Yonda Photography

Yonda Photography = Amelia John!!!!!

2010-10-15T17:22:00.001-06:00

As some of you may have heard (curse you, InTouch magazine!), we are changing our name! Goodbye Yonda Photography, hello Amelia John!

Why the name change, you ask? For starters, we have been looking for a name that really represents both of us, and since Amelia and John are our middle names, it was a natural fit! We love the sound of the name--it matches our style--sometimes elegant and fluid, sometimes solid and awesome. And partly we wanted a more unique name. Ninety percent of photographers call their business "Lastname Photography," and we wanted to buck the trend! Our new name doesn't even have "photography" in the name, although we will occasionally include "photographers" after it just so it's clear. Like this:

Amelia John *|* Photographers

Our new website is open for business, as is our new blog and facebook page. Please oh please head on over to the facebook page and "like" it--there's no way for us to transfer all 444 fans automatically, so we would appreciate a couple of clicks from all y'all!

And in case you were curious, our storefront grand opening is set for Dec. 3rd Friday! Stay tuned!

Melissa + Maurice = Melmo

2010-10-08T14:32:00.001-06:00

You know how some famous couples have a portmanteau, like Brangelina and Tomkat? My top secret codeword for Melissa and Maurice is "Melmo." Pretty fun, no? Well so are they! We had a great time downtown with them on a beautiful late summer afternoon. We're so lucky to work with such fun, totally-in-love couples! We're looking forward to spending more time with Melmo at their wedding next summer (on Jennifer's birthday, in fact!).

Our first Chicago engagement session!

2010-09-30T13:58:00.000-06:00

We had an awesome time taking a little jaunt to Chicago to photograph Carrie and Derrick near their downtown digs. We started at one of their favorite little parks downtown, by the water tower, and then headed to the lakeshore via the L. Some pretty incredible photo opportunities, I must say! And Carrie and Derrick made it easy for us, being so obviously in love with each other!

It came out that Derrick could do flips, so we had to get one on film! Can't wait to try this at the wedding, guys!

Sara and Shawn: The Day After

2010-09-27T13:27:00.000-06:00

We had a mighty crazy time about with Sara and Shawn for their day-after session! We drove into the country and found some really incredible clouds, and had a little fun at Dr. Evermore's sculpture park. Check it!

Hot town, summer in the city! Er, country mostly

2010-09-24T16:33:00.000-06:00

Did I mention we've been photographing weddings up the wazoo lately? Yeah, we've been busy, in addition to renovating our new studio (which is almost done!). Here's a peek at Sara and Shawn's recent wedding. This was a super hot day in August, perfect for this super hot couple!

St. John's Church in Waunakee is absolutely beautiful, what a nicely done church. Bravo!

We busted into this gravel pit with the wedding party bus for a few minutes and got a couple of cool pics. Wish we'd been able to get farther in, where there was an incredible Mars-looking landscape.

Talk about tons of fun corn shots! A plethora of possiblities!

Sara and Shawn are way into baseball, so they and their whole wedding party got dolled up in their baseball finest for the grand march. Check out the shoes! You go girl!

George's Birthday Bash

2010-09-23T16:41:00.000-06:00

Marta and Aris hired us to photograph their son George's awesome birthday bash, and let me tell you, it was awesome! There were gusty 45mph winds, and even a petting zoo! My only regret is that I wish I could have spent more time petting the animals and rolling around in the big red ball. Alas!

Our first baby!!

2010-08-06T20:08:00.000-06:00

No she's not ours, but it is in fact the first baby portrait session we've ever done! Wow!! And baby Morgan made it easy for us. Of course, as you can see in a couple photos, she didn't feel too happy about the heat and the mosquitos outside, but overall she and her parents were the perfect models. Who knew babies were so much fun?

Personally, I don't think I would enjoy being swaddled, but baby Morgan couldn't get enough of it! She would calm right down.

At the very end of the session baby Morgan started to cry, so I just had Stefan and Karen go with it. I think Morgan felt better because of it!

More AmuseBooth fun for you!!

2010-08-03T15:43:00.001-06:00

We just had to do a separate post for Angie and Jeffrey's AmuseBooth--there were too many kick-arse pics to click!

To our upcoming wedding couples, don't forget that you, too, can have an AmuseBooth at your reception!

Angie and Jeffrey: The Quintessential Madison Nuptials

2010-07-29T19:02:00.001-06:00

Angie and Jeffrey had a quintessentially Madison wedding--Olbrich Gardens ceremony followed by a Goodman Center reception. We were fortunate that the rain held off, so the ceremony could still be outdoors. Angie and Jeffrey are really sweet with each other, and obviously deeply in love. They made our job easy! It was fun to walk with them down the bike path from Olbrich to their reception--it always makes me feel honored to have one-on-one time with the couple on their big day. Thanks for having us, Angie and Jeffrey!

I couldn't resist trying this "evolution of man" photo when we were photographing the boys on these stepped bricks, and I have to say, I was amazed how quickly they fell into place. Did you guys practice this beforehand, or what?

This is from before the ceremony, and Jeffrey is either really nervous, or not nervous at all. I'm leaning towards not nervous.

Rings on rocks.

I love the flowergirls in this photo--they look really cute, and slightly apathetic.

The Goodman Center had as many photogenic locations as Olbrich Gardens did!

Amy Rocks the Frock at DeConstruction Inc.

2010-07-20T14:53:00.001-06:00

Amy was so beautiful on her wedding day last May, we were really excited that she wanted to do a Rock the Frock session. I'm still not quite sure about that name, "Rock the Frock". How about "The Gown of Renown"? "Play It Again, Samantha"? "RePlay Session"? Help me out here, folks!

The scenic location we used was the lot outside DeConstruction, an awesome business in Madison which salvages materials from old buildings and resells them. They have all kinds of old doors, windows, bricks, lumber, lamps, sinks and all kinds of other random fixtures. Check them out if you are into that kind of thing--the owner Roxanne is friendly and easy to work with.

Dear Clouds,
Thanks for being so awesome that day!

I had to scale this pile of lumber to get the next shot.

This looks like a movie poster to me for some reason.

Brides, let us know if you're interested in a Trash the Dress session, or a "J'aime la robe" session, or "Return of the Fun Times". Call it what you want, it's up to you!

Erika and Matt: Seattle Celebration

2010-07-12T21:10:00.000-06:00

Seattle town, here we come!! Er. . . there we were!! We had a simply delightful week exploring Seattle and photographing Erika and Matt's wedding. They tied the knot at the Seattle Art Museum's sculpture garden, which was obscenely cool.

I hope Matt uses this on the cover of his first album.

Hmm, I hope Matt also uses this on the album cover! Maybe for the single?

Erika's feathers were just perfect.

Erika reels Matt in.

The Dusty 45s put on quite a show at the reception, and yes, the lead singer is actually playing a burning trumpet here. Nice!

Signing portrait #51: Coreen and Megan

2010-07-12T14:11:00.000-06:00

Sorry it's been so long since we posted a signing portrait--we've been doing a lot of Skype and phone meetings lately, you see. So here's a real live signing portrait to feast your eyes on! This is us with Coreen, who is getting married in Iowa/Madison this summer. We can't wait to photograph her and her fiancée Megan!

A li'l 4th of July action

2010-07-05T13:38:00.000-06:00

We've been a bit busy here at Yonda Photography, it being the thick of wedding season, but we found some time to celebrate the 4th of July, nonetheless! We went to see the Monona fireworks, and were pleasantly surprised to find a carnival in full swing! We ate some brats and caramel apples and laid on a blanket for the fireworks, which were awesome. It's been a long time since I was so close to a fireworks display, and it really is impressive when you can see just how 3-dimensional they are. Yikes!

