70
this past Saturday, i had the honour of 2nd shooting for my good friend, Arica Ingratta .
it was a beautiful day, and what was even a bit nicer about it was the fact that the wedding starting later in the day, so i got some time to float in my pool beforehand!!!
i know, that's sounds rough, but the summer here (in Windsor Ontario) has been cloudy and cool, and my pool has been cold too! if i can get a few minutes to float in my pool, then i take them.
sorry, i digress.....
the wedding ceremony and reception took place at Essex Golf Course & Country Club, just outside of Windsor. i had only been there once before (briefly) and i knew that it was going to be spectacular, especially since it was an outdoor wedding (and i already covered how nice it was, weather wise).
i found out that Ashley & Casey were already married almost a year ago, but for the benefit of the family, they decided to have the BIG wedding thing. i'm glad they did, because then i got to be there and photograph it.
one thing i will say, is that i felt very short that day! everyone seemed so tall, and i felt like i was staring up at the bride and groom all day long. i guess they are both basketball players, which explains A LOT!
Arica and i had tons of fun (we always do), which included the bride's mom realizing that she'd forgotten to give us anywhere to sit during the meal!
the wedding co-ordinator found us a little room, off to the side, where the two of us shared a romantic dinner for two, after we had photographed all the speeches that is.
here are a few photos from the day~
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ashley & casey { Essex Golf Country Club - wedding}
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68
i am getting excited!!!
michele bowman photography is changing it's look and it's name, and this week i'm going to be diligently working on my new website and NEW blog!!
i purchased some new templates from Into the Darkroom, and they just need some lovin' from me before i can get them live. i am currently buried under mounds of photos to sort through. i need to make sure that everything that makes my new website galleries, is up to my strict standards ! LOL!
with all these changes, comes a change in name and focus.
as i've written before, i am currently in LOVE with photographing weddings. my career didn't begin that way, but weddings have worked there way into my heart, and it was love at first shoot.
i originally wanted to focus on family and kids, since there is nothing as fun as chasing a kid around a park for a photo! really.
for some reason, God brought wedding photography into my life, and while i am still young enough to endure the crazy physical demands of wedding photography, i will give it my energy and my all.
i didn't realize how many wedding photographers ACTUALLY lived and worked in Windsor Ontario & surrounding areas, but instead of discouraging me, the numbers have actually made me want to work even harder to stand out in a crowd.
i am finding my OWN HILL (as Kevin Swan puts it) and making it my goal to bring another aspect of wedding photography to the Windsor market.
i have always loved being an individual, and my wedding photography will be no different.
i do have to say that i was super excited the other day after talking to a potential client. she actually 'GOT' me and what i want to show the world through my wedding photography! you can't even imagine how wonderful it felt to be understood, and have a client WANT to hire you because i am just what they are looking for.
trust me when i say that i have always known what style of photography i wanted to bring to the market, but it's been a journey getting there. i don't feel that i have arrived, but at least i know i'm on the right track.
i look forward (more than you can imagine) to working with client's who's vision for their wedding photography matches my vision for photography and telling their story. i don't want to be the photographer for everyone, but i want to be the photographer to people with the same artistic vision as myself.
they are bound to be matches made in heaven.
this journey into the fantastical (yep, my new word) world of wedding photography has been exciting so far, and with my new branding work and new marketing materials, i will be starting on a new path with an even more focused vision!
i am so very thankful for all the love and support i have been getting from my family, friends and other photographers. your comments on my blog and support on facebook, have meant more to me than you can imagine.
so, i'm just letting you know that changes are on the horizon, and hopefully i will be able to get my new blog up and running by the end of this week or so. i will have a new domain name , but i'll make sure to keep you all posted on any changes.
now, to post a photograph that has NOTHING to do with wedding photography, but has everything to do with my love and passion.
underwater photography gave me my start into the world of cameras!
the ocean is truly my love.
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry:
a windsor wedding photographer story ~
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59
this past weekend, i had the honour of shooting a wedding with my good friend, Amber Chudy .
normally, the day before i shoot a wedding, i get a bit stressed out about wanting to do a good job and tidbits of doubt cloud my mind about whether i'm worthy of photographing such an important day! sorry, i have some flaws, and slight perfectionism is a glaringly obvious one.
last friday, i was so pre-occupied with my oldest son finishing high school, my computer programs crashing over and over, and then my sick girl sobbing in the medical lab chair as they tried to get blood from her dehydrated body.
yep, i was NOT focused on wedding photography, not one little bit!
saturday morning, i woke up to the familiar nervous twinges in my tummy, since friday was behind me now, and i got myself together to make the trek to Sarnia.
my day started at the hotel with the guys, where Amber and i met up. after hanging with the groom & his 'guys', we got to the bride's parents house to photograph the girls getting ready. it was a blast!
what a nice family.
one thing that always concerns me when i 2nd shoot for another photographer, is that i have never met the bride and groom before. i always worry that they won't connnect with me like they might with the lead photographer, but so far i have been pleasantly surprised. every bride and groom i've met along this journey, has been easy going and fun to be with, and they have always made me feel like a special part of their day whether i'm the lead photographer or not.
this job is such a joy!
here are a few photos from saturday's wedding
thanks to Amber for asking me to work with her, and thanks to Ann-Marie & Patrick for making me feel so welcome on your special day!
i just realized that i have about 14 more weddings (and hopefully more to get booked) to photograph this year!!! YAY!
the next one is in Windsor (on July 4th), and i'm looking forward to it immensely!!!!
