7.31.07 : : Goodbye July

My friend and I had so much fun doing time exposures in the dark a few weeks ago that we thought we might try it again.

The bright, full moon that has been out the past few days has been amazing so of course I felt the need to get my camera out to capture it.

7.30.07 : : Senior Season in Full Force

This evening I had the pleasure of shooting Danielle's senior portraits in Holland. Armed with a full wardrobe and fabulous blue eyes, she was ready to hit the streets of downtown Holland and the beach.


Here are a few more images. Enjoy!

7.29.07 : : It's All About the Belly

This afternoon I had a fun maternity session with Ken and Nancy in my studio. Nancy's due in just over a week and it was fun to share their excitment about the bundle of joy that will soon fill their house!

7.28.07 : : Congratulations Lisa and Yohan!

Today Lisa and Yohan were married in an outdoor ceremony at Townsend Park. Yohan met her as she stepped off of her horse-drawn carriage to escort her over the bridge to the ceremony.

Yohan's family traveled from the Netherlands to attend the wedding! Yohan and Lisa actually reside there as well and I had a lot of fun talking to the family about the country in which they reside.

Best wishes to the happy couple!

7.27.07 : : Happy Birthday Angie!

This evening we celebrated our friend Angie's birthday at Boatwerks in Holland.

Technically, Angie's birthday is not until tomorrow, but since she is shooting a wedding with me on Saturday, her real birthday, we decided to take her out to celebrate tonight.

Hope it was a Happy Birthday Angie!

7.26.07 : : Some Nature to Share

A great willow tree.

And a reflection of the sun on a cloudy day against murky water.

7.25.07 : : Eli's First Trip to the Studio

I have been photographing Eli since he was a newborn baby 18 months ago. Now, he is a mobile little toddler with a distinct little personality and a penchant for wanting to wear my beaded necklace.

Tonight was his first trip to be photographed at my studio. He seemed to truly enjoy the session and was fascinated by the lights flashing at him every few seconds.

It was truly amazing to see this little guy walking around and waving goodbye to me as he left. I am not yet a parent but I can definitely say that kids grow up way too fast!

7.24.07 : : A Butterfly Emerges

Some of you may remember a post a week or so ago that featured my monarch caterpillar changing into a chyrsalis. Well, she (or he...I didn't necessarily check) has finally emerged to make her debut as a butterfly into the world. Scroll down to see the journey.

7.23.07 : : Taking Time to Smell the Campfire

This evening I spent time with friends who are camping all week in a little campground. This picture above doesn't really do much justice to our adventures this evening, but I thought it was a really cute picture from tonight. Little Alyssa totally adores her big brother and wants nothing more than to keep up with what ever he is doing.

Camping is not something I do often, mainly because I find that many campsites aren't equipped with the necessary outlets I need for my hair dryer, straightner, etc. But after spending some time out here tonight I may revisit my previous ideas I had about camping. Plus this place had Wi-Fi so I would totally be able to bring along my laptop.

I ran relay races with kids, caught caterpillars, roasted marshmallows and even played charades around the fire. It doesn't get better than that in the summer.

How cute is their little cabin?

7.22.07 - A Perfect Summer Day

How fabulous does this dessert look? The above picture is also a self-portrait. Can you find me?

Today was a pefect summer day in my book. My husband and I spent the afternoon playing tennis and then met friends out in Holland at a favorite summertime restaurant on the lake. We sat outside on the large deck sipping mojitos,watching the boats go by, listening to the band play and enjoying great conversation. The weather was perfect and after our dinner we took a walk in the park along the water.
I love this restaurant! If you are ever looking for a great place to kick back in this warm weather, check out Boatwerks in Holland. You can even drive your boat right up to it if you're lucky enough to be a boat owner.


It isn't very often I get in a picture (since I'm usually on the other side of the camera) but our friend did take a picture of Jason and I in the park tonight.

