Joanna Kleine Photography Inc.

Wait, it's AUGUST?!

2011-08-02T15:28:00.000-05:00

Hi friends. Yes I know it's August. Yes I know I haven't posted since November. Here's a run-down of my life: I'm a mom of 2.5 year old twins who are not yet in school. I guess I really don't need to say much more than that, but I know my fellow mommy-photographer friends with small kiddos can empathize with the sentiment that, well, there's just not enough time. For anything. I'm up until 3am a lot of nights, just keeping up with editing and email. I am still arm/knee/neck deep in all sorts of toddler-ness, all of which I'll leave to your imagination. Word World has saved my sanity. And I won't as freely admit that...yes... so has... Barney. SHHHH. Again, it's August. It hasn't been less than 95 degrees in St. Louis in, what, 40 days? That means that we're stuck indoors. Anyone who has ever been around small children that are stuck indoors can feel me on this one. We're all teetering on the brink here. That being said, I seriously could not be happier. I have a rich, beautiful, fulfilling life, even if it is sheer chaos. I don't blog enough. Editing is not being done fast enough for anyone's taste. Neither is the web-design for my new site. Neither is correspondence. Neither is getting photos out to vendors. Neither is album design. I'm not hanging out with my awesome industry friends and peers enough, and anyone who knows me knows I love a good time with awesome industry friends and peers. Here's the thing though. It's okay. All of the afore mentioned will speed up, in a matter of just a couple of months, because my two sweet little babies will be starting preschool. I will be back up to speed with everything business related, and I will be a lot calmer, and no one will have to wait on me, and there will be balance. BUT. I will be facing the first of those heartbreaking/warming scenarios that moms are forced to face... someone ELSE being in charge of taking care of my babies. Making sure they're safe. Making sure they're happy. Making sure they laugh enough. Making sure they're kind and loving. Making sure they eat their carrots. Making sure that Ollie doesn't actually throw up on anyone and that hopefully he hits a hard floor surface and not carpet. This is all very, very scary. I will be thrust back into having the time to have the professional life that my photography and my business deserves. I will have a neater, cleaner house. I'll cook more nights. I'll email and make phone calls in a timely manner. I won't be pulling my hair out because of the mere sight of my editing list. I'll remember to submit sales tax on time. However. My life, for the past 2.5 years, has consisted of being needed. And more recently, as they've just grown into their little personalities that much more... being wanted. Being mommy. It's all happening so fast. Too fast. I know I'll be fine, I know they'll thrive - God knows they're READY for it. The balance will be incredible and I know I'LL thrive, my business with thrive... but it's moments like these, where it's 100 degrees out and we're all forced to snuggle on the couch, new Word World episode playing, cold sippy cups of milk in hand, Pup-Pup, Ziggy and Tito all clutched, heels digging into my shins and hips, huggies and kisses abound.... I'm just trying to embrace it, breathe it in, remember it. Hopefully through the beautiful photos that I have taken and will continue to take of them, I'll be able to relive even a fraction of their sweetness, innocence, hilarity... when they're both 15. Happy summer friends, I hope your lives are filled with as much joy as is mine.

Fa-la-la-la-laaaa!

2010-11-29T01:18:00.000-06:00

I'm a sucker for a cool holiday card. I love getting them in the mail, I love designing and sending them... I feel like it is just an awesome way to drop a little pick me up in the mail for your loved ones, snail mail style. I take inventory of all the cards I receive, and I look at them for week. They make me smile. And I hope the ones I send make people smile. I've always wanted to offer holiday cards through Joanna Kleine Photography, so I'm excited to announce that I'm doing just that now! Please let me know if you're interested in having me design your holiday cards this year, so you can send out some smiles too. :) You can view my samples that are available to choose from by going to my JKP Facebook page, and email me with any questions! Thanks and I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded with lots of love and laughter! Now let's get our holidays-on!

The Hengehold Family!

2010-11-01T17:34:00.000-05:00

I feel so lucky when I get the opportunity to work with past brides and grooms again, especially when it is to photograph them with their new families. Rebecca and Mike were married in September of 2007 and recently welcomed their new baby boy, Brendan, into their family. He is a handsome, fiery little guy who I'm fairly sure could have cared less about having his 'close up time.' Still I feel like with the help of the gorgeous Longview Farm Park at just the right time of the evening, we were able to get some pretty great images. I hope you love them Mike and Becky and I'll look forward to seeing you and Brendan again some time soon! Congratulations!