Cathy:
Gorgeous! I agree with Mary....the shot of her putting on her shoes is my fave. :)
(06.26.09)
Renee:
I absolutely LOVE the candy-corn ring shot!!!! Pink ones... who knew? Great shots, all of them.
(06.30.09)
Jessica Monnich:
I love your detail shots, gorgeous! Also love the shot where she is resting her head on his jacket- it should be in a magazine!
(06.30.09)
Lydia Shannon:
Michele! I love your blog - the colors just make me happy and so do your images! I really like the flower shots!
(06.30.09)
Lili:
Michelle- these are gorgeous! I especially love the one of the ceremony where you can see the overall view and the beautiful architecture of the church- magazine worthy! Really nice work!
(07.01.09)
Lacy:
BEAUTIFUL shots! Great emotions! Colors! Compositions! and Peonies!! ahh! Make my heart melt! :D Beautiful work! :)
A nice border on your images would compliment them nicely! like icing on the cake!! :)
I'll be adding you to my rss feed! :D
(07.02.09)
Terra Dawn Photography:
Beautiful work!! I love the shot of the bride putting on her shoes, and the candy corn shot. Gorgeous work!!
(07.03.09)
alyson:
love the rings in the candy corn! and the expression on the flower girl's face is priceless!
(07.03.09)
admin:
thank you everyone, for the wonderful and encouraging commments! i feel overwhelmed by all the blog love!
again, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Amanda Caines:
Beautiful!! The dress shot is spectacular - I love the toning and the mood.
(07.09.09)
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ann-marie & patrick { Sarnia wedding photography}
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i am parent.
i have regularly commented on the awesomeness of my kids, and i love them so dearly that it hurts!
i remember the first day of Josh's school life. it is an experience burned deeply into my brain, and i will never forget that face or that day.
darryl had gone to school or work (he was doing both at the time) and i walked Josh to school, for his first day of JK. Emilie was 2 1/2 and Josh was not quite 4 years old, and i was pregnant with Cameron. i threw Em in the stroller, and we made our way to the school down the street. Josh had been excited about the new adventure he was embarking on, and i was thrilled at the thought of getting rid of one kid for a few hours a day! LOL!
i had been so sick with my pregnancy (i threw up for 9 mths straight and only gained 1 pound. yep..... sick) and i was looking forward to a small break and a bot less chaos. both my kids were angels, but 2 toddlers is well..... more work than 1 !
we took Josh into the classroom, and i made sure that he was feeling ok about it. all seemed well at the time.
i took a few steps towards the door to leave (since i'm not a clingy parent that needs to sit through the first 3 days of school with my kids to make sure that the teacher isn't a mass murderer or something) and Josh had a FIT!
the teacher encouraged me to leave quickly, since staying would make it worse i guess, and i remember that face and those tears. Josh stood at the doorway screaming "mommy don't leave me, don't leave me!!!"
i thought in that very moment that i was going to die. at that very moment i didn't care if 2 toddlers were too much work and i was sick, i just wanted to scoop my baby up and take him home with me! i felt like the worst mother in the world, leaving my baby in the care of strangers for 3 hours a day! he was screaming and crying, and i wanted to hold him and make it all better.
i walked away from that school, pushing the stroller back home, just sobbing my brains out. Emilie could care less, and was actually mad that i wasn't leaving her at the school too!
i cried all the way home that day, and then was a wreck the rest of the morning.
when i arrived back at the school to pick Josh up, he was happy as a clam! the teacher said that once i was out of sight, that the crying had stopped and he was good as gold the rest of the morning. i got the best hug that day, and Josh showed me his awesome artwork that he had made. he was also proud of the way he was learning to write his name, since the kids had to sign themselves in everyday.
the next day Josh cried again, and so did i , but that was the last time. his school years had begun.
today is the end of an era.
Josh is at school right now, writting his grade 12 biology exam (i've raised my kids to be science nerds).
this exam is the last high school exam that he will ever write, and therefore it's his last day in high school.
EVER!
Josh heads off to the Laurier University in the fall, for cello performance.
as much as i am excited about this new chapter in his life (much like i was when he started JK many years ago), i know that i will drop him off at school in september and i will cry all the way home because i will know that i won't be going back in 3 hrs to pick him up and get the best hug ever. he will be living 3 hours away from his family and starting his own life.
where's the valium?!
this kid has stolen my heart!
Jessica Hanaumi:
What a sweet story...made me all teary! I can tell he's lucky to have you for a mom. (^_^)
(06.22.09)
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the end of an era
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57
due to popular demand, i am posting a few more of Katie & Darrin's photos from saturday!
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windsor wedding photography ~ katie & darrin
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Great shots Michele! Looking forward to meeting you in Sept!
(08.04.09)beautiful pics!
(08.23.09)