7.21.07 : : Congratulations Jennifer and Brett!

Brett and Jennifer were married today on a truly perfect summer day. With an outdoor ceremony and reception, they couldn't have been blessed with better weather. We took a trip out to Oval Beach in Saugatuck after the ceremony and played around in the sand and water. They were so excited they were literally jumping for joy! (ok, I may have made them do this)

Congratulations you two!

(PS - for those looking for Friday's POTD, scroll down past the two wedding previews. I was a little late to post my weekend pictures)

Katie and Brian : : Wedding Preview

When: Saturday, July 7, 2007

Where: Ceremony - Kentwood Christian Church

Reception - Lincoln Country Club

Highlight of the Day: Brian proposed to Katie on a golf course and golfing is a big part of their life together. We went to The Mines golf course in between the ceremony and reception to get some pictures and were able to get some lovely ones on this course. This wedding party was fun!

Joe and Stacey : : Wedding Preview

When: Friday, July 6, 2007

Where: English Hills Country Club

Highlight of the Day: During the reception Joe and his band played for all of the wedding guests and if that wasn't fabulous enough, he also played and sang the song he wrote to his new bride. It was a beautiful sentiment that left Stacey in tears.

7.20.07 : : A 30 Year Romance

These are my parents, and tonight my dad surprised my mom in recreating their first date, 30 years ago today.

My parents met on the campus of Grand Valley and their first date was simply enjoying some ice cream together. So my dad asked my mom if she might want to go for a ride this evening and off they took. They even stopped for some ice cream along the way...my mom not yet piecing together what was in store.

They drove out to the GVSU campus and walked over the bridge behind the science building. What she didn't know was that we were waiting on the other side. When she saw us there, me behind my camera, there was some definite confusion on her face.

My dad started to reveal some of his plan and the purpose and significance of this date and place. We drove to the alumni house where on the back patio was a table filled with cheese, fruit and champagne...all awaiting our arrival. My dad presented my mom with a card and a gift and as I sat back and watched this most incredible display of love and affection my parents still share after 30 years together, I suddenly felt incredibly blessed to have these two as my parents. To show me what love is and to show me that even though it's not always easy, you stick it out and work together. They have been incredible role models to me and my siblings and I was truly touched at all that my dad did to make today special for my mom.

We finished our evening with dinner and drinks on the patio of The Meadows and watched the sun set together. This was one of those nights that will forever stick out as a favorite memory I was able to share with my family.

7.19.07 : : Dogs at the Beach

This evening I had the pleasure of meeting Norman and Katy, two basset hounds who's portraits I took at the beach in Grand Haven tonight.

I can't say that they loved having their pictures taken, or the beach for that matter, but they were the sweetest dogs and anyone who's followed my picture of the day for any length of time knows my love of animals, especially dogs. So anytime I get to spend time with dogs is a good day in my book. I also had the added pleasure of having my husband assist in tonight's shoot which we followed up with dinner in downtown Grand Haven.

7.18.07 : : Picking Blueberries

This morning I got to do something I haven't done since I was a kid...go blueberry picking!

I spent the morning with my good friend Kari and her two kids Chase and Allison shopping at the farmer's market, going blueberry picking and having lunch together. It was a perfect summer day in my books.

7.17.07 : : The Beach, Downtown, and the Park

I think I'm going to have to look at renaming this blog 'At Least One Picture of the Day'.

Today I had a senior shoot in downtown Holland and the beach with Jesse and then a family shoot at a local park. With the skies overhead threatening rain at what seemed like any minute, I was glad to see that the showers held off. My lawn on the other hand, wouldn't have minded some more precipitation.

So this is Jesse. This was not a hard kid to take a picture of. I don't even think I could have taken a bad picture of him.

And this is Joanne and her family of which I did her daughter's senior pictures last summer. It was great to see them once again and meet the males of the family. I could not believe how well this family cooperated and got along together.

