Last September I photographed our dear friends, the Nordells. They showed up to the session and it started to misty rain….but we went with it! I’m so glad we did, because I found beautiful pockets of light (& used some off-camera lighting), and loved the results. Here are some of my favorites from their session: bicycles, apples, Gus the doggie, and all! =)
We returned to the studio after the session and kept going with some fun studio shots. What sweet brothers!
I was SO thrilled to photograph Rylie for her senior session. This was my very first time photographing a girl and her horse….I loved it! Rylie is a total sweetheart and absolutely stunning (love her style too and all the great clothes & accessories she brought to the shoot). Most of the session took place at her country home, and then we headed to the studio. She showed me all around her farm, and all her sweet farm animals (just look at that adorable puppy too!).
Thank you Rylie for choosing me as your senior photographer. It was a joy to capture this special time in your life. Have an awesome rest of your senior year!
Fun facts: Rylie enjoys showing horses and is a member of her FFA group at school.
Senior Guys & Girls: We have a few spots left for sessions this Spring before graduation! Inquire at the
I am finally blogging about Shutterfest 2014. Shutterfest is a conference held in St. Louis, MO by internationally recognized & award winning photographer, Salvatore Cincotta. We (my husband David and I) traveled from our Northern Illinois home last April leaving our 4 kiddos with their grandparents and headed to the very first Shutterfest (& our first conference too). Before the conference started, we took the trip to the top of the Arch. We haven’t done that since we were kids. I got a bit claustrophobic and had to look at my phone for a countdown while in the capsule (phew…we made it to the top!). The view was incredible! Staying at the Hilton was a blast too, especially the rooftop and our room view was beautiful. It was a super fun getaway for the both of us.
And the conference starts…Sal knows how to start a PARTY! He’s a fantastic host and very personable. He definitely has a magnetic personality!
Below is Roberto talking about posing & lighting. He is one of my favorite wedding photographers, so I was soaking up EVERYTHING! I returned home and purchased one of his books: Picture Perfect Practice. It’s fantastic & I highly recommend reading any book he has written. With hard work, It will take your photography to the next level.
I have always loved moving images, and I incorporate video in some of my sessions. I’ve never heard of Joe Switzer before Shutterfest and one of the reasons I signed up for his hands-on class is because of his silly bio. I love to laugh and be goofy and this drew me to him. Joe was a blast to learn from. He even took extra time at the end to sit down and talk about any questions we had. He is super cool and amazing at cinematography.
Below are photos from my time in Vanessa Joy’s hands-on Natural Light workshop. The day was beautiful and the blooms were gorgeous! I have been following Vanessa on social media and enjoy her work so much. It was wonderful to meet her in person and be able to bask in her expertise. She also told our class about the Lightroom Retouching Toolkit. When I got home, I purchased the kit and LOOOVE it, especially when editing weddings. If you are a photographer, you should check it out. Here is a link that will save you $10:
David had the wide angle lens in his workshops, so I had to use my iPhone at times. This year we will bring more gear with us so we don’t have to share. =)
After the conference Sal invited all the Suttterfesters over to his studio in O’Fallon. Seeing where he does his Shutter Network, his samples, shooting area, ordering sessions, etc….was a treat! Sal even gave me a kiss on the cheek when we left! I haven’t washed my face for almost a year (hehe).
I could write so much more about all the other wonderful instructors, the crazy awesome comedy night & dance party, the wonderful networking, the fantastic vendors, etc…. But, I must get some work done (& check the Shutterfest fb page (ha). Thank you to Sal, Taylor & your wonderful team for a fantastic experience. We learned a ton! We can’t wait for Shutterfest 2015 NEXT MONTH. Woohooo!! We are ready!
I enjoyed getting to know Marissa this past Fall during her senior session. She has great style, is super sweet and so pretty… and I love a girl who can rock her glasses! =) For her session we headed to an urban area, off-roaded to a quaint little creek…and more. It was a blast!
Some fun facts: Marissa enjoys swimming, watching soccer, loves music, ice cream, the beach & the ocean.
Have an awesome rest of your senior year Marissa…you have a bright future ahead of you!
Madelyne totally rocked her senior session, and I loved photographing this gorgeous girl! She is so full of life and the sweetest ever. She had a very rewarding year playing basketball at Sycamore High School and plans to continue with basketball at Drake University after she graduates. Madelyne is hoping to pursue a degree in agriculture. The farm setting she chose for her session was perfect!
Have an awesome rest of the year Madelyne and all my best as you play ball at Drake (I may even run into you at Buffalo Wild Wings…ha!) =)
Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph Kristen. She is so beautiful and a dream to work with. Here are some of the images from her modeling portfolio session.
I had SO much fun photographing Raelyn. She is totally sweet & totally adorable (love those natural curls of hers)! Raelyn is a part of her marching band playing flute/piccolo, she loves country music, fashion, and dancing with her school Orchesis group. We had an amazing sun-filled day for her photos. Here are some of my faves…
(Have a fantastic rest of the year Raelyn)!
Junior Girls: Be a part of my 2016 senior models. It’s going to be awesome! Application Here
Here is gorgeous Samantha, with that amaaaaazing golden hair! I loved photographing this girl for her senior photos on a beautiful day back in September. We also had a chance to do some volleyball shots by the net on my property. She totally rocked her session! Have an amazing senior year sweet Samantha!