Hilary Mercer! Photography

About Hilary!

Welcome to the new Hilary Mercer Photography blogsite!

I am Hilary and I like you already. I like most photographers really like to take photos of everything that is fun, exciting and lovely.

Take a look around and see what I do. Don't forget to tell me what you thought and come back soon!

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@morgansiem sure do :)

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Hey! A few days ago I attended the Wedding Photographic Society’s monthly meeting(also while you’re on the site, check out the video, its pretty funny). They started an image competition. I entered thinking “Wow! I really don’t match up to everyone’s skillz. Because gee, these folks do have them. I entered anyway thinking, what the hay! And one of my images won! I got first place in the humor category from a bouquet toss photo at Heather and Steve’s wedding. Megan, I hope you don’t mind me posting this one more time ;)

LOL (Humor)_4-1

Take a look at all the winners here.

1 Comment About: award, first place, image competition, the WPS, wedding photographic society

I was super excited when a friend of mine found out she was pregnant. I know she would be up for a lot photographically. I had a few plans but since I had been so busy my ideas went out the window. I told her to bring some ideas and boy did she. I think she changed clothes 10 times. She’s awesome and due soon with a little girl. Anyway these were my favorites out of her favorites :) 20100701-DSC_2570 20100701-DSC_2502 20100701-DSC_2509 20100701-DSC_2599

Nikki, Thank you so much for being my model for me. You look absolutely gorgeous! I cannot wait until I can meet little Shelby!

5 Comments About: Goldsboro Maternity Photographer, Goldsboro Maternity Photography, North Carolina Maternity Photography, Raleigh Maternity Photographer, Raleigh MAternity Photography, Smithfield Maternity Photographer

The next part of the cruise was a lot more pretty and a lot less rainy. I was pretty excited about that. :) We made port in Antigua. We got off the ship and intended to take a taxi to Devils Bridge. The cab drivers all seemed quite sketchy. We took one though. They work it weird. They have you the whole day they dont just take you and leave you and then you find your own way back. Which.. is crazy. They have to be really trusting of us that we wont just leave and not pay them. Oh yeah and they leave us somewhere WITHOUT paying them. We pay at the end. Its weird thats all.

20100721-IMG_0390 20100721-IMG_0392 Apparently back in the day slaves would go here and jump off instead of living. They also used it as a burial grounds for the island for a while too.

20100721-IMG_0404 Neil was a lucky man to get to hang out with 3 lovely ladies the whole trip. :)

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On the other side from the cliffs was this pretty beach. :) 20100721-IMG_0439 20100721-IMG_0489 20100721-IMG_0499 20100721-IMG_0505

The next day was Tortola. Our driver was crazy(and liked to sing) 20100722-IMG_0540 and the roads were crazy. Neil didnt feel too well so it was just us ladies. 20100722-IMG_0536 20100722-IMG_0559 20100722-IMG_0568 It rained a lot, apparently when it rains it washes the roads away. That cant be too safe?

20100722-IMG_0576 20100722-IMG_0578 20100722-IMG_0583 20100722-IMG_0604 20100722-IMG_0659 20100722-IMG_0662 20100722-IMG_0670 20100722-IMG_0678 They gave Ang a massage after she gave them one. Note to self, get Angie drunk. She likes to rub feet then ;)

20100722-IMG_0679 If youre going on a Carnival cruise. Try the hot chocolate. Its like a hot, yummy heaven in a tiny cup. I miss it. 20100722-IMG_0681

Leave a Comment About: Antigua, Carnival Freedom, Cruise, Devils Bridge, friends, Tortola

As most of you know my husband and I recently took a vacation to the Caribbean via the Carnival Freedom. Here are a few photos from the beginning of that trip.

20100716-IMG_0057 We picked my friends up at the airport Leslie and Jess who lives there and kindly let us stay with him. Then we had dinner at a place in downtown Fort Lauderdale called Mango’s. It was yummy and I had swordfish!

