Mallory and Patrick drove in from Omaha, Nebraska for their engagement pictures recently. Without knowing them well, I was amazed at their ease in front of my camera. I think it’s the bubbly joy and love deep inside these two, that just sprung out and into my lens. ha. Mallory and Patrick met in college at Creighton University in Omaha and live just minutes away from each other there now. Patrick just started med school, so they will enjoy their new life together in Omaha for at least the next four years, and will have a Kansas City wedding in May 2011. They wanted warm summer engagement pictures, and this is what they got for sure -as the weather was creeping up the 90s almost to one hundred again!  We had great fun at Loose Park in Kansas City, and I love their little pooch baby they brought along! Enjoy the photos… and I can’t wait to be with them on their wedding day next spring! Thank you, Mallory and Patrick for being so phenomenal!

Today is my 32nd birthday. Yes, indeed it is. And I am happy to give myself one of the best gifts… a wedding blog!  This isn’t just a blog about a wedding… it is my first complete wedding as a professional photographer. “First?” -you say… yes, my first complete wedding, where I took the engagement photos and then their wedding. For the past year, I have assisted as a “second shooter” and have had a couple of weddings on my own, but didn’t do their engagement photos. So… yes, I say, this is my first baby!  I am thrilled to have been Dana and Matt’s photographer, as they were my friends before the wedding, and now, I feel I know them in such a special way, that will last forever… along with their marriage. A real friendship built upon a special occasion… that is invaluable. Thank you, Dana and Matt, for so lovingly and encouragingly pushing me forward in my career and dreams. I can’t wait to design your album and put a keepsake in your hands, for the rest of your lives… Bless you two. xx

Oh… about the wedding, ha! Well, it was incredible, of course. Even when the rain came right before they spoke their vows, we just moved the ceremony into the reception hall at the Berg Event Space downtown Kansas City… and had a merry ol’ time. Dana and Matt know how to have fun… and most of all, they truly know how to love each other -this was evident by the joy, grace and pure affection they had for one another. I am honored to be their friend! …and a big thank you to my assistant photographer, David Bickley! Enjoy a few of my favorites from the day…

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One week ago today, Dana and Matt woke early to beat the heat for their “first look”. Even though it was 95F degrees by 9:30am, we still had a lot of fun and kept tissue and water nearby. ha. Their love for each other is too sweet and they their easy-going demeanors made their wedding day fantastic. This couple knows how to live life each minute to the fullest, and I was honored to take part in such a special day. Stay tuned for more ceremony and reception pictures in the next post! …and a big Thank You to my intern, Britt Ernst, for lending a hand in this morning shoot!

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I was honored to shoot with a cool local photographer, Malachi Lee, a few weeks ago in an awesomely fun wedding. I have to admit, that I was a bit jealous of the little girl in the last image. She knew how to groove her thang… (Also, read the next post to learn about cool reception “shutter drag” shots!)

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I wanted to share a new technique that I first tried out a few weeks ago at a wedding I second shot with Malachi Lee. I had read about “shutter drag” or “tungsten blur” on a very helpful photographers website, http://jenstips.com. So, while at the wedding, I grabbed my iPhone and looked up this article that I had once read… to copy the flash settings Jen O’Sullivan had talked about. You can read this article HERE. Thanks, Jen, you rock! Enjoy the shot below at my vert first go at shutter drag! … more to come in the next post…

Yesterday was fabulous with Dana and Matt on their wedding day. I couldn’t help but present a sneak preview image of our shoot yesterday morning. So much more to come of this gleeful couple and their amazing wedding… stay tuned.

Ever since my Brand Therapy session with Motto Agency, I have had ideas to begin pursuing personal projects. I have so many areas of interest that in my overwhelment, I’ve become paralyzed. My solution to this paralysis is to simply… move -one choice at a time, following my heart. And I know that if I express my heart, my vision becomes more visible not only to you -but myself. I’ll be honest – I don’t have a nice neat plan to carry out my personal ideas, I only have my choices. And yesterday, while sitting next to Matthew at church, I made a choice. In my increasing interest in fashion photography, I made a choice to ask him if he’d be willing to put on some fancy clothes and let me photograph him. Matthew, being a super swell guy, not even knowing me very well… quickly complied. So, in just over 24hrs. from making a choice… here are the results. Matthew, from California, is a design student at KC Art Institute. He said he “firmly believes in artists helping artists” -and that is just what he’s done for me today. Sooo awesome!  I also have to give creds to my photographer buddy Michael Miller for schooling me on male fashion and providing the fancy attire. And a big thank you to Kelly Craig for assisting me on a spur of the moment.            … until the next choice…

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I’m not sure who had more fun -me or them!  Steve and Stacy were a blast today as we ventured to a popular 24/7 restaurant in Kansas City, Chubby’s; and then off further downtown to have some scooter fun! Enjoy a few of my faves from the day. And stay tuned, as I will be working on a vintage picture for them on an image not yet shown. Steve and Stacy came to me with a great idea of re-enacting a 50′s-era poster they have hanging on their wall. So today we created a modern-era of the like, and I can’t wait to see the finished product. Happy Monday to all!

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I had the utmost privilege of second shooting with incredible photographer Christine Pobke from Australia. I met Christine online several months ago and love her work so much that I asked her to be my wedding photographer… I just have to get the man first, and we’re ready to roll!  ha. So when I heard Christine was coming to America, I had to meet her. I was honored when she invited me to join her in Connecticut to shoot a wedding. So I hopped on a plane this past weekend and had a time that surpassed my expectations! Christine is even better in real life! I could totally hang with this super cool chic every day, and of course, the wedding was out-of-this-world gorgeous! … and the bride, groom and their family were such precious people. Enjoy a few of the shots I captured of this perfect wedding at The Spa at Norwich Inn.

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“Hot” Haley! How precious is she?! Haley was a lot of fun as we shot her senior images in a great park in Overland Park, KS and then downtown KCMO.  I say “hot” because… I discovered it was one of the great ways to get her to laugh out loud!  ha. During our session, I slipped and told this young women to be “hot” in front of the camera -and to my surprise, that made her laugh! Haha. Sooo cute and precious. So, it was the word of the day to have her bust out that great authentic smile. Haley, you truly are hot -but not just on the outside… I discovered your amazingly good heart on the inside.  You are such a sweetie. Thanks for having so much fun! I wish you the best in your senior year!

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