This wedding had the distinction of having the most ice on every single surface of any wedding I've photographed, but the ceremony was full of warmth. The hymn sing during the ceremony took me back to childhood as well. A beautiful wedding in Champaign, IL and a wonderful couple. Congrats Michelle and Rudy! I was honored to be a part of it.
2016: Weddings in review.
2016. Man, what a year for weddings. I was able to photograph the most I ever have, survive an entire system switch in the middle from Canon to Nikon, and make some wonderful friends. There is such an overwhelming number of photos that it's difficult to pick my favorites, so I just went with my gut and grabbed some. If you trusted me in 2016 to photograph a wedding, i just want to thank you so much. It's a tremendous thing to be there on a day that means so much, and I am grateful that you picked me to be there.
2016: a review.
2016. A time of massive changes, both personally and globally. Sometimes it feels like everything we love is disappearing, but I still believe in small victories. This year, I've had less time to pursue personal projects, because I..,
1. Bought a house and moved in.
2. Proposed
3. Eloped
4. Helped my new wife move and set up a pottery studio.
5. Changed camera systems entirely from Canon to Nikon in July.
6. Increased commercial photo work.
7. Changed editing software platforms in December.
8. A few more things, I'm currently working on :-).
In the middle of all of this, I have been made increasingly aware of the small undeserved blessings I've been given. A safe place to sleep, a supportive partner, and people who want to see me succeed and use their reference to help spread the word. To everyone who shows their support, I am eternally grateful.
I've compiled a few photos that represented those small victories this year. There are a lot of portraits, a few architecture photos, and a magazine cover. In their own way, each photo felt like I was breaking a small amount of new ground. After the initial rush in a career, the large victories are harder to find, but the small differences are encouragement. I hope to continue to make the small refinements in 2017 that will make each photo session I offer a more inspiring and productive experience.
A common thread throughout my creative career is the tension between confrontation and contemplation. I will always be drawn to a thoughtful artistic statement that doesn't scrub out the shadows. In my musical career, I've split between aggressive and ambient. In my photo career I zero in on alone moments, even in a crowd. I find that I can recognize that moment in myself. A photographers job is often that of a outsider. In some ways the camera is a shield. I can put it down and engage, but raise it again and I become the observer. A camera in that way can become a peephole through which you view the world. Even in the middle of the room, the door may be opened or bolted.
Joy, anger, fear, sadness - these are feeling that shout though the door. In some ways, 2016 was a year of this type of feeling. If you weren't shouting you weren't heard. If I stopped there as a photographer and only captured the primary shouts of feeling, I could certainly do worse, but there are so many other whispers, so many combinations, so many quiet stories. For 2017, I want to unbolt the door. A peephole is a protective device, but it also distorts. Removed, I may hear clearly that which doesn't shout. I can tell the quiet stories.
Casey and Becca are married!
This wedding just oozed classic story and charm. I felt like I had stepped into a movie set at The Beiger Mansion.
Amberly and Gabe are married!
I loved shooting at The Morris Estate in Niles, MI for this incredibly heartfelt wedding. We finished it off at The Brick in South Bend, and of course there is no shortage of photo opportunities there either. Days like this make me happy to be a photographer.
Alyssa and Morgan are married!
We are getting close to the end of the year, and these last few weddings are a fantastic way to end it. Alyssa and Morgan brought a relaxed country feel to this wedding that ended with a truck photo that I just love. Photos going on monday :-)!
Kayla and Brett are married!
Coolest first look ever, and such a beautiful day for a wedding. Congrats Brett and Kayla! It was an honor to photograph this day for you.
Sarah and Michael are married!
This was a party (in case you couldn't tell by the Fireball). It was an honor to hang out and capture the whole thing, and I'm still a huge fan of our timing on that fountain. Congrats guys!
Tim and Sydney are married!
This wedding was a blast and full of touching, and funny moments. Check out the awesomeness, and thanks to Esther for the limo photos (and being my go-to second shooter this whole dang year)!
Andrew and Sarah are married!
Two of the most genuinely sweet people I've met. It was so obviously that Andrew cared about Sarah, and when he saw her walking down the aisle you can see the goosebumps :-). Congratulations!