7.16.07 : : Metamorphasis

When I was a little girl I was obsessed with butterflies. With the whole life cycle actually. And because of this, I was constantly finding caterpillars and bringing them in to watch them transform from a worm-like creature into a graceful butterfly. My favorite to document was the monarch butterfly of which you see above.

Currently I have two in my home. Izzy, pictured above is now transforming as we speak into an orange-winged butterfly in her chrysalis and will hatch most likely sometime in the next week. Lizzie, not pictured, is still a caterpillar but is looking like she will be turning into a chrysalis (cocoon) very soon. Documenting these insects has become quite a fun hobby for me. Look for the next few installments in this butterfly saga soon!

7.15.07 : : First Marathon Boudoir Session at the Amway

Today I held my very first marathon boudoir session at the Amway Grand in downtown Grand Rapids.

The premise for this session came about after being contacted by one of my brides about having these done for her fiance' on their wedding day. The idea of the marathon boudoir session at a fabulous hotel is a trend that I've seen by other photographers and I said I would love to do this if she helped recruit some girls also interested in the session to justify the cost of the room. The idea was a hit and within an afternoon had every session booked.

With the help of a hair and makeup team from the lovely Erin and Julie and my fabulous assistant Angie, we dolled up the girls and took some beautiful images of the brides-to-be.

Understandably, many of the girls coming to yesterday's sessions were a bit nervous. Who can blame them?! But after Erin and Julie finished doing their hair and makeup and the initial factor of having pictures taken in lingerie wore off, the session was fun, laid-back and really allowed me to take some amazing pictures of these beautiful girls.

Lisa, pictured below, is actually my assistant's sister who was willing to come down and pose for a few pictures that I could use for promotional pictures to advertise this service. So to the girls who came down yesterday for thier shoots, don't worry. You won't see any of your pictures on my site ;)


After the response I got for the first session, I will definitely be holding another session soon. So if any of you want to give a unique and beautiful gift to your husband, fiance' or significant other please let me know. I will be posting a few dates in the upcoming future.

7.14.07 : : Happy Anniversary to the POTD!

Today marks one year for the POTD. One year ago I started with an idea to feature a picture each day to showcase some of my work and one year later I can proudly say that I've been able to keep up with this idea and taking one picture and posting it each day to share. The response for this feature has been overwhelming and I've truly enjoyed reading all of the comments that are made on this site. It's also been somewhat of a picture diary for me over the past year and helps me to remember all of the fun that I have behind the lens of my camera.

7.13.07 : : Butterflies!

Recently, my mom has become increasingly interested in taking pictures with me when I go out to visit. My parents live on 15 acres of property and there is always something new to explore and capture with my camera. It used to be that I would go out and visit, camera in hand, and my mom would roam around with me pointing out interesting stuff I might want to capture. After a while, that didn't hold a lot of interest anymore for her so she brought her own camera out when I would visit. Inevitably the photography bug hit her as well and she's always emailing or calling me to tell me some new picture she was able to capture.

Today as we were out walking we saw some wild blackberries and decided to pick a few. As my mom reached down to grab a handful of berries, she moved away a branch and came upon the large moth you see pictured above. Typically, moths sleep during the day and this one didn't even seem to notice us. We looked up the species when we got back to the house and discovered that it's a 'Pandora Sphinx' moth. Quite a find in our books!

7.12.07 - A Baby, A Senior, and A Storm

Today had a little bit of everything. In the morning I did a shoot for little Addie, who's 3 months old, and although she did not love having her picture taken, was cute enough to overcome the occasional scowl she threw my way.

In the evening I had a shoot for a senior in Grand Haven followed by one of the coolest storms I've ever seen come over the lake. I stayed after the session I had this evening to photograph it. There was even a water spout that formed over the lake and the local police came and evacuated us all from the beach. Luckily for me, I was able to take quite a few pictures before hand. I've featured a few below.

