I love slideshows!

As one of Vantage's first purchases for 2008, we invested in some really cool new software that allows us to put up beautiful slideshows up on the web. Of course I immediately got addicted to playing around with it--I love this stuff! So of course, I just had to create a slideshow of Ann Marie and Jared's engagement shoot we did back in October--we created some really beautiful images that day.

I love this program, because it really breathes life into the photos and increases their emotional impact. And it's a fabulous way to share your images with family and friends--just by sending a web link. We're going to now be offering an online slideshow with our 2008 wedding packages, so everyone can get in on the fun! Check it out:

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We've got a new look!

Hallo everyone! I'm really really excited to be writing this post....because our updated websites are finally live! Once again, we got to work with the fabulous Jon Wohl from Alchemydia Designs (thank you Jon!) to give our websites a look that's more in line with our work and style. So, I present to you the NEW www.weddingsbyvantage.com and www.vantagephotography.com.

As you can see, we've got a range of things we work on with our primary focus being on weddings. I love this set-up, because it allows us to keep "fresh", which only benefits our wedding work. Some folks say that to be really good, you should only focus on one. But I think that the breadth of our work helps us be really really good at weddings. I mean, there's not really any other event where you have to be really good at photojournalism, portraits, food photography and location photography, is there??

So anyway, have at it, and enjoy. I'm really really proud of these "new" sites. Yay for websites! :)

Happy New Year!

It's the eve of New Year's eve! We hope you're able to celebrate with friends and loved ones--Michael and I will be spending our first New Years as husband and wife dancing up a storm in downtown Madison. We may not be the best dancers, but we have a ton of fun. Some of you know that already, though right? (After we put down our cameras at a wedding, it's not unusual for us to join everyone on the dance floor for a song or two!)

We're really excited about this upcoming year for a variety of reasons. As you might already know, Vantage has been a side gig for both of us for several years now. But I've been doing so well and enjoying it so much that I'll be taking the business full time at the end of Summer 2008. Michael will continue to work on Vantage, but he'll be more of a "behind the scenes" guy, working on things like business development, accounting and marketing. But we're both pretty sure that he won't be able to fully shake his photography addiction, so you'll probably see him at weddings and shoots now and again. :)

Another exciting thing for this year is that we've fully revamped our packages and added some cool new options, including gallery canvas wrapped prints, custom guest books and thank you card inserts. Check out the website for more information. Also, as of 2008, we'll be offering CDs of the high resolution images in each of our clients' packages. You'll still get a credit towards prints, too. Pretty cool, huh?

Once again, happy new year to all of you! We hope that your new year is even better than the last!

WPJA Contest Winner

Four times a year, the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA) puts on a contest for WPJA members. This quarter, the contest was being judged by some pretty big names, including several photographers from the famous VII photo agency. And hurrah, one of my photos placed in the top ten of the "details" category! This is a huge honor for me, seeing as I am regularly amazed and inspired by the other photographers' images on WPJA. And many thanks to Robbin and Jeff, since it was at their wedding that I took this photo! :)

To see more contest winners, go to the WPJA website: www.wpja.com

Doggie Heaven

As our wedding season winds down, I got to spice things up a bit with two very energetic and impossibly adorable models: meet Casey and Stanley! These lovable pooches were the stars of their very own shoot (complete with their owners, Sara and Kerri) one fall afternoon. We gathered at one of my favorite dog parks in Madison and spent an hour shooting away. Stanley and Casey weren't exactly willing to pay attention to "tilt your head this way, put your paw a little to the left" but they were more than willing to beg for treats and play ball. I had a blast!!

E-Session: Ann Marie and Jared

What a perfect day for an engagement shoot! Ann Marie, Jared and I met at a beautiful park in Lake Mills and we spent the crisp fall afternoon creating beautiful portraits. I had so much fun working with them. They're a photographer's dream: fun, photogenic and in love. I can't wait to shoot their wedding!!

Thanks you two for a really fun afternoon! Enjoy your sneak peek!

Jill & Brandon

We shot Jill and Brandon's wedding three weeks ago (yes, we're behind on our blog, we know...) in beautiful Madison, WI. They were a really fun couple to work with--and Michael and I got the added bonus of being able to hang out with my cousin Barb, too, since she was *in* the wedding! Thanks for a wonderful day!

Our recent weddings

Hi all! Vantage has been busy busy busy in the past few weeks, either shooting weddings or actual guests at weddings (congrats Dana and Joe!). The last week in September, we shot two weddings:

We had a lot of fun with Diane and Tom--their happiness was contagious! Diane's son was recently called up to Iraq and even though he couldn't physically be present in her wedding, they saved a place for him...The "guy" on the right is a life-sized cutout of Diane's son! :) Congrats to the two of you!




The next day, we shot the wedding of Robbin and Jeff. What a beautiful and heartfelt ceremony--I don't think there was a dry eye in the house....and Robbin and Jeff are such a special couple. We really appreciated being able to share their day with them.

WE GOT HITCHED!!!

Yes, it's true! We're officially husband and wife!!

Michael and I tied the knot last Saturday, September 8th. It was a perfect day and will be a tough one to beat. We couldn't have asked for better weather for our outdoor Wisconsin wedding (it's always a gamble!) or more supportive and downright fun wedding guests surrounding us on the day. Absolutely perfect. And wow, do we have a better understanding of what our clients are going through now!!

Marc Williams and Ed Bennett flew in from Michigan to do the photography for our wedding. They were wonderful to work with and we cannot wait to see all the photos. Marc sent us a sneak preview (thank you Marc!!) which I've added to this blog for all of you, too! If these two photos are any indication, we're going to have a tough time narrowing down our choices for the album!! :)

Jena's been accepted...

To the Wedding Photojournalist Association! This is really very exciting for Vantage. In their own words from their website, "Leading the way in Wedding Photojournalism, WPJA represents the most discriminating talent around the world technically, creatively and visually. Qualified members hold industry-leading standards, skills and business integrity." Yeah!!! That's us!!! :)

I'm really honored to be a part of the group--I have a lot of respect for the folks that are a part of it, and look forward to learning a lot and contributing a lot.