Color and reflection

Saturday we had a brief and very windy storm roll through the east side of the state. After it was over I noticed a warm, rich color reflecting off my apartment window. I knew I had to get moving in order to make some photos before the show was over!

After I returned to my apartment, I read the news of the stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair. I lived in Indiana for over four years and photographed at that fair a handful of times. That accident could have happened anywhere. I've found myself reflecting on that moment a lot since Saturday night. There are several videos available on the web showing the stage topple over. I feel for the people standing near that stage. I feel for the people in the grandstands who witnessed it, helplessly. I feel their surprise, I feel their panic, but mostly I feel sad.

I don't consider myself an overly sentimental person. But I can't help but look at this sky, taken at the extact time that stage fell, and think about how fortunate I've been.

Wedding: Katie and Pete

A couple of weeks ago I had the great pleasure of photographing the wedding of my friend and co-worker Pete Cunningham and his new wife Katie. They held their wedding in Douglas, MI on the west side of the state where Katie grew up. Her parents run a 30-bedroom resort directly overlooking Lake Michigan and it is breathtaking. The entire day was breathtaking! Katie and Pete said their vows on a small stage placed under a birch tree and over looking the lake. The day was filled with laughter and so much love and I am so grateful to have witnessed it!

After a little mix up with the rings, Pete gets it right and everyone enjoys a laugh!

We hit up the beach for portraits after the ceremony. Such a lovely spot!

Hello cover model!

Katie and Pete rented a trolley to transfer people to and from the ceremony site at her parents resort. The trolley also transported the wedding party through the town of Saugatuck to the reception site. What a cool idea!

Who wants a cake when you can have this! Beautiful.

Pete, like me, has two brothers and one sister. You can only imagine the types of stories these siblings have. Here Pete's brother and best man, shares an embarrassing story for all to enjoy. P.S. if you ever run into Pete ask him about his nickname! ;)

We snuck out of the reception to catch a couple minutes of the sunset. These are some of my favorite photos from the day and I figure a great way to end this post. Congratulations Katie and Pete! Much love!

Things I ate while on vaction and other such things

I interrupted my regularly programmed summer with a few days off to hang with the fam at an old school house by the beach in Muskegon. My vacation went at follows: cook, eat, do nothing, buy stuff, ice cream and repeat. Not a bad plan, right?

All this "vacationing" left little time for photo documentation. Turns out I was doing nothing, a little too hard. By the end of the first day I knew I was in trouble. That's when I realized you've gotta work with what you have. So here, my wonderful blog readers (i.e. mom) is what I did on vacation...

Mom's doctored up "spaghetts" sauce, grilled eggplant, romaine and yes our familes new favorite thing, compound butter!