mindy myers photography

THE NEW BLOG

2010-01-12T21:59:00.002-06:00

the new blog's up! i can't say that it was much easier to post, but it's sure cute.

thank you, sweet blue blog with your tiny photos for carrying me through the last few years.

i will come back to visit.

new blog coming soon!

2009-12-28T19:39:00.002-06:00

be patient, kind blog followers. although i have been seriously lacking in blog posts this past year, i have a LOT of goodies stored up that i am saving for my NEW BLOG! yay!

part of the hassle of my current blog is that it's a b#@* to upload. and with four kiddos and this full-time gig, i have no time for b#@*-es.

so, sad as i am to leave this blue jewel, i will be unveiling a new & improved blog sometime in the new year. i will redirect from this blog, so stay in touch!

holy trinity holiday boutique

2009-11-10T18:30:00.003-06:00

the holy trinity holiday boutique is this weekend! there are lots of great vendors that are coming this year, including my favorite girls from iowa city.

the doors are open from 8 am-3 pm at holy trinity catholic school at 2926 beaver ave in des moines.

admission is $3.

come early to get the goods!

PSA

2009-10-06T14:18:00.002-05:00

Just a little public service announcement for the many young families out there.

Please be sure that if you order anything online, say from an online company that sells strollers, that the company is reputable and has a good rating from their local BBB.

You can go to http://www.bbb.org and enter the zip code of the store (like 33316, for example). When that routes you to the local BBB, you can type in the company name to see what their rating is.

In all the years I've been purchasing online, I've never had any problems. I have since learned that some companies will actually take your money and not send you what you purchased! This blows me away. Especially for companies that gear themselves towards young families. I now see that the particular company I am dealing with has an "F" rating from the BBB for similar problems. I wish I would have researched that before.

So, good friends, if you need baby items do a little research and save yourselves some headaches.

(BTW-I could not buy this particular stroller locally. We have no retailers for them here.)

thank you

2009-09-10T02:41:00.003-05:00

i would just like to thank everyone for their patience with us this past seven months. things have been a little crazy around here trying to figure out how to juggle this wonderful business and four kids (including baby twins, a rambunctious three-year-old, and an over-achieving tween).

it is such an honor to be trusted with your memories. it is a bigger testament to how wonderful my clients and friends are to have the support (and supreme patience) that you have all given me.

so, please accept my apology for late blog posts (or non-existent blog posts), missed phone calls and the occasional mixed up order. we are trying as hard as we can and getting better every day.

i love my job. i love my family.

this is a blessed life.

alex and cooper

2009-09-10T01:56:00.008-05:00

Alex and Cooper's wedding was one of our favorites from this year. Their celebration was a prime example of what makes a perfect wedding.

Beautiful weather

Both of our outdoor wedding days this year started with rainstorms and ended in glorious, cool, sunny days. I always attribute this to the good karma our couples behold.

Adorable, smart couples (inside & out)

Brides that hold their hugs just a little longer than expected.

This makes for great photos, but also tugs at my heart a little bit. There is just something about the way some people give a hug that shows appreciation and grace. Alex hugs this way.

Engaged and delightful families

Have you seen prouder parents? They are beaming.

Dancing grandpas

Enough said.

Thank you, Alex and Cooper, for trusting us with your wedding day and inviting us to be a part of your celebration. It was a day we'll always remember!

above photo by paige peterson

above photo by molly cornelison

above photo by paige peterson

the a family

2009-08-25T20:53:00.006-05:00

LLS round 3

2009-08-05T15:07:00.004-05:00

Here's the stragglers from LLS benefit shoot. We still have two to photograph (as they weren't born, yet when the fundraising was happening).

Cute. As. Buttons.

mini sessions for holiday cards & gifts!

2009-08-04T23:00:00.002-05:00

We are booked solid for our outdoor sessions for 2009, but we are offering three days of mini sessions in the studio for holiday cards & gift prints. Please contact us at info@mindymyers.com for more information!

jessica and rob

2009-07-17T08:18:00.012-05:00

this was really a perfect wedding.

jessica & rob were married on an absolutely beautiful day in june. we had a mini heat wave the days leading up to the wedding (so hot i had to cancel all of my outdoor shoots that week). and the morning of the wedding it rained. but the clouds broke and the weather was truly perfect just in time for the wedding. it was a gorgeous and an uncharacteristically cool and non-humid day in iowa. i always chalk that up to good karma on the couples' behalf.

jessica is darling and gracious and rob is the kind of guy that you hope your daughter finds. (i have four and i'm already praying for a kind soul like rob). all i have to say is he teared up when he saw her for the first time. all of their parents were really great, too. you can tell the come from good families. good peoples.

on top of that, sticks is just a cool place to shoot. the light is always great and when the weather cooperates, it's definitely one of the best venues in iowa.

did we mention they honeymooned in greece?

jess & rob - i have no doubt you have a great future ahead of you. please keep in touch and thanks for allowing us to be a part of your perfect day!

above photo by sarah schulte

ebban and philip

2009-07-13T19:14:00.003-05:00

ebban was born in iowa. philip was born in ireland and grew up in switzerland.

they met in the states, fell in love and had some pretty serious long-distance dating that made for cool meet-ups all over the world. they got married in may at the iowa arboretum with an international audience in attendance and are currently residing in geneva. we had a really great time with them and love shooting at both the arboretum and hotel pattee (which is open, again!)

good luck in all of your adventures, ebban & philip! congratulations!

