Winter Weather

The eastern third of Kansas has been swallowed up by near blizzard conditions today. It's been all the talk on the Weather Channel. Schools were closed before the snow even began to fall, which caused me to laugh just a little because no matter how much snow we get in Kansas, nothing compares to what I saw just about six years ago to the date. I spent the last four months of 2000 in western Michigan working for The Muskegon Chronicle. Once it started to snow, it just didn't stop. And before I knew it, there was two feet of the white stuff in the front yard of the house I was renting. Schools weren't closed and businesses didn't shut down. So every time it starts to snow here, I remember Muskegon and think about how they'd be laughing at our reaction. These pictures from the Roosevelt Park neighborhood of Muskegon were made of school children *on their way* home from school. I'm sure if I went out today, I could find a similar picture here, of children *staying* home from school.

Flyin' high

SO, my sister decided she wanted to go flying today. I've never seen western Kansas from the sky, so we headed up. I keep reading about how little water there is, but seeing the snake-like figures where water once ran ... well it was amazing (even if it WAS a little bit cloudy, we could still see the creekbeds).



This is Robin, flying co-pilot.



This is quite possibly the worst photo of me EVER taken, but it shows you how cozy (read: cramped) riding in the back of a 4-seater airplane is. Chris Laws, my sister's fiance was pilot, and Robin, my sister was co-pilot. Thanks so much for taking me up, you guys!

Give Thanks!

In the spirit of the holiday, I thought I'd share a few things I'm thankful for.

— The WONDERFUL couples we've photographed this year so far. Your warmness and welcoming has made documenting your wedding days SO special.

— Cooperative weather for our weddings and events. And especially for the holiday traveling I've been up to.

— The AMAZING other photographers we've met along the way and the mentoring they've provided. I'm especially thankful to T & J Studio for their warm welcome into the Wichita area. I can't wait to work in cooperation more with you guys in the future!

— The love, support and enthusiasm of family and good friends, who cheer us on the way.

— An INCREDIBLE business partner and fellow photographer. Mike, you're the BEST!

— AND the nice people who spend hours and hours making food for community dinners so I can eat a home-cooked meal when I have to be away from my family during the holidays.

Now, tell us what YOU're thankful for! Just post a comment and we'll get it posted.

Strollin' down memory lane ...

I pulled a few black and white images of some places I've been to display for some weekend guests. This is my favorite of them all, a partially frozen Lake Superior near Duluth, Minn., in 2001. To see the rest of the images, stop by my place sometime or just **CLICK HERE**.

Martha and Rod's wedding slideshow

Karen and I finished up work on Martha and Rod's slideshow yesterday. To relive the day, or to be there for the first time **CLICK HERE** You'll need the latest flash player and a fast internet connection.

Martha and Rod's wedding

Martha and Rod were married yesterday, an absolutely beautiful fall day. The ceremony and reception were in Plainville, a small community north of Hays. After the ceremony, we took advantage of the gorgeous afternoon light and took the newlyweds to a few locations around the town for more intimate portraits. The first place we stopped was the saddle club, which is owned by Rod's father. Rod's daughter, Brianna, joined us for this part of the shoot. (Photo by Karen)


After the saddle club, we headed out toward the Plainville Township Lake, where we found a fabulous fall setting. (Photo by Mike)


We did several different things for the guys, too. They waved to a family friend while posing for a group photo downtown. (Photo by Mike)


The girls wanted to go off-site for their pictures, too. Martha mentioned that most people go to the grain elevator for pictures. Not wanting her pictures to look like everyone else's, she and the girls jumped at the chance of going to a nearby park instead. (Photo by Mike)


Rod and Martha didn't see each other before the ceremony, but Martha was able to sneak a peak of Rod being photographed with Brianna outside the church. She said it was her favorite memory of the day. Karen was there to document the moment. (Photo by Karen)