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Then we move to the cruise. These photographers on the cruise are crazy and are everywhere. So.. why wouldn’t you want a random pirate choking you at dinner? 20100717-IMG_0096

Our first stop was San Juan Puerto Rico. We walked around trying to find a few geocaches. One was in a locked fence and the other was missing.. what a bummer. We still had fun walking around all the same. 20100719-IMG_0174 20100719-IMG_0181 20100719-IMG_0183 20100719-IMG_0224 Then Neil and I met up with Angie and Leslie who were having a few yards of boos at Senor Frogs. There was a conga line and we were the heads of it.

20100719-IMG_0281 20100719-IMG_0294 20100719-IMG_0298 Our next port was St Thomas which was the port I was MOST excited about since it was my favorite last time. Apparently we sailed through a tropical storm and it POURED while we were in St Thomas. So we just walked around and got soaked.. :(

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I think I was most excited for the cruise because i got to wear dresses that I usually wouldnt wear. :) 20100720-IMG_0331 More to come soon!

1 Comment About: Carnival Freedom, Cruise ship, friends, fun, July, Puerto Rico, San Juan, St Thomas, USVI, vacation

Hello from the Bahamas!

For a while there I wasn’t sure this little bundle of cuteness was going to enter the world. She took forever. She really liked her momma! Finally she did though, at a whopping 9lb 1oz. That’s a 1 not a 10. She was definitely fighting her sleep the day we chose for photos too. Eventually she couldn’t fight it anymore and then let a little magic happen. Isabella was 10 days in these photos. 20100708-DSC_3378 20100708-DSC_3515 This next one is one of my favorites from the session, Jons face along with the babies just really make me laugh. 20100708-DSC_3507

i think she looks just like big brother 20100708-DSC_3584 copy 20100708-DSC_3596 20100708-DSC_3602

cutest baby everrrrrrrrrrrr! (yes I did go into pirate talk there)

just look at those lips! 20100708-DSC_3619

born in June her birthstone is pearl 20100708-DSC_3660 20100708-DSC_3657

1 Comment About: baby girl, dolce de vita, goldsboro newborn photographer, goldsboro newborn photography, north carolina newborn photography

Happy Day at Sea from the Carnival Freedom!

I met Holly at Gabby & Will’s wedding and she was a bridesmaid. We instantly clicked so I was excited when she contacted me about her wedding in March. I met up with them to talk about their date and the most fun part of the wedding packages the engagement session! She and Craig mentioned they wanted to use their car as a prop. Of course I was excited. Holly also explained her love of cats to me. Craig actually proposed in their new house using one of their cats. I found it a little funny that during out session a kitty cat followed us around the whole time, although I dont think I got a photo if the little guy. :( Okay! on to the goodies!

20100707-DSC_4426 We started out at the Kenly Tobacco Farm Life Museum. They are lovers of antique things so it was a perfect setting to start out at. 20100707-DSC_4475 get it craig! 20100707-DSC_4489 20100707-DSC_4537 20100707-DSC_3241 20100707-DSC_3265 I love how excited they are to be going nowhere. Ok ok, I told them to look excited. 20100707-DSC_4571 20100707-DSC_4580

you wouldnt believe how bad it stank on this road. they were troopers! 20100707-DSC_4596 20100707-DSC_4615 20100707-DSC_3276

yowwwwww owwwww! 20100707-DSC_3284 20100707-DSC_3321 20100707-DSC_3341 20100707-DSC_4683

Leave a Comment About: Johnston County Wedding Photograher, Kenly, Kenly Tobacco Farm Life Museum, NC, North Carolina Wedding & engagement Photography, Plymouth Grand Fury, Smithfield, Smithfield Engagement Photographer, Smithfield Engagement Photography, Smithfield Wedding Photographer, Smithfield Wedding Photography

Hello from San Juan, Puerto Rico!

