JK Photography

WEBSITE IS DOWN!!!!

2008-05-23T09:20:00.001-04:00

Hey all, not sure if anyone is checking this blog anymore, but my website and blog are down this morning and I am working on the issue!
Sorry, we should be back up soon :)
Thanks!!!

The new blog is here...The new blog is here!!!!

2008-05-09T08:09:00.004-04:00

And I am sooooooo excited about it :)
Please update your bookmarks, links, google blog reader subscriptions, and any other blog reader program you may be using to the following URL:
www.jkphotographyonline.com/blog

YIIIIIPPPPIIIIIEEEE!!!!!!!

Oh, not to worry, we were ale to import all of my old posts AND comments to the new blog :)

New blog coming VERY soon!

2008-05-08T14:28:00.001-04:00

Hey all, I have been working on having a brand spankin' new blog built for me! It should be up soon, so I am sorry if there is any downtime between now and then!
Have a fabulous day!!

WoooWhooooo (that is me whistling!)

2008-05-06T16:59:00.004-04:00

Yesterday two lovely ladies came over for a little B-Pic session at my house! I have never done a session here before and I have to say, I really enjoyed it :) We had champagne and music, it was a very comfortable atmosphere!
I managed to convince them to let me put a few on my blog...
Can we say HOT MAMA!!!
Enjoy the preview ladies, hope you both had a good time!

Angela + Billy: Engagement

2008-05-06T16:35:00.006-04:00

On Sunday I made my way out to Ypsilanti to meet up with Angela and Billy for their engagement session!
I just love this couple, they laugh at each other jokes and just made it so easy to photograph them! Their wedding isn't until February of 2009, and I am already looking forward to it! They have chosen to do a sudo "movie" theme for their wedding and I cannot wait to see all their thoughts and plans layed out!
Thanks for a great afternoon you guys, enjoy the preview :)

Love this one!!

Work those heels girl!!!!

We found a classic car show and decided to beg our way in to get some shots in front of this green beauty :)

Stephanie + Matt: Wedding Preview

2008-05-04T09:46:00.010-04:00

Um yeah...GORGEOUS!!!!!

Stephanie contacted me a while ago about having me do her wedding photography. She was stationed in Iraq at the time so we never actually got a chance to meet. She and Matt live in Alaska and were planning their wedding not only from there but from Iraq as well...I have to say, between her and Matt's planning and her mom helping out, they did a phenominal job!!
As soon as I met Stephanie I knew we were going to get along, this girl has got sass!! Other than being drop dead GORGEOUS, they are one of the sweetest couples I have ever met!
Here is a little preview of their beautiful day!
**for some reason I cannot get these in order, so the timeline is a little messed up**

Lovin' these shoes!!!

Their FABULOUS cake...YUMMY!!

Stephanie's mom and the wonderful wait staff at the Amway Grand Plaza

Jamie + Josh: Engagement Session

2008-05-01T13:28:00.004-04:00

Um yeah, can I just say WOW?!?!?!! These guys are HOT!
Yesterday I met up with Josh and Jamie (who are getting married in May of 2009) in Saugatuck, what an amazing day we had! This town is now my new favorite place to shoot! The color was awesome, the town is cutie pie and the beach is fabulous!
These guys knew how to work the camera though, I mean they are true naturals!!
Ok, can you tell I had fun with this?
Here is your preview...ENJOY!!!

Thanks for a fun day guys! I cannot wait to shoot your wedding, it is going to be PERFECTION!!

2 Spots are Open!!!

2008-04-29T11:03:00.003-04:00

**UPDATE**:
Both spots are filled up! Thanks ladies, I am looking forward to meeting you all!

I have 2 spots open for the June 29th Boudoir Marathon Session!
First come first serve :)
The time spots are:
3pm
and
4pm

The cost is $125 and includes 2 10x10 images mounted in a 2 page 10x10 leather folio and comes with a disk of your images plus online proofing!

My first Tigers game :)

2008-04-29T10:25:00.008-04:00

On Saturday Wally and I headed over to Detroit for my first EVER Tigers game!
I have been to baseball games before, but I have never been to one at Comerica Park, soooooo FUN!!
AND I cannot believe they let me bring my camera in, this just made the game even better!!! Although I am sure Wally wished that I would put the camera down and enjoy the game, but hey, I am a photographer, I can do both right?
We had invited our friends Amy and Eric to come with us, so much fun!! We HAVE to do this again soon you guys!!!

Meaghan + Scott: Engagement Session

2008-04-28T11:37:00.007-04:00

Yesterday I met up with Meaghan and Scott for their engagement session! Can I just say WOW!! They are the PERFECT coupe :) For only knowing each other for a short period of time, I can tell they were meant to be together!
Here is a preview of their e-pics:

Thanks for a great day you guys, I really enjoyed spending time with you both! Enjoy your wedding on the Island, it is sure to be a beautiful day for you both!

September's Bride + Lil' Miss CupCake=Sweet Goodness

2008-04-25T21:48:00.005-04:00

Aren't these girls ADORABLE!?!?!?!!

Last night Tami at September's Bride hosted a cupcake tasting with Becca from Lil' Miss Cupcake!
We enjoyed tasty yummy cupcakes and played dress up with Tami's GORGEOUS dresses!! I loved every minute of it and I think I might just want to get married all over again so I can have cupcakes and wear this fab dress that I fell in love with :) Do you think Wally would go for that?
Dave, Becca's fiance showed up and did a little outdoor promotion for us!
He is so cool :)
Amy and Angie showed up and played dress up with me! We all had so much fun, thank you Tami and Becca for putting this on for us, you girls are awesome!!

Oh la la...

WORK IT GIRL!!!

Dave showing off his "machoness" :)

She is such a doll!

Its a perfect fit!!

I am so in love with the back of this dress...someone PLEASE buy it so I can photograph you in it!!!!

Michele + Jason: 4.19.08

2008-04-20T20:04:00.008-04:00

Last night was my first wedding of '08 and what a great wedding it was!
Michele and Jason are just the cutest couple!! AND it was my first time photographing at St.Cecilia Music Society, all I can say is WOW!!!
Michele and Jason are both HUGE jazz lovers, so they decided to have the Fred Knapp Jazz Trio play at thir reception. Let me just tell you, if you are looking for a band to play at your wedding, these are your guys!! They sing, they play, they ROCK!!!
Here are a few pics of their day:

Here she comes!!!

Awww, I almost cried :)

Her flowers were out of this world gorgeous!!

Jason is good at dipping, so I had them do a lot of that!

Sigh...more lovely flowers...

Lovin' this dress shot!! Michele looked amazing in it!

Ok, I don't often have ring envy, but, um, WOW!!! I wanted to run off with these :) (just joking guys!!)

Michele getting ready for the big moment :)

Caught ya!!

Sparklers, I love this!!!

Chillin' before the big moment :)

Fred Knapp and the guys!

Look at the kiddos.. future wedding photographers of America here.

These two rocked the dance floor with their moves..they know how to dance and I got chill's just watching them!
They actually took dance lessons from Jason's grandma..so COOL

SUPER cheesy shot of me, bt Michele and Jason look fab of course :)

What can I say about Michele and Jason, they are soooooo meant to be together :)
I am really happy for you both and I had a blast getting to know you, have an amazing time in Arizona!!

A Turtle and a Bobcat

2008-04-18T17:20:00.014-04:00

What can I say about these two?
They are just AWESOME!!!
Not only are they a cool couple, cool people but they are having a cool wedding..at the Porches in Saugatuck! I am so looking forward to photographing their wedding, Tracy is going to be a GORGEOUS bride :)

Yesterday I spent a few hours with Brian (Bobcat) and Tracey (Turtle) taking their engagement pictures.
I showed them around our lovely city of Grand Rapids and all the fun places there are to go!
This morning I sat down to go through their session and I had a REALLY hard time choosing which ones to feature on the blog, so there are quite a few on here for you to look at :)

We started out downtown along the river walk:

Then we went over to Aquinas college, I love shooting here:

What is up in the tree?? OHHHHH its an owl!! Oh, its TWO owls!!!
How flipping awesome is that???
And of course, being the photographer that I am, I had to take some pictures!

Ok, back to the engagement pics :)
We headed into East town for some "urbany" pictures!

BLING!!!

Look at this awesome hurse..Brian loves old cars!

