Teesha + Irving's Engagement by Royal Photography

Being a photographer allows you to meet new and exciting people - some of which you never know when I will meet them again. What's awesome is that Teesha was a bridesmaid in a wedding I photographed a few years back. I found that out at the KC Weddings Bridal Spectacular in July of 2013. She stopped by my booth and opened up one of the display wedding albums because she knew the bride and groom and realized that she was in the wedding. Heck I didn't know it until she pointed it out to me. Kansas City isn't that big and proved to me that I photograph a ton of folk. We traveled a couple of places in the surrounding areas for their engagement photos.

Teesha and Irving will pledge their lives together in July 2014.

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Teesha + Irving's Engagement by Royal Photography

Isaac Carree in Concert at the Sprint Artist Tribute

You learn something new everyday. I didn't know who Isaac Carree was until Friday night. When I heard the song, "Clean This House" I was like....that's him? WOW - that is the jam. I thought it was R Kelly. Needless, he put on a excellent concert at the Gem Theatre. Before he came on stage, local artists: Stephanie Aiken-Cummings, Teresa McClendon & Friends, and Psalmist Na'Ron Hamilton. This event was part of the SCLC Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday events.

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Isaac Carree in Concert at the Sprint Artist Tribute

UMKC Kangaroos Topple New Mexico Aggies 68 - 66 | Sports Photography

This was my first time photographing UMKC Kangaroos and photographing a basketball game in Municipal Auditorium this past Saturday night. The Roos showed out and now I know why I wanted to photograph this team. These guys got SKILLS! This game was close throughout the entire game. If I recall, I think the Roos kept the Aggies at a 12 point lead for a great while but they finally finished the game with a W by 2 points. Kansas City needs to show up and support this local team - I know I will.

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UMKC Kangaroos Topple New Mexico Aggies 68 - 66 | Sports Photography

Marion Jones Speaks to High School Students at Leadership Conference

Olympic medalist, Marion Jones, stopped in Kansas City this past Friday on a special invitation by SCLC of Greater Kansas City, to speak to local junior and senior high school students from the metro on setting goals and making the right choices. She shared her life experiences, her triumphs and lows. What I felt most inspiring about her message was that she was very humble and apologetic about the mistakes she made several years back. We all read the articles and saw the television news stories but to meet her in person set the tone that you never how a person really deals with a situation until you hear it first-hand from their mouths. News media twists stories to add flavor for the day but some of it wasn't really true at all. She also brought a few of her books in which she autographed for a few people and even my good friend Grant (see below). You can see that he was pretty excited and even got down on one knee to receive the book. I thought he was going to propose to her. LOL!!! Usually I don't ask to get my picture taken with people I photograph but this time, I made an exception (see sixth picture below). This makes the second track star I've had my picture with - Jackie Joyner Kersee was the first. Before Marion spoke, local entrepreneur, Sam West, owner of the Chic-Fil-A restaurant in Kansas City, KS @ Legends shopping complex, spoke early that morning to the students as well. Throughout the morning and afternoon, the students broke out in separate workshops discussing various topics as: "What's your brand" and "The buck stops here".

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Marion Jones Speaks to High School Students at Leadership Conference

Kansas City Black Achievers Given Awards for Professionalism, Leadership

This past Thursday (Jan. 16) at the Sheraton Crown Center hotel, the Black Achieves Society in Kansas City have kept up with a 40-year tradition started by a vision by Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. Today, there are over 500 Black Achievers in this elite society of African Americans in the industries of business and technology. Such companies as Hallmark Cards, Honeywell, Sprint, Blue Cross & Blue Shied of Kansas City, Children's Mercy Hospital, Board of Public Utilities, KCP&L, Burns & McDonnell, Metropolitan Community College, Commerce Bank, and many other prestigious companies choose smart, responsible, intelligent and outstanding professionals for their leadership within the company.

Also during the ceremony, Leo Morton, Chancellor of UMKC, was given the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The class of 2014 of Black Achievers are:

• Anthony A. Carey – Honeywell FM&T
• Gerald Potter – Burns & McDonnell
• Sperlynn R. Byers Sr. – Board of Public Utilities
• Theodis Watson – Commerce Bank
• Teresa Barnhill – Hallmark Cards, Inc.
• Jerry Williams – Sprint
• Emeka Anyanwu – KCPL
• Qiana Thomason – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of KC
• Stephanie Kearney – Hallmark Cards, Inc.
• Kirk A. Nooks, Ed. D. – Metropolitan Community College Longview Campus
• Paula R. Robinson, MA, SPHR – Children Mercy Hospitals and Clinics

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Kansas City Black Achievers Given Awards for Professionalism, Leadership