going and laughing. He brings life wherever he goes and Rory’s beauty and humor just bounces off the photos. This was by far one of my favorite family shoots! Rory just let me know and we can do another session anytime! We stopped by Bizzaro’s for lunch and then over to a park. The whole time Cole was watching kids and telling cute little jokes and laughing and just being a wonderful kid. These are my favorite shots of the day so I hope you enjoy them as we kick of the Christmas season with love and happiness!

Ecuador : Mission Trip Pictures

2008-11-14T20:01:00.000-08:00

Ecuador, what an amazing country! I was so blessed to go and I know every one that goes on a mission trip normally says that but it's so true! You really can't appreciate the little things we take for granted here in the states like toilet paper, a soft bed, hot water, bug spray... thank God for bug spray!

We were gone a total of twelve days and actually performed 10 out of the twelve days we were there. We did over 20 shows in eight days, not including the cancer hospital we went to, two workshops and two conferences we did. We were busy!

I alone took over 3,000 pictures, most of you know, I am a picture freak! But it's a good thing, I like to remember everything :) Unfortunately I can't just post all 3,000 pictures here so maybe I will do a Showit slide show?!?!

Here's just a few notes from our trip:

1. The first hotel we stayed at didn't have hot water and was up six flights of stairs... that's right we had to climb over 65 steps twice a day to get to our room.

2. There was no hot water so all the showers were cold... but with all the sweat from our outside performances and the heat it really felt good.

3. My bed kept breaking every night.... the wood slats were too small for the frame and once any one sat on it the bed would creak and if you laid down forget it you would fall through! I laughed though what an experience!

4. We went to over seven cities: Pasaje, Guabo, Machala, Cuenca, Guyaquil, Santa Rosa, Progresso and really just ministered the love of God all the way!

5. My favorite city was Cuenca, it was just beautiful, really reminded me of European cities with all the old cathedrals and beautifully arch textured buildings.

6. Cuenca was 11,000 feet above sea level and when we went through the Andes Mountains we were over 17,000 feet above sea level and we could touch the clouds!

7. I ate guinea pig and it looked disgusting, like a sqwered rat! But it tasted like chicken! Well soft chicken at least.

8. I did not get sick once praise God!

9. Fake American food like hamburgers and pizza are disgusting! Fake Chinese food (Chifa) is wonderful!

10. A smile can break the language barrier, even if you don't know the language a smile with the love of God in it can change any one's hearts!

Yup that's right I ate this! :P

The Andes Mountains!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!
~JJ :)

Angie and Josh : Wedding

2008-11-08T15:20:00.000-08:00

It's always so beautiful to see a couple in love because they are SO much in love they just can't hide it. Everything they do together gives them away. The way they look into each others eyes or how they can't stop smiling when they're near each other. You can always tell when a couple is right for each other, their eyes give them away! That never more true than with Angie and Josh. I can truly say that this couple was made for each other. Just looking back at the pictures from their wedding the joy and love they had for each other just flows from the pictures! These are just a few of my favorite shots I wanted to share with you.... (shhhh, I don't want to spoil it yet for the bride and groom) :) So please enjoy the photos and join me in congratulating the beautiful newly weds!

FLORIDA!!!!

2008-09-15T01:07:00.000-07:00

Ok so as a photographer there's two things you probably find yourself doing in your spare time:

1) Take photos
2) Editing photos

So as I stated earlier tonight I am finally getting to some older photos and I happened to come across a group of photos I like to call the Impulsive Essentials. These photos are random yet impulsive they are intriguing yet a necessity! These pictures are the monotonous day to day shots that you can normally tend to take for granted… but what makes these special is they are memories of places, people, buildings, things and they all make up the wonderful state I like to call Florida! So sit back, drink some lemonade and enjoy a walk through the sunshine state!

Only In Florida do babies mow the front yard! :)

Clouds outside my church

Catching up...

