Winter Snow Senior Session | Abbey | Cedar Rapids Iowa Senior Photographer

Winter Senior Session with Abbey

Palo | Cedar Rapids | Eastern Iowa Photographer

Abbey’s senior session was a first for me — in the SNOW! My calendar was fully booked for the fall, so Abbey decided do something different and have her senior photos taken during the winter, which sounded amazing. And I’ve never had a winter senior session!
I LOVE photos with snow! They’re ALWAYS gorgeous.

We chose a date knowing fully well that the weather in Iowa is super unpredictable. We can’t pick a day and guarantee to have snow, or sun, or whatever we might be hoping for, right?!

They week of the scheduled date approaches, the forecast says partially sunny and high of 27 degrees. We have no snow on the ground at this time, which is some sort of Iowa phenomenon. I reach out to see if they’d prefer to reschedule or just do her session snow-less, with the promise that we can try to use my snow machine. They decide it’s ok either way. So we make plans and guess what?! It snows the night before!!!

A light, perfect snow. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect snow for Abbey’s winter photos!

Some behind-the-scene photos courtesy of Abbey’s mom. These two are two peas in a pod — I loved my time with them.

Abbey’s senior session day started with getting pampered by Shelby at Mood’s Salon and Spa. She got her hair and makeup professionally done and LOVED it! It makes such a difference in your photos AND confidence level. I learned after the photoshoot that Abbey is not the type who loves getting dressed up, but she had a great time getting dolled up and was actually surprised that she loved the photos in her dress! And I mean, seriously, she rocked her WHOLE session. Look at her amazing eyes!!!

We traveled to 3 different locations: a park, greenhouse and downtown Cedar Rapids. And I convinced Abbey to change outfits 4 times. (I don’t limit how many locations or outfits you want- woot woot.) We sure froze our booties (and hands and ears) off, took so many stunning photos, and most important — we had a blast!

Check out Abbey’s gallery below!

Your calendar likely fills up as fast as mine in the summer and it’s SO easy to forget to schedule photos! If you are graduating in 2020, or a parent of a 2020 graduate - reach out with any questions or to start planning!! It may seem early, but I’ve had so many parents tell me they wish they wouldn’t have waited! P.S. I always run a special deal for Seniors who book their session for the summer. Check out my Senior Gallery or contact me for more info!

Aruba Beach Wedding | The Johannsens | Destination Wedding Photographer

Mr. & Mrs. Johannsen

Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino | Beach Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer

Early 2017, Stephanie reached out because she and Brian were needing to get some photos taken in celebration and documentation of their 10-year dating anniversary that would also serve as their engagement photos. We had a gorgeous day and so much fun! When she mentioned that they were getting married in Aruba, I was so excited for them! After thinking about it and looking into it, I just HAD to ask if they’d want me to be their photographer. They were SO. EXCITED. I was SO. EXCITED!!!

They incurred a couple hundred dollar vendor fee for booking a photographer outside of their resort, but assuring me I was totally worth it (so darn sweet!), I started watching flights and looking for where we would stay.

Stephanie and Brian used a travel agent (Angie Aldrich with Destinations Unlimited)who set up EVERYTHING for them, and got me any information I would need to photograph their wedding as well. She was amazingly helpful and I would highly recommend a travel agent if you’re having a destination wedding somewhere you’re not familiar with out of the country.

September 2017 came and we booked our flights. I always use Google Flights and check on them a few times a week. i keep a log of what day it is, how much flights cost and how long the flight is so I can go back and compare. I start to see trends, like when prices tend to jump and drop so I know when to watch for them. I’ve used apps before and they don’t typically show me ALL the flight options, so I’ve stopped relying on them. We decided to book our stay through Airbnb because as much as I enjoy hotels, I LOVE having an entire space - especially since we were staying for 14 days! In my experience, they’re less expensive and less complicated. And having a full kitchen is necessary for longer trips because you can make your own breakfast/lunch/snacks when needed. And an almost private pool…. perfection.

We decided to invite another couple to travel with us! They were wanting to celebrate their 10-year anniversary somewhere tropical and had never been to Aruba. And to split the cost of the condo we rented would save us some money as well! (We also were offered a car rental through our condo and decided to take them up on it. We could’ve walked or taken public transport for cheaper but we really enjoyed having a vehicle ready at any moment for our use.)

