Monthly Archives: November 2008

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John and Kim

November 30, 2008 – 6:19 pm

I’ve always had a thing for British guys (exhibited best as of late by my crush on this guy …  :) ), so after a few hours with these two, it was easy for me to see why Kim loves John — his fetching British accent and great personality rising quickly to the top of the list.

This pair was so much fun to work with (and had nooo problems tackling my “snuggle requests”) on the c-o-l-d November day we met up in Fort Wayne for our shoot. John and I bonded over James Bond (hearing him tell me how great the newest flick is has inspired me to see it) and the nuances of the Brit-American divide (who knew that a car’s trunk is actually a boot in the U.K. and its hood a bonnet? Lord help me if I ever run into car trouble on that trip I want to take across the pond).

Kim, I know how eager you’ve been to see these shots up on the Web site. Thank you so much for being one of my biggest sideline fans. Photographers LOVE encouraging clients and you are one of the best! Enjoy the SLIDESHOW too!!!

If you’re in a pinch for good light for photos indoors in Fort Wayne, the Grand Wayne Center is fab :)

I love a great silhouette shot

Kim you have a million-watt smile!!

I love when clients are up for my challenges (I was afraid I’d fall off the escalator tackling this one!)

There is something about this photo I so, so love … so I’m giving it my “favorite” stamp of approval

Of course, this one is pretty cute too… I love John’s expression here, definitely channeling a little Bond :)

We ducked into the library, which was an interesting experience. I’m wondering how many people take these kinds of photos in the stacks of books! HA!

Thanks again for a great afternoon Kim and the opportunity to work with you on our commercial project.

And Jodie, give me a week and you’ll be next!!!! :)

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Is it really that time of year already?

November 28, 2008 – 2:44 pm

I think the first sign I was going to be a bit Scrooge-ish about the holidays this year is when I heard Christmas music on the radio — 3 weeks before Thanksgiving. I had to turn it … it was just too much, too soon.

And here we are the day after Thanksgiving and I still feel the same, even after decorating the house with boughs of holly, twinkling lights and a festive Christmas tree.

Anybody else feeling less than “ho-ho-ho”ish this year? Or like the holidays decided to throw a surprise party and catch you off guard?

I have so much to be thankful for so this post isn’t to complain about that, but just, with every year that passes, I feel more and more that sentiment that “Christmas just isn’t what it used to be when you were a kid.”

Now maybe if I spend a few hours with Clark Griswald I’ll get in the spirit …

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Nikki and Keegan: Sneak Peek

November 24, 2008 – 7:12 pm

We barely did it, but Nikki, Keegan and I beat the freezing cold blast that recently hit, squeezing in an outdoor engagement shoot a day before the snow started to fly.

These two were up for anything and their spontaneity made my job that much easier (not to mention they are ridiculously good-looking, which helps too! :) )

Here’s a peek at what’s to come for this couple who are getting hitched in April …

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Resigning from the kitchen …

November 23, 2008 – 8:54 pm

Last weekend, Nick went bird hunting with a co-worker of mine — his first time taking part in this particular sport of manly adventure. I’ll admit that the idea of his bringing home a bag of plucked quail didn’t sound that appealing to me, but he told me he’d find a way to dress up the birds.

And dress them up he did.

Tonight, we went to Marsh so Nick could find the host of exotic-sounding ingredients few people I know have in their fridge (I doubt we could have borrowed chile-garlic sauce off our neighbors, right?) so he could whip up the wonderful concoction of Asian grilled quail.

I left him to his work and stayed in the den, editing away. When I came out 45 minutes later, this was the feast before me — so deliciously good-looking (and equally as yummy-tasting) that I told him the kitchen can be his turf if he keeps coming up with dishes like this one:

Internet, don’t think I’m unaware of the fact that my husband is trophy material. I’m still working on his cloning machine in the garage … it’s how I intend to pay for our kids’ college educations :)

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Meet Matt, Kelly and Marissa

November 18, 2008 – 10:27 pm

To hear Matt talk about the first thing he remembers about Kelly in their class together at IPFW is to describe Kelly to a T. “She had her laptop out, her cappuccino in front of her, her hand raised … she took up two desks with all her stuff,” he told me with a laugh.

Kelly and I went to high school together and the same gal Matt will one day walk down the aisle with is the same one I remember from my days at Woodlan — bubbly, driven and full of spunk.

These two had an easy banter with one another that made our afternoon together shooting their engagement session a breeze. Before we hit up the streets of downtown Fort Wayne, we squeezed in a quick family session. And to see more from our shoot, don’t forget to check out the awesome SLIDESHOW!

Here’s Kelly’s ADORABLE daughter, Marissa (who, at 5, was into telling me about her Hannah Montana Halloween costume — and yep, Matt was Billy Ray :) )

I had purchased this massive lollipop in Brown County the weekend before and knew it’d make for the perfect prop — thanks to mom Kelly for ignoring the post-shoot sugar high for me!!

We called this her “Lollipop Dance” :)

Beautiful family

We left Marissa with a sitter and decided to get our groove on in some sweet spots downtown

:) SMOKING HOTTTTTTTTTTTTTT :)

Kelly you are gorgeous and Matt, you are a super tall (6′6!) stud! Thank you both so much for booking with me and for trusting my instincts - I think our scavenger hunt paid off - WOO HOO!

