Edward John Photography » Lifestyle Portrait

Kate and Joe Engagements – Oxford Michigan

admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 01:14:03 +0000

Meet Kate and Joe. They met in Australia and have been together for 8 years now. In two days they are getting married.

Several months ago I received an email from Kate because she was planning a wedding in Lake Orion/Oxford entirely from New Zealand. We never spoke in person but the tone of their email was enough for me to know that I wanted to be a part of their wedding day. The engagement session today was a combination of an engagement shoot, a location scout for their wedding pictures, and a visit to the church for their rehearsal. Most of the pictures I took today were conceptual shots, but I had to share this photo with you. It’s a shot that I’ve been seeing for years. I’ve driven down this road many times, and almost every time I have visualized this photo. Thanks Kate and Joe for helping this photo become a reality. I enjoyed meeting your family today and I’m looking forward to your wedding on Saturday.

I can’t resist, here’s another shot from today’s shoot.

Hey Baby! I love you

admin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 00:52:59 +0000

Meet my brother and his wife. Together they make a great pair and we had a lot of fun photographing the belly last weekend. We captured some great photos of their entire family that were intimate and sweet, and then we had some fun. These were my favorites from the session because they show my brother’s humor and personality well.

My Brother and his Bride

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 01:40:35 +0000

My brother and his bride moved away to Los Angeles years ago to be closer to the action. He’s a movie director and screen writer like many people out there and it’s the place to be if you want to do that sort of thing for a living. Since they live so far away we don’t get to see them very often, and this Easter season we were fortunate enough for them to come home and spend some time with us. Our kids have been making lots of noise together around the house and it’s been wonderful. We spent time together as two family’s at the movie theater watching “How to Train your dragon” and it was really great to look over and see my brother’s face a few seats away. Having them around and talking with them really makes me wish they were around more often. I’m soaking it all in while they’re here and capturing them with my camera as much as possible. On Easter Sunday we had a lot of family over and it was a great opportunity for some candid photo opportunities. These are two of my favorites of my brother and his bride from that day. I miss these guys and thankful to have them in our lives.

Driving into the sunrise

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 03:43:12 +0000

This morning I drove into the sunrise. Ok, not really driving into the sunrise, but I was driving East and the sunrise was so beautiful the whole way. So many times I wanted to stop and pull out the camera for that awesome shot, but I was already cutting it close on time and I couldn’t sacrifice the stop. Instead I used the time to study how the light fell on things, and I learned a lot. You should have seen (and I wish I could show you) how amazing the barn and the grain towers looked silhouetted with the gorgeous orange sky behind it. You should have seen how the orange light hit a red barn warming up the color of the red so beautifully. You should have seen how the empty road looked ahead of me with the sun peaking in the distance. The images are still in my visual memory bank and I will use them later. I have been storing these images in my head all my life and this camera thing helps me to show you what I have been seeing. If you ever have the opportunity to be on the other side of my lens you will know that moment when I see one of those visual memories. I can’t control it, it’s kind of a natural surprised smiling reaction and look on my face that says “I just saw an amazing shot and we need to get it on camera for the world to see.”

The photo below was one of those moments taken a week ago. I saw this shot in my head and I had to put it into the camera. I was driving with my buddy Duane and I looked at him and said “we have to turn around, I just saw a shot.” I visualized a couple looking lovingly at each other, or a two people love birds walking and talking to each other. The only person I had with me was Duane, and he was gracious enough to act as my model for this impromptu proof of concept.

Top 10 finalist on Bliss Wedding Photo Contest

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:43:43 +0000

This is the part of the blog where I ask for your help. Out of 400 submissions my photo from Ken and Melissa’s wedding from last year has been chosen to be in the top 10 home grown Michigan weddings.

If you don’t mind, I would really appreciate your vote over at the Bliss Blog

Please vote for # 10

http://www.yourblissblog.com/archives/1824

Special thanks to Amanda and the Bliss team for putting on this contest. You rock!

