Summer Jean Photography

New Blog!

2010-04-14T21:19:00.000-07:00

Well, my days with Blogger are done. They've been good, I just needed a change and yes, this is the second time I have changed my blog in the past two years. Don't hate. The first time it was because I changed the name of my business and this time it is because I wanted bigger images and more options!

So, please visit my new blog at http://www.summerjeanphotographyblog.com

I will no longer be posting to this blog so make sure you bookmark the new one!

Thanks!

Hayley-One year old!

2010-04-05T19:58:00.001-07:00

Just a little over a year ago I was taking Jeff & April's maternity pictures and anticipating the birth of their little baby! Now, we are celebrating a year with their beautiful little girl, Hayley.

It has been so much fun to watch her grow this past year. They change so fast! She is such a little peanut and has the sweetest little personality to go along with her cute looks. Don't let her fool you though...she makes me work hard to get even a crack of a smile. That's OK with me though because I am kind of a sucker for her serious face. I mean come on...look at her! AWWW!

Thanks Jeff & April for bringing Hayley to me this past year for all of her pictures. I can't even tell you how much I enjoy seeing you all and how honored I am that you keep coming back to me!

Happy Birthday, sweet Hayley!

Are you kiddin me? HOW ADORABLE!

Her mommy and daddy love her very much.

Mike and Megan E-session

2010-04-04T20:42:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I never get to meet my brides and grooms before the wedding and that is OK. But, I especially like it when I do get to meet them, hang out with them and, get to know them a little better!

Mike and Megan were in town from Colorado last weekend and we got to spend some time having coffee and wandering around Grand Rapids together. Their wedding is being planned long distance so when they are in town, everything has to be crammed into such a short amount of time. So, I was thankful that the weather cooperated with us in March!

Mike and Megan are planning a wedding up in Pentwater, Mi. this July and I am really excited to share their special day with them. I have a feeling it is going to be a good time! :o)

Thanks guys for a great afternoon! Hope you are back home safe and sound.

You were such good sports!

Mike & Janelle E-session

2010-03-30T20:01:00.000-07:00

Mike and Janelle met up with me on one of our beautiful spring days recently to take their engagement pictures. What a sweet couple! I love having an an opportunity to get to know my couples (my new friends) before their wedding day. It gives me a chance to really get to know them and their style.

Both Mike and Janelle are from out of town but go to school at Calvin. Janelle is from New Jersey and Mike is from Illinois so it was fun to hear about how they met, their families, and some of the things they are interested in. We wandered around downtown for a bit and then headed to some unfamiliar territory (thanks dad!) to scope out. They were such good sports!

Thanks Mike and Janelle for such a good time! I can not wait for your wedding day in October!

Ted & Steph

2010-03-22T11:22:00.000-07:00

I am not really sure when we first met but I know it was sometime while I was in the first or second grade. We called her Stephanie Howard Pickles and we made forts on her bed and she was funny and silly even back then.

Then, a few years later and a move or two and Stephanie and I are going to the same school again. This time she got in trouble for slapping me on the playground...for no reason. Don't worry, I was OK. :o) Scarred a little but OK.

We weren't in the same grade and didn't really even hang out all that much the older we got but I still feel like she and I have been there for each other through out most of our life and we have some great memories. We have always known what was going on and occasionally we would have the chance to catch up.

So, when Stephanie told me that she was engaged and wanted me to do her wedding pictures, I was beyond honored. I knew that her and Ted's special day would be A BLAST. And, it was.

Although I met Ted on their wedding day, I can tell him and Steph are a perfect match! I am excited to see their life together blossom in the coming years. I am sure there will be nothing but great stories to be told at their 50th wedding anniversary someday. They know how to have some fun!

Ted & Steph, I hope you guys are having a blast on your road trip/honeymoon down south! I can't wait to hear about it!
Thanks so much for inviting me to share your special day with you.

Love ya!

**Don't forget the slideshow at the end!

First, some details.

The beautiful bride!

These next pictures CRACK me up! Lets see, we have the sad puppy pose, the kitty pose, the peacock pose and I'm not sure about the last one. Either that or I couldn't say it on my blog.

The handsome groom!

The married couple!

Owen and Emmalyn

2010-03-18T19:14:00.000-07:00

Last week my sister-in-law, my niece, and my nephew all made a quick and unexpected trip up from Alabama. It was so good to see them again although I did miss having my brother here. The kids have gotten so BIG in the past 4 months since seeing them last. Jessi (their mom) and I decided that we needed to get some updated pictures while they were here so we went out the morning they left and took a few! I had so much fun with them and I just love what we came up with!

Little Miss Emmalyn

Emmalyn, you are so beautiful! Luke, you better watch out! :o)

Stud-muffin Owen

Buddies

Carson and Stella came along too. Carson wanted to do everything that his big cousin was doing. So cute!

Emmalyn loved on Stella every chance she could get.

I love you guys and miss you already!

My niece and nephew

2010-03-17T14:03:00.001-07:00

Today I was able to spend some time with my sister in law, my niece, and my nephew before they headed back to Alabama.
It was a good day!

Here is just one of the many cute shots captured. More to come soon!

Emma Jane

2010-03-12T12:12:00.000-08:00

'

I can't even begin to tell you how much fun I had on this shoot. Seriously now, could she get any cuter? Emma was quite the willing model and we had so fun being silly and telling funny jokes. One of my favorite sessions to date!

Thanks Emma, Rachel, and little Henry for coming out to have some fun with me!

We were telling funny jokes about her dad. (It's OK, he's my cousin) LOL!

Emma-Just a couple!

2010-03-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

I just had to share a couple of the photo's from yesterdays shoot.

More to come soon!

Sweet Phoebe

2010-03-10T19:09:00.000-08:00

This has been the week of reunions and babies! This sweet little precious is the daughter of Rebecca. Rebecca and I went to school together and we reconnected on facebook. It was so good to see her again and to catch up on all that has happened in our years since high school. It was fun just sitting on the floor and talking about the good ole days while Phoebe got comfortable.

Little Phoebe was precious. Just two and a half months old and look at those cheeks! I LOVE a well fed baby! :o)

Thanks Rebecca for making the trip down to see me. It was so good to see you and I am so glad that I got to meet your baby girl!

Striking a pose!

Phoebe loves her mommy.

Little Drew

2010-03-09T12:57:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I met up with the adorable Wynsma family to take some pictures of their little guys! It's so fun to see people that you grew up with have babies. Jaime and I have been friends since I came to Allendale in the third grade. After school we even worked at the same bank for a little while. It's amazing how the time flies!

Here are a couple of my favorites from our session.

Thanks Casey, Jaime, Mason and little Drew for such a good time!

Love the puppy dog ears!

Look who is awake!

Mason wasn't quite sure about me taking his picture so we had his dad sit in on a couple. That helped for about a second!

Cute little tootsies.

I talked them into doing a quick family portrait. So glad they agreed because it is super cute!

Jaxton, Grayson, and Presley

2010-03-08T14:29:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I was able to meet up with a bunch of absolutely adorable kiddo's! I know their mom from way back in the day so it was fun to catch up with her and to see how life has changed us both since that time.

Meet Presley, Jaxton and Grayson.

This was a first for me. I have never photographed twins before! I had so much fun with these little guys. They were so good and obviously SO STINKEN fun to photograph! Big sister Presley really wanted in on the action too and handled those two brothers like a pro. She's so cute!

Thanks Jeanna for bringing your kids to see me! I had such a great time getting to know your kids and catching up with you!

Here is a little sneak!

Grandkids

2010-02-27T13:23:00.000-08:00

You've seen these adorable boys on my blog before but this is the first time introducing their cousin! We met at the studio last weekend to do some fun cousin pictures. I know I have said it before but these little guys are so good! I just love getting to spend time with them. I used to work with their grandma at United Bank in Wayland so it was so much fun to catch up with her and the rest of the family!

Thanks for the great time!

I love this one.

We also took a couple pictures of Mr. Olney who is retiring from the Michigan State Police department this fall after 44 1/2 years on the force. That is impressive! Thank you for all of your hard work and for keeping us safe!

Someone wants to be like his Papa.

On vacation

2010-02-07T16:42:00.001-08:00

I know, I know...I was on maternity leave for three months and now I am going on vacation. Well, it's true and I am looking forward to some sun and some warmer temps, I won't lie. My husband and I are both extremely busy in the summer so the winter is our time to play and relax.
We will be in SanDiego, CA for a week while my husband attends the annual GCSAA conference and then we will be going to Arizona to visit with my in-laws and brother in law. We'll be back on the 18th. :o)

If you need to get ahold of me, I will still have access to e-mail and phone although I will be checking it less frequently.

Here are a couple pictures of my babes playing in the snow a few weeks ago.

Stella-3 months

2010-01-22T07:49:00.000-08:00

Stella turned three months on the 20th so yesterday we did a little photo shoot in the dining room to document the big occasion! We had so much fun laying on the floor together and laughing at each other. It was so hard for me to just have her lay there with all her CHUBS hanging out. I could just hold her and squeeze those little fat rolls all day.

Here are a couple of my favorites from my most favorite little girl.

The best of 2009!

2010-01-14T17:30:00.000-08:00

2009 was an awesome year.

I went to Las Vegas for the WPPI convention in February, did my first destination wedding, was a part of some beautiful and fun weddings, got to meet a lot of new families, was able to reconnect with old clients, and met a lot of new friends along the way.

I could say this over and over again but....I LOVE MY JOB. Sure, it is not glamorous all of the time but it really never gets old for me. I love thinking of new ideas, looking for the light, getting to know people, and bringing the images alive through editing. I feel like one of the luckiest girls alive to get to do what I love.

So, I won't make you wait any longer! I have put together my top 100 pictures from 2009 for you to enjoy. It was so fun looking back at these again and reliving all of the great moments. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Listed in REVERSE order this year

100

99

98

97

96

95

94

93

92

91

90

89

88

87

86

85

84

83

82

81

80

79

78

77

76

75

74

73

72

71

70

69

68

67

66

65

64

63

62

61

60

59

58

57

56

55

54

53

52

51

50

49

48

47

46

45

44

43

42

41

40

39

38

37

36

35

34

33

32

31

30

29

28

27

26

25

24

23

22

21

20

19

18

17

16

15

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

And #1
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Oldest

2010-01-10T15:15:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we were invited to spend New Years with our friends Chad and Ali, at their family cabin. It was such a great weekend spent relaxing, skiing, and enjoying our friendship.

I was having fun taking pictures of our kids and just wanted to share a few of our oldest kids!

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend!

I'm going to be in trouble someday with this young man.

Back to work!

2010-01-08T17:25:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that I am at the end of my maternity leave and that my baby girl is almost three months old! I thought that time went by fast with one kid...well, two kids is a different story! I hardly notice the weeks flying by now!

The time spent focusing on my family has really been wonderful. It feels good to have the time to clean my house, make a nice dinner, and to sit down and have a conversation with my husband again. A lot of people don't like Michigan because of the cold winters but I personally look forward to it every year because it forces you to slow down a bit. And, after a long summer of taking photos and editing until the early morning hours, the break is much needed by most photographers that I know.

But, I am getting the creative itch again! So, starting January 18, I will be accepting appointments for portrait photography.

There are a couple of changes made for the 2010 season. The first change is that I now have studio space that I rent! No more studio in my basement! WHEEEWIE! I am very excited about this as I hate putting up and taking down my studio for every session and I feel this new studio will give me a lot of room for creativity. The studio is located downtown Grand Rapids and has beautiful wood floors and nice big windows! I am so excited to work there!