Sommer's Senior Portraits?!

2010-10-20T18:52:00.000-05:00

It's still amazing to me as I sit here and write this post that I just photographed Sommer's senior portaits, I've literally known her since she was less than one year old. Her dad, Rick, and my stepdad Joe, who passed away from brain cancer in early 2004, were best friends. The Hachmann family owns a special place in my heart and are very near and dear friends of mine and Kristian's. I was honored when Sommer asked me to photograph her recently, and so glad that she was so comfortable with me. I was taken aback a little bit when I was photographing her, amazed at how much of a beautiful, intelligent and determined young woman she had become. She has been a little girl in my eyes for so very long, along with her younger sister Courtney, and I feel blessed to be in their lives still as they both enter new chapters in their lives - Sommer is off to college and Courtney starting high school. I know the future holds many great memories that have yet to be made with both of our families, including this coming weekend when we'll celebrate a new chapter in my mom's life - marrying her long time friend Harry! Welcome to the family Harry and Sommer I hope you love your photos, I loved taking them. Thanks for spending the time with me, I know you're a busy lady. :)

My gorgeous niece Gretchen, and my beautiful kiddos Ollie and Raya came along to hang out with us too! (And "Rainbow" the bear of course.)

Ollie!

Raya!

Maybe my favorite from the shoot...

Okay no maybe this one...

The Grace Family!

2010-09-29T16:51:00.000-05:00

If I know anything about two year olds, it's that they're on.the.move. :) This little sweetheart was no exception. Christian and her mommy, Tenesha and daddy, Julian, and new baby brother (still in Tenesha's belly) came to Oak Knoll last week for a photo session to celebrate themselves as a family. For those of you who have scheduled time with me in October for my Portraitpalooza dates and haven't seen Oak Knoll before, here it is! I love this park and I had a great time with this family, Christian had me cracking up the whole time! I hope you enjoy the sneak peek and I'll look forward to seeing everyone soon at Portraipalooza! Take care until then and give everyone you love lots of hugs and kisses!

Zoey and Maxwell!

2010-09-29T16:33:00.000-05:00

If I know anything about 2 year olds, it's that they're on.the.move. Which is just fine for me, because I get to chase them around and photograph doing what they do, and they don't really care too much about me, which is what I'm going for. I had the pleasure to photograph a very handsome two year old, Maxwell, and his beautiful brand new baby sister Zoey just this past month. Thanks to mommy Alison and daddy Josh for asking me to come to their new home (they just moved here from Baltimore) and document a little slice of their life, I hope you love the images and congratulations again on everything! I'll look forward to seeing everyone soon and seeing how Max and Zoey have grown! Welcome to St. Louis! You've come to a great place!

Max was glad to have his cousin in town visiting!

Congratulations, Emily and Matt!

2010-09-08T12:33:00.016-05:00

As you may know, I am infamous for shooting a lot. I mean, really, a lot. The gorgeousness of Emily and Matt's wedding did not remedy the situation one bit. And adding Kelly Park to the mix as a 2nd shooter didn't help things either. I won't even give you a number of how many images I came home with after the 10 hour day. My philosophy has always been "it's better to have it and not need it," and I really hope in this case that Emily and Matt agree that I, well, "got it." :) Their wedding was impeccably planned by both Emily and her mother and by Jen Goedeker Biswell, owner of Soiree St. Louis. The beautiful floral design was created by Jane Winter of Wildflowers, and I was especially partial since I love purple. The event was elegant, the outdoor ceremony at Meadowbrook Country Club went off flawlessly, and I was blessed by amazing light really all day. I hope you enjoy viewing the photos from their joyful day, and again congratulations to them!

I'm Baaaaaack!

