JoNa Photography

Warrior Dash

2011-08-02T23:57:00.010-05:00

Shooting at the walls of heartache...Bang, bang!I am the warrior!" suppose I just dated myself with the lyrics of that song ;-)

Pretend the images are in the reverse order.

p.s. I am not related to these people in ANY way!

Okemos Maternity + Family Photographer

2011-07-29T22:28:00.005-05:00

Today I met a lovely family for a portrait session in their home to document their adorable 3 year old son Jack before he becomes a big brother in September.

I also learned a thing or two about candybars and how much confusion there is in trying to translate the U.S. and U.K. versions of things like Mars bars, Milky Ways, etc.

Meet Jack ;-)

Jack's beautiful mother.

Jack loves rockets and astronauts....

..and trying to eat my camera with Sharky.

I love this picture...wish I had one of my family just like it.

Go Green!

I was SO excited when mom wanted to belly paint.

I hope you guys enjoy your sneak peek!

Holt Portrait Photography - Caleb and Oliver

2011-06-16T22:05:00.003-05:00

What a wonderful family I got to know today...and lucky me, they are my neighbors! I can't get over the color block wall in Oliver's room...now, how to bribe his dad to come paint one of our walls!

There was so much cuteness during this session as you will see.

East Lansing Portrait Photgraphy - Little "L"

2011-06-02T21:47:00.004-05:00

We feel so lucky to call little "L"'s parents our good friends. This little girl blessed to have wonderful parents and it shows in her good nature.

I am so glad we made a last minute stop at the MSU Dairy...because I love ice cream...I mean, because I love the pictures we took there!

Hope you guys enjoyed your sneak peek!

The White Family

2011-05-31T11:56:00.004-05:00

There are a lot of things I could say about this family, most of which would come across as me being highly emotional...which is true.

Faith, strength, courage, love, joy....these are the words that come to mind when I think of this family.

The list could go on, and I don't even know them as well as many of their close friends and family.

Oh, and the beautiful children are THE best behaved, kind, polite children I have ever met (and I am including my own son in the mix) and it is no doubt those traits are a reflection of their parents.

The way this family deals with the challenges they face in life remind me daily to live every day to the fullest and appreciate the many blessings I have, especially the people I love.

There are many friends and family wishing this family a happy, long and healthy future together, including me!

Landon - Lansing Newborn Photography

2011-04-22T20:08:00.002-05:00

Such a wonderful, kind, beautiful family that I feel extremely honored to have photographed over the years. Here is their newest addition, Landon, who was just as sweet as can be!

Picking up the camera

2011-02-20T23:18:00.005-05:00

I have been questioning where my photography is heading for a long time now. While my business direction is in limbo, I am disappointed that I have allowed photographs of my own family to diminish to almost nothing lately. Trapped in the house on a snowy day today, I started to remedy the lack of family 'just because' pictures.

My baby is getting so big...

East Lansing Maternity Photography

2011-01-02T23:46:00.003-05:00

I was so excited when this former bride contacted me to tell me she and her husband were expecting a baby girl this spring and asked me if I would do a maternity session with them.

Despite 50 degree temps in January in Michigan yesterday, it was only a balmy 22 degrees in Lansing today so we did most of the session indoors with a few pictures at MSU, where the couple was married two years ago.

This picture makes me smile, because as you will see, this is one beautiful pregnant woman, who if you took a picture straight on, you wouldn't even know she was pregnant.

I am thrilled for this couple and I know little Zoe will be loved to the ends of the earth...hopefully I will get to meet her (hint, hint).

Mason Portrait Photography

2010-10-25T21:22:00.003-05:00

This was a really fun session for me. I met up with Mary and John for a chilly engagement session last winter. I wasn't able to photograph their wedding this summer, but when Mary asked if I would do a session after the wedding of just her and her husband, I was thrilled and accepted!

I hope newlyweds enjoy their sneak peek!

East Lansing Portrait Photography

2010-10-23T23:05:00.002-05:00

It's been two years since I last saw Minnah. I was very excited when her mom called me to see if we could schedule another session while they were visiting Michigan from their home in Chicago. Minnah was even cuter than last time, but while last time she was all smiles, she made me pull out all the stops to get her to crack a smile this time. In her defense, it was really cold AND I am not very funny. Not even the candy corn trick could endear me to her. As I told her mom and dad...she's adorable even when she doesn't smile. See for yourself!

More email issues

2010-10-23T00:34:00.003-05:00

More scrambled emails and failed replies. I am looking into seeing if it is problem on my end, although most of my emails come in and go out normally.

If your name is Lydia or Krista and you recently sent me an email, could you try again. I can't seem to successfully send a response and the phone number, if entered, on the inquiry form is not visible (or was not entered) in the intial inquiry.

My apologies in advance if this is a problem on my end!

East Lansing Portrait Photography

2010-10-20T22:38:00.003-05:00

These girls have grown so much since I saw them last, but still cute as ever. Such a treat to photograph them again! I hope the family enjoys their sneak peek!

Lansing Michigan Family Portrait Photography

2010-10-15T21:28:00.008-05:00

Wait for it..........

That was the theme for today, that, and bargaining (or bribery by some people's standards).

I love this family! I feel extremely honored to have documented this couple's wedding, Ethan's newborn and one year pictures and now some fun family shots in beautiful fall colors we are having this year.

Ethan wasn't really diggin' me so much at the beginning of this session, but I find that patience usually pays off and we did not give up and got some fun images. (Okay, I bribed the child with his first taste of candy corn...but a little candy corn never hurt anyone, right?) Eat your heart out with the cuteness factor of this family...and they are just as beautiful inside as they are outside!

Recent client inquiry

2010-10-02T22:56:00.002-05:00

If your name is Lindsay and you sent me a recent New Client Inquiry, please contact me again with a new email address or other contact information. Several attempts to email you back give me a 'permanent failure' reply.