Secondly, I am at a time in my life where I realize that every single day my children are growing and changing and I do not want to miss one single day of it. One of my biggest fears is that I will look back at my life someday and regret not spending time with the people I love the most. So, this year I have decided not to book more than two weddings a month and no more than five portrait sessions a month. This is going to be EXTREMELY hard for me as I hate turning down business. But, I hate not being a good mommy, wife, daughter, sister and friend even more.

So, if you are interested in booking a session or wedding with me, please don't wait to get a date on my calendar! There are a couple of months that are already full and I anticipate the others filling up quickly.

Thank you so much for all of the support I have been given. 2009 was an awesome year and I have so many people to thank for that. I worked with some awesome clients and vendors and consider so many of them now my good friends. I have learned a TON this past year and look forward to 2010 and what it holds!

And lastly, I leave you with some photo's of my kiddo's from last weekend! I am blessed!

Sierra Lynn

2009-12-29T10:05:00.001-08:00

Well, I am not officially back to work yet but I did make an exception to photograph my cousin Brooke's little girl only because we did it at my house and we included a play date for the kids! :o)

Our day included diaper changes, feedings, PB&J for the older brothers, the Fox & the Hound for entertainment, and some good ole conversation. What more could you want?

Sierra is the third child in her family and she is loved OH SO much! She is just the cutest little thing and did so well for her 3 month old photo shoot. While editing, I came to the conclusion that little Sierra looks just like her Grandma Sandy! Spittin image! :o) You know she is going to grow up being a beautiful little girl.

Thanks Brooke for bringing the kids over and for hanging out with us. I love it that our boys and our baby girls are the same age. It is so fun!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T18:20:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

Summer Jean Gift Certificates make great gifts!

2009-12-04T16:46:00.001-08:00

I am once again offering Summer Jean Photography gift certificates! They make the perfect gift for the person in your life that has everything or is hard to buy for.

They can be purchased for any amount and have no expiration date!

Please contact me at summer@summerjeanphotography.com or 616-780-0194 to purchase one today!

Patrick & Sabrina-I Do!

2009-11-23T08:47:00.000-08:00

Better late than never!

Exactly 10 days before I had my daughter, I shot Patrick and Sabrina's beautiful wedding out at Spring Grove Park in Jamestown.
It was a tad rainy and cold but that really didn't matter because the wedding went on outdoors with just sprinkles, we had enough time to do pictures without it being too rainy or dark and most importantly, Patrick and Sabrina were happy.

Michelle with Memorable Events was on hand making sure that everything ran smoothly and my friend Kerri with Taylor Grey Photography was there to help me out (and to be there incase I went into labor!). You girls are awesome! Thanks for everything.

The wedding was simple and sweet. It really is how I like weddings. Very much about Patrick and Sabrina and the people they love. October is my favorite month to shoot weddings. I love the colors and usually the weather is great. Although the weather wasn't the best, it made the fire in the fireplace even more special and inviting! One of the things I love about Spring Grove Park is that fireplace!

Patrick and Sabrina, thank you so much for choosing me to be your photographer. I know that you looked at others and ended up going with me for a couple different reasons. Then, I tell you that I am pregnant and probably scared the bugeebers out of you wondering whether or not you made the right decision going with me. I am so glad that I was able to be a part of your special day. You were so thoughtful and kind and I can't tell you how much I appreciated it and how I have enjoyed getting to know you.

I wish you two all of the best in your new life together.

Enjoy your sneak peek! Don't worry, the rest will be in your hands shortly!

I started off with the ladies.

Sabrina, you were absolutely STUNNING!

Kerri spent some time with the guys who were looking quite handsome.

So sweet.

The beautiful couple!

Wowza's!

Here is a slideshow of some more of the wedding day!

And because this will be the last time I ever shoot a wedding at 9 months preggo, here is a pic that Kerri shot of me. Yeah....nice. I was HUGE! At one point while taking some ring shots I was kneeling down and I could seriously not get back up. I was SO glad that no one was around the see that. LOL!

Christmas Cards

2009-11-16T12:55:00.000-08:00

I CAN NOT believe that it is the middle of November already and Christmas is just around the corner. Unbelievable. I am not even close to being ready. Haven't started my shopping, haven't even thought about who I need to shop for and all of the decorations are still tucked away from last year. It could be an interesting year in the Osborn house!

One thing that I did do in advance is design some Christmas cards!

This year I am not doing custom cards as I just do not have the time to devote to them. So, I have given you options!
If you are interested in having your photo featured on your Christmas card this year, you may select from the following. Text and some color options are customizable.

Cost for the cards this year is:

5x7 $1.30
4x6 $1.10

All prices include envelopes.

The deadline to order cards is Monday, December 7th. Any orders done after that time will be charged a rush fee.

Here are the options!

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

Please e-mail me at summer@summerjeanphotography.com with which card you would like, the wording you would like on it, and which picture(s) you want.

Stella Rae

2009-11-02T12:12:00.001-08:00

Well, we did it! Stella Rae Osborn came into the world Tuesday, October 20th and is healthy and beautiful. We couldn't love her any more if we tried! Big brother Carson loves her too. He is full of hugs and kisses for her and has been such a big helper.

Just wanted to share a few pictures with you while I had a second to do so!

Her grand appearance on my blog...Stella Rae.

Being a Mom

2009-10-16T11:01:00.000-07:00

I grew up having the best mom. :o) She was always there for my brothers and I, she is funny, she is easy to talk to, she encouraged us in the things that we did and never made us feel like we didn't measure up. She was excepting of me and she was proud of me. She put me in my place when I acted up and wasn't being kind or fair to others (this barely ever happened....). I even still have some of the letters she used to write me when I needed a little "coaching" because they now make me smile.

In a couple of days (or any day now!) I will be a mom to my little buddy Carson but also to a little girl. Ummm, yeah. It's huge. I was lying in bed last night and praying for my husband, Carson, and for this new baby when it all of a sudden hit me. I AM HAVING A BABY. I am going to be responsible for another life. Am I really prepared for this again? Holy banana's, this is happening.

When I was pregnant with Carson I remember freaking out a bit. One day my mom and I were in the car and I felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. Kinda like I did last night. I was explaining this to my mom and the fact that I felt like I wasn't prepared to raise a child. All she said to me was "Summer, you just need to love him and he will turn out just fine."

She was right.

And, I loved him from the very first time I laid my eyes on him and that will never change. I am sure it will be the same for my daughter.

I was reading my devotions the other day on-line and I came across this and decided I needed to share:

"As a mom, I have an opportunity to bring out the best in my children. But it consistently means I have to bring out the best in me. I can't model impatient behavior and expect my kids to learn patience. I can't model a self-focused lifestyle and expect my kids to learn how to serve others. Nor can I model an ultra-busy schedule and expect my kids to find time for God in theirs. Spurring my children on to greater love and good deeds means they need to learn it by watching and listening to me."

I just love that. It is who I want to be as a mom to my children. Just like my mom was to me.

These next few weeks will be rather chaotic, I'm sure. I'll keep you updated with pictures and stories but for the next few months my blog will be focused on my personally and not so much on my photography art. Hope you don't mind. :o)

Hayley-6months

2009-10-12T13:42:00.001-07:00

Wow, I can't believe that a whole six months has passed since I did Hayley's newborn pictures! She sure has grown up and is so stinken cute.
She wanted to cuddle with mom and dad most of our time together and that is OK. It was a bit cold outside and having your mom and dad there is comforting.

Thanks Jeff and April for bringing Hayley to me for her 6 month pictures. It was great seeing you and your beautiful little girl again.

A little snuggle time with mommy.

So serious....

Jeff & Jerilynn- I DO!

2009-10-07T19:00:00.000-07:00

Jeff and Jerilynn were married on September 25, 2009 which ended up being a beautiful and perfect day to have an outdoor wedding. I absolutely adore outdoor weddings. The days leading up to an outdoor wedding, you will find me hitting the refresh button on the weather.com about a bazillion times. But, when the weather cooperates (and even when it doesn't) I just love the images that can be created from such beautiful light and surroundings.

The day started out with Jerilynn getting stung by a bee...on her stomach! Poor girl! But, she was such a trooper. Thankfully, the day only got better. :o)

The wedding took place at the beautiful Frederick Meijer Gardens which is where we spent most of our time for portraits. We also headed downtown GR for a bit before the reception took place at the Eve on the 4th floor of The B.O.B.

I just love the way that Jeff looks at Jerilynn in the images that were captured that day. You can tell he just adores her and I know from being with Jerilynn that she feels the same way about Jeff! It was such a privlege to be part of their day and to document the start of their marriage. It really was a very fun, thoughtful, and laid back day.

A huge thank you to my friend and fellow photographer, Kerri Banyas for helping me out that day. Kerri spent her time with the guys while they were getting ready and second shot for me the rest of the day. Kerri, you are awesome. Thank you!

Jeff & Jerilynn, I hope that you had a wonderful time in Hawaii on your honeymoon! I can't wait to hear all about it and to share the rest of your photos with you!

Here is your preview. Slideshow is at the bottom!

Beautiful dress.

Jerilynn's aunt made her jewelry. It was beautiful!

Getting a little bling bling from Jeff! Nice work, my friend!

I love everything that is going on in this photo that Kerri captured.

Jeff received a couple very nice gifts himself. :o)

GORGEOUS Bride!

Handsome groom.

Their beautiful daughter, Naomi.

The wedding.

It was so funny, a helicopter flew over during their ceremony. I love the expressions captured!

I went a wee bit crazy with the ring shots.

Found a little friend.

We stopped at Putt Putt's for "refreshments" and I found out that this is where Jeff and Jerilynn had their first kiss. In this same exact place....

Reception details

And, many more pictures!

VanderWal's

2009-09-28T20:50:00.000-07:00

It was the week for hanging out with family!

Sunday I met up with my aunt, uncle and cousins for their "annual" portrait session. They are a wild and crazy bunch which makes for a fun time. They are also one of my easiest clients. The guys are all VERY excited about getting their pictures done so we always make it short and quick. A couple of years ago I had Carson on the day of their portrait session and I think the guys were all secretly hoping that I would go into labor and have to cancel on them again. :o) But, I didn't and they did a great job keeping their smiles on!

Enjoy your preview. The rest will be up soon!

Oh, and because this is the week of the MSU and Michigan game and I always get a bunch of crap from these guys, and this is my blog.....GO STATE!

GOOOOO Green! GOOOOO White! :o)

Fritz Family

2009-09-28T20:05:00.001-07:00

This weekend I met up with the Fritz Family for some family portraits! We had scheduled this session long ago so I was praying for nice weather and we got some perfect weather indeed!

Jason and Katie have two adorable boys. I am kinda a sucker for boys. Maybe it is because I only have a boy at this point but I just love the energy and the mischievousness (is that even a word?) that they have. Fun times!

Thank you Jason and Katie for asking me to do your family pictures! I had a great time hanging out with your family. Enjoy your sneak peek and I will have the rest to you shortly!

Sophie and Cassidy

2009-09-27T20:13:00.001-07:00

The other night I was able to spend a little time with my cousin Cindy and two of her girls, Cassidy and Sophie.

