GARNET PHOTOGRAPHY

2011: A Year in Pictures.

2012-01-01T22:23:00.001-06:00

End of the year blog posts are always interesting to make. 2011 was pretty fantastic if you ask me. To start it off, I shot a wonderfully winter engagement session...with snow, because we actually had snow last year in January. I also shot my first ever baby baptism. I loved it, turns out it's a lot like shooting a small wedding! Of course we can't forget the weddings of 2011! All of my couples are amazing and I wish you all many years of happiness together! Through their weddings I also met so many amazing people. I adore shooting weddings for all of the wonderful moments, the happiness that families coming together bring, and just all of the love that comes with a wedding.
I also had an opportunity to second shoot a few weddings with another Ames photographer, Carisa Keeling. There's a picture from a wedding we shot together hidden in this post, so I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you, Carisa for letting me shoot with you! I'm definitely looking forward to working with you more this coming year!
This year I photographed quite a few weddings, engagement pictures, 2nd shooting, a couple senior sessions, a rehearsal dinner and a baptism. In addition to that list, I did a few things in my spare time:
In 2011, I became the proud owner of a 35mm lens, also became an auntie when my best friend had a baby boy, spent time with my extended family at our annual family reunion, took some trips to see cities like Iowa City, Omaha, and New York City, turned 25 years old and am still waiting for that car insurance discount, went to "jail" to raise money for kids with muscular dystrophy, my niece graduated High School, and naturally I witnessed the epic ending of the Harry Potter movies (sad that they're over, but I have all the DVDs to re-live it over and over and over again). With all of that going on, I'd have to say my favorite day of 2011 is still September 17th, when Will asked me to marry him! (If you're a tad bored or are curious what our wedding planning looks like, I have a blog going: http://casserandwillum.blogspot.com/)Lastly, I'd like to borrow some words from the picture below:Thank you to all of the new people I've met throughout this year! Of course, a special thanks goes out to all of my newly-wed/engaged couples, you have been amazing to work with! Also, throwing some thanks out to my friends, family, and future-in-laws for always being there for me! I am definitely looking forward to 2012!

Sarah & Chris | Engaged

2011-10-31T01:40:00.000-05:00

Sarah & Chris are getting married in March and I know it's going to be spectacular! In the mere couple of hours I spent with them taking their engagement pictures, it was easy to see that these two are wonderful together! Here are some more pictures from that lovely Fall Sunday.

Patience

2011-10-24T15:19:00.000-05:00

Sometimes (I bet you Will would say most of the time) I'm not the most patient person ever. Like I'm currently wishing away the days so we can get to Thursday when our engagement pictures are scheduled. Or just a few days ago when I really couldn't wait until Nov. 7th to try on wedding dresses, so I went to a store nearby with one of my friends to try on a couple. This post is made purely because I don't have the patience to wait until all of the pictures from my last session are done to post more. So I'm going to post one more for now, just one. I think that will help me get through the rest of the editing so I can show you more.

Featured | Des Moines Wedding Savvy

2011-10-21T11:55:00.003-05:00

I'm very excited to announce that Amanda & Tyler's wedding was featured on the Des Moines Wedding Savvy blog! It's a great aid to central Iowa brides with lists of vendors, helpful resources, and the "real wedding Wednesdays". One of my favorite things about this website (besides the real weddings, of course) is that it has a page that tells you how to change your name in Iowa. That's one of those aspects on wedding planning that I'm absolutely clueless on, so I'll be using the site to help me out for sure!

Sarah & Chris | Engagement Preview

2011-10-18T19:50:00.000-05:00

Here's a tiny preview of my Sunday afternoon with Sarah & Chris!

Amanda & Tyler | Wedding

2011-10-12T23:20:00.001-05:00

Amanda and Tyler had a beautiful wedding at the Copper Creek Golf Course. This wedding was just all around fun. Amanda and Tyler are just so sweet, their bridal party definitely was a blast to work with, and the guests weren't afraid to get up and dance! Enough chatter, though, I promised Amanda some more pictures and I know how eagerly she's been waiting. :) Thank you, Tyler and Amanda for choosing me as your photographer!

Bridal ExCYtement | Wedding Expo

2011-10-12T00:13:00.001-05:00

Sunday I put up a booth to promote my business for the first time at a wedding expo. I couldn't have done it without the help from my amazing fiance, friends, and family. So I want to say thanks to Trenton & Will for carrying all of the heavy things (especially for the wall!) Thanks to Sheena for the pictures and mom for the emotional support! Thank you, Shateau, for being my "assistant" of the day!

I also want to say congratulations to all of the brides who stopped by my booth! It was great meeting all of you!

Amanda & Matt | Wedding

2011-10-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

Amanda and Matt's wedding was perfect. The weather, location, yellow bridesmaids dresses and the guys in grey. It was all simply gorgeous! Aside from the loveliness of the details, there was Amanda and Matt who are so obviously great together. I believe I've mentioned that in a post or two, but it's true! Here's some more pictures of their ceremony.

Amanda & Tyler | Wedding Preview

2011-09-28T13:11:00.000-05:00

There are so many pictures I want to show you from this wedding! Amanda is just stunning (first picture in this blog is proof). Plus I adore outdoor weddings and this one wasn't an exception. The weather was perfect, the people were amazing, and it was just an all around great day!
There are plenty more pictures so stay tuned! Tyler & Amanda: I hope your having a blast on your honeymoon!

I'm Engaged!!

2011-09-21T15:59:00.000-05:00

Will planned the perfect date for us last Saturday that included a fancy dinner, an orchestra (André Rieu), Cheesecake Factory, and (my favorite part) a proposal! I thought I'd share some pictures with you to show off my amazing fiance!
Right before our date, taken by the lovely Megan at Family Video:

Afterwards at the Cheesecake Factory

My new accessory is simply stunning, though I might be a bit biased!

This was waiting for me on Tuesday morning!

Anna & Danny | Wedding

2011-09-19T17:59:00.000-05:00

As always, here's more pictures that I promised. I figure everyone can always use another dose of Anna's gorgeous smile. She was just radiating happiness the entire day! Anna & Danny: I had a great time working with you! Hope your Honeymoon was amazing!

