To me, the photo above is what my job is all about. Capturing those intimate moments during the day. The looks between the bridal couple are fun and moving for everyone to look at, always a hit in everyones album. This particular portrait session is something new for me. I used a new tool to create the special soft lighting, my 2nd photographer held the light, and it rapped up the session in about 5-7 minutes. Way quick! I think this is one of the nicest photos of the day. I love capturing candid photography, I'd say it is what most clients most recognize and love about my photography. Formal portrait photography that I do with my studio lights takes hours to get those half a dozen photos, but it is also stunning when you are done, so it is worth it. I've found a way to get that look at a wedding, and it painless for everyone!

Shoshana & Karl August 16th, 2008

Shoshana & Karl had a beautiful wedding. This top photo is powerful I think, one of my favorite this summer. And, the bottom set up was something that I use from time to time, and I think it worked out really nicely. I did a balancing act on the arms of a patio chair to get the angle on the ladies, it prooved entertaining for everyone & we got a awesome photo.

More Weddings...

Lynette was up stairs in the balcony of the church here. At first I had the flash on, really low light conditions, but then I noticed some track lighting pointed upwards on the wall beside all the girls. So, I stood on a chair and redirected then onto the bride and all the girls! I about fell in the process, but I'll do almost anything to get great photos. These 1st couple photos of the brides hands and ring were un-posed. She was just chatting away with her sisters & I was doing my thing. I love these, they'll make great photos in her album.
All of these photos came from just before the ceremony. I think that this is by far the most precious part of the day for the bride and her family. If you get me to your event soon enough, I start taking photos, and when enough time has passed with me in the presence of everyone pointing my camera & shooting away, I become almost invisable & everyone starts to act as though I'm not even there. That is when I get some really extraordinary photos that tell the story as it really unfolded during your wedding day. All the "formals" in the world at the Alter after the ceremony can't replace these candids & their beautiful emotion.

On a recent portrait shoot on a small river in Upper Michigan, Kayleigh proclaimed to be an all american outdoors girl, and I must admit, she is! This fly fishing get up came to be after admitting she was a fisherman. So, she thought her Father would really enjoy these photos...





I wish I would have taken a photo of the lighting set up, my portable lights and stands are standing in the river bed on all of these photos, it was a grin to see!

June wedding photos, now that I'm caught up!

We set this shot up before the ceremony. The Mother of the bride and eye got the flowers all ready & then took several photos of just the flowers & then several of the flower girl. Thought they turned out very nice, special even.


This particular photo was from a set of artistic photos I set up with the girls, we had some time, so why not! It highlights the pretty flowers, and then some cool bouquet of the bride and her bridesmaids. I enjoy this sort of photography, and I know that my brides see this sort of photography on my site, so I make an effort to get something like this if the time allows. Now, this bottom photo, well, it rained! So, we went the park & I jumped into the limo. We got all sorts of cool photography.



This is my favorite image of Beth Ann. This sort of photo comes and goes in an instant, so you have to be quick on the draw!

I love getting the formal photos turned into fun. Everyone is there to have fun, so I set up the stock formal to record the beautiful gowns and dress & then I turn the shot into a free for all that always ends up making fun photography. And, as you can see, everyone is enjoying themselves. I often get my best compliments from this period. Many of the Parents, as well as the Participants have been in several weddings recently, so they know that the time taken up to take these photos can be less than fun.

Heather & Andrew May 2008

OK, when you are a wedding photographer, these sort of images come along all day long, and if you are really fast, you get them. When I turned around from setting up another shot, this is what was in front of me. To me, it is gold! Great photo, and all I had to do was take the photo super quick before it melted away. It was blowing, raining, and cold, thus the huddle of the crew on camera left! Lucky me, the Bride and Groom were once again enjoying themselves between shots! My favorite candid moment of the day...

I'm always looking for the emotion of the day. I just love the emotion in the eyes here. To me, and to almost every bridal couple and their friends and family, it is all about the emotion & the story. Get both, you've got a winner...


While were we taking some photos on the golf course, I over heard one of the bridesmaids make a comment about Heather "actually wants photos of her vail blowing" SO when it blew, I had my camera blasting away! I caught a couple dozen photos of the vail in the wind. It is one of the most diffecult photo to get because you need wind, in the correct direction, at the right moment, with a bride that wants her vail to blow. BELIEVE ME some brides aren't to happy when it gets to blowing their vail around! I like this one...
We had loads of time to make cool photos, and I had my first bride to ever climb a tree while hunting fun wedding photos. The key, the entire party enjoyed themselves, and we walked away with some fun photography...

OK, Heather and Andrew had it really going on their wedding day, I didn't have to ever call for a kiss, there was plenty of kissing going on from the 1st kiss on!

This photo of them running in the rain doesn't look like much here, but enlarged you can see the great expressions on their faces, so it is just another great photo that tells the story of the day. Heather will likely have great memories of those moments, and she'll tie those to this photo. That's the whole idea, capturing the day as it unfolds, so your couple & their friends and family can recall the memories...

This sort of image is something I strive to get at all of my events. And, to top if off, the Bride had just made it clear that she wanted loads of special photos of her Gramma. So, I made sure to get special shots of her all day and evening long...

Look, that was candid. The Bride layed a heart felt kiss on her Dad, and I was fortunate to get it. I actually thought I missed it, so I asked for it again! Make no mistake, this is the original!

My first Spring wedding! Teresa & Al...

I always try to capture as much of the details in as artistic a way as possible. Fun for me, and all of my brides love these types of photos inside their finished albums.

Teresa & Al had a wonderful wedding. My goal is to always catch as much true emotion that I can while I'm at any event. This particular wedding had friends and family from all over the USA & as far away as China. It was really special to see family travel from around the globe to celebrate this couples wedding vows.
So, I spent a good amount of time recording family members re-uniting at the wedding.





















I really had to work the sidelines to get shots at this reception. The headtable was round, and it was set inside the other tables. These shots don't look like much, but I was shooting between dozens of other photographers and guests to get it. So, when I got these toast moments, I was very happy & relieved!


I wish I could post a dozen shots of this moment, but in a nut shell, it is really nice to see when the bride and groom really show that special emotion during their vows. Laughter and tears were on center stage, and it is always a honor to be allowed to record it for them.



I love catching very happy moments at weddings, and I must admit, it is far more difficult to catch men really enjoying themselves. As hard as I work, I typically get 5 great photos of the ladies enjoying themselves to every 1 great shot of the men. So, when I catch a great shot of the guys, it is really that much more special.

Teresa & Al had a tea hour at their event. After the small traditional ceremony, Al explained how it came about, very interesting. Really, it was a nice private moment (except for the 5 photographers!) for both sides of the newly formed family to exchange some very personal thoughts & exchange gifts with the newly weds. I turned off the flash, and caught some very fine photos. I posted this because it was different. Sometimes flash from another camera can ruin a moment, but this was very telling of the day. This particular wedding event had more cameras going at all times than any other wedding event I've ever been too, very cool!
Now, here I've caught a moment in between some of the formals at a local park. Al had me doing a few formals with the guys, and in the distant the missing bridesmaid, who missed the limo bus, was showing up. This is part of the reaction that I caught, and like all good photojournalists, I didn't ask questions, I knew it was part of the story. At the time, I didn't even know what was going on, my eye was in the camera viewfinder, and all of the sudden you see their attention went elsewhere! I got it!