We arrived in Aruba and were there for almost our 2 full weeks before Stephanie and Brian’s wedding date. I used that time to enjoy the island - the culture and the tourist-y parts, their foods and drinks and soak up the sun, all the while watching for amazing spots for their wedding photos. If you’re considering a trip to somewhere warm, I would definitely go back to Aruba and would recommend it , some of our favorite things to do, besides sit in the ocean or pool all day, were:

Food: Zeerovers (authentic food, unique experience), Casa Tua Pizzeria (pizza with a fun environment), Red Fish (authentic food, restaurant-style setting), Flying Fishbone (high-end, popular restaurant, eat at a table in the water) and Chicken and Lobster for breakfast (we stopped once because they were the closest to us and happened to be open and fell in love with their waffles!)

Experiences: Arubiana UTV rental (we rented the UTV for the day and used it to explore the whole island, including the natural pool. The internet-free app they have you download is super helpful and accurate. We had a great time!), Jolly Pirate - Sail, Snorkel, Swing (tourist-y but it was something we will likely never experience again and we had fun). But otherwise we just walked around, tried new restaurants, beaches, and relaxed!
Here are some shots from our stay:

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The day came for Stephanie and Brian’s wedding and I was so excited, and nervous! I had never photographed a beach wedding before, in an unknown area. I had no idea what to expect. But let me tell you, if you aren’t IN LOVE with the idea of throwing a huge expensive, stressful wedding just because that’s what’s traditional, PLEASE consider a destination wedding! Typically I show up and the brides have been up since 6 a.m. getting ready and stressing out about decor setup, etc. I showed up to Stephanie’s beautiful room and she had spent the morning having drink with her best friend and just relaxing. Now THAT’S how you want your wedding day to start! (Although, just like every bride, she did start to get nervous about walking down the aisle, but who can blame her! It’s a public beach with LOTS of spectators.)

We spent the afternoon hanging out with Stephanie in her room, laughing while she looked like a celebrity getting her hair and makeup done simultaneously, and heading to Brian’s room once in a while to photograph the men as they prepared for the big day!

I scoped out the best place to do their note exchange and I photographed a tearful first look with Stephanie and her sweet dad.

Then we all prepared for the ceremony. Everything went great. The backdrop was gorgeous and the photos turned out better than I could’ve expected. Although, we did have a lot of audience members in the swimming suits video taping and photobombing in the background. Between the scorching heat making me sweat so I could only use one eye at a time (worth it), the wind (Aruba’s a bit windy!) and the people in the background being a little too eager to get a good video of a wedding they were not invited to (lol!!) - I admit I was a bit anxious about the photos I was taking. (Also a reason I always have a second photographer with me!) That’s totally not out of the norm for me. Now, those pesky spectators are part of their wedding day story, which makes it that much more fun to talk about!

What came next is what I was the most nervous about - the formal photos! Stephanie and Brian trusted my ideas and allowed me to bring them to a more quiet part of the beach up the road. I wanted a location that would show off the beauty of Aruba in their portraits as well as somewhere I could find some shade from the sun. A bride in full hair, makeup and gown and groom in a full suit and boots can only handle SO much sun and wind. After praying I got all the amazing shots I had planned for, we headed back the beach for their family photos as the sun set.

Their wedding reception on the beach is what dreams are made of. Seriously. I was so happy in that moment I never wanted it to end. The private bartender, waitresses, food, drinks, ambience; everything was amazing. We sat with Steph, Brian and their closest friends and family and enjoyed the sand in our toes and a great meal! (Also, a side note, I tried salad for the first time and didn’t hate it.) They played their music selection from their own iPod, had their first dances in the sand under the lights, and it was magical. When the waitstaff joined in the dance party, that was the perfect ending to the perfect day.

I would go back to Aruba in a heart beat. In fact, it didn’t take long for us to start talking about when we would go back. But there’s something about traveling, experiencing different cultures and their way of living, that my soul cannot get enough of. We have SOOO many places from all over the world on our “Dream Travel” list (Egypt, Malta, Disneyland, Hawaii, Alaska, New Zealand, Ireland, Greece, Finland, just to name a few) and if I can travel with a bride and groom to photograph their amazing destination wedding - I’m going to do it! We’re so excited to be going to Glacier National Park in Montana this summer to photograph and celebrate another couple who decided to listen to their hearts and do their wedding THEIR way.

If you are considering a destination wedding (or know someone who is - please send them my way), I’d love to meet you and talk about your plans and dreams!

Outdoor Country Senior Guy Session | Zeb | Alburnett, IA Senior Photographer

Multi-location Outdoor Senior Photos with Zeb

Alburnett | Senior Photographer near Cedar Rapids

I met with Zeb’s family for a consultation and we knew right away this his senior session was going to be an EVENT! While Zeb laid back and just listened, we planned his senior session for November - in hopes for no snow. We lucked out and his senior session day was gorgeous!