above photo by molly cornelison

above photo by sarah schulte

rachel and jonathan

2009-07-12T14:03:00.004-05:00

rachel and jonathan came in for their engagement shoot the night before they moved out of state. this is the third time i've done an engagement the night before a couple has moved across the country! luckily, we've ended up with gorgeous photos each time. rachel is continuing her residency is radiology and jonathan is a professor of mathematics. such a smart and beautiful couple.

we had a beautiful night in downtown des moines, complete with background music courtesy of a show at simon estes. it was really a great night in iowa.

we are very excited to be photographing their wedding this fall. hope you two are settled in!

we love dogs at mindy myers photography.

sweet baby jude

2009-07-11T16:06:00.006-05:00

our friends emily & justin had their first baby in may. emily is the little sister of one of our great friends and it is so fun to see her with her son. she's a natural.

and look at this baby! he's hollywood cute. look at that hair. the kid could be in the movies already.

we are so, so happy for you two. you have a very sweet little blessing and a darling family.

booked!

2009-07-09T10:58:00.002-05:00

we're all full for 2009 outdoor sessions this year. please contact sarah at info@mindymyers.com if you want to get on the waiting list or information on our indoor studio specials.

hopefully i can get caught up enough to get some of our more recent shoots and weddings on the blog. we have had a very busy year, so far.

happy happy summer!

more favorite things

2009-07-08T22:27:00.009-05:00

every year there is an art show at our church and i always end up at the same booth with this family (a mom and her daughters) who make the most darling, thoughtful, sweet pieces of art. last year i wandered through their little area hugely pregnant with the twins, crying while i was reading all of the lovely messages.

i have quite a collection.

their businesses are called creative works, paper prayers and green girl design. i finally found them on etsy this year and also found their blog.

(it's a little dangerous to have internet access to them.)

if you want an original piece of adorable art, check them out. i'll post some photos below.

i just bought the one on the right above for the twins' room. it says "sometimes it's the smallest things that take up the most room in our hearts".

sweet. sweet. sweet.

the A family

2009-06-25T09:06:00.003-05:00

this little doll turned one this spring. isn't she a lovely? she was in a fabulous mood and was so cooperative at her shoot. a perfect little peach. happy birthday!

LLS round 2

2009-06-21T21:15:00.007-05:00

here's the second set of collages for the leukemia & lymphoma benefit. i had the cutest kids for this fundraiser!

one more day's collages to come soon . . .

jen & dr. jason

2009-06-20T11:55:00.017-05:00

jen & jason were our second wedding back. jen is absolutely stunning and jason was a whole lot of fun. this was another couple like tammy & garrett where their engagement session left me completely fooled. i think i even told sarah before the wedding that they would be a really mellow and quiet crowd. then the music comes on, they hit the dance floor and the party's on.

thanks for allowing us to be a part of your beautiful day. we had an awesome time.

first kiss photo by sarah schulte

bride & groom entrance photo by sarah schulte

and the party's on . . .

sweet sydney

2009-06-02T13:36:00.003-05:00

sydney is a des moines girl who has moved to l.a. to be in the movies. she was actually directed that way by an agent after trying out for an independent movie in des moines. so now, her and her mom are living quite an adventure! sydney needed some new headshots so i photographed her on her last visit home. she is quite professional and so, so darling. she just landed her first role in a movie and we can't wait to see where she goes from here. good luck, sydney!

update on the LLS benefit

2009-06-02T12:21:00.011-05:00

so . . . i've been shouting it from the rooftops, so you've probably already heard. but if you haven't, my dear friend erin wormley was successful in her campaign for woman of the year for the leukemia & lymphoma society's annual fundraiser. erin raised almost $28,000 of a collective $200,000+ raised by all the candidates! what an awesome accomplishment for a very worthy cause. i am so proud to have been a part of her fundraiser.

greg & i attended the gala last saturday (thanks, erin) and it was very powerful to hear the stories of the lives that have been affected by blood cancers.

we did a little photo benefit to help raise some moola for the campaign. i'm going to post some of the collages from the first day of shooting.

thank you, thank you to our friends and clients who participated in the event. thank you to greg scheidemann for donating the studio time and to mark kegans & sarah schulte for helping with the photo shoots. it is amazing what we can all accomplish together.

many blessings--mindy

sarah & austin

2009-06-01T23:04:00.004-05:00

sarah & austin were our first wedding back after a long winter and my maternity leave. sarah schulte & i were so excited for their wedding because of it. (we fresh faced and ready to go.) this was a fabulous way to begin our wedding season. they had a gorgeous may day with plenty of flowering trees and blue skies. after their st. ambrose wedding ceremony, we took a little stroll downtown before heading over to the des moines club for their reception. everyone involved in their wedding was so kind & we really had a great day with them. (and got some great photography)

thanks for a warm welcome back to work, you two!

above photo by sarah

above kick a** photo by sarah

austin loves the weather beacon

above photo by sarah

nicole & brian

2009-04-27T16:18:00.005-05:00

nicole & brian are our july 4th wedding for this year. i had a great time on their engagement shoot, which was one of my first days back to work after my maternity leave.

brian is nice and snuggly. something his groomsmen probably won't groove on, but it sure makes for cute engagement photos. i hope he lets his inner cute shine through on their wedding day.

they are a beautiful couple, aren't they?

see you in a few months nicole & brian!

i thought it was a little too quiet in there . . .

