Friday Fractured Thought | Milwaukee Wedding Photographer

It's technically Friday....right? I mean, 8 mins to go...so cut me some slack! Thought I'd get this done now as tomorrow and this weekend is chock full of shooting, shopping, and hair-dying goodness.

LOTS of stuff going on this week. It's been quite exciting.

* I'm now one of those lame 29 year olds that lives with their parents. Ok...in laws. Due to an unexpected trip my husband was sent on, we had to move out of our house and Milwaukee rather quickly this week. So, I'm now living in my in law's basement. Type A's office is now a tiny kid's desk in a basement storage room. It's awesome-sauce, really. Lucky I love my in laws!

* Buuutttt...it won't be for long because....(wait for it...) WE GOT THE HOUSE! The awesome house we put the bid in for over 2 weeks ago. We got it just in time for the tax credit and in time to salvage a bit of my sanity! I'm super excited and cannot WAIT to move in!

* Reminder, folks....Type A has a new phone number in the works (I'm in phone number limbo right now) but the email is the same if you need to reach me for anything. Also, my mail has been forwarded but it's taking a bit to kick in, so if you sent me something...give it a few more days to get to me.

* I found out something rather shocking and sad today. I could say it's just a "sign of the times" but knowing what I know from past experience, it's probably a sign of a particular company. My old company announced in the Journal Sentinal today that it laid off 56 people and was now outsourcing their medical billing to another state....to save $$.
Now, 56 people may not seem like a lot, but this was not a very large company. That is pretty much their whole main workforce. People who have worked there for years.
I was let go from this company 2 years ago. It was the catalyst to restarting my life and probably the best thing that EVER happened to me (outside of, you know, the kid and husband and stuff ). It was a complete opportunity for good...and the relief I felt the following day was monumental.

I know people are scared right now. They're angry. I heard it wasn't pulled off in the most delicate manner, which is kind of par for the course, but don't let it get you down people. There are other opportunities out there, and look at this as a door opening, not one slamming in your face.

I know, psycho-babble is easy to spout when you're not in that position. But, I was....two years ago. And it DOES get better. I promise you. In the meantime, learn the words to "Take this Job and Shove it!" and play it over in your head. It is helpful!

Babies, Bunnies, and Bubbles. A Good Day. | Green Bay Family Photographer.

If you leap awake in the mirror of a bad dream
And for a fraction of a second you can't remember where you are
Just open your window and follow your memory upstream
To the meadow in the mountain where we counted every falling star
I believe the light that shines on you will shine on you forever
And though I can't guarantee there's nothing scary hiding under your bed
I'm gonna stand guard like a postcard of a golden retriever
And never leave til I leave you with a sweet dream in your head
- Paul Simon

There is nothing sweeter than little girls...I love having a little girl, and I can imagine two is twice as nice. Not that boys are not just as adorable, but take two absolutely cute little girls and add in a bunny and some bubbles and you've got precious-overload.

Today I spent a lot of time on the road! I traveled to Green Bay to a sitting with Maja, Isla and their mom and dad at beautiful Pamperin Park.

For a toddler/infant combo, both girls did remarkably well. Isla was laid back as can be and even Maja tolerated me for a short period of time.

The light was great and the surroundings lovely. Could have handled a few more degrees bump in the temp but otherwise, a great way to spend a Tuesday!

Enjoy the sneak peek!

Location: Pamperin Park, Green Bay

Grey Skies Are Gonna Clear Up. | Milwaukee Wedding Photographer.

I begged Mother Nature to give us a break today...and the begging seemed to work. Just like it was meant for us, the rain stopped just long enough to get a great session with Dani and Ryan at two locations.

First we headed over to Paradise Springs in Eagle, WI, a small nature trail area that used to be a resort area a long time ago. The fog hung in the air and created a very neat atmosphere for the sitting.

We then headed over to Palmyra and the library where Dani works. The rain held off throughout and we were quite lucky to stay relatively dry!

Also have to give major "props" (pun completely intended) to Dani and Ryan for bringing along the vintage umbrellas, worked wonderfully!!!

Enjoy the sneak peek!

How great are the vintage umbrellas?!

This book cracked me up

Locations:
Paradise Springs Eagle, WI
Powers Memorial Library Palmyra, WI

Friday Fractured Thought | Milwaukee Wedding Photographer

* Lots of change going on. About half of our house has been packed and U-Haul'd away to Beloit. The house is starting feel empty...and it's kind of sad.

