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!

 


Kelli & Taylor’s Engagement

Kelli and Taylor are such a fun couple! I love their creativity and all of the plans they are making for their wedding. Grant really enjoyed his time shooting with them. They are so easy and comfortable around each other…you can tell they have a very close bond.

These were taken at the beautiful Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center and downtown at the River Pier. All of the stars aligned for a spectacular shoot with a fun couple!

Congratulations…Kelli and Taylor!

How did you meet?
Taylor and I met at Tennessee Tech University in December of 2007. He was a Senior, and I was a Freshman. He is a Sigma Chi, and we met at his fraternity Christmas party.

Anything special you’d like to share about dating?
For the past 4 years he has lived in Nashville, and I have been in either Cookeville (for school) or in the Knoxville area (home) so we have almost always had a long distance relationship. Needless to say, we are looking forward to finally being together!

Describe the proposal.
He proposed to me on June 2, 2011. We went on a week long cruise with my parents and my two brothers. We decided to have some professional pictures taken on the ship when it was getting close to sunset. After the photo sessions was complete we were at the back of the boat. The photographer and the people that had been standing around just happened to leave. We hung around a little longer to just look out at the water and talk and the next thing I knew I said “Yes!” He had the ring box in his pocket the whole evening. You can even see kinda see it in the pictures that were taken that night. So it was on the back of the cruise ship at sunset. :)

What is your ring like?
My ring has a slim band with pave diamonds around it, and it has a solitaire diamond with a round brilliant cut.

How would you describe the way you feel about each other?
I was that girl that grew up watching Disney movies and dreaming about my Prince Charming…he is my Prince Charming. He is everything I could have hoped for and more. I know that he will love me and take care of me. He said that I make him relax and enjoy the little things in life that he sometimes takes for granted. We just make each other happy. :)

Do you have any special plans for your wedding that you’d like to share?
The wedding ceremony is at 2nd Presbyterian Downtown Chattanooga and the reception is at the Fairyland Club on Lookout Mt. I guess the theme of my wedding is kinda “romantic” and “classy”…however I want my wedding to be FUN, and I want people to dance! We got a band so I am pretty pumped about that :)

Maggie & Derek’s Engagement

This beautiful couple is getting married this weekend and we could not be more excited about the wedding! Grant talked about how much he enjoyed their engagement shoot…the chemistry and love that was so evident in every look. I love the smiles and expressions and the obvious connection that they have. There was fabulous light during the shoot and all of the stars aligned for an amazing session.

We hope you enjoy these photos…we can’t wait to photograph them tomorrow at what will be a beautiful wedding I’m sure!

Congrats Maggie and Derek…you guys are so wonderful to work with!

How did you meet?
In 1999, Maggie’s family moved to Ooltewah from Texas. We met through a love for basketball and have known one another since.

Describe your proposal.
I wanted it to be a surprise.  Given Maggie would wear her ring for the rest of her life, I wanted her to choose the setting–she left me to choose the diamond. We were on a family vacation in Cabo San Lucas, the last place she imagined me proposing. We planned a romantic dinner overlooking the ocean.  After dinner I popped the question…totally catching her off guard.

What is your ring like?
Round cut diamond with a halo of diamonds around it…micropave diamonds surrounding the band.

How would you describe the way you feel about each other?
We feel at home with each other. Comfortable, safe, and happy!

Do you have any special plans for your wedding that you’d like to share?
We want the wedding to be a celebration of our new life together.

Lacie & Chris’ Wedding

Lacie and Chris’ wedding was pure delight! We loved being at Camp Dixie, especially on a day as beautiful as it was. Lacie did an amazing job with the decorations. I loved the mason jars and flowers…everything was beautiful and it had a wonderful mixture of rustic and elegant.

Lacie was a beautiful bride and Chris was one happy groom! This day was full of beauty and smiles…we hope you enjoy their photos!

Congratulations Lacie and Chris!

What was the most memorable moment about your wedding day?
Chris: the first time i saw Lacie in her dress
Lacie: getting to hold Chris’ hand before the wedding and get rid of all the butterflies

How did you decide on your dress?
I knew i wanted lace so we went from there and my mom and maid of honor convinced me that Chris would love the dress i choose. :)

What are the 3 words you would use to describe your day?
Chris: exciting, stressful-slightly, fulfilling
Lacie: gorgeous, perfect, relaxed

What was your favorite detail of the wedding?
Chris: fireworks!
Lacie: the hanging garden lights

What is next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future?
Chris: Babies :)
Lacie: settling in and enjoying time with each other after a long distance relationship

Sarah & James’ Engagement

Oh Sarah and James…what an amazing couple!! I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed so much when I’m with a couple. I love to hear their stories, see their energy and love for each other, and just feel overwhelmed with the joy in their lives.

I know Grant had a blast during their engagement session and we simply can’t wait for their wedding. It will be a day to remember I’m sure!

Enjoy Sarah and James…if you know them you are lucky…we definitely feel so!

