Well it’s now been over two months since I got to take pictures of Rachel and Dylan. I was lucky enough to do senior photos for miss Rachel… goodness! I think it’s been three years ago now! So I was super excited when Rachel messaged to ask me about doing some pictures of her and her brother as a surprise for her mom for her parents’ wedding anniversary! (How sweet is that?)
So I met Rachel, Dylan, and their dad in Charleston at Saint Charles Borromeo Church, where Rachel and Dylan’s mom and dad got married. It was such a gorgeous day outside I couldn’t pass up getting some photos outside the church. Once we’d had our fun there – we headed to Eastern where mom and dad attended college. We had fun running around campus scooping out fun and personal spots we could take some photograph Rachel and Dylan.
Well here you have it – Rachel and Dylan’s session! 
Well I hope you enjoyed today’s sneak peek and that you’re having a fantastic wednesday! I’ll see you back here on Friday!
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This past Saturday was a wonderful day! For the first time in a very long while Ryan and I attended a wedding. That’s right – we attended one and it was such a blast! I’ll be honest it was hard to keep my camera in it’s bag. Ryan actually refused to let me take it into the church during the ceremony (haha) and the whole time I couldn’t help but think of all the great shots I was missing.
It’s an interesting experience to attend a wedding as a photographer. To see how someone else works and either learn some new things or solidify some of your own beliefs. I know one of my very strong beliefs is that during the service a photographer shouldn’t be seen or heard. Their job is to silently capture the event without drawing attention away from the ceremony. When Ryan and I work a wedding I usually find a seat near the aisle, towards the front. I try to stay in my spot and avoid ducking out into the aisle. Ryan is usually stationed somewhere in the back with our telephoto zoom lens. That way he can stay in the back and isn’t running around causing a distraction either.
The other thing I find incredibly important is communication. I always keep in touch with my bride before the wedding to be sure of what the plan is so that both of us are less stressed on the big day. One of the most important things about talking to the bride is figuring out the timeline for the day. Wedding days are already long so if I can keep pictures quick and painless and get them over with quickly (especially for little guys and gals) I will. I also find it crucial to talk with the videographer, minister, and dj to make sure we are all on the same page. Things always go more smoothly if everyone knows where everyone else is coming from and what the plan is. It causes less problems, less frustration and less stress. So it makes for a more fun and well planned evening.
A perk to not working this wedding was being able to wear a dress and heels. When I work a wedding, I always wear dress slacks and comfortable shoes. I may be laying on the ground or up somewhere high and I’m on my feet for 12 hours… so dresses and heels really aren’t an option for me when I’m working. So this Saturday I wore a dress and heels for the first time since probably my wedding day (4 years ago).
So here’s your chance… Me and Ryan dressed all pretty… and me in a dress and heels. Savor this moment – who knows how long it will be before I dress like this again 
I hope you all are having a wonderful Monday!!!
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May 5th was a super fun and busy day! The Greater Decatur Duck Derby was a day full of fun and all kinds of entertainment and prizes. Kids of all ages made their way out to the Children’s Museum of Illinois to partake in food, activities, and best of all the derby of rubber ducks. Kids could play games like Toss the Duck, the Duck Walk, Face Painting, and tons more. There was even a booth from the Land of Lincoln Credit Union where the kids could catch “money” to earn prizes.
Here’s just a few images of all the fun and festivities that helped raise fund to keep the Children’s Museum up and running for the rest of 2012.
Well I hope you enjoyed this little peek at the fun and maybe next year you’ll make it out for the games and entertainment too! I know we’d love to have you there! Have a great Wednesday!
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I’ve been waiting and waiting to share these pictures with you! Amber called me last month and told me she wanted to do a mother’s day session to get some gift products for herself and the kids grandmothers. (How sweet is that?) So we headed out to Spitler and took a few quick shots of two of the cutest little kiddos I know. I really don’t think I need to say much more… I’ll let these images speak for themselves
Well I hope you enjoyed peeking through Angel and Charlie’s pictures! I know I sure had fun taking them! Well enjoy your Friday and have a wonderful weekend and I’ll see you back here on Monday!
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As I’m sure you are all aware – yesterday was Mother’s Day. Like many other son’s and daughter’s, we scheduled our day around visiting with Ryan’s mom and my mom. I consider myself very blessed to have such a wonderful mother!
When I was growing up, I was a brainiac (always had my nose in my books), actively involved in many extra curricula’s and quite busy with 4-H. All of which my mom took a role in helping me with. Mom and Dad both always encouraged me to educate myself and to challenge myself to learn more. It’s why I loved school! Learning is fun to me and I’m really quite good at it…. I think I got those smarty pants genes from my parents.
In 4-H I always was working on art projects – sketching, photography, clay, etc. When I was younger I often would find myself frustrated because my mom was a very realistic critic. My projects always need some more refinement, some more work, there was always something more I should do to improve them. At the time it was hard because I felt like my projects were never good enough, but now I see that my mom was just pushing me to improve myself and preparing for the harsh world of criticism that often exists in the art world. Her constant encouragement and support has enabled me to make it where I am today. To be able to keep moving forward and trusting in myself to reach that next level of artistry and skill.
So even though I said this yesterday I’ll say it again… Happy Mother’s Day mom! I love you more than you know!
Happy Belated Mother’s Day to all the other mom’s out there too! And have a magnificent Monday!
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