2008-09-15T00:05:00.000-07:00

Haven't you ever have a list of stuff you wanted to get done but kept putting it off until a later time? I think we all have. I myself know I am very guilty about this because I have lists to remind me of lists of stuff I need to do! I kept thinking oh I will do it this weekend and then of course something comes up and it gets pushed to the back burner. Then my list gets so big I think the only way I could get it done is if I had a couple days off in a row to tackle it. But then I get those days off and more stuff comes up. Stuff that's usually more fun that cleaning out my car. But I figured out there's no better time than the present to start working on those lists because if I don't do them no one else will! It takes wisdom and diligence to get it done. So it's time to catch up and editing photos is one of those "tasks" I have on my list!

Tonight I am spending some quality time editing and boy am I glad that I was able to attend David Jay's Free to Succeed conference first because he talked about something very essential to editing... work flow! So even though I don't have Adobe Lightroom yet I am using Adobe Bridge and I have made myself a nice little work flow! So far I have been able to cross six tasks off my list and it feels great! So below you'll find some pictures I just recently got around to editing.... they're older... with in the last year or so... but I think you may like them!

One thing for sure I will never let my lists get this big again! So here's a toast to diligence, wisdom, and workflow may you work hand in hand from this day forward!

These pictures from a shoot I got to do with one of my dear friends Lisa and her gorgeous baby girl Keziah days before they moved to Texas! These are just a couple shots from that day...

Lisa and her daughter were both so much fun to work with and I think these pictures came out wonderful! I just wish we had more time to take photos! So... thank you girls for this beautiful opportunity to take pictures and next time you're in town you better hit me up so we can do another session! :)

Whew.... I found the bus!

2008-09-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, so as most of you know I went to the Free to Succeed Tour in Orlando Thursday… well it turns out DJ and his team decided to hide little characters in each city they did a show in and post them online. Well the first one to find the character wins $500.00 Showit Bucks and I found it! They hid the bus in Orlando last night and I’ve been checking his blog (http://opensourcephoto.blogspot.com) constantly waiting for him to post it. Well, around 2:30 am this morning I decided to check it one last time before going to bed and it turns out they posted the video an hour earlier! So I jumped into my car and decided to drive down to Orlando, which by the way is an hour and a half away, and go find it. The video hey posted was dark but I knew exactly where they hid the bus so I was hoping I was going to be the first one to find it.

As I made it to the parking lot around 5:30 am I went to the fence surrounding the pool and of course it was still locked so I tried to scale the fence like the boys did in their video. I guess I kinda forgot how tall they were compared to me and I quickly realized, once on top of the fence, how short I was as I fell into the bushes and scrapped my leg. Yeah… that was fun. Then I walked up the stairs, over the chain rope and up the snake to the top…. And there it was waiting for me the bus! Thank you Lord for helping me find it I couldn't have done it with out you!

So yeah it was dark and I was a little out of breath from scaling the wall but here's the video of me finding the bus... :)

It's kinda dark so it's not a good shot but here's the other video I made after sucessfully getting back over the fence, yeah I had to fell into the bushes again that time too! :)

So there it is, I found it and even though I didn't get any sleep, drove 3 hours there and back, scrapped up my leg twice and got lost trying to drive home it was worth it! Thank you DJ! I am so excited to start using the Showit bucks... now what I do from here?

-JJ

Meeting David Jay

2008-09-07T13:30:00.000-07:00

One of my most favorite Wedding Photographers is as you guessed it from the blog title: David Jay (DJ). I was actually referred to him by another fellow wedding photographer in 2006 as someone to model after and I have been following DJ ever since. Not only are his photos just almost mind-blowingly amazing but he is full of heart and really has a sense of excellence about him. He's got quality. And that's something as a photographer new to the business I know I could glean from... so I've been following his blog, reading the books he recommends and studying his business approach. So far the man's go a repertoire full to the rafters but he still keeps going. Just when you thought, ok the guys a Christian... plus... an amazing photographer... extra plus... has good taste in music... ok another plus.... but then he decides to go and start a tour sharing his business flow with other photographers around the states, man this guy just keeps getting better! You could almost think can he get any better than this?!? But the answer is simply yes. He e can and he did.

