WMU Theatre - The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Sometimes I get to do really cool things for Western Michigan University, like photographing their theatre performances. The clothing and scenic designs are created by the students and both are stunning. For me, this type of work is similar to photographing weddings because It’s fast paced, challenging to capture, and you only get one chance to get the shot.

This is from their recent performance of “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” written by Jethro Compton and based on the short story by Dorothy M. Johnson.

Rena + Gabriel Southwest Michigan Winter Engagement Photos

Rena & Gabriel froze their butts off with me on this shoot! We started at Milham Park in Kalamazoo, which is basically a photographers playground. After playing around for a while in the park, and taking warm up breaks in the car, we drove out to her Mother-In-Law’s house in Marcellus, MI where we took advantage of some beautiful pines, a stream, and an old shed. Looking forward to their wedding in July!

Kellen's Maternity Photos

Kellen and I had a small window of opportunity to take some maternity photos out at my parents property in Plainwell yesterday. With our first pregnancy, we waited to find out the gender until our little Luellen arrived and we enjoyed the surprise so much that we’ve decided to do it again. We’re really excited to find out who’s in there! I was only allowed to release a few but here they are…

Elaina + Jon's South Haven Winter Engagement Session

Jon proposed to Elaina on the beaches of South Haven so we thought it would be a great location for their engagement photos. It was chilly and totally worth it! Winter transforms the beach and pier into a magical frozen wonderland, scroll down and check it out! I’m so grateful to be able to make a living as a photographer, I love being able to create something special like this for awesome people like Elaina and Jon. I look forward to photographing their wedding in Kalamazoo this summer!

Candiance + Allyn's Michigan Winter Engagement Session

Wow! It was absolutely freezing during this engagement session, but these two didn’t let that keep them from having a blast! One of the best problems to have on a shoot is when you have a hard time getting photos of them not cracking up! I couldn’t help but to smile along with them as I edited the images from this day. Candiance and Allyn were quite refreshing to work with and I really look forward to capturing their wedding day in August at Res-Les Farms in Southwest Michigan.

Thomas + Bronwyn's Loft 310 Wedding

Thomas & Bronwyn closed out 2018 in style! They were married on December 29th downtown Kalamazoo at Loft 310. I knew they were going to be a blast to work with when I got a glimpse of their family and crew during their rehearsal dinner which was held at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo, complete with square dancing to wrap up the evening! After getting ready at the Radisson Hotel the next morning, we staged Thomas and Bronwyn on the Skydeck for a first look. Following a wonderful ceremony, their guests certainly didn’t disappoint on the dance floor! At the end of the evening, a flurry of snow added the perfect touch to one more rooftop photo opportunity.

Natalie + Bill's Kalamazoo Wedding Reception

Natalie & Bill were married in Panama City Beach, Florida back on May 8, 2018. I wasn’t able to go with them to photograph the ceremony but I did have the honor of capturing their wedding reception which was held on December 8, 2018 at the Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan in Kalamazoo. Here’s just a few highlights from the evening. Congrats you two!

Erin + Joe's Chicago Engagement Session

I met Erin and Joe at their apartment in Chicago for an indoor lifestyle engagement shoot. I don’t have a lot of experience with indoor lifestyle photography so I really enjoyed the challenge and I REALLY like the results! We ended up chasing down the last of the daylight outside with some beautiful lighting and a great cityscape in the background. These two are getting married next August at the MillCreek Wilde Barn in Watervliet, MI.

Paige + Jake's Grand Rapids Engagement Photo Highlights

I met up with Paige and Jake last weekend for their engagement photos in Grand Rapids. We started out at the steps of the Grand Rapids Public Library then headed over to the Fountain Street Church. We spent a little time at the GRAM, Rosa Parks Circle, and the Amway Grand, then crossed the Grand River to the Gerald R. Ford Museum. I had a bit of a drone malfunction (worn out lightening cable) so I’m a little bummed we didn’t get a cool shot on the bridge but we ended up with some great material from the ground level.

These two are getting married next October at The Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo. Check out a few highlights from their engagement session.

Sara + Kevin's Southwest Michigan Winter Engagement Photos

Sara & Kevin met up with me for their engagement photos at Milham Park in Kalamazoo after the first good snow fall in Southwest Michigan a couple weeks ago. It gets a little cold but I love winter sessions like this! These two are getting married next October. Here’s a few highlights from the session. Congrats you two!