2010-09-01T00:06:00.038-05:00

Well hello there. Did you miss me? I missed you. No, really, I did. This past year and a half with the twins has been incredible, nerve wracking, amazing, stressful and the biggest blessing to our lives than either myself or Kristian could have imagined. Of course there never seems to be enough hours in the day, and I often find myself happy to make merely one check mark on the old ToDo list(s). However, I've been surprised at how natural it all feels, and how (relatively) smooth everything has gone thus far, what with being a "stay-at-home" mom of twins who runs a photography business and all... I'm very excited about this fall and the 2011 wedding season, I'm definitely back in the saddle and feel strong in my shooting and in my role as mommy. I could not be more grateful for the abundant blessings that fill my world and for the beautiful people that surround me that I get to call my family. My future's so bright I gotta wear shades. :)

And while we're talking about beautiful families, let me get into this post. Meet the Hryszko's. Melissa and Rob are the mamma and daddy, and Weston and Myles are the two gorgeous boys. I have known Mel and Rob since 2004, when I photographed their wedding in Springfield, MO. There wedding has always had a special place in my heart, since it was the very first wedding I shot as Joanna Kleine Photography. I literally fell in love with Mel pretty much from the first phone call, and I'm not exaggerating. We talked, and talked and talked... and then it was official when I went down to shoot their wedding weekend and witnessed her in action - from her interaction with her family (who are one of the most boisterous and loving groups of people I've ever been lucky enough to be welcomed into), to her impeccable eye for detail, to the way she embraced her wedding - a day where she was truly a stunning bride. I don't have to tell you, check her out:

See? I told you. And here are a few more from her wedding, for grins. :)

Pretty, eh? Well, fast forward to July 2010 and the Hryszko family has grown from two to four, with the addition of their two sons, Weston (4) and Myles (2). Melissa and I have been trying to get together ever since her and Rob's wedding, and we finally were able to make it happen while her family was spending time down at their cabin at Tablerock Lake for the summer. It's a little bit of a drive from St. Louis, but since they live in Calgary the rest of the year, and I love to drive, I invited myself down. I was dying to meet these two handsome boys in person, considering I felt like I already knew them through Mel's photos... And it was great to get some time in (even though it wasn't enough) with Melissa and Rob. Anyhow, here are some of my favorites from the weekend, I hope you enjoy them and can't wait until next summer to post the next installment. :)

Kids on the brain!

2008-12-10T13:03:00.003-06:00

Hi everybody! I hope you're all happy and well while reading this. I seriously cannot believe that it is December already! Things have been going really well for me and my family and the business, and although I am glad to get a "break" (I'm off from shooting until April) for the winter season as the wedding season has come to a close and I sit anxiously awaiting my twins, I am already amped up for a fabulous shooting season next year. I have some really fun wedding clients lined up for the season, and I have plans to work with Jon Koch on a lot of his weddings next season as well! I love 2nd shooting for him, it gives me a chance to be really creative and not have all of the responsibility of the principal shooter... Think about how stressful being the principal photographer on a wedding is - you are in charge of making sure that all of the important events get covered, that you're in the right place at the right time with the right light and the right camera settings.... Whew. I truly love it but it's truly stressful.

I am 28 weeks into my pregnancy with my twins, I'm feeling great, and, as you can imagine, I'm greatly anticipating meeting them and taking their first photos... I've gotten the comment several times from several people that my babies just might be the most photographed babies on the planet. And they just might be right. I am very excited for the opportunity for endless photo ops! I'll have subjects every waking moment of the day to experiment with! I have always loved the spontaneous nature of photographing children, and it got me thinking, I would really love to do it more. Photographing children and babies is fascinating and so rewarding to me - it's a gift to be around them as you get to witness the newness of the everyday world through their eyes. Children teach you patience and fill you with joy, and I simply cannot wait to meet my own. I am truly blessed. Jon and I are engaged in brainstorming right now about our children's photography campaign, and I'm really looking forward to diving into photographing a lot more children and babies and pregnant mommies this coming season... I'll certainly keep you all posted with the developments, scheduled portrait events, etc. Wish us luck!

I hope this holiday season is filled with joy, laughter and a little R&R for you all... Please pray for me and Kristian and our babies that the rest of the pregnancy goes as well as it has gone thus far, and that we're able to keep our sanity as we adjust to life with two brand new little ones! We're in for a crazy, beautiful ride. Love to you all! Joanna

Leslie and Christian!