I got a chance to go to his Free to Succeed Tour in Orlando Thursday night and it was amazing! I took fifteen pages of notes and got so much information it's still sinking in. Plus, I got a chance to finally meet DJ and he was so nice! Even his crew was wonderful; Regis, Crystal, Brett and Allie were all so open and friendly it was almost surreal! But, all I could do was thank him. With out David Jay I don't know what I would have done. He is a God send and he came just at the perfect moment in my life when I needed a mentor. I always used to think, "There's no way I could start my business I don't have this... or I don't have that..." It was mainly a life of excuses. Granted it was in my heart I wanted to start my business but until now I didn't have the tools necessary to make it a successful one.

Here's some pictures from the conference... I have Polaroids also but I will have to scan those first so maybe that will be another blog! Enjoy...

By the way DJ you and Allie make such a cute couple! Actually kinda perfect if you ask me!

Leaving the conference I just felt so empowered and encouraged I can't wait to start my business! So, thank you David Jay for being obedient to the call on your life! I know God's got big plans for you for the years ahead! Keep finding freedom!

~JJ

My beating heart...

2008-07-07T15:53:00.000-07:00

Ok, have you ever been frustrated and excited at the same time? It's quite a feeling! Lately I've been reading up on some amazing wedding photographers and have felt so much of a drive to really push my work and business my heart just increases in passion and excitement to where I can’t take it anymore! I’m frustrated because I want to be there, be this amazing photographer like the one’s I’m reading and I’m not yet. It’s like I am in a transition phase and I just can’t be content at my regular 9-5 job anymore. Don’t get me wrong it pays the bills and really isn’t too bad but when your heart isn’t in it, it’s nauseating. I heard an expression once, “Be still my beating heart…” and that’s kinda where I’m at today. I’m anxious for the future but already excited about it today. Like a Christmas present you can’t wait to open. I am a little kid again begging to peak into my future and just see what I’m getting, where I’ll be in life, whom I will marry, where my photography business will be in five years? All this waiting is painful. With each blog and website I read the infatuation swells and my heart skips a beat and I have to catch my breath. I haven’t been able to take a real deep breath of air for a while now. As I was reading a bio today by one of my favorite wedding photographers, Jasmine Star (www.jasmine-star.com) it hit me. I have to make the first move! I can’t wait any longer to be that amazing photographer I need to start this year, this month, today! I realized all this time I have been waiting for the right moment in my life and have been in essence letting it pass me all the while. Her words flew off the page at me and for the first time I realized I wasn’t alone. I have wanted photography for so long and so badly it made my chest ache with longing. My heart ached. I couldn’t stop thinking about photography and it scared me because I knew what I had to do. When I have a camera in my hands the world stops and perfect moments are created, melded together with memories that will last a lifetime and I can’t keep living a life that’s not mine. I was created with a purpose and a passion and I know these are the gifts God’s given to me but for too long I’ve sat on them and kept them to myself. It’s as though I’ve been living my life as an alter ego, like Clark Kent stuck at the desk when he’s meant to fly. This time a new motivation has come, it’s time to start my own business! I’m sorry if it sounds cheesy but I know I can’t be happy working my 9-5 with this beating heart that longs for photography. The joy and fulfillment I receive in documenting the most special moments is enough to shoot a rocket off into space and I can’t hide it anymore. My heart can’t be still any longer!

~JJ

Ruel & Jessica

2008-07-06T17:53:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun with this photo shoot as I had the privilege of taking photos of some of my two close friends; Ruel and Jessica. They’ve been married for several years but you can still tell they’re madly in love. Although it was exquisitely hot the weather didn’t seem as bothersome like it normally does. Here are just a few amazing shots from this session.

Enjoy!
~JJ

Welcome!

2008-07-06T16:16:00.000-07:00

Hello all and welcome to my new blog! I will be using this blog to keep you all updated on the latest happenings with Jalene Dort Photography. I know sounds fancy right! :) But it's a great way to show my work and a side of my personal life with all of you beautiful people out there. So, here it goes! I will probably choose a few portraits of my latest sessions to share with you here. It's a big step of faith starting my business, but I know God's by my side! Sit back, relax and enjoy!

God Bless,

~ Jalene :)