After our shoot I introduced Brian and Tracey to my favortie place to eat..Bombay pub...too fun!
Here Brian showed me a little video he made about his bobcat that was just recently in an accident. This is a car I am speakin of, not an actual animal :)

YUMMYYYYYY!!!!

CHEESE!!

Another successful class!!

2008-04-18T10:12:00.004-04:00

On Wednesday night Amy and I taught our second beginners course to photography!
It was a huge success, I loved every minute of it!!
Look for more classes to be scheduled and maybe a few advanced classes later on this year :)
Thanks to everyone who came out, it was a fun night and I enjoyed getting to know you all!

YIPPIEEEEE!!!!

2008-04-16T15:24:00.003-04:00

After 5 LLOOOOOOONNNNNNNNGGGG months, it is finally wedding season!
I am so excited and just about jumping out of my chair!!!
Stay tuned, this weekend is Jason and Michele's wedding, and I cannot wait! Their reception is at St.Cecilia Music Society downtown Grand Rapids. The perfect venue for a perfect couple!
Just wait till you see all the new moves I have learned over the last few months :)

I have an addiction....

2008-04-15T14:11:00.004-04:00

So spring is here and it is time for my Spring/Summer time addiction to pick back up again :)
I am addicted to having fresh flowers in my house.
Yesterday I went to the store and bought some bright colored flowers and made a little arrangement of my own at home.
I am not a good flower arranger, but it always makes me feel bright and cheery when there are fresh flowers in the house!!
Enjoy the beautiful day!!

Do something different...

2008-04-12T17:14:00.006-04:00

A while back I featured Becca from Lil'MissCupCake on my blog, and since then there has been CupCake Mania!!! So I decided to feature her again, this time focusing on doing something different at your wedding.
Here is my question to you.
Are you a bride or groom who is looking for something a little less traditional for your wedding dessert? Get on the CupCake train honey!!
Becca can custom design these little tasty morsels to look anyway you want! She has some FAB ideas of her own but she can make those cupcakes rock any way you like!
I know I have a lot of brides out there who are using bright vibrant colors in their wedding, so Becca came up with some beautiful cupcakes for me to photograph yesterday!

Let the drooling begin :)

Ok, now stop drooling all over your keyboard, pick up the phone and call Becca!

Thanks for looking :)

Don't forget to sign up!!!

2008-04-09T09:54:00.003-04:00

We have a few spots left open for our Beginners Course to Photography class coming up this April 16th at 6pm!
You can email me or Amy to sign up:
info@jkphotographyonline.com
amy@acarrollphotography.com

Hope to see you there!!

Ready..Set...LLLIIIIIFFFFTTTTT

2008-04-08T15:34:00.004-04:00

Today we had our home lifted..this was an interesting process. They hooked up hydraulics to all the piers they put under our house and made them all lift at the same time. I know nothing about hydraulics, but it was pretty cool to watch this happen!

I think they are just about done with the process..sometime this week (when we get everything cleaned up) I will take an after pictures and line them up so you can see the difference...I don't really see much of a difference now, its all just a big mess to me!

ANTM-National Geographic Style

2008-04-08T15:21:00.002-04:00

Hmmmm....this looks nothing like National Geographic...but I think we might be getting closer!

Yes, we are very silly, I know!

Amy...this one is for you!

2008-04-07T14:22:00.003-04:00

While the jack hammering continues through the day, I am finding new things to photograph to keep myself sane. Te birds have made a home in one of our GINORMOUS trees in our backyard!
Here is my first attempt to get some good pictures of the birds...I am not as good as my fabulous friend Amy..but I'd say I am getting there :)

Construction at the Badalamenti house!!!

2008-04-07T12:59:00.005-04:00

Well, we finally did it! We are having our house fixed!
Some of you may know this already but for those of you who do not I will give you the low down...I bought this house about 10 years ago and since that time the foundation has been slowly sinking into the ground :(
Well we finally found a company who will stabilize the house and make it stop sinking (and hopefully raise it a few inches in the process)...
Here are a few pics to start the day with...
(it is a like an earthquake is constantly attacking our home!)

The house before the chaos began

Look how crooked our back door is..yuck!

Wally is checkin' out the progress...

Anyone know a good deck guy to rebuild our deck????

These are all the support piers they are putting under our house...yikes!!

Ok, more to come tomorrow...I will have the before and after pics when they are all finished!!

First ever bridal show!

2008-04-07T12:35:00.003-04:00

On Saturday Amy and I took part in our first ever bridal show in Mt.Pleasant! The turn out was not what we had hoped for but we had a great time together (as we always do!) and we met some awesome vendors!
I enjoyed meeting all of you who cam out to see us!
Oh, and if you are ever in need of a videographer, check out Exodous Digital Productions!! These guys were so passionate about their work and the best part was, they were showing a video of a wedding that they did at Ciccone Vineyard, a place that is very close to my heart!

Anyway, it was a fabulous time and we learned a lot!!
Thanks to Amy for making this a great trip as always!

A little more OSP eyecandy...

2008-03-31T10:09:00.006-04:00

Here are some of my fav's from our trip!
Enjoy!

I had such a great time down there with all of my new friends!
Thanks to Nate and everyone else for putting this on for us!
Oh, and KevinI still want a shirt :)

Don't you just love Sprinter?

2008-03-28T10:55:00.004-04:00

You are probably wondering what Sprinter is, aren't you? Its the true definition of Spring and Winter. That is what today is!

Here are some pics of the first official day of Sprinter...
(stay tuned, I will have more of OSP Indy for you and a recap of the trip!)

Happy Sprinter day :)

OSP Indy, day two...thinking outside the chair

2008-03-27T14:57:00.005-04:00

On day 2 of our fabulous foursome trip we we were assigned a creative challenge!
They divided the group into 4 teams and each team was given a folding chair.
The team with the most creative shots won...
Here is a little video that Anne took for us:

Here are some shots from the day:

Here we all are looking through the hundreds of pictures we took that afternoon...it was not easy trying to narrow them down to 10 images, but we won the challenge! Yahhh team!

Day One of OSP Indy!!!

2008-03-27T09:00:00.003-04:00

Well, we (Amy, Kerri and Kelly) just got back into town last night from our Bad Ass Photography workshop! What an awesome trip this was, we had such a great time chatting and meeting all of our new OSP friends in Indy!
Here is a little eye candy for your viewing pleasure :)

I learned so much over the last few days and I cannot wait to get out there and shoot some weddings!!

After the workshop we headed out for dinner and a little game of poker (please note, I have never played this game before)

A little game of darts?

Doesn't Anne look cute?

They have good beer in Indy...

Here is Amy enjoying a cup.

I learned some new shooting tricks...(thanks Ramiro)

Won a little money...

And made a lot of new fabulous bad ass friends!
Don't worry, I will post more pictures shortly!

Flowers and a road trip!

2008-03-23T11:46:00.003-04:00

Ok, I know the two don't exactly go together, but I had a lot to write about today so I thougt I would just combine them :)
The other day my fabulous husband sent me some flowers:

He says they fell off the truck, but really the Eastern Flower guy delivered them :)
Aren't I a lucky girl!?!?!

Also, tomorrow morning, bright and early at 6:30am (ugh, this should be interesting!), my Bad A$$ Photographer friends and I are hittin' the road and going to Indy!
We will be attending a photography workshop there for 3 days!! I am so excited I can hardly contain myself!

Stay tuned, I will be documenting the whole thing with my camera (of course), so you will have lots of eye candy to keep you entertained :)
I will be available via email and cell phone, so feel free to contact me anytime :)

Have a great Easter everyone!!

Say hello to Ben...

2008-03-23T10:17:00.000-04:00

Ben came in yesterday for his 3 year old pictures.

He is not shy :)

This is Ben's puppy. She has just as much energy as Ben does!

Here is the whole family!
Thanks for coming in you guys, I had a blast!!

Marathon Photo Session

2008-03-18T09:40:00.004-04:00

***UPDATE-This session is filled up, but I can take individual sessions in the studio! Thanks ladies, I look forward to seeing you all on the 29th!***

Hi ladies!
I have had a few of you ask me if I would do a boudoir session, so I thought it would be easiest to make a day of it!
Here is the plan:
June 29th
Location is TBD right now, but I am thinking somewhere downtown at a hotel
Cost: $125
Includes a 2 page flush mount 10x10 folio (with 10x10's of your choice)
CD of images
Private online viewing

I have room for 8 girls and I am hoping to get a hair and make up artist for the day!
Let me know if you are interested and I will put together a timeline!