Lansing Infant Photographer - Luke

2010-10-01T21:57:00.002-05:00

Today I had the pleasure of photographing little Luke. I have been friends with Luke's dad's family for many years so it was fun to meet the newest addition to the family. We tried really hard, for a really long time to get this beautiful 10 day old to sleep for a few minutes but he was more interested in checking out my camera. More than 2 hours later....we got about 5 mintues of posable sleeping.

Congratulations you guys! I hope you enjoy these few!

Playtime with Porter and Hudson

2010-07-29T21:47:00.004-05:00

We had a great time this week meeting up with my friend Nicole and her two boys, Porter and Hudson in Leslie for a McDonald's picnic and playing at the park!

Grand Ledge Portrait Photography

2010-07-13T21:51:00.004-05:00

What a treat to meet these siblings! So well behaved and good natured, it was a treat to play with them and capture some wonderful images. I hope you guys enjoy your sneak peek!

Reid + Jack

2010-06-03T22:53:00.003-05:00

And adorable big sister Grace!

East Lansing Children's Photography - MacKay

2010-05-20T22:37:00.006-05:00

How's this for cuteness?!

Williamston Newborn Photography - Baby "L"

2010-05-17T20:58:00.011-05:00

I wanted to take her home with me.

Legwarmers..for your arms.

2010-03-11T23:06:00.007-05:00

I guess that makes them arm warmers.

Interesting Post

2010-02-22T19:27:00.002-05:00

I get a few emails now and again about starting a photography business. I attempt to answer them the best I can from my own experiences. Thought this blog post was interesting and could relate to many of the mistakes myself. BLOG POST

Mary + John - Lansing Engagement Photographer

2009-12-30T22:23:00.003-05:00

Brrrr......

John and Mary are engaged and contacted me to do a winter engagement session. It's always fun to do something a little different, so I was excited to brave the chill. I think my car thermometer read 23 degrees when I got out, but with the windchill I am sure it was much colder. They were such good sports treking around MSU campus and so were John's two boys.

This is my favorite. I just love it when pictures show such happiness and love.

Go Green!

I was determined to find some trees with color this time of year besides the evergreen trees. See that red? Look hard, its there ;-)

Mary had a brilliant idea and found a indoor location that was warm and had natural light!

I do have a 'nice' one, but I prefer this one...it is a new family favorite!

Congratulations you guys, you have a beautiful family! I hope you enjoy your sneak peek.

2009 Slideshow

2009-12-26T22:41:00.005-05:00

photo credit: www.bobbiandmike.com

Thank you to all of the wonderful portrait and wedding clients I have worked with this year! Wishing you all a wonderful 2010! Click here or the title of the post to see the year end highlights slideshow (hopefully I didn't miss anyone).

Lansing Portrait Photograher - Ethan

2009-12-22T21:24:00.004-05:00

I love this family. Mom was a student in one of my first anatomy classes, then trusted me enough to photograph her wedding day where she married the wonderful man pictured below, and then asked me to photograph their adorable son after he was born. I was so excited to see them again a year later to see how much Ethan had grown. How time flies!

Yes, it should be criminal to be this cute!
I love this piece of art and it was featured in one of Ethan's newborn photos so I thought it would be fun to include it again to show how much he has grown in one year.

Yes, I am THAT funny (okay, maybe mom and dad are that funny)!
I really wanted to get one with good drool....not dripping drool...but I still love it.

We braved the cold and got some cute shots outside but I just love the post-outdoor hat and scarf shot.

Beautiful...both of you ;-)

Thank you very much and see ya!

It was great seeing you guys! I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

Before the next major holiday....

2009-11-22T11:58:00.008-05:00

Here are some photos from Halloween.

My two boys.

Stewie

Stewie's family

My brother and sister-in-law starting the pig-demic

Don't ask.

Same comment as above.

Yep.

Thank goodness for someone normal in my family.

This one is going to Facebook.

Even he knows his family is odd.

A trip to Rowe's Pumpkin Patch with our friends.

Anyone seen this famous mom on a Lansing billboard? (don't kill me Sara)

My son took this picture...not bad little man!

Our pumpkin masterpieces this year!

The Anglin Family

2009-11-14T00:36:00.002-05:00

It was so fun to see a high-school friend and her beautiful family! We had to deal with bright mid-day sun, but I didn't want to complain since it wasn't raining and freezing cold!

This is exactly the kind of family portrait I LOVE!

See if you can stand the cuteness!

Bjorn + Freddie

2009-11-05T22:30:00.005-05:00

The third time is the charm I guess! Every time we scheduled this session, we had to reschedule due to terrible weather. I was thrilled it was not raining today but I was worried because most of the leaves have fallen since we originally booked the session, it was chilly outside, and we only had about an hour of good light (I forgot about daylight savings this week)...but we forged ahead and we got some adorable shots of these handsome brothers! It was so fun to see them both again. Yep, they were even cuter than last time!

Big brother Bjorn

Little brother Freddie (check out those dimples!)

Bjorn was totally into this long grass, I didn't think we would be able to get him out of it.

Those cheeks! Those dimples! Those curls!

What kid doesn't want to be buried in leaves?

Freddie wasn't as crazy about the long grass but since his big brother went in, he had to give it a try too.

This NEVER happens for me!

Jessica + Bart

2009-10-31T22:30:00.003-05:00

She's my sister-in-law, but more like my sister + she's engaged to the nicest guy + it's my blog....so....this will be the longest engagement post ever!

I almost broke my hip and both of my main cameras today and Jessie almost froze to death, but I do love the pictures we got!

Congrats you guys!

The Garrett Family

2009-10-27T21:42:00.008-05:00

Another simply wonderful family I am blessed to have met and been invited to photograph several times over the last year. This little one would smile if I held my camera in front of my face, and would turn off the smile as a put the camera down, camera up...smile, camera down...no smile. I wish I could get my own son to do that!

Cutie number two!

Beautiful family of four with two young children...all smiling, looking and the camera and I didn't miss the shot fiddling with my settings....score!

Yes, I have a thing with balloons and children lately ;-) Credit to mom for getting ones that match the girls outfits! Who knew brown balloons could be so cute!

