An elegant affair....

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.

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

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!

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.

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...

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