Pacific Northwest, here I come!

Upon hearing that I was going to be in Seattle for a week, a friend of mine asked me "Are you ever really in town?" The answer to that is "not if I can help it". Before wedding season hits hard in May I like to get out there as much as I can! My penchant for travel is well known, and once again I've found a way to combine work and travel at a great workshop in Seattle, called
One Light

I'm gonna learn some kick butt new flash techniques, eat as much salmon and crab as I can stand and hopefully get out for some hiking and scenery pictures. So I'll be out of the studio from Saturday the 21 until Friday the 27th. Look for some cool photos when I get back!

My little brother Brad is getting married!

Well, he's not that little anymore, and he did make a bet with our youngest sister that he wouldn't be the last one to fall, but he is getting married this year on September 15. Here's some pictures with his lovely finance Nikki, from the engagement session I made him do. He wasn't keen on getting pictures taken; "I don't need all that fancy stuff you do, just a damn picture" but he was a good sport about it anyway. There might have been mention of a certain picture of him from our childhood that he didn't want featured on this blog, so perhaps it was somewhat coerced. Two words Brad...pink tu tu.

My kids ROCK

Many of you know that I have two boys, Caleb who is 13, and Joey who is 10. Both great kids, both very different. Caleb, whom is at the bottom of the picture, is impossibly tall at 5'8 and has not to my knowledge broke the 100 lbs mark. Joey, on the right, is a near clone of my late father, and has his mothers propensity for food. A long standing joke in the family is that Joey asked last year if he could have some girl scout cookies. I said sure, but only have a few, your brother will want some. When I went to put alway the box that was just opened one entire sleeve of thin mints was gone. When I scolded him for eating all those cookies, he said "There were two servings! I only ate one!"

Caleb just recently won a full 4 year scholarship to Marquette High School and I could not be prouder of him. He's worked very hard these past few years at school and he's really looking forward to going there. His plans are to go to Marquette High, get a job at either Blockbuster or Ted's Restaurant on 64th and North in Wauwatosa, graduate and go to Marquette University and be to someday be employed by either Microsoft or Nintendo. Cats and small children love him. He's the kind of kid you hope your daughter marries.

Joey has heard through the grapevine that you don't really have to go to college, but I will not confirm or deny that rumor. At any rate, he has said since he was about 6 that he was going to be a film director. For the last year he has been writing screenplays that I am not allowed to see since they are "in production". However he has produced a few shorts that have catapulted him into fame in the 5th grade at St Pius Grade School. They are called "Secret Agent Joey" and I'll post a few here for your enjoyment. Joey is the kind of kid you worry about marrying your daughter but you can't help but love him anyway.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qup0yVl-jM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksFqmL59OoU

Vegas, Baby

I just got back a few weeks ago from the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International Convention in Las Vegas. Oh, how I love me some Vegas. Once a year we gather and this is the time I use to replenish my creative soul before wedding season hits. I look at astounding photographs, allegedy attend seminars, hang out with some of the most amazing photographers on the planet picking their brains over late night dinners and Vodka Red Bulls at the Ghost bar....wait....I mean, in seminars. Lots and lots of seminars, did you hear me Mr. Tax man? And I go to a mind boggling trade show filled with more photography related stuff than you can imagine. I geek out at the Canon booth fondling lenses and whispering to my friends "It's a freaking f 1.2" in hushed tones silently wondering if I can cash in my kids college funds for a lens that costs more than my own wedding did in 1992. I look at really really awful wedding albums and really really cool ones, and all in all start plotting for my season. Mostly, I get really really excited to start shooting some weddings!!

I'd show you some photos, but...well...what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

Aimee and David
March 17, 2007
Kenosha Wisconsin

I didn't have a chance to meet Aimee and David before the wedding, but I knew that David's parents would be coming from Columbia South America and spoke very little English. If I had not known that, I never would have guessed. Even though there was a language barrier, everyone at this wedding hugged and rejoyced like they had known each other forever. Aimee and David exchanged vows in both English and Spanish and David's mother made all of the food for the reception, which was outstanding.

