Dotson Studios bio picture

Welcome!

We are Grant & Sara Dotson. As a husband and wife team, we bring a unique perspective to photography, one influenced by life experiences as well as comprehensive art and design training. Our cameras are an extension of not only our eyes, but our minds and hearts, instantly capturing moments and emotions just as they occur. We enjoy getting to know our clients on a personal level and helping them feel that they're a part of a partnership. Every client is different, and our photographs seek to reflect each individual personality for truly unforgettable memories.

 

Photo of Grant: Courtesy of Jamie Weiss. Thanks Jamie!

 


Annabelle 3 Years old

It was so special to be able to photograph Annabelle now that she is 3 years old. I can’t believe she’s 3 already!

We met out at the Chickamagua Battlefield and had a great time shooting. It was really hot but this little girl was a trooper. We started off by going up the watch-tower and then went out to a field for a little while.

She’s such a beautiful little girl, and she’s going to be a big sister very soon…very exciting!

I had the priviledge of photographing this beautiful little girl when she was 3 months old…

for her 1 year birthday party…

and as a family when she was 1.5.

She’s such a big girl now and as always, a joy to photograph. Annabelle at 3 years old…

Enjoy…Annabelle.

Cabray & Daniel’s Wedding

It was such a joy and honor to shoot Cabray and Daniel’s wedding! Cabray was probably the most organized and detail oriented bride we may have ever worked with! I loved how detailed her schedule was! It was a very hot day but at least it didn’t rain. Cabray and Daniel got married at the beautiful First Presbyterian Church in Dalton, GA and then had their reception at The Farm which we always love to shoot at. Everything was so beautiful and Cabray was an absolutely beautiful bride. It was definitely one of those weddings that makes me love my job. I love being around such love, family, and people who are so much fun to be around.

Cabray and Daniel have a really sweet story…I hope you enjoy reading it and looking at their pictures! There were so many more pictures that we wanted to include in their highlights, but didn’t want to overwhelm the blog.

Enjoy, Cabray and Daniel.

How did the two of you meet?
Daniel and I met at a RUF (Reformed University Fellowship) dinner our first year of college. We sat across from each other and quickly hit it off. I later found out that Daniel went home that night thinking that I was someone he might want to date some day. After being close friends for a little over a year, we began to date the next spring.

Describe the way you feel about each other.
Daniel and I are best friends, and we love spending time together. We were close friends first, which provided an excellent basis for our dating relationship. We love and respect each other, wanting what is best for the other person. I know that we will support, encourage, and pray for each other throughout the ups and downs that life brings. God truly blessed us when we found each other!

Describe the proposal.
Daniel unexpectedly showed up at my house in Auburn one Sunday evening and told me to come with him. In the car, he blindfolded me and put on a CD of songs that mean a lot to us. Then he drove me around to various places in Auburn that mean a lot in our relationship, such as where we first met, our favorite date locations, and hang out spots. At each place, Daniel removed the blindfold and had me take a picture of where we were. I love to scrapbook, and he wanted me to be able to scrapbook our engagement night. Our final stop was at a local city park where we enjoy picnics and spending time together. However, this time he kept my blindfold on and walked me toward the back where there is a covered gazebo over a pond. When he took off my blindfold, there was a table with a white tablecloth, candles, and our favorite wine. After that, it didn’t take him long to get down on one knee and ask me to marry him!

Describe your ring.
My ring is a round cut diamond with eight smaller diamonds on a white gold band. I love the simple, but elegant look it has. I’m a traditional girl, and this ring fits me perfectly! Daniel did a wonderful job selecting it!

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day?
The most memorable moment from our wedding day was seeing each other for the first time. Daniel stood at the front of the sanctuary with his back turned. We had our parents standing in the front too, and my dad walked me down the aisle. I remember cherishing every step that my dad and I took, and I was so excited for Daniel to finally see me in my wedding dress! When we got to the end of the aisle, I walked up behind Daniel and asked him if he was ready to see me. I’ll never forget the happiness and excitement in his voice before he turned around! He looked so handsome, and I couldn’t wait to marry him! That was the moment it really felt like our wedding day!