* On the buying front, we're still waiting to hear if our offer has been accepted. In the meantime, we've been looking at "backup" homes. Nothing has really compared. A few notes for people showing your homes:

- Don't try to cover up the fact that you smoke in your house with rancid air fresheners. It just ends up smelling like a flowery bar.

- Letting your dog pee in your closet probably isn't the best way to showcase it's walk-in capabilities and nice-ness. Just a thought.

- I'm shaking my head at the home builders of yesteryear. You built a beautiful 109 year old house....with a park-like backyard and lots of charm. And a kitchen the size of a postage stamp.
Thanks.

- If you are not a carpenter, please don't attempt to build "built ins" or a finished basement in your home. I know it's cheaper, but in the long run you're just going to end up with something that looks like a funhouse.

* Wedding season starts in 1 week. I'm completely booked for 2010, not taking on any more weddings (portrait sittings/families/etc I will take). So, if you have a 2011 wedding in the works, give me a jingle!

* Based on the "popularity" of Betty's blog post, I decided to get her a kiddie digital camera. We'll see what she comes up with! That way when she decides to follow in my footsteps at the age of 20, she can tell clients she's been photographing for "18 years".

* SPOILER ALERT! So so glad that Seth Aaron won Project Runway! Mila was too...boring. Emilio was too 1992.

* Now that Project Runway is over and ANTM is boring the bejesus out of me, I have precious little to watch outside of HGTV home shows and Biography. Please, Dexter, get here soon.

* We've been trying to take the time to enjoy what little time we have left in this house, our first real home.....Betty's first home. So, last week that involved bubbles......

Stay tuned this week for an engagement session, a family session and maybe more of Betty Claire Photography!

Diary of a Newb. | Milwaukee Satire Photography.

Betty here...taking over Mom's blog for a moment to promote my new photography business! That's right, I fully intend to ride Mama's coattails all the way to bank!

I just got my camera. Today in fact. I was browsing through Target and there it was. And I thought "There it is....my destiny"

I mean, A is not for Auto...its for AWESOME. Right?

The first thing I needed was snazzy name. I decided to do what is only natural and drop that pesky last name. Betty Claire Photography. Has a great ring to it. Just like all those famous photographers out in California. Ohhh yeah....

First I started by practicing on my friends. Notice how official I look with my camera. A real pro. I then selectively colored the bejesus out of their pictures...for that "pro" look. : ) They were quite happy!

No, I do not need an external flash. Nor do I need another camera. This Mickey Mouse Version II works just fine thankyouverymuch. I mean, it already HAS a flash on it. Why do I need another one?

In my spare time, when not shooting "clients" and "events" I like to do artsy projects...like Macro work of household items and fashion accessories.

Artsy self-portraits help fill in slow periods. It also lets me change up my Avatar on DWF every week.

I'm a artiste...so no, I don't care if you think I need something other than a kit lens. I mean, did you see that work I did with the chipmunks and rabbits? I mean...CMON. I captured their true essence.

What's that? That smudge in the upper corner? That is NOT a finger....it's bokeh. I swear.

Chimping. The mark of a true pro.

Blog owners note: Given Betty Claire's natural ability, I've decided to hire her on for the year as a second shooter. Look for her at upcoming weddings! She'll be the midget with the red Mickey camera and no external flash.

Friday Fractured Thought | Milwaukee Wedding Photographer

Moving.
Packing.
Selling.
Waiting.
More Waiting.
Hearing.
Waiting.
Driving.
Looking.
And some Waiting.

That pretty much sums up my week. Mostly waiting. I never realized I was THIS impatient. Okay, I lied. Yes I do. I am quite possibly the most impatient person on earth. But the process of buying and selling a home is the most "WAIT filled" process I've ever been through.

* We put in an offer on a huge home in a beautiful, quiet neighborhood. It has room for not only a dedicated client meeting space but, someday, a studio space as well. It's a lovely home...but it's a foreclosure. So, that means put in the offer...aaannnd wait. And wait some more.

* I've been filling in the waiting by looking at home furnishings. I have Anthropologie taste on a Target budget though, sadly. Although they are lovely, the Frugal Frannie in me will not allow me to spend over $250 on curtains. I think we're going to find out really fast that we don't have as much furniture as we thought we did.

* On the selling front, the Radon test has been done (such a FAD test now, isn't it? Who ever even HEARD of Radon 5 years ago? Certainly not me). The inspection is next week and hopefully all goes well. I'll miss this little home. It's where we brought Betty home.....it's our first place....I have a sort of attachment to it. But, not enough attachment to continue living in 975 sq feet!

