Then vs. Now

Then...

450MHz G4 processor
20GB Hard Drive
256MB RAM
CD/DVD Drive
OSX 10.3

Now...

2.0GHz Intel Core Duo processor
250GB Hard DRive
2GB SDRAM
SuperDrive 8x (DVD+R DL/DVD+RW/CD-RW)
OSX 10.4.6


Yesterday, while I was shooting a wedding, my new iMac arrived! Finally I'll have the processing power to whip through my post-wedding workflow!! As much as I loved my old Mac, it just couldn't keep up anymore. The slow processor and minimal RAM couldn't handle the 4GB-10GB of photos that I shoot in one day. If you think about it, the RAW image files I'm working with weren't even invented when my old processor was born!

This new computer is dedicated to all of my clients, who have encouraged me with their immense praise to continue pursuing my passion and who have supported me with awesome word of mouth business, allowing me to grow my business in a very competitive marketplace. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Kasey & Chris (and Aiden)

When Kasey & Chris told me that they wanted to do their engagement session at the Dow Gardens in Midland, I have to admit that I was a little skeptical about the state of the landscaping and gardens this time of year. It was pretty chilly outside and there were still many trees without even a hint of spring on their branches, but as with everything, I made the most of what we had available, and to my surprise there was still quite a bit to work with!



Aiden, their son, was along for the journey and even a few pictures. What a cutie! His great eyes and sweet smile were definitely inherited from his mom and dad. Luckily grandma helped with Aiden so that mom and dad could get some alone time together. Kids like pictures at first, but after a while it's no fun trying to look at a big black box being pointed at you! I'm looking forward to Kasey & Chris' upcoming wedding and seeing some familiar faces again! It wasn't that long ago that I photographed Kasey's older sister's wedding, so I feel fortunate to be involved in documenting their family's history again! Click on any image to view a slideshow preview of Kasey & Chris's Engagement photos.

Recital Poster Photography - Christina

Christina has an amazing voice. Her small frame can spin out a sound that will make an entire recital hall shake while giving everyone in the room goosebumps. After working with Christina's voice teacher for several years, I learned that opera singers are not born. They are made through an amazing amount of dedication, practice, and strength in the face of tough criticism. People who don't know this girl could easily underestimate her, but she has pushed through some very tough challenges to become the amazing singer and performer that she is today. I feel very lucky to know Christina both as a musician and friend. I see nothing but great things in her future.

Jennifer & Chuck Engagement

Aside from looking like supermodels, this is one amazing couple. Jennifer & Chuck hired me before meeting face-to-face because we live on opposite sides of the state, so we decided to combine our first meeting and engagement session all into one. Little did I know how close to them I would feel by the end of the day. I had ambitions to shoot early in the morning before they went to church but there were a lot of natural factors against us like really blinding sun, harsh wind, and biting cold. I suggested we meet at the Starbucks in Downtown Rochester and coincidentally, that happened to be one of the places that Jennifer & Chuck used to frequent when they lived in the area! You can tell the first shot above was from the cafe because of the signature hanging lights. I'd like to thank the artist who created the mural on the wall, because it made an awesome backdrop.



They wanted to show me the church where they were getting married, which happened to be the church that Chuck's family has attended for generations, yet no one from his family had been married there yet- he would be the first. The Historic Trinity Lutheran was even more beautiful on the inside than it's towering exterior. I had never been to a Lutheran service before, so it took me a while to get the hang of things, but Jennifer got to hear me sing a few hymns when I was able to keep up! It's been a long time since I've been sitting in the congregation of a church! Usually I'm in the choir loft. ;-)

After church we decided to grab a bite to eat in Greektown- since they don't get a whole lot of Greek food on their side of the state! With full tummies and a bit of coffee to warm us up before braving the cold again, we were able to grab some of the best shots of the day downtown. I have to give a big thank you to Chuck who was watching my back and my camera bag while suspicious characters were snooping around. Without getting too personal, let me just say that Jennifer & Chuck are amazing people with so much depth and emotion.. I get teary just thinking about all of the wonderful and tragic memories they shared with me. I can't wait for their wedding day- it will be amazing. Click on any image to preview their engagement photos.

Leah & Jimmy's Wedding

Leah & Jimmy were in a bind. They had three weeks until their wedding and the "friend of the family" photographer bailed on them at the last minute. Luckily for them, not too many people get married in January, so when they called me, I had the date available. When they told me their wedding was at the Lafayette Grade, I was relieved since I already knew the location and exactly what was possible within the space. We also didn't really get any time to meet before their wedding day since they were busy taking care of those last minute details, so the first time I met Leah & Jimmy was at their wedding! Luckily brides and grooms are easy to spot!! ;-)

This isn't the first couple that's hired me without meeting in person first and I have a pretty good feeling that there's more of this to come. It seems like technology can take the place of that first meeting if it has too. Most of my work is posted online, pricing and packages are easily available or can be emailed, and getting to know my personality is only a phone call away or some people get a sense of who I am through my blog. So, I guess it doesn't surprise me that I'm meeting more brides & grooms for the first time during their engagement session or on their wedding day. It also seems like more and more brides and grooms are very busy and just have a hard time fitting appointments into their schedules. I don't mind saving everyone a little bit of time and as long as they are comfortable, I'm comfortable.



One of the coolest things about Leah & Jimmy's wedding was the very classy addition of a live band called Smiling Faces! I bet 60-70 years ago the Lafayette stage hosted some of the classic big bands of the 30s and 40s, so it was really awesome to see the room filled to the brim with people and music, as it probably was back in the golden age. I really can't say enough about how awesome this band was- very classy, great musicians, awesome tunes, and they kept everyone entertained and on the dance floor all night long - which made my job even easier! Click on any image for a preview of Leah & Jimmy's Wedding day.

April Desktop Image

Every month or so I change my desktop image to a recent photograph I've taken and I thought it would be fun to share these images in my blog so that you can download them for your desktop as well! Every month I'll try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Click on an image to download a copy for your desktop.

The first one was taken at the Dow Gardens in Midland, MI and the second is one of the first blossoms to spring up in our yard. Both remind me that spring will soon be here!