2008-09-25T10:20:00.006-05:00

Okay, these two are nothing but cute and totally comfortable with each other and in front of the camera.... I really can't ask for more than that. We had a great time with this shoot - thanks guys for going along with my random "chase the light" approach to an engagement session. Leslie you looked gorgeous and Christian, not so shabby yourself. And of course, I love your name. (For those of you who don't know yet my righteous husband's name is Kristian). :) Can't wait for the wedding on 11.15! I'm sure it will be beautiful and I'm really looking forward to playing such an important part. I hope everyone is doing well, thanks for stopping in!

I'm off to Minneapolis!

2008-07-09T18:02:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone! Hope your holiday weekend was awesome.... I wanted to share some photos with you of my friends Anne and Kris, they will be getting married in Minneapolis (Wayzata), Minnesota next week and I'm so excited to photograph their wedding! While they were in town for a wedding recently, we took to opportunity to hang out at the Missouri Botanical Garden for a bit to shoot their engagement portraits. Anne and I were roommates at Mizzou, and we absolutely do not get to see each other enough since she and Kris live in Cincinnati - I'm definitely looking forward to spending her wedding day with her and to spending some time in Minnesota - I haven't been up there since my brother James was going to school at St. Mary's. And I'm even looking forward to the drive - Kristian and I haven't gotten to spend a lot of time together lately and I haven't taken a road trip in a while either! Can't wait! I'm sure the wedding will be amazing and it doesn't get much better than spending time with old friends....Congratulations Annie and Kris!

Stop the press!

2008-06-04T13:32:00.004-05:00

Hey everybody! I really do love my job - sure, I'm constantly running around with my head cut off, trying to keep 100 balls in the air, but I'm becoming convinced that I wouldn't want it any other way. I have had some rock star clients so far this year and have so much to look forward to with the remainder of the season and far into the future. Things are going great with the studio space - although it has been a slow transition getting in there full time, being that money doesn't grow on trees and I'm waiting on some computer purchases that I need to make, and my new right hand man Jordan has proved himself quite the assistant at weddings - I'm excited to have him on more weddings and other projects in the coming months. I'll get posts made as often as possible, and please watch out for the new issues of Alive Magazine, and St. Louis Bride Magazine, as I will have new ads and in both and a featured wedding in Alive! Alive is trying to break into the wedding publication market and promises to be a premier local wedding resource and a force to be reckoned with in the market. Can't wait to see what the new issue (due out July) looks like! And propers to my friend and studio partner Frankie Peltiere (Festive Atmospheres) for all the amazing work he has done this season also - including winning the top two ribbons in the St. Louis Art Museum's prestigious "Art in Bloom" exhibit/competetion! Frankie, you got skillz! And, another shout-out to my friend Tina Brogi, an amazing photographer and mentor - Congrats Tina and Scott on your brand new baby girl, June, she's beautifu! And I have to mention also - stay posted to my Music Blog to see images of local shows and other music projects I have my hands in throughout the summer - and be sure to try to make it down to the Riverfront for Celebrate St. Louis's FREE concert series Live on the Levee running July through August - acts such as Joss Stone, Boys II Men and the Black Crowes are all putting on FREE shows, on a stage right in front of the Arch steps - check their calendar and get down there. Did I mention it's FREE?

Thanks for staying tuned everyone, what a fun summer it is going to be..... Enjoy it!

Meet me in St. Louis!

2008-04-29T16:15:00.019-05:00

PLEASE CLICK IMAGES TO VIEW THEM LARGER - MAKE SURE TO BACK ARROW, NOT EXIT NEW WINDOW. THANKS!

Congratulations to Jill Fasca and Jerry FitzGerald as they were wed at SLU's college church, St. Francis Xavier on April 5th! This wedding day was a lot of fun for many reasons - I love shooting at St. Francis, (what a gorgeous church!) and Union Station's Grand Hall, both very large, beautiful, ornate and history-rich buildings in St. Louis. Guests from out of town were delighted, I'm sure, to get an intimate look at our famous Union Station, where they were served champagne and fine hors d'oeuvres by white-gloved attendants. Jill and Jerry had a beautiful ceremony that was delivered partially in Polish, (along with a portion of her father's speech before dinner), paying homage to Jill's ancestry. The wedding party was a lot of fun to hang out with and were good sports as we trekked all over Forest Park and SLU's campus for photos - it was a chilly day, but gorgeous nonetheless! Jill's sister Lisa took the role of Maid of Honor and Jerry's brother Patrick stood next to Jerry as his Best Man. Other family acting as witnesses in the wedding party included Jerry's sisters Molly and Bridget, and Jill's brother Chad and sister-in-law, having traveled in from New York City.

