Live from Tormville!

Six plus weeks ago...

.....these two got hitched, and I was honored to take pictures of their special day. 

What they didn't know, is that for now - I'm calling this my last wedding shoot. I've been taking pictures at friends and families weddings for over 25 years. I have taken photos of my friends weddings, and now I'm taking pictures at their daughters. 

Time flies.

25 years ago I used to take pictures with film. Remember that?  My average was 6-8 rolls. I'd shoot a wedding, get them developed, and send them off. I'd be done. 

With digital, the workload has increased. It takes me six weeks to process a wedding, and the hours spent processing, tweeking, going through picture by picture - those hours far exceed those spent at the wedding itself. 

The problem is - I don't have those hours anymore. I don't charge enough to come up with those hours, and I'm not interested in charging any more than I do. I also don't have the luxury of knowing what my schedule is week to week, as my husband's schedule changes daily. Now with my only in-house babysitter also working, the stress of trying to plan anything for a Saturday has increased. 

It's been a fun 25 plus years, and I'm not saying I'll never do another one, but I'm saying that if you were to call me today - I'd say no. But then I'd add - if you really really can't find anyone else (and you promise me that you tried) and you're in a pinch, then call me again. But first I'd say no. 

But I loved doing Paige's wedding. I watched Paige grow up - having been good friends with her mother during my teenage years, and then watching Paige walk the halls of the same elementary school that my kid's go to. She'd peek out of her line of classmates and give me a little wave. 

Time flies. 

 

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As for today?

Mark's second day of preschool
I have to make a big stab at fighting through the piles over here
chicken something for dinner
and I have it on good authority that there just might be hot air balloons in the sky tonight

be good! 

Jake and Paige - Part II

I've been busy around here this last few days.
Catching up on a few lost days last week, trying to take kids school shopping, preparing for a chock full week this week -
my head is spinning.

I haven't taken any pictures in a few days - seems like a good time to share some more of what I took two weeks ago at Jake and Paige's wedding. Agreed?  

Teija's baby and nephew to the groom - the youngest guest at just a couple weeks old. 

One of Liz's fabulous fake cakes.

I'm hoping to find some time to go through a few more this week when the kids go back to school - but it might be next week. 

I always say six weeks from the wedding date, and those six weeks always go too quickly.  *smile* 

Happy Monday!
Off to see if I can find the kid's backpacks and get organized. School starts tomorrow!! 

Jake and Paige

The bride was beautiful, the groom quite handsome

the colors were beautiful and the rain held off

and the flowergirl is going to have some hefty therapy bills later in life because her parents kept trying to convince her that Elmo lives inside of my camera. But hey - it worked.

More later - or I'll be late for church.....

weddings

On May 21st, I shot Phil and Karmen's wedding.  I don't do as many weddings as I used to as I find it's getting harder and harder to find the time to process them afterwards.  Life gets faster and faster, and I wonder if it ever really slows down.  I'm thinking not. 

But I did photograph Phil and Karmen's, and I finally finished processing them today.  I always say 4-6 weeks and it's exactly 6 weeks today.  Ta-Dah!  *wiping brow* 

And as a Finn, I'm admittedly a bit backwards about kissy photos, but I love this one for all the expressions and craned necks.  Seriously love it. (click it to see it larger)

In August I'll be shooting one more wedding .... I did their engagement pictures last month...

But as for now? 
I better set my alarm if today is any indication of how we wake up around here...cuz I don't want to be late for...

.... confirmation. (the inside says, "a prayer that God will guide you in His way")
fingers crossed that the a/c is working at church, it's been not working so well lately and today?  Today was a hot one.  eta: I was emailed that rumor has it that it was fixed this week. We'll know soon....

Funny story - someone's husband stopped by today to pick up an order of confirmation cards and her intention was to give me a little tip.  I jokingly told her husband that she doesn't know how to do math very well when I gave him different change then what he had been expecting.  A few minutes after he left I doubled over laughing - realizing that I had given the wrong change completely.  I humbly emailed and said - uh, if you don't mind, I screwed up the change and you owe me a couple bucks.  And I'm sorry I teased about your math skills.

peace out..
be good!

Me and My Visine

 

And back to Trent and Wendy's wedding in August.

I asked a few photographer friends yesterday, my sister-in-law included, how long it takes them to process a wedding after they shoot it.  The answer seems to be about 40 hours.  I'm right on par.  I've been whittling away at this wedding ever since we got home from vacation, but between computer crashes, out of town company, school starting, more weddings, bridal showers, camping, etc..... it's been crazy hard to come up with 40 hours.

Yesterday I sat in this very chair for over twelve hours straight. I got up to take the kids to school, eat lunch, pick the kids up from school, eat dinner and that was it.

My eyes burn.
But I'm all done except for the sorting and burning that I'll do this morning.

Happy Thursday!

(more pictures can be seen via my facebook page)

 

Wedding Photos

Hello Monday.
It's good to see you!