Graduations galore!

2010-06-07T16:55:00.000-06:00

Jennifer and I have been busy traveling up the wazoo lately, to Indiana for her bro's graduation, and then Texas for her sister's. And, as you can see below, an awesome time was had by all!

The mighty DePauw University. It was about 150 degrees that day, and humid! Yowch!

Oops, did we wander into a renaissance festival instead of graduation?!

Jennifer and her bro and sis and I have spent some time perfecting the four-way high-five. We've gotten to the point where we can do it twice in a row with no warmups!

Ryan's last night in the house he lived in for the last three years. Au revoir, SAE!

Wacky family portrait in the wacky wicker hut art project. By the way, we do family portraits now, including wacky ones!

Lauren is ready to face the world!

Someone is righteously indignant here, I should say!

Argos, the family beast, cute as ever.

Lauren tried on a piece of fondant from her graduation cake.

We got Ryan a remote-controlled boat for a graduation gift. Now I'm jealous and want one, too!

We drove a U-Haul from Texas to Wisconsin because Jennifer's parents gave us a some furniture for the new storefront. Here we are, one hour into the 18-hour drive. Still pretty chipper, eh? We hadn't actually tried the Robertson's infamous ham sandwiches yet. . .

We're looking forward to the bridal show at the Madison Marriot West this week (Wednesday from 4-9!) and to continuing the renovation of our brand new storefront. The floor is about to go in!

Announcement: Seniors are awesome!

2010-05-12T14:54:00.000-06:00

Seniors! Seniors seniors seniors! That's right people--we are now photographing high school seniors, for reals! In fact, we are so pumped about the seniors, we are offering a special promotion called "Seniors are Awesome!" If you refer a high school senior to us who books by June 30th, you will receive a free portrait session. Pamper yourself--refer a senior!

Undergraduate hijinks

2010-05-04T14:34:00.000-06:00

After our crazy week in Chicago at the Jerry Ghionis workshop, we hopped on down to visit Jennifer's brother Ryan in Indiana. He goes to DePauw University, a beautiful little place in the middle of nowhere. We had fun seeing his friends' band and generally engaging in hijinx such as hallway frisbee and cooking up some incredibly tasty crispy beef at midnight. Ah, college!

This is Ryan, Jennifer's bro. Doesn't this one look like a painting? The background looks totally out of perspective, like a naive painter or some seventies surrealist realist.

Using some of our refreshed skillz from the workshop, it was inspiring!

I had the band (The Doppler Effect) do an impromptu band photo after their set.

The obligatory random drawer full of saltines in Ryan's kitchen, of course.

Jerry Ghionis workshop = Success!!!

2010-04-29T12:42:00.000-06:00

Holy cats! We had an amazing week in Chicago at the Jerry Ghionis workshop. For those who didn't know, he is a guru in the wedding photography industry, one of the top five in the world. The workshop was at the Sutton Place Hotel in Chicago, and it was intense--10, 12, even 14 hour days, lots of critiques, shoots, education, inspiration, and new friendships. Jennifer and I both agree, it changed our lives. That's a nice thing to be able to say!

The two photos of us above were taken by Jerry when we were doing a night shoot. He took photos of everyone in the class, using this "Foot and Ankle Clinic" sign, which you can see below.

I took these two of Jerry when he was posing for his assistant Melissa in front of that same sign.

Corry, one of our classmates.

Above: Jerry, with one of the models we photographed. Is it just me, or does he look pretty happy? Below: The next five images are from our solo mini-shoots with the models and/or our classmates. It was pretty nerve-wracking to walk off with a model and take 10 minutes to try to incorporate some of the things we'd learned during the critique, but it was invigorating, too! I thought we got some cool stuff!

Joe, another classmate, gets all sexy by the back alley entrance to Hermes.

Jennifer got to pose for the class at one point. Zoiks!

The rest of the images below were shots we took of setups Jerry arranged, so we have to give him the credit for finding the light and creating the pose. Pretty fun, eh?

To our fellow photographers, we say, get yourself to a Jerry Ghionis workshop! It was worth every penny, and we made 18 new friends who we're really excited about keeping in touch with!

A little Amusebooth for your amusement

2010-04-15T10:52:00.000-06:00

I just finished editing an Amusebooth poster for Jenny and Matt from their wedding reception at Olin Park, and I thought I would share it with all you lucky ducklings! Pretty fun stuff, eh? It's not too late for all you 2010 couples to add the Amusebooth to your receptions, by the by!

p.s. Happy tax day!!

We've been spotted!

2010-04-12T17:24:00.000-06:00

That is, we've been featured--on Planned Spontaneity's blog! We recently met Marilee, the owner of Planned Spontaneity, and got along famously with her, and now here she is saying very nice things about us on her blog! Marilee specializes in "creating fun, personalized, ethnically diverse, inclusive, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable celebrations". Sounds pretty awesome, no? If you seek a planner, check her out.

Pastry!

2010-04-06T14:17:00.000-06:00

I had been meaning to post photos of some pastries Jennifer and I created a couple weeks ago, but we have a lot going on (new studio!!!) you see, so the project languished. Until my mom came into town for Easter, and I thought, Hey! Moms like to to help, and this particular one runs a mean DSLR, so why not delegate? She was more than up to the task, as you can see. Thanks Ma!

We made the above pastries at a meeting of local event/wedding people, at MATC. The base fondant cakes were provided, and we just used their supplies to get creative. It was pretty wild!

A different kind of signing portrait

2010-04-02T08:37:00.000-06:00

We photographed a signing portrait yesterday, but this one was sort of a switcheroo, since we were the ones signing up for something. What contract were we signing, you ask?!!

It's a lease for our new storefront at 1976 Atwood, in lovely Madison, WI!! That's right folks, we are moving in over the next few months, and are shooting for a late summer grand opening. Wowie zowie! We're pretty excited to get it started, so definitely stay tuned for updates and more photos!

By the way, the photo features the landlord, Mark of M&M Real Estate, and, on the right, the former tenant Bryan, who (though you can't really tell) was actually really glad we took the lease off his hands!

"Habitat": Tommy "Speedy" Sweeney's Big Movie Premiere

2010-03-29T09:59:00.001-06:00

We attended our framer Tommy "Speedy" Sweeney's big movie premiere last night, at the Sundance Theatre here in Madison. It was for his film "Habitat", about his crazy group of sportbiking pals, who ride at hundreds of miles an hour down country roads. Some great cinematography, tell you what! And a good time was had by all.

This is just a drink we got at the Sundance bar. A Manhattan.

August Teens CD release partay pics

2010-03-19T15:02:00.001-06:00

Jennifer and I went on a date the other day, and we started it off by stopping by the CD release concert of an old friend of mine (Dan) and his band, The August Teens. It was a really fun show, as always--thanks dudes!

Wedding Showcase at The American Club, Kohler, WI

2010-03-16T12:11:00.001-06:00

We had some good times last weekend at the American Club at their wedding showcase. We loved the woodwork and chandeliers, and the models/dancers they had roaming around the show were really fun. And the food! Thanks American Club, we can't wait to come back!

These people modeled various outfits throughout the night and did a cool dance routine.

The booth next to ours happened to be the Artist Group, who photographed our wedding! It was great to catch up with Katie and Dale, and we had them take our photo in our booth. Dale took the first photo, and then I asked Katie to take one, since she was our actual wedding photographer. She said "Okay, but if I'm going to take one after Dale, I have to outdo him!" What do you think--did she win!?

Notice the peanut M&M's (for good luck) on the far right!

Bagpipes is LOUD!

