coaphoto.com

About The Photographer

Hi! My name is Erika Blackwell and I am photographer of Center of Attention Photography. Located in Northern Michigan. My blog is a way for everyone to view some of my favorite images from recent sessions and get to know me! I am the very VERY proud mommy to Braylan. I LOVE what I do and I hope you can tell! These are not JUST take pictures I take. I create memories... I pour my heart into my work. I genuinely care about my clients and get to know them and learn what they like and dislike. I am an artist. A business woman. I love to have fun. I love to sing. Dance. Make crazy sounds to get those smiles. I am very open! I work into the night even though my son hates to sleep. I LOVE oreos and soymilk. I dream big. I have tons of ideas. I cry during touching ceremonies and awesome reception speeches. I try not to be messy but it happens. I have so many new faces to meet this year and just thinking about it makes me excited!

Archive: ‘personal’



My Family & Braylan at 8 weeks

Wednesday, February 9th, 2011

My life has changed so much not only since last April when my husband and I found out we were expecting but especially since December 10th since our little light of our life arrived. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been… and my camera has never been busier! :) This past week my baby boy has already rolled and has had a nice big belly laugh. How did this happen so fast? I will continue to update you all on Braylan because I have been told a few times this week over email and phone from my clients that they enjoy hearing about my personal life. I know when I read my fellow photographer’s blog I do as well.

This weekend I have my first wedding of a very busy wedding year. Not only do I have a ton of weddings to shoot in 2011 already… my husband will be standing in 3 and I will be in 1. As I say over and over…. we are VERY blessed.

I am dreaming and crossing my fingers and my toes of a new studio. If not in 2011 and almost positive in 2012 I will have one standing with all the features I not only want but NEED.

Update

Monday, January 10th, 2011


This past month has gone by in the blink of an eye! My baby is growing soooo much each day. I’m trying to enjoy every second before I have to go back to work!

Changes will be happening when I return from maternity leave. I will only be accepting 3 photo shoots per week and 3 weddings per month. I will be extending my two week time frame for editing sessions to 2-3 weeks. Online viewing galleries will up for 30 days from the time they are uploaded and photos must be ordered or a CD will have to be purchased with 60 of the uploading date or they will no longer be available.

My Baby Belly! 27 weeks

Friday, September 10th, 2010

Holy belly right?? My little man is a grower! My sister, mom and I drove around for a while to find the perfect place for some fall shots of my belly. A few teenage boys drive by super slow looking at us by this field like we were CRAZY. :) My sister fell in a hole and her feet went above her head (she saved my camera.) It was a funny 10 minutes! Next will be a pumpkin patch with my husband.

Braylan James Blackwell

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Well I have been really slacking on my blog! So many exciting things have been happening in my life… I have a growing family and my business is booming. I couldn’t ask for more. Late nights are making mornings that I don’t feel guilty about sleeping in! I figure I better sleep in some mornings while I can before the baby gets here.

A couple weeks ago my husband and I found out we are having a boy! My husband chose the name Braylan James. We are super excited and can’t wait to meet him. December is going to come faster than it feels. Along with shooting sessions and editing like a mad woman I’ve been working on his nursery. It’s getting close and I will post pictures as soon as my husband puts the crib together and I add a few finishing touches.

I have so many sessions that I need to post I need to find time between the chaos.

Sorry I’ve gone missing!

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

I’m back!! I have been MIA for a while… I have so many updates with photography and life!

Some of you know I was going to open a new studio space and was on a search to find or build the perfect place. After much thought I have decided to stay where I’m at until next year. My little studio still works for right now and if I’m going to have a fabulous studio I want time to create something amazing. PLUS…. my husband and I are expecting!! We are over the moon and can’t wait for December to come. I will also be taking maternity leave. I haven’t decided exact dates but I know December I will be off.

Wedding session in in full swing and I have been blessed to work with the most amazing brides and grooms. I have also been photographing lots of newborns. If you have read my blog before you know this is my very favorite!! They make me so happy and let me create such pieces or art!

Ok I’m going to start knocking out some blog posts….

LIFE&BUSINESS GOALS

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

Ok…. I’m feeling a little disconnected. I have finally had the chance to breathe, re-group and start brain storming again. Since about last May around the time my niece Elleana was born time has flown by! She is almost one and I’m wondering where the time has gone. Last winter I sat in front of my computer looking…. researching and praying to become the business woman and artist I had worked so hard to be for 5 years to become. I’m not exactly where I want to be as of yet but I’m getting there. A photographer by the name of Shelby Leigh made a list of goals that she she wanted to accomplish a year or so ago and I have wanted to do the same. I think by posting it it will give me the kick in the butt I need to achieve them! She did 101 in 1001 days…. BUT I’m doing 50 things before I turn 28. I’m 25 now so three years!

