Just a Quick Favorite

Just had a minute to post a favorite from today's work. Love the colors and easy-going pose Daniel struck for us.


It's going to be a very busy weekend and week ahead as we do a bit of traveling again and work in some portraits and a wedding. =) Can't wait to share favorites from next week already!

A Whirlwind Tour of Chicago and the Yoopie

Yes, you read that correctly, we were all the way up in Yooper country last weekend to shoot Mathew & Joyanne's wedding in Escanaba, MI. It's way up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, between Lakes Superior and Michigan, where there's not much need for air conditioning and tennis rackets can double as mosquito swatters, or so I hear. In our experience it was beautiful and I didn't even see a mosquito. We may have heard one in the distance, but it could have been a chainsaw.

Anyway, it's good to be back where we can get Dr. Pepper in restaurants again! =) As always, we have a lot to catch up on, but I thought we'd share a few favorites from sessions we did while we were up North. We were able to meet up with several families in Chicago to do portraits, and we're thinking that we need to start offering these kinds of traveling sessions more often! It's a great way for us to visit fun places and get to see old friends while we're helping them update their family portraits. Next stop, Myrtle Beach. Anyone needing portraits out that way? =)

First, a few from Matthew & Joyanne's wedding:


I love these two images from after the ceremony and before the reception. We carved out just enough time to swing by the beach and take advantage of the nice light.



And a few from the family sessions we did in Chicago:



We did this lifestyle session for Sam & Jessica at their home in the Chicago suburbs. We don't often do lifestyle sessions, due to the time and costs involved, but we had such a good time I think we'll start doing more of these. These photos will be particularly meaningful to Sam & Jess because they're moving soon and they really wanted images to capture the fun times they had in this, their first home together. And what a cute home!



A favorite from Angela & Gregg's mini-session at their home in the 'burbs as well. Can you believe this is just outside of Chicago? What an amazing front yard!


Then we had the good fortune of meeting up with Nathan & Rebecca and their very sweet girls. If our girls turn out anything like theirs, I will be thrilled! =)


There were just so many awesome places to do photos, I can't wait to get back up there and take advantage of them again. Seriously, we've done photos this year in N. Carolina, Chicago, Michigan, Texas and soon S. Carolina and Florida; so consider us available to travel to whatever beautiful location you might have in mind! We can be bribed with an extra day or two of vacation, especially if you're thinking Bahamas or Mexico. =)

Okay, time to find that grindstone and plant my nose firmly against it to catch up from the out-of-office time. Thanks for checking in for the latest news and images. And don't forget to leave us a comment... you'll make our day!

Brandi's Trash the Dress Session

Tonight was a first for us... We got to shoot a bride, after the wedding, who wanted to sacrifice her dress for some fun and unique pictures! It's been called "trashing the dress," but we didn't really trash the dress all that much. It was kinda black and dirty in several places, but we didn't purposely wreck it. It's still cleanable and preservable... I think! =)

Thanks for being our first victim, er, subject for a post-wedding bridal session, Brandi! You were a superb model and Devin was (for the most part) a willing accessory-slash-accomplice. Have I mentioned how great you two look together?!

So, my idea was to just blog one or two, but I couldn't narrow down fewer than eight favorites! Hope y'all don't mind a big ol' sneak preview!









We'd love to hear what you think, since this is our first "trash the dress" kinda session!

Now it's off to check the pool before going to bed... Last night we had kids toss all of our pool furniture and garbage cans in. That wasn't very nice and I'd love to catch them red-handed with my 6-cell mag-light in hand. =) Yeah, you can call me Paul Blart... If I had a Segway, I'd totally be riding one right now, just for the stealth of it. =)

Emily's Senior Pictures :: A Sneak Preview

Last night was kick-off for our Fall senior season, beginning with Emily! Seniors are so much fun to photograph and hang with... Each one is so unique and facing a huge, opportunity-filled world ahead of them. It's really an honor to be able to capture who they are at this stage in life.

We have a packed week and August is filling up fast. Seniors, call soon to get on the calendar if you want pictures while you still have your summer tan! =)

Here's one of our favorites from Emily's session last night... just a little sneak preview!


Emily with two of her favorite things... Edmond North football and her cool convertible!

Josh & Lindsey's Wedding :: A Sneak Preview

For what may be the first time ever, we're caught up and able to actually give a sneak preview immediately after a wedding! Let's consider this our new standard for weddings going forward. =)

Saturday, we all expected storms, but it turned out to be the most beautiful, pleasant day! Here are several of our favorites from the day... Hope you enjoy them!

Josh getting ready

Something about the following image really pulls me in... It was just before the ceremony and Lindsey's hands were almost speaking of her eagerness to get the ceremony going! =)


Church ladies everywhere will hate us for this shot! This was not my idea, I promise. And I refrained from blogging the "Pew Surfing" shot they wanted. =)





This shirt cracked me up. First thing at the reception, this guy peels off his dress shirt to reveal this nugget of wisdom and encouragement. =)




After the wedding, Josh & Lindsey were cool enough to let me capture a few outside images with them. The ceremony and reception went really quickly, so they wanted to maximize that time with guests. It worked out just perfectly!







Congratulations, Josh & Lindsey! It was a pleasure and honor to be your wedding photographer! Have a great time in Hawaii... One of these days I'll get out there myself. I think Myrtle Beach, SC, and Playa del Carmen are next on the list. I love the beach!!