I got real in my last blog post and shared how I’ve been derailed and uninspired these past couple months. I always take December and January off from shooting in order to reflect on the previous wedding season, reassess my business, and to just have a breather and spend time with friends and family. The past couple years this has been totally necessary, but this year I think I made a mistake. I was crazy busy these past months, but I wasn’t doing anything to feed my soul. It’s a common misconception that wedding photographers work one day a week, but most wedding photographers own their own businesses, and the Business Owner hat consumes far more time (6 days a week, oftentimes 12+ hour days) than the Photographer hat (maybe only 1 or 2 days a week at about 12 hours total). Most of us spend a small percentage of our week actually shooting (the inspiring part, for me) … and the rest of the week is spent meeting with clients, fielding emails, sending out contracts and invoices, doing bookkeeping and accounting, setting goals, editing images, branding/marketing/social media’ing, writing copy for print and web materials, burning and packaging client discs, going to the post office and bank (my least favorite things ever), participating in forums and workshops, and (the most time-consuming for me) designing books and albums.

As I mentioned, the soul-feeding and inspiring part of my job is the shooting. And I need to do it consistently to feel alive and to feel myself. Even in the terrible winter, I’ve realized. So when Abbey told me she was coming to Madison and wanted to meet (we met previously only through the Twitterverse), I immediately let her know that I’d be shooting her (and she wasn’t allowed to refuse). Abbey is a fellow WI photographer (very new to the scene) who is a real talent. Talking with her was completely natural, exciting, and great. I felt like I found a long-lost friend and kindred spirit. We went out for tacos, tried some new Madison beer, and then ran around on Lake Mendota for 10 minutes. Those 10 minutes were all it took for me to feel myself and on track again. I woke-up this Monday morning fired-up for the week, for the coming year, and for being 30.

When I shoot, I prefer to observe before directing. One thing I noticed and loved right away about Abbey is how quickly she talks and how much she uses her hands when doing so. I wanted to capture some of that.

After being on that lake with Abbey I returned home feeling so revived and wanting to go back out there. So I took Troy along and he turned the camera on me instead. I wanted some updated photos that I didn’t take on my iMac, haha, and to remember the first awesome day of being 30 :)

Abbey, I love ya. Thanks for everything.

Hey, it’s me below. Feeling good.

From now on, even if I don’t have time (and especially when I don’t have time), I just need to get out and shoot something for myself on a regular basis. I don’t want to burn out on the Business Owner front because I’m not nurturing the Photographer side of things. Have a great Monday. Some GREAT things are in store here soon. I hope one of the next blog posts I write is on my NEW BLOG!!!

I find these posts difficult because I always feel that the collection of images I create from a certain event/session is far more powerful than any singular image. I love to tell the whole story and I wonder sometimes how just a slice of something translates when set apart. But without getting into that any deeper, here are some 2011 images that caught my eye as I scrolled through my desktop folders last night:

2011 was the year I finally saw my style & work come into their own. The year I stopped looking to other photographers for inspiration or comparison … and didn’t feel a sense of panic that I was doing things wrong. I no longer cared about that; I really finally felt comfortable shooting 100% from my heart. I’m not here saying I’ve sworn-off looking at other photographers’ work. In fact, I believe it’s important to foster that virtual community by being out on friends’ and others’ blogs, leaving comments and encouraging one another in all of this. I keep up with my friends’ blogs, as they’ve become my coworkers, in a sense. And family in yet another way. I do remain inspired by many many other photographers. But I’m no longer mimicking what they do. It’s all part of learning though … I think we all emulate those we admire when we start out.

I have to end this by thanking my clients, without whom none of this is possible, obviously. They’ve flown me all over the country yet again this past year … including to the west coast several times … my favorite place. People are starting to call it my home away from home. Definitely suits me. Thank you thank you thank you to my clients, friends, and other photographers who’ve helped and encouraged me. I’m glad I don’t foresee any end to this most exciting of careers.

Love, AM

Congratulations, Jennie and Dave! I’m so happy we’ve met. Enjoy just a small taste of your wedding images:

Shout-out to Jennyface for making the girls all look gorgeous. And to daffodil*parker for being the most talented florist yet again.

Alison was calm and happy from the moment I stepped foot in her childhood home. That calm and warmth set the tone for Alison & Kevin’s entire day and it was just lovely … perfect weather and all. My favorite part was the dueling pianos at the reception. Super creative and unexpected. Everyone was having a blast and I hung around late just to hear them play some more.

Congrats, Alison & Kevin! Thank you so much for having me along as part of your completely gorgeous day. I hope we cross paths again … maybe for brunch at El Dorado :)

PS — Alison did push-ups before she walked down the aisle so her arms would look good. And they did. Future brides, you should try it.

At the end of the session Dan said he felt like he just made a new friend. I couldn’t agree more (except I made two new friends)! Bri and Dan, I can’t wait to see you both again for some beer and laughs. Enjoy your little preview … I love all the life, movement and energy you both brought to the shoot.

I am nearly jumping up and down here because Katie and Ben’s wedding is featured today on GREEN WEDDING SHOES! This is one of my favorite wedding blogs and it is Katie’s all-time favorite. She used it a lot while planning her wedding and we are both thrilled about the feature. Head over to Green Wedding Shoes to read more about the wedding from Katie’s perspective.

I’ll let the images do the talking — you’ll see that this wedding was obviously stylish, classy, beautiful  and amazing. My favorite memories of the day happened at the beginning and end of Holly & Kohler’s ceremony. After Holly walked down the aisle with her dad, Kohler grabbed her hand and pulled her aside to whisper something in her ear. I can only imagine it was something along the lines of, “you are gorgeous/striking/beautiful and I’m so lucky to be marrying you.” I thought it was such a sweet gesture and a wonderful way for a groom to communicate his first impressions of the bride before the ceremony even begins.

My other favorite moment of the day was after the ceremony ended and Holly and Kohler sauntered slowly down the aisle together while “At Last” played. Seriously — not the recessional song anybody would expect. But it was perfect. Thank you times 1,000, Holly and Kohler. You have done nothing but shower me with appreciation and hugs and warmth. It means the world to me, and so does the fact I got to share in your day with you. xoxo.

Stef and Justin are sweet, super easy-going, intelligent, quiet and yet not awkward or difficult to talk with (in fact, they are very easy to talk to and enjoyable to be around :)). Their wedding will be at one of my favorite places next year — the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Cannot wait.

Big thanks to Jennyface for making Stef look extra-beautiful.

Andy is a talented fellow photographer, so being asked to photograph him and his wife was a huge honor … one that I do not take lightly. Thank you, Andy and Jess, for trusting me, being open, and being awesome. Hope to see you again soon!

My favorite memory from the evening was asking Andy why he fell in love with Jess and he said, “because she drove a Saturn.” Yup :)

Most importantly, there would be a bride and groom like Maggie and David. Sweet, generous, beautiful, caring, ambitious, successful but down-to-earth, and humble. This bride and groom would be surrounded by friends and family who help all day with the wedding in 90 degree heat (while having huge smiles on their faces and looking fashionable to boot).  Everyone at this wedding would be amazing and nice and welcoming. In case you haven’t caught on, this perfect wedding actually was Maggie and David’s. Enjoy:

It would be a blog post this long — that could have been much longer — because I loved it all so much.

Maggie and David, thank you. It was truly an honor to be part of such an amazing and perfect day. You are two of the most considerate and wonderful people I’ve ever met and your family and friends are a testament to who you are as well. I wanted to take you all home with me in my pocket. Congratulations!!