Look who learned to walk since I saw her just a few months ago? Go Zoe go!

The Weissman Family

2009-10-25T21:38:00.005-05:00

Finally a break from the rain and I am so glad since this wonderful family made the trip over from the east side of the state. I am sure I sound like a broken record but this family has been so wonderful to document over the last several years. Rachel is such a beautiful, smart, curious little girl and it is obvious that her parents adore her. She wasn't in much of a 'smile at' or 'look at' the camera mood today, but really, I'd rather my images capture her just the way she is at this stage in her life and this particular day in her life....and she did sneak in a few smiles.

Somehow there is always one father-daughter image from each session that makes me smile from ear to ear...this one is it this time...leaf on dad's head makes it even better for me!

The Barczak Family

2009-10-22T21:55:00.003-05:00

I hope one of these counts Nicole!

The mini-est mini session in the drizzling rain attempting to get one good family shot.

Jennifer + Brad - The Slideshow

2009-09-30T20:18:00.002-05:00

I hope you enjoy your slideshow Jennifer and Brad! Click here or the title of the post to see the show.

Braeden

2009-09-26T14:02:00.004-05:00

How can you resist this sweetness?

This little angel and his parents made the trip all the way from Chicago to visit. I didn't think we would ever get him asleep but 2.5 hours later it happened and as fast as I could, I got these.

Thanks for making the trip you guys, I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

Canvas Collage

2009-09-20T20:47:00.003-05:00

I just purchased this template and wanted to test it out so I pulled some recent images from a family session. It was a bit more time consuming to create than I thought it would be, but I think it turned out super cute.

My little man

2009-09-19T21:11:00.006-05:00

Show me your muscles!

Work it out Nathan, work it out!

Now with a 'muscle face'

Then I show him how most people flex and suddenly he flexes with a normal face.

Sad that this is his first real photo session with me...bad mom.

St. John's High School Senior Photography - Jordan

2009-09-15T22:50:00.008-05:00

I photographed Jordan and his family several years ago and I was shocked to see how much he had changed in 2 years. Jordan and Will (see post below) are best friends we got some fun images of both guys in Okemos the other day.

St. John's High School Senior Photography - Will

2009-09-15T22:42:00.008-05:00

I had a great time shooting Will's senior photos the other day along with his best friend Jordan. In the short time I spent with them, it was obvious they are both really great guys (sorry ladies, I forgot to ask them if they are single) and I wish them both the best during their senior year!

East Lansing Wedding Photography - Jennifer + Brad

2009-09-13T23:24:00.004-05:00

Jennifer and Brad were married this past weekend at the beautiful Hawk Hollow Chapel and had a fabulous reception at Eagle Eye Golf Course. The weather was lovely and it was a pleasure to celebrate the day with the couple's family and friends. It was fun to see a few familiar faces as well including a few of my previous anatomy students and a wonderful couple whose wedding I photographed several years ago when I was getting my start (Brad was a groomsman in that wedding).

Jewelry in the firepit...check!

LOVE this moment!

Yes, I love this backdoor.

I have nightmares about taking this shot.

What a blessing to have your great grandmother share in your wedding day and then have an image like this. I wish it were my own.

What is everyone cheering about?

Sweet Home Alabama sung by this sweet little guy!

Anyone want to guess what song?

One of many reasons I love shooting at Eagle Eye.

Congratulations Brad and Jennifer! John and I had a wonderful time sharing your day with you. I hope you enjoy your sneak peek and have a wonderful honeymoon in Mexico!

Little did this couple know they hold a special place in the history of my photography business which made this wedding extra special for me (more on that later).

Claire

2009-09-07T18:50:00.003-05:00

Claire is the daughter of a dear friend and it has been so fun to watch her grow and document a few milestones in her first year of life.

Seriously, how can you not give in to this face?

But no child can resist my charm..ha!

Love her expression here.

Kickin' back enjoying the last days of summer. I love everything about this image including the grass on the bottom of her foot.

The Carson Family

2009-09-04T19:11:00.005-05:00

Today I had the pleasure of photographing the Carson family. Despite the mosquitoes and the roaming kitten, which the children found way more entertaining than me, we had beautiful weather to enjoy. Thanks to mom, dad and Crystal's efforts, we got some really fun family images as well as the children alone.

I think this is my favorite sibling shot ever. I might make a big canvas for myself!

Look out MLB, Tony is on his way!

The talented Sabrina.

I love the feel of this image.

Tony is the same age as my son so I tried to impress him with my knowledge of all things "boy".

So sweet.

What? Young siblings holding hands and smiling AND looking at the camera at the same time...SCORE!

Thanks for making the trip Carson family! I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

Catherine + Ben - The Slideshow

2009-09-01T23:38:00.004-05:00

School is back in session and I am more behind than usual. Click on the title of this post or here to see some highlights from Catherine and Ben's wedding.

East Lansing Wedding Photography - Catherine + Ben

2009-08-16T20:29:00.005-05:00

We were honored to document Catherine and Ben's wedding yesterday. The ceremony took place at the MSU Alumi Chapel and the reception was at the MSU Union. The couple met at MSU so their venue choices were a perfect setting to celebrate their special day.

It was HOT yesterday but the bride, groom and entire wedding party were such good sports roaming around MSU campus for some fun candids. Catherine especially kept the spirit of the day in mind as several mishaps took place that would have gotten some brides down. Catherine kept a smile on her face and truly made the best of it.

Catherine and Ben have such a wonderful chemistry as well as an amazing group of family and friends, whose love and support were evident throughout the day.

I have a special place in my heart for Pronovia's wedding gowns, so when I saw this gorgeous one, I knew it would be a good day.

The flowers by Corinne at Sebesta Design were amazing!

The back of the wedding gown was equally as beautiful with the row of buttons.

Mirrors and light, yea!

Stunning!

Ben and Catherine opted for a first look in order to get all of the candids done before their evening ceremony. I like how you can see Ben's face in the reflection of the glass too.

Sunny roof top...bring on the flare...another yea!

The RIDE!