Sheena | Senior Pictures

2011-09-14T00:59:00.000-05:00

This is my sister and I think she's adorable! This session started in New York City and ended in a park around the corner from my apartment. Love you Sheena!

Ashley & Andrew | Wedding Preview

2011-09-05T19:41:00.001-05:00

Ashley & Andrew are a pretty great couple to work with! Hope you two have a great time in Vancouver! Here's just a small peek at their lovely wedding day.

Amanda & Matt | Wedding Preview

2011-08-30T13:35:00.005-05:00

If you've been following this blog long enough, you've probably seen Amanda & Matt's engagement pictures and you might know that Amanda & I graduated high school together. I've known her since 5th grade and it was an honor to be a part of her wedding.
Amanda & Matt are amazing together. Plus they had the most adorable ring bearer & flower girl. A lot more lovely pictures to come soon...

Anna & Danny | Wedding Preview

2011-08-29T14:30:00.003-05:00

Two blog posts in two days! Where are these coming from? As it turns out, I haven't been home much this month so this week I'm focusing on getting caught up. I have two wedding previews to show you (starting with this one), I believe you're still waiting on more pictures of Sarah & Kevin, and I also have another senior session I'm working on.

I'm going to start by saying I'm ridiculously thankful for the gorgeous weather my couples and I are always given on their wedding days. *knocks on wood* - I don't want to jinx it or anything, but God is incredible in always providing the perfect amount of sun and clouds.
...Now on to the amazing Anna & Danny. Their wedding was beautiful, but I already knew it would be. Anna's very much into photography as well, so the first time I met her we talked for a couple hours or so just about how great this job is. I believe she also tricked me into letting her take a picture of me. I guess it was a fair trade, because I got the opportunity to take a ton of pictures of her and her handsome new husband, Danny. Here's just a few, as always more later.

Emily | Senior Pictures

2011-08-28T00:40:00.003-05:00

Emily just started her senior year at my old high school. We had a fantastic day shooting her pictures, including a quick trip to get some frozen yogurt at Orange Leaf (http://orangeleafyogurt.com/). If you haven't tried it yet, you should!
Emily, you were awesome to work with and are quite lovely! Hope you have a fantastic senior year!

I'm back!

2011-08-14T11:20:00.003-05:00

I'm back from NYC and ready to get back into the swing of things starting with a senior photo shoot today and a wedding this Saturday!
Five tid-bits from New York:
1. Taxis are much easier to hail than anticipated.
2. I might be married to Elmo.
3. You should probably buy an umbrella when someone is shoving it in your face for $2.
4. Tiffany's is marvelous and if you haven't been to the one on 5th Avenue, you simply must visit it some day in your life. (I highly recommend bringing some breakfast.)
5. Harry Potter (aka: Daniel Radcliffe) can sing!

And now for some pictures...

New York City

2011-08-05T14:31:00.003-05:00

...is where I'll be on Sunday, August 7th. My mother, sisters, and I are all on a mission to visit a college for my youngest sister, Sheena (if you follow this blog often, you may have heard of her.)

This means I will be away for a week and may not be able to respond to e-mails and the like as quickly as usual. I will return to Iowa soon enough, however, and will respond to inquiries and questions as soon as possible.

Now I'll leave you with a fun camera phone picture of my sisters and I on a picnic adventure.

Life : Out of Focus

2011-07-25T13:23:00.002-05:00

Sarah, Kevin and I all took a trip to DQ after their wedding. True, the lovely couple enjoying ice cream cones are not in focus in this picture. But I cannot bring myself to discard it. I like it.
.

Sarah & Kevin | Wedding Preview

2011-07-11T18:52:00.002-05:00

Sarah & Kevin are fantastic. So was their wedding on Saturday. Many pictures to come soon, here's a few for now:

Madison & Josh | Iowa Wedding Photography

2011-07-01T22:54:00.002-05:00

Madison and Josh's wedding was so much fun! I'm going to warn you right now there are a lot of pictures in this blog. The day was just perfect, starting with a gorgeous ceremony, riding around campus for pictures in the a magic school bus, Josh getting "Cronked" at the reception, and some Farmhouse Frat guys serenading Madison!

Kelly & Heath | Iowa Wedding Photographer

2011-06-22T23:23:00.003-05:00

June 11th was pretty great. I got to see my family, hear my adorable cousin Sydney give a speech at her parents' wedding, enjoy the lovely cloudy weather, and most importantly document the day that my cousin got married.
I promised more pictures, so here they are!

Madison & Josh | Wedding Preview

2011-06-19T14:48:00.003-05:00

Here's a quick preview of how adorable Madison & Josh are, plus a little peek into how much fun their reception was!

Kelly & Heath | Wedding Preview

2011-06-13T01:41:00.007-05:00

My cousin, Heath married the lovely Kelly last weekend. I know this is a small preview. Trust me, there are a lot more pictures to share soon!

Stephanie & Corey | Iowa Wedding Photography

2011-06-03T21:25:00.002-05:00

Stephanie and Corey's wedding day was wonderful. Family came from all around to celebrate their marriage with a lot of happy tears and some Green Bay Packers trivia. Here are some more pictures from a lovely day in May.

Stephanie & Corey: Wedding Preview

2011-05-23T11:46:00.002-05:00

Saturday was an amazing day! The sun decided to show itself, the world didn't end and, most importantly, two people who are so very much in love with one another exchanged vows at a lovely vineyard outside of Ames.
More photos to come soon, as always!

Rehearsal Dinner

2011-05-21T12:28:00.003-05:00

Here are some pictures from Stephanie & Corey's rehearsal dinner last night. I will be shooting the wedding today as well, so stay tuned for more pictures soon!

In the meantime...

2011-04-27T10:50:00.003-05:00

For those of you keeping track, I know it has been over a month since my last post. I'm patiently awaiting my wedding season (which starts on May 21st!) so I can fill this blog up with beautiful weddings.
In the meantime, the ever so handsome Will, decided he'd like some photos for his blog.

