I met the Hillary Reynolds Band before their show for Mile of Music Festival in Appleton, Wi this last weekend for a photo shoot in a cornfield. I have done several shoots with Hillary but this was the first time I was able to meet the band,  they are quite lovely. Check out their music and see their tour dates to see if they are playing near you!
As most of you know I have just returned home from just shy of a month long trip to Ethiopia where my boyfriend, Luke and I spent the majority of our time working with Seeds of Africa , teaching at the Take Root Center (See blog about my teaching here). Along with teaching the Seeds I was asked to document the TRC, staff and the community, so I have many photographs and stories to share -so for the next several weeks, Mondays will be 'Ethiopia Day' - I will be posting my photographs and telling my stories from our travels so be sure to check out my blogs on Mondays!
Today the following images are from our time out in the playground with the kids, everyday between classes and after classes were done, Luke and I would get to jumprope, play football and I would usually get my hair done (no photo proof of this).
For more information as to what Seeds of Africa does please visit their website here
For the last few weeks I have been spending my days in Adama, Ethiopia teaching and photographing for Seeds of Africa , a nonprofit educational organization that runs an after-school program that includes academic projects, cultural enrichment, the arts, ethics, sports and student health education. In addition, students are provided with nutrition, medical services, clothing and school supplies. I encourage all of you to click to the link for Seeds of Africa to learn more. My boyfriend, Luke and I were asked to come and teach art at the Take-Rook Center , Luke did an amazing music project with the kids, together we made a series of videos and I taught photography thanks to a handful of my friends who donated their digital cameras (I showed up to the center with 10 great point&shoot digital cameras that I was able to leave there for the kids to use!). For the next few weeks my blog posts will be filled with many of the photographs from my time at the Take-Root Center along with my students work. Stay tuned, and enjoy.
Sun out, wind blowing and pretty people to document all day. Katie and Trent's wedding was such a beautiful day and at one of the prettiest venues I have been to in Wisconsin, Whistling Straits in Sheboygan. Katie and Trent are some friends of mine and when they got engaged and I got a text from Katie asking me to photograph the wedding, I squealed with excitement, for I knew this was going to be in love with every outfit and detail of the day -and I was right. Katie's dress had pockets, her hair was perfect, and their wedding party was a blast to work with. I am so happy for these two!
When I arrived at this wedding it was like walking into DIY heaven - from hand painted signs to help their guests find the ceremony spot to a beautiful arch built by the brides father. Kayla and Tanner had the perfect day and I was so happy to be apart of it. 
I met up with Ashley and Josh last Tuesday at the little market in the Willy St. neighborhood to do some shopping followed by a session at Tenney Park. It was really great to spend some time with these two and hear about how they met, what they do and more about their wedding day.
I woke up the morning of the 22nd to the sound of rain, and it rained until 12 and then became a perfect day for a wedding (90 was a bit hot, but we survived). I have always wanted to document a wedding at the Pres House, and I was so excited when I found out that was where these lovely two were getting married - a beautiful couple, wonderful friends and families and amazing Madison venues - all in all, it was a great day.
Summer time become my busiest time of year and it is hard to stop working when your work is always on your mind. With this year being a bit more packed than normal with my trip to Ethiopia in the middle of the wedding season, I have a lot to finish and a lot to plan all before July 9th. The terrace has become my place to relax by the lake, sip a beer and listen to my friends play beautiful music. Last week at Dietrich Gosser's show, this beautiful boy had his Mother make him a jet pack - oh to be young again, how I long for the days where summer vacation existed and all you did was play with your friends and go to the pool to get summer blonde hair and have your skin smell like chlorine, always.
A beautiful wedding at 11am, followed by a delicious lunch and an afternoon dance party, finishing up on a boat for a 2nd dance party. A day that started out raining, ending in a beautiful sunny day. It was a wonderful day filled with many people who have traveled far to celebrate with these two, I had my dear friend Abi of AKPhotography come from Missoula to help me document this day.