2009-04-27T15:30:00.002-05:00

leukemia & lymphoma society benefit

2009-04-06T15:58:00.017-05:00

I am hosting an event to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I'm teaming up with my good friend Erin Wormley who is raising money to compete for the Woman of the Year for the LLS annual fundraiser. Mark Kegans will be offering Photo Booth sesions which are great for boys and older kids. You can bring props, hats, favorite toys or friends. Greg Scheideman of Catchlight Studios is donating the studio time.

For a $150 donation to LLS, you will receive one of my signature 10x10 collages of the photos taken by me & Mark. Total value of the session and collage is over $325!
I'm sure everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer. My dad lost one of his best friends early this year to leukemia. This is a great way to get some cool photography of your child and all of the money goes directly to LLS. Please contact sarah at info@mindymyers.com to make your appointment. Sessions are limited and will be offered Sunday, May 3 and Sunday, May 17. There will be one more session in early July. Reservations and donations for the July event are being accepted now.

baby jack

2009-04-05T15:10:00.007-05:00

my first shoot back was a two-week-old baby in ames, so i had a lot to talk about with mom & dad.
they have a great house full of cool colors and animals.
i fit right in.
willow the cat even joined our shoot. the dog had to stay outside.
thank you michael, for serving our country. (and thank you aubrey for the sacrifices you had to make the 18 months he was gone.)
you have beautiful, beautiful family. congratulations on baby jack!

almost back to work . . .

2009-04-02T19:01:00.003-05:00

i've had a wonderful time staying home with these babies. i'm not sure i'd call it much of a "leave", as i've been working quite a bit. but i am definitely picking up the speed in the next month or so.
i am really, really excited about this year. we have a lot of cool couples for our weddings, with some really great venues and locations. we have also booked more families, earlier in the year, than any previous year. we are completely booked for outdoor sessions through july and already have appointments on the calendar for september and october. if you were unable to get in last year or are hoping to get in this year, please call early!
regardless if you are a new client or an existing friend, please call sarah for a consultation to see what's new. we have a lot of new products & ideas for your sessions. it is very exciting to head into this season.
i hope to see you soon!

some stand-outs from last year

2009-03-27T14:45:00.048-05:00

i hate to post in big batches like this. first of all, it will probably take way too long to load. secondly, it's hard to appreciate the photography when there's so much smashed together. these are so cool when they're seen individually or hanging on the wall. it sort of loses the effect to see them strung out on a small computer screen. but i'm close to starting the 2009 season and i know i won't get these posted unless i do it this way. i hope you can take the time to really see them.
i promise to blog more faithfully. i can't wait to see all the faces from this year.
happy spring!

margo & georgia

2009-02-09T08:43:00.004-06:00

we are blessed with two additional daughters!
margo grace & georgia mae were born 2.6.06.
God is good.

last belly shot

2009-01-18T12:34:00.005-06:00

the very last pregnancy shot i will ever have taken!
many thanks to sarah for taking it for me. i had a vision for this and she did a great job of making it happen.
we'll keep everyone posted on the arrivals . . .

the family tree

2009-01-17T21:19:00.012-06:00

i took some photos last week of sandi hoover. she is the owner and teacher at the family tree.
tonight i went to my first blessingway ceremony at the family tree, which is kind of like a spiritual baby shower.
i've been practicing yoga for about eight years, now. i just switched to the family tree when i became pregnant with the twins. i highly recommend this to any pregnant mama. it's such a great place to retreat to in your pregnancy.
sandi has really great, positive, kind energy. she's also a nurse so she brings a lot of information and conversation to her prenatal yoga class. it's a good place to talk with other expecting moms and take some time out of your busy, busy life to relax and focus on your pregnancy. when i was so swamped last fall with photo shoots and holiday orders, it was a great escape. i had to force myself to go there, sometimes, just because i was so busy. but it was a real treat once i got there and i was always grateful that i went.
i don't think you have to be an experienced yogini to enjoy time at the family tree. it's a great mix of health, yoga and community. there are all types of expecting moms that practice there. personally, my time there is more and more precious as i get farther into the pregnancy. and the energy there reminds me a lot of my time spent in santa barbara.
i would definitely recommend the blessingway ceremony to anyone who is about to give birth. whether it is your first child or your third (and fourth), it's a cool experience and some blessed time for you and your new baby. sandi puts a lot of work into them to make it a really special evening.
so, thank you, dear sandi! what an unexpected treasure you have brought to this pregnancy. i am forever grateful.

allison and aneesh

2009-01-16T12:28:00.010-06:00

this was our last wedding of 2008 and what a great way to finish off the year! allison and aneesh were such a lovely and gracious couple. their wedding was an international affair with guests from all over the world. they currently reside in nyc and brought a wonderful group of friends and family together to celebrate their union. we even got just enough snow to make pretty photos.
they were also one of the happiest couples i've had! you can really see it in all of their photos. allison is so joyful and aneesh really doted on her.
i don't know how i luck out with such awesome pairs. especially since so many plan from cities around the country and i am unable to meet with them upon booking.
many thanks to kathryn gamble and paige for helping me out on this one. this was my last wedding before the twins are born and they were both such a big help.
allison & aj-please keep in touch and many wishes to you for a long and joy-filled life.

by kathryn

by paige

by paige

by kathryn

by paige

tami & garrett

2009-01-09T17:18:00.017-06:00

ok, these two had one of the best parties of the year and definitely the most fabulous first dance . . . ever. it was that good. really, i had no idea they had it in them when i did their engagement shoot last spring.
sarah and paige helped with this wedding, as i was getting pretty far along (thanks girls!) it was a really fun wedding for all of us to shoot.
i have no doubt that these two have a great life ahead of them. they get along so well, have a great group of friends and family supporting them and have the spirit and fun in their relationship to help them make it through any tough times.
congratulations you two. thanks for a really fun saturday. we enjoyed being a part of your wedding.

