A kiss of excitement

Levi and Katrina had a small wedding Friday. Afterwards as they were joking around, I said Levi, just plant one on her. Katrina was surprised to say the least, as you could tell they enjoy each others company. You can see the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

The answer is... Tylenol and Prayer

I knew as soon as I saw Father Koutnik, I knew it would be a good ceremony. He brings more to the service than just the wedding, and challenges the guests in attendance in how they live their lives. Nicholas and Kaitlins was no different. At one point Father Koutnik asks, "What do you have to take for a headache from having to ask for forgiveness too much?" The answer he was thinking was Tylenol or Advil, but from the front row, Lisa answers "Love and Prayer." It caught everyone off guard causing them to laugh. The wedding was at St. Peters with a reception at Cliffbreakers. The Matt Stedman Band entertained at the party until 11 that night. You can see the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

Where memories are raised

Molly and her mom came to talk about he wedding a couple weeks ago. I love to show engagement photos from special places. Sometimes it's where they got engaged, sometimes it's where the couple hangs out, sometimes back where they had the most fun growing up. Her family has lived on the 34 acres for over 20 years. And as the kids have grown, the decision of keeping up with the chores on their own or downsizing come into play. Molly and Mike then take time to recall an old memory as they look forward to starting new ones. The other memorable one was in the meadow. Molly has a favorite tree that looks like it aught to be in the tropics because the leaves are 5 times larger than an oak or maple you'd expect to see in Illinois. You can see the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

Making a connection

Malt and Terri met through the online dating service Cashe` Connections. Matt had gotten a couple responses and then asked if he wanted to be the single spotlight, the eligible bachelor of the month. I knew as soon as I spotted them in the parking lot this was going to be fun. I had done video shoots with Malt, a true thespian at heart. Terri teaches grade school and you could see from her energy her kids love her. You can see the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

Hitting it off

Kim and Pat have come to me for family photos for 5 years. But this is the first time I've gotten them alone. What do you do for fun is one of my favorite questions. To me a par 4 means 4 strokes to get it to the hole and 4 to get it in the cup. They laughed and then demonstrated where there balls might land after driving them off the tee. You can see the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

Coming home to wed

Andrew and Vanessa married in her moms back yard. And usually when you hear that you think "dinky city lot" But in this case the house sits on 7 acres. The family fell in love with the site before they even walked into the home and you can see why. You can see their album design here and the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

Wedding among the roses

Jason and Tammie had a small wedding Friday in Sinnisippi park. I got called to do it just this week, because Jason just found out he'd been called to active duty to go to the middle east. I'm happy for them to see them able to commit their vows and seal the bond when they will be so far apart. You can see the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

No, it's not another fish eye

Brandon and Tiffanie met me downtown Chicago to do their engagement session. And although my authentic dog was missing celery salt, it was great to get into the city. Cloud Gate just gives the warped effect because of its size and reflectivity of it's surface. I think we stopped at about 10 spots along the way including Buckingham Fountain where Brandon showed again how he proposed.You can see the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

Bringing forth the Sacraments

Mary and Paul married Saturday at Holy Family Church. It is a common practice to have a friend or family member to bring forth the Eucharist, but I haven't seen many times when it was kids. To me it showed even more symbolism because Jesus tells us to come to follow him with child like faith. You can see their album design here and the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

Friends in nice places

Jason and Stephanie had originally planned to go to Sinnisippi, but with all the rain didn't know if that was a good idea. That's when a friend of theirs suggested they could come to his house. The backside of the yard was where his own daughter had gotten married and the area made for beautiful pictures. You can see the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

A colorful couple

Derek and Kari got married at Klehm on Saturday with bright beautiful weather. At one point 2 groomsmen were laying on the ground with the flowers being cute for the girls. At that point I said if it's good enough for 2 it's good enough for all. Everyone had fun playing with the fun umbrellas. You can see the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

We'll bid $2

Sometimes the DJ's play games at receptions to make the crowd interactive. This night Dewey invited the guests to bid on the first dance of the dollar dance. Aaron went first and the bidding started going higher when he took his tux jacket off. Stefanies 2 brothers decided to get into a major bidding war. In the end, we just wanted to take care of our sister is what they said, and the couple ended up with a nice little purse to take on their honeymoon. You can see their album design here and the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

Bringing families together

Nick and Karla married at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church downtown. The unity candle tradition started in the 1930's as a way for couples to unite the love of their families. This is shown as the two outer candles are lit by the mothers and then brought together into one by the newly married couple. You can see their album design here and the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

What was I thinking?

Frontline Crusades held a concert and sports presentation at First Free Church. This was not your grandmothers Sunday morning music. Flatfoot56 describes themselves as Celtic Punk. I've never been in a mosh pit. I listen to talk radio if you must know. But the idea of getting photos of 40 guys running circles around me was intriguing. Then I got hit hard, picked up, and dragged out in the blink of an eye.

A historical moment

Martin and Sarah went downtown to Veterans Memorial Hall for their reception Saturday. I have always admired it both for the beauty of the architecture and what it means to the country. In the same way families go to have photographs made so that they can remember and show their kids what it was like when they were at different times in their lives. You can see their album presentation here and the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

This Memorial Hall, the first of it's kind in the United States dedicated to our veterans of all wars, was completed in the year 1903 with dedication ceremonies on June third of that year by our twenty - sixth president Theodore Roosevelt with these words:

"No more fitting memorial could be erected to the men who fought, than a hall such as this..... a hall beautiful because of the uses to which it is consecrated"

Brand new life

Ryan and Kristin married just under 3 years ago. I was one of the first calls mom made when she got home from the hospital. Layla is just under 10 days old. She's already learned that she doesn't like being on her tummy and loves her pacifier. You can see the rest of the photos in the shopping cart.

On a mission to clean

Reid takes a broom across the steel support beams in the gym at Flinn Middle School. The result was a floor covered in 3 inch dust bunnies. The project is part of Sharefest and also includes East High School and Stiles Elementary School.