The American Club's Wedding Show . . . Tomorrow!!

2010-03-12T12:08:00.004-06:00

Come with us tomorrow to the Kohler Wedding Show at The American Club! It's a more intimate show with only 30 venders, in a beautiful atmosphere. And of course we will have the green couch and a bowl of peanut M&M's!

What to do before the show in Kohler you ask? Check it out ~ there are sand dunes right there! And then you could swing by a few of the art galleries in town. www.wistravel.com/cities_in_wisconsin/kohler_wisconsin/

Here is the link to the show:
www.destinationkohler.com/eventplanning/weddings/showcase.html

"The evening kicks off with a reception in The Grand Hall of the Great Lakes foyer and flows into a romantic Shakespearean-inspired showcase." I have no idea what that will look like exactly, but I can't wait to find out!

What: A Shakespearian Experience Wedding Showcase
When: Saturday, March 13th, 5:00-8:00 p.m.
Where: Destination Kohler, Kohler, WI
Cost: $25 ($35 at the door)

Gettin' Educated at Bounce U!

2010-03-10T18:37:00.003-06:00

I turned 32 yesterday (or 100,000 in base 2, for those who are counting), and I had about the most childish birthday party you could have--at Bounce U! Basically it's a warehouse filled with giant inflatable bouncy castle items. Slides, climbing things, balls, nerf cannon, etc. So I gathered 15 of my closest friends and we rocked it! Though definitely a little sore today.

Classic moment of the night: When we went from the bouncy room to the champagne room, our party hostess said "Okay everybody, you need to hop down the hall on the colored squares only, and anyone who doesn't, I get to eat your pizza and pop!" So we all did!

This is the rolling bin for all your birthday presents!

That's my brother on the left.

I call this one "All Bouncers Must Wear Socks"

Jennifer took this one before taking the plunge!

Uh, I'm not sure if face first is the recommended way to come down this slide, guys!

"Listen to Your Party Hosts"

They turned off the gravity for a mo.

Graham is sporting the toys everybody got in their goody bag!

My pals Graham and Rhea gave me the gift of 10 shots on their Polaroid. Pretty cool! I had fun doing a little manipulation while it was developing.

Easter basket time!

2010-03-05T12:49:00.002-06:00

Another nummy gift basket from our pals Clare and Matt over at Quince and Apple. The best part of this shoot was eating the chocolate afterwards--pretty awesome! Be sure to order early and often for all your Easter gift basket needs!

Sara and Shawn's Funtastic Winter E-Session

2010-03-04T16:40:00.000-06:00

It was a bit of culture shock, doing an outdoor engagement session the day after we got back from Mexico, but it was actually really fun! If you're going to live in Wisconsin, you might as well love the snow! Which Sara and Shawn definitely do--they ski, snowboard, sled, ice skate, the whole works. In fact, they had already been ice fishing that day before we did this photo shoot!

A little destination wedding photography from Isla Mujeres, Mexico!

2010-03-02T14:50:00.002-06:00

Jennifer and I were honored and extremely excited to photograph the wedding of our awesome friends Graham and Rhea on Isla Mujeres, an island just off the coast from Cancun, Mexico. It's a small island, about 5 miles long and half a mile wide, and absolutely beautiful. The people were welcoming and friendly, the beaches were perfect, and the town had a lot of character and just enough tourism to make things fairly convenient. The food was incredible--every place we ate, whether it was the swankiest joint in town or the "Cocina Economica", the food was awesome every time. And it happened to be Carnaval that week, so there were celebrations and lots of amazing dance troupes at the town square every night. I could go on!

But most importantly, Rhea and Graham's wedding was stunning. They had events over three days including a snorkeling trip, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and of course the picture-perfect beach ceremony. It was an honor to have shared the weekend with them and their friends and family. Thanks you two!

These boys were eating candy while observing Graham and his men playing basketball in the town square during the bachelor party. We ended up playing basketball with a bunch of local boys with some of their parents looking on and cheering.

On the right you can see the rehearsal happening on the beach.

Since 1683?!

Graham and Rhea hand-made all these beautiful tissue paper cutouts.

The ceremony (which was one of the most touching, amazing ceremonies we've ever seen) was supposed to end just before sunset, but it ended up going a half-hour into the dark. Luckily we were prepared with our wireless strobe gear, and it ended up looking really cool!

I think everyone should consider piñatas at their reception!

A li'l ski

2010-02-26T12:14:00.000-06:00

Brought the camera along on a ski this morning. Jennifer was a little afraid of the 15 degree reading on the thermometer, but with that sun beating down, it wasn't too different from Mexico last week! Okay, it was fairly different. But a lot of fun!

Wingsuit base jumping--have you tried it!?

2010-02-24T10:26:00.001-06:00

Here's a random tip: If you haven't heard about wingsuits, check out this video! Basically, you can jump off the top of a mountain, fly down the slope, inches away from the ground, if you like, and pop out a parachute just before you hit the valley floor. It's basically like a flying squirrel suit for humans!

Image from Environmental Graffiti

I can't wait to try it!

A Double Signing Portrait

2010-02-23T14:51:00.002-06:00

Maurice's fiancée Melissa lives in Indiana at the moment, so he met with us and signed the contract all by his lonesome. But then, as luck would have it, Melissa was coming to town soon, so we had them both stop by for a meet'n'greet! A good time was had by all, and we're looking forward to the wedding, next year on Jennifer's birthday, in fact! We are extremely excited to have you two on board, Melissa and Maurice!

Maurice was a great sport--humoring us as we hoisted a plastic arch behind him. What can I say--we can be a little wacky sometimes!

Back from a destination wedding on Isla Mujeres!

2010-02-22T15:17:00.000-06:00

Hey there! We're back fresh from Isla Mujeres, Mexico, ready to roll (in the snow)! While we're getting settled in and start editing the wedding images, here's a li'l teaser photo we grabbed of a while we were there. Not sure what kind of place it was, but we loved the painting on their door!

Portrait of a signing

2010-02-08T18:17:00.000-06:00

We're glad to say that we'll be photographing Jacob and Becka's excellent wedding this July! They said they loved our booth at the wedding expo, so I would say we're definitely a good fit. We can't wait, guys!

Our first "Love the Dress" session

2010-02-05T15:02:00.000-06:00

Here's a treat for you: our very first "Rock the Frock" session (from last fall)! I actually have no idea what we would call this session--"Trash the Dress" just brings up the wrong image in my mind, so we need a different name for it. "The Downtown Gown"? "Capture the Rapture"? "The Post-Wedding Shredding?" It does have to rhyme, right?!

In any case, we had a fun li'l session walking around near some warehouses with Kristi!

Jeff and Julia Woods Exposed Workshop!!!!

2010-02-04T13:52:00.001-06:00

Well, we're feeling incredibly pumped and motivated today after spending three days in scenic Washington, IL, at a Jeff and Julia Woods workshop. Julia is, as they say, a master of photography business and has given us a lot of insight as far as running our business in a way that makes us and our clients happier. It's a win-win-win! Woot!

They had this awesome chair in their main shooting space, which was where most of the workshop took place. We had some fun photographing each other when Julia was out of the room for a minute.

The whole group. That's Jeff on the far right, and Julia right next to him, standing. They were really open with their personal experiences, and we even got to have dessert at their place one night!

This is our room across the street from the Portrait Life studio, at the incredible Cornerstone B&B. Scope the 13-foot ceilings, funky decor, and two-person jacuzzi! And the breakfasts were amazing, too--imagine puff pancakes with bananas foster on top with a side of baked maple bacon. If you dare!

Now we're just messin' around after the workshop, takin' some pics!

Product Shots!