These are in no particular order!

1. Go to the East Coast
2. Become a parent
3. Ride a bike 5 miles
4. Buy a truck
5. Get published in a book
6. Build an amazing studio
7. Meet someone famous
8. Go to WPPI in Las Vegas
9. Start wearing contacts again
10. Create my own scrapbook
11. Become closer to god
12. Get a family picture taken with the 5 of my family members our partners and my niece
13. Read Chelsea Handlers other two books
14. Donate hand made products to a children’s hospital
15. Meet 3 photographers I blog stalk
16. Get a new blog
17. Work out every day for one month (at least)
18. Host a fun event at a senior center
19. Plant a garden
20. Go skinny dipping
21. Go to a comedy club with my husband *3/20/2010*
22. Put in a new bath tub/shower
23. Ride a horse
24. Go to a Tigers game
25. Sing on stage with a band
26. Go to a zoo
27. Make cookies for my husband and the guys at his work
28. Hug my dad
29. Have a picnic
30. Don’t eat fast food for 2 weeks straight
31. Have a paint fight like on “10 things I hate about you”
32. Serve my husband breakfast in bed
33. Buy a 1.2 lens
34. Plant trees
35. Go skiing again (haven’t in ten years!)
36. Write a full song
37. Taste wine at a vineyard
38. Run in the rain
39. Send some nice things to soldiers over seas
40. Drive a jet ski
41. Attend a photo workshop
42. Make my own wedding album
43. Photograph 5 majorly sick kids and give them pictures
44. Put in a sliding glass door
45. Get a tattoo (I hope my brother doesn’t read this!)
46. Watch the sunrise and set in the same day
47. Help plan a class reunion
48. Go on a road trip
49. Grow my hair long again
50. Volunteer at a pet shelter

Back from Florida!

Thursday, February 25th, 2010













As many of you know we have just returned from our 6 wonderful days in Florida. Fort Lauderdale is absolutely beautiful. The weather was on the chilly side for the majority of our time there but no complaints here. It was our first get-a-way together in 9 year of being together.

My days…. my nights….

Friday, September 18th, 2009

I haven’t posted a personal blog in a while and I think it’s due. If you know me personally you know that I have the a cutie pie little niece Elleana. My sister and my brother-in-law asked me way before they were ever pregnant to watch their child… I of course accepted. Fast forward a couple years and here we are…

I’m so not a morning person! I’m used to staying up until 2-4am editing/placing orders/designing books/doing whatever I need to do for my business and having the pleasure of sleeping 8 hours. Now I’m up with the roosters! This last week my niece has started to keep my schedule… UT OH! My poor sister is up at night and we take a snooze when she gets here for a couple hours. That’s this week though! We shall see what happens in the week to come.

She doesn’t enjoy my computer room and so I haven’t been able to work during the day for the last few weeks…. or have I been able to book day sessions (sorry everyone!) I’m sure in a couple/few more weeks she will be so used to it at my house that everything will be great.

So here are some pictures from the last few weeks I’ve had her.

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introducing martini

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

I am super busy right now with my business and I thought I would take some time to show you a part of my personal life. My life revolves around photography so when you talk to me I will pretty much probably bring it up… sorry :) BUT I do have a life outside my business and I spend as much time as I possibly can with my husband, family, friends….. and my spoiled dog MARTINI.

Since the day I got her I treated her like a baby and that has made her into a big time doggie diva. She will nudge you until you pet her… she goes for LOTS of car rides… she sleeps at the foot of our bed… she gets too many treats… sometimes I have to pick the red and brown chunks from her dog food because those are the only ones she feels like eating (if my mom is reading this she is rolling her eyes like every time she sees me do it)… she likes to be held like a baby on her back… and she loves to wrestle at 1pm and 3am.

My mom actually got me Martini when I was going through a rough patch just turning 19and didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I was going to college and spending all my time on studying and was miserable. Oh yes, it sounds rough when a billion people do it and get through it but at the time for me it was terrible and caused a little bit of anxiety. I knew I wanted to do something artistic but it took me a year off to finally know that it was photography. Anyways this little girl got me through that and I will never find a better friend that will love me unconditional. SO… here is my furry friend teenie-weenie-martini.

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I have lots of pictures of her… but this one is my favorite.

my sister’s family

Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

Yesterday I had two sessions… both went wonderful! Here is the first official Loper Family Portrait :) Elleana did so good! After their session we went to Gaylord and I got some cute pictures of her in the truck. She looks at me like “what are you doing auntie?”

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