Ciao!

Whoa Baby!

2008-03-17T20:53:00.005-04:00

Today Shannon and Andy brought Baby Sawyer in for his newborn pictures!
What a heart breaker this kid is going to be!!!!

Missed the class?

2008-03-17T11:08:00.005-04:00

Due to popular demand (and because it was SO much fun), Amy and I have decided to host another beginners course to photography workshop!
Here are the details;

Wednesday April 16th from 6pm-9:00pm at the Mirror Mirror Studio located downtown Grand Rapids!

You will learn to:

-Use the manual controls on your camera
-Learn how to use available light
-Pose your subjects
-Compose your shots & much more!

Live models will be available!

There will be ample opportunity for any and all of your questions as well as an outlined curriculum with everything you need to know to start using your camera more efficiently. We hope you will leave the workshop feeling excited, exhilarated and ready to go out there and conquer the photography world!
A light dinner will be provided for you and the class will be limited to 20 participants so as to have a lot of opportunity for one-on-one learning.
The cost for the workshop is $150. We will also stick around after the workshop for anyone interested in a private session for an extra $100.
Seating is limited and will be based on a first-come, first-serve basis. Payment can be made through PayPal or by check.

We encourage all of those who are interested in learning their camera's better to sign up. This will be fun night of learning and shooting and we couldn't be more excited to be offering this!
To sign up, simply email either

Jen at info@jkphotographyonline.com or amy@acarrollphotography.com.

Hope to see you there!

Happy St.Patties Day and a Sale!

2008-03-17T09:27:00.002-04:00

(Photo by Express/Express/Getty Images)

I just wanted to say Happy St.Patricks day to all of my friends, family and clients!

I also want to announce new pricing for my wedding packages!
I am offering 10% off my packages to anyone who books a 2009 wedding with me from now until April 15th!
Here is the new pricing:

Real Simple: $1,500
Full Day Coverage
Engagement photo session(includes 1 8x10 or 2 5x7's)
Photography Assistant
On-line proofing
Copyrights (including engagement copyrights) and 2 high resolution CD's

Simply Yours: $1,700
Full Day Coverage
Engagement photo session and copyrights (includes 1 8x10 or 2 5x7's)
2nd Photographer
DVD slideshow with music of your choice
Proof Book with 100-150 4x6 Proofs
Copyrights (including engagement copyrights) and 2 high resolution CD 's
On-line proofing

Simply Wonderful: $1,900
Full Day Coverage
2nd photographer
Engagement photo session and copyrights (includes 1 8x10 or 2 5x7's)
Custom designed guest book with engagement pictures
DVD slideshow with music of your choice
Proof Book with 150-200 4x6's
Copyrights (including engagement copyrights) and 2 high resolution CD 's
On-line proofing
Custom designed 4x6 Thank You cards with the wedding image of your choice (limited to 150 cards)

Simply Amazing: $2,200
Full Day Coverage
Engagement photo session & copyrights (includes 1 8x10 or 2 5x7's)
Custom designed guest book with engagement pictures
2nd Photographer
DVD slideshow with music of your choice
Proof Book with 150-200 4x6 Proofs
Copyrights (including engagement copyrights) and 2 high resolution CD 's
Destiny Leather Bound Wedding Album with 40 flush mount pages and customized design
On-line proofing

I also have some new A'La Carte items to announce:

Library Bound, Leather Album with 20 Flush Mount Pages and Customized Design: $500
(Add $100 for an 8x10 metal cover with 15 pages)

Memory Book (hard cover, spiral bound book with 20 pages and individual thumbnails of each image of your choice): $75.00

Engagement Session with 1 8x10 or 2 5x7's and on-line proofing: $100

Trash the Dress session with copyrights: $100 (This is an add on to any package)

Thank you cards (150 with envelopes): $100

Guest Book with engagement pictures of your choice: $100

5x7 Leather Parent Album with 10 pages (20 sides): $150

Please see the calendar on my website to check availability for your date!
This is a limited time offer, so get your consultations set up now!

As a special thank you, anyone who books a wedding with me will also receive a complimentary bottle of wine sent right to your home (limited to clients who are 21 and over) :)

I would also like to say a special thank you to the brides and grooms who have booked me for this year, I am really looking forward to photographing your weddings! Its going to be an awesome year and I have a TON of new fabulous ideas for your wedding day!

A yummy treat!

2008-03-13T17:07:00.015-04:00

All the sweets I had yesterday made me want to make my own something sweet!
This is a yummy treat that I make about once a week for me and Wally :)
Not only are these granola bars healthy, but they are VERY easy to make and are a good source of protein and other good stuff for you!
Try making these at home and tell me what you think.
Here we go:
Ingredients
1 cup of rolled oats (I use the baking kind)
1/2 cup of raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup of raw chopped almonds
1/4 cup of sesame seeds
3/4 cup of raw flaked coconut (you can use anything to replace the coconut if you want. Like raisins or other dried fruits)
1/2 cup of honey
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 tbls. of butter
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1/2 tsp. of salt

Ok, first things first, pre heat your over to 350 degrees F
Then, gather all of your dry ingredients and place them on a cookie sheet

Like so...

Next, place them in the oven to toast for about 10-15 minutes or until you have a nice pleasant aroma coming from the nuts!

Mmmmm, I this is going to be GOOD!!

After you have toasted your dry ingredients, its time to warm up the wet ingredients!
Place together in a medium sauce pan:
Vanilla
Brown Sugar
Butter
Honey
and salt (Yes, I know this is not a wet ingredient, but go with me on this ok?)

Next, take your toasted dry granola mix out and place it in a bowl.

Get your pans out. I like to use muffin tins for this. It makes nice little bite size bars and I don't have to deal with cutting them into bars. But you can use anything you like!
Take your pans and spray them with a non-stick butter spray, or you can take a stick of butter and wipe the tins with it. Really anything will work, its just so the granola doesn't stick to the pans!

Then take your melted wet ingredients and combine them with your dry mix and stir:

You can add more honey if you like, but don't over do it! The mixture should be crumbly :)

Then scoop your mix into the tins (or pan, what ever you are using) and pat down gently!

After you have filled your tins, pop the tins in the over at 350 degrees and bake for about 10-15 minutes. The final result should be faintly bronzed!

Let them cool completely (if you can), cut into bars or pop them out of the tins and ENJOY!
They are so good even a kitty cat would love them :)

Let me know what you think!

It was a "sweet" day!

2008-03-12T07:51:00.014-04:00

It was a busy day today with all this cupcake and brownie tasting!
This afternoon I had the great pleasure of meeting with a new gal in town named Rebecca!
Becca owns and operates Lil' Miss CupCake!
For those brides out there who do not want to do cake or who want something original done for their wedding or bridal shower, or for those moms out there looking for something fun for that birthday party, call Becca!
Her prices start out at $2.50 per cupcake, but she can do package deals for you as well.
I got to taste some of these delicious little treats and WOW, I was blown away at how moist and yummy these are.
She makes them with all natural organic ingredients. So good for the tum!
Check out Lil'Miss CupCake for more information!
Don't these look fabulous!?!?!?!

Thanks for bringing these over Becca, I cannot wait to have some more. You are very talented! Any girl would be lucky to have Lil' Miss CupCake at her wedding!

After the cupcakes I met up with Amy to see Barb Hoek's newest shop Sweet Cakes Designs! I just love Barb, she is so creative and so talented. I cannot wait to photograph some of her cakes this year.
Here are some pictures of Barb, her cakes and her new shop! Stop by and visit her anytime, she might even give you a sample :)

I love all the folded fondant and hand embroidered detail on these, you are just amazing Barb!

Isn't she so cute??

(This one is my favorite!)

Jose

2008-03-10T11:20:00.007-04:00

Yesterday Jose came in for his senior pictures!
We had a lot of fun using different backdrops and the ladder, we even went outside to do a few urbany pictures! Being outside made me wish for spring!
Thanks for being so patient with me Jose, I know I like to take a lot of pictures :)
Here is Jose's preview:

Get your E-Pics on the calendar!

2008-03-10T10:58:00.003-04:00

I was in the studio yesterday and I had some time to kill so I played around with my engagement and wedding ring!