2010-01-29T16:23:00.001-06:00

Finally, the moment you've all been waiting for--we've added pictures of our crazy cool products to our website! Wend your way through sassy albums, sultry bragbooks, and retro photocubes. Feast your eyes upon perky guestbooks and pretty proofbooks--you deserve it! They can be found in the "Products" tab at www.yondaphotography.com. Enjoy!

Our second senior session!

2010-01-25T16:43:00.000-06:00

Hannah was up for a junkyard shoot (Glen and Jerry's Salvage), which turned out to be a pretty awesome location. Hannah was a great model, and we are pumped about doing more senior photos, to tell truth!

Obamicon.me

2010-01-22T10:59:00.000-06:00

Hey! Check out this pretty awesome site! Basically, it will take any photo and transform it into the infamous Obama poster style. For free, no less! You can put any caption you want. It's kind of fun. We did a couple.

Signing portraits #32B and #33!

2010-01-20T16:37:00.000-06:00

Two more signing portraits, at a special location--the Wedding Planner and Guide bridal show!

Steph was going to the wedding expo anyway, so we went ahead and brought a contract in for her to sign. Now we have the matching half to her fiancé Kevin's signing portrait last week!

We were excited to have Christi and Mike sign up right there on the spot. Can't wait for your engagement session, you two!

And we're back!

2010-01-19T18:16:00.003-06:00

Awesome wedding expo, y'all! Our new and improved booth seemed to be a hit--we gave out three times as many pricing brochures as we thought we would! Our pricing brochure this year was actually a scroll, rolled up and tied with a ribbon. Special! We got some nifty new furniture, new albums, and a new, larger booth, yow! If you missed this one, be sure to come and see us at the June show.

The booth transformation, before and after. Check out the previous blog post with the sketchup for a bonus comparison!

Our li'l style sheet of booth details. Notice the magic ingredient, as always--Peanut M&M's! I don't know what it is, but we always have a successful booth when we have these tasty treats!

Sketchin' it up!

2010-01-14T20:08:00.002-06:00

Getting pretty excited about the Wedding Planner and Guide show this weekend! I had some fun making a 3-d model of our booth in Google Sketchup, an awesome (free!) program I’ve never used before! It was incredibly helpful since we don’t actually have the space in our studio to do a real mockup of the booth. We have a double-size booth this year, so we didn’t really know what we were going to do with the space, and this helped us figure out exactly how to use it, and where exactly the Enigma would be most effective. Come to the show and see how the 3-d model compares to real life!

I don’t know who that guy is, he’s just a standard guy who automatically shows up in your first sketchup. Helpful for scale, you see!

Signing portrait #32!

2010-01-13T16:18:00.000-06:00

We are pleased to welcome Kevin and Steph into the fold! Kevin stopped by yesterday to sign a contract (we’ll be seeing Steph at the wedding expo this weekend—are you going?!), so we documented the proceedings. I’m so glad we were able to incorporate the new enigma! Now, we can’t use the enigma in all signing portraits, but we will definitely consider any special requests!

If Kevin had a thought-bubble above his head, what would it say? I think it would say "These guys are a little wacky, and a lot awesome!" Am I right or am I right?

The Enigma!

2010-01-11T13:18:00.011-06:00

Ladies and Gentleman! Yonda Photography is pleased to introduce:

The Enigma!!!

We fell in love with this six-foot beast at first sight, and knew that it would be the perfect keystone for our wedding expo booth. At first we tried to figure out what it was for, then we realized it was deeper than that. Bigger. To put it succinctly, the Enigma is a mystery wrapped in a riddle surrounded by a ten-foot fence of awesome! Look for it at the corner of our booth at this weekend’s bridal fair in Madison at the Alliant Energy Center. We are booth #813, on the main aisle near the fashion show runway. We also have a pretty excellent pricing scroll you can have, too!

Emily and Andrew: Married!!

2009-12-16T13:41:00.001-06:00

Considering the date (Nov. 28) and location (Wisconsin!), Emily and Andrew had just about the most perfectest weather you could ask for. Which makes me happy, because they are such a kind-hearted couple, they deserve it!

Flowergirls=adorable. I didn’t even ask her to pose like this—I swear!

Emily and Andrew used to live next door to this bar, so we stopped by for a tipple after the ceremony. That’s her grandpa peeking out of the door!

A highly-contested couple of tosses (above and below), as you can see!

Looking out over Lake Kegonsa, at the Stoughton Country Club.

Lauren, our first senior!!

2009-12-14T13:07:00.001-06:00

As promised, here is our first ever senior photo session! Jennifer’s sister Lauren was kind enough to be a senior in need of photos, and an awesome model to boot! Like, seriously, a really great model. We just drove and walked around Jennifer’s family’s neighborhood in Westlake, a suburb of Dallas, and found some extremely photogenic locations. The weather was beautiful (this is Thanksgiving, keep in mind!) in the upper 60’s and sunny. We’re pretty excited about the results, and can’t wait to add senior sessions to our regular thing. Let us know if you’re interested!

This is the Westlake town hall plaza, I think. They had decorated for Christmas with these gigantic Christmas tree ornaments. Here Lauren is standing in front of one laying on its side. Huge!

This is the entry to a bank.

This pasture is across the street from Jennifer’s family’s house. Sadly, the longhorns weren’t out, but it was still a pretty sweet location.

Lauren, Lauren’s car, and Lauren’s house!

This is Lauren’s favorite tree.

Thanks, Lauren!

440 Gallery show update--we won the grand prize!

2009-12-08T12:26:00.003-06:00

Me mum and meself have won the coveted Juror’s Choice award at the group show we are currently showing in at the 440 Gallery in New York! Okay, coveted may be the wrong word—we didn’t even know there was a prize being awarded! I got a call from my mom when she was at the opening and another artist informed her that she should stick around until the end, since she was going to receive the Juror’s Choice prize, chosen by the inimitable Charles Long himself. We were competing with over 70 artists. Pretty exciting!

“Delivery”, the winning photo. Apparently Charles Long was just delighted by it, and loved the fact that it was a mother/son collaboration. He was wondering how old I was, 6 or 30 or what?

A gut time at da Eplegaarden wit Joanna and George

2009-12-07T15:26:00.000-06:00

Joanna and George had the awesome idea to do their engagement session at the Eplgaarden Apple Orchard. They brought some awesome weather with them, which is always much appreciated. I always have fun chatting with these two because they work in the Wisconson legislature, which I find seriously fascinating. I pay a lot of attention to national politics, but Joanna and George have opened my eyes to the fact that there’s a whole bunch of politicking going on just a few blocks away from home. Who knew? But I digress! The important thing is that you can tell these two completely adore each other, and love being around each other. It’s not even work to photograph people like Joanna and George—it’s just fun!

Art show in New York!

2009-12-02T10:08:00.001-06:00

I’m happy to say I have some photos in a show opening Thursday in Brooklyn! It’s a collaboration with my mom Jeanne Wilkinson that we did last summer in Rhode Island. The venue is the 440 Gallery in Park Slope. It’s their 5th Annual Small Works Show, and it was juried by Charles Long, a heavy dude (artistically heavy, that is) who was in the Whitney Biennial last year! If you’re in New York, say hi to my mom at the opening on Thursday from 6 to 9!

And, because I find it a little bit hilarious, here's some verbiage from show juror Charles Long's bio:

"Charles Long’s interest in opposing formal and metaphysical forces informs a complex sculptural lexicon marked by radical stylistic shifts . . . now nearly devoid of Pop references, while still wittily limning the space between abstraction and figuration."

I'm seriously considering limning my own metaphysical lexicon one of these days!