And this wedding wins my "Funniest little kid processional" award EVER in the ten years that I have been shooting weddings. They ran up, they ran down, they dropped flowers, they cried, they laughed and the guests howled with laughter. Check out the slideshow, you'll see what I mean.

Congratulations Aimee and David!

Click here to view a wedding slide show of Aimee and David's wedding

Chef Britta, Private Palate

I haven't done food/product photography since I was a student in photo school. I have always preferred taking pictures of people rather than of "things". But when Britta told me that after I photographed the food for her I was invited to eat it, well....that changed my mind! Britta has started her own personal chef business and needed photos for her new website www.privatepalate.com

The food was awesome. Britta is lovely, and if you are looking for a personal chef for something as simple as a dinner party or a larger catered event, check her out!

Hey look ma, I'm famous. Kinda.

Many of you have seen the cart that is on my website where photos are hosted. Recently the guy who created the cart made some wonderful upgrades that are going on my site soon and he asked for testimonials from clients who use the cart and have been happy about it. And now I am on his website!! (Click on the photo to enlarge it)

I'm super excited about the upgrades, and you should be too! Here's a few options that it will have

Larger thumbnail previews.
The option to view any image in black and white or sepia.
Cropping features....you can crop a photo any way you like and order it that way.
Choose if you'd like matte or glossy finishes, or even canvas or metallic prints.
Want a border on the photo? You can add one and preview what it will look like.
Album options. View online the types of albums offered and order them right off the site.
Create a gift registry.
Order thank you cards or other products offered like frames!


I'm hoping to get the upgrade soon!!!

February Album sale almost over!!

Just a reminder that the album sale on the new coffee table albums runs through the month of February! You don't have to have your pictures chosen by the end of February, you just have to commit to the album. If you didn't get info on the albums and have no idea what I am talking about please contact me!

Have I mentioned how much I love this online resource for wedding information? www.wedpix.com

It has some great articles relating not just to wedding photography, but things to expect on your wedding day. One article I recently read on the latest issue hit home for me, it's called "Wedding Party Roles" Check it out if you can, it's a good read from the wedding photojournalists perspective on how to prep your wedding party for being photographed by a photojournalist. I can't tell you how many times this has happened to me, said perfectly by photojournalist Nate Kaiser

"Kaiser agrees. He has experienced bridesmaids who want to stage situations that were photographed at their own weddings—like requesting he photograph the bride’s head going under the veil, and then insisting that she do it again and again to make sure he gets the right shot."

This is the most awful position to be put in. First, I don't want to offend the bridesmaid by not doing it, and the bride is then in a position to say she doesn't want that shot, thereby implying that the bridesmaids pictures are...well, cheesy.

Food for thought as you slog through the mire of wedding planning!

Happy Groundhog's Day!

It began innocently enough when I was in college at UWSP back in the day. My college roommate Paula and I were trying to come up with a reason why we shouldn't stay home and study. When we realized it was Groundhog's Day, it was as good as any reason to go out. Since that time, we have both always celebrated this very overlooked holiday.


Every year my kids and I celebrate the holiday in a big way. We make groundhog cup cakes, we eat brown food on February 2, and of course we watch the epic movie "Groundhog Day" with Bill Murray. For days before the big day, we take pleasure in asking people "So, what are you doing for the holiday?" and watching the confusion on their faces. I've promised them next year a pilgrimage to Punxsutawney PA to watch the real festivities so we can really celebrate in style.


So here's wishing you a Happy Groundhog's Day, and remember what Bill Murray says to the Groundhog..."Don't drive angry"

Mike and Stephanie
January 20, 2007
Reception at South Shore Pavillion, Bayview Wisconsin.

Mike and Stephanie got married in Hawaii. And they didn't take me!! But they did have a lovely reception at the South Shore Pavillion with all their closest friends and family in attendance. I just love the Pavillion because it has such a rustic charm to it. Stephanie and Mike had it all decked out with fairy lights in the rafters which really made the place glow, and made for some really cool dance shots. Be sure to check out the wedding slideshow at the bottom!

Congratulations Mike and Stephanie!

Click here for Stephanie and Mike's wedding slideshow!