Courtesy of the groomsmen.

Back to the chapel to seal the deal!

And then to the MSU Union for the party!

Loved this cake!

So sad I forgot to sample one of these.

I really like when the wedding party gathers round the first dance.

Heartfelt and very funny toasts by the maid of honor and best man.

The couple's view.

An incredible band, featuring Royce the Voice, kept the dance floor packed from the first song.

A final goodnight. I love this shot.

Congratulations Ben and Catherine! I hope you enjoy your sneak peek and that you have a wonderful honeymoon in Arizona!

DeWitt High School Senior - Sarah

2009-08-12T22:36:00.003-05:00

It was great to see this family again. This time it was for a senior session. I can't believe Sarah is a senior already...mostly because it reminds me how old I am ;-)

The evening was filled with bugs. I think I have about 50 mosquito bites, about 10 of which are on my face. I hope Sarah and her parents didn't get bitten as bad. We saw a huge swarm of ants (I am sure there is a better word than swarm, but that is what it looked like to me), a slug on Sarah's flip flop and two gigantor bees....well, getting buzzzzzzy if you know what I mean. I wouldn't have paid that much attention but they were right where I wanted to stand.

Okay, back to the reason for the post. Sarah is a senior this year at DeWitt High School and she rocked this session. Check out those eyes! Congratulations Sarah on your senior year, I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

I am always happy to attempt photos with animals but they rarely turn out. I consider this one a success.

I love primary colors. Red barn, blue eyes, green sweater...check!

This might be my favorite though.

Also a big fan a golden yummy light. Maybe this is my favorite.

I saw this patch of Queen Ann's Lace when I drove in but I forgot about it until Sarah's mom reminded me. Thanks Kathy! Sarah, please crawl into the muddy, bug infested patch. Fortunately for me, Sarah is a photographer as well and she knew the good spots before I even suggested them and happily obliged.

Summer Vacation

2009-08-12T12:26:00.003-05:00

We had a blast up north with our family from California. The weather was perfect and the kids would have stayed at the lake or the waterpark 24/7 if we would have let them.

My family

2009-07-29T20:40:00.002-05:00

We had so much fun being shot, maybe I should say 'photographed', by the wonderfully fun, amazingly talented, Bobbi + Mike on a recent trip to South Bend, IN.

If you aren't familiar with them, get on the bandwagon and check them out and hire them fast!

Thank you guys so much for sweatin' it out with us to capture such incredible memories of my boys and me!

Lindsey + Dan - The Slideshow

2009-07-27T00:24:00.003-05:00

Congratulations again to Lindsey and Dan on their recent marriage!

Click here or the title of post to see their slideshow!

Featured on Design Aglow!

2009-07-25T20:26:00.004-05:00

I absolutely LOVE the products offered by Design Aglow! I have purchased a few of their products and they are not only lovely, but easy to use. Album design is certain not one of my skills but they offer a few album design options that run as actions in Photoshop and I was pleasantly surprised how easy they made it!

They featured one of my sample flush mount albums and a self-mount mini album in today's blog post. Check it out as well as their cool products!

Special

2009-07-24T20:43:00.003-05:00

Today at dinner, my son pulled from behind his back a small package with a bow on top smiling from ear to ear. "Do you think you want to open it mommy?" he said in the sweetest voice. It the box, was the most beautiful neckace made of plastic beads that he made himself. With tears in my eyes, he promptly told me there was another surprise under the cotton padding...a matching bracelet, made by him as well. I proudly put them on as I will many more times during my life. Best birthday yet....and I'm only 22 ;-)

East Lansing Wedding Photography - Lindsey + Dan

2009-07-18T23:36:00.005-05:00

Lindsey and Dan were married at the charming MSU Alumni Chapel and had a beautiful reception at Eagle Eye Golf Course and Banquet Center. The weather forcast called for rain showers, but aside from a few sprinkles it was cool and cloudy...a photographer's dream! The clouds looked ominous and I knew I had to make use of them in a few pictures.

One of Lindsey's requests was lots of fun pictures of the wedding party around campus. Given the time, those pictures are always some of my favorites as well.

If you get married at the MSU Alumni Chapel, I will take this picture of your shoes. I love the lines, especially with high heels!

Gorgeous!

Okay, I hope the bride and groom don't mind me joking here. I have one large umbrella. It is blue and gold and says University of Michigan on it. Yes, I know I am endangering my own life carrying it around East Lansing, but it does keep people dry if we need it! So I got teased today by some of the members of the wedding party about the umbrella since they are MSU grads. Well, I got to tease them a little bit when none of them knew quite how to get to Sparty. No worries, this U of M grad got us there ;-)

Fun wedding party candids? Follow me to a stinky alley please.

Dramatic clouds call for a bit more dramatic lighting. Some of my favorite bridals ever.

Eagle Eye looked beautiful!

Congratulations Lindsey and Dan! Thank you for sharing your day with us. I hope you enjoy your sneak peek and that you have a relaxing honeymoon in Mexico!

Okemos Children's Photographer - Zoe

2009-07-07T22:09:00.005-05:00

If these pictures don't make you smile, check your pulse.

Little Miss Zoe is 9 months old and I have enjoyed watching her grow since I met her at 3 months. I swore she couldn't possibly get any cuter than the last time I saw her at 6 months, but she proved me wrong. It was so much fun to see Zoe and her family again. I hope you guys enjoy your sneak peek!

Equally as precious is Zoe's big sister Addyson. While the session was primarily to document Zoe at 9 months of age, I tried to sneak in a few pictures of Addyson. Come up and give me hugs...yep! Stand still long enough for me to take a picture of her...not really! But I do enjoy a challenge and I think I got 2 shots of her in focus with a smile on her face...so I posted them both here!

Bye-bye Zoe...see you in a few months!

Lansing Family Photography - The Hoag Family

2009-07-02T23:15:00.006-05:00

I was sure the weather would foil our plans today for a family session with the wonderful Hoag family. Luckily it only started to drizzle after we wrapped-up. I had the pleasure of documenting Karen and Nick's wedding last summer and it was so great to see them again for a more casual session here in Lansing.