This picture just makes me happy:

I was also able to grab a few pictures of my very lovely little sister, Sheena before her Junior prom. She really needs to let me take more pictures of her, wouldn't you agree?

An Album.

2011-03-14T15:15:00.003-05:00

I expected my new sample album to be gorgeous. This exceeds my expectations. I kind of (but not really) waited patiently for the UPS man today. When the package arrived, after indulging myself by looking over the album a couple times, I ran outside to take some pictures to share with everyone. A little girl and her mom on a walk stopped by while I was taking these photos. She was all excited to see pictures of a bride and groom on their wedding day and had all kinds of fun questions. This is definitely a good way to start the week.

If you see me within the next few days, don't be surprised if I have this with me and want to show it to you.

This is a 12x12 album with 30 spreads (60 pages).
Now to the pictures:

Sage's Baptism | Iowa Photographer

2011-03-10T10:25:00.004-06:00

Sage's baptism was quite wonderful. Her parents and her made the trip from Washington to celebrate this special day with all of their family here in Iowa.
There were so many sweet little details, including that the baptism took place in the same church where Olivia and Chris were married. Sage also was baptized wearing the same dress as Olivia. Chris decorated the cakes for Sage's reception (and they looked great!)
Everyone was so very friendly and made for a perfect start to my day!

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit | Matthew 28:19

Madison & Josh | Iowa Engagement Photography

2011-03-02T20:03:00.003-06:00

Madison is lovely, especially when Josh is there to make her smile. Then there's me, who is very lucky because I get to photograph their wedding this summer. Don't forget to stop back in June to see more of their greatness.

A Baptism Preview

2011-02-28T13:08:00.002-06:00

I was given the amazing opportunity to take pictures of the lovely little Sage's baptism yesterday. There are so many photos I want to post, I'm not sure how to choose! For now I'll leave you with a short little preview:

Madison & Josh | Iowa Engagement Photography Preview

2011-02-22T16:04:00.002-06:00

Saturday was a good day. I got to meet Josh and see Madison again, and they are quite fun to spend time with. Here's a little preview of our morning activities:

Bryson.

2011-02-10T19:10:00.002-06:00

This is Bryson. He is adorable.

Sarah & Kevin | Iowa Engagement Photography

2011-01-25T01:08:00.002-06:00

Meet Sarah and Kevin: they're an adventurous, cafe-loving, happy, and so very sweet couple. And guess who gets to take their wedding pictures in July? I'm pretty excited! I'm just thrilled all around at the thought of the amazing couples I get to work with this year! Sarah & Kevin's engagement session was definitely a good start to 2011.
We started at Ada Hayden Park to take some pictures next to the structure made by Patrick Dougherty. Afterwards we headed over to Stomping Grounds where we warmed up and they told me about their proposal story. It was a good day...and I think they forgive me for making them sit in the snow. Maybe.

Sarah & Kevin: Engagement Preview

2011-01-16T13:51:00.002-06:00

Sarah and Kevin are amazing. They braved the tundra-like weather (I may be slightly exaggerating here) for some wonderful winter engagement pictures and it was completely worth it! Here's some pictures for now, there will be plenty more later:

2011

2011-01-01T19:20:00.002-06:00

After looking back through 2010 in the last post, I thought today might be a good time to think about the future. I'm looking forward to my 2011 weddings and here's a reminder of a few of the fantastic couples you get to see more of this year:

Amanda & Tyler|September 24, 2011

Amanda & Matt|August 27, 2011

Ashley & Andrew|September 4, 2011

Weather permitting, I should have a wintery engagement session coming up later this month! Stay tuned for a fun wedding-filled year!

2010

2010-12-31T23:15:00.002-06:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
In 2010 I have to say, I had a pretty great year. I photographed 11 gorgeous weddings. I want to extend a huge "Thank you" to all of my 2010 couples! It was a pleasure getting to know you, work with you, meet your family and friends, and get to be a part of your wedding day. To celebrate, here's the amazing couples from 2010:

Brad & Liz|May 15th

Jena & Andrew|May 29th

Chelsey & Tyler|June 5th

Jenna & Drew|July 10th

Kelsey & Jared|July 24th

Megan & Colby|July 31st

Megan & Jeff|September 11th

Danielle & Derek|November 6th

I wish you all happiness with your time together! Have a wonderful 2011!

P.S. Two couples are not in this blog due to privacy agreements. Those two weddings were just as wonderful as the rest and I am grateful to all eleven couples, their faith in me and the time I was given to get to know them.

Danielle & Derek Part Two | Iowa Wedding Photographer

2010-12-13T11:47:00.002-06:00

If you would like to see more of the greatness that is Danielle and Derek's wedding, you have come to the right blog. Here you go:

Danielle & Derek Part One | Iowa Wedding Photographer

2010-12-06T13:26:00.003-06:00

I'm going to warn you now: I may have gone a little overboard with this post. In fact, it will be split up into two posts. This one is just prepping you for the next one: getting ready pictures, first glance, and then a sneak peek at some portraits of the bride and groom. Soon to come are the ceremony and reception pictures.

Danielle & Derek's wedding was my last wedding for 2010 and also occurred on one of those unnaturally warm/wonderful/sunny November days. I started off the day by meeting up with Danielle for her hair and make-up appointment, who (I might add) already had happiness radiating off of her. Then we headed over to the church to meet up with Derek, take some pictures, and watch them get married! There are plenty of book references in this wedding, due to Danielle being a librarian and their shared interest of reading. I believe Danielle's dad said during his speech that he knew he'd have to get used to Derek being around when he caught them both reading on the couch one day. I have to say, they are pretty amazing together.

Ashley & Andrew: Iowa Engagement Photography

2010-11-20T11:56:00.002-06:00

Ashley and Andrew met at ISU while working in the campus library. They tried to tell me that they're not photogenic. I beg to differ. These two were amazing to work with and I cannot wait to photograph their wedding in September!

Really, look at how gorgeous these two are:

Ashley & Andrew: Engagement Preview

2010-11-08T10:55:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I met Ashley and Andrew, they made my job easy. Really, I don't know how I'm going to choose pictures for the full blog, it's going to be close to impossible not to include them all! We started in downtown Ames:

Then, before they had to drive back to Omaha, we ran over to campus and took some pictures by Lago, where they will be getting married on Sept. 4th next year!