How did you meet?
James and I met ironically at a club back home.  My best friend and I were out celebrating our other best friends new found “singleness”, while James was out with all of his marine buddies before his second deployment.  Majority of the whole night he kept trying to get my phone number, but I refused since we were trying to direct all attention to my girlfriend.  We actually bumped into each other at a random party a few weeks later, and he somehow sweet talked me into giving him my phone number.  After one long phone chat we pretty much became inseperable :)  The funny thing is the first phone call we had, we both admitted each other had the traits and personality we looked for in marriage.  Which if you know us is very out of character to be that deep with someone we just met, and since we were both in stages of our lives where we were not looking for anything remotely serious!

Anything special you’d like to share about dating?
Its funny because we are each others best friends, he wrestles me like a boy and I gossip to him like he was a girl. Yet we like each other too. Haha everyday is just a whirlwind of fun, and its amazing how even when we are beyond mad at one another how much love we share for each other.

Describe your proposal.
Well even though James had taken me ring shopping a few months before, he had made it clear it was just to get an idea for the far far far far, I don’t know if I can put enough emphasis on far, away. It was my first Easter away from my family, and we have some serious pretty family traditions when it comes to any and all holidays. Since I was little my mom has swore the Easter bunny pooped out jelly beans and that was his way of leading you to your Easter basket. Now I know this sounds silly, but as a kid I did not care how I got my easter basket I was just ecstatic that the bunny was kind enough to leave me a trail… Well James had pretty much heard me whining for about a month solid of how distraught I was that I was not getting a Easter basket, and how I was just so upset that I was far away from home. Well that Saturday night before Easter James and I were laying on the couch watching a movie, I fell asleep 5minutes into it, and he kept trying to coax me to go in to the bedroom to sleep. Normally I would oblige happily, but for some reason felt sweet and told him I just wanted to lay out there with him. After about four hours of him, for reasons unbeknownst to me, trying to lead me in the direction away from him, he finally half carries- half walks me to our bedroom, then preceeds to tell me will be right back because he has to go to the bathroom. Well I was out of my mind, so I said ok and snuggled up and went to sleep! Well after awhile, James comes back into the room and tells me to not for any reason go outside of the bedroom without him tomorrow morning, I so charmingly replied, “Why you’re not going to propose are you”. Now as mortifying as this apparently was for James to hear, I followed it with, “Dinosaurs are seriously chasing me right now”. So the next morning I wake up screaming and jumping on the bed like a child, yelping for joy that it is Easter! James then preceeds to open the door, and behold there are jelly beans!!!!! I than get on my hands and knees trying to swoop up I swear at least four bags of jelly beans into my shirt so our dog does not get ahold of them. James video tapes the whole thing, while I was just thinking he was taking pictures because I looked ridiculous. We then get downstairs and I find my easter basket filled with chocolate and a whole lot of eggs labeled! James then preceeds to tell me he was just a little broke this year, which holds refrence since it kind of threw me off the trail of him doing anything too extravagent! Well I start to open each egg and inside has a note of why he loved me. Well being the charming person I am, I start trying to jump eggs and not follow the number aka shaking one egg that I was apparently not supposed to even be touching yet! James then starts to hand me my eggs…. haha :) Well when I get to the last numbered egg it says something along the lines that, ” I feel whole when I am with you, and lost when I am without you…. There is only one thing to keep me whole for a lifetime and you being apart of my life forever is what is missing….”. He then pulls out the last egg and pops it open, inside is my ring pronged up and he proceeds to ask me to be his wife :) Best day of my life.

What is your ring like?
I am probably one of the most finicky people you will ever meet, when it comes to food, clothing, decor, and especially jewelry!!  James had taken me a few months before to look at rings and I swore up and down all I wanted was a solitare diamond…. thank God I tried rings on, because it was the polar opposite of what I wanted.  We actually did a design your own at fred Myers, since I seemed to not be a 100% pleased with anything they brought out to me, which if you know James he was beyond pleased with everything they brought out!  I did a oval center stone that is risen above the four stones around it.  Poor James did not realize that when I had said I wanted a big diamond I was completely serious, and I can honestly say he had denied me all the other options I had remotely liked, but the moment he saw this one he said, “He knew it was the right one”.  I don’t know if it was gut instincts or the fact that I was yelping I would die without this ring, and nothing could even compare.  Haha so we can just say it was destiny….

How would you describe the way you feel about each other?
James- Sarah is the goofiest person I have ever met, whether it be annoying me beyond my wildest dreams like hiding in the fireplace and scaring me half to death because she is pretending to be an indian, to making me laugh at her “I am sorry” dances. She cooks one heck of a pot of macaroni. Sarah calms me when I am upset, or frustrated. She is one the strongest, hard working people I have ever met, and know that I can always trust her to do everything and anything to make me happy and feel complete. She is the only person I have ever felt this close with. I am thankful for her everyday, because without her I am not whole, and nothing in my life is the same.

Sarah- James had led me to be a more loving, compassionate, open person. He has made my relationship with God stronger, pushing me to be a stronger Christian. He constantly makes me feel like someone special, whether it be through a single text, kiss, hug or even just the way we goof off with each other. I have never loved or thought I could love someone with as much of my heart as I do him. He is the only person that can have me absolutely fuming, while just about crying in tears from laughing so hard at the same time. He is my best friend, the love of my life.

Do you have any special plans for your wedding that you’d like to share?
My dad is a musician and I never in my right mind would ask him to perform at our wedding, but he recently told James and I that his band is going to throw down a few songs for us. We are also excited to just have both of our families together as a whole!