As I was taking pictures I was thinking how Spring and Summer are right around the corner(YAH!!)! This also got me thinking about engagement pictures!
If you have not had your engagement pictures done yet and still need to do them, let me know so I can get you on the calendar! My Sundays are filling up FAST so I am trying to open up a few weekdays.
For your engagement pictures we can go anywhere you like, the beach, downtown, the studio, a park or we can just over to your favorite local coffee shop or pub :)
Let me know if you still need to get these scheduled and I will send you the dates I have available!
Have a great Monday :)

The class was a success!!

2008-03-08T22:00:00.011-05:00

Today Amy and I taught our first ever Beginners Course to Photography!!!
Here are a few pics from our day and of our students learning how to take pictures of our models!

It was a huge success, we had a great turn out and all of the people were so eager to learn which is exactly what I was hoping the day would turn out like! I have to admit I was a little nervous during the days leading up to it but once we got up there and started teaching it came so naturally to both of us! We loved teaching this class and we look forward to having more classes in the future!

I feel so fortunate to be able to teach people what I am so passionate about!
Thank you to our beautiful models who were so patient!

An interview with myself...

2008-02-28T16:45:00.005-05:00

Since today is a cold snowy winter day and I am still in my PJ's (yes I am, its cold and I didn't want to change into real clothes!).
I thought I would answer some of those burning questions you all have about me and JK Photography:

1. What is your name?
Jennifer Badalamenti (yep, I am a sicillian girl)

2. Where are you from?
Originally I am from Grand Rapids, but I moved to Seattle when I was 2, so thats where I grew up. Now I am back in Grand Rapids. So I will let you decide :)

3. Is photography your full time job?
Yep! I love it :)

4. How did you get into photography?
Well lets see...I have been taking pictures since I could hold a camera but I really started getting into it when I was in high school. This was back when we took pictures on BW film, developed the film and printed the pictures for the yearbook in the darkroom.
I travelled to Thailand about 6 years ago and that was when I realized that photography was what I was supposed to do for the rest of my life!

5. Did you go to school for photography?
Sure did!

6. What do you like the most about shooting weddings?
Oh that is a tough one, there are so many aspects to weddings that I love. I would say first off I love working with people and getting to know the bride and groom. I love seeing people happy and in love. I would also say that I love seeing the creativity that goes into planning a wedding. All the little details that the couple picks out to make their wedding unique and different.

7. How long have your been photographing weddings?
I am going into my 5th year of wedding photography.

8. Have you learned a lot over the last 4 years?
Heck ya I have! Every wedding I do is a learning experience. I develop my style and technique everytime I shoot a wedding.

9. Do you get nervous when you do a wedding?
Yep! I go through an equipment check 2 days before the wedding to make sure I have everything and everything is charged and formatted. 2 weeks before the wedding I visit the ceremony and reception locations to make sure i have the right lighting etc... where I get the most nervous is during the ceremony...its so quiet in there and its such a special time for the bride and groom I am always afraid I am going to sneeze or something LOL

10. What's in your camera bag?
Oh I have lots of goodies :)
Here is the list:
1 Shootsac
3 camera bodies (Canon 5D, Canon 30D and a canon rebel xti.)
5 lenses including 1 fisheye lens
3 backup batteries
1 stroboframe
2 Speedlight 430ex's
LOTS of AA batteries
3 4GB memory cards and a few 2 GB cards
A few reflectors
A few flash diffusers
An emergency kit for the bridal party
An extra pair of shoes for me
And a partidge in a pear tree!

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Working in some exotic location with my husband and kids!

12. Are you married?
Yep, I tied the knot in August of 2007!

13. Who photographed your wedding?
My very good friends Heidi and Fred

14. As a bride, what is one piece of advice you would give a new bride?
Remember EVERYTHING! Your wedding day will go by so fast and while you will have fabulous photographs to remember your day, just keep telling your self "remember this moment, remember this feeling".

15. Do you do destination weddings?
I do! This year I am travelling to Jamaica 2 times and Portugal in September. I feel so fortunate that I get to do the 2 things that I love the most, travel and take pictures!! What a great job I have :)

16. What color is your hair?
Darkest brown, box #581

17. What is your favorite drink?
A glass of buttery smooth chardonay on a hot summers day.

18. Do you have a favorite TV show?
Amazing race and Jon and Kate+8

19. Do you have any kids?
Nope, not yet!

20. Why did you decide to interview yourself?
Well, these are some of the most frequently asked questions I get, but maybe you all have some more..feel free to ask away, I am happy to answer any of your questions!

Oh the sweet smell of horses!

2008-02-28T11:10:00.008-05:00

The other day I met up with my friend Debbie and we went to see her horse AJ and Teddy!
Now most of you don't know this but I used to ride and show horses back in the day! I miss it so much and I had a great time meeting AJ and even got to ride for a little bit, it was like I was a kid again :)

And speaking of horses...here are a few embarrassing pictures of me with my horse Kitten.
(Please remember these pictures were taken in the 80's and is not a reflection of the fashion choices I make today)

Does this mean Spring is here?????

2008-02-28T11:06:00.002-05:00

Today I saw my first red breasted robins of the year, I can only hope this means spring is coming soon!!! God bye snow, hellllooooooooo SUN!!!

10 fingers, 10 toes...

2008-02-23T09:15:00.005-05:00

and a little baby nose!
Yesterday I spent some time with this new handsome little man, Bennett!
He just came home from the hospital on Sunday and seems to be settling in very quickly.
Here are a few newborn pictures we did, isn't he just so cute?

After the pictures were done it was time for lunch!

Announcing....

2008-02-21T14:42:00.009-05:00

Announcements!

Today I decided to get a little creative and design some new templates for baby announcements!
Here is a sample of a few I did today:

I will be making some more for birthdays, weddings and all occasion sometime this weekend!
If you would like to order these please contact me at info@jkphotographyonline.com

4x6 announcements will run $1.25 each and come with envelopes (packages of 24)
5x7 announcements will run $1.50 each and come with envelopes (packages of 24)

I can also custom design your announcement or invitation as needed!

I can see clearly now...

2008-02-21T12:57:00.004-05:00

Yes friends, I finally broke down and got myself some new glasses!
Check em out:

And yes, for those of you who know me well, they are JLo frames :)

Don't forget to sign up!

2008-02-20T11:43:00.002-05:00

With just a few weeks left and a few spots left open, if you have been considering signing up for the Beginner's Photography Workshop, now is the time to do it! Below is all of the information:

Mirror Mirror Studio is proud to present our first hands-on workshop of many to come, a Beginners Course to Photography.
Do you have a digital or film camera that you would like to learn to use better? Want to shoot like the pros or just take better pictures? Sign up for a fabulous day of fun and learning with Amy and Jen on Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and learn the ins and outs of your camera, manual controls and composition with a split session of learning and shooting with live models.

You will learn to:

-Use the manual controls on your camera
-Learn how to use available light
-Pose your subjects
-Compose your shots & much more!

There will be ample opportunity for any and all of your questions as well as an outlined curriculum with everything you need to know to start using your camera more efficiently. We hope you will leave the workshop feeling excited, exhilerated and ready to go out there and conquer the photography world!

Lunch will be provided for you and the class will be limited to 20 participants so as to have a lot of opportunity for one-on-one learning. The cost for the workshop is $150. We will also stick around after the workshop for anyone interested in a private session for an extra $100.

Seating is limited and will be based on a first-come, first-serve basis. Payment can be made through PayPal or by check.

We encourage all of those who are interested in learning their camera's better to sign up. This will be fun day of learning and shooting and we couldn't be more excited to be offering this!

To sign up, simply email either Jen at info@jkphotographyonline.com
or amy@acarrollphotography.com.

Oh what a beautiful morning!!

2008-02-20T10:26:00.001-05:00

Well we are finally seeing the sunshine this morning, yah!!!
This is the view I woke up to this morning! As much as I love new snow, I am SOOOOO ready for spring to come :)

Its a mystery....

2008-02-18T08:49:00.002-05:00

My darling husband told me the other day that he is taking me on a vacation in May...A mystery vacation...for those of you who know me and know how much I love to plan things, this is killing me!
So I have spent a majority of the weekend asking questions and trying to figure out where we are going! He won't budge.
Apparently I won't find out where we are going until we get to the airport..so we are flying somewhere!
Any guesses??

Kayleigh, Kyle and Tobi!