Here's a little preview of the fun to come:

Danielle & Derek: Wedding Preview

2010-11-07T13:15:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was the perfect day for a wedding. Danielle & Derek's wedding to be exact. As always, there will be plenty more to come later.

Amanda & Tyler: Engaged!

2010-10-30T12:20:00.002-05:00

I met Amanda Freshman year at Iowa State where we lived in the same dorm. Iowa State is also where Amanda met Tyler, so naturally we found our way over to campus for their engagement pictures. I'm sure you noticed the amazing weather we have had this Fall, well this was one of those days where it was just perfect. The gorgeous Fall colors everywhere paired with Amanda and Tyler complying with my little whims made for some pretty pictures.
Amanda and Tyler: You two are adorable together, I can't wait for your wedding in September!

Amanda & Tyler: Engagement Preview

2010-10-18T14:24:00.002-05:00

Amanda & Tyler are engaged! Here are some pictures for now, I promise I have plenty more for later...

Brand New!

2010-10-11T17:09:00.004-05:00

Since your on this blog, you may have noticed there's a new header. I just figure out how to do that today and I'm a tad bit excited about it. However, there's something even better that is brand new...
My website has a new lovely and clean look, plus it's so much easier to update. I'd love to hear what you think!
www.garnetphotography.com

Also, I just recently cut a ton of my hair off just because. I had a photo shoot with Sheena about a week ago so I could have some updated pictures. We also played with this great fedora from the 1950's that my boyfriend gave me!
Here's a couple of pictures from the day:

While I'm at it, here's a couple pictures of Will & me from yesterday...just because it was a good day.

Megan & Jeff's Wedding

2010-10-08T00:52:00.002-05:00

Megan and Jeff live in Texas, so their wedding day was the first time I met them. They are such a sweet couple and have the nicest friends and family! I believe at one point during the night, the maid of honor made sure to have the DJ announce that it was my birthday.

Megan & Jeff, it was definitely a memorable birthday and I'm glad I got to spend it taking pictures of you two.
Now on to some pictures from the lovely wedding...

Me with Megan & Jeff:

Amanda & Matt: Engaged!

2010-09-16T13:20:00.002-05:00

Our original plan for doing engagement pictures at Ledges didn't quite work out. Luckily we found the perfect alternative: Winterset. We went on a little adventure to find the Winterset City Park where we used the stone bridge (btw, that bridge was used in the filming of The Bridges of Madison County...maybe I should watch that movie someday?) We then discovered a tower and afterwards went on a quest for the most photogenic bridge. We were in Madison County, it just made sense. The Holliwell Bridge passed the test.

Granted, we didn't really need the really pretty park or a famous bridge, since Amanda & Matt are so easy to photograph. Once I told them that they were great at pulling off the "serious look." Amanda's response was that they're just serious people. Really, Amanda? I've known you long enough to know better than that!

I had fun getting to know Amanda & Matt as a couple. Thank you two for the fun photo-shoot, I can't wait for your wedding next year!

Ring shots:

Amanda was being every so helpful by standing and looking pretty while I tested the light & we waited for Matt to join us.

Their dog, Remi joined in for some pictures:

Megan & Jeff: Wedding Preview

2010-09-13T13:46:00.002-05:00

September 11, 2010 was my 24th birthday. More importantly, however, it was also the day that Megan and Jeff celebrated and shared their love for one another among friends and family. I'm happy you two found me and I got to be there to document your lovely wedding day!

Brooke & Doug's Wedding

2010-09-12T19:40:00.003-05:00

My day with Brooke and Doug started in their lovely home where I got to meet them and their cute puppy, Lil Girl. We rode around downtown Des Moines for a bit taking some pictures of their picture perfect wedding party then headed to the winery to grab a couple more shots before the ceremony. They celebrated their wedding at Summerset Winery outside of Indianola with a lovely ceremony and a lot of dancing.
I found out that Brooke and Doug actually went to the same high school. While they kind of knew of each other, they didn't really know each other. It wasn't until some years later that they officially met and, well, I have pictures to prove that they're perfect together.
Brooke & Doug, you two are absolutely gorgeous! It was such a great day and you two are wonderful to work with!

Amanda & Matt: Engagement Preview

2010-09-06T20:11:00.004-05:00

Amanda and I graduated from the same high school five years ago. Yes, it really has been five years. Since I've known Amanda for a while now, I was very excited to hear she got engaged. Then I was absolutely thrilled when she asked me to be her photographer!
Amanda and Matt are wonderful together! Here's a few pictures to prove it (more to come later, of course):

Megan & Colby's Wedding

2010-08-24T21:12:00.005-05:00

Megan and Colby's wedding day was just filled with joy and love. The kind that's overflowing and touches everyone in reach.
Here is a short overview at their beautiful day in pictures!

Megan & Colby: Thank you! Hope married life is going well for both of you and who knows, I might see you on Sunday!

Brooke & Doug: Wedding Preview

2010-08-23T22:13:00.003-05:00

Saturday was the first time I met Brooke & Doug. Normally I meet at least the bride before the wedding, so this was an interesting twist. Fortunately I had nothing to worry about because Brooke and Doug are amazing to work with! They had a beautiful wedding at Summerset Winery. I've got a few pictures to keep you entertained for now and there's plenty more for later!

Brooke & Doug: I hope you have a safe and wonderful time on your journey to Thailand! I'm thrilled I was given the opportunity to document your wedding day!

Kelsey & Jared's Wedding

2010-08-14T22:14:00.002-05:00

Iowa weather is completely unpredictable. Before Kelsey and Jared's wedding we ended up getting some stormy weather that forced them to switch venues. Despite the small change in plans, everything turned out beautifully and their wedding day went off flawlessly. Their day was filled with happy tears, lots of smile & laughter, and many wonderful people.
The day started out perfectly with a bouquet of flowers to Kelsey from Jared. In case you can't read the note in the picture, it says "In a few hours I get to marry my best friend. I can't wait. With all my love, your 2nd grade soul mate" Awwww!! And yes, they did date in 2nd grade, how cute is that?!?