Jill and Jerry - thanks again for allowing me into such a special day, I was honored to play a part... Hope you enjoy this first peek at your photos!

News!

2008-03-20T09:17:00.004-05:00

Please watch for my most recent ad that will be appearing in the Spring issue of St. Louis Seasons Magazine - out in April!

Hi everybody! I'm sure you're just excited as I am about spring finally arriving - although getting another few inches of snow isn't entirely impossible, as any of us who have lived in St. Louis for any length of time know all too well....We'll all be praying for those in southern Missouri and Illinois who have been so terribly affected by the flooding in the past few and coming days.

So, I haven't gotten the chance to post in a while because there's been mucho excitement happening at the Joanna Kleine Photography camp - including hiring my first employee Jordan LeMay, moving into studio space in University City with my friend Frankie Peltiere (owner of Festive Atmospheres), and most recently photographing the Langerado Music Festival in the Everglades of Florida! (Be sure to check both my Music Blog and Playback:STL to see my review and photos!). I will be posting a bunch in the coming months, please stay tuned! I'm very excited about the upcoming season for many reasons, including the upcoming projects I have with Jon Koch, my many fabulous wedding clients I have on the books, launching a new website and blog, and....last but certainly not least, possibly buying a new house?? Any of you who know Kristian please help me persuade him that now's the time! He's not completely convinced, and again, any of you who know Kristian know it's difficult to completely convince him of anything! Anyhow, as always, thanks so much for stopping by, and I always love to hear from people, so feel free to leave a comment, feedback, grocery list, anything! (No to-do lists please, I have an endless supply myself, thanks.) Thanks everybody, go play outside if you can today!

Better Together...

2008-01-02T18:29:00.000-06:00

Introducing Dr. and Mrs. Jason Fennema! Congratulations to Erin and Jason as they were wedd in Terre Haute, Indiana this past Saturday 12.29. Thanks to the both of you for including me in your wedding in such a special way, I hope you enjoy this first round of your images and that you're enjoying your honeymoon! The whole day was beautiful, a heartfelt ceremony, gorgeous details at the reception and lots of love in the (chilly) air! I have known Erin for a few years having worked with her when she lived in St. Louis and worked for St. Louis Wedding Design , a premier wedding design organization here in St. Louis. I was thrilled when she called me after moving in with Jason in Chicago, informing me that they had gotten engaged and that she wanted me to photograph the event... I have never been to Terre Haute and welcomed the new experience, although besides the Holiday Inn, St. Mary of the Woods campus and St. Joseph's, I really didn't see too much of Terre Haute! I'm glad that the weather cooperated, and that the timing was so that we ended up with some pretty amazing light. I love winter weddings yet the potentially horrendous weather is always a source of anxiety. Erin looked fantastic in her dress, and I'm still very proud of myself for properly placing the gardenia she had set aside for the reception in her hair... normally I'm not too good at things like that.... You looked beautiful Erin! Congratulations again to the both of you, what a perfect way to ring in the new year!

(from left to right) Jason's gift to Erin (a sterling "f" necklace from Tiffany's) and Erin's gift to her bridemaids (a new fragrance from Philosophy).

Jason's sister Lauren (right) (ha ha) was hired on as bridesmaid for the day, along with Erin's sister Sarah and Erin's friend Jen, whom I know, although neither of us know from where. Hmmm.

Mr. and Mrs!

Like daughter like father.... Erin's dad Gene seen here with son Matt and wife Cindy directing the processional... :)

St. Mary of the Woods college campus is beautiful!

Must.... conserve.... body heat.......

Gotta love those little inconspicuous spots that pop up... what a cool red garage.

Erin and her florist worked together to create a warm, inviting, lush, woodsy-wintery feel to the beautiful Providence Hall at St. Mary of the Woods - complete with Christmas pines that made their way all the way to Terre Haute from Wisconsin, cut from Jason's dad's Christmas tree farm!