2008-02-17T16:34:00.004-05:00

Kayleigh and Kyle are getting married in August up in Rockford and yesterday they came in for their engagement pictures!
They also brought in their little puppy Tobi!
I got some cute pictures of the 3 of them and I am really looking forward to photographing their wedding :)
Here is a sneak peak!

Say hello to Baby O!!!

2008-02-15T17:40:00.010-05:00

Yesterday my friend Ellen and her husband Todd welcomed their second child into the world!
Meet Baby O!

Baby O loves the camera already, can you tell!
He doesn't have a name yet, but ironically his mom and dad decided early on that his middle name would be...you guessed it, Valentine!!
The jury is still out on his first name, but my vote is for Bradlee :)
Of course when I got to the hospital, I had to take a gazillion pictures..here are a few more of the little guy:

Father and son

Hands and Feet (I have a thing with feet if you haven't noticed ;) )

A great night out for a great cause!

2008-02-11T10:00:00.001-05:00

On Saturday I had the great pleasure of helping out Bid for Bachelors and Bachelorettes 2008!
This was my first time working with the organization and what a great cause it is! If you haven't heard about it or if you would like to read more information about Cystic Fibrosis click here!!
Here are a few pics from the night!

Lots of updates!!!

2008-02-11T09:14:00.000-05:00

Ok, ok, ok, I know it has been a while since I have posted! But this has been a VERY busy past few days for me!
The good news is that I have some new pictures to post today :)

Lets start with Super Bowl Sunday :)
Wally and I went over to Amy and Jason's house to watch a VERY exciting football game ;)
Here are a few pictures from our eventful evening:

We loved the game so much that we decided to see who could take the best picture of feet!

Go Patriots! Wally was just thrilled about having his picture taken during the best part of the game :)

After the game we made our way home, this is what we were driving in!

A few days later Ellen wanted to get her hair cut before she has the baby, so I got to babysit for my favorite kid, Mollee!!
And I played with my new 85mm lens :) I just can't help myself!

Then Aletha came over to chat and do a little work:

And finally, please welcome the newset member to our family!!

2009 Destination Weddings off to a good start!

2008-02-06T09:01:00.000-05:00

My 2009 destination weddings are off to a great start!
I have one of my 3 free packages booked in April!
That means I have 2 spots left open and I am sure these will get picked up VERY quickly!
In case you are wondering what is included in these fantastic packages, here are the details:

Unlimited time (coverage for all the days I am there)
Ceremony/reception and other event coverage throughout the trip
Trash the dress session if you would like or private portrait session
All pictures would be professionally edited by me and posted online about 4 weeks after the wedding
Full copyrights to all the final images (probably about 2-3000 maybe more)
You will get 2 DVD's with all those images on them
1 10x10 32 side (16 page) leather bound flush mount album (you pick out the images you want in the book and I will custom design it for you)

In exchange all you would have to do is pay for my expenses like airfare, hotel, food and any additional trips you would like me on!

Let me know if you have any questions, I am happy to chat with you more about this!

We're bloggin' now!

2008-02-03T09:22:00.000-05:00

Mirror Mirror Studio finally has a new blog!
Check it out:
www.mirrormirrorstudio.blogspot.com

2nd Trash the Dress Marathon Session is now open!!

2008-02-02T08:39:00.000-05:00

Because of the overwhelming response to the first TTD session with Mirror Mirror Studios and Pearls Events, we've added a second session a bit later in the year.

If you'd like to trash your dress on Sunday, September 28th, please email aletha@pearlsevents.com and get your name in soon--spots will fill up quickly!!!!

Amy, Aletha and I are looking forward to two full sessions of TTD fun for the 2008 season.

Same deal--6 spots to fill
Who :: Anyone with a wedding gown!
What :: A Trash the Dress session
When :: Sunday, September 28th, time to-be-determined
Where :: Silver Lake Sand Dunes, about one hour north of Grand Rapids
Why :: To rock that dress one more time before you have it cleaned
How much :: $175 includes your session, copyrights, hair & makeup

Clay and Heather

2008-02-01T12:09:00.000-05:00

Clay and Heather came into the studio the other day for some family pictures :)
Heather is 4 months pregnant and they wanted to get some pictures of just the 2 of them before the little one comes along.
Don't they make a cute couple??
Thanks you guys, I really had a great time working with you!

Are you a 2009 bride????

2008-02-01T09:52:00.000-05:00

Well this might just be your lucky day!!!!

Are you a bride-to-be that that wants the Crème de la Crème? Do you want amazing photography from not one, but two fabulous photographers? Amy and I have put together two amazing packages for the bride who wants it all!

The Double your Pleasure Package

A personalized engagement session
Photography coverage of your bridal shower
8 hours of exceptional photography for your wedding day
Online proofing
Wedding proofbook
10x10 Coffee table-style album
$4500

The Double your Fun Package

Truly the wedding package that includes everything but the kitchen sink! But if you ask us nicely, we may include that too!

A personalized engagement session with copyrights included
Photography coverage of your bridal shower
Unlimited photography coverage for your wedding day
Online proofing
Wedding proofbook
12x12 Coffee table-style album
A "Trash the Dress" session at location of your choice.
$5500

These packages are for those getting married in 2009 and will be offered on a limited availability basis. Please direct any inquiries to either of us at:
info@jkphotographyonline.com
or
amy@acarrollphotography.com

Also, don't forget to check out our fabulous new blog for Mirror Mirror Studio!!!

A brand new website for ME!!!!

2008-01-31T12:34:00.000-05:00

Well, its finally up and running!
The brand new version of JK Photography is now available for your viewing pleasure :)
If you happened to try and send me an email last night or this morning, there is a chance I did not get it because I had to switch over my email.
Take a look and let me know what you think!
Also, stay tuned, Amy and I have some new packages coming up for 2009 that i think you will all love :)
More on that later!

On a cold winters day....

2008-01-30T11:48:00.001-05:00

My dogs like to cuddle on the couch and stay warm :)

Trash the Dress-Marathon Session

2008-01-29T22:08:00.000-05:00

For all of you fabulous brides, brides-to-be, or girls who just want to wear their dress again, make sure to sign up for this promotion. It is sure to be a fabulously fun time!

But who is Mirror Mirror Studio you might ask? It's none other than the fearless photography duo of Amy of Amy Carroll Photography and myself! Blog coming soon to keep everyone updated on exciting studio announcement and specials.

**UPDATE** Tami at September's Bride will be throwing in a $35 gift certificate to get your gown cleaned and preserved! This is an awesome deal.

Belly and Baby...

2008-01-29T20:50:00.000-05:00

Today I did my first Belly and Baby session with Ellen!
She is due at the end of February and just looks so cute pregnant :)
Mollee, Ellen's daughter, is SO excited to be a big sister!

A Match Made in Heaven...and Hawaii!

2008-01-28T15:02:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I had a photo shoot with Ben and Julie who are getting married in July!
They were engaged in Hawaii and are just the cutest couple :)
It was a fun day of shooting, we started in the studio:

And because one of Ben and Julie's colors is fuschia, I couldn't help but try something new :) (sorry Ben!!)

Then we went out side for a few outdoor pictures:

And a snowball fight!

Congrats you guys, I am looking forward to your wedding!

Sweet Love

2008-01-27T23:05:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had an engagement session with my October 4th bride and groom!
We started in the studio then went to the Grand Rapids JW Marriott!
It is a really beautiful hotel and I was so excited about our shoot there.
Here is a little preview of Valeri and Mike's engagement session!

America's Next Top Model-Family Style!

2008-01-27T19:08:00.000-05:00

Here is a little preview of my family shoot from yesterday!
What an amazing family they are, I had so much fun taking their pictures!!

Look out ANTM, here comes Logan and Olivia!

Yooohooo....Simply New!!

2008-01-27T13:15:00.000-05:00

Hello all you beautiful and handsome blog readers out there :)
I've some a little something for you!
As a part of my new website, I have created some new packages, have a look!