Zeb has so many fun hobbies and interests that we wanted to incorporate into his senior photos. They wanted to incorporate their family land including the tree house his dad built, an old barn his dad was working on (his dad’s pretty handy, can ya tell? He owns Schneider Construction in Cedar Rapids), his truck, the gorgeous pampas grass that we see in Iowa during the fall, the Monroe Township fire station he volunteers at in Toddville, his hunting blind set up in a field, and his mom requested a cool “Friday Night Lights” scene on the Alburnett High School football field! Phew!

And we had to do all of that in less than 3 hours. That and 7 outfit changes! (Don’t believe me? Take a look through the photos below!) Luckily, for a guy, that just means changing the shirt out but for a guy who wasn’t particular excited to get his senior photos taken, I knew this would be a miracle if it all worked out. I had it timed down to the quarter of an hour. 30 minutes here, 15 minute drive there, 30 minutes there, 15 minute drive to the next location, etc. I was pretty darn nervous about keeping everything on schedule.

We started at his family’s property:

Then we headed out the old barn. The barn was currently being renovated and was SO cool! And was a great backdrop to Zeb’s truck.

This one was one of their all-time favorites! They decided to order it as a metal print - how cool is that!?

Then we pulled over started heading over to the fire station but made a quick stop at the pampas grass - which is my all-time favorite! I LOVE the look of it in photos!

Pulling off into a little ditch off the side of the busy road… worth it! At this point, we were racing the sun! I had planned for the sun to set while we were at the football field but as we headed to the fire station, I knew we needed to be quick. But once Zeb had put the truck away, I couldn’t resist taking some more shots with the lights all shining bright! Then it was off to the corn field.

The sun was golden and setting faster than I anticipated. I quickly pulled off the road into the freshly harvested corn field for his hunting/hunting blind photos. First things first, Zeb’s dad brought a giant ladder for a really cool “what the birds see” view. And then I finished this part of his session safely on the ground - haha!

Birds-eye-view.

And then it was time to wrap up his session at the football field. It was starting to get a bit chilly with the sun setting… and dark! His mom got permission to turn on the football stadium lights and his dad used his construction light to help us create awesome and interesting lighting for the end of the night. They decided to order their “Friday Night Lights” photo on metal too, which is going to look amazing in their home, or maybe Zeb’s room if he’s lucky! :)

What an adventure this session was! Probably my craziest one to date, and I’m so glad we did it! We got to include ALL of the things that are important to Zeb. but you know what? You're only a senior once, you only get to have your senior portraits taken once, so go big or go home. It was a big undertaking but it was worth it!

Your calendar likely fills up as fast as mine in the summer and it’s SO easy to forget to schedule photos! If you are graduating in 2020, or a parent of a 2020 graduate - reach out with any questions or to start planning!! It may seem early, but I’ve had so many parents tell me they wish they wouldn’t have waited! P.S. I always run a special deal for Seniors who book their session for the summer. Check out my Senior Gallery or contact me for more info!

Sunset Engagement | Zach and Ana | Iowa Wedding Photographer

ANA & ZACH’S FALL SUNSET ENGAGEMENT SESSION

Hiawatha and Brandon, Iowa | Wedding Photographer

After photographing Zach and Ana’s engagement photos this fall, I seriously cannot wait for their Friday wedding in May! Zach and Ana’s story is so cute, and I loved that they wanted to incorporate it into their engagement photos.

We started in at one of Zach’s fire stations and pulled out the truck where they first met. Ana was doing a ride-along with Zach for her job, and the rest is history!

They wanted more of a rustic, country vibe for their photos so I took them to my hometown of Brandon, Iowa. You know, the largest frying pan?! We had a vision and I knew we would have lots of options there. It was a trek, and it was surprisingly cold, but it was sooo worth it. We found some fall color and walked around until the sun was juuuuust right.

Ana changed into a flowy skirt, lace top and flower crown and all my dreams came to life. Our first stop was the little white church before we made our last stop of the night.

You know that short period of time right before the sun sets when the sun turns everything golden. Yeah, that’s the golden hour. And it was epic for Zach and Ana’s session. So on top a hill in a bean field in Brandon, Iowa, they danced, twirled, dipped and laughed. And my vision for their photos came to life.

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We ended our night a little more quietly; watching as the sun went down at the end of the gravel road. Now, that’s my kind of engagement session! If you’re engaged and looking for a wedding photographer near Cedar Rapids, IA or the surrounding area for your upcoming wedding, I’d love to chat with you! Head on over to my Contact page. (No travel fees within the state of Iowa!)

If you’re engaged and looking for a local wedding photographer near Iowa City or Eastern Iowa for your upcoming wedding, I’d love to chat with you! Head on over to my Contact page. (I travel too!)