So, I pretty much cry, at some point, during every wedding I shoot, and Erin and Jason's was no exception, thanks to a simple yet incredibly sweet speech that Sarah prepared for her sister and new brother-in-law. Erin also could not hold back tears as her little sister candidly expressed to her that she was her best friend and how much she cherished all of the memories that they share.

What a clever idea for table numbers at a winter wedding!

Remember you can click on images to view them larger, however do not exit the new window, hit your back button. Little cyber side-note.

This is one of my favorite dancing photos I've ever taken... they looked so happy and cozy as they danced to Jack Johnson's "Better Together."

Congratulations Brent and Melissa! Watch for them in January's issue of Alive Magazine....

2007-12-19T20:40:00.000-06:00

I'm very excited to announce that the wedding of the gorgeous couple below - Melissa and Brent Berry, will be featured in the January issue of Alive Magazine! I had so much fun photographing their 9.22.07 wedding, for many reasons, one of them being that Melissa is one of the most beautiful brides I have ever worked with (check her out!), and also, not the least of which being that I got to hang out with my oldest brother Michael all day (aka Mikey, Broham etc. - see handsome bald dude un-cuffing bride and groom below) since Brent hired him on as a groomsman after having spent a few years as his friend and partner, both officers for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Congrats to both Mike and Brent for having been promoted to Detective postions in recent months. --- The weather on 9.22 was absolutely perfect, and once again I was lucky enough to be assigned to two of my favorite wedding venues to shoot in St. Louis, St. Ambrose Catholic Church on the Hill, and The Mad Art Gallery. I love both places for specific reasons - I love the Italian history of St. Ambrose, there are so many interesting details to photograph - and I have to be honest, I just flat out love the yellow interior and the length of the aisle... that church just has a certain comfort to it, a really nice energy. The Mad Art Gallery is close to my heart as Kristian and I also celebrated our wedding there in a reception held for the St. Louis folk after our 9.05 Maui wedding. The atmosphere is just amazing there, I really love how the building, a rehabilitated police station, (how fitting), lends itself to parties with a variety of areas to explore - the jail cells, the main gallery space to peruse the latest art showing, the back patio where, if necessary, you can warm up by the fireplace.... It's just a really cool space, Ron and crew have done a superb job - all in the name of art! Other honorable mentions: Rachel Roman Speh, really gorgeous job on the flowers, especially the centerpieces at the reception and Melissa's bouquet. Whenever you're nervous about the vibe of the party and you're wanting to ensure your guests have a good time, either train for months with your fiance on a choreographed first dance set to Michael Jackson's "Thriller," or hire the Photobooth STL people. Photostrips are the perfect keepsake for your guests to leave with at the end of the evening, and no doubt, they'll have fun in that booth. It's impossible not to. -- Thanks, so much, to Melissa and Brent for letting me into such an amazing day in your lives, I felt welcomed into the "circle" and had such a great time getting to know your friends and family and documenting your beautiful wedding day.

An elegant affair....

2007-11-24T12:21:00.000-06:00

Hi everybody! WHEW! Where did the fall go? So I'm doing things a little backwards (imagine that) since I am going to be (finally) posting images from weddings from this season that happened before this one very soon, but I am excited about Mike and Rebecca Hengehold's wedding for a number of reasons. First and foremost they were a pleasure to work with, and they really did a superb job (as all my clients do) at putting on an amazing wedding celebration. The weather on their September 15th wedding was beautiful to say the least, Becky looked downright gorgeous in her gown, and Mike wasn't too shabby himself :) Their ceremony took place at one of my favorite places to shoot, Ladue Chapel; and their reception followed at another premier establishment in St. Louis, The Chase Park Plaza - renowned for excellent service, delicious desserts (check out the cake! Amazing!) and, most importantly, kick- butt lighting. The Ralph Butler Band set a nice tone to the evening as well. There was the added comfort of knowing a couple of the groomsmen - Troy, who's wedding to his beautiful wife Carmen I photographed a few years ago, and who's boys Jackson and William I have had the joy of photographing a few times. (I'll be posting the newest of the Burrus family in a few days, stay tuned!) I had also met the best man Fred a while back, who's triplets I photographed when they were brand new with their big brother Quinten... I'm sure they're all so big now, I'd love to see them again! Randy with Ladue Florists did a first rate job on the floral design... flowers are one of my favorite things to photograph, and Randy's certainly were no exception that day. Nice work! One of the most exciting elements of the day for me was that I was using my brand spankin' new Canon 5D's - I shot the whole day on large jpegs with my 85mm 1.2 and my 16-35mm 2.8 - to laymen, rockstar lenses. I'm so excited about the quality of the images, the fluidity of Adobe Lightroom and the way my eyes are viewing the world in general right now. Although, I've discovered that it takes a while to upload 8GB worth of images to the web.... And, last but not least, I finally got to work with Becca Young Williams, a fellow Mizzou journalism mate, (GO TIGERS!), who did a fantastic job 2nd shooting for me at both Mike and Becky's wedding and Mike and Emily's wedding, (coming soon...), and who laughs at my jokes. A solid 2nd shooter who thinks I'm funny is really hard to find, Becca you'll be hard pressed to escape, you're on my team for good! (when you're available at least). Please enjoy the photos, and feel free to leave me a comment! I'll look forward to posting more images of my other incredible clients in the very near future, again stay tuned!