Kelsey & Jared: Thank you for choosing me to photograph your wedding day!

Megan & Colby: Preview

2010-08-02T14:08:00.002-05:00

Megan & Colby had their wedding at a bible camp where Colby used to work. If I remember right, it also might be the place where they had their first date!
Here's a few pictures from their wedding day:

Jenna & Drew's Wedding

2010-07-27T14:09:00.002-05:00

I know it took me a while to get this full blog up, but I hope it was worth the wait. Their wedding was full of fun surprises with them dancing down the aisle and a visit from Cy! It was also filled with joy, a few happy tears, and lots of celebrating.
Thank you, Jenna & Drew for letting me be a part of your wedding day. You two along with your family & friends are amazing people to work with!

Kelsey & Jared: Wedding Rehearsal

2010-07-26T12:35:00.004-05:00

Kelsey and Jared invited me to their wedding rehearsal and dinner on Friday. I had a great time spending two days getting to know their friends and family! The rehearsal also gave me a chance to take a couple pictures of them preparing for the wedding and enjoying being together. Here's a couple photos from Friday:

Plus, here's a little sneak peek of Kels & Jar on their wedding day.

Jenna & Drew: Wedding Preview

2010-07-12T11:26:00.004-05:00

Jenna & Drew make me smile. They are just so adorable together & their wedding was beautiful. There are a ton of more pictures to come later, but for now you get a preview of how perfect they are together!

Can't forget Jenna's "Sex in the City" shoes!

Of course, I have to throw this photo in here. I'm kind of in love with Cy...

Nicole + TJ: Wedding

2010-07-03T08:08:00.001-05:00

I loved logging into Facebook throughout the time I've known Nicole and seeing her current Facebook status. She is consistently revealing her love for life and her excitement to marry her best friend.

I met up with Nicole and two of her friends for her hair appointment. About half-way through getting her hair done she announced that she felt beautiful, more beautiful than any other day before. Trust me, she is absolutely stunning! Every woman should feel that beautiful more often.

The first time that I seen TJ that day, you could feel his happiness. He couldn't wait to see his bride. It's impossible to not notice how much he adores her.

June 19th was definitely a good day.

As these two amazing people wish for their pictures to be kept anonymous, I will share just a couple details from their day with you. Enjoy!

I don't think I mentioned the best part: their wedding was at a zoo! With a special appearance from a hedgehog, parrot, and the little alligator below!

Nicole & TJ: Thanks for choosing me as your photographer! You two are such beautiful people inside & out.

Tom, Wendy & Josiah: Family Session

2010-06-23T12:15:00.003-05:00

I love taking & editing pictures of babies, especially when they're as cute as little Josiah!
We had a nice morning to take some pictures in their backyard before it got too hot. Wendy read Josiah "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and Tom played the "toss baby in the air and hope he doesn't spit up on me" game. Of course, Josiah looked just adorable the entire time with his big blue eyes and nifty hairstyle!

Wendy, Tom & Josiah: I'm glad I got the chance to capture pictures of your lovely family, thank you! Good luck with the moving process, I hope it goes smoothly for you!

Chelsey + Tyler: Married!

2010-06-21T13:23:00.002-05:00

They were married on Chelsey's Grandpa's farm amidst their friends and family. I loved the details of their wedding, how colorful it was, and how Chelsey was all smiles when she seen Tyler for the first time that day. They are one of those couples that just seem to go together and I love that about them.

On my way home, I had to pull over for this picture. I think it was the perfect ending to a beautiful day.

Chelsey & Tyler: Thank you for letting me be a part of your wedding day! I cannot wait for the "trash the dress" session!

Tom, Wendy & Josiah Family Preview

2010-06-17T13:47:00.002-05:00

Today I got to meet Tom's wife, Wendy, and their adorable 5 month old son, Josiah! Tom is pretty handy when figuring internet/computer/website stuff out, big thank you to him for helping me get my new photo gallery up and running properly.
He also has a gorgeous family that I got to photograph this morning, here's a couple pictures for now:

Chelsey + Tyler: Wedding Preview

2010-06-08T19:51:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday the weather cooperated better than I could've ever asked for. Here's a few pictures of the newly married couple:

Jena + Andrew: Married!

2010-06-03T20:30:00.002-05:00

Under a shady tree at the far end of Reiman Gardens, surrounded by their closest family, Jena and Andrew became husband and wife.

Jena & Andrew: Thank you for choosing me as your photographer! You two are gorgeous together! I hope you're having a wonderful time on your honeymoon!

Photo of the Day

2010-06-01T12:01:00.002-05:00

I like this picture, so I thought I'd share. Have a great week!

Jena + Andrew: Wedding Preview

2010-05-30T21:24:00.002-05:00

You may remember Jena & Andrew from their engagement session last year. Here's a couple photos from their lovely outdoor wedding on Saturday.

Liz + Brad: Married!

2010-05-25T01:38:00.003-05:00

I loved the set up of Liz and Brad's wedding. They got married at 11am, had a beautiful reception at Prairie Moon Winery outside of Ames that lasted until about 4pm (and contained a great surprise first dance), then invited everyone out for their after party that night.
Liz looked stunning in her Mother's wedding dress, Brad made a handsome groom of course, and there were many friends and family who love and support them as they began this journey of their lives together. I knew this would be a great wedding from the day I met with Liz and Brad, I definitely wasn't disappointed...

Brad & Liz: Thank you both for choosing me...and inviting me to the after party! Good luck in Phoenix!

Graduation and a Wedding

2010-05-22T23:43:00.007-05:00

Today was a busy day. First, I watched Shateau graduate from Simpson College and then I headed over to Boone for the wedding of one of my very favorite customers at Family Video.

Shateau graduated high school with me and has always been there to listen to my ridiculous stories and attempt to try and talk sense into me. She is amazing, extremely intelligent, always has the most insane things happen to her, and is kind of a work-a-holic. I pretty much love her. Congratulations Shateau and good luck!
Stacy gets movies a lot and I love her for it! One of the best things about my other job is meeting all kinds of wonderful people. Stacy is one of these people and I was thrilled to be invited to her wedding. Congratulations to the newly married Stacy and Bill!