The girls were in need of some new portraits so we headed out to Holland and just had fun walking around and looking for some fun places to shoot! I really do love it when my family asks me to take their pictures because it gives me a chance to talk and hang out with them. Normally, when we all get together it is with a HUGE group of family and it is not always easy to carry on a conversation when you are busy chasing after kids. :o)

I had a great time, girls! Thanks for making my job so much fun. Enjoy your preview and I will have the rest of your gallery up soon.

Cindy-have fun picking out your favorites! :o)

I asked Sophie to give me a serious look, and this is what I got. This girl can turn the smiles off in a blink of an eye! Very impressive! :o)

Cassidy has a thing for Mustangs.

Weitzmann Family

2009-09-22T21:11:00.000-07:00

I think this is my fifth year of working with this family which just makes me all happy inside. I don't consider them JUST my clients but also my friends.

This year Steve, Kathy, Owen, Gavin and I headed downtown GR for their family session. Grand Rapids was buzzing with excitement as ArtPrize is getting underway and it was just a fun place to be. The boys got to see a train, the weather was perfect, and we had some great lighting to work with.

It amazes me how fast time goes. It seems like yesterday I was photographing Owen for his first birthday in his little denim overalls and now he is all grown up and in school. Both Owen and Gavin are so sweet. They had big smiles the whole time and I really had a great time just being around them.

Thank you Steve & Kathy for thinking of me again this year for your family portraits. I love getting to see you, catching up with you, and I just adore your little guys.

Kathy, I hope you have a great birthday tomorrow! :o)

Let's start with some family photos.

Steve & Kathy

The boys! Had a hard time narrowing these down. They were all so cute!

Heehee. Love this one.

Lauren-1 Year Old

2009-09-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

This past week I met up with an absolutely adorable little girl and her parents. Meet Lauren! I just love her hair and her gorgeous eyelashes. Lauren turned one back in August so it was time for her to have some big girl pictures.

Lauren wasn't so sure about me at first but I think by the end of our time together, we were beginning to bond. :o) We danced, sang, and acted really silly together! I only do that with my bestest of friends. :o)

Thank you BJ, Beth and Lauren for a fun night out!

Enjoy your preview.

Look at that face! So cute!

Lauren with her mommy and daddy.

Look at those eyelashes!

The lighting was delicious by the end of our session. All I did to this photo was sharpen.

Michelle-Memorable Events

2009-09-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

Michelle, my friend and event coordinator extraordinaire was in need of some head shots! So, we headed downtown GR this past week and she rocked it out for a fun little session.

If you or anyone you know is getting married or needs help coordinating an event, contact Michelle by visiting her website at www.MemorableEventsllc.com Michelle is so creative, personable, and she truly is so much fun to work with.

Michelle, I had a great time just hanging out with you that night. Thanks for coffee and for the "night out". As always, I had a great time!

Isn't she beautiful? Always has been.

We had an interesting little visitor right before this picture was taken. Actually, I think he was still there "just watching" :o)

Michelle, I think you look so pretty in this picture.

Look at those sassy shoes!

The Becksvoort Family

2009-09-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

So, after Dan and Pam's family pictures last weekend, I headed over to Pam's parents house to do some portraits of their whole family!

What a delightful family. Seriously. They were so appreciative of having their pictures taken and I felt extremely loved just being around them.

Mr. and Mrs. Becksvoort have been married for 38 years and have lived in this house on the same property for the past 38 years. So, it was a perfect place for the family to gather and document this time in their lives. I loved everything about where they live. The red barns, fences, grapevines, and the big ole tree in their backyard.

Thank you SO much, Becksvoort family for inviting me to take your families pictures. I had a great time and I hope you did too. As Jason said later that night, "Well, that went well". Love it!

First, the big family pics!

The grandkids in the special tree.

A couple of Mr. & Mrs. Becksvoort. You have done such a great job raising such a special family!

We had to grab a few of Dan and Pam too while their kids were inside playing.

And finally, fitting in some family portraits!

The Koops Family

2009-09-10T19:49:00.001-07:00

The other night I was able to spend the evening with one of my favorite families. As you might recall, I did a session for them earlier this year at their home while we were there visiting them over on the east side of the state.
Pam contacted me a little while ago and said that those sweet little boys have grown so much since then that she needed more pictures done!! And, when I saw them I totally agreed, they really have grown!

I adore Dan and Pam and their boys. The boys are just so cute and so sweet. And, I think they even think I am a little bit funny which is really just good for my ego. LOL!

Thanks Koops family for a fun night out on the town. You guys are the BEST and I love being friends with you.

First, some family photos.

Some of the boys.

I LOVE this image! LOVE IT!

Jason

Ryan

Lee

The little man is turning 3!

2009-09-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Ryan and I decided we wanted to do something special with Carson before his new sister arrives. So, we planned a weekend over in Detroit to attend a Tigers game and to get him a new bed at Ikea. We had so much fun! There is nothing that I would rather do than spend time with my family. They bring so much joy to my life!
We were in our hotel and going up to our room in the elevator when an elderly woman asked Carson how old he was. He shyly put up his two fingers and said "Two". Typical response. He then told the lady that he was going to be three and showed her three fingers. She then asked him what he wanted for his birthday and do you know what my sweet little boy said? "A Baby Sister."
MELT MY HEART!

So, I figured since my due date and Carson's birthday are one day apart, I should probably get his 3 year pictures in beforehand to make sure that they got done! Plus, I need to get his birthday party invites out before that too! So much to do!

I know I am going to tick a lot of photographers off out there when I say this....but, this was seriously the easiest session I have EVER had with an almost three year old, let along my own child! We probably spent a total of 45 minutes on all of the pictures I took and there are so many that I love. Never in a thousand million years would I have thought this would have gone as good as it did and I honestly don't expect it to ever go that well again. I am a thankful momma.

So, here is my amazing almost three year old. :o)

He was totally trying to make us laugh when he did this. It worked!

One with mom.

I love this one of Ryan and Carson looking at each other.

Bill & Hillary-I DO!

2009-09-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was honored to photograph my cousin Hillary and her new husband Bill on their wedding day!

It was such a beautiful day. The rain held off which gave us perfectly overcast skies and Bill and Hillary were so fun to work with. I knew they would be!

They started the day at Grace Community Church in Hudsonville with the reception immediately following at Holland Fish and Game Club. Bill & Hillary opted to see each other before the ceremony which allowed us plenty of time to have fun with their pictures! As a photographer, you know that I like that! :o)

Bill & Hillary, I think you are a perfect match and I LOVED being able to spend your wedding day with you. I had so much fun just watching the two of you interact with each other and with your families. Thank you so much for asking me to do your wedding. I will remember it ALWAYS!

Now, onto the pictures! Slideshow at the bottom.

The first look. Bill was a little emotional! Loved it. :o)

The gorgeous bride.

The handsome groom!

Hillary, you are SO SO SO pretty!

The beautiful bridesmaids.

Studs...

Okay, funny little story here. I had the whole bridal party all walking towards me. The next two shots you will see you can tell how naughty Bill really is. Here I am, 8 months pregnant and he instructs the whole wedding party to walk right into me! I'm NOT that fast! :o) Oh Bill, I can tell that was your naughty face as a child. LOL!

One of the best parts of photographing a family members wedding is catching your relatives dancing on your camera. Here, you will see a picture of my handsome dad gettin his groove on and my mom dancing with her brother, Bill. He wasn't too fond of me taking his ole picture!

Reminder for September Sessions

2009-08-27T20:34:00.000-07:00

My September is filling up fast with family, kid, senior sessions and a couple of weddings. I do have a few openings left so if you are thinking of setting up a date, please contact me soon to make sure we can fit you in.

I will not be scheduling any sessions from October 1st through January 1, 2010 so that I can take some time to enjoy and adjust to our new addition. I will still be meeting with potential wedding clients during this time but will not be shooting any new sessions!

And because a blog post without a picture is boring, here is a picture of Carson that I shot at the Hudsonville fair the other night. He was having so much fun!

Patrick & Sabrina

2009-08-25T13:16:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I met up with Patrick and Sabrina to do their engagement pictures! They are getting married this October at Spring Grove Park and I am excited to be a part of their day!

We headed downtown and got the majority of our session completed before some huge storms came in! We tried once to go back out when the rain stopped but it didn't stop long enough. I still think we got some great shots!

Thanks Patrick and Sabrina for making my job so fun. And, thanks for your patience as I posted these. The rest are coming very soon!

I LOVE THIS ONE.

And, I love the way they are looking at each other in this one.

You two are just too cute!

Kelcey

2009-08-18T13:33:00.000-07:00

Your senior year holds all kinds of possibilities. It is really your last year as a child but at the same time you are responsible enough to make decisions that effect the rest of your life! It's a year to make new friendships, strengthen existing friendships, and maybe even leave a few behind.

A few weeks ago I met up with Kelcey and her mom for her senior pictures! Kelcey is going to be a senior at West Ottawa HS this year and then hopes to go on and study interior design. Wouldn't that be fun? I would love to study that just for the fun of it!

We started out in Holland after searching long and hard for a parking place! We found a bunch of fun and colorful places. Then, we moved on to some train tracks and then finally to the beach. Our time at the beach got cut a tad short because of some clouds taking over the sunset. But, we still got some great shots in the time we had!

Kelcey, you are a beautiful girl and I had such a great time getting to know you and your mom that night. I have no doubt that you will have a great senior year and a happy and successful life after that.

Thank you for having me take your senior pictures! You are so sweet!

Enjoy your sneak peek!

Jon & Jessi

2009-08-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

I am super excited for Jon and Jessi's wedding next June. And, I am now even more excited for it after spending some time with them on their engagement session!

We headed out to the shores of Lake Michigan on one of the most beautiful nights this summer. I had a moment to sit and relax while they were changing their outfits and I felt so incredibly blessed to live where I do but also to do what I love. It really was a great feeling.

Jon and Jessi, you make an awesome couple and I am so thrilled that you chose me to be your wedding photographer. You made my job so easy that night (besides climbing the sand dunes. LOL!) because it is obvious you are crazy about each other and you are so stinken cute and fun to photograph!

Thanks for being patient with me as I took a little longer than normal to post your preview. More coming soon!

OmWord, I love this picture!

The clouds were not cooperating with us at times!

Aidan

2009-08-17T10:56:00.001-07:00

A couple weeks ago I met up with Jennifer and Andy and their very cute little guy, Aidan. Jennifer and Andy were wedding clients of mine back in 2006 so it was fun to see them again and to see how their life has changed since that day. Life will be changing again very soon as they are expecting another baby in October! Yay!

Aidan has since celebrated his first birthday which I am sure was an absolute blast!

He has quite the adventerous spirit, this boy. Usually when mothers tell me that their one year old is "busy" I pay little attention because really, what one year old isn't? But, Aidan proved his mom right. He was fascinated with everything! Woodchips, rocks, and leaves. And, he is very fast!!! It could be that I am getting a bit slower, I guess. Hmmm.....

Thank you Jen and Andy for driving all the way over from the east side of the state to spend the afternoon with me. I had such a great time seeing you again and meeting your handsome and fun little guy.

Happy First Birthday, Aidan!

This was the not the first leaf he picked up. But, I love his expression!

Jeff & Jerilynn-E-session

2009-08-06T08:05:00.000-07:00

Meet Jeff and Jerilynn.

So, if you want to make me nervous before doing your engagement session, just show me your modeling portfolio like Jeff did. And, not just any modeling portfolio but ads that you were featured in such as Abercrombie, D&G, United Colors of Beneton, and others. Yeah, those portraits are taken by the worlds top fashion photographers. I'm just a girl from Allentucky! So, on one hand I am nervous but on the other hand I am extremely humbled that you would pick me to be your wedding photographer.