* I am going to miss living in Milwaukee. We never really took advantage of all this city has to offer while we were here, but I am going to miss the city being so close. Milwaukee has been good to me and its going to be bittersweet to move away. I will, however, still be extending services to Milwaukee couples and families. Nothing a short drive won't take care of!

* Wedding season is nigh. I'm so psyched, I can't tell you. I feel a renewed energy. I cannot wait to be out in the beautiful weather shooting again. I need to buy some new shoes though. I cannot forget to do this. I dug out last year's shoes and they look like I wore them to run several marathons.

* I took advantage of a nicer evening this week and shot some pictures around the outside of the house. I plan on shooting every nook and cranny of this place before we leave. I'm sure Betty won't remember much of it, so it's my job to make sure she has something to help her recall her short time here.






Our door handle in the front. You'd think I could probably put that off as being "Shabby Chic" or something...but no. It's just old and ratty. : )

Dogs and Kids. | Beloit Family Photographer.

Today I pulled double duty: a dog...AND a kid. And the kid was the infamous Lauren, who has notoriously, in the past, avoided my camera lens like the plague. Well...today wasn't MUCH different, but we got her to warm up to the photo shoot idea towards the end of our session...mostly via trickery! But hey, whatever works!

Dugan (the dog) on the other hand was a trooper, and was all too happy to mug for the camera!

I did this sitting for Kris, her sister Beth, Little Lauren and Even Littler Dugan as an early Mother's Day gift for Kris and Beth's mom. I think we got off some good shots. I'm pretty well known for not being much of a dog person, but Dugan was my kind of dog...little and compact. Easy to carry around. The kind of cat-sized dog I could handle! Plus, it helped that he was adorable as well.

Enjoy the sneak peek, guys. See you soon!

Location: Riverside Park, Beloit

Friday Fractured Thought | Milwaukee Wedding Photographer

It's late, I'm up working on an album for a bride and groom (its coming together nicely, Amy and Ryan!) so I thought I'd drop in here and put down the Friday Fractured Thoughts before I forgot again, give up, and just move them to Saturdays. Which, doesn't flow as well.

So here goes....

* WE SOLD OUR HOUSE!!!!! AGAIN!!!!! Now, I'm trying not to be TOO excited, since everything went south last time, but it's looking good this time. So, soon I will no longer be a Milwaukee-ian (Milwaukee-ite?). But, never fear soon-to-be-marrieds...I'll still be offering plenty of photography services in the area. It'll just be a good reason for me to buy a better, comfier car!

* So, we're kind of stuck as far as the new house goes. The husband and I are pretty polar opposites in terms of house-taste. He wants new. Brand spankin' new (read: no problems!). I, on the other hand, am still harboring this deep-seated desire to live at Green Gables. So, we're trying to marry our different tastes into one agreed upon home. It's not going as swimmingly as we would like, so we kind of toying with the idea of building. We'll see what happens.

* I just discovered THIS week that Milwaukee has an Anthropologie store. Why did I not know this???? I've been here for 7 years!

* So, I heard on the news that because of Tiger Woods' return to golf, the viewership of the Masters' (it the Masters, right?....soooo not a golf person) jumped up some 40%. I have to shake my head when I hear something this dumb. What did they expect, that he would have some stripper as his caddy? He's playing golf. Still boring...no matter what's going on behind the scenes!

* I also heard a rumor that Courtney Love is favoring Robert "No Shower" Pattinson for the role of Kurt Cobain in the proposed bio-pic "All Apologies". Further evidence that Courtney Love is on crack.

* Now that I've probably lost all the Twilight fans forever, can I highly recommend picking up a copy of the Riff Trax for New Moon? It is the ONLY way to watch it. While you're at it, pick up a copy of Black Dynamite. TRUST me. It's a spoof film, no one my husband and I have talked to have ever heard of it, and it is rip-roaring funny. Like, my face hurt after watching it. THAT funny.

* Baseball season is again in full swing. We've grilled out twice. Bring on summer, I say. I did a sitting last week where I finally got some GREAT light streaming through the trees. It was a welcome site.

* Hope everyone had a great Easter. I actually got in a family photo! Can you believe it?! This never happens, trust me. I think we have maybe 4 total. My mother-in-law took this one, not bad (except the husband and I figured that it's possible his blue shirt had some funky affect on my hair, because it looks GREY. In every shot, no matter where my hair moves...it's grey, right above his shoulder. I'm not turning grey yet...I swear! I even checked my camera...no spots...very bizarre)

This week I have 2 family sittings, and then in a few weeks we have WEDDING SEASON (dun...dun...dun!!!)....so, I'll be locked in my cave or out on the road. Bring it on!