Wedding Packages
(Studio Packages Are Listed Below):
Real Simple: $1,200
Full Day Coverage
Engagement photo session(includes 1 8x10 or 2 5x7's)
Photography Assistant
On-line proofing
Copyrights (including engagement copyrights) and 2 high resolution CD's

Simply Yours: $1,500
Full Day Coverage
Engagement photo session and copyrights (includes 1 8x10 or 2 5x7's)
2nd Photographer
DVD of all pictures taken through out the day (aprox. 800-1000) put into a slideshow with music of your choice
Proof Book with 100-150 4x6 Proofs
Copyrights (including engagement copyrights) and 2 high resolution CD 's
On-line proofing

Simply Wonderful: $1,700
Full Day Coverage
2nd photographer
Engagement photo session and copyrights (includes 1 8x10 or 2 5x7's)
Custom designed guest book with engagement pictures
DVD slideshow of pictures taken through out the day (aprox. 800-1000) with music of your choice
Proof Book with 150-200 4x6's
Copyrights (including engagement copyrights) and 2 high resolution CD 's
On-line proofing
Custom designed 4x6 Thank You cards with the wedding image of your choice (limited to 144 cards)

Simply Amazing: $2,000
Full Day Coverage
Engagement photo session & copyrights (includes 1 8x10 or 2 5x7's)
Custom designed guest book with engagement pictures
2nd Photographer
DVD of pictures taken through out the day (aprox. 1000-1500) put into a slideshow with music of your choice
Proof Book with 150-200 4x6 Proofs
Copyrights (including engagement copyrights) and 2 high resolution CD 's
Destiny Leather Bound Wedding Album with 32 flush mount pages and customized design
On-line proofing

Simply Adorable: $50
Studio Session
Online Proofing
1 8x10 and 2-5x7's

Simply Senior: $100
Unlimited time, Unlimited location
Online Proofing
10 page 10x10 memory book of all final pictures (hard cover spiral bound)
All touch-ups and graphics fees included

Simply Lifestyle: $100
This is an all day session that includes unlimited locations in the areas of your choice! I can come to your home, the park, the beach, really where ever you like! I will take candids and posed pictures of your child and professionaly edit them. This package includes online proofing and 1 10x10, 10 page memory book!

Baby and Belly: $400
This session includes a maternity session and a newborn photo session. You will receive an 8x10 from each session and a 20 image 8x8 album that will hold your choice of images. This package also includes copyrights from both sessions.

Simply Digital: $150
This option can be added on to any portrait package. It includes copyrights to all of your final images, 1 high resolution DVD, and a negative release form so you can print, email and share your images anywhere and anytime you like!

Exciting News!

2008-01-26T10:29:00.000-05:00

Sometime in the next few weeks I will be launching a brand new website!!
Not only will I be able to showcase my portfolio, but you will be able to look at my calendar to see the dates I have open and other great events coming up!
On top of the new launch of my website, Amy and I will be attending our first ever Bridal Show in Mt. Pleasant, MI starting April 5th!
Be sure to check back, I will create a post when the new site is live as well as announcing other exciting news :)
Thanks to all of my wonderful clients, friends and family for making 2008 a fabulous year to look forward to!

In case you didn't already know....

2008-01-24T14:47:00.000-05:00

Aletha over at Pearls Events is offering 10% off all of her packages from now until February 14th!! This is your chance ladies, if you have not booked her now, do it!!!!
Not only does it save you time but it will also save you the extra effort you have to put into decorating and setting up for your wedding. Now you can sit back and relax and know that you are in good hands!!!
I have known Aletha now for just over a year and I can tell you that she is the next up and coming wedding and event planner in town and all the brides want her. So get in now while you still can :)

On the road again....

2008-01-22T16:45:00.000-05:00

Yup, thats right! Yesterday Amy and I braved the wicked weather and went up to Traverse City for an engagement shoot with my May 17th bride and groom! The took us all over the hotel (Grand Traverse Resort and Spa) for their pictures and we even got private access to the dining room for some amazing images!

We stayed in a fabulous room at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, had a delectable dinner at their resturaunt, Aerie, which is situated at the top of the tower

After dinner we headed down stairs to the hotel sports bar where we had a few after dinner drinks and met some great new friends!

We always have so much when we travel together and I am looking forward to the many adventures in 2008 that are in store for us!
Portugal here we come!!!!

Pete has Art...

2008-01-20T19:58:00.000-05:00

My friend Pete over at Buttonpresser.com has some kick a** paintings!
If you are looking for some fun art to hang on your walls, Pete is your guy!
A few weeks ago Pete created my lovely new logo for me, in exchange I photographed his artwork for him. I got a chance to see his amazing artwork up close, and WOW, he is such a great artist!
Check out his stuff here:
Pete

Thanks Pete for the fun new logo!!
Your art ROCKS!!

Brand new face, same great place!

2008-01-20T13:54:00.000-05:00

So my blog has a new look, what do you all think?
I kinda like it :)

Only one spot left for the Destination Wedding Packages!!!

2008-01-19T08:41:00.001-05:00

First I would just like to say thank you and congratulations to those brides who have chosen me for their destination wedding! I am so excited to be a part of your day and I have so many great ideas for your wedding photography.
So far this year I will be traveling to Negril Jamaica, Montego Bay Jamaica and Algrave Portugal!
I feel very fortunate and lucky to have the opportunity to photograph these weddings in these fabulous locations!
That being said, there is still one package left in my free giveaway.
Here is what is included:
Unlimited time
Ceremony/reception and other event coverage throughout the trip
Trash the dress session or couples session
All pictures would be professionally edited by me and posted online about 4 weeks after the wedding
Full copyrights to all the final images
You will get 2 DVD's with all those images on them
1 10x10 32 side (16 page) leather bound flush mount album (you pick out the images you want in the book and I will custom design it for you)

Contact me now for more information and to reserve your package!

Don't forget to sign up...

2008-01-19T08:33:00.001-05:00

Just a reminder to get signed up for our "Beginners Course to Photography"!
The class is filling up fast and we still have just over a month to go before we start.
Please feel free to email myself or Amy for more information!

info@jkphotographyonline.com
amy@acarrollphotography.com

We are excited to have you all there and for our first ever photography course!

Say hello to my little friend...

2008-01-12T08:25:00.000-05:00

Ok, so most of you know that I have 2 great danes, but did you know I also have a little kitty?

Well, ok, maybe she is not so little.
"Who are you callin' little, lady??"

Normally Sasha likes to lay in the kitchen on the rug and be right under our feet. But tonight, she managed to make it up on the couch.
So I put a hat on her.

Hanna doesn't like it when I do that.

Sasha thanks you for visiting.

I heart UPS!!

2008-01-09T23:19:00.001-05:00

I got a lovely little package from the UPS man:

Hello, what is this?

Naughty Monkey????

Ohhhhhhhhhh, it's SHOES!!

Yummy :)

There is nothing like getting a little naughty monkey in the mail to brighten your day!

Its all relative..

2008-01-09T22:43:00.000-05:00

On Saturday Melissa came in with her 2 kids, Kate and Foxx. Kate needed her 9 month pictures and Foxx wanted to help me set everything up, and then get in the picture with his sissy :)

Then Melissa's sister Mary, her fiance Chad and his daughter Lauren came in for their photo session!
Mary and Chad are one of my September couples, I am so excited to shoot their wedding. They are such a cute couple and Lauren is just gorgeous!

See, its all in the family!

Beginners Course to Photography hosted by Mirror Mirror Studios..Sign up now!!

2008-01-07T13:19:00.001-05:00

Mirror Mirror Studio is proud to present our first hands-on workshop
of many to come, a Beginners Course to Photography.

Do you have a digital or film camera that you would like to learn to
use better? Want to shoot like the pros or just take better pictures?
Sign up for a fabulous day of fun and learning with Amy and Jen on
Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and learn the ins and outs of
your camera, manual controls and composition with a split session of
learning and shooting with live models. You will learn to:

-Use the manual controls on your camera
-Learn how to use available light
-Pose your subjects
-Compose your shot
-Ask questions

Lunch will be provided for you and the class will be limited to 20
participants so as to have a lot of opportunity for one-on-one
learning. The cost for the workshop is $150. We will also stick
around after the workshop for anyone interested in a private session
for an extra $100.

Seating is limited and will be based on a first-come, first-serve
basis. Payment can be made through PayPal to info@jkphotographyonline.com or by check.

We encourage all of those who are interested in learning their
camera's better to sign up. This will be fun day of learning and
shooting and we couldn't be more excited to be offering this!

To sign up, you can email either Jen at info@jkphotographyonline.com
or amy@acarrollphotography.com.