I know Jeff and Jerilynn from church. My family has gotten to know them over the past couple of years and their beautiful daughter, Naomi is 4 days older than Carson! So, we have always kept in touch because we sit by each other on Sunday (we go to a big church) and our kids are in nursery together.

A couple of weeks ago now, I took their engagement pictures and had an absolute blast! I can not wait for their wedding in September. It is going to be a smokin good time.

Jerilynn, thanks for being patient with me as I posted this! More to come soon!

The cutie patootie, Naomi

Isn't Jerilynn beautiful?

I'm so funny I make Jeff cry.....

Hello you fierce looking couple!

My boy

2009-07-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I have posted anything personal. Hmmm, now that I think about it some of you may not even care! But, it is my blog and I am going to do it anyway. Hehe. :o)

Most of you probably know by now that I am pregnant with our second child! We are so very excited about it and can't believe that October is approaching so fast. It won't be long and we will be a family of four! And, to add to the excitement we found out that we are expecting a little girl. So, I am sure we will be learning and experiencing all sorts of new things. Yikes!

Well, with all of this excitement comes a heavy heart too. You see, I have a mere two and a half months left to give my little buddy, Carson all the love and attention he has received for almost three years. Soon, he is going to have to share me and that quite frankly, makes me sad.

Carson has been the love of my life (besides his daddy, of course) and greatest joy for the past two and a half years and when I think about adding another child to our family, I can't imagine loving her as much as I do him. I know that I will because EVERYONE tells me that I will. But, still it is hard to imagine.

So, I have been trying to do some extra special activities with Carson lately. Whether is is laying in bed with him at night and snuggling for a few extra minutes, taking him to the zoo, or playing golf in the yard, I am cherishing each and every one of these moments.

A couple of nights ago I took Carson on a little nature walk. He absolutely loved it. We found bees, and saw some deer, picked flowers and just ran. It was such a good and fun night and I am so glad that I had my camera with me. Because, I can say in my head "I will remember this forever" but unless I have a photo to look back on, the memory becomes hazy.

Here are some pictures of a special little date night I had with my buddy. I'll be posting more adventures in the coming weeks so stay tuned!

Picking his momma a flower. Awwww!

Mr. T-Kids

2009-07-24T11:22:00.000-07:00

This is my nephew, Mr. T. Well, that is not his REAL name but you get the idea.

T is turning two in a few short weeks so T, his mom, dad, Ryan, and I all headed downtown last weekend to take his pictures. He is a VERY active little guy and definitely kept his auntie on her toes the whole time. Probably doesn't help that I am his auntie and I am crazy about him....and I think he is cute no matter what he does. :o)

So, here are a few of T's 2 year old pictures!

And, here are some family ones and some of just his mom and dad. Awwwww, so cute!

We call my brother, Chester. This is why. Don't you love his rad sunglass lines? Yup, he's pretty cool!

Love you guys! :o)

Steve & Abby-I Do!

2009-07-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I woke up to thunder, lightning, and rain in the early morning. My heart immediately started racing and I couldn't sleep which was not good because I stayed up super late working the night before. I went downstairs, checked the weather and was a bit relieved to know that the weather was suppose to clear up in time for Steve and Abby's wedding. But, you never REALLY know in Michigan what the weather has planned.

As it turns out, the day ended up being gorgeous.

Steve and Abby got married at First Reformed Church in Grandville and the reception took place at The Alpen Rose in Holland. The wedding and reception were absolutely beautiful. Not just because of the decorations, the dress, tuxes and flowers. But, because Steve and Abby are so very in love. They have families and friends that love them very much and the whole day was about celebrating their love.

My good friend, Katie DeWinter helped me out that day. Thanks Katie, for rockin it out with me. :o)

And, thank you Steve, Abby, your family and friends for inviting me to share your special day with you. You truly have an amazing love and I am sure you will for many, many, many years.

Enjoy your honeymoon in Estes Park, Co. and have fun looking at your preview! Slideshow is at the bottom. :o)

The beautiful dress. I was a bit obsessed with taking pictures of it.

The flowers were absolutely amazing. Thank you Season's Flower's in Grandville!

Mr. & Mrs. Bedford!

The bridal party was so sweet.

I told you I was obsessed with the dress...

The beautiful cake!

Probably some of my favorite cake cutting shots. I loved the natural light that made them look so romantic!

We decided to sneak away for a few minutes during the reception and roam around downtown Holland. So glad that we did!

Abby worked at JP's coffee in Holland so we stopped there for a few fun pictures.

MMMMM, yummy light.

The Droog Family

2009-07-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

I met Pete and Jaime about ten years ago. Right after they got married, I think! I instantly liked them (partially because I love the name Pete) but mostly because they are just a sweet and fun couple. I was working in banking then and it just amazes me to think about where I was then and where I am now! My, how things can change!

Jaime contacted me awhile ago and wanted to do a session to celebrate her and Pete's 10th wedding anniversary. They also wanted to get a few family pictures and pictures of their two adorable daughters.

Happy Ten Year Anniversary in a few days, Pete and Jaime!

Thanks for thinking of me to do your pictures. I sure had a great time catching up with you and getting to know your wonderful (and sassy cute) daughters.

Enjoy your sneak peek! More coming soon!

First we will start with the two that started it all....

Pete and Jaime

Then, along came Madelyn

Any Miss Chloe

And that makes a family

The girls were adorable

Of course, I am sure they don't get along all of the time. This is just a small play cat fight.

Derek & Megan-I DO!

2009-07-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of taking Derek and Megan's wedding photos! What a FUN day!

We started the day off at Gun Lake Community Church where the girls & guys got ready. There were some beautiful places right around the church to do portraits so we did just that!

After the ceremony, the bridal party got on a trolley and drove to Gun Lake where two pontoon boats were waiting for us. We drove around the lake, stopped at an island for some pictures, and then headed off to the reception which took place at Megan's mom and dad's beautiful home.

The reception was outside and I must say that Megan's mom and dad have the perfect place to host a wedding reception! It was an absolutely gorgeous night.

Thank you so much Megan and Derek for inviting me to share your day with you. I had a great time! You and your wedding party were an absolute blast and I am sure that you are going to have a lot of fun adventures in your married life.

Enjoy your sneak peek and don't forget about the slideshow at the bottom for even more pictures!

Beautiful flowers by Molesta Floral

Love this one.

The fun wedding party!

Cutest little flower girls!

Cutest little bridesmaids and bride!

Loved all the colors.

Megan surprised Derek after the ceremony by having his hockey team greet them as they exited the church. Derek, I hope she actually did surprise you on this one!

Out by the island on Gun Lake.

I got my pants wet! Yay!

I'm Queen of the World!

I love candy bars at receptions!

Megan's dad built this for his daughter's weddings. I think that is SO special!

Meet the Campbell Boys!

2009-07-09T08:41:00.001-07:00

Yesterday morning I met up with Luke and Cara and their adorable four boys.

First, a little story.

Back in the day when I was in high school, I went to church with Luke and Cara. I remember one night we were sitting at someone's house for a youth group get together (was it Luke's house?) and I started teasing them (in a nice way) telling them that they would make a cute couple. I remember playing a little game like, "I heard that Luke likes you, or I heard that Cara likes you" and now look at them! They have been married for 10 years and have four adorable little boys, the youngest is just a mere 6 weeks old. So, your welcome world. I did a good job hooking them up.

I love how different all of the boys are from each other. Just in the little bit of time I was able to spend with them I was able to see their different personalities. I heard lots of interesting stories of which I won't repeat on the internet for the sake of embarrassing anyone and we had a lot of laughs.

Luke and Cara, thank you so much for having me take your kids pictures. Not only did I have a great time with them but I had a great time with the two of you. It really felt like the old days! Somethings don't change too much!

Enjoy your sneak peek.

The big man of the group, Logan.

And, Weston.

and Hayden

And this folks, is how you know that a session is done. LOL!

Silly faces make me laugh.

The Kaashoek Family

2009-07-06T13:45:00.000-07:00

Friday morning I met up with Kaashoek Family for an urban family portrait session!

Karen K. received a gift certificate for a family photo session earlier this year and when she called, she told me she didn't want a stuffy or formal family portrait! She wanted something fun and unique. Well, she came to the right girl because I am not all that into the "stuffy or formal" family portraits. :o) It's just not my thing.

Kaashoek Family, I had a great time getting to know each of you. You are a very warm and inviting family and I count it as a privilege to have taken your families portrait.

Oh, and if a couple of them look really familiar that is because they were featured in my earlier post, Beth & Ben!

Enjoy your sneak peek! More coming soon!

What a good lookin family!

Love this one!

Ben & Beth-Anytime session

2009-06-29T12:41:00.000-07:00

Meet Ben & Beth.

Ben and Beth were married last May and they decided they needed some updated pictures! I love it when people realize the importance of documenting the years of their life. Life is so special and goes so fast.

Beth gave me total freedom over the session so I brought them to a couple places that I have been eyeing the past couple of months. Besides being scared by a little snake and some red ants, we had a relatively safe trip.. :o) Thank goodness! They were up for anything and that makes my job so much fun!

Thanks guys for the fun night! I had a great time with both of you!

And that cute little white bundle of love is Lucy!

We took a couple of head shots for Beth too!

Sawyer-3 months

2009-06-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday I drove out to Saugatuck to take little Sawyer's 3 month pictures. What a sweet and happy little baby he is! He was full of smiles and sweet little coo's. Oh, how I love that!

Lisa (Sawyer's mom) works with my husband Ryan so I have met her a couple of times. But, it was getting to know her and her family.

I had a great time! Thanks Lisa for inviting me to document such a special time in your son's life.

JoJo

2009-06-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

A couple of nights ago I met up with Jojo and her mom Karen for some rockin senior pictures!

Have I mentioned to you before just how much I love my job? I get to meet and hang out with the coolest people. Jojo and Karen were no exception. These ladies know how to have fun and we all laughed most of the evening together. They were up for ANYTHING and just fun to be around. I loved all of the "Ohhh's and Aahhh's" coming from Karen all night.

JoJo is going to be a senior at Jenison High this fall and I am sure that she is going to have a very bright future ahead of her.

Thanks for the great night out and enjoy your sneak peak!

JoJo said that she was not good at serious faces but I think she is absolutely wrong!

The Crain Family

2009-06-20T20:49:00.001-07:00

A couple days ago I met up with Chris, Shawna and their adorable kids for a session!

I really had such a great time with this family. The kids were so well behaved and so, so, so cute! I had perma grin the whole time I was taking their pictures. Not only are their kids super cute but I had a great time getting to know Chris and Shawna. Such a nice couple! Truly one of the reasons why I love my job so much.

Thanks Crain family for letting me do what I love to do! You were such a blast to work with.

Enjoy your pictures!

One Year Old!

So much to explore.

Awwwww.

Big Brother who just turned 3!

I told you they were cute!

Mackenzie

2009-06-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

This could be possibly the busiest I have ever been. So, I am going to try really hard to stay on top of my blog posting!

Yesterday morning I met up with my friend Amanda to take pictures of her daughter, Mackenzie. Mackenzie is turning two in just a couple of days. Two is a very big birthday for Mackenzie because it will be the first year that she actually hears her family and friends sing the Happy Birthday song! What a great day that will be!

