Metropolitan Imageworks

Beth and Dave had a signature cocktail – BD Rivers – which was a colorful martini named in honor of the two of them and their first meeting at Rivers in Chicago, on a blind date/introduction from Beth’s older sister’s friend who used to work with Dave. Follow that? I and everyone who celebrated with them on their wedding day are very happy they hit it off from the get go!

The day was packed with activity and a full wedding party with ten bridesmaids, ten groomsmen, a flower girl and feisty ring bearer! Although the weather was a little wet early on it cleared up enough to allow ample time for a portrait around the grounds of C D & Me, which was landscaped and hard-scaped as a photographers eye candy. Of course, who doesn’t love a big white tent complete with swags and lanterns?  I think we all agree Beth and Dave put on a fabulous party. Hope you’re enjoying the Hawaii!

Ceremony: St. Francis of Assisi, Orland Park, IL

Reception: CD & Me, Frankfort, IL

Newborn babies are just precious. Lilly slept through a lot of her very first portrait session but she also chose some great moments to be bright eyed for my camera. I photographed her mom and dad’s wedding in 2008 so I was very honored to document Lily’s introduction to the world!

This time he shared three smiles with me and that’s ok because he is the most darling little guy even with a serious face.

Cancan and Nhan’s romance blossomed on the East Coast, continued to Geneva, Switzerland and finally landed them in the heart of Chicago, allowing for a fabulous Chicago wedding.

After sitting down with Cancan and her parents last summer it was love at first meeting all around and I knew right then I wanted to photograph her wedding! Cancan met with me on a whirlwind trip to Chicago to look at venues. She didn’t have a location yet or even a wedding date but she knew she loved my photography enough to sit down and talk about her ideas for the day. Fortunately for all of us, she chose Michigan Shores Country Club and they had a date available that worked for everyone.

The day began early with a tea ceremony rich with tradition honoring both families.  Cancan’s family is Chinese and Nhan’s family is Vietnamese and the blending of both cultures through incense, candles, respecting family and gift giving was both beautiful and emotional. Afterwards the guests dined on traditional Vietnamese cuisine and relaxed before the Western wedding ceremony later that afternoon.

Blue skies and fluffy clouds greeted us on the lake front as we ventured out for a first glance between the bride and groom in full wedding attire and then had a little fun with the wedding party.

Back at Michigan Shores, Nhan’s cousin officiated the ceremony and personalized it with juicy tidbits from Cancan and Nhan’s early romance to reasons why they followed each other around the world for love.

Tea Ceremony, Wedding Ceremony & Reception: Michigan Shores Country Club, Wilmette, IL

DJ: Style Matters DJs, Chicago, IL

Exactly six years ago Tara and Mark began dating, which made September 4, 2010 a very appropriate day for their wedding! Fabulous blue skies and cooler temps made for very pleasant outdoor photo sessions all day long.

Tara and Mark chose their wedding colors very carefully and shared a sweet story with all their guests – on Valentine’s Day of 2005, Mark bought Tara a dozen white roses. However, there was one red rose in the center. In Mark’s card, he explained to Tara how out of all the roses, there was one rose that caught his attention and that was Tara. For the wedding, the colors of the roses are reversed, and Tara is the white rose among all the red roses.

All day long I saw Tara’s beaming smile toward Mark and Mark’s tender looks toward Tara. Love really was in the air!

Ceremony: St. John Neumann, St. Charles, IL

Reception: Eagle Brook Country Club, Geneva, IL

Know anyone in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Washington D.C. area in need of portraits? I will be in the area October 12-19 and I am looking to fill my schedule with sessions.

My tentative schedule will be October 13-16 Pennsylvania, October 17-19 Washington DC.

I’m available to photograph babies, children, families (both large and small group), seniors, head shots, pets, engagement sessions and anniversary sessions. I can accommodate indoor or outdoor sessions.  The session fee is $300 (or $500 for groups of 7+ subjects.)

Choose your date and location and send me an email to request a booking packet and contract.  Once I receive your booking fee your time is secured.

Session includes:

Photoshoot
Online gallery for 90 days
One 8×10 professional print
Disc of edited images with personal usage rights

Please share this with anyone you know in the area!

Check out F8StudioWest’s blog to see what we did in Telluride last month.

Holden has been one of my subjects since he was a newborn. Now he is almost three-years old and the perfect older brother to newborn Elyse. He likes to hold her for 5.2 second stretches and he is very good at giving her hugs and kisses.  Elyse was a rockstar during her first portrait session with multiple outfit changes, multiple poses, a few diva faces and of course lots of content looks with her beautiful baby blues.

Ariel spent a balmy August afternoon with the Souvenir family taking portraits. She captured large group, small groups, the ladies, the guys, the children, the grandkids and of course the folks who are responsible for this lovely bunch!

Despite the heat and humidity the entire family listened to direction very well and told Ariel that they had a lot of fun during the session.

Who says family portraits need to be boring?!

I love weddings. I love the visual appeal, the people, the emotions, the details, the sounds, the tears, the hugs and the laughter.  I love weddings because everyone is on their best behavior, wearing smiles, generally wearing their best clothes and they smell good!

Jenny and Isaac’s day just reaffirms the reasons I love weddings! Not only did they smell good but the warmth and love that emanated from all their family and friends just filled the farm with such a great aura. Each member of the large wedding party holds a special place in the hearts of Jenny and Isaac and you could just sense the closeness of their bonds while observing the interactions.

The location lent to the free-spirited flow of the day from the entrance of the grandmas on the horse and carriage, to a mostly barefoot bride, to sibling officiants, to horses joining in the formal pictures, to fresh Alaskan salmon caught by a cousin and cooked by an uncle, to heartfelt speeches, to a variety of pies and of course a jam-packed, rockin’ n’ rollin’ dance floor!

Ceremony & Reception: Huntington Farms, Viroqua, WI