The kids were so fun and were up for almost anything and actually suggested some fun ideas themselves.

I still don't think I have recovered from the merry-go-round, but the shots were worth it, you'll have to trust me.

Thanks you guys! I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

This should be a big canvas in their living room!

Yeah, get the dead-bolts on the doors now, the boys will be knocking down her door soon enough.

My favorite portraits of siblings are the ones just like this.

Awesome family!

This is what I imagine most days feel like with three children.

Really?

2009-06-29T13:57:00.003-05:00

If you are going to post something about someone else's photography business that is less than flattering, consider doing it without a "live link" back to that photographer's website. Most people have some sort of web tracking and can see what has been said. Just sayin'. Going to change my channel to a more happy one.....Happy Monday!

Bethany + David - The Slideshow

2009-06-24T22:27:00.003-05:00

Click on the title of this post or HERE to see Bethany and David's slideshow!

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T14:11:00.005-05:00

I am thankful to have the most wonderful father in the world! I love you dad! I am also lucky to have married the most wonderful husband in the world, who is the best father and hero to his son.

East Lansing High School Senior - Ali

2009-06-19T02:44:00.020-05:00

Have I mentioned I love photographing seniors? Ali was so fun and such a trooper. I dragged her all around town until the sun went down and then some.

We started at East Lansing High School where Ali plays lacrosse. When I asked what other hobbies or interests she had, I was told her beautiful dog Boog....the Great Dane. Everyone we passed asked about him, wanted to pet him, etc. He was a really good boy but didn't care much for the feel of the metal bleachers under his feet.

Ali is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. Congratulations on your upcoming senior year Ali! Have a safe trip to Uruguay. I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

Bethany + David

2009-06-07T20:26:00.006-05:00

Summer term of teaching starts tomorrow for me, so in case the slideshow is delayed for this wedding, I am going to make this a longer post.

Bethany and David were married yesterday in Portland and had their reception at Hawk Hollow in Bath. It was a beautiful day (the rain held off until the end of the night), a heartfelt ceremony and a wonderful celebration with so many loving family and friends supporting them.

They opted for a very sweet "first look" which allowed us to do all of the formals and many of the candids before the ceremony. Let me just say, I didn't want my dress to get dirty before the ceremony when I got married even though pictures were very important to me, but Bethany rocked it for the sake of the pictures...a little mud, some weeds, bugs, etc. all before the ceremony. We did keep the dress pretty clean and I hope she agrees, her more relaxed approach to the day made for some fun shots.

David and Bethany both love cars. David has restored his Ford Mustang (I won't embarrass myself by trying to remember the year) and I was excited they wanted to include it in some of the pictures.

Congratulations Bethany and David! We appreciate all of the kindnesses you extended to us. I hope you have a wonderful honeymoon in Boston and that you enjoy your sneak peek!

Bethany is a jeans and tennis shoes girl after my own heart, but these low heels were elegant and I am guessing pretty comfortable.

This dress was 'made' for Bethany.

The ride!

The first look, witnessed by both of their parents (and some curious bystanders peeking out the windows).

Then we took advantage of the sights around Portland.

With the help of some local softball players blocking traffic for us.

I know there is nothing incredibly unique or creative about the posing of the image below, but there is something about it that I just love. It is my favorite of the day.

LOVED the flower Bethany wore in her hair. I hope she doesn't mind me telling that her veil got lost the day of the wedding. Secretely, I was excited because her hair and flower begged to be seen in the pictures.

I learned what a "burn-out" was yesterday!

A little mud, a few bugs and according to my husband, some poison sumac...and a stunning bride...do make for a pretty photo.

I just love the look on Bethany's face and that of her friend in the pew.

Hawk Hollow looked gorgeous decked out in the couple's simple and elegant decor.

Oh, the food! Unique and delicious...bbq ribs, pulled pork, cornbread. Well, if you have cornbread...why not use it for a fun ring shot. YUM!

Bethany and David gave us tons of time for photos.

Lots more of the reception to come.

The first dance.

Wedding Nightmares

2009-06-05T14:54:00.006-05:00

Someone recently asked me if I get nervous before photographing a wedding. Yes, I do! I get nervous before any photography job and almost anything else of any significance in my life ;-) It is just part of my personality but it does help me focus and prepare and double and triple check what needs to be done.

For example, in last night's wedding nightmare, I was at the front of the church as the bridal party and bride were getting ready to come down the aisle and I try to take a test shot with my camera...nothing! The shutter won't depress. I look at the back of my camera...no LCD screen. I had brought my film camera and it didn't have any film in it. I grab my second camera off my shoulder and take one test shot and look at the display and the CF card will only hold 1 image on it....total. And do I have another card on me...no. So I RUN to the back of the church as the flower girl starts down the aisle and a guest SCREAMS at me that I am missing a great shot. I grab the camera my second shooter is holding (Delia, is was you in case you are reading this) and RUN back to the front. By that time I had missed 2 of the bridesmaids. I hold up the camera and realize I don't really know how to use it because it is a Nikon! By that time, the cold sweat woke me up and eventually I fell asleep again.

A blog post really isn't a blog post without a picture. My son who hates it when I take his picture.

The Knot.com Feature

2009-06-05T11:13:00.003-05:00

Last summer we had an incredible time shooting Debra and Zach's wedding in gorgeous Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Knot.com was expanding their list of featured locations and added Wyoming to the mix. I was thrilled that they wanted to feature Debra and Zach's wedding. You can see the images by clicking here. (pardon the non-square-ly composed images being converted to square images)

Happy almost Anniversary you guys!

Sophia

2009-05-16T10:02:00.011-05:00

Expensive photography gear, nice weather, a touch of technical skill and a love of children still don't guarantee a great children's portrait session. As much as I try to make the sessions fun, almost like a play date, most children blow my cover when I pull out my big black camera and continue to point it at them for an hour or so.

