Brooke & Travis: Bridal/Trash the Dress Session

Remember a couple of weeks ago when I introduced you to Brooke, Travis and their adorable pup George? And when I told you there was a post coming about their Bridal/Trash the Dress session?

Well, here it is folks. And let me tell ya: I'm so stinkin' excited to share these photos with you because they turned out better than I could ever have imagined. It's so exciting when the tons of practice with my camera pays off with super-awesome photos. Plus, shooting with these two was a dream; they were total troopers (c'mon...they willingly went into the lake in their formal attire. That's what I call commitment!), and showed off some of the best model faces I've ever seen. They're rock stars. For realz.

This shoot was tons of fun, especially since everyone else thought it was their wedding day and kept congratulating them - it was like reliving their big day all over again, without all of the stress of planning a big event! There was one guy in a truck who got what we were doing toward the end of the shoot, and shouted out the window "Trash that dress!". Tee hee. :)

Mother nature was also surprisingly cooperative for this shoot - probably more than she ever had to be. Unlike that morning, which was a bit too chilly for all of our liking, the weather was absolutely perfect. Aaaannnnddd....there were big, fluffy clouds that frequently blocked out the blazing sun, which diffused the light quite nicely.

Enjoy! :)

My assistant for the shoot. Isn't he dreamy?? ;)

Yeah, so that heart with the "B+T" in the sand? That was totally my handiwork. I'm such an arteest. 

And this was when the sun finally decided to make a reappearance. But that's okay, because we got at least one good picture out in the water, which made it worth it!

OUT OF CONTROL!! Brooke, you're GORGEOUS!!

This is what I like to call Travis' "Calvin Klein Model Face".

Brooke & Travis: Family Session

Brooke and Travis have what I like to call "personality plus". They are a heckuva lot of fun, and know how to live life to the fullest. Plus they're totally in love with each other and their cute little pup George. What's not to like? :)

Last weekend we met up with them for a day of photo fun in beautiful Port Washington, Wis., a picturesque small town right on Lake Michigan. In the morning we did a family session and in the afternoon we did a bridal/trash the dress (which will be featured in an upcoming post). Even in the unexpected morning chill, they were total naturals in front of the camera, which made my job super easy.

Afterwards we went out for breakfast at a local joint and chowed down on corned beef hash, among many other breakfast delicacies. And later, we introduced them to the wonder that is Kopp's frozen custard. Noms.

For this session I rented the 35 mm f/1.8 and the 85 mm f/1.4 lenses. And let me tell ya - even though I'm still in love with my 50 mm, I found myself using the two shiny new lenses more often than not.

Gah! Look at those eyes!! And check out George's stylin' sweater!

Look: George has "Yoda" ears! :)

Awwww. :)

Stay tuned for a post on their bridal/trash the dress session!

Knock-Knock-Knockin' on Heaven's Door

It finally happened: we took our first actual vacation in two years.

When deciding on a destination, we wanted to make sure it would be both relaxing and fun, especially since our last vacation was at Disney World (which was a helluva lot of a fun, but not terribly relaxing!). Since we're once again living in close proximity to Wisconsin, we decided to return to Door County (aka: The Cape Cod of the Midwest) for the first time in about five years.

In case you're curious, here's a quick summary of what we did:

• White water rafting along the Peshtigo River in Athelstane, Wis. There were a lot of rocks, and I got stuck in about half of them. Brian managed to fall out of his raft on some Class 3 rapids.
• Went to a wine tasting, and got a little tipsy. Bought too many fridge magnets and bottles of wine.
• Swam around the pool.
• Read a novel.
• Napped.
• Ate some really tart cherries. And cherry-flavored foodstuffs.
• Watched the sunset over the bay.
• Went para-sailing after we weren't able to go "regular" sailing because the winds weren't cooperating.
• Climbed up and down 90-some-odd terrifying steps in Cana Island Lighthouse.
• Poked around the kitschy shops in Sister Bay, Egg Harbor and Fish Creek.

Luckily for me Door County is very photogenic, so it wasn't too difficult to capture its natural beauty.

Brian enjoying the Sunset over the bay. :)

On our last night up north, we went to a fish boil in Fish Creek.  A fish boil is a Door County tradition where whitefish, potatoes and onions are piled into a large pot over a roaring fire and "boiled over" to remove the fish oil collected on top. Our "boiler master" did an awesome job of explaining the process, and of course making the flames erupt under the pot.

And yes, it was delicious. Even Brian, who is not a fan of eating fish, enjoyed the meal.

These guys worked FAST! My quick shutter speed barely kept up!

It was a wonderful trip, and I'll remember it fondly. And now I'll leave you with a quintessential summer photo.

That's Life.

I have way too many things on my Bucket List, including but not limited to:

- Buy a hammock and sleep outside under the stars.

-Travel the Middle East...on a camel.

-Go on a date with Johnny Depp (I have the full support of Brian, no worries!).


One of the items I've been meaning to cross off for quite some time now is to drive to a remote location by myself just to relax and enjoy the scenery.

So, I made reservations at an inn in Northern Wisconsin (Bayfield, to be exact) and made the eight-hour drive up all by me onzee in our aging Saturn. I enjoyed the simple pleasure of just wandering around the quaint town, framed with the majesty of Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands. I chose a lakeside room, and let me tell ya - it was well worth it.

Here's some photos from my first day (you can click on the photos to view them full-size):

The view from my room. I got to wake up to this. :)

It's like they already knew me! I heart Milanos....

The next day (following a failed attempt at going on a ghost hunt...but that's whole 'nother story) I hopped on the ferry to check out Madeline Island, the largest of the Apostles. After arriving on shore, I was struck by how quiet it was - sure, there were some cars and people, but for the most part it was peacefully silent. You really forget just how many background noises there really are in urban life until they suddenly disappear.

Supposedly the island can "cast a spell" over you - I definitely felt relaxed and at peace, but I don't think I had adequate time to truly experience the "Madeline Magic" that everyone was talking about.

Photo-geeking note: you can totally tell when the sun comes out from behind the clouds. ;)

The view of Bayfield from the ferry.

Okay, so this place (called Tom's Burned Down Cafe) has a bit of a story with it. Supposedly, there used to be an actual building there (it was a bar), but it burned down. Instead of closing the place for a few months to rebuild it, the owner just put up a tent and served drinks the next night, and all the ones after that, like nothing ever happened.

Seriously, this place was a trip. I wish I could have been there while it was open, but here's a glimpse of its zaniness:

These were embedded in the floor. Crazy.

While I was there, I had a few epiphanies:

1.) I've been worrying way more about other people than myself. For my sanity and health, I need to lay off.

2.) I worry too darn much in general. Again, need to slow my roll.

3.) Life's too short. Enjoy as much of it as you can. Take chances, make mistakes, get messy, and never be afraid of failure.