Sibling Love

2010-05-19T15:11:00.001-05:00

I'm editing pictures right now...and these make me smile. Brad & Liz, hope you two are having a great honeymoon!

Liz + Brad: Wedding Preview

2010-05-17T13:22:00.009-05:00

Saturday's wedding was nothing short of amazing! Here's a few photos to tide you over while I'm working on the rest of them...enjoy!

Liz, you are stunning!

I just have to add...that last photo was my first jumping group shot. As in, this was the first shot I took of a group jumping...my 2nd & 3rd try just don't compare. I was pretty pleased that I nailed it on the first shot.

Lastly, I'd like to thank Liz and Brad for choosing me as their photographer! You two are pretty fabulous & I wish you the best in life.

Jacque + Brian: Engaged!

2010-05-13T22:58:00.007-05:00

I think I do this backwards. I think I'm supposed to just let you have a picture or two in the sneak peek and tell the story in the full blog post. Well, you know the story so here are some more pictures of my bestie and her fiance! (Or if you haven't been properly stalking my blog and don't know who this adorable couple is, go here.)
If you're wondering, we took all these pictures at Ledges State Park. It is gorgeous there and we were lucky enough to have the most perfect overcast day!

They both have the prettiest eyes...I'm jealous.. :-)

May Day Wedding

2010-05-10T11:16:00.010-05:00

This wedding was full of personal details from the parasols the bride made, the centerpiece plants they watched grow, the scrapbook table and place mats asking for words of wisdom, the mini personal cakes, and tiny handmade flowers in the bride's hair. To name a few that is. The day was beautiful, there was laughter, dancing, and happiness all around. I do believe I even have evidence of a Frisbee game instigated by the bride and groom...well, really, who doesn't play Frisbee at their wedding?

I want to thank the bride and groom for letting me be a part of this day in their lives. I hope you both have many years of joy together. Thank you.

As a side note, this couple wish to remain anonymous. Hope you enjoy the details from their wedding day!
["Beauty comes as much from the mind as from the eye"]

The Groom actually proposed with this wooden ring you see on the Bride's necklace! Afterwards, they went together to pick out a custom engagement ring and wedding bands (pictures of these farther down.)
One person's response to the question: What brings you happiness in your relationships? "Being honest to myself & others. Being understanding of my own & others limitations"
I like it.

Jacque + Brian Sneak Peek

2010-05-06T23:38:00.004-05:00

I don't know if I've told you this, but Jacque has been my best friend since kindergarten. I think it was around 5th grade, not really sure, but we decided a long time ago that we would be each others maid of honor when we got married.

Then we went to college and Jacque met Brian. Turns out he's pretty intelligent, because he realized how amazing Jacque-lynn is and proposed to her last year. Thus, I will be her maid of honor this year on September 25th!

Jacque, I love you & am glad you found someone who makes you happy!
I hope you enjoy your pictures, I couldn't wait till tomorrow night to post some for you...

They are too cute together...just one of the many interesting faces of Brian:

May Day Wedding: The Dress

2010-05-04T17:54:00.003-05:00

You may remember back in February, I posted a blog about a bride who was making her own wedding dress. The wedding was on Saturday and everything turned out beautifully. Not only did the bride make her own dress, she also made the centerpieces, parasols for the bridesmaids, a lovely cape/veil, flower basket, and more! I'll post some shots of all her craftiness in the next blog.

And now, for the main event...the finished dress in all its glory!:

The bride made these little flowers to put on her cape-veil and in her hair.

The sanctuary was...well perfect! There were doves hanging from the ceiling and I loved the set up. I'll give you one more sneak peek of the wedding...

Hope you all had a fantastic May Day! I'll be back with more photos soon!

Crown Modena & Friends

2010-04-26T14:29:00.005-05:00

I used to live in this dorm called Freeman. The year before I got to Iowa State, they started an annual concert (which I got to help out with my Freshman year there). This year they had some local bands including Crown Modena which has a couple of my friends in it. Here's a couple photos from the day:

Fliers from the past concerts:

Here's the lovely Jacque & her fiance, Brian. Just a heads up, you'll be seeing a bunch more photos of these two soon! I'm doing their engagement photos a week from Thursday!

Next is Oliva...one of my crazy dorm friends...

Sheena, Chelsie, & Brian

I know there are very few band pics, but it was too difficult to choose. If you would like to see more, go here.

VEISHEA

2010-04-20T11:02:00.006-05:00

Last week was VEISHEA at Iowa State. For those of you that don't know what VEISHEA is go here and here. Plus you should probably experience it in person, it's pretty great.

Saturday on Central Campus.

We stopped by a table to paint a piece of fabric that will be going into a quilt for sick children. The one on the bottom right is mine! [photos in collage are by Sheena.]

I just liked taking pictures of these guys...

Can't forget the Cherry Pie!

And for the grand finale...
The youtube sensation that's spreading across the nation!
Fran & Marlo Cowan who have been married 62 years and are the most adorable couple ever! (Check out their youtube video here!)

And that was my Saturday. Friday night we went and seen Guys & Dolls at Cy Stephens Auditorium (which was amazing!) I still have "Luck be a lady tonight" stuck in my head!

Ma Mère

2010-04-17T11:22:00.004-05:00

I had a photo-shoot with my beautiful mother last weekend! Here's proof:

Dear Sheena:

2010-04-14T12:08:00.006-05:00

Since you refused to write this blog, I get to choose which pictures will be shown.
All photos of me were taken by my little sister, Sheena:

Chels & I found this trunk in Goodwill the other day. I kinda like it. :-)

Now, since we're pretty much identical except for her gorgeous blue eyes & very pretty hair I think it's only fair that you get some pictures of Sheena:

Please remember: I LOVE YOU SHEENA!!