Laughing together

Joe and Lindsay stopped at Midway Village for photos after the ceremony. They were lucky to find a spot because Sinnisippi was flooded out. You can see their album presentation here and the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

Good looking poses

April and Jonathan stretched me a little on Saturday. They were looking for more contemporary look. Jonathan was ready for me and had his favorite poses and knew which side made him look his best. If you had told me a year ago I'd be shooting bridal portraits hand held, at 1600 ISO I'd have thought you were nuts, but I like the way this turned out. You can see their album presentation here and the rest of the photos in the shopping cart here.

What does church light look like

There are many days that the lighting on a photo just looks kind of flat. And then there are places where you wouldn't expect it that make for a beautiful portrait. Josh and Kari married at St. Anthony Catholic Church. They made it to Sinnisippi just in time to miss the rain and finished the night at the Clocktower. You can see their album presentation here and the rest of the photos in the shopping cart.

Living in the county

Kim and Rob wanted a simple outdoor wedding. But what they got was clouds and the rain that followed. It didn't break their spirits and everyone had a good time. Congratulations Rob & Kim. And I'm sure with all that rain you will have lots of good luck for the rest of your lives! Thank you again Tamara for giving me assistance on this wedding. You can see their album presentation here and the rest of the photos in the shopping cart.

Learning how to pose

I spent a week in Iowa with Gary (pointing to the model) and Pamela (behind the big camera) Box at MAIPP photography school. There are times that I think I understand allot about photography, and then you get together with a group like this and you start to understand how much you can learn. It was a great week.

Not too late for senior pictures

Alisen called looking for senior pictures even though she graduated last night. She loves bright colors and loved this one because she said she wanted to get her hair cut short for summer. Some day she wants to work in a vets office and loves animals. You can see a video in facebook here http://vupload.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=51099930111

Great new backgrounds

One thing you'll always here senoirs talk about is what kind of backgrounds do you have. Julianna came in with her best friend Alisen and we had to try this out. I saw this from a photographer in California and is modeled from the now defunt Off The Wall props company.

Micky is mans best friend

Travis had won a portrait session from an auction at Roscoe PTO. He new he wanted Micky to have an nice full coat, but also knew it was time to trim him down to stay cool for summer. He and Chase brought him in today. He was very well behaved, but was more interested in the light than in me. You can see the rest of the photos in the shopping cart.

Fallen for her hero

Jeff and Alissa stopped by the firehouse on Rural on the way to the reception. It was easier than asking the crew to bring the truck to the church. Jeff had even made it a point to have the sign out front read with their names. Alissa was half smiling half laughing when I asked Jeff to dip her. Some of the wedding party even jumped up on top of the truck to get a better view. You can see their album presentation here and rest of their wedding photos in the shopping cart.

No way out

It's the father of the brides job to check on things the day of the wedding. And with that he sent both Cory and Angella a text message to see how things were. Corys reply was that he had already left for Vegas. Cory had to make another attempt, but this time there were plenty of people to stop him. You can see their album presentation here and rest of their wedding photos here.

http://www.betterimagephoto.com/gallery2008/coryangellacart/

Making mobile repairs

Joe at Fleet Lift Truck demonstrates how they are now able to make repairs to fork lifts at the clients location. The company recently moved to their larger Machesney Park location and employs 14 people. This photo was taken for an upcoming article in Business Profile Magazine.

Happy mothers day

The Claussons were one of 40 families who stopped by a First Free to get a photo with their favorite mom. They also had drawings for the best/worst kid actions. To think there are some kids in high school that let their mom make their bed for them. The young mans excuse was that it was just going to get messed up the next night anyway. You just got to appreciate mom. You can find the images in facebook or myspace. You can also order photos in the shopping cart.

Gotta look cool

Kids will always act different when faced with dressing up for a wedding. The flower girl today would only put on her dress over her jeans and shirt. Crystals little guy on the other hand knew he looked cool and had to show off his sunglasses with his tux. Getting a kiss at the same time, now that's a different story. You can see their album presentation here and rest of their wedding in the shopping cart.

Wedding day grudge

Donnita and Ed watched the rain come and go on their wedding day. So when they got out of the ceremony and realized it might be possible to do outside photo, they needed a pretty place with concrete paths. We went downtown behind the library under the gazebo. But also while down there stopped by this little alley way looking for good light. Donnita was one of the first to encourage me to use textures. You can see their engagement storybook here their album presentation here and rest of their wedding in the shopping cart.

Little slugger

Maggie and Christo have been a little slower than most to pick out wedding photos. So when they finally decided years later, they brought their son in. It was much better than the photo they did at day care and an excuse to wear the shirt that cost too much to risk to Kool-Aid. You can see the rest of the photos here later in the week.

Almost hitched

Kim asked if I could come out to the house to do Rob and her engagement session. So I asked, what does your back yard look like. "It's 30 acres with horses," was the reply. Rob's grandfather had started Hansons Hideaway Ranch many decades ago. There they have an RV park, swimming pond and boarding services. It was fun to see them scamper through creek beds like they were kids again as we looked for photo ops. You can see the rest of the photos here later in the week.

Acting shy

Sara and I met in college at Eastern Illinois University in 1996. We both went to the InterVarsity group there and Saturday got together with 8 other couples, half of which married someone else they met while at EIU. I did a little more "spray and pray" with the photos today and didn't really have a game plan. Learning more and more how to turn off the flash and find good light. Jen and Blairs daughter Jasminda spent a good amount of time hanging out with mom and dad while the rest of the kids played with blocks, fighting over cars, or running the hall. She was sitting on Dads lap with the window behind her which gave a nice wrap around look. You can see the rest of the photos here.

