Heading Out...

Wow, over a year since my last blog post, that's just unacceptable! My apologies for not keeping you updated - I've got buckets of weddings, babies, and couples that need to be uploaded here, but all in good time. I have a new favorite photo subject, my beautiful daughter, who has been stealing much of the photographic limelight lately. :)

But on to other, more timely news! As of Summer, 2011, my family and I will be relocating outside of Iowa, so I will no longer be accepting new clients. The photography business will be on hiatus, though I will certainly be returning to my passion once we have settled down a bit.

To all of my clients in the Eastern Iowa area - thank you so much for everything. For those of you who brought me in early on - thank you for your belief in me. And for each and every one of you who invited me to be a part of your life for a day - whether to capture you and your family, or to capture the day you have started a brand new family - thank you for inviting me to help capture your moments. I appreciate the opportunity more than you can imagine, and wish you the best of luck.

Thank you again, and you'll be hearing from me soon!

Ashley and Pat's Wedding

It was a passion I discovered relatively recently, but Wedding Photography is something I just genuinely enjoy. I consider it an honor to be invited to participate with a couple when they're going through one of the most important days of their lives. From the simply elegant to the decadently extravagant, they all have an intrinsic quality that leaves me smiling at the end of the day.

In a day that will bring fond memories for years to come, spending a day with Ashley and Pat this past Spring had me smiling all day long.

From the time I met with Ashley and the bridesmaids in the morning, through the ceremony at the beautiful church, on the party bus at the riverfront, and ending at the reception at the County Fairgrounds, the high level of energy and love coming from this couple was contagious, and I couldn't help but get wrapped up in it.

For mid-day pictures, it was a little cold, but the gentlemen valiantly gave up their coats for the girls, and we took some nice and playful photos down by the Dubuque waterfront, near the Grand River Center. It was a wonderful opportunity to play off of the ideas that everyone was coming up with, and turning it into a fun afternoon.

I'm limited to only 5 pictures for this post, which is a shame since there was a lot of fun I'd like to share. But please feel free to email me if you'd like to see more.

Ashley and Pat, congratulations on your big day! Thank you so much for inviting me to be a part of it.

Amy and John's Engagement Session

There's something about a couple who is willing to go on an adventure that just gives me a sense that we're going to end up having a wonderful time, and get some great pictures. Once Amy, John and I were able to lock down a date for their Engagement Session, Amy let me know her desired locations: Lake MacBride, whatever random road we could find, and whatever baseball diamond we could sneak some access onto.

It turned out I was right! I had a chance to get to know Amy and John a little better, and see what an awesome couple they were. We got to get some beautiful pictures by the lake, and in all the various places we stopped to get pictures of them together. Here's just a sample of our stops that day.

Congratulations to both of you! You two look great together, and even though I can't make it to the Wedding, I know it's going to be an absolute blast!

Tracy and JJ's Wedding

Ah, Spring and love are in the air. And that can only mean one thing... The return of Wedding Season to Eastern Iowa! And I can't think of a better way to start it off than celebrating the marriage of Tracy and JJ in Solon, Iowa.

There was one very nice thing that stood out to me about this wedding. As a Wedding Photographer, I'm often in the background, trying stealthily to capture intimate moments and stolen kisses - but the kindness and love that their family obviously had for each other helped make me feel included as part of the family as well. So my very sincere thanks to you for being so welcoming.

Tracy and JJ had a beautiful wedding, from the outstanding vocalists, to the ceremonial ringing of the bells. The reception with their family and friends was great too, from the freshly catered food to the always entertaining line dancing. It was a very enjoyable day that I was glad to be a part of.

Congratulations Tracy and JJ! I wish you all the best on this next step in your lives.

Matt and Kristin's Couples Session

A few weeks ago, I made a trip out to Northern California to see my Mom graduate from USF (congrats Mom!). After that, I spent a couple days with my friend Matt, and his girlfriend Kristin. Since I hauled all my photography gear out to California with me, I thought it would be fun to spend some time with them and do a couples photography session.

We headed out to Lake Chabot, which is a nice recreational lake near Castro Valley. Perfect weather (about 40 degrees warmer than the weather back home in Cedar Rapids), a nice setting, and a couple that were a bunch of fun made it a great outing.

Thanks for letting me follow you around and take some pictures of you two! It was an awesome day!

Rhaea's Winter Photos

Before too much snow hit the ground in Iowa City, I got a chance to take some family photos of Rhaea, her sons Simon and Ethan, as well as of her boyfriend Matt and his brothers. These guys are always bunches of fun to work with, and in those few moments we were able to step outside without freezing all the way through, they proved that to me again.

Thanks Rhaea! You guys looked great! :)

Jack and Family Fall Pictures

With just enough time before the weather got cold, I had the wonderful opportunity to do Fall Family Photos for Jack, his parents Jenny and Nate, and their newest (you'll remember him from the Jack and Jenny shoot in June), Graham! The fall colors were looking gorgeous at Palisades Kepler State Park, and this family was looking great too!

Thanks to all of you for coming out, and of course, Congratulations on your new addition to the family!