Happy 1st Birthday

I can't tell you how much fun I had planning and shooting this 1st birthday session! Although I don't think this little beauty enjoyed it nearly as much as I did. I can see a few tears in the pictures even after she stopped crying. She was a trooper though, and we got some great smiles. She really smiled when Mom gave her cheese instead of cake. Those taste buds will serve her well when she gets older. And that just means more cake for the rest of us!

These pictures will make a 5x5 press printed card on linen paper. They are posted in the order from front cover, inside, and back. The two little pictures will make a "play date reminder" card that this princess can give to her friends so they don't miss a social gathering. Enjoy!

Abby and Greg's Wedding

I had the priviledge of photographing Abby and Greg's wedding yesterday. I was so excited about their wedding that I woke up at 6:15 thinking about the images that I wanted to get. Then I went to bed last night thinking about their pictures. Then I woke up at 5:15 this morning thinking about their pictures. (Do you think I'm obsessed with photography?) They are such a fun couple, and their love for one another is evident in their eyes. Abby, of course, was beautiful with her elegant dress and bouquet. I got tears in my eyes looking at a few of her pictures today. The entire day was wonderful, and the details were well planned.

Here's a sneak peak at some of their images. The entire wedding party endured the heat, humidity, and bright sun quite well. As I'm always looking for the "bright side" of things, we got some amazing backlighting in several pictures even though we got squinting in others. The rest of the pictures will be posted on my website http://www.haleyphotography.com/ in about 2-3 weeks. Click on the View & Order tab then click on Greg & Abby under Weddings.

Drill Team "Under Construction" Collage

This collage was created for the "under construction" decorating theme at drill team camp. It may actually be too small to see here. Even though the girls were not happy about having their pictures taken after a long, hard practice, they had fun making silly faces. I put them in a construction collage, and the girls and parents who have seen it really enjoy it. The printed version has the girls' names under their pictures.

Chicago

I went to the windy city a few days ago and actually left my camera at home. I wanted to travel light and thought that I could be without it for a few days. Of course, I had camera withdrawal as soon as I got on the "L" and headed downtown. My brain works in a way that is always looking at things with an end picture in mind. As soon as I arrived at the hotel, I bought a disposable camera. Of course, the quality of the pictures is horrible, but at least I have some. Maybe I should seek therapy.

I had a great time visiting with my brother. He took me to Millenium Park where I photographed "The Bean". It is an amazing piece of art. The reflections of the clouds and buildings are very cool. The distorted picture is what you see when you walk underneath "The Bean".

Wedding in Pella, IA

I had the priviledge to help another photographer, Jenae Winebrenner of Imij Photography http://www.imijfoto.com/, shoot a wedding in Pella, IA. It is a quaint little town, and is the home of Pella Windows. We had a great time shooting the wedding. The bride was radiant, and the flower girls were adorable! The reception was outside in the little downtown area. The picture of the bride and bridesmaids was taken on the bridge where the groom proposed. It was so romantic! Check out a few of my favorite shots.

Of course the best ones are those that Jenae took of me trying to get the perfect shot of the church steeple with the church sign and the windmill shot. After the reception, Jenae and I stopped to take more pictures of the windmill in the evening lighting. I was lying on the sidewalk trying to get an unusual angle of the windmill when two guests from the wedding came around the corner. They said they were about to call 911, and then they realized that I was on the ground by choice.

Incredible Senior Pictures

I had a great time with this senior, her best friend, and then 10 of her other friends. It is so fun to see the energy and the relationships between these friends. They had some very creative ideas for pictures. I wish that I could show them all to you here. Enjoy!