It is one of the reasons that retail portrait studios AMAZE me. While most of them are not my personal style for children's portraiture, I cannot fathom having 15 minutes with a child and getting several shots where the child is looking at the camera and smiling! Anyone with a child knows you just can't make a child want to do anything they don't want to do, especially sit still, follow directions and smile all at the same time.

Sometimes luck is on my side.

Kasey + Shane - The Slideshow

2009-05-15T20:59:00.006-05:00

Slideshows + Me = $@$#%@!

I had hoped to get this slideshow posted for Kasey and Shane about a week ago...thank you guys for your patience. I hope you enjoy it!

Click here or the title of this post to view the show.

Rachel

2009-05-14T22:44:00.005-05:00

It has been a great pleasure photographing Rachel since she was born. Her family has been so kind to me and I couldn't wait to see how much she had changed since last year. Not only is she adorable but she is so smart!

I think she was done with my sad attempts to make her laugh about 5 minutes into the session but fortunately, her family knew how to bring out her precious smile, and I managed to capture a few of them.

Happy 2nd Birthday Rachel!

East Lansing Wedding, Kasey and Shane

2009-04-26T22:50:00.005-05:00

Congratulations to Kasey and Shane who were married on Saturday in Williamston and had their reception at Eagle Eye Golf and Banquet Center!

If rain is good luck on a wedding day (and I believe it is since it rained on my wedding day), this couple is the luckiest couple ever! What started out as a bright sunny morning, quickly turned into an overcast day with intermittent thunderstorms and lightning. I did get a little nervous when the lights flickered several times during the day.

We didn't get to do some of the outdoor photos we had hoped to do, but Kasey and Shane still had a wonderful day and didn't let the weather stop their beautiful celebration.

Congratulations Kasey and Shane! Thank you for allowing us to share your day with you!

Easter

2009-04-16T22:10:00.004-05:00

Once upon a time, I had a brilliant idea that I would make my own wedding invitations. They were going to be just what I wanted, but since I couldn't afford to buy them, I was going to design and make them myself.

The idea to try to make these cake pops for Easter was just about as "brilliant". Once I saw they were featured on Martha Stewart, I should have known better.

My handsome little boy after the indoor egg hunt.

Then on to the outdoor egg hunt.

Yes son, we are proud of you and yes, I am going to take a picture of you again.

The indoor Easter basket hunt.

Amazing

2009-04-15T22:43:00.003-05:00

If you haven't seen this clip of Susan Boyle singing yet, you should definitely watch it. It is a good reminder not to judge others. If you do, you might miss out on something truly incredible.

Susan Boyle

Zoe

2009-04-04T00:45:00.002-05:00

It was so fun to see how much adorable Zoe has grown since I last saw her. She is 6 months and just radiates "cuteness".

Do you shoot in the raw?

2009-03-22T21:13:00.006-05:00

A potential client asked me that once and I couldn't help but smile. Thank goodness I don't shoot IN the raw...no one would hire me. But I knew what he meant and yes, usually I do shoot RAW format. I spend WAY too much time editing images anyway, so I try to get it "right" in camera or as close as possible to minimize my editing time. However, there are always images I love that I technically screw up and RAW format gives me the best chance of saving them. Here's what I am talking about.

Um, can you say overexposed? When you blowout the highlights in digital files, you risk having no data there with which to work. With children, I often don't get a chance to chimp (check my LCD to make sure I got what I want) and reshoot if I didn't.

Adobe Camera Raw is where I start with my images. I was able to recover some of the highlights, warm up the image and add some blacks to deepen the image. Not bad, still would have kept it because I like the image, but the hot spots still really bothered me on the right side of her face. Plus the recovery adjustment made the skin look a little flat but adding contrast just made the hot spots hotter.

I am a Photoshop novice so I tried a few things with layers and burning and the healing tool and clone tool, but just couldn't get anything I liked better, so I was going to leave it like this, not thrilled technically, but pretty sure her mom would still like the image.

A few of my normal adjustments in Photoshop, but I also tried a new technique for the highlights I found in an online tutorial and it made me feel a little bit better about presenting it from a technical standpoint.

I thought I would post the link in case it helps anyone else. I actually viewed a few of this guy's tutorials and found them simple and effective enough that I might try them again sometime....and spend even more time in front of the computer ;-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9CdEBlJ1PI

Me lil' Leprechaun!

2009-03-17T22:56:00.002-05:00

We enjoyed the warm weather this evening.

I am not alone.

2009-03-14T14:54:00.003-05:00

I have always had a special place in my heart for the first couple who hired me to photograph their wedding. Well, the bride is now a mommy-to-be and I couldn't be more excited for her and her husband. Elizabeth is a blogger too and after reading her post below, that place in my heart I hold for her grew by leaps and bounds. Her post made me realize...I am normal and I am not alone.

http://yankeebelle.wordpress.com/2009/03/12/i-think-i-walked-into-a-seinfeld-episode/

Rachel

2009-03-13T12:31:00.003-05:00

Rachel is the youngest daughter of my dear friend from gradeschool. She was such a good girl showing me all of her princess dresses, serving me a delicious cup of pretend tea and even braving the freezing cold for a few shots.

This is my favorite from the session. Technically I "blew" it but I couldn't toss it.

Bjorn and Freddie

2009-03-12T00:36:00.003-05:00

It was so much fun to see these two again. Cold, gloomy, windy Michigan weather didn't stop us today thanks to Bjorn's bedroom which had some great window light.

Freddie was very serious about my big black camera pointing at him but I snuck one smile out of him.

Bjorn played a song for me on his quitar...quite well, I might add.

Hey Lady! If you keep pointing that thing at me, I am going to throw this car at you!

Check out those eyelashes! Such a handsome little guy!

Despite my best efforts, I don't think these two are ever going to let me get a nice portrait of the two of them together. This is my favorite kind of picture though. It just makes me smile for some reason.

Bjorn also read me a few books.

Not technically a great shot but I saved it the best I could. I hope you can see why.

A favorite of Bjorn.

And one more of Freddie.

Thanks for having me back guys! Hope you enjoyed your sneak peek!