Graham Yeager and Rhea Vedro at the Overture

2009-12-01T14:58:00.000-06:00

Our super-cool artist friends Graham Yeager and Rhea Vedro asked us to photograph their art because they had a show at the Overture Center. This was a new challenge for us, and we are pretty happy with the results. One of the cool things about their art is that it’s different enough that they aren’t competing with each other, but their work looks great hanging together in a show—it just makes sense. Check out their current show at EmeryArt in Sun Prairie!

Dallas Thanksgiving Extravaganza!

2009-11-30T13:59:00.002-06:00

We had a good ol’ week in Dallas with Jennifer’s family last week. We got to see some real Texas in Fort Worth, where I got myself in a bit of a fix and got locked up in jail! (see pic below) We got to spend some great quality time with her parents eating, talking and going about town. We spent plenty of time in traffic, had lots of fun playing cards and watching football, seeing old friends, and just chillin’ with the fam. Stay tuned for a peek at our very first senior photo session, with Jennifer’s sister Lauren!

“Big Jake”

Pretty cool maze. Notice the fake rats running along the top!

Don’t fall into the abyss, Jennifer and Jennifer’s dad Mike!

“Time Flies”

Jennifer and her sis Lauren made a pretty awesome gingerbread house. I thought the snowman was pretty spooky looking, so I had them match him. Nice work, ladies!

Can’t wait to be back for Christmas! Hope the gingerbread house still tastes good. . .

Caitlin and Andy at Tyrol Basin

2009-11-18T17:38:00.005-06:00

Wow, what a frosty cool day this was! This was that day in October that it actually snowed in town, though a few snow flakes didn't stop Caitlin and Andy from taking advantage of the photogenic hilltop beauty at Tyrol Basin. Indeed, a good time was had by all!

You would have no idea from looking at this picture that it's freezing outside ~ and we never heard them utter a complaint. They were the sweetest!

Pumpkin-carving contest!!! I love the little girl in the background. It's like she knows what the pumpkin is doing, and doesn't want to look.

Jennifer gets published in “Philadelphia Lawyer” magazine!

2009-11-16T11:57:00.006-06:00

Jennifer snapped some photos at a family gathering in Rhode Island last summer, and lo and behold someone at the party wrote an article about it for the “Philadelphia Lawyer” magazine! Her photo is the full page one that starts the article. Head on over to www.philadelphiabar.org and scroll down to “Clam Bake” to download the whole article. Apparently the key to the whole thing is seaweed.

Notice me standing obliviously in the background!

Sara and Shawn's Signing Portrait

2009-11-13T11:11:00.004-06:00

The tradition of the Yonda Photo signing portrait continues with Sara and Shawn! We’re pumped for their engagement session, which may be in the snow on Sanitarium Hill!!

p.s. Happy Friday the 13th!! Spooky!

Just cuz

2009-11-12T12:21:00.000-06:00

My cousin Derek stopped by Madison yesterday to visit his alma mater and reminisce, so when we were hanging out I snapped a few pics! He's a writer.

Mom/Son collaboration

2009-11-09T17:49:00.002-06:00

I’m proud to announce that a photograph of mine is a “distinguished finalist” in a contest! My mom (Jeanne Wilkinson) and I collaborated on some art photographs on a trip we took out west, and one of those photos finished in the top 20 in a contest on www.myartspace.com. It is now showing along with some other photos from the series (which we call “Painted People: Western Walkabout”) in the NYAXE Gallery in Palo Alto, CA. Yay for art!

This is our winning photo, “River Crossing”. My mom takes found dolls, usually Barbie dolls or G.I. Joe dolls, and paints them and then photographs them in various scenarios and mixes things up in Photoshop. I'm more into the un-manipulated image kind of thing, so this series is basically straight out of the camera. She and I drove from Denver to San Francisco, retracing the route she had taken in a VW Bus when she was nineteen. We sort of followed these “Painted People” across the west, from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific. It was way fun!

“Fiery Furnace”, in Arches National Park.

“Sand Mountain”, this totally crazy gigantic dune in Nevada.

“Ocean Overlook”, just north of San Francisco. They made it!

Quince and Apple: Contemporary Boutique Preserves

2009-11-05T16:56:00.003-06:00

Our friends Clare and Matt run an awesome “contemporary boutique preserves” company called Quince and Apple, and they needed some promo shots for their holiday gift baskets, so they gave us a call. It’s not our normal gig, product photography, but we had fun doing it!

Here is Clare in front of the totally wild studio setup!

Check out their website for some tasty jams! They have some never-before-seen flavors like “Shallot Confit with Red Wine” and “Pear with Honey and Ginger”. Mmmmm! But don’t go there expecting to taste quince preserves—that’s just the company name, please!

Ashley and Tim: Puppies and Love

2009-11-03T20:20:00.000-06:00

As you can see, tons of fun were had during this engagement session with Tim and Ashley, in spite of the chilly, gray weather. Starting with dog mayhem (mayhem in a good way!) at their house, we then went for a ramble around their ‘hood. They were up for anything and were naturals at enjoying themselves very photogenically. I actually learned a lot from Ashley and Tim during this session--thanks guys!

Dog madness—I think Tim’s got it!

Wedding Planner and Guide Din-Din Results

2009-10-29T15:18:00.000-06:00

We attended the Wedding Planner and Guide annual shindig last night at Bellini’s in Madison, and had a blast as always. Our effervescent sales rep (and Girl Scout cookies hookup) Dana was there, as well as a bunch of photographers and other wedding vendors. I was psyched when I won $20 for answering a trivia question right (who was the U.S. President when Wisconsin was officially given statehood? See below for the answer!)

Check these wacky pix of us from the photo booth they had at the party. Woo hoo!

Trivia answer=James K. Polk. Thank my They Might Be Giants obsession for helping me out on this one! (They have a song about Polk.)

Angie and Jeffrey: Engagement Walkabout

2009-10-15T11:32:00.002-06:00

There’s something inspiring about being around people who really like each other, like today’s featured couple, Angie and Jeffrey. In some ways it makes our job easier, but it also makes me want to work even harder to make sure their excitement about each other comes through on film. Hopefully we did just that on this fun, though unseasonably cold jaunt from the Lakeshore trail, up State Street, to the Capitol. We can’t wait for the wedding at Olbrich Gardens and the Goodman Atwood Community Center!

Scott and Amanda: Engagement Romp

2009-10-14T08:57:00.001-06:00

Whew! We just finished photographing 10 weddings in 12 weeks, which is a new record for us. Not to mention a dozen engagement sessions in there, too! So now is the time to catch up on the blog, eh? Today is Scott and Amanda’s engagement romp around a mostly abandoned building here in Madison. It was a great session, and we had a great time afterwards, too, having a beer at the Union Terrace. They told us about some awesome blogs, including Passive Aggressive Notes --hilarious! Thanks Scott and Amanda!

Awesome couple + awesome family + awesome friends = Awesome wedding!

2009-09-16T16:30:00.002-06:00

Kat and Ben’s wedding was our first time at Paradise Park in Cottage Grove, and it was tres awesome! We didn’t get to try the zip line, but maybe next time!

Above: Kat’s shoes. Below: Ben’s!

Perfect spot for a first meeting, no?

Wow, who can I call to order clouds like this every Saturday?

Kat’s version of Lady Forward, who adorns the Capitol dome.

We planned to take a picture of the “Welcome Kat and Ben” sign at the Inn on the Park when we came back from taking the night-time capitol shot (above). Well, imagine our chagrin when they took the words down during those five minutes we were gone! So I told the happy couple I would stick the words back in with Photoshop. You can’t tell the difference, can you?