by sarah

by paige

by sarah

by sarah

paige & jason

2008-12-19T22:45:00.020-06:00

paige got married! after shooting a LOT of weddings with me, she finally got her own. i think it was exactly what she hoped for. she planned the wedding she dreamed of (if it wasn't going to be on a beach somewhere), had beautiful weather and a really great party.
she also planned the timing of the ceremony around the best light for the day and was more than willing to spend an hour in the countryside to get some really great photos. (thanks for that, too, jason.)
she looked incredible. and for those of you who don't know paige, you can really see how happy she was that day. it definitely shines through her.
there were many things she has always talked about wanting for her wedding day. she wanted the man of her dreams, a great first dance with her dad, cowboy boots, minimal cake presence, & a blowout party.
congratulations on a perfect day and a bright future.

laura & dan

2008-12-19T14:54:00.007-06:00

more weddings! as always, gorgeous, nice, laid-back couple with a beautiful wedding day.
one of my favorites from this year.
congratulations to you both!

by sarah

they had some great, traditional family-led sing-a-longs!

by sarah

by sarah

phew!

2008-11-23T22:50:00.003-06:00

that was a crazy-end-of-the-year-holiday-portrait-season. we're still in the middle of production, but i'm starting to see the light.

as soon as i have most of the production finished, i'll start updating the blog with families and weddings that need to get up on here from this year. there are so many great ones! maybe that will give me something to do in january while i sit and wait for these babies to show up. (i'll post a photo from a twins shower my girlfriends gave me this weekend, in case you haven't seen the belly).

we are changing some things for next year, so i will repost what i put up on the regular website today. it is really hard for me to turn people away, but this year reminded me that i can't give the best customer service to everyone when i'm overbooked. so i have to limit the fall sessions for next year. i should still be able to get everyone in, but book soon and come in early! :) i'm going to limit the amount of weddings i take next year, while we adjust to twins. but i'll be taking just as many families.

there will also be an opening at our building december 5th. (304 15th on the west end of downtown) most of the studios in the fitch building will be open (including ours) with artwork up and drinks and snacks. i'll post more information when the date nears, but drop me a line if you think you can make it.

thank you, thank you, thank you wonderful people for giving me the opportunity to photograph your families and important events. i love this job.

now onto the official business . . .

2009 natural child portrait availability
We are done with our 2008 sessions. Thank you to all the great families that we saw this year! I will be taking a personal leave from December 2008 through March of 2009.

We are already taking appointments for April- early October of 2009. We will not take any sessions after October 15, 2009. We will also not be making exceptions next year, once our calendar is full. We cannot give you the appropriate attention when we are squeezing people in at the last minute and it is too hard to turn you away! So please book early and book throughout the year. We can do just as great of a portrait session in May as we can in September. :)

A retainer will be required when booking sittings for next year and will go towards your session fee. If you have not been to us before, please consider coming in for a consultation before your session. It will help you decide what kind of session you would like and what you are hoping for in your final artwork. If you are a return client, we have new products and session ideas for 2009, as well as our Natural Child Photography. Please contact us at info@mindymyers.com for pricing and booking information.

I look forward to seeing your families grow and meeting new ones. I have enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people and being allowed the opportunity to document your lives. I love my profession for the experiences I have been given and the moments I have been able to witness.

This is truly a blessed life!

tanya & aaron

2008-11-17T17:26:00.015-06:00

tanya & aaron were married this fall. tanya is the little sister of one of my dearest friends, so i've known her since she was about five. the rumor is i slipped her drinks at her sister's wedding many years ago, but i've never seen any proof. she made an absolutely stunning bride and it was a real treat to be there with her on her wedding day.
they had a gorgeous wedding at st ambrose with a reception at hotel fort des moines. the weather cooperated, so we were able to be outside quite a bit. aaron's brother sang the best "best man" toast i've ever heard. (i think there was a bet there, somewhere.)
i'm really happy for you guys and glad you're back in des moines (go beaverdale) so i can keep up with at least part of the nemmers clan. :)

nevermind

2008-10-13T19:56:00.007-05:00

so right after my rant about going to people's homes, i met with two of my clients who had recently had shoots at their homes. of course, both shoots were wonderful and i extracted my foot from my mouth in our meetings. while i will say that it is usually the case, these two had great shoots. of course they have perfectly behaved, beautiful families, so they're pretty easy to photograph. :)

the g family

j's newborn photos with his mom

kristin and e.c.

