She's mine...all mine!

And I love her! Wyoming and every place until then...she's coming with me!

Kate + Derek

We are truly blessed to be able to work with such wonderful people. Kate and Derek are two of the warmest, laid-back, genuine people I have met. Wind, rain, cold...no problem. These two just enjoyed their wedding day to the fullest.

Note to self: blow dust off keyboard before attempting this shot again.

This is exactly what I wanted for my bridal bouquet. It's nice to see that is can be done. I LOVED it!

This is my favorite shot! I loved Kate's dress too!


They decided to see each other before the ceremony...how fun!


We did a few shots after even though it was getting quite dark.

This is my favorite too!

A few at the reception.




Congratulations you guys! I hope you enjoy just a few sneak peeks before you leave for Mexico! Have a wonderful time.

Monkey Boy

Because 1 day isn't enough time to enjoy a Halloween costume.

Sabrina + Tony - The Slideshow

Isn't three supposed to be the charm? This was my third session the other weekend with two wonderful children...and my "charm" escaped me. Well, I thought I had a little charm with kids. Sabrina and Tony's mom warned me they weren't the "look at the camera" type children....I thought I would surprise her by turning on my supposed charm. As they say (correctly, I might add)...mothers know best! She was right...I surrendered. I still think we got some fun images of the kids.

Click on the post title to view the show!

The Schuetz Family - The Slideshow

Click on the title of the post to see the show!

Edit: My sincere apologies to the Schuetz family whose name I spelled incorrectly in the original post of the slideshow! It is still incorrect in the slideshow since I can't correct it without making a new one, but at least it is changed here. Sorry Schuetz family!

The Teachout Family - The Slideshow

Click on the post title to see the show!

Diet coke, check! Blogging, check!

So, maybe I am addicted to more than Diet Coke now!

I still don't know where I will fall on this blogging thing, maybe just not as frequent (winter always slows things down a little on its own anyway) and not as much commentary.

I have two slideshows from the recent family sessions and well, it would be a shame not to share them, right?

Photography Phunk

Photography Phunk = Blog Break

Just in case I am not just blogging to myself and there really are a few blog lurkers out there.....

I will be taking a break from blogging for a while (could be days, could be weeks or months). I hope if you do visit my blog that you will check back or add me to your Google Reader list so you can visit me again when I return. Thank you for those of you who have kept my blogging spirits up by leaving comments in the past. Blogging takes a reasonable amount of my time that I am going to try and shift some of that time to my wonderful son, husband and the rest of my family.

Current clients can rest assured that they will receive the same service from me with or without the blog posts.

Much love! Jen

The Scheutz Family

Here's the second wonderful family from this weekend. I knew I was in trouble with the littlest one the minute I met her. Must be the red hair like my son! But just like my son, I knew if I was patient, I could sneak a few smiles out of her. This first picture was the first of the session. Note the youngest's expression ;-)



And one of the last from the session. See, patience and persistence pays off in photography!

Carter

I met several wonderful families this weekend. Carter and his mom and dad were the first session. Here are my favorites of everyone together.

Sarah - The Slideshow

I probably won't be able to check email this weekend, so please be patient with me to get back to you early next week if you have contacted me.

Click on the title of this post to see a slideshow of Sarah's senior session. Enjoy!

Erin + Nick - The Slideshow

Well, you've already seen many of my favorites from this session but this slideshow includes a few more....enjoy! Click on the post title to view the show.

Sarah

The other night I met up with Sarah and her mom for a senior session in downtown Lansing. I work downtown, so I kind of forget what a pain it is to navigate around the construction and detours that are on almost every street. They were determined to find me amidst the chaos though and I think we got some really fun stuff.

Here's your sneak peek Sarah...thanks for being open to all of my crazy ideas. I hope you enjoy them!

Yep, she's gorgeous!

And she has legs that go on for miles....I am SO jealous!


I love the lines in this shot.


Posing in front of a scrap yard...check!

Say Thanks!

This is not a political post about my views on the war. However, my friend Nicole (see post below) passed this along to me and I think is a wonderful idea to let the men and women, who serve our country and leave their families and friends to do so, know we appreciate them and have not forgotten them.

You don't have to give any personal information to send a card to them through this link, it is quick and easy to let them know you care.

Send a thank you!

Erin + Nick

Today was a fun (hot and humid) day with Erin and Nick roaming around my hometown of Jackson, Michigan. I have never shot there, so it was fun to try some different locations and it was a half-way meeting point for everyone so it worked out perfectly.

The park where I wanted to start the session had a big Fall Festival today so we jumped in my car and headed downtown first. I am not sure what Erin and Nick thought of roaming back alleys, climbing run-down fire escapes and climbing over garbage dumpsters, but I think they made for some really cool shots. I hope they agree. Then we headed back to the park for a few shots that well.... parents might be willing to frame as an engagement picture of their children.

I am going to be without my editing computer for a couple days and I am adding several sessions to edit to my "pile" this week. I may not get around to a slideshow for Erin and Nick, so I hope they will enjoy a post with more pictures than usual for a sneak peek post.



A friend, Nicole, whom I have met through the world of photography does a lot of her sessions downtown Jackson. I meant to email her and ask her where the 'star wall' was that she has in some of her photos, but I forgot. So today, as we were in the alley in the above shot, I see another photographer doing a portrait session. I think to myself..that must be her (even though I couldn't see her face). Since we have never met in person, I restrained from interrupting her session and we went on to the next alley. As we are walking back to my car, I see the 'star wall' and also see the same photographer now shooting in front of the wall. I couldn't help it.. "Are you the famous Nicole?" She turned and I think thought I was a lunatic. I formally introduced myself and we had a good laugh over such a random meeting. If you look closely, you can see her in the alley across the street in the picture above ;-)

Here's the 'star wall'.

Deck Mommy Deck!

Like clockwork, we round the corner into our subdivision and this is what I hear from the backseat every day.

My dad can do ANYTHING! Seriously, I am not sure that there is any project he couldn't tackle..and perfect...if you asked him. No plumbing experience...no problem, he ran copper plumbing through our basement so we didn't have to pay sewage on the water we use to water our lawn. This past Easter, we received a card from my parents with a gift certificate inside for a "deck". We have been in our house for over 3 years and our back sliding glass door still dropped off into the great abyss of our backyard, so we have been itching for a deck. I assumed that meant he was going to hire someone to build it...but no, he was going to do it himself in the dead of summer. Not only is the deck awesome, but having him up here working on it a couple days a week for the past several weeks has brought our son much joy. I think he thinks Pappa lives with us!

So, I still have to take some shots of the deck itself, but here's a few of our son's tent on the deck the other night with dad, reading books, watching the sun go down and peeking out the top of the tent to see all the neighbors pass by on the street.

And those streaks and spots...not on my lens or sensor...the shots are taken through my incredibly spotted and streaky, fingerprinted sliding glass door.

Thanks for the deck Dad! We love you!

Evan - The Slideshow

Click on the title of the post to see more of my session with Evan and his parents.

Isabel - The Slideshow

Here's a short but sweet slideshow of little Isabel. Click on the post title to see the show.