Tag Archives: friends

Kevin & Katina's engagement shoot

Last Friday, I had the honor of photographing our fellow church members Kevin and Katina to celebrate their engagement.

We wandered around the Millenium Park/Grant Park area for about 2 hours. The grass was green, the flowers in bloom, and the light was just perfect.

By the end of it, my dress was soaked through with sweat and my hair was clinging to my scalp in damp wads, but you’d never guess that they were uncomfortable at all. They looked fresh as flowers, I tell you. Sigh. I guess that’s what young love will do for you.

I was a little nervous since the only ‘official’ photo shoot I’ve done was for the Barretts last year, and that was at the height of my inexperience. Harsh shadows, overexposure, underexposure–it was certainly at the low end of my learning curve.

But I had no reason to fear this occasion–they were so photogenic.

So willing to comply as I put on my Bossy Pants and shouted “Now kiss her! Now look into his eyes like you’re seeing him for the first time!”

“Now lift her! Tilt your chin a little more to the left! Now do a pirouette on your head and dive into that fountain!”

I love telling people to do pirouettes on their heads.

One of my favorite things was finding ways to interact with the city itself. Like the beautiful curve of these columns . . .

. . . or the infamous metallic bean.

The busy city streets . . .

. . . or this empty paved lot:

Where else in the world are you going to come across a big empty stage graced with some abandoned and rusty chairs?

Capturing the beauty of our city along with the beauty of these lovebirds was a blast. I’d do it again any day.

At least any day that wasn’t 90 degrees.

Here’s a lil’ slideshow of some of my favorite shots. Enjoy!

Marshmallow legs

Twelve days ago our wonderful friends Joe and Steph tied the knot.

As it always seems to happen after a wedding or big event–at least since the advent of my beautiful Nikon–, I am wading through a quagmire of pictures. But when I sat down with Photoshop to start churning them out for the world to see, it wasn’t the pictures of the dancing, or the bride and groom escaping in a boat, or the beautiful (and hot) outdoors ceremony that I was drawn to immediately–it was the pictures of a small one. A small one with marshmallow legs.

Marshmallow legs that I want to kiss and chomp and squeeze.

Neither I nor my friends Katie and Liz had ever seen this baby before or met her parents until that very day.

But we were drawn to her like a magnet.

We had to touch that fuzzy head.

Thankfully her parents were more than generous, and let us hold her and scrunch her and squeal over her and pretty much act like a ridiculous set of hormone-crazed women.

And hey–our dresses kind of matched! I choose to interpret that as a message from the universe saying: you have a special bond.

I think baby James has a contender now for the position of Cutest Baby.

Do you ever inexplicably start taking pictures of a baby who’s not yours and whose name you don’t even know?

Apparently, I do.

Though since we’re all friends of Joe and Steph, that at least eliminates the possibility that I’m a freaky stalker that needs to be kept away at all costs.

Then again, maybe not. See, baby-snatching actually crossed my mind. What if I just grabbed this baby and made a hot run for it?

Which begs the question–can I even trust myself anymore?

My favorite shots are the ones of the Little Dumpling with her own beautiful mama. As the fates would have it, we were seated with the Little Dumpling’s family at the outdoor reception. Which meant: even more opportunities to capture the sweetness of this little bundle of pillowy baby-ness.

You have never seen a cuter pair.

Be still, my heart.