Trenton James

2010-04-13T23:10:00.004-05:00

As we know from my last blog, I'm not nearly as cool as my little brother. I was telling him he should let me try to shoot one of his guns. He had to promptly inform me that the one pictured here would be too much for me to handle. ...gee, don't you love his faith in me? :-)

Well, here you go, here's some more pics of this crazy kid:

Be vewy vewy quiet...I'm hunting wabbits.

2010-04-12T16:04:00.006-05:00

This weekend when I came home, I was informed that my little brother was going to let me take pictures of him. Of course I was thrilled!

It was a pretty good weekend. I had a mini shoot with Trenton & the next day with Mom, so you will get to see blog posts of each. Oh, and Sheena took pictures of me... she'll probably bite my head off if I don't have a blog for those too.

I just got home today, but of course I HAVE to post a photo or two.

I'm going to go ahead and give you permission to laugh at me...because, as you'll see below, I'm attempting to be as cool as Trenton:
[photo by Sheena]

Ok, ok, you can stop laughing now!
Here's a sneak peek of my little brother in all his awesomeness:

Stay tuned for more!!

If you give a mouse a cookie...

2010-04-08T19:11:00.003-05:00

...he'll want a glass of milk. I'm kind of like that mouse, just replace the cookie with a lens. So I went out and took some pictures and thought I'd share them with you:

I think green is my most recent favorite color...

This is my HS class ring. I like taking pictures of things and it was all I had on me during this walk. I'll just go ahead & use this as a shout-out to all the other MT "peeps"...lol.

We'll end with this one, which is now my computer's desktop image:

Have a great weekend & enjoy the beautiful spring weather!

happiness

2010-03-23T14:59:00.002-05:00

Happiness is cupcakes & sunshine...

That's all I have for today, really. :-)

I love...

2010-03-14T16:38:00.008-05:00

sunshine & grass. I love all of the signs of Spring. Here's some other things I love right now:

*Watching Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland with my sisters.

*Fantastical colloquies with Sheena.

*Whimsical photo shoots with Chelsie.

*New Super Mario Bros for the Wii...which is on it's way to me right now!

*Shopping with friends I haven't seen in months, which leads to the next one...

*Dresses from Maurices and the heels that go perfect with them. [see photo below]

*Crayola window markers and using them to make a leprechaun & "pot 'o movies" on the Family Video windows.

*Successfully finishing the Fountainhead. Now I get to start on some Jane Austen!

*Girl Scout cookies!

*Stella. Or my Canon 5D Mark II if you don't remember her name is Stella.

*Baking and sharing treats. ...such as the strawberry cake that is currently in the oven!

Fun with Post-Processing

2010-03-13T12:10:00.005-06:00

A lot of time, love, blood, sweat, tears...etc. goes into making photos beautiful. Sure, while you are shooting there are pressures to capture the right moments, make sure your focus is sharp, and be creative. As any photographer knows, things don't end when you upload them to your computer.

It's kind of a roller-coaster ride going through the RAW files for me...there's the excitement when I see lots of potential in photos & disappointment when some didn't turn out exactly as I had planned. I rarely let anyone see my RAW files, except Sheena.

Editing takes some time. Sometimes I just feel overwhelmed, that I'll never get through a batch of photos. Then I see the end result and it makes me happy. If you know me, you know I love to be happy. :-)

My weddings for this year begin in May. If you're my Facebook friend, my status everyday will probably be "Cassie is editing like a crazy mad woman" followed by an update on how you should look at my newest blog post. It's extremely exciting and I can't wait for the weddings to begin!

Now, enough rambling! I'm breaking my rule & showing you some of my straight out of the camera (SOCC) shots! Here are some before & after editing for your enjoyment:

Chelsie & Brian: Just because

2010-03-07T11:47:00.005-06:00

Yesterday we decided to do a photo-shoot just for fun with my little sister and her boyfriend, Brian. Here's some photos:

Making a Wedding Dress

2010-02-26T21:45:00.007-06:00

I'm basically in love with weddings. All of the emotions, the details, the happiness...etc. etc. I also love all of the couples I have worked with this far. They are creative, fun, interesting, and just all around amazing.

As you already know from two blogs ago, one of my lovely brides is making her own wedding dress! I got the opportunity to hang out with her at her place while she described the different processes that went into making her dress. I feel very lucky that I had the chance to document the making of this dress. ...Oh! And did I mention she makes delicious pasta?

Here are some photos of the cutting, sewing, measuring, ironing, and more sewing that took place:

She has the cutest pin cushions!

Here's a sneak peak of the (almost finished) dress! You'll get to see it finished in all of it's glory come May!!

Just sayin' "hi"

2010-02-25T22:15:00.003-06:00

I said I'd be a better blogger...and I really did mean it! So this is me, stopping in to say hi. I have been busy working at the FV, editing (which is what I'm doing now...very very soon you will see more making of the dress photos), and reading (slowly making my way through The Fountainhead).

I've gotten to practice with my new camera a bit and I am definitely in LOVE. So I'm going to leave you with a photo from our Family Video party:

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

Sneak Peek: Making a Wedding Dress

2010-02-20T19:03:00.005-06:00

My May Day Bride is making her own dress! I know, amazing, right? I definitely admire her for it. Today she gave me the opportunity to document the processes that go into making her dress. Here's a few detail shots from the day. There will be more detail shots of sewing, cutting, and dress making activities to come!

I thought her sewing room was adorable! Oh, and this is just one of her cute little pin cushions...

Below you can see the beautiful engagement ring that they had custom made:

To my lovely Bride: Thank you for letting me be a part of your dress making process. The dress is beautiful and I can't wait to see it completely finished!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T22:43:00.000-06:00

I have been a very bad blogger. I'm going to go ahead and blame it on the weather...hope you don't mind.

While it may not look like it now, we will have a summer eventually and I promise, it'll be full of lots of pictures for you! If you don't have me on Facebook or know me personally (yet) you may not know how extremely excited I am for my new addition..
Meet Stella, my new Canon 5D Mark II:

Of course I needed to show you a picture taken by my new camera! This adorable little guy is one of our favorite customers over at Family Video:

Hope you all had an amazing Valentine's Day!!! I'll be posting more photos soon!

Family Time!