3 Free Destination Weddings!!

2008-01-06T00:39:00.000-05:00

Ok ladies, here is your chance!
I have been wanting to get into destination wedding photography for a while now, so I have come up with a game plan:
I have decided to give away 3 all inclusive wedding packages to the first 3 brides that book me as their destination wedding photographer!
Destination weddings are the latest trend these days, why not bring along a photographer you can meet with and get to know before the day of your wedding?
All you have to do is pay for my way (or if you would like 2 photographers, our way) there and back (in or outside of the United States), meals etc.. and in exchange I/we will be your personal photographer for as long as you need!
I will professionaly edit your photographs, put them online for you and your friends and family to see! And then on top of all of that, I will include your copyrights and give you a beautiful leather bound, custom designed, flush mount album!

Contact me now to reserve your date!!
Ciao :)
Jen

There is always a first for everything....

2008-01-05T10:37:00.000-05:00

So yesterday I shot a wedding with Amy! It was our first time shooting together, and what a blast we had! We worked with some great vendors too!
Its like we have been doing weddings together our whole lives!!
We all braved the frozen tundra to do outdoor pictures, and I have to say that is one brave bride and 8 brave bridesmaids!
But its all worth it in the end right?
Just look at the results you get from an afternoon in sub-zero temperatures!

Congratulations Nikki and Scott, it was a beautiful wedding!

Ringing in 2008!

2008-01-04T09:34:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy new year!
Thank you to all of my wonderful friends, family and clients for making 2007 an awesome 12 months!
Here are a few pics of us celebrating the end of 2007 and welcoming in 2008:

The hostess with mostess!

Mmmm, my favorite wine...

Doug, what is so funny??

Lovin the Golden TEE

Night Night Wally!

Cracks in the snow, or a shadow at night??

2008-01-04T09:31:00.000-05:00

What do you think?

A time for reflection.. Something different..

2007-12-30T18:00:00.000-05:00

As Wally and I get closer to wanting to start a family of our own, I started to think about my own family and how I came to be.
Now for those of you who know me or Wally you know that I am adopted, and most of you know that I have met my birth mother.
So for those of you who do not know or want to read a good story today, here is your chance.
Grab a cup of hot coco and enjoy:

There is not one specific day that I remember my
parents telling me that I was adopted. It was just a
fact of life for me.
I always had a feeling deep inside that if my birth
mother was anything like me, she would want to know
who I am as much as I wanted to know who she was.
Although it was never a burning desire for me to meet
her, I just always had this "missing piece to the
puzzle" feeling.
While I was growing up, I was a firm nurture believer.
I felt that who you are as a person came from the
lifestyle in which you grew up.
I had (and still have) a great family and awesome friends. My parents
always made sure we had the best that life could offer
us, and told us over and over again that our birth
parents loved us and wanted what was best for us.
Don't get me wrong, life wasn't always peaches and
cream. There were many times that kids in school would
pick on me and tell me that my birth mother didn't
love me and thats why she gave me away.
But my parents always reassured us that we were loved
and that is why we came to them.
If you have gotten this far in my story, you are
probably wondering why I keep saying "us". Well 10
years after my parents adopted me (they adopted me
when they were 30 and I was 2 months old) they asked
me how I would feel about having a sibling or two. I
was really excited about that idea. So 10 months later
we adopted twin girls from Korea. It was truly an
amazing moment in our lives.
So to get to my point, at the age of 23 we moved from
Seattle, where I had grown up to a little town in the
mid-west called Grand Rapids, Michigan. My birth
place.
Shortly after we moved here I went to see a new doctor
for a check up. The doctor was asking me routine
questions about my medical history. Well in 1975 they
didn't really give out you medical history for a
closed adoption, so i explained this to my doctor. She
informed me that because I am over the age of 18 I can
open my adoption file and get information about my
medical history, birth family etc..
This sparked a fire inside of me. I consulted with my
parents about this and we decided as a family that
this would be a good thing for me to get (my medical
history).
I contacted the adoption agency that my parents had
gone through 23 years prior. This was in January of
1999.
I spoke with the adoption agency and they sent me the
information that they had on file for me. Along with
this information, they also sent me pamphlets about
finding your birth family and what steps you need to
go through to do this. Until that moment I had not
even thought about actually doing this.
I went over and over and over this scenario in my head
and finally about 4 weeks later I called the
intermediary counselor out of Lansing. This is where
the story gets good.
She asked me to sign a few papers and send a
non-identifying letter to my birth mother. That was
one of the hardest letters I had ever written. What do
you say to the woman who had carried you for 9 months,
given birth to you, then immediately signed you over
to a loving wonderful family? I sent the letter. Two
weeks later she called me saying she had located my
birth mother, did I want her to be contacted?
I had to sleep on that one for another week.
Shortly after that I received another phone call
saying that she had read the letter to my birth mother
and that my birth mother wanted to send me a letter. I
said "send it on over".
She mailed me my first letter from my mother.
I remember reading this letter over and over again.
Memorizing every word. She explained that she didn't
give me up because she didn't want me but because she
wanted me to have a good life, one that she could not
give me.
After I received this letter I spoke with the
counselor again and she said if I wanted to contact my
birth mother personally I could have her phone number.
Immediately I said yes.
I sat there for a long time staring at the name and
number she had given me. Wondering who this woman was
and was she anything like me.
I went to see my parents to tell them my decision on
contacting my birth mom. They were very supportive
about all of this.
I believe that this is the point where most adoptees
give up and never go through with the initial contact.
There is a certain amount of guilt that you feel when
you tell your mom and dad, the ones who raised you from
an infant that you are going to contact your birth
parent.
It was not all roses, we had some fights. There was a
lot of guilt on my shoulders about this, but In the end
my parents accepted and supported my decision.
I finally got the nerve to call her.
I remember sitting in my dinning room with the phone
in my hands. My hands were sweating! I dialed the
number and a woman with a very familiar voice answered
the phone. I started to cry. She said that she had
waited for this moment everyday since the day I was
born.
There was a very long conversation following that. It
was good.
She told me that she new if I was anything like her, I
would want to know who she is as much as she wanted to
know who I was. I couldn't believe it, it was the same
thing I had been saying my entire life!
We agreed to meet.
2 weeks later I was looking at the woman who had given
birth to me. The woman who had given me to a family
who gave me a life she never could have.
It was an amazing moment.
This had all happened in the matter of 5 months. From
the time I contacted the adoption agency to meeting my
birth mother.
I could not believe how fast this had happened.
Before I knew it I was meeting my half brother and
sister. then my grandparents, then my entire birth
family!
It was amazing and wonderful.
Fast forward 8 years. Last August I married my husband
in a little town in Northern Michigan at a winery.
My adopted family was flying out from Seattle for this
(they moved back to Seattle shortly after I met my
birth mother, but not for that reason).
My birth mother, her husband and my half brother and
sister were also coming to the wedding. They had never
met my adopted family and the stress about this was
killing me.
Everyone had a different opinion on what I should be
doing. My husband kept telling me that no one else has
meet both families, so they have no idea how wonderful
both parents are.
Two days before the wedding, we held a dinner for all
the parents.
The moment my birth mom met my adopted mom I started
crying. They hugged each other and from that point on
they talked non stop the whole weekend.
There is a lot more to this story, so that is the
short version :)

Anyway, here is my birth mom, me and my mom on the day of our wedding.

It was truly a great moment and I am so happy to be able to share this with all of you!
Have a wonderful New Year!

How many photographers does it take..

2007-12-30T17:46:00.000-05:00

to take pictures of 2 dogs???
Ok, so I am a little late with this post :)
As most of you know Amy and I tried effortlessly to take some pictures of both of our dogs in the studio.
Here is how they came out (with a little commentary):

"Hi! Wanna have your picture taken with me?"

"HA! Not a chance buddy. You think I want to get stepped on??"

"Fine. Your loss!"

"Hehehehehhe, I tricked her mom!!"

"Now this is more like it!"

"Hey, can we go home now?

Thanks for visiting!!
Love, Hanna and Tanner

Happy holidays to all!

2007-12-25T11:48:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to wish all of my readers out there a very happy holiday season and an even happier new year!

logo, logo, logos....