What a busy fun weekend. My mom was here, two weddings, a Sunday afternoon of dinner - laughs and family, shopping, etc.

And now Monday.

• Post wedding photos
• Kids to school
• Laundry
• Clean up after the weekend
• soccer
• put up the feet
• take a nap

Okay - it's not my normal ambitious Monday list. I'm tired.

But back to wedding photos - I like the one above because Uncle George has often told us that if he ever shaved his beard he'd look just like his brother Paul, but bald.  I can see that in this photo.

I'm not going to post all the photos I took here - just an outtake, but I'll post more over on facebook.  I ended up with more than a few that I really like.  It's easy to take photographs of people you care about so much.

And the colors were gorgeous. I really loved that aqua and red combination against the old white buildings. I don't often wish I was the photographer for an event, but boy - I was wishing I was the photographer for ths one - the photo ops were endless and I was itching to set things up. 

But the perk of not being the photographer is being able to just enjoy (if you're not too busy twitching) and visit.  My husband's sister Teresa, for instance, was the maid of honor. Fun to see her again - and tease her.  Don't believe a word she tells you about me.

And I got to spend a few moments with Drew.  Drew is one of my favorite people. He's also crazy gifted when it comes to music. He got permission to try the harp for just a bit while waiting for photos. This particular one was $18,000.  !!!!!  And it doesn't even come with a kickstand.  We know, because we looked and the lady came running full tilt across the lawn yelling - Don't! Let! Go!  

The whole family. Nolan's wife and kids  (the doctor gave her orders not to travel until she has the baby) - and Syudi (sp?) are the only ones who didn't make it. 

But all eleven kids were there. From left to right: Nolan, Drew, Brita, Greta, Malia, George, Saima, Karissa, Lena, Teija, Justin and Hans.

And now I'm running late for getting the kids out the door - I'll post the facebook album a bit later.

Over and out
Enjoy your Monday!

totally random

I've been bustling all morning - and as I just sat down with my afternoon coffee (I've gotten into the habit of making another pot about this time of day) (so much for quitting) I took another glance at last Saturday's wedding photos - and this one jumped out at me

(click to see it bigger)

I love pictures of daddies holding their munchkins.  This picture was shot straight into the sun - but it was one of those moments that I had to catch it as is and quick, or risk not catching it at all.  My preference is to catch moments that are happening rather than setting up moments to catch. 

So I took it, knowing it might not turn out. And -  if I didn't have any photo shop to rely on, it might not have - for here is the original, straight out of the camera version...

I don't know the exact steps I did to salvage it - I just tend to move things around until I like the look

I like the look

The problem with photographing bouquet tosses...

click to see photo larger

...is that 1. you have to be quick and 2. you can't always gauge how high the bride is going to throw

but I think it made for a fun image anyway

It's at 2 in the morning when I really start to have fun with photoshop

I was up late last night - trying to put the final spin on some wedding photos before another busy weekend.  The thing with proofing photos is that it takes time.  I also prefer that time to be in the evening when my light is consistent - ie: no indoor lights or outdoor light.  So after 9pm.  I also tend to nod off at the computer at that time of night - it happens more often then I'd like to admit. This over 40 stuff isn't for wimps.

So last night I drank a pot of strong coffee at about 7:30 and put in five straight hours of photo monkeying proofing. I could have gone all night - but Mark woke up at about 2:30 and the rocking did me in. (It usually does)  And when he woke up for the day at 5 I wished I had gone to bed a wee bit earlier.

I think I'll adopt my Wendy's trala-la way of getting through life. 

trala-la

ah - that works marvelously.

Here are a few random sneaks - photos that I had fun with at two in the morning.

The grooms brother - my husband's first cousin once removed who is dating my sister-in-laws niece.  Did you follow that?  ;)  I think Karissa has been waiting for this one.

 

Something about this one I really like. Sometimes it's the lighting, sometimes it's the expression - here I think it's both.

And this one - has sort of a fifties era feel to it for some reason.  I think because I have a few of my dad like this.

Okay - back to it.  It's looking like a good day to finally catch up on laundry, I've got company coming over sometime today, a drive across town planned for this afternoon and helping the in-laws pack up some things this evening.  It's a good thing I'm so busy or else I'd get bored.

The Ringing of the Bells

This set makes me smile
 Wendy got Thee biggest bang out of ringing a bell and by doing so, having Teresa and Jay kiss each other.  On the Lips!



You see - in our Detroit congregation - it is custom to use real plates and coffee cups at the bridal table, and the signal for kissing to commence is brought about by the clinking of ones silverware on the side of ones coffee cup.  We have lots of coffee cups at these Finn weddings, you see.



Our Calumet church, however, doesn't have the industrial dishwasher that we do in Detroit - so their bridal tables are set with all paper products.  What to clink then, that is the question.

I'm not sure if this is what Teresa intended these bells for or not - they were set at all the tables (and the little kids had a heyday with them - more than a few ended up hidden in adult pockets)  but that's very quickly what they were used for.

 

By Wendy, more than anyone