2009-12-31T10:35:00.000-06:00

Every year we make our piles of presents and try to remember if this year we're going from youngest to oldest or oldest to youngest when unwrapping. Well, really Sheena always remembers (this year was youngest to oldest). Trenton will probably get Sheena the most recent Harry Potter movie and Sheena gets Dad chocolate covered cherries (see pic below!) And, of course, there will always be some creatively handcrafted gifts... :-) Between Sheena & I we ended up taking a lot of pictures! It was difficult to decide which ones to share (this year we had better lighting than usual).

So...we'll go youngest to oldest, starting with Trenton and his Rocky DVD:

Next we have Sheena.. Yes! I was able to get pictures of Sheena for once!! I made sure to get a lot of them since I finally had the opportunity!

Chelsie was super awesome & made presents for us! I got a comfy fleece blanket (love it!)

Here's her boyfriend, Brian, with his home-made critter à la Chelsie:

Sheena got me this cute kitchen timer...I love it! And here's my weird super happy face cause I got a Wii:
[photos by Sheena]

Next up is Dad & those chocolate covered cherries I was telling you about...

Then we have Mom & her new slippers!

After presents we played Apples to Apples, went to the mall for some shopping, and watched Avatar...

[photo by Sheena]

I think it was a pretty good Christmas...Hope yours was just as good!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-24T12:50:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a safe and wonderful holiday season!

Chelsie turns 19!

2009-12-15T10:24:00.000-06:00

I'm finally posting Chelsie's birthday pics. Her birthday was November 16th.
She opened her present from her boyfriend Brian (wrapped in colorful duct tape) and then we had some DQ ice cream cake!

Baking = my new hobby

2009-12-14T19:40:00.000-06:00

I tend to like to have Mondays off...it's just nice that way. I get to watch Big Bang Theory at 8:30, can run all my errands in the morning while everyone else is working or at school, and I can attempt to do laundry...which I still haven't done today (dang it!)

*Ok, I really do need to do laundry...I'm going to start that & come back to finish this blog*

I'm back...now what were we talking about? Mondays! So, lately I've been baking here & there. I made some cinnamon rolls, chocolate chip cookies, and today double chocolate muffins. I think I might make a habit of baking on Mondays...or at least every other Monday. I think the people at Family Video enjoy sampling my efforts..

Click here for today's recipe!

What do you think I should try next?

Snowy brochures...

2009-12-07T17:24:00.000-06:00

Since there's not much going on photographically speaking, I figured I'd use the blog as a way to let you know what's going on with my business...and just a way for you to get to know me.

So, with my day off today, I decided to have a short photo-shoot with my new brochures. That's right, I got super awesome brochures to give you this year! With the new year coming up and the new pricing structure...I thought you would appreciate something nicer than a sheet of paper given to you upon meeting me. I hope you like them:

As you can see...we have snow. And we're about to get more... hope you all stay nice, warm, & cozy this week!

Website Update!

2009-11-30T18:11:00.000-06:00

You may have noticed that my website is under construction. Please be patient :-) I've got some work to do on it to match my new branding. Like the pic? That's my beautiful computer, Lolita, showing off the new website (same address, www.garnetphotography.com).

Any questions at all, feel free to e-mail (garnetphoto@gmail.com) or call (641-414-4670).

I'm still looking for nominations for my contest! (See blog below for details.)

Hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving!!

*hugs*
Cassie

A week in Denver...

2009-11-14T00:27:00.000-06:00

I'm back! Unfortunately I've hit a lull...I don't have sessions for a while now, so I may randomly write blogs about various things. Of course, don't hesitate to contact me if you would like to set up a photo-session!

Here's a peek at a couple things I did while in Colorado:

I went on some bike rides...

...and took pictures of the gorgeous scenery

Visited Downtown Denver

Made some cinnamon rolls with Holly...they're home-made from scratch...ya, we're awesome like that!

And of course we also took some time to get up-close & personal with the Rockies!

Colorado...

2009-11-03T11:34:00.000-06:00

...is where I will be tomorrow around 5:30. :-) Just wanted to give everyone a heads up, I'm going to be out of the state for a week!! So if you have any questions, comments, thoughts, etc. and I don't respond right away...that is why.

Hope everyone has a great week! I'll be back soon with pictures to share!!

And as you all know, I can't post a blog without a picture...I suppose I'll show off my new shoes (since they're so pretty!):

Jenna + Drew: Engaged!!!

2009-10-27T14:02:00.000-05:00

I love spending time with happy people...just gives you warm fuzzies inside. Speaking of happy people, I have more pictures of Jenna & Drew! These two met at Iowa State in Biology class...so we wandered around campus for a while, played in the tiers in the library where we found a microbiology book for the ring shot, then went over to the new Alumni building to give Cy some love. After that, we got their "baby", Regis to pose for a picture or two. Thank you both! I hope you love your pictures & I can't wait until your wedding in July!

I just love these two...they're just too cute!

Fun at the library :-)

Ring shot!

Everyone loves Cy!...he's the bird of my dreams...

And last...but not least...Regis with his family :-)

Trenton's Birthday

2009-10-25T20:29:00.001-05:00

I went home for my little brother's 13th birthday (on Oct. 16th). I made him a yummy chocolate cake, went shopping with mom for his new hoodie (his other present hadn't made it in time...), and wrapped it up with awesome Toy Story wrapping paper! He even let me *attempt* to work his bow...but I'm a total wimp & he definitely showed me up.

Me & Trenton

Playin with Franky :-)

Sheena gets the credit for a few...ok, most of the pictures on this blog. :-) Really, she won't let me take pictures of her, she just steals the camera from me whenever I'm around. Y'all need to leave a comment on how much you want to see some photos of her so I can convince her to model for me!

Sneak Peek: Jenna + Drew Engaged!!

2009-10-24T12:47:00.001-05:00

I know I always go on about how amazingly awesome my couples are...but that's only because it's true! Thanks Jenna & Drew for spending the morning with me! You two really are fabulous!

Here's the sneak peak I promised:

Now these are my kind of people! :-) Not that I don't love my hawkeye fan couples...it's just they need to re-evaluate where their loyalties lie.