Drawing your eye in

Jami and Travis started out Friday with almost a repeat of 2 years ago. Travises best man Steve married Hillary in October 2005. I started the day at moms house, went to Allerton Park for them to see each other for the first time, then off to the ceremony. This time nobody misplaced the ring. More and more as cameras get better, as a professional you need to differentiate your work. I found this looking through the digital wedding forum, an online community specifically for photographers. You can see their album presentation here and rest of their wedding in the shopping cart.

Which one is Benny

Emily wanted to bring extra stuffed animals to put in with Benjamin. But he didn't always cooperate and doesn't like them on top of himself. Thankfully his parents were extremely cooperative and were stretched out like football players reaching to put the ball in the end zone, but at the same time trying to stay out of the shot. You can see their photos in the shopping cart.

As the bride enters

They always talk about the first look on the day of the wedding. For some they plan to meet in private a couple hours before the ceremony. For others it's at the ceremony. As the doors open at Church by the Side of the Road, you can see Annette, but not clearly as it still gives a little mystery of what's to come. The traditions of not seeing the bride dates back to middle eastern cultures where the bride and groom had no idea what each other looked like because they were entering an arranged marriage. Not the case with Al and Annette. even the maid of honor pointed out how these two acted like teenagers. You can see their album presentation here and all of the images here.

Bringing rates down

Sara and I still have our condo in Champaign. When we first married we figured it would be better to buy 2 condos for the same price of a single family home and rent the other. Earlier this year rates hit a 10 year low and we dropped 2 points off our mortgage. Don our loan officer, mentioned that he was overdue for a newer photo. From that conversation I took them all, let them pick their favorites and blended them together.

What is good for the body

The Junior League of Rockford held a kids in the kitchen open house at Discovery Center Museum Megan and Adam knew more than most where the food went. It helps that their mom is a registered dietitian.

Almost ready to wed, almost time for baseball

Jeff & Alissa enjoy the flex time that their jobs give them. If it was thought out in advance maybe I would have made it to Wrigley field with them this week. Their big day is coming at the end of May. You can see the rest of their photos here.

Finally some good pictures

Ben and Crystal kept getting excited to see their pictures. They haven't had time to decorate their new house and this will help them do it. They were willing to try anything. At first I didn't know if I'd like Ben with the chair because of the patterns on his shirt, but I had to try it cause I just found it on Craigs List. After a couple of Crystal alone, Ben jumped in too. It ended being one of my favorites of the 2 of them. You can see the rest of their photos here.

A big batch of new photographers

The Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI), the largest association of its kind, just held their annual convention in Vegas. Two very scary things were noted by one of the key note speakers, David Jay about the photographic industry. First, attendance was down. Where they would have standing room only in years past there were plenty of empty seats. Second, when asked in a wedding workshop how many of the attendees weren't in photography one year ago, half the attendees raised their hands. Gary Fong, a long time noted speaker noted this on his blog. This was one of the 10 new photographers listed in the phone book with a display ad who showed up in my home town.

Comp card ready

Megan says her favorite thing to do is have the happy parts. She's been in several school plays and has expanded her acting ambitions. Just recently she auditioned for Nickelodeon and was in the top 6 of 200 that entered. So it's off to modeling and acting classes she goes. This was one of several looks we did for Megan.

Sign makers need pictures too

Steve from Reynolds Media Group had tried to get photos of the signs himself. But found they were too far away or ineffective. I spent about an hour looking for good angles and talking with the sign holders. They were very helpful in standing where I asked them to. They enjoyed being outside so much they even asked if I had other signs to be held. The first is what Steve came up with. The second shows relationship to the store. The green arrows I had to wait for. The third shows a window sign along with the effectiveness of them.

Remembering the 80's

Joe and Lindsay had all kinds of crazy suggestions for their session. This one they debated on. It seemed that they had lots of pictures around the house from decades ago that had this pose. Yes Olan Mills used it often. I had to laugh because there was an email forward a month ago that had all kinds of bad fashion and photos from years ago. But then again they will laugh at what we did 30 years from now. You can see the rest of their images here.

Finishing off the Links

This was one of those projects that you can take on in the middle of winter when nobody gets married and have a little fun with it. You can see the rest of their images here.

Letting personalities show

Al and Annette were the first couple to see my new place. It was wonderful not to have to stick a light in a spot and not be able to move it. The new place is a little over 2 times the size of the old. Every once in a while I ask off handed questions like what is most important to you. Als answer was that we like the personality of the photographer. Kind of makes you feel good to here that. You can see the rest of the photos here.

Keeping boxes on hand

Terry Young president of Midwest Packaging and Container stands along side Jim Wallar the general manager, and Fritz Oldenburg production manager at their facility on North Forest Hills Road. They make boxes in all shapes and sizes and employ approximately 65 workers. This photo was done with only available light. Finding good light was one of the things emphasized at the workshop I went to last week. The brighter bulbs in the main corridor were enough to give them some good direction of light. You can read more about Midwest in the next issue of Business Profile Magazine.

Jammin'

The Missing Links came in for a new photo of the band together. They have been playing in Rockford since the 60's and include playlists from Elvin Bishop, Amazing Rythmn Aces and Chubby Checker to name a few. They changed outfits, they played some of their favorites, and all in all just had a good time. You can see the rest of their images here.

Peeking in on their dance

Ben & Kourtney married Saturday at Kourtneys home church, the Cathedral of St Raymond in Joliet. Afterwards they went to the Haley Mansion for the reception. We were helped throughout the day by Simply Perfect by Melissa, a very refreshing change from the "wedding coordinators" I had seen in Champaign. (I say that only because I haven't seen many if any in Rockford.) The night was filled with memories and toasts and stories of sisters using blow up mattresses in their tiny shared studio apartment. This photo was taken during the first dance, and was not your usual angle. It is using an establishing shot to show what is to come. The swan planter tells you this is a place of beauty and the antique sconces tell you that while this is an addition to the mansion, it hasn't lost it's aged charm. I got the idea after going to a workshop with Bob Davis who told us to think outside the box.