Anya and Mike: The Love Celebration

2009-09-09T13:30:00.005-06:00

Anya and Mike are cool. We know them through our friend Laurie, and I can’t imagine Anya without Mike, or Mike without Anya. That’s probably because I’ve only ever seen them when they were together, but still, I think that’s a good sign! They are really sweet with each other, and did an awesome job creating a beautiful wedding that really represents them. Thanks for having us, you two!

Here Anya sneaks up on the unsuspecting Mike for their first meeting.

Flowergirl and bride, waiting for the big event.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unitarian Meeting House, in Madison. Pretty cool!

Er, actually, pretty hot, since the venerable FLW didn’t design any a/c in the building, it gets pretty muggy on a hot day like this one!

Based on Anya’s whirling, I’d say she’s a pretty happy bride!

Megan and Lucas in the Dells of Wisconsin

2009-08-25T10:48:00.001-06:00

We were honored to be a part of these high school sweethearts' wedding in the Dells area. We had a pretty exciting time on the bridge in Wisconsin Dells, with traffic stopping politely for us, people honking, wind blowing. Yow!

Do you notice something miniature about this photo?!

Right outside the back door of the Chula Vista Resort, where the reception was held!

And now, right outside the *front* door of the Chula Vista. Scenic place, no?

Ashley and Tim: Brewin' Up a Contract!

2009-08-17T14:11:00.002-06:00

Remember not so long ago when I said I can’t wait until someone brings their own props for their signing portrait? Well that day has arrived, my friends!! Being scientists, Ashley and Tim brought along a bunch of science-labby equipment, and Jennifer and I managed to fake some steretypical colored liquids in the kitchen. Et voila! A photography contract is born!

Susan and Joe: On the Waterfront

2009-08-05T13:55:00.002-06:00

Susan and Joe lucked out with the weather for their outdoor wedding at Allen Centennial Gardens. Against all odds, it was often sunny and not even too hot! Their wedding party was great, very positive and jocular, so of course we all had a blast! The love between these two was clearly strong. We admire you both, Susan and Joe!

For a minute I thought they were going feed themselves a bite of cake after they cut it, but they did end up feeding each other as is tradition. Phew!

Check out this thank-you pic! Susan and Joe are going to have awesome thank-you cards, tell you what!

Caitlin and Andy: The Lakeshore Lovers

2009-08-01T12:16:00.000-06:00

Caitlin and Andy are ultimate frisbee folks just like Jennifer and me, we were excited to learn! So we did up some frisbee pics during their engagement session. Then we took a trip to the lakeshore path and dorms at UW-Madison, where they first started dating. Romantic! Can’t wait for the wedding, dudes!

Sign away, monsieurs et mademoiselles!

2009-07-17T18:24:00.001-06:00

We’re happy to report we have two new signing portraits for your viewing enjoyment!

Scott and Amanda had a lot of choices to make, so they chose to do their portrait with piles of albums, photos, and contracts spread about. You kidders!

Joanna and George met while they were working at the Capitol, so we gave them a feather pen to sign their contract with. If we’d had powdered wigs and a parchment scroll we’d have used those, too! We were excited that they were aware of our signing portrait tradition before they signed—too cool! We can’t wait until people start coming for their consultation with props in hand.

Our first NYC engagement session!

2009-07-16T21:22:00.000-06:00

We happened to be on vacation in New York City, and our clients Jenny and Matt (who are getting married at Tyrol Basin) happen to live there, so we said “Hey! Why not do your engagement session in the Big Apple?” We had a ton of fun visiting their local park (Riverside Park, where they say dead people are always found on CSI: New York), the world’s largest gothic cathedral (St. John the Divine) and the local Hungarian pastry shop (I forget the name). Jenny plays the flute and Matt plays the tuba, which happen to be the two instruments that require the most lung power. It was meant to be!

Jennifer is posing the happy couple who are unaware that the NYPD is mere feet away!

I just love this image. Jenny’s pink dress really makes the shot.

Yes, we were still in New York for this shot! Looking across the Hudson River at the sumptuous New Jersey shoreline. Have fun in New York and we’ll see you back in Wisco in September, Jenny and Matt!

Look for me in Public Enemies with Johnny Depp!

2009-07-07T08:36:00.004-06:00

I had the fantasmic opportunity to star alongside Johnny Depp (okay, to be an extra in the same room as him) last year in the film "Public Enemies". They filmed a lot of it in and around Madison, and I heard about a call for photographer extras, people who already knew how to hold a big camera. So I submitted myself, and they picked me! I got up before dawn and spent about 14 hours on set that day. I did get to say hi to Johnny Depp when he passed me in the stairwell a couple of times. He's a real nice guy.

The pictures above (by Dan Fuller) are not of the exact outfit I'm wearing in the movie, but it's close. Look for me standing along the back wall of a courtroom scene holding an old-fashioned camera. Crazy!

A day at the (wedding) fair

2009-06-18T15:29:00.003-06:00

What a day! The Wedding Planner and Guide Bridal Show at the Marriott Madison West was everything we hoped it would be. From the wild carpet to all the friendly types we chatted with, we had a great time! We once again hauled every piece of furniture from our studio to the show, which was insane, but worth it. People just dig the couch! We set up our AmuseBooth and it went over swimmingly. Some samples are included below. Check them all out here.

Jennifer bought this bouncy ball in some random gas station in the south. It’s a miracle of modern technology!!!! It looks like a glass glittery-snow globe, but then you throw it on the floor and it bounces like a superball!!!! It was a great conversation piece.

We brought a few props to get people started and they seemed to really dig them. Not that you have to use props in the AmuseBooth, but if there is zero alcohol involved, it can help!

Nicole and Aric booked us in January for the their 2010 wedding. We were happy to see them and show them the brand-new AmuseBooth!

Just ‘cause we take all the pictures doesn’t mean we don’t love to have our own picture taken!

Here we are, tired but happy!

Our swag table. Notice, as always, the key to success: Peanut M&Ms! We almost emptied the whole bowl—a good sign. And notice the other key to sucess: my lovely wife Jennifer!

Notice in this image our awesome new framed prints, framed by Eye Level Framing.

Thanks be to Dana at www.wedplan.com for making this whole opportunity possible!

Angie and Rob, nice job!

2009-06-10T11:13:00.000-06:00

We got lucky last Saturday—it was supposed to thunderstorm all day, but the rain held off just enough that we were able to traipse around a bit in the park and get some fun shots. Rob and Angie were great sports, and it paid off!

Geese!

Zoiks! That knife looks a little too serious for cake cutting!

Not the spectacular sunset we were all hoping for, but hey, at least we were able to head outside without getting soaked!

Congratulations, Angie and Rob!

Kelsey and Jeremiah: The Engagement

2009-06-01T19:01:00.001-06:00

We had some truly awesome weather piped in for Kelsey and Jeremiah (no problem, guys!). These two were up for anything, from a piggy-back ride to climbing a tree (Jeremiah) to hiking down the treacherous lakeside bank in high heels (not Jeremiah!). Anything for the shot! We’re looking forward to hijinx on your big day!

Hijinx!

This one is a huge panorama—to see a larger version, go ahead and click here.

Angie and Rob get signed

2009-05-21T14:27:00.001-06:00

We were glad to be able to tell these two, Angie and Rob, that we were available for their wedding just three weeks away! Awesome! Can’t wait to get your bad asses on film!

Sarah and Nunzio: The Signing Portrait

2009-05-07T12:16:00.003-06:00

Our clients are so great--they humor us! Sarah and Nunzio had no problem jumping in front of the camera for our second Signing Portrait. And they excelled--one shot, we're done! Can't wait to work with you two!