2008-10-13T19:46:00.004-05:00

one of my dearest friends got married in june. i didn't get to shoot the wedding because i was already booked for that date. but i did attend the rehearsal dinner and took my camera along with me to grab a few shots.
kristin is always stunning. this night was no different. she really was glowing. we have been friends for many years, now, and it makes me so thrilled to see her happy.
much love to you both.

photo by greg lage

excuses, excuses

2008-10-13T19:40:00.001-05:00

i am such a bad, bad blogger! if it's any excuse i did find out that i'm expecting twins early next year. so after many months of nausea and fatigue, i am now fighting off excessive cravings, back pains and things that (even after two pregnancies) constantly leave me bewildered.
thankfully i have had my busiest season ever this fall and am very grateful to the families and couples that have allowed me to document their lives. i'm sorry to all that i had to turn away and hope that i will see you next year.
i've decided the only way i can really keep up (or attempt to catch up) on the blog is to keep the chatter to a minimum, so without further ado . . .

sara and david

2008-10-13T19:15:00.014-05:00

ok, so maybe a little chatter for this one.
i'm so behind on posting weddings, so i'm going to post this one first.
sara and david were one of my favorite couples from this year. they are just as kind as they are darling and had a unique and cozy wedding in ames. the ceremony was in christian petersen art gallery and the reception was at montebello bed & breakfast. david is from mexico so his family made the big trek up to iowa for the celebration. i just love little weddings like these because you feel like you're part of the family. the couple met in grad school in the creative writing program at iowa state. for the ceremony readings, their friends and family members read poems/short stories/letters that sara and david had written to/about each other. sarah schulte second shot this wedding with me and we both cried during the ceremony. and sarah isn't even pregnant.
they had their first dance on the patio at sunset and served homemade cakes and pies for dessert.
sara & david, i know you two will have such a love-filled, adventurous life. thank you for giving us such a wonderful saturday and the opportunity to know you.

by sarah s.

by sarah s.

by sarah s.

by sarah s.

by sarah s.

their first dance . . .

the j family

2008-07-27T13:05:00.005-05:00

typically, i don't like to go to people's homes to shoot. only because it is inevitable that the gorgeous garden they want me to come photograph their family in is in the worst part of the yard for the best of the light. so to actually get the kids in the best spot, in the garden, with the sun NOT shining directly in their eyes, i've safely accomplished getting the neighbor's four-wheeler, drooling mastiff and hijacked cable lines in the background. or the fountain that is recommended because of its great backdrop potential is the size of a small beagle and promptly covered up by one child, much less the whole family.
now, for those of you who have tried it and it's worked, all the power to you. to the families who've had me over with mixed results, God bless you. that's why i like to go where i can keep things in control without strapping children to the ground. luckily, i've had two lately that have worked wonderfully. the first was the j family who had me come to their house in the early morning so we could take advantage of their son's superhero costume collection and their toddler's fondness for walking around in diaper. they were not only darling, they were laid-back and nice as can be. my favorite kind of people.

beautiful jen

2008-07-27T11:07:00.007-05:00

jen is my yoga instructor. jen could do things eight months pregnant that i will never be able to do in this lifetime. she is an incredibly strong (like wonder-woman-strong) woman and such an inspiration. i couldn't wait to photograph her! we had a great time doing both sessions (although we were the target of a lot of hungry mosquitos and cut our outdoor session a little short). she is so fun and relaxed and had great clothes and super energy. and i am really excited to see what she has (if she hasn't had it already!) see you back in class, jen!

updates

2008-07-17T09:18:00.003-05:00

I will be updating the blog, soon. There are a few weddings and maternity sessions and several families that are ready and waiting.
We are also almost completely booked for 2008 for families. We have a few spots left in the fall and a waiting list started. If you were waiting to schedule, email Sarah ASAP! Especially you regulars that call in September. :)
We are out of the office next week, but she will be checking email.
Happy summer!
mindy

april and jason

2008-06-24T16:48:00.007-05:00

april and jason met when april was a cheerleader for jason's arena football team. jason kept noticing her and hearing what a nice girl she was. she didn't seem to want to do much with him, at first.
jason is now playing for the barnstormers and they are getting married in arkansas this year. they are, again, as nice as they are darling. (and smart as whips!)
the thing about engagement shoots and weddings is being able to blend what the couples want, keeping some artistic freedom and getting a few "mom shots", to boot. we had a great time mixing it all up.
i'm sorry i won't be able to photograph your wedding, as i'm sure it's going to be a beautiful day. but i'm glad i got to spend an afternoon with you both.
good luck!

yuk.

2008-06-24T16:32:00.004-05:00

i tried to show my mom this blog on her home pc last week. yuk. the photos were outlined in royal blue, the background color was missing, the font was gross. then i went to my website. same thing. background was missing, all sorts of things were amiss.
i don't know if that's a mac/pc thing or if my mom's computer just sucks. but i hope that's not typical and you all get to see the version i'm seeing here.

anna and jon

2008-06-24T16:21:00.009-05:00

i'm shooting anna and jon's wedding in august.
we did their engagement session downtown, since we'll be at the park for their actual wedding. they brought along their dog, who was very sweet and a tad hyper. i think she was on to me.
anyway, i'm looking forward to spending some time with them in a couple of months. their wedding has all the ingredients for one of my favorite kinds of days. cool couple, outdoor ceremony, kick-back reception.

the r family

2008-06-24T14:48:00.005-05:00

this was one of my first sessions back outside this year. i was so happy to be back in the park. these little darlings were so easy and fun. what a great start to the 2008 family sessions.

according to his mom, these rain boots are an essential item and worn nearly every day.

amy & john

2008-06-24T09:27:00.010-05:00

amy & john were married in may at st. ambrose with a beautiful reception at wakonda in may.
we had a marathon photo session after the ceremony, before the reception began. i think we went to 12 different spots! it was a lot of fun to have the time to hang out with them and not be rushed to the next event. we just got some beautiful shots and had a great time with their wedding party. they were a lot of fun.

amy got john some cufflinks and placed photographs of his father and grandfather in them that had passed away. john got amy a crystal heart with a love letter rolled up inside it.