Being great roll models

Getting married is more than about being in love. It's about being supportive of each other. In her spare time Mary works with Pure Fashion. It's an organization that gained attention when an 11 year old girl complained to Nordstrom that the jeans in the store did not fit her correctly. It's about being pretty not provocative. You could see from how she and Paul interact and carry themselves that the mentoring she gives to teenage girls was something they both took to heart. You can see the rest of the photos here.

Hip hop dance

I got to go to Wheaton High School for another dance competition. Sometimes it was to fun see what the girls would choose to dance to. Some chose new songs, some songs that were older then they were. Grayslake North had cassette tape boom boxes on their shirts. I doubt any of them have ever box listened to a cassette tape let alone purchase one.

Laughing and smiling

Martin and Sara will marry later this year in June. Like many they started their session with a typical attempt at smiling. I told them to find the cutest person in the room to look at and they both look at each other. Then the real smiles come out. Sometimes it's with laughter, sometimes it's a little overstated, but mostly it's with personality. You can see the rest of the photos here.

Letting them interact

Rick and Michelle had a small wedding in a little chapel in Sycamore. They only wanted immediate family there but did end up with a few extra. It lended itself to feel more like the intimate get togethers you see at rehearsal dinner instead of a room full of 300 where half are "dates" of coworkers. The dance floor wasn't a requirement as Rick doesn't think of himself as a good dancer. They did dance for about a minute as this shot was caught of Michelle reacting to something Rick said. It was taken with no flash, only lit by the ambient lights of the room in an effort to be less obtrusive. You can see the rest of the photos here.

Smiling in the morning

Dan and Andrea will marry next September. Dan mentioned that he's usually not a smiler at 9 in the morning, but we made it through it. We started with a standard church directory blue background. Then we tried a tan similar to Andreas and a darker brown similar to Dans. There was just something I didn't like about it at first. Dan started to get lost in the background. We put the card back into the camera, went into the studio room and switched them around. Now it's a great color keyed photo that looks great. You can see the rest of the photos here.

The half time dance

Saturday I spent the day at Lake Park High School. They invited over 60 teams to come and compete with what they would perform for their schools basketball game. The choreography and precision of these girls was definitely better than what they would do in high school.

Ready to play they think

Megan and Adam got snow pants from their Meme for Christmas. Megan knew what they were from the other kids at school and Adam was just excited, but not sure why. They love to go outside when it's nice out, but Adam didn't like it when he realized the snow was up to his knee. I picked him up and we watched megan make snow angels. It was time for Adam to try and his sister was willing to help. We were outside for all of 8 minutes.

Everybody loves hugs

Ryan and his best man have had a bond ever since junior high. But it wasn't hard to see that when they gave each other a hug that all other guys wanted to jump in. At 6ft 5 and as a EIU offensive lineman, he can be tough. But today he was as pleasant as an oversized teddy bear. You can see their album presentation here and the rest of the photos here.

One happy groom

Senneca gives the thumbs up to his friends Saturday as he and Chantelle dance together for the first time. Sen is one of the happiest grooms I saw this year. Chantelles dad had worried that all the good men were taken, but you could see that these two were meant for each other. You can see their album presentation here and the rest of the photos here.

A pause before coming out

Lauren relaxes with her matron of honor just before the ceremony. Just happening to see her framed so well by the partition walls and the backdrop of the coffee bar, and lit so well by a small window reminds me of the big photojournalist who you wonder if it was real or staged. Lauren and Andrew met just over a year ago. But she had been journaling and praying about who she might meet and marry long before that. Just before she and Bill her dad walked in they played a montage of her readings. You can see the rest of the photos here.

Basketball season

Ken Rock Community Center hosted 200 youth for their winter leagues. Tuesday was canceled due to weather and Wednesday due to too many illnesses. But we finally caught up with them and will reschedule for the other nights.

Lounging around

Peggy had won a silent auction at the Crusader Clinic Silent action. They wanted something more relaxed feeling. They were pretty fun and easy to work with and Summer had even had national photo work from when she lived in Bloomington for State Farm. You can see the rest of the photos here.

Can I Santa, Can I

Nathan was one of about 20 kids to come to an Army Christmas party Sunday at Briggs Mansion. All of them got their picture on Santas lap and then he was going to pass them out. Looking also for something that wouldn't be your traditional Santa photo, I scouted the room. Some looked too old - just wouldn't fit. Some were too young - they had just cried moments earlier at the red man . And then there was Nathan standing right up front. I handed him a present about the right size and said to look at Santa with your most innocent look. It was all his parents could do to keep from laughing and knowing that if that wasn't supposed to be his present, we better find out which one was.

Remembering lifes lessons

Some toasts are short and sweet and to the point. Others are filled with stories some might rather forget. Dad can still remember the first time Stephanie got behind the wheel of a stick shift when she was first learning how to drive. The back and forth would be memorable for anyone. But all kidding aside you could see the care that he had and the pride he showed to see Stephanie and Neil get married. You can see their album presentation here and the rest of the photos here later in the week.

New parents

Tanisha brought her family in for an new family portrait with the newest member. Sometimes Christine would be quiet with dad, but mostly she was quiet with mom. Calvin also showed himself to be a good big brother. You can see the rest of the photos here.

Tickles and giggles

The Myers got together over the summer. And like little kids, the still like to goof off together. There's no telling who caused the most trouble growing up, which always seems to be a topic of discussion at every family reunion. You can see the rest of the photos here.

Two of a kind

Mothers of twins love to dress them alike. Other photographers I've heard also say it's difficult to not photograph them together. The last time I saw them they laid there and held hands. This time they've learned to crawl away and make faces back at the audience of helpers. You can see the rest of the photos here.

A man with a mic

Eli and Jen married today in Beloit. During the reception, he managed to take a hold of the mic several times. Once to thank every one for coming, once to introduce his friend on drums when they had a band, and once when his mom requested anything by the Beatles. Hey Jude never sounded so good. You can see their album presentation here and the rest of the images here.

