Welcome, New Baby Ryan!

Tomorrow is a day of Thanksgiving - a day to count our blessings, and nothing can quite get you in the mood for that as well as a newborn baby. Tiny toes, tiny fingers and a sweet little sleeping smile... there is just nothing like it. :)  Baby Ryan was a little older for his session than most of our newborns, but because he was an early arrival, it was just like photographing a week old baby. He was flexible, tiny and spent his entire session in a deep slumber.

 It is amazing to me how much he already looks like mom and dad; he spared no time in telling everyone that he is a part of the family.  Baby Ryan is lucky enough to come into this world with a brother and sister so excited to have him.  He arrived just in time to celebrate all the holidays with them and to be passed around the family so everyone can soak up the warmth and remember when their babies were that small.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone, and congratulations to the {L} Family!

{ Clarissa + Adam = ENGAGED ! }

I can’t even express what a sweet couple Clarissa and Adam are.  They both have a great sense of humor, a close relationship with their families, and there is this playfulness about their exchange that is immediately apparent when you meet them.  Clarissa and Adam met three years ago as coworkers.  At first they didn’t like each other, but then they became friends (even so close that she was giving him relationship advice regarding other girls) and then a couple.  Together they like to play bingo, chase around their doggy Bella, and spend time outside.  For their engagement session we combined the two sides of their families: the location was Adam’s family farm, and the super fun yellow truck we involved was recently restored by Clarissa’s grandfather.  The day itself was gorgeous - cloud cover and a hazy fog gently subduing the fall colors.  This made for such a wonderful day of shooting for us, giving us the opportunity to create soft, intimate photos for the couple.  Clarissa and Adam will be getting married next fall, the same weekend Ben and I said our vows three years prior (gotta love a fall bride!)

The { T } Family’s Fall Portraits

There is something so wonderful about outdoor family sessions in the fall.  It is as though the day becomes less about standing and smiling, and more about playing in the leaves and exploring a new place with little ones.  Evan and Jocelyn were just as sweet as could be for their session.  Evan was all energy, wanting to decide exactly where we were going and taking us there himself.  Jocelyn was sweet and cuddly and tough - we couldn’t believe how well she did with the chilly weather.  We created a collection of family photos as well as mommy and me and daddy and me photos and a few of the kiddos by themselves.  Near the end Evan was running out of steam and was ready to be held and warmed up by daddy and baby girl was falling asleep in mommy’s arms.  It was great getting to see this family again and getting to know the cute little tots who made them a family!

{ Jackie + Chris = MARRIED ! }

Jackie and Chris’s wedding was all classic romance - from the fitted lace gown and blusher veil, to the lovely gold bands and bouquets of white carnations. Everything about it felt honest, romantic and timeless.  When we first met last year, Jackie told me it was destined to rain on her wedding day, and she was certainly right.  The reasoning for this is that her husband, Chris, is a weatherman, and it would only be the most perfect joke of nature to give them a day full of rain.  Well, Jackie was right; not only did it rain but it stormed and thundered and caused the power to cut in and out during their ceremony.  Through all of this, however, they both kept their good humor and nothing could wipe the smiles of excitement and joy from their faces.

The weather made our job a little more difficult, but it also rewarded us with dreamy fog while they were getting ready, and stunning bright greens, oranges and yellows for the formal portraits. Rain has a way of drawing color out in the environment - making everything brighter and richer.  All rainy day brides might be brought good luck, but rainy day October brides are also brought intense color and a chance for some beautiful pictures. ;)  We loved being a part of every minute of your day, congratulations, Jackie and Chris!

{ Jamie + Nick = ENGAGED! }

It’s wonderful to find kindred spirits in our clients - people who love things that we love. So when I heard that Jamie and Nick love to spend their summers camping together, I was already have daydreams of firelight and creamy hot coffee. Jamie and Nick went to middle school and high school together and even grew up down the road from one another. Their romance started early on, and eight years later he proposed to her on her Birthday, moments before leaving for dinner with their families. What a lovely way to celebrate. :) Jamie and Nick love fall the way we do; they will be getting married next October in Door County and wanted to have engagement photos taken the same time of year. It was a chilly afternoon at the park, so by the time we got to camping pictures, we were all ready for a crackling fire.  It took the three of us, Nick, Ben and I, at least twenty minutes and half a leaf blower manual to get a real fire going, but it was worth it for gorgeous light and some dreamy camping photos. Congratulations, Jamie and Nick!

{ Jessie + Jerry = ENGAGED! }

Jessie and Jerry are highschool sweethearts - they are the couple who saw life’s challenges and changes only as a way to strengthen their relationship.  Meeting them, you would have no idea that they have been dating for seven years; you would assume they met a few months ago and were just at the beginning of a new romance.  For Jessie and Jerry we wanted to create photos that showed this sweetness and gentleness of their relationship.  We started off at Lambeau Field which is where they had their very first “official date”: a Packer game at age 15.  (A cute little side-note: both of their mothers were along for that date!) ;)  After Lambeau we had a little playtime with their adorable and energetic puppies Bruce and Leroy, then moved on to some classic autumn romance pictures.  Fall is our favorite time of year and it was such a pleasure to be out with Jessie and Jerry celebrating crunchy leaves, cute boots, and of course, the engagement of two wonderful people!

Waiting for Baby { L }

It’s so wonderful for us when clients whose weddings we have shot come back to us years later as they start their families.  Such is the case with Katrina and Dennis.  We photographed their stunning wedding in 2011, and now, two years later we got to celebrate with them as they waited for little baby Ryan.  Katrina and Dennis chose to do outdoor maternity, which we love because it creates images that look relaxed and natural (plus who can resist October color in Wisconsin!)  Maternity is such a special session because it celebrates the beginning of something new, and all the wonderful preparations loving families make while waiting for their new babies to arrive.  Baby Ryan made his debut early so we have already gotten to meet the little guy and can’t wait to share those photos with you as well.

The { K } Family’s Fall Portraits

Fall family photos get to be such a blast because it isn’t just about dressing nice and standing together; it’s about running in the leaves - tossing them high in the air and snuggling with those we love to keep warm.  It is wonderful working with the {K} Family; they are always excited to try new ideas with us.  For fall we decided to do family photos with a little lifestyle infusion - capture the personalities of these little ones just the way they are.  Carter cracks us up with his big laughs and desire to be right at the center of whatever we are doing.  Morgan is bright and watchful - keeping an eye on what her big brother is up to, and giggling sweetly for just a few words said in her direction.  Watching those two kiddos together, it just makes you guess at all the wonderful trouble Carter is going to lead them into as they grow older.  They are sure to have some amazing adventures!