Rain Rain Go Away-The Yonan family
Rain Rain Go Away.
On an otherwise, almost mild, late October day, I had the pleasure of meeting this photogenic family, the Yonan's.
Meeting them and photographing them was the easy part.
Finding a place to do so? Not so easy.
As with all my clients, location is determined well in advance of the session. It is very much a custom location based on the client's vision, with me giving input as to places I feel might work.
Plan A
In the case of the Yonan family, mom Regina decided on the Osaka Garden in Chicago. I was super excited about the spot since I had never photographed there before.
But then the rains came.
Plans had to be changed on a dime or we would have to reschedule.
Plan B
So we decided on the atrium at Harold Washington Library.
Only when I got there early to scout the new location I found the top floor was off limits due to a wedding.
Plan C
How about the Chicago Institute of Art?
I raced over on foot to the museum while the Yonan's were en route.
Arriving there I found long lines, high entrance fees and worse of all-- no inside flash was allowed. Sort of rough when you have a dark rainy day dimming the light in an interior location.
Plan D
I exited the Art Institute quickly and jumped into the Yonan's vehicle, just as they were pulling up.
What to do now??
Thinking fast I realized we were right around the corner from one of my favorite shooting spots. Lurie Garden.
The rain had considerably ebbed. So we decided to go for it.
Once we arrived the rain miraculously stopped. The city skyline was covered in fog but the beautiful fall colors were definitely on display and now was our chance to take advantage of the awesome backdrop.
And so Plan D it was!!
Thank you to the Yonan family for being up for the adventure that our session date turned in to!
At the end we got beautiful photos which made for our very happy ending, and that is truly all that matters :)
Much love to the beautiful Yonan family. I hope to see them again and again.
Nine year old Lyda was a picture perfect little model from moment one!
And though it took 3 year old Luca a minute to warm up to me, he didn't waste anytime once he was ready to go. His true personality came shining through again and again.
The true character of ministry is a servant's heart.
The true character of ministry is a servant's heart.
Kellie Kelly is preparing to graduate from a 5 year program that will see her becoming a Unitarian Universalist Minister.
UU members are multifaith,(including many atheists and humanists)and radically progressive, advocating rights for LGBTQ, women, immigrants, Muslims, and people of color.
What a wonderful concept when it comes to acceptance!
While I had never heard of this ministry I was very intrigued by it.
(I am including a link at the end of this blog post if you are intrigued as well!).
Kellie and her son Matt, who is about to turn 12, joined me on a brisk day in October at Whihala Beach in Whiting, Indiana.
By this time, I already felt I knew Kellie from our correspondence, so I was excited to finally meet her and her son Matt in person.
She and Matt did not disappoint and were both lots of fun to work with.
Congratulations to Kellie on her upcoming graduation and to Matt on his last birthday before he officially becomes a teen next year!
May their future be as bright as their faith!
https://www.uua.org/
Long Lost Love Reunited
Long Lost Love Reunited
Thirty three years ago, at the tender age of 12 and 13, Angela and Fred met at his Pop Warner football game.
Young love ensued and would last for the next two years.
Then one day Angela's step father abruptly announced they were moving and they were moving right then.
Angela did not even have time to tell Fred she was leaving.
With no ability to control it, she simply disappeared on the unsuspecting 15 year old Fred, seemingly without a trace.
Over the years they never forgot each other .
But life goes on and both would go on to marry others and have children.
Coincidentally, each would have 3 children, and between the two of them, six grandchildren.
Fast forward 33 years into the future and the advent of social media and shared friends from past lives...and the plot would thicken.
Angela discovers one of her Facebook friends is also friends with the boy that gave her, her very first kiss and her first marriage proposal.
Angela had finally found Fred again.
Not a big social media guy, it took Fred two months to see Angela's friend request and accept it.
But from there they arranged a meeting and the rest, as they say, is history.
I have to admit I love 'long lost love reunited' stories!!!
I am so happy for these two. I know their time apart has only made their reunion all the more sweet.
May the next 33 years find you together and just as in love as you were all those years ago and as you are today.
Eternal love and best wishes to you both, Nancy Roxanne
Blood makes you related. Loyalty makes you family.
Blood makes you related. Loyalty makes you family.
So on what may have been one of the last really nice weekends of the year, I met with Coty and Stephanie and their 3 children at the Wasem Fruit Farm in Milan, Michigan.
I may never do another family session again that does not involve some type of activity to keep the interest of multiple children! It worked out so incredibly well that I had the hardest time choosing which of their many awesome photos to post. I tend to have that problem a lot lol!
Coty and Stephanie were a hoot. Coty is definitely the teasing protagonist in their relationship and Stephanie's love for him and his antics were very apparent.
They are so adorable!
Then there were the children.
Jade
Micah
and Xavier.
Jade, age 9, very much possesses all the wisdom and solemnity of the oldest child.
She also harbors a deep love for Five Nights at Freddy's toys.
When I was her age I loved to read Edgar Alan Poe and watch Frankenstein movies so I definitely love a child with a dark side lol!
And since I was also the oldest child in my household I could really relate to beautiful little Ms. Jade.
Then there was sweet sweet Micah. I'd be lying if I said I grew weary of photographing her adorable and perfect 6 year old face.
Between her exuberant personality and the sprinkling of glorious freckles across her little nose I was in photographic heaven.
Of course we can't forget the little man. Three year old Xavier. Lover of all things that go zoom.
At the last minute I had thrown a little airplane and pilot hat into my bag. The images that resulted from the combination of boy meets toy are so perfect and endearing I could cry.
Thanks so much to this awesome family for letting me document a moment in their lives. May you always be as happy as you are now.
Much love, Nancy.
And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul
And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.
This past July, on the 28th of the month, Eric Kinney proposed to his girlfriend Brianna Kalmbach, 6 years to the day of their first date. On that same date next summer, July 28th 2018, he will make Brianna Kalmbach his wife.
I. Love. That.
Since Eric popped the big question while he and Brianna were out camping, it seemed perfect to Brianna that they should head back into nature and the forest when it came time to take their engagement photos.
Finding both woods and beauty in nearby Nichols Arboretum in Ann Arbor, we had a perfect day in the warm 70's surrounded by the burgeoning Autumn colors.
And making it all the more perfect was when I found both Brianna and Eric to possess the kind of infectious carefree smiles that make my job oh-so easy.
So while we communed with nature and each other, I captured their relaxed natural style as well as their love for one another.
Brianna is a fellow artist and Eric is a musician/drummer, like my own fiance, so we had lots to gab about.
And let it be stated here and now, that in my own personal experience, if anyone can live in a small space with another person AND their drum kit and manage not to kill him or others, then they are surely a match made in creative heaven :D
I wish Eric and Brianna all the best on their upcoming wedding and in the next phase of their lives.
Much love to you both!
