Fall senior...

So many seniors wait for their senior portraits until fall and I think that is just wonderful!  Emily did just that and we had a perfect day for her session.  We went to one of my very favorite places that I hadn't been to for several weeks.  The trees were still pretty green but the grass was exploding with fall and Emily's outfit choices complimented it so well.

It isn't too late to schedule your senior session!  Call to reserve your time today!

A little urban fall color...

The leaves in Iowa are starting to show their brilliance and I have been loving being out working with nature's back drop lately.  But it was still so fun to break away from the usual for this family's annual session.  When they suggested using their car, I had to think of a place that would be fitting and still have that fall feeling.  That is when I remembered this building in town and knew that it would be just perfect!

Thanks for meeting me at this lovely gem, it is always a pleasure to see your beautiful family!  I look forward to next year!

Jake- Class of 2014

Who doesn't love fall?  Crisp air in the mornings, warm afternoons, colorful landscapes and so many other things make fall a photographer's dream time to photograph portraits.  Well, most of the time.  It seems to be a theme this time of year that the weather likes toy with my emotions.  My calendar if full and I'm so excited to meet up with each senior and family on the schedule and then those dreaded words "chance of rain".  Those words just let all the wind out of my sails.  Thankfully, this senior was watching the forecast too and happened to have an evening open a few days before his original date when the rain was going to hit.  So with a few minor adjustments in my family's schedule, we headed out to the dam a bit earlier than we'd planned.  I'm so glad because the weather was perfect.

L + B Engaged...

I had the great pleasure of meeting this adorable couple last weekend at his family dairy farm.  They had made a lot of preparations for their engagement session including the dairy barn, the corn field, soy bean field and hay loft.  It was a lot to fit into one evening before the sun set and we had to watch the skyline for rain showers that were supposed to be passing through.  We were fortunate enough that the weather held off for us and gave us a spectacularly colorful sky line instead.

Congratulations to you and best wishes for your spring wedding in Indiana! 

Get these kids some ice cream!

They were spot on for their session.  Everything about this session was perfection, the lighting, the location, the outfits, and especially the kids.  Lots of giggles and laughs, big smiles and tons of love.   They were such good listeners that we had more than enough to choose from in just about 20 minutes.  They were told they would stop for ice cream on the way home, I guess they didn't want to give mom & dad time to change their minds about that.

Weekend spots for October are now all filled up but I still have some openings on some Tuesdays & Thursdays this month and a few Saturday spots in November for those of you who still need to schedule your fall sessions.

K & A {engaged}...

I was glued to the weather radar all day on Saturday hoping that the rain would clear before I met this lovely couple for their engagement session downtown.  No such luck!  However, when I touched base with them just before we were scheduled to meet they said that they wanted to embrace it and go ahead with our plans then maybe head to the studio to finish up.  I am so glad that they took that approach because their session was just perfect for them!  The rain did stop so we wandered around a bit to find other interesting spots.  The time we spent really paid off with great images and we were given a wonderful gift when a break in the clouds happened RIGHT at the magic time of day when the light is positively gorgeous.

Their perseverance really stretched me out of my 'safe' zone so that I had to rely on my training to look for the great light when deep down I would preferred to have the good light find me.  This makes me even more excited about their New Years Eve wedding!  I can't wait to see what adventures we'll have that day.

The P family at Joe's place...

One Saturday a few weeks ago I was having coffee with a friend outside the Casey's in Amana when a gentleman and his dog joined us at the picnic table. We struck up a conversation and he began telling us about his "little piece of paradise" not far away.  While it all seems like projects to him, it sounded exactly like the kind of place I look for to take clients to.  Old buildings, peeling paint, farm implements, beautiful timber, rolling hills and so much more to please this photographer's eye.  You can imagine my excitement when Mr. Joe graciously offered to let me bring clients out for sessions.  The P family is the first group I've taken there this fall and couldn't be happier with how well the place worked for their portraits.

I have known this family for longer than I've officially been in business and I ADORE getting to see them each fall for their family session!  Mr. Andrew used to come to my house to play when I had a day care in my home so he is one of those special little people that hold a very dear place in my heart.  I can't believe that little toddler has grown enough to be in the 1st grade and have several visits from the tooth fairy- time surely does fly.

I first met his sister, Addy, when she was just a few days old.  Every time I get her in front of my camera I am amazing at how positively lovely she is!  Her locks have grown long and flowing, those apple cheeks and deep blue eyes are captivating- she is perfection and her sweet, happy spirit just make me smile.

I know that they are going to use their family portrait for Christmas cards so I won't reveal all those, just this one that Mom requested we do. 

 Joe & Amy's farm was the absolute perfect place for this session.  The texture and color of the barn are a wonderful backdrop for this wonderful family.  I feel very blessed to have been in just the right spot that Saturday to meet my new friends and I look forward to spending more time in their little paradise.