Neil and I spent July 4th in Washington DC. We figured “why not be in the nations capitol” on its birthday? Everyone else thought the same thing apparently. :) We started our trip at the National Cathedral. 20100703-DSC_2676 20100703-DSC_2731 20100703-DSC_2752 20100703-DSC_2783

Probably my favorite photo from the whole weekend:

20100703-DSC_2690 20100703-DSC_2801 20100703-DSC_2809 20100703-DSC_2817 20100703-DSC_2818 20100703-DSC_2824 20100703-DSC_2829 From there we took a trip to the National Mall 20100703-DSC_2862

hmm not sure this is appropriate for a public blog.. but whatever, you’d do it too. 20100703-DSC_2882 20100703-DSC_2896 20100703-DSC_2900

silly camera shadows 20100703-DSC_2904 20100703-DSC_2906 20100703-DSC_2929 20100703-DSC_2933 20100703-DSC_2936 20100703-DSC_2938 20100704-DSC_2969 20100704-DSC_2978 20100704-DSC_2981 20100704-DSC_2986 20100704-DSC_3003 20100704-DSC_3044 20100704-DSC_3051 20100704-DSC_3054 This photo screams “i need to lose weight!” but thank you Julie for taking it! 20100704-DSC_3059

Now for the fireworks! 20100704-DSC_3066 20100704-DSC_3087 20100704-DSC_3098 20100704-DSC_3121

It was mayhem as we tried our best to get home. We made it a lot sooner than I expected.. in about 30 minutes. 20100704-DSC_3135

These last three were taken right outside our house. Apparently there was fireworks on the 5th too. 20100705-DSC_3158 I love that it looks like a flower! 20100705-DSC_3177 20100705-DSC_3195 This last one. I zoomed in halfway during the exposure. Kinda neat I think

2 Comments About: 4th of July, Fireworks, friends, National Cathedral, Roadtrip, Washington DC Photographer

Hello from Fort Lauderdale, Florida! Neil and I embark on our cruise tomorrow for the next 8 days and we are super excited for it! Weve needed a vacation for a while now.

A few weekends ago I participated in The Wedding Photographic Society’s first convention held here in Durham ish Raleigh, Nc. The speakers were some of the triangles “rock star” photogs. Everyone had different opinions and brought something different to the table. They all have a different way of thinking and doing business, which just proves that you should do it your own way, the way that works for you. Don’t do something just because someone else is doing it. I really enjoyed it and I feel like I got a lot out of it. Even though a lot of it was just bringing up things I had read previously or had thought about but forgot. I really enjoyed getting to mingle with all of the photographers. Having started out not knowing too many folks in the Triangle I had a hard time. I didn’t know anyone and I was new to the whole “photography” thing too. I branched out to other photographers but got nothing back. I didn’t even want to second shoot with them, I just wanted to get coffee or lunch and chit chat. I wanted to be friends with people that liked the same things I did. So for the past 2 years Ive been kind of alone out here in Smithfield. So meeting so many people that were so nice and seemed to care was awesome. Even having been to the WPS meetings was a big help. Just knowing there are people out there that want to be friends and want to network is a great help. And of course I find all of this out with less than a year to be living here in the Triangle. Figures. Anyway, it was awesome and I’m hoping we don’t move before the next convention here in 2011.

Part of the workshop were “lens lessons” with each of the instructors. The first lesson I took was with Christobal Perez of Azul Photography. First off, I really like him. He is so accommodating to everyone and he gives good hugs, plus his strobe work is pretty fantastic. Here he is at the beginning of the session with our model Christa.

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Our whole group: 20100628-DSC_4045 20100628-DSC_4098

Next up in the lens lessons was a boudoir session with Stacy Borelli of Swank Photo Studio. She does some fantastic work with half clothed women. Having never done anything like this I was excited to learn.

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These last two were my favorite! 20100628-DSC_4278

2 Comments About: boudoir, bridal, Hilton RTP, wedding photographic society, workshop, WPS

Hey! Youre awesome. Thanks for visiting the blog. I am on vacation with my husband until the 26th! So if I dont return your emails or FB messages dont fret, im not ignoring you. Im just having an awesome time thats all. I WILL be posting blogs though. So keep an eye out every other day or so until I get back! Have a great day!