{ 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!

Isaac Turns 18 Months!

There is something special about Isaac that I absolutely love.  He is a people watcher - those bright blue eyes are always checking out what is going on around him.  He loves to laugh and play and run, but all the while he is watching.  It makes me guess at what he is thinking and all the wonderful things he is learning.  We’ve gotten to watch Isaac grow every few months for the last year and a half; we’ve gotten to see the new skills he’s developed and all the ways he has changed. (My personal favorite is the cute little gap baby teeth!)  It can be such a blessing to be a part of a baby’s life, documenting each little change as they grow up.  We get to notice all the transformations and create memories that allow mommies and daddies to hold onto them forever, and I think that’s pretty special.