Chicago

2009-03-10T21:19:00.005-05:00

The boy who was afraid of swimming learned to float, kick, jump and blow bubbles. Thanks to his dad.

We stood in the rain for 30+ minutes outside the aquarium in line to find out the line was just as long inside...and the conveniently placed sign stating the dolphins, penguins, sharks and seals were not available that day.

Thank goodness for the non-fish displays.

The Lego Discovery Center was a big hit.

The prize winning elephant.

and of course the fact that they had Cheetos didn't hurt either.

...and Batman.

So Proud

2009-03-04T22:16:00.002-05:00

...of his first trophy. If I knew how much joy it would have brought him, I would have gone out and bought one myself for him. Dad took him bowling and he was so proud to show this to me.

(the picture is from a cell phone so please pardon the quality)

Kids are funny

2009-02-27T22:58:00.003-05:00

My son was watching some cartoon that was talking about chicks being born and hatching from eggs. He came up to me looking puzzled and wanted me to explain it. I did my best and then added:

Me: Did you know you grew in my belly, not an egg, before you were born?

Son: (Looking puzzled)

Me: Did you know that?

Son: (Looking at my belly, then at my face with a smile) What else ya got in there?

It's gonna be a looooong 40 days!

2009-02-25T14:17:00.003-05:00

Last year my husband and I gave up french fries for Lent. What we believed to be an insurrmountable task was not. If you knew how often we consume and love french fries, you would be really impressed. Strangely, I don't think we lost any weight as a side effect...so we went back to eating them.

So this year, I figured...double or nothing. The one thing I really can't imagine living without is my daily caffeine...but only in pop (soda for any non-Midwesterners) form. I don't drink coffee and tea just doesn't do it for me. I am so addicted that I don't think there has been a single day in the last 15-20 years where I haven't had a diet Coke or Coke...make that 2 or 3 or 4 or more...every day. I have attempted to quit before, for the sake of my poor teeth, because I am living a double standard for what I tell my son, because of the chemicals I pour into my body, etc. I don't think I have made it more than a half day. I get bad headaches, crabby, irritated...so I give in.

Well, I've made it to 2:30 pm on my first day of this effort and so far, so good. The trip to the cafeteria, the hallways lined with vending machines didn't make it easy..but I am going to try...even if I fail, I am going to give it my best.

Hitting the Nail on the Head...HARD

2009-02-19T17:45:00.002-05:00

There are so many things I like about Zach Arias. I had hoped to make it to one of his One Light Workshops, but settled for the next best thing and got the DVD set. I don't know him, but hope to meet him someday. This video is just so perfect and so fitting in so many ways to me. The first part cracks me up, but it is worth it to stick around for the whole video for some honest feelings that I think most photographers probably feel, myself included.

Click here to see the video on his site.

Dani, Carter and Brody

2009-02-14T15:02:00.005-05:00

It was so much fun to see these three again. They have certainly grown since I saw them last. Their mom was hoping for some pictures in snow, but as our luck would have it, the week before the only day we could meet up for a session, all of the snow melted with uncharacteristically warm weather. But of course, the day after the session...it snowed! We made the best with some a small patch of snow in their backyard and some chilly weather.

My favorite Valentine...and his sidekick!

2009-02-14T13:27:00.005-05:00

There are no words to express how much I love my husband. He is the best man, best husband, best friend and best father I could ever dream of. I am so lucky he's mine!

ACPCG

2009-02-07T19:46:00.004-05:00

I think it was at least a year ago or more I applied for membership to the ACPCG as a volunteer photographer. I never heard back and assumed after a couple months of not seeing my name added that maybe my style of photography wasn't a good fit for the organization or they had enough photographers in my area. I forgot about it and was pleasantly surprised to see my name added when I found that someone had found me recently through their website.

Check it out and feel free to pass the link along to anyone know who might benefit from the organization.

http://www.acpcg.com/

A post is not a real post without a picture, so here's my son the night before his much needed haircut.

The Sometimes Most Happiest Place on Earth

2009-01-19T22:35:00.006-05:00

Don't get me started, Disney will be hearing from me.

However, we still had a wonderful vacation and joyfully escaped the snow and cold and enjoyed high 70's and sunshine for a week.

Too tired for chronological order.

Happiness Is

2009-01-11T23:54:00.002-05:00

2008 - The Slideshow

2008-12-29T15:32:00.005-05:00

Thank you to all of the wonderful clients, friend and family who have made this past year a photographically beautiful one!

See you in 2009!

Click here or the title of the post to see the slideshow. And please excuse the typo in the opening title ;-)

My slideshow maker still isn't working well, so the pictures aren't quite in the order I'd like...grrr....maybe I'll fix that in 2009!

p.s. Sorry if I forgot anyone.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T23:28:00.003-05:00

Wishing you all happiness, good health and hope in the coming year!

These are the two versions of our Christmas cards this year thanks to Nicole!

Ethan

2008-12-23T01:04:00.002-05:00

I was so excited to meet little Ethan today. I met Ethan's mom while teaching several years ago. I was honored when she asked me to photograph her wedding day. A few years later...and this little 5 day old cutie officially makes them a family!

I hope you guys enjoy =your sneak peek!

Cathy C?

2008-12-21T23:37:00.002-05:00

If your name is Cathy C. and you recently sent me a wedding inquiry...please email me again! I have attempted to send and resend my response several times this evening with a "permanent failure" message every time I hit "reply". Thank you!

Canvases

2008-12-19T17:33:00.002-05:00

Oh how I love my canvas company! They seriously rock the socks of canvases. No disrespect to local retailers who do them (frankly I think Sams Club 1 hour photo services are great...for photo prints only), but there is no comparison to these beauties when it comes to gallery wrapped canvases! Plus their customer service is second to none.

There were some issues with this image due to the composition and needing to wrap part of the image around the frame, but the CS was so helpful in providing me several options very quickly of some cloning and crop options their graphic design team came up with!