P.S. We're starting to book for 2010, so act now!

Kelly and Jacob Bye Bye Party

2009-05-02T13:32:00.002-06:00

We had a blast at Kelly and Jacob’s going-away party, and it was a perfect opportunity to do a full test of the Crazybooth! And it was really, really fun. We loved it! But we’ll miss you Kelly and Jacob!

To see all the pics from last night, click here.

Graham and Rhea Get Funky at the Garver Feed Mill

2009-04-27T11:50:00.001-06:00

Graham and Rhea are tight, and it shows in their photos. You guys make it easy for us, seriously! This engagement session went down at the Garver Feed Mill in Madison, right by Olbrich Gardens. We love its urban decay vibe, which will be changing pretty soon when they renovate it and make it into an arts incubator. Which may well house Graham and Rhea’s studio, since they’re both artists!

A new tradition: The Signing Portrait

2009-04-21T12:04:00.001-06:00

Kristin and Joe are the latest clients to join the Yonda Photo family, and they helped us inaugurate a new tradition: The Signing Portrait! The idea is, when we sign contracts, to stage a formal photo something like you might see in the newspaper when official treaties or bills are signed. Like when Bill Clinton signed the Kyoto Protocol, or when France sold Lousiana to the U.S. As we do more of these, we'd like to expand on the concept, so feel free to bring over your coonskin cap, your power-suit, or your 3-foot pencil if you know you're going to book us! And of course, there is no obligation to pose for the portrait--only do it if it sounds like fun to you!

Kristin and Joe--thank you so much! You were great sports, and we can't wait to take more pictures with you!

Matt and Abby at the Capitol

2009-04-17T12:46:00.001-06:00

We were glad things have warmed up a bit since Matt and Abby’s February engagement session! We were even able to spend a little time outside! Their wedding was in the assembly chambers in the capitol, a pretty cool and historic spot. Their dance was awesome—they were both on the dance floor the whole night, whooping it up, which goes a long way towards getting everybody else out there, too. They really had a great vibe the whole day, they worked as a team and kept cool—I admire you two!

This is the kind of room you get to hang out in before the ceremony when you get married at the Capitol!

Check out this stunning parlor where Matt and Abby had their first meeting.

Ye Olde Assembly Chambres.

Stephanie and Omar in D-Town

2009-03-31T18:16:00.001-06:00

Jennifer was actually a bridesmaid in her friend Stephanie’s wedding, so I brought my camera along for fun. It was pretty sweet just being able to hang out and enjoy a wedding with no pressure! It was a beautiful ceremony and reception at this incredible place called the Aldridge House in Dallas, TX (Jennifer’s hometown). Unfortunately we brought winter with us, so it was unusually cold—Sorry, Stephanie and Omar!

The rehearsal dinner—awesome Mexican food!

The always impressive Aldridge House.

There was something of a bubble blowing contest after Steph and Omar left. I think Trey won with his fire-breathing bubble-blowing style!

Matt and Abby at the UW

2009-02-27T13:58:00.001-06:00

Matt and Abby performed beautifully, despite the bitter weather on Sunday. Whose idea was it, anyway, to have an engagement shoot in February in Wisconsin?? Probably mine. Well, thanks guys, you were excellent sports, and extremely cute to boot!

WPPI in Las Vegas, no less!

2009-02-19T10:33:00.000-06:00

I just got back from a week in Las Vegas at the Wedding and Portrait Photographer International convention. What a trip! I took about 20 seminars on topics ranging from business to lighting to random anecdotes from photo shoots. There was a massive trade show which took me 15 hours over 3 days just to get through! It was intense! I learned a ton, though, and I got some good research done on some new products we will be offering soon.

I just love cloud shots, what can I say?

The MGM Grand, where it all went down. I’m standing outside a conference room, looking over at the hotel. The tunnel from the hotel to the convention is hidden behind the foliage here. I checked once and it was an 11 minute walk from my room to the convention!

The teeming hordes, about to break down the doors of the trade show if it doesn’t open soon!

This is me with my idol Laura Novak, who gave an awesome lecture.

Here’s another guy I really look up to, Australia’s most famous wedding photographer, Jerry Ghionis. He’s hilarious, and a really awesome photographer.

So the MGM Grand had a lion habitat, of course—it’s Vegas! The lions slept a lot on top of a glass-covered walkway, and in this shot you can see a trainer sleeping *with the lions.* He would scratch the lion’s head and the lion would nuzzle his face a little closer, right on top of the trainer’s head!

This is the view of *half* of the hallway I had to walk down to get to the elevators from my room.

More airplane shots! This is downtown Las Vegas.

Fun with escalators during my layover in Dallas.

A fun shot of the isthmus in Madison.

Say yah to da U.P, eh!

2009-01-19T22:14:00.005-06:00

Our friends Aaron and Kristen live on 40 awesome acres in the middle of Michigan’s U.P. (which should be Wisconsin’s U.P., in our opinion). We visited them at long last (it’s been two years since we made it up there) and we loved it as always. Their house is well along the path to being fixer-uppered, thanks to Aaron’s tireless effort/infatuation with the house. They were gracious hosts and we had some excellent venison pot pie and cross-country skiing!

Jennifer and I, photographed by Aaron Peterson, who happens to a photographer himself!

Is this the moon, or Lake Michigan, I ask!

This is a 360-degree panorama of the shore of Lake Michigan. It looks like an island due to the panorama effect. . . Click here to see a bigger version, which it really deserves.

Madison Wedding Planner and Guide Show Results

2009-01-12T19:51:00.002-06:00

Like, wow, everybody! Our first Madison Wedding Planner and Guide show went awesome! I was nervous at first—nobody really walked down our aisle in the first half-hour, and then the first person who asked us about our available dates was looking for the only date we had already booked this summer. But then it picked up, and by the end of the weekend we had 4 signed contracts and a bunch of leads! We LOVE bridal fairs!

This is our booth when I arrived on Friday to set it up. The first thing I did was get rid of the 8-foot skirted table and two black chairs. (Photo is with my cellphone, photos below by Rhea Vedro)

This is Jennifer and me in our booth. It doesn’t necessarily come naturally to us to call out to passing brides and grooms to get their attention, so it helped that people were drawn to our comfy green couch.

For all you aspiring photographers out there, I’ll let you in on our secret: Peanut M&M's! I’ve always said you can’t have a bad party as long as you have peanut M&M's, and this party rocked, y’all! C ya next year!

Mt. Horeb excursion to Debbie and Bret's

2008-10-14T14:23:00.000-06:00

Had a fun family shoot in Mt. Horeb with Debbie and Bret and Bret’s children the other day. The kids were cute, asking if they could help by carrying a reflector or my camera bag. Afterwards I was buying a brat from the Boy Scouts at a street festival that happened to be taking place and I ran into Victoria and Joe, oddly enough! It was a fun day—can’t wait for your wedding next week Debbie and Bret!

Angie and Aaron get hitched in the Dells of Wisconsin

2008-10-06T21:07:00.000-06:00

Fun times were had at Angie and Aaron’s wedding in Wisconsin Dells, tell you what! It was our first time at the Wintergreen, and it’s a cool place. Talk about kids—there were over 40 under-5-year-olds at this wedding! And another one was imminent: the maid of honor was actually due the day *before* the wedding. She hung in there all day, and was even out on the dance floor half the night! Thanks for a great time, Angie and Aaron.

Badass wedding party—‘nuff said!

Leaning on a polar bear in the lobby. Didn’t I say the Wintergreen was cool?

Aaron’s Zoolander imitation.

A fun detail I shot while Jennifer was arranging the adults.

