My friend Maddie Butterfield of MBO+D threw a super fun “FIESTA! Bridal Shower” for her soon-to-be sister in law last week, and I got to crash the party to capture their time together…
If you have an event coming up where you’d prefer to just be present with your guests, instead of hosting AND taking photos of the day, give me a call! I’d be happy to take that job off your plate. 😉
And if you’d prefer to have Maddie’s creative mind plan the event, give her a call! click here
I flew back to my hometown in April, and while I was there I got to visit a dear friend. A few years ago, her family moved out to the country, and she and her husband have really established a homestead out there; compete with a homeschool room, goats, chickens, bunnies, and amazing home design everywhere. Becca & Erik are so talented!
This shoot was a typical “Day in the Life” of Becca and her two children. Unfortunately, Erik couldn’t be in on the session because he was working. But the other three were amazing models!
Follow Becca’s Homeschooling journey on Instagram: @mirthandquery
These mini sessions were fast and furious! Some kids were into it, some…not as much. Thus is the nature of children, unpredictable.
But what was so beautiful was every mother’s (or grandmother’s) response to seeing her photo gallery upon delivery. Fussy or goofy, cooperative or going banana’s, we just love our babies! And to see us with them in photographs tugs at our hearts in a strong way….
“I’m gonna die! We LOVE the photos. Thank you so much!”
“I just ❤️ LOVE the new photos! Thank you so much! You’re the best!”
“Oh. My! Love them ALL!!”
“You’re a magic worker. You somehow captured my love and his joy even with a fussy “need a nap” baby.”
“These are fantastic! Thanks you so much!! You’re a magician! I was there for that shoot! It was pure chaos, hahaha!”
Savannah turned 7 last month! And she was such a willing model for her “7-year-old” photo shoot! This girl is a performer and had lots of pose ideas for us to try out! Such as: Cartwheels, Splits, Jumping on the Trampoline, and the ‘ol hands-in-the-air gymnastics pose.
After those fun poses….(insert crying laughing emoji) we tried a few of my boring ideas. 😉 Love ya, Savannah!
Dad came home from work just in time to get in a shot!
And we took a couple cousin shots for good measure! 
Lori & Kevin’s relationship is one that you just gush over! They’re soooooo in love! Just adorable! Their April wedding was so lovely with an elegant and traditional Catholic mass ceremony, and ended with a reception complete with Square Dancing! Not the typical wedding that I shoot. 😉 Which made it all the more fun to be a part of!
Lori & Kevin had their “First Look” moment in the church before their ceremony. Choosing to do a “First Look” has so many benefits. I highly recommend it. 1. You get to see one another for the first time without 200 guests staring at you. 2. You have a stolen moment to yourselves to talk, hug, pray, laugh, breathe together before the business of the day continues. 3. You’re able to get your portraits done earlier in the day, while you’re still looking fresh. 4. You can head straight to your reception with your guests after you tie the knot! 
Aren’t they cute???!!!
Sweet tears from the bride.
Congratulations to Dustin & Jennifer on their wedding last weekend! It was a beautiful April afternoon, with all of their closest family for an intimate affair. What a gorgeous day!
Venue: Sycamore Hills Golf Club
Cake: For Goodness Cakes
Florals: Rose’s Bouquets
Engagement sessions are possibly my favorite type of portrait session to do! I LOVE love! So to have two fiancé’s in front of the camera is super sweet to me!
But before you go into your engagement session its important to put some thought and effort into your look to make sure your photos are the best they can possibly be! Here are a few tips to consider…
Coordinate but don’t match.
A good rule of thumb is one or two pops of color between both of your outfits, and the rest can be neutrals.
(Neutrals: denim, black, grey, brown, khaki, white, cream, navy. Get it?)
Dress for your portrait LOCATION.
Springy blooms? Go with lighter neutrals or soft pastels.
Summertime picnic in the park? Stick with light weight clothing to stay cool.
In home session? Don’t be afraid to get a little romantic.
Holiday time engagement? Get festive for a few shots.
Winter session? Stay warm, so you’re not miserable! And layers look great when it’s chilly out.
Take this opportunity to dress up a little bit!
Go shopping for a new dress, some new heels, get your guy his first suit! Pay the extra money to have your hair and makeup done professionally. It can give you a really good idea of how you’ll look on your wedding day. You’ve only got one shot for that, so it’s a great chance to practice during your engagement session! Pay attention to your nails as well, as I’ll be focusing on your left hand for a few shot.
Accentuate your best features.
Got great legs? Show them off with a cute pair of heels and cocktail dress!
I love Teresa’s red hair, and she did a great job accenting it with her dress color!
Bring along a prop that fits your relationship!
A bouquet is a gorgeous accessory to make your photos extra classy.
Is one of you musical? Maybe we can work that into a few photos.
Like having fun together? Be playful with a classic tree swing, or old fashioned bicycle. 
Winter session? Work a fun activity into your session! (Ice skating, sledding, snowball fight.) Winter is fun! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to laugh together.
Bring along a bottle of your favorite beverage for a toast!
Accessorize with a hat or light shawl. Then take them off for a totally different look!
Get your ring cleaned before your session.
I always take a few shots of your bling during our session. Close ups, on your hand and on it’s own. So the more sparkly and smudge-free, the better!
Bring multiple wardrobe options to your session.
It’s a great idea to bring a casual option and a formal option to your session. This way your final gallery will have even more variety.
Find my Pinterest board of wardrobe ideas here!
Ballet.
Such quiet strength and elegance.
I’ve always found ballerinas to be so beautiful & intriguing. And I’ve wanted to photograph a point ballerina for years now. In the past 6 months I finally decided that if I want to photograph something, I should put myself out there and make it happen, as a creative outlet for myself; to keep my love of photography fresh, and never just a job.
Last week all the pieces came together, with Moriah Heckman (of the Fort Wayne Ballet through the University of St. Francis Program) modeling for me, and Next Generation Studio of Dance, in downtown Columbia City, allowing us to shoot in their studio space.
I love art, in all forms, and the chance to photograph these artists in action has been so fulfilling.
See another local artists’ photo session here.
Justine & her girls were the perfect models to demonstrate what a “Mommy & Me” mini session will be like. I’ll be shooting in my home with a cream backdrop for a simple, classic look where all of the focus is on the sweet interactions between a mother and her children. Edited galleries will be delivered before Mother’s Day.
Contact me to snag one of the time slots!
(Gift Certificates also available if you’d like to give this mini session as an early Mother’s Day gift to a mother in your life.)
My Mali Lu turns 4 this week, and we partied last weekend like real fine ladies!
We invited Mali’s best girl friends, and had make-overs, tea time, and a glamor shoot! These little princesses were all about it! It was so cute!!
I want to give a special thanks to Maddie of MBO+D for helping me design and pull off this party for my girl. If you want to check out her services, visit her website here.
The party decor was a combination of items we pulled from my house, and items Maddie brought. We also borrowed tea cups from Nana to make it super special and fine!!