“Today I take you as my husband” Imaging USA Nashville

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:06:15 +0000

“Today I take you as my husband” I heard those words this week here in Nashville at the Imaging USA conference and it made me smile. It made me grin in a way that ony a wedding photographer would. When hearing those words I know where I would be standing if I was at that wedding. I know that tears may be coming down my eyes as I listen to the words and press the shutter release button on my camera. This is why I love photographing weddings.

I had an amazing time at the conference learning from other Wedding photographers the likes of Dane Sanders, Joe Buissink, Denis Reggie, Jose Villa, and Jerry Ghionis. They taught me so much in just a short time. My wife said I was like a kid in a candy store, and bless her heart for coming here with me and taking in this world of wedding photography with me. She really learned a lot too, and it was wonderful to have her by my side during the sessions and the expo.

I got the opportunity to meet Dane Sanders and thank him for changing the way I think about the wedding photography business. He was a genuine person to speak with and he got a kick out of the fact that I call Julie my bride.

The Opryland hotel was an amazing place, and I only brought my backup camera to capture some of the coolness of this place. Here’s a photo of my bride and in one of the atriums.

The Opryland hotel was an amazing place, and I only brought my backup camera to capture some of the coolness of this place. Here’s a photo of my bride and I in one of the atriums.

Nashville Here We Come!

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 01:32:04 +0000

My bride and I are headed to Nashville Tennessee for some together time, some photography education, and a whole lotta fun. As a member of the Professional Photography Association PPA , I have the opportunity to attend the Imaging USA conference which helps educate photographers and gives us a place to meet other photography professionals. I’m looking forward to being in an environment filled with other people following my same passion for photography. I’m looking forward to meeting some of the authors who’s photography books I’ve digested. I’m looking forward to spending time with my wife and introducing her to the people and this industry. We’ll even get to have dinner with last year’s bride and groom Tom and Jessica to see how their lives have changed since the wedding and their big move to Nashville.

As a photographer I feel compelled to have a photo in every post, so here’s one I captured last year while I visited the Opryland Hotel.

The Smith Family – Detroit Lifestyle Family Photography

admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:38:34 +0000

I’ve always wanted to photograph a family on the People Mover in downtown Detroit, and the Smith family gave me just that opportunity. They wanted something unique and the first thing that came to mind was the people mover and the city of Detroit. Meet me on the platform of the Greektown station at 2pm and we’ll rock the city of Detroit. They did just that and we had a great time exploring the city together. I think we went around the city about 3 times in total.

We ended the shoot at the wonderful Pizza Papalis and had a nice deep dish pizza. If you ever go to Greektown in Detroit, and you have 45 minutes for it to bake, then I highly recommend this Chicago style awesomeness.

Tom and Jessica Wedding – Waldenwoods Resort

admin — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 01:41:38 +0000

If two people were ever meant for each other, it would be Jessica and Tom. When you pulled up Jessica’s name on Tom’s iPhone, it had his last name added to hers before they were even engaged. “When will you two get married?” is a question they heard often. Once they were engaged, it only took a few months for them to plan a wedding and celebrate the most wonderful day of their lives together. They were married in at the beautiful Waldenwoods resort in Hartland Michigan on a beautiful drizzly day. Originally planned for an outdoor ceremony, the interior was transformed into a beautiful wedding location.

Oh yes, that’s a donut cake.

You can see the rain in this next shot. Tom and Jessica weren’t going to let rain disrupt their perfect day.

Relatives and friends can view the entire wedding photos here.

Baby Nitz – Rochester Michigan photography

admin — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:14:35 +0000

When I arrived at the Nitz home for the 1 year old baby shoot, I was greeted with a parade of dinosaurs.

We explored the back yard a bit enjoying the swing, the leaves, and the great out doors.

I believe that every 1 year old should have the opportunity to sit in front of a cake and have free reign with it.

The cake didn’t stand a chance.