This anniversary session was particularly close to my heart. Kate Weinstein is a fellow wedding photographer who took me under her wing early in my solo career; I’ve second shot dozens of weddings for her, and, delightfully and blessedly, she’s become a close friend. She and her husband, David, recently celebrated ten years of marriage, and it was such a treat to do this anniversary session with them in Milwaukee, the same city where they said their vows a decade ago.
When it came to their wedding day, Jen & Tony’s alma mater connection was a focal point— from custom IU sneakers by Adidas for the dance floor to their wedding party that was jam-packed with college friends, to the toasts from their family and friends, with frequent references to their time in Bloomington, Indiana.
Kirstie and Jared are both graduates of Butler University, so it’s only fitting that we included their French bulldogs (the Butler mascot) in their engagement session on Butler’s campus.We thought rain might force us to reschedule, but miraculously the skies cleared just in time and we got beautiful evening light. After Butler, we headed downtown to Monument Circle for some urban energy.
Katie & Derek celebrated their marriage in the history-soaked, art-filled village of New Harmony, Indiana. One of my favorite memories of this day was the sunset that stretched for literal hours… the light was just dreamy, it was deliciously balmy outside, and there was so much joy in the air.
One reason I love my career is that I get to document all sorts of love and beauty and life, and I really love life on Planet Earth. My deepest personal value is commitment to the wellbeing of our planet. It is the only planet I ever plan on living on, and I have always felt, deep in my being, that stewardship to the planet is part of my purpose here. I’m undoubtedly imperfect, and I’ll never pretend that every action I take or decision I make is the right one or the most environmentally neutral one, but it is always on my mind.
Tiffany will always be my first bride to love Taylor Swift as much as I do. Our mutual Swiftie status was actually one of our first points of connection! As we began planning her wedding and engagement photography, Tiffany and I joked about recreating the cover for 1989— Tiffany’s original initials were T.S., and, like Taylor (and like me!), she was born in 1989. The jokes got progressively more serious until we just went for it and made it a session. Tiffany styled it up proper with her seagull sweatshirt and red lips and brought oodles more props for play, including her dog, Scout. We took an evening in the studio, listened to of all T. Swizzle’s albums on shuffle, popped champagne and visually riffed on 1989 vibes. It was so much fun.
Living on a planet that just keeps getting hotter (and not in a fun way), it’s difficult to not feel overwhelmed by how to be a force for good. A great place to start is our plate, which is a path I’ve been following for most of my life. I was fortunate enough to be raised by parents who have always taken the health of planet seriously and put it at the forefront of our family values. Here are some of my favorite ways to eat sustainably…
Anu & Chris’ wedding was small in attendance, but huge in heart. With just four guests in-person, they said their vows at one of the most serene spots in the heart of Chicago: the edge of Lincoln Park’s Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool. They were joined by more than 60 friends and family members from all over the U.S., Switzerland, and India via Zoom.
Navy Pier is a Chicago classic, and for Jackie & Jeff, it’s a classic for their relationship as well. It’s the site of their first date, and the spot where they got engaged, so it was only natural that it should also be the site of their engagement photos. We had a lovely spring morning to catch all sorts of angles at this iconic Chicago experience, and I’m so happy with the images we got.
It has now been more than 12 years since I have made a single purchase from Amazon.com. I had been an Amazon shopper for about 5 years, but in 2011, I started to get this intuitive feeling that something wasn’t right about how cheap and easy it all was, and I just stopped buying from them. Three years later, bad news started to become more and more public about the company’s practices.