Last year I had the priviledge to take Mackenzie's one year pictures and I just can't believe that this little sweetheart is now turning two. Happy Birthday Mackenzie!

The things we do to get smiles!

One of my favorites from the day.

Jess & Alan-Wedding-Part II

2009-06-16T19:43:00.001-07:00

Jess had two dresses and her intention was to wear the second one out on the dinner cruise and out later that night. But, she decided not to because she didn't want to ruin it! So, the next night Jess, Alan, and Anderson all met up for a Trash the Dress session! I am in LOVE with these images. You make such a beautiful couple!

The happy family!

Holy Hot Momma!

I love this one.

Jess & Alan-Wedding-Part I

2009-06-16T19:13:00.000-07:00

My good friends Jess and Alan got married this past weekend in Key West, FL and I was able to be a part of their day in a couple of special ways! My mom and I headed out on Thursday morning and returned late last night. We had a really good time. Not only did I get to witness my friends wedding but I got some much needed relaxation! For two of the days we were down there, my mom and I were in the pool from the time we woke up till dinner time. Ahhhhhh, now that is vacation!

I was Jess's Maid of Honor which was a TOTAL honor on my part. Jess and I have been friends since college and she and I have a kindred spirit. She is like a sister to me. We don't do drama. We are just friends through thick and thin and the little things really do not get in our way...at all.

And, I was able to photograph their wedding at the same time! They did hire a photographer to take some traditional shots but we all agreed that we were thankful I was there with my camera....:o) Nothing else needs to be said.

So, I am going to split this post up into two sections. The first part will be details and wedding. And, the second part will be their Trash the Dress pictures!

Thanks Jess and Alan for inviting me down to be a part of your wedding celebration. Your family is very special to me and I am so thankful that you are in my life.

And, thank you mom for coming with me and for just chillin with me. I love you so much!

Some details around Key West

This was taken from the sunset cruise that Jess and Alan sent everyone on!

That is it for details. It was seriously so blasted hot that I didn't want to walk around. I wanted to stay in that pool!

Now, the wedding.

Alan and Jess's little man! Isn't he awesome?

The guys

The girls

The rings

Mr & Mrs!

The handsome groom

The beautiful bride!

The bride and me!

Good friend Josh. He was such a HUGE help!

I look way bigger here than I actually am. I think I was sticking out my stomach or something. Who does that? :o)

Look at that height! '

My mom and I on the sunset cruise!

Jess and I!

Out of the Office

2009-06-12T06:59:00.000-07:00

Hi All!

I will be out of the office until Tuesday, June 16th. I do have internet access but I am unsure how often I will be able to check e-mail. So, please feel free to contact me via e-mail or by phone and I will get back with you as soon as I can!

Ashlie

2009-06-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

I wanted to quick post these pictures before I leave!

Yesterday I took Ashlie's 7 year pictures! This was my third year taking her pictures and every year gets more and more fun!

Thanks Ashlie for being so cute! I had a great time with you!

And little brother Casey came along for the ride. This is his Spider Man pose. :o)

This is my favorite shot from Ashlie's 6 year shoot!

Ashlie's neighbor, Nicole came along too and we took some quick shots of her. She will be a junior this year so hopefully I can do her senior pictures in another year!

David & Kathryn=Wedding

2009-06-08T20:34:00.000-07:00

May 30, 2009

David and Kathryn got married on a beautiful spring day! The morning started off a little iffy with scattered showers but the afternoon unfolded into a warm sunny day! Perfect for an outdoor wedding.

Funny story. When I received a questionnaire back from David and Kathryn last year listing details of their wedding, one of the things I ask is what kind of a ceremony will take place. Christian, Catholic, Jewish.... Well, David and Kathryn put "quirky" and I seriously thought it was a religion! I even googled it! But, much to my embarrassment, it was not. It was just their way of saying that their wedding day would not involve all of the traditional elements that often take place.

This wedding really reflected who the two of them are as individuals and as a couple. They walked down the aisle together, went bare foot the entire day, they had poetry read during the ceremony, family members sang and read, and their music was lovely. I loved being a part of it.

Kathryn's parent's neighbors have the most incredible home as you can see from the pictures. Both the wedding and reception were graciously held there. There was so much to do. After the ceremony the guests enjoyed fishing (HUGE fish), boating out to an island, smoking some cigars, a swing set, and games for all.

The flowers were found and bought at a local farmers market and the food was catered in from a favorite restaurant. I can't remember the name! And, there was a live folk band that had most of the guests out dancing and having a good time.

Thank you David and Kathryn for inviting me to share your special day with you. I had a great time with you and getting to know your family and guests and it is not every day that I can take my shoes off and wander through the grass capturing such a special wedding. I hope that you had a great time in Nova Scotia on your honeymoon!

Slide show at the end!

Okay, so I love, love, love this ring shot! They had really cool rings made out of Juniper wood.

This little girl was SOOOO cute!

E-mail issues

2009-06-07T20:57:00.000-07:00

Tonight I about lost it. Really, I did. I was tickling Carson, having a great time, and we were just starting to get ready to go up and give him a bath when he decided to hit a few keys on my laptop. He knows this is naughty! I mostly use my laptop for e-mail and personal pictures so I normally don't get too upset.

Well, to make a long story short I lost one of my mailboxes. He hit just the "right" keys.

If you sent an e-mail to summer@summerjeanphotography.com (from my website or blog also) and I have not responded to you, please resend me your e-mail. I know that I had a few inquiries in there for weddings and senior sessions.

I am so sorry for the inconvenience!

Steve & Abby- E-session

2009-06-01T07:37:00.000-07:00

A little over a week ago I met up with Steve and Abby to take their engagement pictures!

I have known Abby's mom for quite some time now as I used to attend Grandville Rotary with her. But, it was so much fun to get to know Steve and Abby more as we ventured around taking their pictures. A "few" mosquitos tried interupting our time together but we put a stop to that with some bug spray! Pesky little bugs!

Both Abby and Steve love photography and knew just how to "work it" for the camera. It is always fun talking photography with people that really appreciate the art.

Abby and Steve are getting married this July and I just simply can not wait to see all of their planning come together! I am sure that the day will be memorable and the details will be beautiful.

Thanks Abby and Steve! Enjoy your preview!

They needed no instruction on the kissing pictures. :o)

I LOVE this one.

Frank & Heather-I do!

2009-05-26T13:03:00.000-07:00

May 16, 09

Frank and Heather had a perfect spring day for their wedding. The sun was shining, the air was warm, and love was in the air! :o)

Heather and Frank did a wonderful job planning out all of the details of their day. Everything ran perfectly and the details were beautiful! From the simple but elegant centerpieces at the reception to the fun spring colors they chose.

Katie and I started the day with just Frank and Heather doing their portraits. I love it when a groom sees his bride for the first time. I love the look on his face and the emotion that it brings. Heather looked absolutely breathtaking that day and Frank looked pretty darn handsome himself.

The wedding and reception took place at Thornapple Covenant Church in Grand Rapids.
Make-up was done by the fabulous Julie Strating. This was my first time working with someone who had their make-up done by Julie and I would highly recommend her. Getting your make-up done for your wedding or photo sessions is a MUST!
The flowers were awesome and they were done by Ann Forrester of Forrester Farm.

The bridal party was an absolute blast and the families were all so welcoming.

Thank you SO very much for giving me the opportunity to document your wedding day. I had such a great time and I hope that the rest of your life brings you much love, happiness, and joy.

Here are some of my favorites from the day but there are plenty more on the slideshow at the end!

Heather walking up the stairs to see Frank for the first time.

STUNNING!

Love this picture! I was being "stalker photographer" in the bushes.

One of my favorite ring shots, ever!

The wedding party!

And, the slideshow!

Bill & Hillary-E-session

2009-05-20T12:01:00.001-07:00

Last week I spent an evening with Bill and Hillary to take their engagement pictures! It was a beautiful night and I had so much fun. Hillary is my cousin and her and Bill are getting married this August. I still can't believe that little Hillary Jo is getting married. My cousins make me feel old. :o)

We wandered around downtown GR and ended the night with dinner at Yesterdog. YUMMY. I have been craving a Yesterdog and although my craving was filled that night...I still want another one!

Hillary and Bill are so cute together. Some of my favorite pictures from the evening are the ones where they are looking at each other and laughing. I simply can not wait for their wedding!

Here are some of my favorites!

See what I mean? They are so cute!

Raaaarrrrr!!!

This last one is for anyone that has driven around GR with me and I had the opportunity to parallel park. I FINALLY did it!!! Yay!
This is just proof of it incase I can't do it again.

Mike & Keri-I do!

2009-05-15T19:26:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I had the pleasure of taking Mike and Keri's wedding photographs. I knew this was going to be a fabulous day from the very first day I had heard they were getting married in an apple orchard! I love this kind of a wedding!

Mike and Keri really had a fairy tale wedding. The weather ended up being nice despite it being a little chilly. But, I certainly did not mind. The details were amazing. I really loved everything about it and I am certain that if I were to marry Ryan again, I would do something very similar.

Michelle with Memorable Events did a great job at pulling everything together and with all of the planning. Mike and Keri are from the Chicago area and the wedding was in South Haven, Mi. at the McIntosh Apple Orchards. So, Michelle helped Keri with a lot of the vendors and planning. McIntosh has not hosted a wedding before but they did a wonderful job. And, their apple dumplings....well, they are to die for! Seriously friends, you have to try one!

My friend Katie DeWinter of Katie DeWinter Photography helped me for the day. I love working with that girl!

Thank you so much for inviting me to share your special day with you, Mike & Keri. You made me feel like family and you were so fun to work with. Enjoy your preview and I will be in touch shortly!

There is a slideshow with a lot more images at the end!

I couldn't resist...

2009-05-06T20:12:00.000-07:00

...sharing these!

Last night Ryan and I brought Carson out to play and to get a few pictures of him since it has been awhile!

Here are a couple of my favorites.

This is probably one of my all time faves of my little man. I love his serious looks!

He had plenty of smiles for me too with the help of his daddy.

And finally, a picture of Carson and I that I actually like. I look like a total scrub but I still like it. :o)

I am posting even more pictures on Facebook. If you are not my friend yet, what are you waiting for?

Rock & Remember The Prom Dress

2009-05-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

Summer Jean Photography is now offering Rock & Remember The Prom Dress sessions!

Are you tired of the typical old prom pictures? Standing in the front lawn next to the big pine tree? Or, the ones with the shadows of tree branches all over your face because you were standing in the wrong spot? If you and your girlfriends haven't had enough fun in your prom dress or just want some fabulously fun pictures of yourself, I have something just for you! An opportunity to get dressed up, made up and feeling like a movie star!

Here are the details:

3 hour session at a number of different and fun locations
20 fully edited and enhanced images on a CD for you to keep...FOREVER!
Copyright release on your top 5 photos

Cost $175 per person (minimum of 3 persons)

If you are interested in booking a date, give me a call or shoot me an e-mail!

Finally, I need to thank the people involved in the following pictures! My models, Sarah, Megan, and Amanda. You girls are GORGEOUS!
Memories Bridal & Evening Wear in Kalamazoo for the beautiful dresses!
Lisa and Erica of JO*RY Cosmetics for the awesome job you did on the make-up
And, Heather Vander Wal for doing such a great job on the hair!

Baby Hayley

2009-04-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

A week or so ago I finally got to meet Jeff and April's newest addition, Hayley!