My awesome husband took this image from a wedding this summer. The couple's package included a canvas and I was so excited they chose such a fun image for this special product! I can't wait for them to get it...it's in the mail!

Addyson + Zoe

2008-12-18T01:21:00.004-05:00

It was a pleasure to meet beautiful Addyson and Zoe and their wonderful parents the other day. Since I wasn't able to post the sneak peek the same day (I try, but it doesn't always happen), I posted a few more images than usual. Enjoy!

Big Sister Addyson

Little Sister Zoe

The Big Bash!

2008-12-12T01:03:00.003-05:00

Celebrating our son's 3rd birthday and Auntie Bean's birthday brought both families to Holt for fun, food and the annual "year in review" video put together by my amazing husband.

Here are a few pictures from the day.

Don't Wait...

2008-12-10T00:55:00.003-05:00

...to tell the people you love, that you love them, appreciate them, cherish them. If you wait, it might be too late.

My heart has been so heavy this last week over the sudden and tragic loss of my cousin Tim. There are words to express the sadness I feel for everyone who loved him, especially his family. 48 years old, father of five, loving husband, brother, son, coach, co-worker....a man of faith, love and compassion.

If you believe in prayer, please pray for comfort and peace and strength for Tim's family.

The Knot Michigan - Spring/Summer 2009

2008-12-04T13:38:00.005-05:00

Woohoo! Kate and Derek's fabulous fall wedding from last year is featured in the latest edition of The Knot Michigan, now available on newstands.

Their wedding story and a few more pictures are also featured on The Knot's website.

Click here to check it out!

Happy Birthday Son!

2008-12-04T01:17:00.002-05:00

It's hard to believe 3 years have passed already. He is so big and smart and cute and kind and hyper (I mean, energetic)....and we love him with all our hearts!

Claire

2008-11-30T21:31:00.003-05:00

Remember this cutie? Well, she's all grown up...6 months that is. Hard to believe she has gotten cuter, but she has.

Lisa + Gabe - The Slideshow

2008-11-26T23:43:00.004-05:00

Lisa and Gabe were married Nov. 1st at the Brook Lodge in Augusta, Michigan. You never know what Michigan weather has in store for you, especially in November, but the weather was gorgeous and there were still some fall colors available. Lisa and Gabe opted for their first look to take place before the ceremony in order to give us plenty of time for some candid portraits. I hope they agree, it was well worth it.

There was so much laughter and love that filled the day, not only between Lisa and Gabe, but also among their families and guests. During the ceremony they had a "ring warming" where they passed around their wedding bands to each guest to "warm" them with their love and well wishes before Lisa and Gabe placed the rings on their fingers, which a unique detail I just loved.

This slideshow has been much delayed, so I added a few extra images for Lisa and Gabe. My slideshow program is still acting up so I wasn't able to arrange the pictures quite like I wanted.

Congratulations Lisa and Gabe! Thank you for allowing us to share your special day with you!

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

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Tori + Gary - The Slideshow

2008-11-15T00:38:00.004-05:00

It's been a rough week with everyone sick at our house, including me, and while I try to plug away at editing, my pace is a little slowed. I appreciate everyone's patience as I get their images finished.

Tori and Gary had a beautiful ceremony at the MSU Alumni Chapel and their reception at the MSU Union at the end of October. They had a black and while theme, with a little damask thrown in and a lot of unique and special touches.

Thanks for you patience Tori and Gary, I hope you enjoy the show!

Click here or the title of the post to view the slideshow.

The Bryd Family

2008-11-07T16:10:00.006-05:00

Oh please let the weather stay like this forever (yes, I know it is supposed to snow tonight, but a girl can dream, can't she?)!

It was a pleasure to meet the Bryd family, including their two adorable children. While I am not complaining about the weather, it was bit challenging to find some shade in the midday sun. I think we still got some fun stuff!

I hope you guys enjoy your sneak peek!

Reason #76

2008-11-06T01:56:00.003-05:00

...why taking pictures of another photographer's family can be a good thing.....

You don't have to explain why you want them to hold their baby and child upside down for a picture and then "hold it" until you get a good enough shot ;-)

And one more I really like. I think it might be the only time P smiled at me.

Do you do Boudoir Photography?

2008-11-05T23:16:00.005-05:00

I can barely spell it, but yes, I do do Boudoir photography. But I find my clients typically intend for the images to be for one set of eyes only...and those eyes are not yours ;-) so I don't usually post the images on the blog.

However, I have had several recent inquiries and with the permission of this client, here are a few images suitable for the blog. I guess if pictures of bellybuttons and legs offend you...please do not scroll down. Most of the images presented to the client include her face, but out of respect for the privacy of this client, here are some "anonymous" ones.

Us

2008-11-04T01:16:00.003-05:00

There is a reason I get behind the camera...so I don't have to be in front of it! I HATE having my picture taken. It is sad how few pictures we have with me in them. Right now, it makes me happy, but down the road, I know it might make me a little sad. I keep telling myself, I will get some pictures when I lose some weight. Well, the wait for the weight may never come, so I am glad I caved and have a few memories of me and my family, the way we are now.

Thank you Nicole for these cherished memories. For someone who values photographs of others so much, I am glad I stopped being a hypocrit.

The Barczak Family

2008-11-02T21:28:00.005-05:00

Two photographers, their husbands and children, rain and a chilly wind...perfect day for a couple family sessions, right? HA!

Nicole is a fabulous photographer, so I was very nervous when she asked me to snap a few shots of her family.

I hope you guys enjoy your sneak peek!

Lisa + Gabe

2008-11-02T10:26:00.006-05:00

Genuine. It's the best word I can think of to describe Lisa and Gabe, their love, their families, their wedding celebration. Who knew Nov. 1st in Michigan would offer just lovely weather for their celebration at Brook Lodge in Augusta, MI? It was my first time to this venue and the grounds were just incredible.

Lisa and Gabe opted to see each other before the ceremony for a very touching "first look" and worked in time to their day to do some candid portraits which I love!

I hope you both have a wonderful honeymoon! Thank you for allowing Delia and me to share your day with you.