A few weeks ago I got together with my friends Jessica and Joseph to meet their daughter Dee Dee and catch up. I've Known Jessica and Joseph since the first week I moved to Madison, they both lived in my neighborhood and we would spend many late nights on the porch listening to records that would end in a dance party. I remember when Joey proposed, I remember their lovely wedding day and now, years later they have a little girl that I get spend time with and document her life .
It is one thing getting asked to document a couple's wedding being the beginning a friendship, it is quite different when you document a couple who you have known from the beginning, lived with for 3 years and help pick out the engagement ring and also wedding dress - being there from the beginning and then seeing my best friend who also happens to be my boyfriend marry them in front of the closest of family and friends - oh man, if I could relive that day, I would in a heartbeat. A day truly about the vows being exchanged, about the couple's journey and how this is only the beginning of a wonderful life together - as Luke put it so perfectly in the ceremony "…we bring together two travelers, two people equally at home in Madison, Mexico, or the back country of Colorado. Equally at home alone in a cabin or tent as they are when surrounded by friends at their dinner table; a place that has seen its share of gatherings. They are two travelers, but they are travelers with a deep sense of family, of community, of generosity, and of home." I feel so blessed to have these to beautiful people in my life, enjoy the images from their wedding celebration:
Last Monday I got together with Mike and Kate who live in Philadelphia but were in Wisconsin just for a few days to get some wedding planning done. We met in Milwaukee in the Third Ward and finished our shoot in the fog by the lake, it was quite magical. These two are lovely and were so much fun to work with, they truly are best friends and I can't wait for their wedding next May.
Madison, Wi is where I decided to live, and I couldn't be more happy with my city, my job and my community. I sit drinking my Monday morning coffee and reflect on my weekend of photo shoots and the community I surround myself with and I feel truly blessed. One of the biggest reasons why I love what I do is the variety of work that I can do with my collection of cameras- one day I do a fashion shoot, the next day I am documenting two of my best friends getting married  to a Sunday with a family at the park, catching up and documenting their ridiculously cute child. Here are a few photographs from those three shoots: black & white look book - Styled by the lovely Char
Katie and Maia got married this weekend, a small backyard wedding with a guest list of 17 - service was done by my wonderful boyfriend followed by an amazing dinner and bonfire:
Jessica and Joseph were my neighbors back in my college days- we would spend many late nights on the porch listening to records that would end in a dance party, I remember when joey proposed, i remember their lovely wedding day and now, years later they have a little girl that I get spend time with and document her life .
I had the opportunity to go to Phoenix, Arizona to shoot Katie and Ben's wedding at the Botanical Gardens- it was a perfect day, even if the high was 108. I love when I get the chance to travel with weddings, to get out of the midwest and to photograph in a different landscape, it is inspiring and it is why I love my job so much. These two had a perfect day, filled with family and friends and love, we had a wonderful time exploring the gardens for photographs.
My friend Shannon asked to do a session with her and her friend Chris - they both teach private music lessons and at times play shows together.
After 13 years of dating, Sam and Dallas celebrated their love on May 25th with a big party with all of their friends and family. It was such a beautiful day, and I was happy to share it with them.
Monday marked 35 years of marriage for my wonderful Parents and I happened to be in my hometown that day and they agreed to do a little shoot with me. My Parents and I just walked down to the park near their home called Alicia Park which was a gift to the city of Appleton from Alexander Reid in memory of his wife, Alice Conkey Reid back in 1910. A beautiful park and a perfect place to document two people as so in love.
It is finally sleeping outside weather, so Luke and I packed up the Station Wagon and headed West to Wyalusing State Park for a weekend outdoors. It was my last weekend before my life becomes filled with weddings and portrait sessions, so one weekend where I replaced my computer with a book to sit still for 2 days. Camping calms me and slows me down- in order to get a coffee, I don't have the luxury of walking down the block to get one, instead we build a fire, heat the water and pour it over the grounds. Luke and I made all of our meals on the fire, we spent the afternoon hiking to caves and to a beautiful view of the Mississippi River meeting the Wisconsin River.
I have been photographing the Johnson family images for the last 3 years and I am so happy that they are having a baby girl come July. I am so eager to meet her and to document her childhood, here is a collection from our shoot last week.
