Written by Trevor Jolley

Drawn onto the arms of Jessica and Adam Moore is a dark anchor tattoo, keeping them together no matter what. The tattoo is a result of the couple’s appreciation of tattoos, meaning much more than what is on the skin. It is not only a symbol of love, but of commitment and dedication to their relationship and their family; a reminder of what is truly important when hard times may come. They are each other’s home plate and with each other, they are safe. 

“We are each other’s anchor, you know? It means multiple things,” Adam Moore said. “We keep each other tied down, we keep each other stable.”

Adam and Jessica met on an online dating service in 2009. Adam messaged Jessica after coming across her profile and the two made plans for a first date.

“I went to his house and we just watched a movie,” Jessica Moore said. “I didn’t get off work until two hours after I was supposed to, and I felt really bad because he had to be up for work in [like] six hours.”

After a late albeit successful movie night, the pair knew they wanted to see each other again. Being around Halloween, the pair decided to get in the holiday spirit, so they made a visit to see Jessica’s father at Ruby Falls’ Haunted Cavern, an annual Chattanooga Halloween favorite that converts the beautiful Ruby Falls cave into a spooky haunted tour. 

“After that, I remember he took the drive to me. Then I took him with me and brought him to go meet my dad. We met on the side of the mountain, and it was good,” Jessica Moore said. “You know, it’s your dad. You always want to make a good first impression.” 

Between dates, matching tattoos, countless late nights and early mornings, the couple decided to tie the knot less than a year later. A combination of neither liking big weddings, both being spontaneous and having constricting and consistently changing schedules, the two planned their impromptu wedding at the Walnut Street Bridge. 

“I’m not a fancy wedding person,” Jessica Moore said. “I don’t do big weddings. I’ll go to them, I think they’re great [to attend], I just don’t want to pay for it, and go through all that hassle. It just seems like a lot of stress.”

Adam, however, was a fan of the convenience. So, he picked August 11, 2010 for the impromptu ceremony.

“It was a Saturday, and everybody was off, which was more convenient,” Adam Moore said. “It all just came together kind of quickly, and there’s really no reason for it to be [big]. We just picked that day because everyone was off and we were able to get the judge.”

Among 99 other couples, the Moores were chosen to participate in Sunny 92.3’s third annual Love on the Diamond event on Feb. 17, 2024. Participants in the event took to the “diamond” at AT&T Stadium, home of the Chattanooga Lookouts baseball team, as they were invited to say or renew their vows altogether. 

After 14 years as a couple, Adam Moore heard about the event while listening to the radio on Sunny 92.3 and knew he wanted to participate. After winning the radio giveaway, Adam instantly told Jessica to clear her calendar. Taking to AT&T Field, they celebrated their love by getting married again.

While they got married on a hot, sunny day in August, the Moores admitted their relationship has not always been so sunny. Although all relationships face adversity, their challenges became much harder when Adam Moore’s health became affected late in 2019. 

On the night of February 1st, 2020, Adam Moore suffered a seizure while watching a movie at home with Jessica.

“I’m not even sure what happened,” Jessica Moore teared up. “We were just watching a movie, and [Adam] started having a seizure.” 

The issue took Adam to the hospital and general doctor, who ran numerous tests trying to see what caused the seizure. However, after countless tests and scans, the doctors still could not find the cause of the it.

“I go to the hospital. They can’t figure anything out. I spend four days in the hospital. They basically don’t figure anything out,” Adam Moore said. “I come home, take the medicine. You’re fine. Basically, you can be on medicine for ever. I go to work…a month later, have another one. Go back to the doctor, another CAT scan, MRI, no news.”

While still having seizures occasionally, the Moores have learned to cope and lean on their faith.

Relying on each other when things get scary or go awry, they look at their arm, reminded of their tattoo, always keeping them anchored safely to home.

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Flash Forward

Written by Bethany Cothran

After wanting to do work with the Chattanooga radio station, Sunny 92.3, for two years, Chris Shaw, owner of Final Flash Productions, got the chance to be photographer for the station’s Love on the Diamond event.

“They have a lot of reach. They are a business that is involved with the community. They are seen by a lot of people,” Shaw said. “…I’m trying to get my feet wet in as many different business industries as I possibly can and just create that name and reputation.”

Beyond the baseball field, Shaw operates by his shelf of action figures and tripods where he transformed the den of his home in Ringgold, Ga. to an office and photo studio.

From the time he was 12-years-old, Shaw found photography to be a recurring part of his life. After graduating from UTC in 2017 and trying out video upon graduation, he still came back to photography. By 2021, Final Flash Productions began.

“The universe just kind of started putting photographs in my face,” Shaw said. ‘“And I just got kind of interested and thought, ‘well if I can do that, why not?’”

Drawn to the power of storytelling, he explores photography through landscapes and features, but primarily focuses on portrait and product photography.

“My favorite thing is seeing the looks on clients’ faces when we’re all set,” Shaw said. “And I am able to use my eye to take a snapshot or direct my videographer to a specific angle or specific shot that highlights a story and seeing their eyes light up.’”

Away from the studio, Shaw works at Volkswagen while scheduling photo sessions, marketing his business and telling stories for Final Flash Productions.

“I’m not against anyone who has a day job because we need that. I have that job, but at the same time, I don’t like the idea of someone telling me how much I can make because at that point, you dictate how to live my life,” Shaw said. “You dictate what I can do about it, and that’s a level of control that just doesn’t sit right with me. So being able to create something like that is very rewarding from a personal standpoint.”

When creating his business, Shaw took his childhood nickname and a signature move from one of his favorite shows, Dragon Ball Z, to create the name Final Flash Productions. 

“I’m big on branding and well, it’s gotta say something,” Shaw said. ‘“For me, it can’t just be ‘Chris Shaw Photography,’ there’s no ring to that.”’

As the business grows, Shaw also reasoned that he wants its name to be capable of reflecting more than one person’s work. 

In an effort to advance the company’s reach, Shaw continuously works on building his relationship between businesses in and around Chattanooga.

“I want to work with brands all around the world,” Shaw said. “I’m blessed to say that I’ve worked with people in other states. We just finished a project with a company out of Houston, which was major to start the year out with.”

From business headshots to baseball field weddings, Shaw keeps his camera in hand and his action figures lining the studio shelves, remembering his mission to tell stories and make connections.

“Some people are timid. They don’t like to be in front of the camera so when you’re able to take a great photo of them, they’re like ‘I don’t even like pictures, but I love that,”’ Shaw said. “That makes you feel good.”

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