UPDATE: Hey guys!! Janna and Greg’s personalized website is now live! Enjoy the slideshow images (a few more than normal – just to tide you over), check out their Signature Edition Print, and be sure and click the “Purchase Images” link to register to see all of the photos when they go online. You’ll also be notified as soon as the album design is available – in a few more days… hang in there!

Ummm, so no pressure or anything, but the girls at Rubia kept tweeting (you know, via Twitter) their excitement at Jannah’s upcoming wedding. Jannah has been a “Rubia Girl” for some time now, and we have all been looking forward to working this event together. As usual, I was consumed with feelings of inadequacy in the days leading up to this event.

As it turns out, there were several good omens first thing in the morning, namely good “mirror” shots, which I always seem to struggle with. I always say that if my mirror shots are good, then it’s going to be a charmed day (as far as photography), which simply means that I don’t have to try as hard for shots that I like. Well, I like my shots!

So here’s the problem… Mike got a bunch of really good shots, too. I mean, we have a lot of good images to work with. A LOT. Like 5,000 of them. Soooo… Jannah, your album design might take awhile. And it’s going to be huge. Brace yourself, and go visit your banker!

Seriously though, Tara, Mike and I all enjoyed ourselves at the wedding, it was so nice to have the Rubia gang involved (flowers looked great – obviously!), and it was nice meeting the families – especially the unflappable Art – he helped keep me chilled out!

Enjoy these favorites for the time being, and check back near the end of the week (Thursday?) for even more, including the link to Jannah and Greg’s personalized website!

The downtown area here is so great for taking a quick photo walk. For this session we went down Main Street just across the walking bridge to Tapawingo Park, a great location for shooting kids and families. I love working in spots where you can get many different looks in the same place. Simply changing an angle or walking 20 feet can get a whole new feel. Tapawingo does exactly this.

I have shot there many times now and I keep finding new little spots. My big discovery on this shoot was simply a picnic table with that was catching a nice balance of direct highlights and soft bounced light. The result being even shadows on most of the face with a large highlight, giving the faces some shape and warmth.

-Michael

If you follow our blog at all you will recall our Virtual Easter Egg Hunt from back in April. The morning after the the hunt was announced I got a phone call from Dave:

Dave-”Are you sure you hid all your eggs?”
Me-”Ya, I triple checked it…”
Dave-”Well Tressa Heath has been emailing me saying she has looked every where and they are not all there.”
Me-”That’s no good… let me pull up the page… ya they are all there Dave, I can send you the Posts and image numbers.”
Dave-”No, No I’m sure its fine. I think she just really wants to win…”

Well Tressa was not only first to enter, but by a stroke of Karma was the the drawing’s Big Winner! Here are a few images from her winning session.

-Michael

When Tami and Andrew said they were open to anything for their engagement session I don’t think they, let alone myself, saw us going to this place with it. I justified the headgear as playing off of the fact that they are getting married on Halloween eve, but lets be honest… it just sounded like so much fun!

Fun is a primary goal here at the studio. When you are having fun taking the picture it almost always shows up in the end result. Not only were we laughing the whole time shooting, but I was giggling long after into the rest of the week. Finally I owe a big thank you to the people at Midwest Rentals for hooking me up with such crazy headgear. They truly do rent just about anything. The knight helmet named “pig face” was my favorite hat. What is yours?

-Michael

UPDATE: Michelle and Cody’s personalized website is now up! Check out several more favorites in the introductory slideshow, see the Signature Print, and click the “Purchase Images” link to register to be notified as soon as the album design and proofs go live.

What do you get when you combine the Sample House, golf, Harry’s and a Trans-Am? Michelle and Cody’s wedding!

It’s not often that fourteen hours flies by like seven or eight, but that’s exactly what happened Saturday. I needed it, too. As many of you know I am in the midst of the busiest week of my busiest month of my busiest year in business! Whew! Seriously, I am fortunate to have clients that treat me so well and make my projects hardly even feel like work. Michelle and Cody took great care of us all day (can anyone say midday buffet?!?) and their families were patient and kind. Also a quick shout out to Mammaw’s Sweet Shoppe for another gorgeous wedding cake.

Saturday marked a few firsts – Trans-Am, Harry’s (can’t believe I haven’t shot in there before… have I?), and shooting a wedding on Church Street (Camden, IN). I thoroughly enjoyed it all. Here are my initial favorites (including what I think just may be my best ring shot to date), be sure and check back Wednesday afternoon for the link to their personalized website! Oh, and Scott… you’re too close to me.

UPDATE: Brittany and Cameron’s personalized website is up and active! I’ve added a few more favorites to the introductory slideshow, I’m way excited about their Signature Print, and be sure and click the “Purchase Images” link to sign up to be notified as soon as the album design and proofs go live!

I noticed as I reviewed Brittany and Cameron’s photos that I was taking slightly more of a fine-art approach to their post processing. Is that a good thing? I think so. Brittany gave me so much free reign to do what I wanted, that I almost feel as if there are too many images that I like. How do I choose which ones to work with?!? I guess I’ll just have to figure that out over the next couple of weeks!

Saturday was a relaxing wedding day (for Mike and I) if there ever was one. And after seeing Cameron, I think Brittany was able to relax a little. She was a “crier” as it turns out, and that’s OK… gives us lots of emotional moments to capture.

So, if you’re reading this – stay posted. Their personalized website will be coming later in the week, including an album design, Signature Print and more! Here are my favorites for now.

Most parking garages are a fantastic location. When you shoot in them often enough you start to notice little things that make some better than others. I discovered the one featured in this post last summer while jogging through Purdue’s campus. The garage is underground and the concrete entrance bounces this natural soft light back up at the subject. Then when you move inside there is this other-worldly orange light everywhere. On the day of Logan’s shoot the garage was under construction. It turned into a hidden blessing as the garage was completely empty, giving us freedom to take up the center isle.

-Michael

UPDATE: Emily and Jeremy’s personalized website is now live! Sit back and enjoy a few more favorites in the introductory slideshow, see the Signature Print, and click the “Purchase Images” link to register to be notified as soon as the album design and proofs go live.

Black skies, tornadoes, downed trees, power outages, lack of air conditioning and one awesome party.

I know I’ve apologized in the past for going on about the weather when posting about a wedding, but how do you avoid mentioning it when half the state saw severe storms? I feel for anyone having an outdoor wedding in Mid-North Indiana on June 4th.

As for Emily and Jeremy’s wedding, the name of the game was optimism, professionalism and family spirit! The families showed utmost support despite the challenging conditions, the staff and owners of Tippecanoe Country Club hustled to get things functional despite power outages in Monticello, and Orion got the party on-track in an utterly professional manner with entertainment and encouraging words. Mike and Tory were right there as usual, even if there was a small omg-what-do-we-do-now moment!

Seriously, if anything, the night’s events brought everyone closer together. The toasts were heartfelt and genuine, the food was delicious and the dance floor got insane! Who needs electricity after all?!?

So sit back, relax, and enjoy a few favorites. There will be plenty more in the next couple of days, so stay tuned!