Shelly's Senior Pictures!

The unseasonably warm early January weather was a great opportunity to do outdoor photos. Here's a few from Shelly's senior photo session!

Anne and Brent

December 30, 2006

Wedding and Reception: The Osthoff Resort, Elkhart Lake WI

I started my wedding season at The Osthoff in May, and ended the year at the Osthoff in December!

Anne looked awesome in her gown and her bridesmaids couldn’t stop talking about how great she looked “Just like a movie star or something!” I heard one of them say. And it’s a trend I have noticed over the past year or so, the return to the more simplistic, classically beautiful gowns with clean lines. And thank goodness…all that massive beadwork of 2003 and the huge trains are gone gone gone. I love to see that not everyone has their hair in the SAME bridal up-do anymore. Anne’s hair was a really simple, beautiful upsweep that totally complimented her face. And I told her that if I looked that good in red lipstick, I would wear it every single day!

The Elk room was packed to capacity for the ceremony, and the decorations were just beautiful. The whole wedding, from the ceremony and the reception was really just gorgeous. Check out Anne’s bouquet, it was made from Amaryllis flowers, something I have never seen, but it was great and worked perfectly.

Anne and Brent did an choreographed first dance. I could tell that they really really practiced it, because they both seemed relaxed and it really flowed. I was told later that many a night was spent with the furniture pushed to the walls in their living room as they practiced! It paid off, they looked great and the crowd went wild.

Congratulations Anne and Brent!

Click here to see Anne and Brent's wedding slideshow!

Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar

One of the things I love to do is travel. And well, if I can throw in a seminar in there as a tax benefit, all the better. Add to that my mom and sister live in the ATL and I can borrow my sisters Black Mustang Convertible to drive around in...well, you get the picture.

During the quieter wedding months besides actually getting caught up on things like reading all those photo magazines I subscribe to, I'm always looking for seminars to help replenish the creative muse. And strangely enough, none of them have a thing to do with the big white dress. Though I love shooting weddings, when I want to revive my photo soul, I always turn to hard core photojournalism seminars. I'm especially always moved by War Photographers or journalists who are out in the field risking their lives to make photos. Documentary photographers, who dedicate their lives to telling a life story through photographs.

One of the reasons I wanted to go to this seminar was the work of an amazing photographer Todd Heisler who is with the Rocky Mountain News. I first saw his work a few years ago when I was in Denver, and it blew my mind. When I saw he was going to be at this seminar, it sealed the deal for me. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his work on the series Final Salute. It's a raw, moving piece about the role of a Marine Officer and his role informing military families that their loved one has died. It also chronicals the thoughts and feelings of a young pregnant woman who's husband has been killed overseas and what she goes through. Watching these images and hearing the commentary on them by the photographer reduced the entire room to tears. Take some time to look through this series if you can. It's very powerful.

And, of course, where there are photographers, there will be a little fun, too. Maybe an Appeltini or two, maybe a Newcastle or three, who's counting? We had a great party at the amazing studio of Zach Arias and Marc Climie. Along their cyc wall (the area where they photograph in the studio) they had set up a self portrait station where we could all take pictures of ourselves with a remote system. As you can imagine, the photographs got progressively more embarassing as the night wore on, so I won't bore you with those :) I will share a group photo of some of the most kick ass wedding photographers on the planet, and I am totally not biased. These folks are from all over the country, and I count them as some of my best friends. Brooks Whittington, Karen and Co, La Cour Photography, Almasy Visual Arts, Tim Harmann and yours truly. Notice how the crafty Marc Climie got us all to don his "Climie and Co" T-shirts for the photos. If you can't beat your competition, make them advertise for you when they are drunk :)

Photo courtesy of Marc Climie

Kathryn and Kevin

November 4, 2006

Wedding: Holy Family Parish, Fond du Lac WI

Reception: The Ramada Inn, Fond du Lac, WI

If you are frequent reader of my blog, you might either be my mother, a potential client, or someone who is planning their wedding who has already hired me . That’s not to say that sometimes my former clients read my blog, they do. In general, I keep people on my email list for about 6-8 months after their wedding. At that point, I assume my inane ramblings about other people’s weddings have grown cold.