When Jeff and April were in for their maternity session they told me that they thought they were having a little girl as they did not know the sex. Well, they are pretty good guessers because Hayley was born just a few weeks after that!

It has been awhile since I have photographed a newborn baby girl. Seems like all of last year and most of this year has been boys! Not that I mind, of course. But, it was fun to switch things up a bit. And, she was such a little angel. She slept the first half until we decided to undress her. Then, she was not very happy with us. But, I think we still managed to get some super cute pics of her in her birthday suite.

Thanks Jeff and April for bringing Hayley to me for her newborn pictures! I look forward to watching her grow up into a happy and healthy little girl.

The happy family.

Frank & Heather...Engagement

2009-04-09T12:44:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhh, to be in the great outdoors again. It felt wonderful.

Last weekend I met up with Frank and Heather in Grand Rapids to do their engagement session. It was such a nice spring day and it felt so good to work out in some natural light again. :)

Frank and Heather are getting married next month and I am really looking forward to their wedding. Mostly because they are so much fun to be around and their wedding is going to be beautiful but also because I know a lot of people in their bridal party!

Even though I met Frank and Heather just a few months ago, I feel like we have been friends for a long time. I have the best brides and grooms EVER!

Frank and Heather, thanks for everything! I can't wait for your wedding next month!

Koops::Friends

2009-04-06T12:50:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago, Ryan, Carson and I headed over to the East side of the state to spend the day with our friends the Koops.

We first met Dan and Pam when Ryan and Dan were attending the Turf Program at MSU. We hit it off INSTANTLY and knew we would be friends forever. I still remember the first night the four of us hung out. We went out to Grand Haven to grab dinner and take a walk. Pam and I knew each other all of five minutes and we were already walking 20 ft ahead of the guys and talking like we had been friends forever. Ryan and Dan get along great too. They both went to school for the same thing, worked together for a summer, and now work for a couple very nice golf courses. We like to tease Ryan and Dan and call them "Turf Geeks."

Dan and Pam have three gorgeous boys....3 years old and under. Yes, you heard right. Jason just turned 3, Ryan is 1 1/2, and Lee is 6 months. This is a very busy family! But, a very well behaved and wonderful family to be around. Our boys hit it off from the start and played so good together! It was a great day!

Dan and Pam, you know we think the world of you. We love you and your family very much and it is such an honor to document your family. Thanks for having us over and thanks for being our friends....Forever.

The ever adorable, Lee.

My little buddy, Ryan.

And, the big boy of the house, Jason.

The Family.

Baby Zach*

2009-03-24T13:21:00.000-07:00

Last week my friend Michelle, her husband Derek, and their beautiful new baby boy came over or some newborn pics!

Michelle and I have been friends since...almost forever. We went to church together, school together, and now are both in the wedding business! You might remember her as I have posted about her before HERE and HERE. I am excited to work with her again this year at a couple of weddings. We always have a blast together!

I had lunch with Michelle shortly before she was due and it as so cute to see my friend of such a long time all pregnant and glowing as she was talking about the changes in her life. Michelle and Derek chose not to find out what the sex of the baby was but Michelle told me flat out that she hoped it was a boy. Well, she got her wish!!!!!

Zach is such a sweet little guy. SO cute too! He didn't want to sleep for any of his pictures and preferred being snuggled by his mom and dad but I can't blame the boy! I'd want to be snuggled too. :o)

Michelle and Derek, congratulation on your beautiful little boy. I am so excited that you are now parents and can't wait to watch him grow!

I love catching babies sneeze. They look so cute!

Just a couple really cute ones. These made me giggle as I was going through them for the first time.

Watch out, that kid is going to have an arm!

Lady, if you don't stop takin my picture.....

April & Jeff: Maternity

2009-03-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

A week or so ago I met up with April and her husband Jeff to take some maternity photos!

April and I communicated via e-mail before meeting up and I knew just from our conversations over e-mail that she was a total sweetheart!

April and Jeff are expecting their first child very soon and are just so excited about it. I love it when people are expecting their first baby. I remember that feeling and there is just nothing that compares to the anticipation and excitement you have by bringing a little you into the world.

April and Jeff, it was so nice getting to know you! I hope the remaining weeks are good and restful and I can NOT wait to meet your little baby!

Baby Isaac

2009-03-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

Remember Ron and Heidi's maternity session just a few weeks ago? Well, here is their little bundle of love, Isaac!

Isaac is such a little guy. He was born weighing just a mere 4 bls 5 oz but managed to only spend 8 days in the hospital getting nice and strong and ready to come home. He has gained a couple of pounds now and is healthy and beautiful.

Isaac wasn't excited about his first photo session. At all. But, you can't predict a newborn so we just waited patiently till he wanted to cooperate and that was mostly when his mommy and daddy were holding him. The kid knows what he wants! LOL!

Ron and Heidi, I am SO SO happy for you and your beautiful little boy. He is precious! You guys are awesome parents.
Thanks for coming over and spending the evening with me as we documented such a special time in his life.

Vegas!

2009-03-05T13:33:00.000-08:00

I have been feeling a bit under the weather for the past week so I haven't been able to update you on my trip to Las Vegas for the WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) conference that I attended. But, the sunshine and warm weather today has me feeling pretty good!

First off, let me tell you that I am NOT cut out for the "Vegas Party" lifestyle. I prefer good ole Allendale, Michigan. That is not to say that I didn't have any fun though! Because I had a blast! But, I also prefer to get sleep and I am so thankful my roommates did too.

The convention this year was awesome. I was able to meet some people that I have blog stalked for the past year and met some new friends along the way too! I went to some inspiring seminars, saw the latest and greatest at the trade show, went to the Photo LoveCat gala, had some late night dinners, met my favorite cab driver of all time, and had a photo shoot at the Vegas Neon Boneyard. And, out of the 12,000 attendees this year, I even saw quite a few GR photographers!

The last night I was there Ryan, Carson, and my in-laws drove from AZ to spend the night there. So I hung out with them and went to bed early with Carson since I was running on about 5-6 hours of sleep over the course of 2 days and I was exhausted! Carson loved Vegas. I swore that I would never bring my children there but I figured a couple of hours wouldn't hurt. And, he was fascinated with the helicopters, jets, mountains, and "christmas lights". It was fun watching him take it all in.

Here are some of the pictures from my shoot out at the Neon Boneyard. Every single one of the models was so much fun to work with. They were beautiful and had great personalities. It was so fun to be outdoors again using some natural light. My how I missed that!

At the bottom is a slideshow with more images. Gotta love me some Britney....

This beauty wasn't even there to model. She was there to watch her cousin who was modeling for us. Isn't she beautiful? Some of my favorite shots of the day were of her.

And of course, my friend Katie! Isn't she just so pretty?

Kaitlin & Aaron::: I do!

2009-02-27T18:57:00.000-08:00

Aaron and Kaitlin are probably the sweetest couple EVER.

Last weekend I have the honor of photographing their wedding. The weather outside was cold and blustery but that didn't damped their spirits one little bit!

We were brave and headed down to the JW Marriott to do some portraits of just the two of them before heading back to the church (Lighthouse Community Church) to meet up with the bridal party and families. The roads were not good and I felt a big ole heap of responsibility driving the bride and groom around! Thank goodness, we made it there and back safely.

Aaron and Kaitlin said the most beautiful vows during their ceremony. Katie (who was second shooting for me that day) and I kept looking at each other with tears in our eyes. Even after the ceremony, we were still all emotional! I am convinced that if everyone in the world who got married said those vows and meant them, there would be very little heartbreak. It was a gorgeous ceremony and it made me reflect on just how blessed I am to have married my best friend.

I loved so many things about this celebration. Obviously, Aaron and Kaitlin but also the original things they incorporated into their day. Like the lemonade and raspberry slushy drink, the desserts that Aaron's mom made instead of cake, the fact that one of their friends made all of the food, and the beautiful painting that hung behind them during the reception.

Aaron & Kaitlin, thank you SO very much for letting me a part of your special day. I had an absolute blast hanging out with you guys, your friends and family. And, I look forward to continuing our friendship even now that your wedding is done! :) I hope you have a great honeymoon!

Enjoy the sneak peak and don't forget the slideshow at the bottom to see a ton more!

It can be painful to be so beautiful!

Pappa's first look.

Cheers!

A little R&R

2009-02-12T13:18:00.000-08:00

So, it was pointless for me to bring shorts to Arizona but that is alright. I am still enjoying the sun and the 65 degree temps. I don't have to do things around home and I have been able to take a nap to two!

I have been spending the week in Arizona visiting with my in-laws and brother in law. We have had a lot of fun. A couple days ago we went to Oatman, AZ (which was a long 4 hour drive) to be greeted in town by wild donkeys. What a cool little old western town. And yesterday we went to Scottsdale and brought Carson to a train park. Ryan and his parents have golfed and we have taken some very nice walks.

Tomorrow I fly to Las Vegas for my 2nd WPPI convention! I am so excited to go this year. I will be checking out the latest and greatest in the photography field and meeting a ton of new people. I will be very busy as I am attending the Nikon Big Event, a couple get togethers, The Photo LoveCat Gala, a shootout at the Las Vegas Neon Boneyard, and numerous programs. Wednesday night Ryan, Carson and my in-laws will be joining me there and we will be flying back to GR on Thursday morning.

Upon our return on the 19th, I will have a day to get unpacked and organized and then I have the much anticipated wedding for Kaitlin & Aaron on the 21st.

If you need to reach me, I do have access to internet and phone so please don't hesitate to call or write. Here are a couple pictures from our week so far!

Take care my friends!

This one is for my brother Adam..... nuff said.

Oatman was full of cool little signs.

The donkeys coming into town right after we ate lunch!

Carson loved those wild donkeys.

Feeding them carrots

Oatman is a old mining town. It still is, I guess. People still mine agate there.

Ashley & Nathan:::I do

2009-02-08T14:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was one of those rare February days. A day when the weather is teasing us with a little glimpse of what is to come in the next few months. It was a beautiful day. A high of 55 degrees, sunny skies and just what us Michiganders needed!

I headed down to Kalamazoo to photograph Ashley and Nathan's wedding day. Most weddings I look forward to for months and months before I actually get to shoot it but not in this case. They booked me just over a month ago! I think these two are very smart. All of the planning and stress in one month and then it's done!

Now, Ashley if officially the first person that I have done both their senior pictures and wedding pictures (besides famdamily, of course) so it was just a pleasure meeting up with her family again and seeing how much has changed! It has been almost four years since I took Ashley's senior pictures and so much has changed in her life. She met the love of her life, had a beautiful little girl, and is now married!

Nathan is a fire fighter and I had a good time talking to him about his job. Some of you know that my brother recently moved to Alabama to be a fire fighter so I naturally have a lot of respect for men and woman in that field. Nate was as nice as they come. If he was nervous, I couldn't tell. He was so inviting and warm and I had a great time getting to know him, his groomsmen, and family.

The day was simple but perfect in so many ways. It really was about celebrating the love these two share along with their close family and friends.

Nate and Ashley, you are two amazing and beautiful people. Thank you so much for having me take your wedding day pictures and for inviting me into your lives. May God bless you and your families!

I am going to warn you, there are a ton of photographs of Ashley. She was ABSOLUTELY stunning and I just couldn't stop taking pictures of her. And, make sure you check out the slideshow at the end!

These guys were awesome!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this shot with her veil blowing.

This is my favorite picture I have taken so far this year! Look at those eyes!

