17 August 2010

Sneak Peek: a gorgeous engagement session with Sonny and Anika near Lincoln, Nebraska

I don't usually do these 'sneak peek' type of posts, but I'm so excited about this shoot I have to share it!

Anika and Sonny are getting married in October! They don't live in Lincoln, but she found me over the internet and asked me to shoot their engagement photos during a brief period when both she and Sonny were in town. The only time that worked for all three of us was early last Saturday morning. With the help of a coworker I found a killer photo location just for the occasion, and although we weren't out as early as sunrise, we were definitely able to take advantage of some amazing light! This is pretty much my dream shoot: a beautiful, affectionate couple who's up for anything; an obscure and gorgeous place, and the perfect time of day with magical light.

One thing I love about photography is the chance to meet new people (and engagement sessions are the best...fun, romantic, no pressure). From the interactions I had with Anika through the shoot and the weeks leading up to it, I became convinced that she and I could be great friends.  Their wedding will be full of personal, artistic touches. She's an artist too, and it shows through her great taste, and also her inspired photo ideas! We both love sunny, warm, vintage-ey photos.  She has the same Scandinavian name as several of my Swedish and Norwegian ancestors. And she has an awesome little tattoo on her ankle that reads "grace" in Hebrew (also the meaning of her name). While I don't have a tattoo, we have both been truly "saved by grace," her words during the shoot, and that might be the most beautiful connection of all.

I'll talk a little more about Sonny and Anika in a later blog.  In the meantime, I hope you enjoy these two photos from our magnificent shoot. Thanks so much for looking!

09 August 2010

Mitchell & Sarah's Nebraska Prairie Wedding!

For a long time, I turned down wedding photography requests because I was completely terrified of shooting weddings. I have to credit Mitchell and Sarah, some good friends of ours, for being among first to insist that I could and should (and would) do their wedding photos. I was pretty anxious about it at first (and it really helped that there would be another photographer there), but I'm so glad they had the confidence to trust me with taking their wedding photos.  I think it was the push that helped me realize that I could really do this, and that I even really wanted to do it, and couldn't wait. So this was the second wedding I did (with Chris and Natalie's being the first). I've got four of them under my belt now, and am beginning to feel just a little bit "broken into" this whole experience.

04 August 2010

Natalie's Senior Portraits in Lincoln, Nebraska - Class of 2011!

Natalie was a lucky girl: she got two photo shoots! Actually, the first time we went out, a storm rolled in and ruined the light after about 30 minutes. So we decided to call it a night and go out again later.  Natalie was so much fun to work with!  Her plan after graduation is to open a kids' bookstore! Isn't that cool? And just check out how photogenic she is!  It's impossible for my to choose my top favorite, sohow about 18 of them? :) Both times we visited East Campus in Lincoln. This is the first time I've done photos there, and I realized it's pretty much a hotspot for portraits. I saw at least 5 other photogs there on our two trips.