I had a really fun engagement session with Kathryn and Kevin in Chicago, and I posted here about it. And somehow, people saw it, loved it, and for the last few weeks my 2007 clients have been waiting with baited breath to see Kathryn’s and Kevin’s wedding. And that just amuses me and thrills me. I’ve gotten more emails from people that don’t know them wondering when their slideshow would be online than I have from actual people who KNOW them.

For the record , the wedding was beautiful. Kathryn was radiant. Her big sister was in my estimation the PERFECT big sister, being supportive, saying all the right things, not swearing up a storm like she wanted to when the buttons of Kathryn’s Vera Wang kept popping off while buttoning up the dress, assuring Kathryn that it was all FINE, she looked gorgeous, the dress was gorgeous, everything was perfect as she sweated off all of her make up getting that dress buttoned up in the very very ugly church basement with the yellow walls.

Yellow walls. With florescent lighting. Now, part of my job is to overcome these obstacles. It really is. It’s not YOUR problem as a bride that your church where you are getting dressed for the most important day of your life has the worst ever EVER combination of colors in the world. Yellow walls. That makes people appear yellow in photos. Florescent lights reproduce GREEN in photographic images. Yellow and Green skin tones…wow , pretty. But just like your boss pays you to figure it out, it’s my job to walk into a situation like that and begin to strategize how I am going to overcome it. That’s what you pay me for.

And Kathryn, dear Kathryn, turned to me when we walked down into the basement and said “ If these getting ready shots have to be all have to be in black and white, you know I totally understand”

Which made me work my ass off to get some color shots. Okay, there are like three, but there are there! I love my brides.

Also a thrill for me for this wedding was getting to work again with, in my humble opinion, the best wedding videographer in the Milwaukee area, Joel Peregrine of www.weddingfilms.com I like him so much I am totally pimping him out right here on my blog. He didn’t pay me, not even with beer, and you all know how easy I am after a few beers. He’s not only one of the most talented video guys in the area, he’s so nice you wish you would have married him 5 minutes after you meet him. You can see the teaser video of Kathryn and Kevin’s wedding at www.WeddingFilms.com/kathrynandkevin . He’s one of the vendors that I can truly say to clients, if ”I was getting married tomorrow, this is who I would hire for video”

So for all of you who have been waiting to see “The wedding of the century for the Chicago couple Fond du Lac style” I present to you the wedding slideshow of Kevin and Kathryn….who are truly one of the nicest couples you could meet.

Click here to see a wedding slideshow of Kathryn and Kevin's wedding!

Stephanie and Darwin

October 28, 2006

Ceremony: The Gardens, Nenno Wisconsin

Reception: Mayville Golf Club, Mayville Wisconsin

I get all sorts of weddings. Fancy ones, not so fancy ones, and pretty much everything in between. I’ve shot weddings at the Art Museum, the Hilton, the Union Grove Elks Club and outdoor BBQ’s in mom and pop’s back yard. What I love most about this is that my job is not static. Every wedding has it’s different feeling and if I had to pick three words to describe Stephanie and Darwin’s wedding it would be these three words:

Big. Damn. Fun.

It was, what I like to refer to as a “Big Fat Wisconsin Wedding”. Growing up in the area I think we all just figure weddings are the same everywhere. Ceremony. Cocktail hour. Polkas. Dancing and drinking beer until the wee hours. But no no no….if you travel to other areas of the country, that’s not at all the standard. I have a network of wedding photographer friends from around the country and I am always shocked by their wedding traditions. As they are by mine. They’ve never heard of the chicken dance, the reception ending at midnight and FREE BEER. One friend of mine saw some images of mine with the bouquet toss and didn’t understand why everyone was circling around the bride and groom…he’d never seen that in his area in the Pacific Northwest. I did a wedding down south and the bride and groom there do an “exit” at about 10PM and that’s it. Everyone goes home. I was stunned. I could not for even a minute understand why people were leaving when there was still FREE beer to be had.