And as I was driving home tonight I saw a rainbow stretched full and complete across a farmers field. It was the most amazing site and I pulled over more than a few times to take pictures of it.

All in all, today was a pretty amazing day.

July 11, 2007 - The Dog Days of Summer

Last week I posted a picture from an engagement picture in which the couple brought their dog, Jade. I love dogs! And tonight, I got a double treat with my engagement session as Linda and Pete brought their dogs. TWO DOGS! They also brought along Renea, a friend, to help them handle the dogs during their session (thanks again Renea!).

And to keep the dog theme going, here is a picture my husband snapped this afternoon of me and my dog Tanner lounging on the couch. This is a pretty typical scene in our house.

July 10, 2007

My husband made it safely home from Vegas this evening after being gone since last week. I have really been missing him but he made up for his absence by bringing me a gift. In a pretty teal box!

I am so glad that he's home safely now with me and that we get to sleep in tomorrow morning and catch a movie in the afternoon. Life is good!

Joe + Jennifer : : Wedding Preview

When: Saturday, June 30, 2007

Where: Ceremony - Trinity United Methodist Church
Reception - St. Nichols Culteral Center

Highlight of the Day: The bride, Jennifer, loved being a bride! She and Joe both were full of fun and expression and it made for great pictures. Also, the church was breathtaking and lent to some wonderful photo opps.

July 9, 2007: Lazy Days of Summer

Today was hot, and it was apparent that everyone, even the animals, was feeling a bit lazy from the heat.

As I was working this morning I happened to look outside to see this little squirral just lounging on a neighbors swingset. He was so hot and tired from the heat he didn't even seem to mind how close I got to him to take his picture.

July 8, 2007

Happy Birthday Allison!

Today I attended a pool birthday party to celebrate my goddaughter Allison turning 4 years old. And turning 4 years old means that is the age that she gets to start preschool! With as smart as this little girl is, I think she could advance right into grade school.

As part of my gift to her, I presented her with a Cabbage Patch Kid. And as a kid of the 80's, this was the toy you had to have if you were a girl (boys, you had your Transformers). And coincidently, both are popular again!

And here is her little brother Chase looking cool in the pool.

Hope everyone stayed cool out there this weekend!

7-7-07 - The Biggest Wedding Day of the Year!

Congratulations to Katie and Brian who were married today on the most popular date of the year due to the three number sevens in today's date.

And if I thought it was a busy day just in Grand Rapids, it was nothing compared to the number of weddings in Las Vegas, where my husband was actually the best man in his cousin's wedding today (congratulations to you too Jason and Jen! Sorry I couldn't be there!)

July 6, 2007

Congratulations to Stacey and Joe who were married today!

July 5, 2007

This evening I had an engagement shoot with Kate and Chris. And Jade. Their American Pitbull. I love dogs so having a dog in a shoot is always a treat for me!

Here are a few others from our shoot tonight:

Happy 4th of July!

After deciding later in the day that we should head downtown to watch the fireworks, we thought that perhaps we could see them from the roof of my studio. But once we got down there, we didn't think that would necessarily be the best viewing so headed closer to the river to watch them. We weren't in the perfect spot but I was able to get some fireworks pictures.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July celebration!

July 3, 2007

Better late than never!

July 2, 2007

This picture was done with no Photoshop trickery and is a completely un-altered image.

Tonight as I was contemplating with my friend tonight on what I should do for my POTD, we headed outside and started playing around with some time exposures. This particular picture was taken by putting my camera on my tripod, turning the shutter onto a 25 second delay and running into the middle of the street with this big parking lot light in back of us to bring in a lot of light and sitting there until the shutter released. The effect makes us look rather ghostly!

July 1, 2007

I am simply amazed that it is July already...where did June go? It seems like the summer just started and yet here we are into July already.

Can anyone correctly identify this butterfly pictured above?

And Happy Anniversary to my parents, who celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary today!