Monday, June 15, 2009

THE Interns #2

Two down, three more internships to go this year! Most people when I tell them about this think I'm purely insane for welcoming 3-5 strangers into my place for 10 days straight. I've gotten the craziest looks and people not even knowing what to say. But to me it's no different from growing up! I would ALWAYS invite new people to randomly come to Chicago to stay at my family's house as well as having constant family or friends coming in all the the time! I thrive off of it for some reason, the entertaining, re-enjoying every new aspect about my city with them, "spotting" celebrities-like we were sitting in a fancy hollywood restaurant, or just staying up until 2 in the morning having dance parties! Who would call this work?? But somehow it has figured itself out to be my JOB! Every new internship seems to be my favorite and seems to get better and better each time, yet I look back and each one has been the BEST if that is even possible....just because of the people that were apart of it. I have no clue how I'm blessed with such amazing interns each time! I've never gotten a "rotten tomato" in the bunch!
So the second time around this year was quite amazing! It was made up of Feuza Reis of New Jersey, Mallory Clark from Alabama, and Elizabeth Shorey from Pennsylvania! It was a little bit of an age difference of 30 down to 19 but for some reason that didn't really come into the picture that much! We thoroughly bonded and after the first week, like I warn EVERYONE of my interns starting out, it got crazy! But you'll just have to see the slideshow for proof of that;)
We did everything from documenting the Nashville Rescue Mission, to the engagement shoot that was the last post, to going to a Hillsong United concert, but most of the time chilling next to the pool at my place or hanging out in the penthouse style-lounge area here working on starting their business! Amazing as it is each time NO ONE comes up with the same ideas and everyone's brand ends up looking completely different! Thank God for personalities!! I was and am SO incredibly blessed by these girls or more fondly known as my little duckling... apparently I was momma duck since they would always end up walking just two steps behind me sort of in line! Classic. They taught me so much about life, love, and my relationship with God. Amazing!
The time ended with prayers, tears, uncontrollable laughing and dancing. It. Was. Perfect.
Check out the slideshow **HERE**

We ended up getting an "everlasting internship necklace"..cheesiness is a necessity to life you know. And the neckless had 5 charms on it... mine being the bird..aka momma duck, a feather meaning wisdom or something like that and the rest are described below:)
Feuza Reis-The heart{her being a wife and mother(what all us other girls were aspiring to be) she gets to love the most and is SO loving!!}:
She tried to apply for the internship last year but I had a crazy age limit and intern limit so we weren't able to work it out...but this year everything seemed to work perfectly and she was able to come! She is orginally from Brazil but has lived here in America most her life now! She is a wife and mother of two adorable little boys and I think she is incredible for letting them stay with a babysitter for almost 2 weeks so she can take her business to the next level so they can be provided for in the very best way possible!! She is such a go getter and just the joy and love and wisdom that she brought into the group was incredible! I love you so dearly Fuze! :)
Mallory Anne Clark-The Pearl{she such a beautiful pearl, sometimes liking to hide in the shell but is much more beautiful out of it!!}:
Mallory is a peacock. She started the week really observing and taking everything in and by the end of the time showed her real beautiful colors in the crazy person that she is. She had the craziest story of how the internship came about for her where she was really praying about getting more into photography and she somehow opened her browser and my internship info popped up! At the exact time she was thinking about wanting to do something like that! I love how God really does work in crazy ways! She is from a tiny little town and for her to step out her comfort zone of what is the "norm" was a big move but such an amazing one! I know she is going to flourish so much!
Elizabeth Anne Shorey-The Diamond{Elizabeth has such a glow about her and she took some pictures of herself that was literally sparkling like diamonds from the sun!}:
Elizabeth, I actually met several months ago when I shot her brothers wedding up in Pennsylvania! She is great friends with my very first intern Kristen Leigh and after hearing what Kristen did decided to come herself!! I'm sooo glad that she graced us with her presence!! She is such a character who comes off really sweet at first but after you get to know her has such a fun personality that you just can't help but love and yet such deep wisdom that makes it a great mix! She is a pastor kid as well and from a large family so we had a ton in common and a lot to laugh about!!

Soo that about wraps it up!! I just TODAY started my next internship with 5 more girls!! Quite the crowd but SOOO fun!! :)

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Megan & Johnny ::: Engagement

Last week while the interns were here(which I'll post about them TOMORROW!) we did a photoshoot for my neighbors, Megan and Johnny! These two were some of the very first people I met here in my building and made me feel so welcome as I knew no one around here or anything! They are so sweet! They are getting married next year in Jamaica so while we were talking one day I thought oh my goodness, you two would be such great models for the internship! They were such pros posing in front of the 4 of us while we shot around our building and we were even allowed to shoot up in some of the model units which was a big time SCORE! Check out the slideshow **HERE**








Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Jenny & Tony ::: Wedding

Ahh! It has taken me two weeks to get this blog post together and two reasons it has not gotten up until now...1.The minute I finished shooting the wedding I headed home with interns waiting for me to start the 10 day internship program. 2. This wedding was BEYOND incredible so much so that I took almost 4000 photos which I normally max out around 2500 or so.. but Jenny and Tony planned this day so impeccably that I couldn't help but keep the shutter button down almost the whole day!
When I first heard from Jenny about possibly shooting her wedding I was so thrilled as we have so much in common, she just kept discovering more and more of what we had in common from my blog and such so that when we finally met in person with Tony and my sister Natalie all four of us became such fast friends! That is my kind of business! :) We did their engagement session last summer, which would have to be up there with the top engagement shoots I've done! It was ridiculous that yet again we just couldn't stop shooting! You can check that 6 hour shoot out **here**!! Anyways back to the wedding!! I brought along two of my past interns, Cassie Schott and Laura Dart who both have incredible eyes for photography! (I snuck a few of their pics in the slideshow cause it just made it complete;) We shot for about 11 hours starting at Cantigny were the girls were getting ready in a little cottage in the woods that was just precious!

We then headed to the ceremony at College Church in Wheaton where their guest packed out the place! I don't think I've shot a wedding with that many people! Amazing!


Right afterwards they had a fun casual lunch reception for everyone who came. It was so great and personal...kinda felt like a talent show or something with a TON of their friends coming up and singing or making slideshows or videos and even Tony playing piano and singing to Jenny! It was perfect.
Later on, after a fun afternoon of pictures at Cantigny they had the traditional Korean Tea Ceremony... this was the second one that I've shot and am always so fascinated by it! I LOVE culture! They then transitioned into a formal dinner reception for their closer friends and family! Whew. It was quite the day but one not soon to be forgotten!!! Jenny and Tony I love you both so very much! I'm so blessed that God has brought you two into my life! Your love for each other and those around you is mind blowing!! God bless your future together! :):)

Check out the ***SLIDESHOW HERE***