the light at wakonda was phenomenal, so we rushed right outside in the middle of the reception. there was a little miscommunication with the wakonda staff and they didn't really know we were getting golf carts until we went whizzing by the reception. they kindly escorted us for the rest of the session.

john and amy, you two are a great couple. paige and i had a great time capturing your day. you two are the kind of couples that we dream about photographing. you are as kind and fun as you are darling. have a great life together!

the joy of gina

2008-05-23T14:23:00.007-05:00

this week my friend gina lost her fight with cancer. she truly was an exemplary human being, always looking out for everyone else and seeing the best in all of us. i can't possibly put into words how this petite little woman had such a huge impact on the community, my child's school and our church. but let me just say that her life and her death has had a profound effect on my faith and there is no way that i can begin to describe, in this one little blog, how much she has done for me and how much we will miss her. i will definitely be a better person because of gina.
please keep the neibergall family and gaps children in your prayers in the coming weeks.
God bless you, dear gina. we will all miss you terribly.

paige and jason

2008-05-20T16:15:00.005-05:00

paige, jason and i had a great time at their engagement shoot. we even grabbed a six-pack and had a beer while we waited for the perfect light! it was like high school all over again. except paige was in fourth grade when i was in high school, so that would have been really inappropriate.
anyway, this was really an incredible shoot. the light was perfect, there was just enough breeze to rustle paige's hair up, jason was in a good mood, they dangled off of cliffs for me . . . it couldn't have been better.
paige and i have shot over 150 weddings together. that's just insane. and she was only 20 when she assisted me for the first time. so we've had a lot of talks over the years about what it would be like when (and if) she ever married. she was at one point convinced she'd be better off single. :) even though we aren't that far apart in age--humor me--it's been really fun to watch her grow up and fall in love. jason is the perfect match for her and i really couldn't be happier for the both of them. their wedding is going to be a real tear fest and i am very excited to have the best seat in the house for the whole thing.
much, much love to you both.

tami and garrett

2008-05-20T09:58:00.007-05:00

sweet tami and garrett are getting married in november, so it is great that we got to do a session outdoors in the spring. we canvassed the town looking for the perfect magnolia tree and ended up sneaking onto someone's front yard (ready to bolt at any second.) we were convinced that an old lady with a gun would come storming out, but we were successful in our covert operation.
they are adorable. look at them. they're that cute in real life, too.
i'm very excited to be a part of your wedding day, you two.
happy spring!

coming soon . . .

2008-05-13T23:20:00.005-05:00

i did paige and jason's engagement shoot yesterday. i'm supposed to be going on vacation today, but i can't tear myself away from the photos. we has such a fun night and they turned out so great. they are darling together.
i'll post a sneak peek today and then post the rest in a week or so.
i am so happy for paige. i could go on and on, but i'll save that for later . .

meredith and j.r.

2008-05-13T14:07:00.018-05:00

we still aren't in full-swing wedding season, yet. that starts this weekend. but we did get to shoot an april wedding for meredith and j.r. at st ambrose. it was a little chilly for april, but it was an absolutely gorgeous wedding.
i know i sound like a broken record sometimes, but we just get the coolest couples. these two are from great families, they're smart, fun, cool and have a great relationship with each other. we're just lucky to get to work with such awesome people.
meredith got a little bonus as she married into a family that knows a lot about flowers. it was a stunning wedding. (that and her mom was quite the organized m.o.b./planner.) we'd never seen the marriott look so beautiful.
paige and jason are pretty good friends with these two, so i think i'll have an excuse to stay in touch with them.
best of luck to you both!

by paige

by sarah

the paci fairy

2008-05-11T21:39:00.003-05:00

my friend melissa just published a book to help kids give up their pacifiers when it's time. neither of my kids took pacis, although i really gave it my best with both of them. but i've seen a lot of my friends struggle with this, so i thought i'd pass it on.
i met melissa through my friend jay spence. she sort of took over as his best girlfriend when i moved back to iowa and it was always good to know that there was someone out there keeping an eye on him. he was both of our daughters' Godfather, so we know he is watching over them. melissa is honestly as sweet as she is beautiful and i know she put a lot into this great book.
if you're getting close to the milestone of giving up the paci or have a friend who needs some help, please check out her book. it's really, very sweet.
http://www.thepaci-fairy.com/
best of luck to you, melissa!

miss vivien

2008-05-08T22:55:00.011-05:00

i did a quick little shoot of sweet vivien last week and realized i never posted her newborn photos! how rude!
vivien was the second wine haglet born late last summer.
i've known her mom and dad for a really long time (before they even met each other) and shot their wedding when we were still all film.
yeah, a long time ago.
anyway, it's always fun to watch your friends transform when their first baby is born. and i don't get to see that very often anymore. it has been an absolute blast to watch this unfold. will and tammy are naturals at parenting and i get a huge kick out of tammy. she's super relaxed and ultra cool.
lastly, check out that hair! these second shots are from her seven-month shoot. she is flippin' adorable.
so . . . introducing miss vivien mae.

then

now

the s family

2008-05-07T14:05:00.005-05:00

my friendship with this darling family started with lauren and ryan's wedding a few years ago. since then i've been blessed to become friends with lauren's mom (we are very, very young mothers) and see lauren's two darling baby boys born. now, i don't know what i'd do with two boys, but lauren grew up with three brothers and her husband has six, yes six, brothers. so they are certainly comfortable with these two.
i've already talked to lauren about having more children, since she has such cute ones.
it has been so fun to see them around the neighborhood and get to know their families. so many of my couples move away or live in different states. it's been really fun to keep in touch with these two.
best of luck with the new addition, lauren and ryan!