How did you decide on your dress?
My mom and I had a great time visiting various bridal shops together. After trying on several gowns, I began to get a good idea of what I wanted in my wedding dress. When I finally tried on the dress I chose, I didn’t want to take it off! I kept smiling and looking at myself in the mirror, but I couldn’t make the final decision that day. For the next two weeks, I couldn’t get it off my mind, so I knew that it was the perfect dress for me!

What was your favorite detail of the wedding?
This is hard because there were so many details that personalized our day. One of my favorite details was when Daniel’s and my parents prayed a blessing on our marriage with us during the ceremony. It was special to share that time with our parents as they prayed for our new life together. One of my other favorite details was how we left our reception. Everyone who loves Auburn had an Auburn shaker while everyone else blew bubbles. Daniel and I left amid Auburn cheers and led a final “War Eagle” as we loaded into our 1940s getaway car! We will always remember the Auburn spirit and fun that ended our dream day as we rode away under a star-filled sky!

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future?
Daniel has a fifth year of school at Auburn University due to co-oping. We are looking forward to our final year in Auburn and enjoying one more football season as a married couple. After Daniel graduates with a Mechanical Engineering degree next summer, we plan on moving to wherever he gets a job. We are excited about sharing our lives together as well as traveling, spending time with family and friends, and one day starting a family. Right now, we just want to enjoy each other and what life has to offer together!

Brandi & Brian’s Engagement

We had such a fun night shooting Brandi & Brian! We met at Stone Cup before we started shooting and we ended up chatting for an hour! We really like this couple and are so excited about doing their pictures and their wedding. They were so much fun dancing on Fraizier Avenue and playing the “piano”…loved it!

Congrats guys…we hope you love your pictures…can’t wait until the wedding!!

How did you meet?
Brian & I met while I was living in Savannah on December 3rd, 2006.  It was via a mutual friend from my hometown Dublin Georgia.

Anything special you’d like to share about dating?
We’ve done alot together-travelling, concerts, moving to a new city… I think it’s helped us learn a lot about one another.

Describe your proposal.
Brian proposed to me on our 5 year anniversary during a weekend in Boone, NC after an amazing meal and a drive back up the beautiful mountain to our cabin…There was a little voice that said, I think he might…but, after waiting the entire day and evening meal I gave up…that’s when it happened. :)  I think he knows how bad I am at trying to figure out surprises beforehand so he outsmarted me.

What is your ring like?
Just as I have always imagined it to be.

How would you describe the way you feel about each other?
Best Friends, partners in life…all that good ole stuff people talk about love…

Do you have any special plans for your wedding that you’d like to share?
Very small  & intimate is what we are going for…In this whole planning thing, I’ve fallen in love with Etsy.com for fun creative ideas.

Elizabeth & Carter’s Wedding

Oh how I loved shooting Elizabeth & Carter’s wedding!! Elizabeth is such a special friend to me and to be a part of her beautiful and intimate wedding was an honor. They had this gorgeous ceremony at Carter’s parent’s home and it was just perfect. It was a bit hot…but at least it wasn’t raining!

I can’t say congratulations enough to this special couple…I’m just so happy for my friend and her new husband!

Enjoy Elizabeth & Carter.

What did you enjoy most about planning your wedding?
I loved finding ways that I could involve all the special people in my life. We had the wedding at my mother in laws, my mother fixed my hair, my two oldest friends were in the wedding, another took my pictures, and two of “our” friends helped with the reception. It was so lovely seeing all my friends and family involved. Even the violinist is an old friend.

What are three words you would use to describe your day?
Hot, really hot, and sweaty…j/k
Untraditional, simple, elegant

How did you decide on your dress?
I know Carter really likes my behind, so I found a dress that accentuated that. :)

What was the most memorable moment about your wedding day?
When I first saw Carter. I saw him before he saw me, and I just started to cry. He looked so handsome. I wanted to run into his arms and never let him go.

What was your favorite detail of the wedding?
After my dad said, “Her mother and I give her to be with this man,” he prayed for Carter and I. He started crying, that’s not something you see a lot when it comes to my dad. It meant a lot to me to have my dad say the first prayer for our marriage.

What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future?
Carter and I have decided to wait and have children, so we look forward to traveling. We hope to go to Europe next year and just enjoy each other. We have both waited a long time to find our special partner, and right now, we just want to be together.