Easter Sunday:

See the grey hair?!?! What the heck!

Why Do I Need an Album? | Milwaukee Wedding Photographer.

So, for this week's wedding related topic, I've decided to broach the subject of albums. We are a generation that highly favors technology, digital this and that....and getting it NOW, manipulating it NOW, and using it any way we can. Whatever that "it" may be.

Now, I've discussed on here before how I'm a bit slow to rush into new media and technology. My husband is still bugging me to get my own iPod, as I consistently tell him most of the music on his is pretty lame (I can only stomach so much Dream Theater). I don't text. I'm not big on cell phones as a whole, though I do realize they serve a much-needed purpose when I'm out and about.

I do love digital photography though, and I think with weddings in particular it really serves a great purpose. Its efficient, cost-effective, and Photoshop, when used correctly, can be a good friend (but watch her, she can turn on you).

So, with that in mind, why do I think something as archaic as a physical album is a must-have?

It all goes back to childhood. Don't most strongly held "beliefs"? When I was a kid, I loved my grandparent's house. It was quintessential "grandma's place" with that nice smell of coffee and outdated furniture that just felt cozy and warm. And at grandma's place there was a huge built-in chock full of albums. Albums that had been meticulously put together by my Gramps, labeled, and arranged chronologically.

I adored these albums. I would spend HOURS thumbing through them, asking questions, learning about my ancestors. Hearing hilarious stories about my dad when he was a kid or Grandma during the Depression.


Now, as hard as I try....I just can't see curling up with Grams on the couch, popping open the laptop, and scrolling through digital files having the same affect.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE digital files. I think having access to your files is very important...but it's not long-lasting. It's not history making. It's not archival. DVDs get scratched, lost, ....I dunno...breathed on wrong (which is why I remind people....make back ups of those things and store them away!!)

But an album. A leather bound, archival album. There, you're contributing to your family history. You're opening up the lines of dialogue that will come about 20-30-40 or 50 years down the road when your grandkid says "Hey Grams, can I see that album up there?" and then curls up on the couch with you to thumb through it.
I spoke to a well-known, well-established photographer once who told me that he tells his Brides this same scenario and I even teared up as he was telling me....because family connections are what MATTER. And connections are made through sharing history (thank you Paul, for that advice!).

So, why are albums important? Because they never go out of style. My Grandparents married in the 1940s and their album is just as relevant today as it was the day it was put together. It was an investment in their family history then, and it remains so much more valuable today.

So, consider an album when booking your wedding. A small investment now will really pay off some day down the line!

Lemon & Lime. | Milwaukee Wedding Photographer.

I was intrigued by Karen and John's story from the first email. It's not very often that I get a lot of background information on my clients prior to shooting their wedding. I may get a few story snippets here or there, but Karen and John's story stood out. They were childhood sweethearts who reunited, they are having a Hawaiian themed wedding, and they have a thing for lemons and limes.

Lemons and limes, you say? Yep, lemons and limes. So, we incorporated that into their sitting. I went into the sitting kind of bummed because I had this idea for using a wire basket for the lemons and limes. I thought it would give it a cute, vintage vibe. But, I couldn't find one before the sitting.

So, we're walking around downtown Waukesha and what should we find but an antique shop...and right there...a wire basket! It was photographic FATE.

We had a wonderful, sunny day exploring all the nooks and crannies of the downtown, Main St. area.

Can't wait for the wedding, guys! Enjoy!

In The Sun. | Milwaukee Wedding Photographer.

I'll just keep it to myself
In the sun
In the sun
- She & Him

It's not too many April blog posts where I get to mention sun....or warm weather for that matter. But this week was unseasonably wonderful. This morning I felt a little disappointment as I looked outside and saw it was raining. But, a tiny time change for Katie and Tim's session and we hit it perfectly. It was one of those sessions where the later in the day it became, the more I shot. You gotta love some lovely warm light and backlit subjects.

Katie, Tim, and I hit up both Lake Park and Klode Park for their engagement session. It was so nice to get out where it wasn't freezing cold, Katie could rock her adorable dress, and that pained look of "I'm FREEZING, hurry up!" wasn't there.

All in all, a perfect day!

Enjoy the sneak peek!

While going through the shots I kept thinking to myself...Tim LOOKS like someone famous. I couldn't quite place it. Maybe he just looks like he SHOULD be famous.

How cute are Katie's shoes? And how much am I loving that we can bust out the cute dresses and cute shoes prematurely!

Locations
Lake Park
Klode Park