So, if I had to pick the perfect “Big Fat Wisconsin Wedding” for 2006 it would be Stephanie and Darwin’s. Why? All of their best friends…all so blissfully happy for them. Friends from childhood, high school, family who loved them and beyond.

I grew up in a farm community very similar to Mayville, and maybe part of my love for this wedding was because of that. I loved seeing the important people in their lives just connecting to them and really being happy for them and their marriage. It was clear over and over that this was a union that made everyone happy.

And even though I left before the reception ended, I’d bet good cash money that Steph and Darwin did not leave early.

That’s just how we roll in Wisconsin.

Click here to see a wedding slideshow of Stephanie and Darwin's wedding

Dave and Kathleen

October 21, 2006

Ceremony: Christ King, Wauwatosa Wisconsin

More pictures at: Charles Allis Art Museum

Reception: The Historic Astor Hotel

So one fine day Dave calls me, maybe about 6-7 weeks before the wedding. He got my name from my good friends the Venturi’s, who have the best darn deli on 72^nd and North Avenue in Wauwatosa.

7 years ago, Pete and Sue Venturi were my neighbors. We had a block party, and Pete and I had waaay too many beers and he told me how he had started this great new deli, but he was having trouble finding good help. And he was short on help for the next day for the Sunday “Ham and Rolls” crowd. I told him that I grew up in food service, knew my way around a deli counter, and I would help. When I actually showed up the next morning at 8:30 AM to help, he almost fell over. That cemented our friendship for life, I think. I worked for the Venturi’s very part time for about 3 years until my wedding schedule grew to the point that dragging myself into serving Ham and Rolls at 8:30 AM after shooting a 12 hour wedding just got to be too much. But if you ever make it there, try the chicken salad and the bow tie pasta, I promise it will make you weep.

So, anyway, Dave calls. He’s sure I’m booked, but Sue told him to call me and maybe I had a referral. I’m not booked. I was booked for that day, but the wedding had to be rescheduled to a different date. And as the story unfolded, I found out this:

Dave and Kathleen live 6 blocks from me.

The Astor, where they wanted their reception had a cancellation.

I had a cancellation.

Dave and Kathleen met at their high school reunion. Dave had worked on the reunion and had intended on going, but had doubts at the last minute about going. He was up north with his parents helping out and was having a nice time and thought maybe he’d just skip it , and his mom convinced him to go.

He went.

The rest, as they say, is history.

I mention all the time that one of my favorite parts of the day is the getting ready. I think it might be a chick thing, but I love observing and recording the ritual of the bride getting ready with her “girls”. The only problem with this was that I loved Kathleen’s bridesmaids so much that I wanted to chat instead of taking pictures. This, for me, is one of my greatest challenges as a wedding photographer. If I am chatting, I am not recording. (But for the record I want to let Carolyn know that I found a Bikrim hot yoga class and she is right, it rocks my world)

And after I shot the wedding I thought to myself I am sure that the reason I identified with Kathleen and her bridesmaids was because they were closer to my age than my average client.

But the next weekend I shot Stephanie’s wedding. And I dare say that I am probably closer in age to Steph’s mom than I am to her. Didn’t matter. I loved being around her and her bridesmaids just as much. In every funny nickname, in every funny moment, I was reminded of my college days.

Just live the day!

Click here to see a wedding slideshow of Kathleen and Dave's wedding!

Jeff and Briena
October 14, 2006
Wedding and reception at the Eisner Museum of Advertising and Design, Third Ward, Milwaukee, WI

If you get married at the Eisner Museum of Advertising and Design you have to be a bit adventurous. It’s an extremely interesting venue here in Milwaukee and the deal is that if you book your wedding here you don’t find out until a few months or so before your wedding what kind of display will be going on. And Briena and Jeff’s luck would have it that there was a display on how animation and cartooning has affected advertising. So mixed in with the beauty of the the architecture of the museum was…BIG BOY! Who doesn’t love Big Boy?

I love to see the original things that my clients come up with for their wedding to personalize them. Jeff and Briena have spent lots of time in Door County and loved spending time near the water skipping stones. So for their wedding, they collected stones from the beaches of Door County , and before the wedding they passed out to the stones to all the guests. The guests were asked to hold the stones during the ceremony and to make a wish, and return them so that Jeff and Briena could return the stones to the beach in Door County with the wishes of all their family and friends. What a lovely, simple gesture to commemorate their relationship and the importance of their friends and family who attended their wedding. Martha Stewart, eat your heart out!