Family get togethers at Thanksgiving

One of the first complaints I hear of why familys can't do a portrait is because they aren't all in the same place at the same time. Renee called me and asked if they could do it as they would all be available the day after Thanksgiving. In all there were 17 and several different family groups.Yes we did fit into the 11 foot wide room. It will be nice to get a larger place next year. You can see the rest of the photos here.

Beach bum romance

Not too many get to marry their high school sweet heart. And even fewer get to pair up with the one they met at summer camp. But that is where the story started for Nick and Karla. They were both in high school when their familys were both on vacation to Panama City Beach. They exchanged emails and kept in touch. Karla finally moved down to Louisville Kentucky (pronounced Loulvile) knowing that Nick was the one for her. They will marry next June. You can see the rest of the photos here.

Spiral engineering

Dennis and Lynn Schultz along with Mark and Cecelia Buckner (not pictured) stand under a recent job they completed at AMC Manufacturing. The exhaust system takes the fumes away from the machinery to help with ventilation. They are the owners of Rockford Heating and Air Conditioning where they have been located on Magnolia street since 1991. They do residential and commercial work and will be featured in the next issue of Business Profile.

Quality time in a hot tub

The Quality Inn and Suites of Rockford was looking to update their brochures and to fun some ads in Business Profile. They wanted to feature thier meeting room, breakfast bar, lobby, fitness center, hut tub suites, and pool.

Creating a mood

Normally St Peters is rather light inside because of all the windows. But later in the year on an overcast day, I felt happy to know that the new Canon 40D is rated to look good at 3200 iso. This was one of the first times I had used Pocket Wizard radio slaves in a church as it creates a nice silhouette. You can see the rest of the images here later in the week.

Just before the family gets larger

Nikki and Bill will soon give their daughter away in marriage. But before they do that they knew they wanted keep one more photo of them together. The next time they do this they know they will add husbands and grand kids to the group. You can see the rest of the images here.

Your favorite Greek sweetheart

Ken was is a member of the fraternity across from the AST's at Beloit College. They hadn't had a sweetheart for the group in several years. So this year they couldn't narrow it down and decided on 2. You can see the rest of the images here.

See us on the court

Athletes like to have a tough side. Football players are the worst. There wasn't a single smile in the whole bunch. So the girls at Stillman valley are no different. Almost as if they are sending out a warning to their opponent.

What's old is made new again

I spent the day on Monday in Bloomington working with Jackie at Studio J Photography. This time it was looking at glamour Hollywood lighting from the 30's and 40's.

Bringing light in from above

I spent the day on Sunday in Bloomington working with Jackie at Studio J Photography. It was incredibly overcast, but Jackie was still bound and determined to show us how to find and direct light to the subject. She is sponsored by Millers Lab and part of the PPA Super Monday program. We just happened to get 2 days for the price of one.

Making each other happy

It is often said that opposites attract. Amy is a very outgoing young lady while Kyle is more subdued. It's always interesting to try to find the right photo for this blog. Sometimes it's the favorite that I took because it was a cool pose. But in this case it's watching Amy laugh at the subtle things that Kyle has said during the first dance that brings out the magic of the two of them. You can see their album presentation here and the rest of the images here.

Sprucing up for fall

Tylers Landscaping called me after they did some patio planters at the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. They had a function coming up and wanted to spruce up the front. There in lies the problem of how do you show the best work of the landscape designer to go with the spacial needs of the place. A photo of the building from the street would have made the detail get lost. A telephoto portrait of the vase would have lost it's spacial relationship. The solution was to use a 8mm fish eye about 1 foot away from the planter. Now you can see the gords and the relationship to the building it compliments.

Kissing and laughing

Theresa warned me that they might have a little PDA and that they'd be kissing each other even more on the day of the wedding. I told Adam to kiss her anywhere but the most obvious. You can tell they were enjoying themselves. We took this in the middle of Sinnisippi park where they are fixing the lagoon. . You can see the rest of the images here.

Strike time

Tuesday night we went to Don Carter Lanes and did the photos for the youth league teams. Some kids forgot to wear their league shirts and others dressed to match. Some of the kids leaned forward and almost looked in pain to hold up their 6 pound ball. Who would have thought that American Girl would have bowling outfits.

Sinnisippi Sunsets

Stephanie and Jason knew they wanted to come to Sinnisippi for their engagement session and also on the wedding day. We joked about how many limos are there every Saturday and how my car can pretty much drive its self from Sinnisippi to Giovonnis, Cliffbreakers, Clocktower, or any one of the other major banquet centers.The trick is to make it look better than you'd expect. They were facing south and the sun was nowhere near this low in the sky, but instead was superimposed from a shoot 3 years ago. You can see the rest of the images here.

Lounging in the leaves

Josh and Kari have been my favorite bridal show success story. I give out a door prize winner a certificate for an engagement session or to up their album page credit on their wedding day. It seems the ones who have won in the past either had a photographer already, or don't call back. I had sat down with them just the week before the show. When I found out they won, I said Hey they will be fun to work with. You can see the rest of the images here.

ESP

Charles Lewis who's portraits start at $500 for an 8x10 always commented that Expression Sells Photographs. If you recognize the person, and it's not out of focus, 90% percent of the time you will like the photo if they appear to be in a happy mood. Vanessa and Andrew were definitely in a happy mood. They found a great day to go to the park and enjoy the unseasonably warm weather. You can see the rest of the images here.

Taking over the playground

Sarah and Weston stopped by the park in Beloit on the way to their reception. The party was very relaxed and easy going and as Mike said knew how to have a good time. You can see their album presentation here the rest of the images here.

Lovin and squeezin

Michelle was one of the few brides I've seen in 9 years who didn't show up at the church in plenty of time to take 100 formal photos before the ceremony. Not with parents, bridesmaids, or even herself. This might scare some wedding photographers who look and say we've got a ton to do after the ceremony, but to her it almost didn't seem necessary. To watch Rob with a nervous look before the wedding, you knew he also wasn't coming out of his shell. But after the wedding they got together with their close knit group of friends and their interaction together showed the true bonds of friendship. You can see their album presentation here the rest of the images here.