laughing at big brother

taking some of his own photos

more lovelies

2008-04-07T08:23:00.006-05:00

i love catching these little moments between the parents and their child. even if it's just showing the parent's hands, it's such a great memory. (even a drool wipe!)
a lot of times the parents will want me to crop this out, but i love to keep them in. it's lovely.

an oldie but a goodie

2008-03-28T09:05:00.004-05:00

anyone who knows me well will recognize these two. i have photographed these twins twice now and i absolutely adore them. this is from last summer, but i wanted to make sure they got on here.
their names start with e and g. their mom told me i could "tell them apart because 'e' wears eyeglasses, although that could be confusing because glasses starts with g".
then i would call 'e', 'g' because all i'm thinking of is the glasses. anyway, she lost me and i don't know who is who. but they are darling and if they were mine i wouldn't have a career because i'd be photographing them all the time.

small, small world

2008-03-27T22:38:00.002-05:00

this just blows me away.
you can track visits to your blog by adding a site meter onto it. so i go in here every once in awhile and you can not only see how many people are checking in, but also where they are coming from.
check this out! there are people in pakistan, hong kong, venezuela, the uk, canada and switzerland that somehow stumbled on to my little blog from des moines, ia. and that was just today.
it is truly cool to see how connected this world is.

santa barbara morning

2008-03-13T17:31:00.004-05:00

jackie & mattieu

2008-03-13T16:50:00.004-05:00

jackie grew up in des moines and then moved to the east coast where she met mattieu. mattieu grew up in france and after a brief stint as a foreign exchange student his freshmen year in high school, came back to the states for grad school. mattieu is pronounced a little bit like "achoo" in french. they met, fell in love were married february 23rd at the temple for performing arts in des moines. mattieu's family came from france and although they spoke english, i think they got a kick out everyone speaking very slowly and loudly to them.
we had an awesome time at their wedding. they gave us a whole hour just to play around at the temple and take photos.
they're having another ceremony in may in france, but they won't take me with them. they did, however, read on my blog that i love trader joe's and have promised me a special treat from there. i guess that will do.
happy happy spring! have fun in france.

favorite six

2008-02-20T22:14:00.004-06:00

during the next week, i hope to share some of my favorites from last year that never made it up. i'm going to be changing my website around a bit, so i've been looking through a lot of great stuff.
these six were up on one of the walls at the studio during the open house in december and i just love them together.

more california photos

2008-02-20T20:17:00.002-06:00

me and suzy at the getty
and
the couple we rode across from in the tram

you be the judge

2008-02-20T13:01:00.003-06:00

i think my almost-two-year-old painted her face in the likeness of our dog, barney.
coincidence?
i don't think so.

jack's back

2008-02-07T22:18:00.007-06:00

my favorite rocker baby was back for his six month photos.
here's a peek . . .

betsy and nick

2008-02-07T17:36:00.000-06:00

oh, i am on a roll.
betsy and nick were our last wedding of 2007. we went out with a bang.
they are one of those couples that you'd secretly like to hate because they are so darling and perfect. but they are just as nice as they are darling, so you just can't bring yourself to dislike them. nick is an attorney in florida, he was a director at catholic youth camp, where i counseled at all through high school and college. he's smart and funny and comes from a great family. betsy is just as smart, but much cuter. she is a real classic beauty and was so much fun to shoot.
nick was betsy's brother's friend all through high school. she was a couple of years younger. they finally got together while she was in college (it's ok, her brother is over it, now.)
they had a gorgeous reception at the temple, where saley really pulled out all the best. and her grandfather even managed to take a spin for the chicken dance, which he's done at every family wedding for a long, long time.
betsy told me it was sunny and 80 in florida the other day when it was snowing here, so that makes it a little easier to not like her. (just kidding, betsy.)
happy happy life to you two.

self portrait

2008-02-07T17:16:00.001-06:00

me in santa barbara.

santa barbara

2008-02-07T14:56:00.001-06:00

so, i got to go straight from kim's visit to a trip to santa barbara with my dear friend suzy.
this was a bittersweet trip, as it was to remember my friend jay (who is suzy's son) on the fifth anniversary of his passing. jay and i moved to california together when we were twenty to chase our photography dreams. we became so close and i treasure the years that we had out there. he is my daughter's God father and is now her guardian angel. jay passed away in a car accident in 2003.
since then, suzy and i have traveled to california three times, and have really got our vacation down. she is so dear to me and we have such a great time together. we've become great friends and we really made the most of this trip. we spent our days watching the sunrise at the beach, hanging out at brophy's, shopping, seeing a lot of great art, and just drinking in the scenery. it is a truly incredible place.
we went down and picked up my friend erin 1/2 way to los angeles in the middle of the week. erin also made the trip to california to remember jay with her husband and the three of us had some really fun girl time in sb. (erin and i have been friends for 30 years-but we met in grade school, so that seems ok) she is a real beauty inside and out and somehow hiked about three miles in heels because she absolutely can not wear tennies with jeans. it just bugs her. she is a very down-to-earth, gracious and proudly high maintenance girl and i love her dearly. she is also one of the funniest people i have ever met.
we rounded out the week with a trip to l.a. and the getty and a big, jay-esque party in hollywood. we did NOT watch the sunrise following the big party in hollywood.
i took a lot of great photos in santa barbara and at the getty, but i've decided to spread them out over the next few months. that way i get to look at them again and share them in a way that they get to have their own little moments of fame. i will start out with photos of the girls.
love to both of you.