Bride's Choice Awards!

2009-02-04T11:28:00.000-08:00

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced that sjo Photography has won the 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards™!

In its inaugural year, the Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and honors vendors from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. This year’s recipients represent the top three percent of WeddingWire’s vendor community, which includes over 100,000 wedding vendors from across the US. That means sjo Photography is one of the very best wedding photographers.

Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride’s Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews.

“We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community,” according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry.”

sjo Photography would like to thank our past clients for speaking on our behalf and helping us win the 2009 Bride’s Choice Award! It truly was an honor to be a part of your lives and I hope to see you all again soon!

Models Needed

2009-01-29T08:09:00.000-08:00

In April I will be announcing a very exciting project I have been working on! I am SO VERY pumped up about this so I can not wait to share it with you.

In the meantime, I am looking for two additional models to help me out with this project. The ladies I am looking for must be a junior or senior in high school. It doesn't matter what school! You will be helping me out with some modeling used for advertising so I will be paying for your hair and makeup to be done and you will be receive a CD with your pictures on them.

If you or someone you know is interested in having a free, fun, and fashion inspired photo shoot, please send me an e-mail including your name, school, year graduating, and a picture of yourself. I will be making a decision by March 1, 09 so please send them in soon!

Beautiful Skin

2009-01-26T08:05:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't want beautiful, clear, glowing skin? I know that I do. I have not been blessed with flawless skin. I wish I had been but I know that it also could be a lot worse. I just hate being almost 30 and having to still deal with pimples. Ugh.

A few months ago I started going to Kathy at Skin Care Plus, LLC. She is a Holistic Skin Care Practitioner out of Grand Rapids. I knew Kathy from working at the chiropractors office last winter. She is awesome. Not only is she have a kind spirit but she is hilarious. I love talking with her and I usually talk the whole hour and a half I am there. Imagine that. :)

Kathy is very good at what she does. All of the products that she uses on your face are natural and pure. She uses ultrasound, diamond micro-dermabrasion, and light therapy in addition to putting some fabulously smelling things on your face. It is an all around incredible experience and my skin feels awesome after going.

A few weeks ago I took some pictures for Chiropractic Plus's website and while I was there Kathy asked me if I would mind taking some pictures of her with a coat that was given to her by some of her lady friends. We had just had a snowstorm the night before so it made for an awesome backdrop.
Isn't she beautiful?

If you are looking to improve your skin before your upcoming wedding or in general, have a super relaxing experience, and to make a new friend, give my friend Kathy a call. 616-485-1905

I saved your life!

2009-01-23T13:51:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows my husband knows one thing....he loves his lawn. He double and sometimes triple cuts the grass in the summer and it looks awesome. This past summer I found one dandelion in the yard, took a picture of it for proof, and that poor dandelion was gone within hours. I didn't point it out. He found it. Just like photography is my passion....grass is Ryan's. He graduated from MSU with a degree in Turf Management and is the Superintendent for one of Michigan's finest courses. It is in his blood.

So, today I was in the basement playing with Carson when I saw this little black head peeking over the edge of the window. My first thought was it was a poor little bird stuck in the window well. But, I remembered then that it is winter and the birds are scarce around these parts.
It wasn't a bird....it was a mole and he was eating a hole through our screen because he was caught in between the window and screen.

Moles are really bad for grass. My husband loves grass. So, my husband HATES moles.

I had to do something! So, I pushed the screen out so he could escape, took a paint stick and preyed the little mole out of the hole. He is free!

Ryan came home and I was telling him about our cute little mole friend. He didn't like my story at all. When I brought him downstairs to show him our little friend we discovered there were indeed two little moles. Carson calls them Holy Moleys. :)

So Mr. and Mrs. Mole, I saved your life which is not a good thing in the Osborn house. Please move on to the neighbors now.

Mike & Susan:::I DO

2009-01-21T20:59:00.000-08:00

You never know where you will find love. Some might find the love of their life at church, or in a bar, on-line, or in the grocery store. Or, you could just go and fall in love with your neighbor! That's just what happened with Susan and Mike. How convienent would it be to fall in love with your neighbor? Seriously now. When I was dating I still had a curfew and my drive home was 20 minutes. You could spend some serious smooching time with your sweetie if you lived next door. :o)

I have known Susan and her family pretty much all of my life. Her daughter Jen has been one of the best friends I have ever had. Besides my mom, she's top on my list. Every single time I get done hanging out with Jen I ramble on and on to Ryan about how much she means to me. She's the kindest, most sincere, most easy to read person... EVER!

Anyway, this post is not about Jen. But, it gives you a pretty picture as to how her whole family is. They are all beautiful and I count it as an extreme privledge to have them in my life. I could give them all BIG OLE hugs.

Mike and Susan got married on January 3, 09 at the Grandville Banquet Center. The ceremony was small and intimate with just immediate family. Following the ceremony they had quite the rockin reception! They all knew how to have a good time. I loved watching them dance. SO FUN!

Mike and Susan, I wish the two of you the very best in life. The way that you make each other laugh makes me smile. I loved being a part of your day.

Love you guys.

Rick is in the Marines but was able to come home and celebrate with the family. Thanks Rick for everything you do for our country.

Who is the hot videographer? Why that is my husband! I love having him join me while I am working. Thanks Ry!

Isn't she pretty? Jennifer

This picture is SO them.

And, here is a little slideshow!

Digital files are now for sale!

2009-01-13T07:32:00.000-08:00

That's right! If you have currently placed your order for any portrait session done in 2008 and you are dying to have those digital files, today is your lucky day!

From now until the end of the month I will be selling the digital files on a high resolution disk for $150.

Contact me at summer@sjophotography.com if you are interested!

Out of the Office

2009-01-09T10:29:00.000-08:00

I will not have access to my e-mail this weekend. If you e-mail me I will get back to you Monday morning.

If you need to get ahold of me, you can reach me on my cell phone. The number is 616-780-0194

Have a great weekend!

Heidi&Ron::Maternity

2009-01-08T19:54:00.000-08:00

I have known Heidi forever. Seriously, since she was born. Our dads are best friends since school. Jack Carol and Donald Ray. Two peas in a pod.

We used to go camping, on trips out west, or we just used to hang out with our parents. It has been fun watching Heidi and her brothers grow. They are all such great people and I am grateful that they are still in my life.

A couple of years ago now I was asked to shoot Ron and Heidi's wedding. Of course I would do it! It was a blast. Their wedding party was awesome, obviously their families and choice of friends are awesome (LOL), and I was honored to be a part of their day. I also got to know some of my future clients through Ron and Heidi. I met Josh who married Lauren this past October and I met Ashley's parents of Ashley and Scott who were married in September of 08. Thanks guys!

Now Ron and Heidi are expecting a little baby boy in just a few short weeks. Mid February to be exact! I am sure he is going to be perfect and I can not wait to meet him.

Heidi, you look absolutely beautiful pregnant. I am so honored that I got to be a part of such a special time in you and Ron's life...twice! You two are awesome.

Thank you so much for putting up with my basement too. :o)

And now, the pictures!

You should have saw Ron's face when I asked him to kiss Heidi's stomach! When he was leaving I told him jokingly that I was going to post it. When I reviewed the pictures, it was seriously one of my favorite ones. So, I had to e-mail and ask permission. LOVE IT!

And, the current baby in Ron and Heidi's life, Miss Koduh.

Kaden::Newborn

2009-01-08T18:46:00.000-08:00

Look at this little sweetheart!

Last weekend our friends Missy and Lu came over with their brand new little guy. You might remember Missy and Lu from a maternity session I did a few months ago. My how their life has changed since then!

Missy and Lu didn't find out what they were having which I SO admire in people (although for the record I guessed it would be a boy just because I thought he looked like a boy from his profile ultrasound pic). I simply can't stand not knowing. Ryan and I weren't going to find out the sex of our child either when I was pregnant with Carson but when the nurse told us that she knew and asked one more time....we couldn't handle the suspense. Ryan and I can't even wait until Christmas to give each other our gifts, how did we ever think we could wait for that!

Kaden was so good for his very first photo session. He ate, slept, sucked his thumb. All things little babies do. I loved it! And, it is always fun spending time with Missy and Lu.

Thank you so much Lu and Missy for bringing your bundle of love over to my house for his pics. I hope you enjoy them!

Awwww, a family portrait!

I love this one. It's special because it is my grandpa Ike's chair. No one else wanted it but I LOVED it.

MOM...DAD...Look at my big muscles!

Little Kaden is probably going to be a thumb sucker. Missy said this is the first time she ever got a picture of him while doing it!

Joe&Vanessa::Wedding Preview

2009-01-07T22:35:00.000-08:00

I can not believe that it is January. Well, I can. It is freezing cold and snowing. What I really can't believe is it is 2009!

My last wedding of 2008 was literally on the last day of the year. Vanessa and I sat down for coffee earlier this year and talked about her and Joe's New Year celebration. I couldn't wait to be a part of it! And, what a memorable day it was.

Vanessa and Joe are two of the sweetest people ever. You can tell they are genuine and kind just by the way they interacted with me and by the way they interacted with others. They were so laid back and all about having a good time and celebrating their love for one another.

One of the most touching things of their day was the way that Vanessa's children just adore Joe. It is one of the sweetest things ever! They just wanted to be by him all night. It is obvious that Joe is going to make a great dad because he already has the respect of those three adorable children.

Vanessa is one of the most stunning brides on the planet! And, I have had some knock-out brides in 2008! She really was just a natural in front of the camera and she made my job very easy.

A special thanks to my friend Kerry for helping me out, for the awesome green chair, and for bringing in the new year with me!

Vanessa and Joe, thank you so much for allowing me to share your wedding day with you. I had such a great time hanging out with you and your families and I have no doubt that you will have a very happy and loving marriage.

Here are some of my favorites from the day. Don't forget the slideshow at the bottom to see even more!

Can you tell that I loved her shoes?

This picture needs to go down in my top 10 favorites of 2008. I LOVE IT!

See what I mean, Gorgeous!

And I forgot to mention just how handsome Joe was!

I really did tell her to give me that look. It's fierce!

Doesn't the flare kinda look like a heart?

I don't know what it is about this picture but I really like it.

My top 50 turned into my top 100

2008-12-27T23:14:00.000-08:00

2008 was a great year. I am kind of sad to see it go. I had the best time meeting all kinds of new people and being a part of some really special and spectacular weddings. Not only that but I feel like this year was the first year that I really defined my "style", who I am as a photographer and more importantly who I am as a person. I'm obviously still a work in progress but I feel like 2008 was a good year for me overall. It was a lot of fun looking back at the relationships I built over this past year through my lens. And, it was fun seeing the new ways I learned to use my camera.

I was originally going to post my top 50 pictures from 2008 but after going through the tens of thousands of pictures on my hard drive I decided that I would post my top 100! YAY!

Most of these are in no particular order. I do have my top 10 but the others it was just too hard to pick. And, I am really tired and would like to go to bed before my family wakes up for church. :o)

So, here they are!

1. MY NUMBER ONE FAVORITE! This was taken at Matt & Kendra's wedding in the church courtyard. Missy who was my assistant that day pointed out the vine and said "wow, that is different!" I saw an awesome photo opportunity. Thanks Missy!

2. This is my good friend Jess. While in Vegas last year we got our makeup done and had Ryan drive us all around for a photo shoot. We looked pretty ridiculous. (Note to self...Don't ask for dramatic makeup when in Vegas) I think Jess looks beautiful in this pic though.