Fun with faces

Jessica is the first to let you know that a frilly wedding dress is not her normal style. But today she married Brian and along with that is the formal attire. After the wedding you could really see the relaxation in each of their faces. Before you could see the nervousness. You could really see that they enjoy each others company, and have their own way of showing it. You can see the rest of the images here later this week.

Eying someone elses fish

When Sara and I went out to Philly, there was a guy in front of Independence hall with a very sophisticated tripod and a point and shoot with a little screw on fish eye lens. I ordered mine from Russia the next day. No you are not imagining things. Trees do not grow at weird angles, but Danielle and Malt were willing to be my guinea pigs with this new lens. You can see the rest of the images here.

Those big blue eyes

Riley has been in front of my camera more than once, but this is the first time without all the cousins, aunts and uncles around. Mom wanted to see him in the buff. At first he almost looks embarrassed and hiding. He warmed up and smiled great though. You can see the rest of the images here.

Finding love isn't just a young persons game

Dennis and Shirley came together to proclaim their vows in a little church at Midway Village. The had both been widows after many years of marriage, and even Pastor Mike who was performing his first wedding mentioned that giving advise to the 79 year old couple in premarital counseling with that many years behind them seemed like an ominous task. You can see the rest of the images here.

Have I got a story to tell you

Ana Sofia talks on the phone to one of her bridesmaids downstairs in the lobby while trying to find out what has happened with the flowers. This wedding was at the Marriott in Lincolnshire and I co-shot it with Gilbert Boucher (the one not eating mac and cheese) who also works as a photojournalist with the Daily Harold. Today I learned to use my motor drive, and to look to see things differently. There was definitely more of an emphasis on storytelling and not on every picture having a pasted on smile.

Super volunteer

Linda Niemiec at Crusader Clinic asked me several weeks ago if I would be willing to shoot one of her Spirit of Caring nominees. Dick Rundquist is a man that will never stay idle. His list of involvements over the years have extended to the boards of directors for Rockford Schools, Midway Village, Erlander Museum, Rockford College, and Swedish American, just to name a few. "Inside his strong Swedish self, is the hard working gentleman who does absolutely nothing for the honor of the job, but instead for its need," wrote Gordon Eggers who nominated Dick. The banquet will be next Friday at Giovonni"s.

Getting a new look

Todd at Shelter Care ministries has always asked me to take photos of the different fund raising events. Tonight included a silent auction, a jazz quartet a kids corner and Mr Mustache. Bruce Lewis has been entertaining kids and adults since the 870's and 870's when he had his own tv show. This addition made for a fun night.

Snuggling in the yard

To Kristin the home was more than just a place to come at night. They live in a cute little brick house on a historic part of Rockford. It's also where Fred proposed marriage. The first photos started on the front steps. Then we wondered around the yard looking for photos that would fit their outfits and personality. This was a fun session because it reminded me of the way Fuzzy would do things. Yes he has a studio, but will do all the photos for a senior at their home. He'll go to their closet and choose outfits to match in areas of their home and yard nobody would have thought would be picturesque. You can see the rest of the images here.

The oldest neighborhood in Philly

Sara and I got to spend a week in a historic bed and breakfast in historic Philadelphia. She had a conference for the American Dietetic Association. (McDonalds is her job security.) We went to see the Liberty Bell on a day with 10,000 other people, but also made it to Elfreths Alley. It dates back to 1702. Most of the homes are about 15ft wide and were homes of tradesmen and firemen over the years. Today it is also part of the national park service.

New trends for wedding invites

Derek and Kari are the third couple who asked for save the date magnets for weddings next year. I had never heard of such a thing before this summer. It's interesting how trends go. These are now sent out prior to your traditional invitation and there is even etiquette rules to follow with your save the dates.

The 2 second kiss and 6 second departure

Andy and Joanna had one of the more colorful weddings imaginable. You could see that they had fun putting it together. This was made very evident in Jo's sisters speech when she thanked her for choosing theater over medicine. This ability to follow her passion made it easier on the younger sister to tell the parents she wanted to study dance. Not much about their ceremony could be considered predictable. From the ministers delivery that sounded like she herself had spent time on stage to the quick escape out of the garden. Andy said they like to go running together, so why not start their married life off doing something they enjoy together. You can see their album presentation here and the rest of the photos here later this week.

Daddys little angel

Kaleen is the only daughter in a house full of 5 brothers. But it wasn't just because she was the only girl that she got to be called angel. In fact there were times that she took moms bows out of her hair. Just before dad took her to the dance floor he relayed to the guests how important it was to have Christ there in your life. Life might be easy now but kids can make it difficult. About the time she was born, there were SIDS scares constantly on the news, and Kaleen would stop breathing when she slept. The doctors told her parents to watch her constantly every time she slept for that 3 month period. They knew that God had provided a guardian angel to help watch over her. As Kaleen and dad danced, Kaleens nieces Ellie and Libby sat on the floor holding onto each other and watching them dance. The symbolism and the bond showed more symbolism than I can sum up in a couple words. You can see their album presentation here and the rest of the photos here later this week.

Downloading your best man speech

It seems you can find about anything on the internet these days. And while colleges are cracking down hard on student plagiarism, Nick an Tiffanys best man Dan took it appon him self to take full advantage of the world wide web. The funniest parts included the lines about how it is best to change the names to match the true identities of those who are getting married.

Heading back to school to wed

Rachel and Jeremy were both students at Augustana and met through mutual friends. The first time he wanted to ask her out he got sick and she didn't think he was interested. The second time was the same day she planned to go out with another guy. After under grad they tried to go to grad school together, but she ended up in Purdue and he at ISU and both with lots of miles on the car. It was because of their relationship starting in college that they decided to go back to Ascension Chapel at the college to hold their wedding. You can see their album presentation here, and can see the rest of the images here.

