Photo Workshop

After a year of being on the mailing list, this past Saturday I finally got to join the Blackhawk Photo Affinity Group for their monthly workshops. The Affinity Group is a bunch of photographers from my church who get together and share tips and work on a specific aspect of photography. This past Saturday we worked on shots with 2 constant lights (aka lights that stay on all the time). Here are a few of my shots, and for you photogs out there, a set-up of our lighting.



We were having fun with the old magazines at the news stand... there were bare ankles in this one!


The lighting set-up:




The lighting set-up. There is also a halogen work light behind the couch.


Here's Steve multi-tasking... us photogs are so talented!


One last set-up in the stairwell:


Here are a few more pictures of me modeling, and well, just acting silly. See, this is why I am behind the camera most of the time!

These are courtesy of Steve Salt:




Here's the lighting set-up for this shot:


And these are from Matt Kirk - transporting gear to our next location. Being a photographer is so glamorous!






Thanks guys for a great afternoon, I learned a lot!

Kyle & Kim - Engaged!

I met Kyle & Kim on a gorgeous fall day at the Memorial Union Terrace. I am still in awe that we were without jackets on November 7th - it made it's way into the mid 60's that day! I could get used to fall/early winter if that would be the case all the time. Since it was such a beautiful day out, there were so many people out and about at the Terrace, but we managed to sneak around and find a bunch of awesome shots. It was weird though, all the chairs were packed up for the season! So, even though our session found us at the terrace, there will be no bright, colorful chairs in this shoot - bummer!

Kyle & Kim brought along Miley, their just over one year old puppy with them. After a little up-chucking behind the boats due to nerves, she was rearing and ready to go! Oh well, that happens :) All in all, she did such a great job.

On to the photos! More of my favorites can be found on my facebook page, so check them out!

We started off with a little walk down lakeshore path, and we found this cool off to the side trail where some be-awesome (that is beyond awesome) light was making it's way through the trees!





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This is one of my all time favorite dog shots. She just came up and laid like this - how cute!






Thanks guys for a great afternoon, I had a really fun time! Can't wait for July!

More from the Terrace

Here's another little image I grabbed at the Terrace the other day. So fall-y (you'll have to excuse me, I've inherited my mother's "make up words" gene).

We are family!

I had a great time meeting this family on a sunny fall morning at the UW Arboretum in Madison. I would have never guessed when we scheduled our shoot a few months back for November that we would have 60+ degree temperatures! It was an absolutely gorgeous morning. Add a few cuties to the mix, and you have a recipe for perfect photos.

We started grabbing one of everyone together


This is one little cutie


All of that sitting in one place stuff gets pretty boring, luckily mother nature supplied us with the entertainment!


I think this picture is so cute, I want it for my Christmas Card :)


Sans hat


Brother and Sister....awwwwwwee.....


We ran around and played for a while




What beautiful sisters!


Thanks everyone for a great morning, I had fun!

2009 Holiday Cards!

Seriously - it's time to starting thinking about this already?! I am a firm believer in nothing Christmas before Thanksgiving, but I have seemed to throw that convention out the window this year. Seeing all the snowflakes and large ornaments hanging from the ceiling in Target have just opened up that part of my heart where Christmas is kept, and now there is no turning back! I am even *gaff!* considering putting up my Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving, so that when we come back from visiting our parents it's all festive in our house. What have I come to!?!

:)

Ok, back to what this post was SUPPOSED to be about. I have released my 2009 Christmas Card Collection and have opened up the ordering for my clients. So, present and past Jenn Van Wyk Photography Clients, head on over to http://www.jennvanwyk.com/#/holiday-cards-home/ and check out the designs.

The cards are a flat, glossy 5x7 card complete with envelopes. All of the designs are the same price. After you place your order, you'll work with yours truly to pick the images and figure out any custom text. Easy peesy lemon squeezy.

So check one of those things off that Christmas list you've been building in your head :)

Here are a few of my favorites, but more are over on the website! Please note that these are not my images in the cards, they are from the designer of the templates.

November Weather

I could really get used to this 60 degrees in November. What do you say Mother Nature?! I was so happy when my sessions on Saturday led me to one of my favorite places on earth, the Terrace. I love spending time down there any time of year. But on a warm fall day, there's no place better. But all the chairs were packed up and gone! It's so weird being down there with no colorful patio furniture. Where does it go? That must be one giant storage shed!

Anyhoo, I got to snap a few personal photos. I love being able to go out camera in hand and just have some quiet time with me, nature, and God. Looking for the unseen, finding unique angles, soaking it all in, and remembering this is why I started all this. Here is one of my favorite shots of the boats on the lakefront.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

I sit down to write this post, and all sorts of things come to mind. I get a little teary-eyed even. How do I put into writing everything that has happened in two years?

Two years ago, I was lucky enough to marry my best friend (ok, here come the real tears now!). My dad told me once that he knew we were perfect for each other because he called us on one Friday night and we were waiting in line at the Car Wash, and giggling so hard that we couldn't stop (actually what really happened is one of us (I'll let you guess who) farted - and we were in the middle of the car wash and couldn't roll down the windows, so we were essentially "stuck". How's that for romance?!). And if there is anything that the past two years have shown me, love is so much more than red roses at the right times, chocolates, and especially more than the one big wedding day. It's enjoying all of those little moments together. Taking that extra moment when you get a hug at the end of a long day to place your nose in that one spot on his neck where it's meant to be and taking it in. Holding hands when you take a walk. Listening... like really listening... sometimes beyond the words to what is being said. It's doing things like shoveling the snow, washing the dishes, and folding laundry when I (we) don't want to. It also sharing in the moments of "Wow, this whole house is really ours?" and taking a ride in a new car for the first time together. And peeing your pants kind of laughing watching Edie "leap" through the tall weeds at the dog park.

All of these itty bitty moments that build toward a lifetime. I am so lucky to be sharing it with you Bri. :)

Here are a few of my favorite photos from our wedding day, taken by Creative Look.


This one hangs in our stairwell. It is absolutely my favorite. It was the moment of our "first look", when Bri and I saw each other before the ceremony.


I had to share this one. My dad to this day still gave the best Father of Bride speech that I have ever heard. This pic is of him explaining how I used to get ketchup all over my face when he'd take me out to eat (I still have to this day a deep, deep, love for ketchup). He would then tell me McDonalds was out of ketchup on subsequent trips because he didn't want to deal with the mess. Then, out of his pocket, he pulls out a handful of ketchup packets, hands them to Brian - and subsequently turns over all ketchup responsibilities to him. I still die laughing thinking about it!


Then the dancing started! Woo hoo! I danced so much, I could barley waddle down the stairs on the first three days of our honeymoon!


Happy Anniversary Babe!