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Baby Landin: Sneak Peek

November 17, 2008 – 10:46 pm

I remember when Nick and I had our engagement photos done, I think I must have checked our photographers’ blog about seven times a day. And then, just for good measure, like, 10 more times (hitting the refresh button every few minutes … “How about now?” “Now?”…. “Okaaaayyyy…maybe the photos are up…now!”)

One of the joys of being a photographer is knowing that somewhere on the other end of that Internet connection, my clients are just as eager to see the photos I’ve taken of them.

Jodie, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. Your little boy has gotten so big since our last shoot and I am having SO much fun going through the photos from this session … I can’t wait to share all of them with you and Adam!

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Kim and John: Sneak Peek

November 13, 2008 – 9:59 pm

I had the opportunity to work with Kim on a commercial project last week and we decided to cap off the weekend with a portrait shoot with her and her beau, John.

Kim, this is just a sneak peek for now (I told her in an e-mail she is hands-down the smiley-est (is that even a word? If not I just made it one … :) ) subject I’ve worked with yet!) but I can’t wait to show you more!

And just because I want to keep you all guessing, let me just say I had a ton of fun talking to John because I quite fancied his accent :)

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Can’t. stop. staring.

November 12, 2008 – 11:38 pm

There’s not a month that goes by where I don’t love to tear through my issue of Vanity Fair. Awesome articles? Check. Fantastic photographs? Check.

But I about started hyperventilating when I opened the mailbox today, tore off the cellophane and discovered a spread by the fantabulous Peggy Sirota dedicated to Rob Pattinson, (aka, my new boyfriend …shhhh … don’t tell Nick :) ), Kristen Stewart and the rest of the cast from the upcoming Twilight movie.

Seriously, DOES IT GET ANY HOTTER? (and these are the outtakes … WHAT?! Shut UP!)

People, if you are still scratching your head and asking, “Twi-who?” and “What’s all the fuss about?” well, you need to jump on the band wagon. Because this movie — and these stars — are going to be HUGE. Like, remember when Titantic came out and you couldn’t escape the screaming girls clambering to breath the same air as Leonardo DiCaprio?

Yeah, this is going to be even bigger. Like, WAY BIGGER. Like teenage girls going 17th-century mob crazy bigger. Just check out this clip Nightline did on the story and the film:

Now, I read a lot of books. But I cannot recall DEVOURING a series the way I tackled the Twilight novels this summer. And then, after I read them, I developed what I affectionately refer to as the “Twilight hangover” … I pushed the books off on friends, felt like some dopey fan girl for looking at Web sites devoted to the series (of which there are plenty!) and spent a solid week unable to get those fictional characters out of my head!

My students at work tease me about my obsession because really folks, it knows no bounds. But I’ve given up on trying to hide it now. I’m like one of those guys who makes his annual trek to the Star Wars convention.

Okay, maybe not that bad — I would never don a wookie costume. Well, maybe if Rob asked me to …

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The Allison Family

November 11, 2008 – 11:41 pm

Of three things I am certain:

One: The Internet is awesome in so many ways but mostly in its profound capabilities to bring people together.

Two: I would have never met Noelle had we not shared a mutual love of knitting. And the Internet.

Three: Noelle and her husband Jesse have four of the sweetest, most beautiful girls I’ve laid eyes on. And I’m about to show them to you (on the Internet).

But first here’s the quick story of how I met this awesome family (I’ll aim for the ‘in a nutshell’ version):

Noelle and I both belong to an online knitting forum called Ravelry. I’m horrible about participating on the thing, but Noelle, on the other hand, well, she’s a knitting pro whose handiwork (as evidence by her profile) is amazing! Noelle does a random search on Ravelry for knitters in Muncie. Noelle finds me and — thanks to an “About Me” section — my Web site.

After the exchange of a few e-mail pleasantries, this was how I managed to spend a gorgeous November afternoon with the Allison family at Muncie’s Minnetrista Cultural Center. Noelle, it was a pleasure getting to meet you, your husband and those girls of yours. I couldn’t resist using a favorite Paul Simon tune that I thought was too perfect for your cute-as-can-be SLIDESHOW. I hope you enjoy it!

Meet the darlings (who have equally charming names, I might add):

Gweynth

Adelaide

Peregrine (Pippin for short :) )

and the gorgeous Imogen (those eyes, those eyes - oh my!)

So cute!

In the short time I spent with the fam, I could totally tell Jesse was such a great hands-on dad

And Jesse, you are the head of one good-looking family!

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I really love …

November 10, 2008 – 7:02 pm

Pangea Organic products.

I stumbled across the heavenly clean (some would say hippy) scents of this line during a random outing at one of my favorite stores, World Market. (Folks, if you’ve never ventured into World Market, you are missing out on the kind of shopping venture where you go in looking for nothing in particular but walk out with a handful of random eccentric goodies. In other words, pure bliss …)

On said trip I also scooped up these yummy noodles and a can of this amazing coffee (thanks to a recommendation from the Turtles), but it’s these bath products that perk me up every morning when I hit the shower.

Oh, and that container my soap came in? Totally plantable. As in, the whole thing.

How many other beauty products give you basil for your tomato sauce as a thank you for helping you smell good?

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