Fashion photographer? Why yes I am.

2007-08-29T23:26:00.000-05:00

Maybe not quite, but I sure had fun acting like it on Tuesday morning. Meet beautiful Jenny B., sporting her own interpretation of "identifying yourself with denim," shot on location on Washington Ave. for a contest that may land her a spot in the Big Apple... I'll be crossing my fingers for you Jen. Sorry it was so hot that morning, but hey, NYC's even hotter, careful what you wish for. You looked awesome though, and I must say, I was proud of myself for coming up with "glam rock" all by myself.

Where are my weddings with photo/music slideshows, you ask? Well, I have a confession. Apparently, I'm a web-moron. I have solicited the help of friends, friends who are probably annoyed by my web-moronic questions at this point, to help me figure out my web woes. I have images chomping at the bit to be seen, and I am bound and determined to present them, set to music, in slideshows. Soon you will be seeing the weddings, in slideshows, set to music, of Noor and Kasim Arshad, allison and Scott Varricchio, Justin and Christa Coomes, and Melissa and Greg Bohlmann. None of them knew, when they hired me, that I was as bad at web stuff as I am, or how long it takes me to edit photos. Post processing is the bane of my existence although I thoroughly enjoy and love the actual shooting portion of every event. In this day and age we need to stick to what we're good at, right? Specialize. It is time... to hire a digital person. Anyone interested? Stay tuned!

Robert Randolph at Live on the Levee

2007-08-08T11:17:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Okay, sure, it's been a while since my last post, (as most of my friends consistently remind me) but I'm going to stop beating myself up about it... I am, after all, a one-woman show! I do have lots to share from recent weddings and events that I have had the privledge to shoot, and will be posting more as I finish up with production from the first part of the season. So, PLEASE STAY TUNED! I would also love any feedback anyone has to offer, even if it has nothing to do with anything I've posted - just drop in to say hey!

Okay, down to biz. If you have never seen Robert Randolph and the Family Band live, you are missing out folks. I saw them at The Pageant in the Loop on November 9th of last year and had one of the best times at a show ever. I was granted press access by the great people at Celebrate St. Louis to photograph their performance at Live on the Levee last Friday 8.3 in downtown St. Louis and my expectations were again exceeded. The band and its sweaty gathering of faithful followers gave no thought to the thick Mississippi riverfront heat, apparently having an equally enjoyable evening as evidenced by copius dancing in the crowd and just plain gettin' down on the stage. (Kristian was even singing and dancing, good stuff). Watching such a soulful and skilled slide guitarist (or pedal steel - hey guitar bums, are they the same thing?) as Robert Randolph is a moving experience, especially when he decides to cap an evening off, as he did Friday, with his own rendition of Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze." Having collaborated with such industry greats as Eric Clapton and Dave Matthews; RRFB is an incredibly talented and balanced band with Robert's cousin Danyel Morgan on bass, brother Marcus Randolph on the drums and Jason Crosby on the Hammond organ and piano. Their chemistry as a unit is unmistakable having earned a reputation for putting on legendary live performances. Make sure to read more about them on their site, check out their latest album Colorblind and absolutely go to a show if given the opportunity! (They'll be in Rosemont, IL on 8.29 with the Allman Brothers!)

