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Category Archives: Lifestyle Portrait

Kate and Joe Engagements – Oxford Michigan

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.
Upland Hills Engagement

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

Upland Hills Engagement

Hey Baby! I love you

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.

Hey Baby, I love you

Hey Baby, I love you

Hey Baby, I love you

My Brother and his Bride

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.

My brother and his bride

Driving into the sunrise

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.

Things that caught my eye today

Top 10 finalist on Bliss Wedding Photo Contest

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

Bliss Photo Contest Finalist

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