Wanting the traditional wedding

Amy and Kyle plan to get married in November. For a while they thought about seeing each other before the wedding, but then decided not to. They know that means they probably won't get to do outside photos so we set this one up for their engagement session. You can see the rest of the images here.

Snuggling close

Dane and Grace wed on Sept.15th and with the help of Vic and Hose. I think I heard more couples call and ask about Sept 15 than I did 7/7/7. You can see their album presentation here. You can see the rest of the images here.

Meaningful places on a meaningful day

Kari and Tim had spent many days playing at Rockford College. Tim played basketball and baseball, Kari softball and volleyball. We threw out crazy ideas like going to the movie theater with the group because that was the theme of the table decorations, maybe a little too crazy. Some couples just say ok you pick a park, and have no idea why or what to do next. As the got off the party bus, it almost felt like it hadn't been years since they graduated, but rather as comfortable as if they had come back home. You can see the rest of the images here later in the week.

A wedding in the park

Mark and Quianna couldn't have picked a prettier day. They married Saturday by the stream in Sunstrand park. The first time I met Mark he was wearing his Harley jacket. It only seemed fitting that one of their favorite photos would be with their bike. You can see their album presentation here. You can see the rest of the images here.

Better in the buff

Even came in with his parents Loan and Chuong whos wedding I did 3 years ago. He didn't like the photos with the family, in his second outfit or outside. Mom was ready to call it a day and I said what's the worst he can do is cry some more. Even loved it and smiled at us all. You can see the rest of the images here.

Getting everyone together

Some wedding photographers park their tripod in the center aisle of the church and never move it. Susan was not looking for that kind of photographer. Instead I ended up on the ground and in the weeds to find the unusual spot. I think we did maybe 10 "aisle photos" but that was it. It ended being a very memorable and very fun day. You can see their album presentation here. You can see the rest of the images here later this week.

Dannys guys would rather catch frisbees than garters

I met Laura just over a year ago when she was a bridesmaid and sang at Erins wedding. She knew exactly how she wanted it planned out. We went to Baumann park in Cherry Valley for pictures by the gazebo. Not the closest one to the parking lot, but the one 1/4 mile away where they had gotten engaged. The frisbee was taken out of the assistant pastors office. These guys love ultimate frisbee and didn't mind playing in their tuxes. You can see their album presentation here. You can see the rest of the images here later this week

Almost Newlyweds

I got a call a couple weeks ago from a daughter who saw me at a wedding that said her 79 year old mother was getting married. Shirley had met Dennis who was also widowed, and they both found love again. Neither one of them had had a big to do when they went around the first time, so they've planned a nice wedding in the little chapel at Midway Village and a full reception at Rockford Country Club for later this fall. You can see the rest of the images here.

A stroll in the park

Travis was the best man for Steve two years ago. As they plan their wedding, they will go to Allerton State park near Champaign for pictures and to see each other before the ceremony Those who do find that they feel like they spent the entire day together sharing it instead of "playing hide and go seek" for the first half of the day and being rushed through the rest of it. This photo was taken at West side park in Champaign. Travises favorite part was that he didn't have to smile for this one. You can see the rest of the images here.

12 days old

Xavier was born on the 17th and mom couldn't believe she waited this long to bring him in. His older sister Alexia had a special delivery portrait when she was 5. He also put on a suit and let his 15 month old sister kiss on him in the pictures. They looked great together. You can see the rest of the images here.

Natural color key

Angela and Cory met me at Sinnisippi to do their engagement session. It was the first time that I had met either of them in person. She had seen me at her cousin Jennifers wedding and liked what she saw. They did great picking out matching outfits his in white with green stripes and hers in a green vneck. Here she's in front of a line of trees and he's in front of the water. The long compression lens and a nice breeze gives it that fashion look. They looked great together. You can see the rest of the images here.

Ready to sell

Jeff Fink has spent most of his life on the floor. But most of the last year he spent waiting of the carpenters union to call, it's time to make a career change. Having just gone through the process of closing on his own house, Jeff has just finished up training with Whitehead realtors. Jeff really liked the package he was offered as a customer and thought that that is the way he would want to treat his customers.

Looking up

Jessica at Miller Berry was in desperate need to get a better looking group photo for their investment firms brochure. The last one showed Kurt standing head over heals behind the other staff. They wanted something a little unique and with that I showed her samples of about 20 other groups. You can see the rest of the images here.

Fall means football season

It's never too young to start playing football. It's a great game and the coaches have given them a great amount of discipline.

Looking for our other friend?

Brooke & Jamie started out with the average size wedding party of 6 and 6. Only one of them decided she'd rather go into labor. Then about 8:30 they got a phone call with a picture attached saying 5lbs, 13oz. They would have to go to the hospital to find out the name. You can see their album presentation here. You can see the rest of the images here.

Beware of the wedding crashers

Dani called to say she loved the wedding album, but couldn't figure out who these guys were. They told me this will look great on the grooms refrigerator. They told a bridesmaid that they new Steve from ISU. The only problem is he went to U of I. Some will go anywhere to find a party.

Playing with angles

Kari and Derek were downtown but on the wrong side of the river. We finally met up at the millennium fountain. At 6:30 the light looked gorgeous on the river. Once you have a safe shot then it is time to try something new some times it works sometimes not. I kind of like the angles from the windows downtown. You can see all their images in the gallery here.

Home on the farm

Bryce got a his tractors from his uncle. I remember my dads toy tractors. There are those that are for play and those that are for display. Bryce will get a lot of use out of these. You can see all their images in the gallery here.

Sharing a wedding date

Brooke grew up with 2 sets of parents - sort of. Her grandparents are just as close as mom and dad in their tight knit family. So when she and Max saw that the 18th fell on a Saturday it was easy to set the date. It was the same day her grandparents Bob and Sue married on over half a century earlier. It wasn't the smoothest wedding. We got rain on at Sinnisippi at 11am and we got rained on again at Sinnisippi at 4, but to hear the toasts from that evening, you knew that there was a special bond there. You can see the rest of the images here.