Some of my favorite wedding ideas!

2007-06-20T11:11:00.001-05:00

Okay, sure, we're halfway through 2007, but I was digging through images from 2006 so that I can finally put some new sample materials put together, and realized how cool my clients are and what great ideas they have. Weddings are such an opportunity to show your personality and I think the below photos prove that there are so many unique ways to do just that! Below are some of my favorite ideas that my clients have come up with to really let their true character through... to show their personal flair, to honor the special people in their lives and those in spirit, to trend-set, be different, break the mold.... all in the name of love! Stay tuned, I'll have a list of client shout-outs from 2006 complete with vendor links coming soon! And, I promise to be more punctual with my blog posts... Otherwise, my friend, web-designer and fellow Libra Kristie Cromie (seen in the below post doing the Robot) will keep up the daily email assault of evil digital bunnies... And no one wants that.

If given the chance, always invite guests who can do The Robot.

2007-06-20T11:00:00.000-05:00

Weddings are never more fun than when your guests are willing to cut a rug, shake a tail-feather and/or break it down on your dance floor.

Sam Beam reaches Such Great Heights...

2007-02-15T23:27:00.000-06:00

After a near frost-bitten congregation was finally allowed entrance into the historic Pabst Theater in downtown Milwaukee last Thursday, February 8, Sam Beam, sans band Iron and Wine, quickly warmed us all with his seductive hymnals and lullabies. While gracing the stage with nothing but his carefully tuned Taylor acoustic guitar, glass of red wine and omnipresent beard; Beam experimented with material from his new album such as tracks Carousel and Resurrection Fern. Long time fans were not disappointed, however, as you could hear a pin drop, or certainly a shutter release, when old friends such as Muddy Hymnal, Sodom South Georgia and Naked As We Came commanded authority over the Pabst, built in 1895 . A nod to Tucson Arizona's Calexico was also given when Beam strummed out songs such as He Lays in Reins and Dead Man's Will - from their collaborative effort EP In the Reins (2005) - although in a hushed and candid version, with Joey Burns and John Convertino nowhere to be found.

Sam Beam's lyrics and tone, normally synced with sister Sarah's harmony, intrigue and evoke passion that flames for raw yet proficient guitar work and smoky, soothing song. There is nothing quite like the music that Sam Beam produces, with lyrics organic and at times intellectually indecipherable, that leave you with an indelible energy of hope and optimism. Exposure to his live performance leaves you vulnerable and somehow hypnotized, with his melodies venturing deep, kidnapping you, taking you by surprise.

Our dearly departed friend, Mississippi Nights, housed Beam, along with the rest of Iron and Wine and friends Calexico during their performance on December 13, 2005. Certainly more electric than Beam's solo performance, all involved could barely fit on MN's cozy stage. I'm certain I'm not the only one in St. Louis that strongly hopes to welcome Beam, with any friends he would like to bring, back to the show me state for another unforgettable evening.

Photos and text by Joanna Kleine

I love Seattle!

2006-10-16T22:26:00.000-05:00

Hey there everybody! Kristian and I are living it up here in Seattle, WA... tomorrow is the Rolling Stones show, but since we landed at 11 am Sunday we have: ducked out quietly from the Fox Sports bar after the Seahawks beat our beloved Rams kicking a 52 ft. field goal with 4 seconds left... (man that was a pretty catch though Game Day Tori Holt), viewed with fascination (and a little nausea) the Bodies exhibit, and this evening we ate smoked wild salmon, filet mignon and lobster tail (thanks for dinner KK) at the Sky City resturant atop the famed Space Needle. Tonight has so far been the highlight of our trip... pleasantly surprised with our perfect timing for sunset after a consistently overcast day... Kristian's company, an amazing meal and the beautiful images I was able to capture made for a perfect evening. I hope everyone is well and enjoying their week so far!

My 1st Blog!

2006-10-10T20:40:00.000-05:00

Hi! This is my first blog of many to come. I want to say hello to all my family, friends and clients that have all been such a blessing to my life... Thanks for everything you do for me! I hope I am as special to you as you are to me. Wish Kristian and me a happy first anniversary! I'll look forward to filling everyone in on all the new developments with our life and business!