3. This was taken at Ross and Lindsey's wedding. I just love the simplicity of it.

4. Hot Mamma! My first ever TTD session and I love so many of these photos.

5.My Buddy. This was his 2 year picture and I just love his smile.

6. This little stinker kept trying to crawl away during our photo shoot. I finally told her mom to just let her go and we ended up with our favorite shot of the whole day!

7. I made a tutu and bought a cute hat. It was a surprise to her mom. :o)

8. Not the best picture that I have ever taken BUT it is of one of the sweetest men I have ever known. My grandpa Ike. He passed away a few months ago and this picture brings a smile to my face just looking at it.

9. One of my all time favorite photo sessions.

10. Sabrina was my last senior of 2008. We did all indoor pics. Makes me nervous not to use natural light but I was loving the outcome.

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55. This is of Chad and Heather. One of my all time favorite weddings to be a part of. This picture CRACKS me up just looking at it.

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

AND 100....

WOW

2008-12-22T21:53:00.000-08:00

So, it has officially been a week since I last posted. SORRY! I have been busy fulfilling orders for last minute Christmas gifts, baking cookies, and spending time with family and friends. While doing all of that, I have neglected my poor blog. :o(

I don't really have anything new to post tonight but I do want to let you know that I have a very big post coming up. I will be picking my top 50 photographs from 2008 and will be sharing them with you. I have already started to narrow it down and it has been a lot of fun looking back over the past year.

A blog post without a picture is BORING so here is a copy of my family Christmas card. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Bleyenburg Family

2008-12-15T21:06:00.000-08:00

This weekend I met up with the Bleyenburg family at my home to do some family pictures!

This was my first time photographing twins and just when I thought that photographing one child was hard, I get tested again with two! But, these little sweethearts were great!

Kristin, the mom, contacted me a month or so ago. She is a friend of a friend and she does some photography on the side too. She also does all kinds of custom design work. So, if you are looking for someone to help you out with some business cards, logo design, banners, or even baby labels, make sure you contact Kristin. Here is her website.

Thanks Bleyenburg Family for trekking out to my end of the woods this weekend. I had a great time getting to know you and I can't wait to do coffee sometime Kristin!

Enjoy your sneak peek.

Notice anything out of the ordinary????

Gift Certificates

2008-12-12T17:36:00.000-08:00

It is almost Christmas! I love this time of year. I love giving people gifts just to watch them open them and get excited. This year I think that I have done my part with helping the economy out. Consumer sales should be up because of the Osborn household. Not because we are buying ourselves lots of stuff because that is not the case. We are having a pretty low key Christmas. But, this year I just really feel we have been blessed and I want to share the blessings with those I love.

My sister in law, Erin sent this to me this morning and I just have to share it. It cracks me up! Guys, please let me help you. If you are planning on getting your wife any of the gifts in this video, please contact me first. I have gift certificates available!!!! I want to keep you out of the dog house.

http://bewareofthedoghouse.com/VideoPage.aspx

If you are still looking for the perfect gift for someone you love, consider an SJO Photography gift certificate. You can purchase any dollar amount and it can be used at any time!

Out of town

2008-12-05T12:17:00.000-08:00

I will be out of town this weekend spending some much needed relaxing time with one of my best girlfriends. Well, is shopping really considered relaxing? LOL. I will be going to bed before 2 am though, so I think that will be nice and relaxing.

I will not be bringing my laptop so if you send me an e-mail I will get back to you sometime on Monday. If you need to reach me, I will have my cell phone on. 616-780-0194

I have been working very hard at getting things done before I leave. So, most of you should have your galleries up on-line to view VERY soon.

Here are a few photos of my sweet little guy while we were Christmas tree shopping and while we played in the snow today.

And of course, Hogen Beamerstyn. He loves the snow!

The sweetest little girl

2008-12-04T22:01:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night I met up with Matt and Marcie and their beautiful little girl. They have a cute (and nicely decorated) house and it was so fun seeing some of their wedding photos displayed in their home. I love that!

In August of last year Matt and Marcie got married in a gorgeous beach wedding out in Grand Haven/Spring Lake area so when I heard they were expecting, I was very excited!

This little precious bundle was one of the best babies I have ever photographed. She was all smiles and she has the most incredible blue eyes. She was making the cutest baby sounds and she was just talking up a storm. It made me realize how much I missed hearing those cute little coo's. :o) So cute!

Here is a sneak peak of some of my favorites.

Thanks Matt and Marcie for continuing to invite me into your life.

Enjoy!

The only editing I did to this photo is a little sharpening.

I love this one. :o)

For the photographers out there....I shot these all in jpeg. I usually shoot all RAW but am thinking I might switch back. What do you think? Can you tell the difference? I think I like it!

Attention 2009 Brides!

2008-12-03T21:44:00.000-08:00

It is NOT December, is it? Really? Wow, this year is a little fuzzy all of a sudden.....

I am really looking forward to 2009. I have some awesome weddings planned and some incredible people to work with! This will officially be my 3rd year of photographing "full time" and I couldn't love what I do any more.

Because the beginning of the year is a time for new beginnings, I wanted to give you all a heads up that I will be raising my wedding and portrait packages sometime in the next month.

If you have been interested in booking me but have not done so yet, you may want to do it soon because the beginning of the year my wedding and portrait packages will be increasing. To take advantage of my 2008 prices, you will have to book me before December 31st.

Although things have slowed down a bit, there is still much to do to get caught up. I have had some great sessions lately and I have two very fun weddings coming up at the end of this month.

So, stay tuned!

The Fuller/Chase Family

2008-12-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

This weekend I met up with the Fuller Family and took some fun family pictures.

I don't want to post too many because some of these may be a Christmas gift, so here they are!

Thanks Fuller Family for having me do your pictures. I had a great time getting to know you and your adorable kids.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T13:42:00.000-08:00

I know that I have a lot to be thankful for. We all do, really.

A month or so ago while in church I was reminded that each day we have is a gift. Each breath we take is a gift. Even when gas prices were $4.50/gallon, we really should be thankful that we even have gas or a car to drive because only 1 in 8 people in the whole world own one car, let alone two or three cars. I really have it good and I hate it when I lose sight of that.

So today, I am thankful for many things.

Here are just a few:

My Life-Because it is a gift and it is GOOD.

My husband-because he loves me even when it can be impossible to like me. He's a great dad and he works so hard for his family. He thinks I am funny too. :o)

My baby-because Carson has brought me so much joy that my heart literally hurts when I think about it.

My family-because you are so many different things to me. And, you are in so many ways what I strive to be like.

My friends-for always being there.

My home-because I have one and because it feels good to be here.

God-because He gives me a reason to live every day and He has blessed me with everything above.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Woman At Risk

2008-11-25T00:45:00.000-08:00

It was a Saturday afternoon a couple of years ago. I was laying on the couch flipping through the channels just wanting to find something to occupy my mind for awhile. I was a new mom and this was some "Me" time.

I believe it was the LifeTime channel that I stopped at. It was a movie about human trafficking. Little did I know that this particular movie would lead me to tears for a good hour after! It was unbelievable. I think I knew that this existed but I didn't know that 800,000 people a year are kidnapped, tricked, and sold into human slavery. Human SEX slavery. And, half of those people are children. They are treated horribly. Stripped from any human decency, raped, abused, and have had things done to them that we can not even imagine.

This is just wrong and it sickens me down to my bones. I didn't know what to do. I researched sex slavery on the internet but didn't feel I could do anything from my home in GR. So, although I had a passion for helping, like so many other things, I put it on the back burner.

This summer I was talking with my cousin Jessica about a new job she was pursuing. It was working for W.A.R or Women At Risk. After she told me some more about it I realized that FINALLY I knew of a way to get involved.

A few weeks ago my mom and I attended the W.A.R gala at The Amway Grand Hotel and I learned so much about what is going on. There are ways that we can help! W.A.R is on a mission to rescue these women and children and to teach them job skills, LOVE them, pray for them, and enable them.

One of the ways you can help is by purchasing the beautiful things these woman make. I bought SOME AWESOME jewelry last week. And, knowing that I was helping these women made my heart happy. There are so many ways that you can get involved but this is just one. If you would like to see how you can get involved, make sure to check out their website.

There is a store in Rockford that opened last week called The W.A.R Chest Boutique. If you are looking for beautiful jewelry, wanting to help in some way, or want to give someone a unique Christmas gift, please stop by. If you aren't looking to buy anything, please keep these woman and children in your prayers. They would rather have a million prayers than a million dollars.

I also plan on hosting a WAR party in my home sometime in the near future. If you are interested in coming, leave me a comment and I will be sure to invite you!

Sabrina=Senior Session

2008-11-19T11:43:00.000-08:00

Is it just me or do I get ridiculously beautiful people to photograph? Seriously now, look at how pretty she is!

Yesterday Sabrina and her mom came over to get some senior pictures done. Sabrina is a senior at Jenison High School and was just so fun to work with. She had some great ideas and it was fun just spending the afternoon messing around with different poses and lighting. She is a natural in front of the camera so I had to give her very little direction (which I normally don't do anyway!) and she had a great wardrobe to work with.

Sabrina is going to be part of a special project that I am working on this spring. More to come on that later but this isn't the last time you will be seeing her on my blog or website.

Thank you so much Sabrina for choosing me to take your senior pictures. I had a great time getting to know you and your mom. I wish you all of the best in your senior year!

Attention Ladies!

2008-11-13T20:19:00.000-08:00

Ladies, if your husband is leaving you for a weekend of deer hunting then I have the place for you to come and have a little shopping therapy!

Saturday, at the Allendale Township Hall from 10-3 there will be a Fall Open House. There will be many companies represented included SJO Photography. Although I will not actually be present at a booth, I will have a couple displays up and will be stopping in periodically. Other companies represented are: UpperCase Living, Tastefully Simple, Lia Sophia, Party Lite, and Silpada. There are others too that I just don't remember. :o)

If you are in the area, need to get some shopping done, or just need to get out of the house then make sure to stop by!

There will be door prizes too and I will have a couple of good giveaways from SJO Photography that you won't want to miss out on.

Scott & Kristin=Fun Love

2008-11-12T20:22:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday I had the honor of shooting Scott & Kristin's wedding in Byron Center.

Although it was a rainy day that didn't dampen the spirits of Scott, Kristin, their family and friends. It was a festive and happy day! Kristin looked absolutely a.m.a.z.i.n.g. I am so jealous of her hair. It's long, thick, an auburn color, and it looked awesome on her wedding day. Scott, he looked h.a.n.d.s.o.m.e.
Scott and Kristin have the cutest little boy who stole the hearts of all of the women that day. He was absolutely adorable and he did SO very well for a 13 month old. That is a long day!

The ceremony took place at St. Sebastian in Byron Center. It was a beautiful church and it had a ton of great features. The big windows allowed us to get some nice shots using natural light. Love that!

The reception was held at the B.O.B in downtown GR. This is my second time working there and they do a great job. I love the old brick, exposed beams, and the red curtains. Very classy.

A special thanks to my friend Kate, who helped me out that day!

Scott & Kristin, I had a great time working with you. Thank you for inviting me to share in your special day. I am sure you are having a great time in Mexico!

Now, enjoy your preview and don't forget about the slideshow at the bottom!

Seriously, how cute is he?

Wooooowwwzzaaaaa! Look at those fine ladies picking up the younger men with their smokin legs!