the callahans

2008-02-07T13:52:00.000-06:00

the best part of january was hanging out with my family and some great, great friends.
kim and bomber came back to des moines to visit for a couple of weeks at the beginning of the month. kim and i have been friends for almost 24 years--i can't even believe this--as we met in homeroom our freshman year at dowling.
i need to take a minute to quit reeling from that number.
ok.
they are living in vancouver right now, so i get to make fun of kim when she uses canada-speak like "mat leave" and "grade two". the highlight of the visit was meeting sweet dakota rayne and becoming her God mother. what an honor. big sister devin gets more beautiful every time i see her. she is becoming quite sophisticated and speaks french!
i love these guys so much that it breaks my heart that i don't get to see them all the time. but i treasure their visits and being able to watch their family grow.

i'm back

2008-02-07T13:47:00.000-06:00

oh, i've been a bad blogger.
january was a great month for me with some much-needed downtime and rest. i'll start with some photos from last month and then gradually add some of the great families and brides i didn't get to last year.

sweet sarah

2007-12-16T23:49:00.000-06:00

so, if anyone has called the office or placed an order lately, you've probably talked to sarah.
sarah joined us this year and has been a life saver. we love her.
sarah handles a lot of the administrative stuff, helps me try to stay organized, does photoshop and production work and shoots and assists at weddings. she is friendly on the phone, she always looks great, smiles a lot, will accompany me to eat indian food whenever i want and doesn't seem to get in bad moods. she can also keep up with me and paige when we're in an after-wedding-wine-frenzy. she's married and also has two beautiful daughters with names that start with s. we get confused when we all go to the park together.
she also shoots weddings with mark kegans, but she likes me better.
thank you for all of your help this year, sarah!

DISCLAIMER

2007-12-16T23:16:00.000-06:00

i cut people's heads off. i don't mean to. i don't think about it. that's just the way my eye works. i think it's because i'm so focused on people's eyes. the way they connect with you, the way they look at the world, that sparkle that some get. i like to be up close and in the middle of that. i'm never looking at the very tip-top of people's heads.
now, i don't ALWAYS cut off the tops of the head. I have lots and lots of photos with the peak intact. but it happens a lot and these are usually the ones that people fall in love with.
this gem, by the way, is the son of one of our wedding couples. he's awfully cute and may repay his mom someday for her angry teen years. (from what she's told me.)
do you wish you could see the top of his crown?

molly and jared

2007-12-11T21:29:00.001-06:00

Molly and Jared were married at St. Ambrose Cathedral this past October. Molly even powered it out for a session in the rain down by the river with out batting an eye. She was so gracious and darling and fun.
We are the official photographers for daughters of the nicest group of teachers in Des Moines. I am so grateful that these women are teaching at my own daughter's school. They have all raised such lovely, kind, and intelligent daughters. They have all been such a pleasure to work with. No bridezillas here.

by paige

YEAH PAIGE!

2007-12-11T13:16:00.000-06:00

well, this may be old news for some of you but our little paige is getting married. jason popped the question a couple of months ago and now we're looking at our weddings in a whole new light.
we're very proud of jason for pulling off an ambush proposal, as paige did everything she could to sabotage a surprise.
they're getting married next october and i can't wait to watch paige get to take her turn as a bride.

emily and dave

2007-12-11T10:55:00.000-06:00

ok, my time line is a bit out of whack because this wedding was in october. but they sent us flowers so they get to go next.
emily and dave were, by far, our cutest-smartest-most-on-top-of-world-events couple. i bet dave doesn't like to be called cute.
regardless, they had a beautiful october wedding. the weather was perfect, there were bagpipes and gospel choirs, and dave hauled the actual seven-ton bench where he proposed to emily from a beach in florida to iowa for the seating at their reception. come on, dave. you're making everyone else look bad, here.
we wish you the best of luck in your marriage and look forward to watching your careers grow.

by paige

by paige

by paige

i've got issues

2007-11-02T14:44:00.001-05:00

Amongst all of my other problems and the 77 clients I'm juggling right now, I can't seem to get any photos to post on the blog. I have a lot to share, so once I can find the five minutes to spare to figure this out, I'll be back to it.
In the meantime, go bug Mark Kegans.
Happy Fall!

marie and brian

2007-10-26T13:24:00.000-05:00

in the next couple of weeks, i'm going to try to catch up a bit. so i won't narrate too much in order to get everything posted.
marie and brian were married in september. if you haven't kept up, marie is the sister of katie, whose wedding we shot in 2005. marie and brian had a great wedding party, i love their whole family, they're a super cool couple and we had a really great day with them.

nikki and nick

2007-10-16T10:45:00.000-05:00

this was a wedding photographer/graphic designer's dream wedding. nikki and nick are both extremely talented artists living in chicago. nikki is a graphic designer and nick is a senior art director. they had the coolest wedding invitation i've ever seen (hand-bound books), but i can't even get into all of the details of that. speaking of details, they had 'em covered. from letter pressed tags on the guest "tree" pens to nikki making the lobby sign for the other wedding in the hotel that night (to keep things consistent), i've never seen it more beautifully done. i had to narrow it down to a few or i would have used up the rest of my storage space for the blog.
i wish i could get into the details of how they met/didn't date/fate/destiny/separation/first-kiss-four-years-later/married, but i have a lot of work to do to get caught up. let's just say it made for a great story.