Cardinal Sports day

It's been a couple years since I lived in Champaign and shot for schools. Stillman Valley had seen problems with big companies showing up late, and sending a different person every time. We gave them enough confidence that we would do it and finished the entire day 15 minutes ahead of schedule. The organization could not have been better executed.

Taking in a little R&R

This was Sara and I's first time out of town without kids in a long time. It was also my first 24 hour period without touching a computer. We spent the day in Milwaukee walking downtown and visiting the Milwaukee Art Museum. I think my favorites were the classic oil on canvas portraits. It is amazing how the masters handled light and shadows and gave me inspiration.

Manzullo looking for the 23mpg Hummer

Shahram Tolonchian leads Rep Don Manzullo on a facility tour of Gates Corporation. The factory employs 180 people on 3 shifts manufacturing rubber and hydraulic parts. They have devised a way to put a hydraulic drive train into a heavy truck and get a 50-70% increase in fuel economy. Unlike battery powered cars, the technology doesn't need to be reinvented, and their is no question of what do we do with a 4 year old car battery. Gates is in the next step of taking they concept vehicle to the next level.

Steve and the 2 most recognized ladies in Rockford

Steve and Dani planned an outdoor wedding on the banks of the Rock River just outside the Burpee Museum. It made it very nice for the guests because after the wedding, they could walk around and look at the exhibits. Afterwards they went to Sinnissippi for photos. It's almost such a tradition to see 20 limos in the parking lot there on a Saturday, that some couples can't imagine not going there for photos. You can see their engagement show here and their album presentation here. You can see all their images in the gallery here.

A slice of cake & a slice of life

Bill & Chelsea enjoyed many of the wedding traditions, the cake being one of them. The origins of the tradition of the wedding cake date back to medieval times, when each guest at a wedding was supposed to bring a small cake, the cakes would be stacked on the table in levels and layers. If the bride and groom were able to kiss over the top of the stack it was considered good luck. These cake stacks would eventually merge into one cake and evolve into the modern wedding cake. (Taken from Wikipedia.) You can see their album presentation here.You can see all their images in the gallery here.

Missionary Kid marries in dads former church

Josh and Elise wanted a small wedding. The place to hold it was very obvious from the start. The interesting thing is how they ended up there. Joshes parents came from Germany in the 70's as missionaries to Itasta. For many years the services were done in German and to this day some of the churches Bible studies are still in German. You can see all their images in the gallery here.

Looking for a photographer at your friends wedding

I first met Laura at her friend Erins wedding. Yes I do have a habit of looking for single engagement rings on young women. She said that it was a lot of fun and not stiff or boring to have me do the photos then. I can't recall if that was after they went scattered in the field or after hanging on the monkey bars that she said that. When I was in Champaign I worked for a studio that booked 200 weddings a year. One of the other photographers would literally ask people to look a little happier. I hope I never turn into that guy. You can see all their images in the gallery here.

Signs of Redbird love

Anna and Chris met at ISU at a Red Rage party after a football game. With dad being the alumni association board, it was easy to see why the school has been so much a part of their life. Reggie was a surprise to everyone. It brought back memories especially for Chris who wore the mascot costume for appearances his Junior and Senior year.You can see their album presentation here all their images in the gallery here.

Planning their wedding and going to a wedding

Sarah knew that there were only so many times they'd be coming back to Rockford. Today was one of them and it's to stand up in a friends wedding. This was one of those poses that they felt uncomfortable in but they both loved the best. You can see all their images in the gallery here.

Photography with a friend

Trish and Tom came to me by way of her cousin Stacey and Chris who got married 3 years earlier. As it was, I had a morning family portrait and needed some help. Mike has been shooting with me for a while now and started their day. They were both surprised to see each other as the three of them have been good friends for quite a while. You can see all their images in the gallery here.

Seeing colors vividly

Spencer and Rachel married in the formal gardens of Khelm arboretum. There are so many flowers and beautiful places like here in front of the purple cone flowers. The photo on the right is the original jpeg which is almost completely blown out and should have been deleted.
The left is from the raw conversion. The internet cannot do this photo justice. The skin tones on Rachel are the most beautiful up close I've ever seen. Raw is not an easy concept to tackle, but this is one that makes it worth while. You can see all their images in the gallery here.

Love in each others eyes

Dennis & Patrice chose to have a small wedding in June, but still wanted something more professional looking and did a studio session today. I always do a very traditional look, but at the same time ask them to find someone cuter that me to look at. It brings out expressions for each other. You can see all their images in the gallery here.

Playing all angles

Aaron and Stefanie find themselves in wedding planning marathons. They just moved to Iowa but still plan to marry in Rockford where family is. Today they did their engagement session in Sinnisippi park followed by trips to florists and bakers. You can see all their images in the gallery here.

A park like setting

Bill and Chelsea look like they are off in a garden somewhere. Truth be told they are 15 feet from the street getting honked at, and my mailbox has been replaced by more flowers. They are a couple weeks away from being married. You can see all their images in the gallery here.

Relaxing in the park

Dave and Kristi were on their way to riverfront park when the barricades for Beloit Riverfest told them otherwise. There is a couple neat fountains and bridges there, but we couldn't get in that far. Where we stopped at was just north of there and while not the same scenery we were originally looking for, it turned out to be a beautiful day. You can see all their images in the gallery here.

The great outdoors

Katie and Eric found it easy to pick how to do their engagement session. They just narrowed it down to 2 parks. They've spent many afternoons walking the trails in Janesville, the city of parks. You can see all their images in the gallery here.

Close together

Eli and Jen will marry next November. Their friends have a choice of left over Thanksgiving turkey or dinner at Giovonis. You could guess what most will choose. Most couples start with