Congratulations Briena and Jeff!

Click here to see a wedding slideshow of Jeff and Briena's wedding!

Why I do this.

Despite how it must look, being a wedding photographer is not always that glamorous. I know, I know, I make it look like it is. But in reality, it is long days. Working Saturdays nearly all summer when everyone else is having fun. Pressure. Being nice all the time. Bridezillas (not that I have EVER had one) And sure, I’ve heard it all. Usually it is from well-meaning guests…

“It must be great to work only one day a week!”
(Ever notice what time my blog entries go out? It ain’t between the hours of 9-5)

“Wow, so you get to have a good meal every Saturday?”

(Yes, and it’s almost always chicken.. For me, it’s fuel, it’s not a night out)

“How much did that camera cost?”

(More than my first car. And I have three of them. You want a real freak out? Ask me how much some of my lenses cost)

“What’s a little girl like you doing with a lens like that?”

(FYI, have you looked at me? I’m not so little. And what kind of a freaking question is that?)

Don’t get me wrong, those of you who have hired me and have worked with me know how much I love my job. When I am shooting, my life is all good. It’s what I love to do. But once I get home it’s a job with deadlines and things to be done, and there are days when I am in editing hell, when I have album designs piling up, sales tax to pay, a bridal fair looming ahead of me, and it’s just like all of you feel when you are at work some days. But at the heart of it, I feel blessed that I have found my calling. Some days it’s harder than others to remember that. I get crabby. I look at all my work and find it all to be crap, I beat myself up for not shooting things at a different setting, why didn’t I frame this differently, what the hell were you thinking, yadda yadda yadda.

And then, I get an email like this:

“And just a note - the photos you took of my flower girl clutching her locket and showing her locket are unbelievable. In the locket are pictures of her mom (my cousin who passed away a few years ago (cancer -

tragic) and her dad. They are going to be especially treasured shots.

Thanks”

And this, my friends, is why I do this. This is why my job is so important to me. To capture a moment like this for a little girl and her family makes it all worth it. I had absolutely no idea why she was showing everyone that locket, but I knew it was important to her. These photos won’t win me any awards or bring me photographic acclaim. But they are at the heart of what I do this.

Thanks for the email, Mary. And thanks to all of you for allowing me the honor to photograph your weddings.

Mary and Phil

October 7, 2006

Wedding: St John the Baptist, Paris Township Wisconsin

Reception: Lynch’s Landing, Burlington Wisconsin

When I first got the call from Mary about her wedding she left me a message about her wedding date. October 7, 2006. Now, everyone has to work on their birthday at some point in their life, it’s a fact of life. But this date happened to be my 40^th, and I had pretty much determined that I was not going to take a wedding for that date. In fact, I probably turned away a good 10 inquiries for that date. But when I called Mary, she said “I’m kind of the anti-bride. I hate being in pictures, but I love good photography. I just want great pictures of my day, of people enjoying themselves and not in stiff poses. I want everyone to party and have fun and I want Phil and I to actually enjoy our wedding day. I’ve seen too many weddings where it seemed like my friends couldn’t even enjoy their day because they were constantly feeling like they HAD to do this and that, and I don’t want that”. And I thought: “This is the bride for me”. I often joke with my clients that if only they could be guests at their own wedding and not the bride and groom, they might get to enjoy it more since it goes by in such a blink after all that planning.

And as far as I could tell, the day went just like that. Everywhere I looked it people were laughing, talking, eating at their leisure at the yummy food stations, dancing and the entire atmosphere was casual elegance. The tent that Mary’s parents had set up on their property was nothing short of amazing, and the decorations and beautiful weather topped everything off. And every time I saw Mary and Phil at the reception, they looked relaxed and happy. Well, except for the one time Mary had to steal a lamb chop off the grill because she had been talking so much she didn’t have a chance to eat.

Congratulations!