Good times with Mike and Anya

2008-09-22T15:35:00.000-06:00

We had a super-fun engagement shoot with Mike and Anya the other day. We went to Mickey’s Bar, where they had their first date, which coincidentally is where Jennifer and I got engaged. This bar is the love connection, apparently! We are truly excited for your wedding, Mike and Anya!

A beautiful day in Madison

2008-09-03T21:56:00.003-06:00

We had bunches of fun at Amber and Chris’s nuptials on Sunday! Their ceremony was beautiful and jovial (at the Allen Centennial Gardens). We love their sense of humor and had fun hanging out with them. We found ourselves staying a little longer than we had to at the reception because we were just enjoying it. Maybe it’s also related to the fact that this was our first gig since our own wedding? In any case, Chris and Amber were very sweet and thoughtful—thank you both for a great day!

The Allen Centennial Gardens.

Chris’s nephew, I believe. This was his parasol.

The father of the bride.

A happy moment in the middle of formals.

The wedding party.

Chris rides a hog so of course he had a boss Harley cake!

I like this shot of the happy couple chatting with strangers outside the Masonic Center.

Removing the top tier of the cake was like a brain surgery, due to the hidden dowel within! The cake, by the way, was absolutely deliciously wonderful. Amber and Chris, if you want some company on your first anniversary, we’re available!

Chris encounters some unexpected items in his quest for the garter!?

Our honeymoon in Belize

2008-08-27T19:26:00.001-06:00

It’s hard to believe we’re already back from our honeymoon—time flies! Our wedding went off well, we don’t have any photos yet (how strange to be on the other end for once!), but we do have some honeymoon pics for you. We went to Placencia, Belize, and had a great time, tell you what. It’s good to be back home in Madison, though!

A rare shot of Madison at dawn—what luck!

Looking down on the Belize countryside from our little 7-seater puddle-jumper.

Jennifer relaxing poolside at Francis Ford Coppola’s Turtle Inn. Thatch huts are cool.

The thing about thatch huts, though, is that lizards can run right through your ceiling all day and night! We figure they take care of the bugs, so it’s all good.

This place actually exists—it’s not just a cliché!

Our jungle tour guide Raymond used his machete to tease out a crab so we could pet it.

A bamboo stand.

Notice anything on this termite mound? Like, say, a tarantula??

A beautiful, if weedy, sea.

This will go perfectly in my “Trees at Night” book.

Full moon rising over the Caribbean.

Heading home, so soon! You almost can’t tell where the sea ends and the sky begins. We’ll miss you, Placencia!

Things are getting exciting!

2008-08-04T20:06:00.000-06:00

We’re getting married on Saturday! We visited Fountain Prairie Farm, where our ceremony is taking place, and it’s looking beautiful! They have a few hundred acres of restored prairie and wetland and they’re going to mow us a little circle overlooking it all. Check out their adorable highland cattle!

The prairie is looking so gorgeous right now.

Jill and Michael, what a pair!

2008-07-20T22:45:00.000-06:00

We had an excellent time hanging out and taking pictures with Jill, Mike, and their family and friends yesterday. St. James Church was sweltering but beautiful, and the dancing at the reception was like we’ve never seen before. Jennifer and I can only hope that our wedding guests (we’re getting married in three weeks) will party half as hearty as those folks! Thanks for the good times, Jill and Mike!

We took advantage of the fact that the guys got ready in the church’s schoolroom.

There must have been dozens of weddings in Madison this day, because there was a line of wedding parties waiting for our spot on the stairs at the Capitol! We played it cool and got some great shots, and there were no blows exchanged!

Inspired by “The Sound of Music”, I believe.

Fun times at the Dane County Fair!

2008-07-18T22:38:00.000-06:00

We checked out the Dane County Fair with some friends tonight and snapped a few pictures. Tomorrow: Jill and Michael’s wedding!

First up: A triptych of headshots from the barn.

Dang, I cut off this unicorn’s horn—sorry!

This is an actual living creature, if you were wondering.

The carnie running this stand was extra-creepy, so he had zero customers. He was calling out “You know you want it ladies! The real thing’s better!” How does that relate to the “Water Gun Fun” stand?!

Congrats Victoria and Joe!

2008-07-07T23:14:00.000-06:00

Jennifer and I paid close attention to the events of the day because we are getting married ourselves in 5 weeks, and we want to know exactly what works and what, well, results in confetti underneath every inch of your clothing. No worries—everything worked out for the best!

I still marvel at what a privilege it is to be a wedding photographer. Imagine—the newlyweds walk into a room for a few minutes alone immediately after the ceremony. Alone except for me, the photographer, who follows them in (as planned, of course!) to capture some beautiful, intimate moments. Then I hop in the limo with them and their personal assistant to ride to the reception. Too cool! I try to be as respectful as I can and appreciate the place the bride and groom have allowed me to take on their special day. Thanks Victoria and Joe!

The flower girl was definitely a free spirit!

Two mothers (or is it two mothers-in-law?)

Victoria and (mostly) Joe were big Star Wars and Star Trek fans, thus they have the Romulan Ale Table. Everyone was served light blue drinks. Joe was thrilled to find out that my brother is Chad Vader and that I made the music for the Chad Vader series! Bonus!

The happy couple had to go to the hotel after this to get all the confetti out of their clothes. Note to self: do not let children under 12 throw confetti on you, because they may actually just dump it down your neck!

Victoria and Joe were up for anything, and had a lot of ideas. We’re way into that!

Likely Stories

2008-07-06T22:53:00.000-06:00

We did a shoot last Thursday for Likely Stories , our favorite local acoustic eclectic trio! They have a new cd in the bag and they were in need of a picture for the cover. They were pretty wacky, but serious--right up our alley! Hopefully the owners of these community garden plots don’t mind that we incorporated their wheelbarrow and shovel!

Nancy Rost: A cool dude in a smooth mood.

Instruments as flowers. . .

What fertile imaginations!

You reap what you sow?

Also, for those who are into it, check out my first animated GIF! It's the band swatting away mosquitoes as we try to get a shot laying on the ground.

On the Farm

2008-07-02T07:27:00.001-06:00

Jennifer and I are doing a work-share at Vermont Valley Community Farm, where we volunteer 4 hours every other week and get a box of fresh, local, organic veggies in return. Nice! I took a few shots while we were picking strawberries this week:

You’re supposed to ignore this dog, otherwise it will never leave and end up rolling on your strawberry patch. But it’s extremely adorable, unfortunately!

The cooler, where the strawberries are held after picking.

Jennifer: Workin’ hard, or hardly workin’, or workly hardin’?

Barb, the farm owner.

In other great news, Jennifer and I found our wedding rings not long after these pictures were taken! (We’re getting married August 9th) We were visiting our wedding photographer (an interesting experience, as wedding photographers ourselves), and she told us to check out the local town, Cedarburg. We happened across an awesome shop called “Nouveau Antique” which had perfect rings for both of us. It didn’t occur to us to take pictures—we were too excited!

Sheena and Pat Get Hitched!

2008-06-25T15:08:00.001-06:00

Hello! Our first entry on our new blog, and what a doozy it promises to be! We shot Sheena and Pat's wedding on Saturday and had a blast. We've never had so many photo opportunities or shot so many photos (1836!)

The DJ (Russ from Music For You) had so many exciting activities, it was wild. He had Sheena and Pat run around to every table in the span of 3 minutes so we could get table shots of them with every single person there. If you're going to do table shots, that's the way to do it!

Not long after that, he had every single person in the place shaking their booty on the dance floor. Seriously, 100% of attendees were dancing! See below for a sampling of sassy pics.

Congrats Sheena-Marie and Patrick!