2007-12-22T08:32:00.000-05:00

My good friend Pete has created some new logos for me and he did such a good job I just cannot decide which one to choose. I mean, they are all REALLY good and even Wally cannot decide which one he likes the most.
So, I need your help with making this decision...Which one pops out at you? Which one can you see me using for the next 5, 10 years? Which on do you like the best?
Thanks for your help everyone, have a fabulous Christmas, a very merry New Year and a safe and delightful weekend!!
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Sugar and spice and alll things nice

2007-12-18T08:07:00.000-05:00

Thats what these little girls are made of :)
They came bursting into our studio last night with so much energy I couldn't help but take a gazillion pictures!
Aletha thanks for bringing them in, this was so much fun!!!
Here's a preview from our session:

Winter Love...

2007-12-17T21:55:00.000-05:00

On Saturday I photographed Kim and Bruce's wedding in Hastings at the Barry County Expo Center!
I have never photographed a winter wedding before (man was it cold!!). We had a great time at this one, aside from the ridiculous snow storm we got that night!
Kim had chosen a winter snowflake theme with pink, black and silver as her colors. She did a great job with the decorations. The place looked awesome! Cute idea: They had a family friend make a tree skirt that served at their guest book. It was beautiful! They also had a Christmas Tree with ornaments with their wedding date and names on them... LOVE IT!!!

Here are a few preview pics of their wedding day.

Congratulations Kim and Bruce!

Tiss the season...

2007-12-14T07:53:00.000-05:00

For family pictures!
Last night one of my favorite families came into the studio for their annual christmas pictures!
Its always a fun time with them and this was my first time photographing them in the studio!
Here are a few pics from our session:

Peace and joy to all!

2007-12-12T22:55:00.000-05:00

Tonight I had 2 cuties come into the studio for holiday pictures!
I had so much fun photographing them! They really have such awesome personalities :)
Here are a few of the pictures I took tonight:

Hello?

2007-12-12T20:42:00.000-05:00

Who's there?

Oh, it's you!

Well I am having my picture taken right now, so I can't play. Maybe later!

Ok, sorry about that. I am ready for my close up now.

To Smash or Not to Smash....

2007-12-09T21:56:00.000-05:00

That is the question....
I have seen a lot of brides and grooms feed each other wedding cake, and it seems to me that it is a bit of tradition to put a little icing on someones nose and kiss it away.
But never have I seen such a cake cutting event such as this one:

I took this picture at a wedding last fall. Both the bride and groom came up to me individually to let me know that they were going to smash each other with the cake.
All during the reception I had to keep this little secret to myself and wait for the moment when they went to feed each other the giant piece of cake they had in their hands. Needless to say, I was ready!
Everyone got a big laugh about it, especially the bride and groom!

Calling all brides....

2007-12-09T21:40:00.000-05:00

Time is running out on Pearls Events DOC discount!
The deadline to book is December 31st, so if you haven't booked her now, do it soon!
I know she is booking up for 2008 and there is still a little bit of time, but don't wait too long :)

Two peas in a pod...

2007-12-08T20:58:00.000-05:00

Today I had the pleasure of having two of my favorite clients in the studio!
I met these girls about 4 years ago when I started JK Photography.
They are quite the cuties and they have grown so much over the years, I always have such a good time photographing them.
We had a blast picking out props to play with, they showed me thier dance poses and they did some gymnastics too!
Here are a few pics from our session:

Walk like and egyptian!

Of course I had to get in there for one with them!

Fun with Spout

2007-12-08T18:23:00.000-05:00

So on Friday my co-workers from Spout and I had our holiday pictures done in my studio!
We are kind of a crazy group and with 13 people there it was a little hard to make a decision on how to put everyone together.
But after many tries and much craziness I think we finally nailed it.
You tell me, which one do you like the best?

Look at this cutie...

2007-12-05T21:03:00.000-05:00

Tonight I had my first session in the new studio!!
Can I just tell you all how much I LOVE it?!?!?!?!
Here are a few pics of Mollee:

"She said what??"

JK Photography is proud to announce....

2007-12-02T22:07:00.000-05:00

That I FINALLY have a studio!!!
Yes its true, Amy Carroll and I have officially opened our studio together!
Our new location is at 820 Monroe Ave downtown Grand Rapids!
The studio name will be Mirror Mirror Studios, but we will both be operating under our own business names.
This is a very exciting opportunity for both of us and is going to bring great new things for both of us!

So what does this mean to you, my clients and potential clients?
Well, I will have a space to display my work, sell my fine art and have a professional studio for you to come to and have your pictures taken by me in one place. Of course we can still go outside and do pictures too :)
Mirror Mirror Studios will have a website soon and we will also be having a grand opening as soon as we get settled in, so you all can come and see our FABULOUS new location!

Here is even better news:
For the months of December and January I have decided to run a spectacular studio special!
For $50 you can come to my studio, have your family pictures, kids pictures, pet pictures (basically what ever you want) taken, professionally edited and proofed, placed online and you get 1 8x10 and 2 5x7's with the package!!!
Call or email to get in on this great deal because I have a feeling the time slots are going to book up fast :)

Here is a picture that Amy took of me of me opening the champagne to celebrate (I hope to have more pictures of our space soon, for some reason I did not bring my camera. Can you believe that??):

Helping the animals this winter

2007-11-30T08:08:00.000-05:00

The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on their site daily to meet their quota of getting free food donated every day to abused and neglected animals. It takes less than a minute (How about 20 seconds) to go to their site and click on the purple box "fund food for animals" for free.

This doesn't cost you a thing and you can click as many times as you like. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned/neglected animals in exchange for advertising. Here's the web site The Animal Rescue Site!

I have this link saved in my favorites and I click on it 5 or 6 times per day

Pass it along to people you know.

Here are a few pictures of my fur babies, they OBVIOUSLY do not need any food donated to them :)
(Note: Hanna the black and white one, is my camera hog! Thats why there are so many pictures of her)

Holiday Fun at Aquinas College

2007-11-28T21:58:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had a photo shoot at Aquinas College here in Grand Rapids.
The Campus Life team set up Moose Lodge Cafe with holiday decor and had students come in to have their pictures taken!
I had a blast taking their pictures, these students were just awesome to work with.
Their personalities and spirit really show through, especially when you give them a few props to play with :)
Here are just a few of the pictures I took during the day:

What a cutie she is!!!

Great sax player!

What a cute puppy, can you believe his name is "Big"?
Love it!!

Many thanks to Joey and Dave for making yesterday such a great event!

Movin' on up....

2007-11-28T09:12:00.000-05:00

The time has come for JK Photography to move up in the world of photography :)
My friend and now business partner Amy Carroll and I have decided to open a brand new studio together!
We are still working out all the details, but the studio will be open soon and I will keep you all posted when we finalize everything!
This is a very exciting time in my life for me. After years of hauling around my portable studio, I will finally be able to have a place where you can come to visit me!
I just love the color on the walls and the exposed beams!
Here are some photos that Amy took last night!

Holidays are the time to give calendars..

2007-11-19T14:26:00.000-05:00

And I am now offering them!!
Make 2008 memorable with a personalized calendar for your family and friends. You can also add a photo and text to mark a birthday, anniversary or special event.
These are great holiday gifts and they come ready to hang!
The calendars are 8.5"x11 when closed and 11x17 when open. You can order them in matte or glossy!
Order your calendar before the 30th of November and $5.00 of your purchase will go to the Humane Society of Kent County.
Calendars are $35.00 and can be ordered anytime through me!

Kathryn and Will-Perfect love

2007-11-17T16:23:00.000-05:00

Today I had the pleasure of photographing Kathryn and Will's engagement pictures!
Despite the cold weather and rain/snow mix, we braved mother nature and headed out for a fabulous session!
I was really excited about this session today, not only because it had been a while since I got to do engagement pictures, but because Kathryn and Will are such an amazing couple! They have a great personality and such a natural presense with each other, it was really easy for me to see why they are getting married.
We had a great time talking and taking pictures, we even got out of the cold weather for a cup of joe!
Here is a preview of our session today. I can't wait to photograph their wedding, they are an AWESOME couple!
Congratulations Kathryn and Will, enjoy the preview!

DC with AC

2007-11-15T22:23:00.000-05:00

What a great week this was!
Amy and I went to the lighting seminar on Tuesday (I will post more pictures tomorrow of that) and then yesterday morning we got up bright and early to make the drive down to DC.
Let me just tell you, if you have not been there yet, GO! We had such a blast walking around for a few hours taking pictures and cracking each other up! We both left feeling very patriotic!
Here are a few of the pictures I took of Amy and some other land mark sights!
We were quite the tourists!

Watergate

DC's finest

Of course we had to stop by and say hello to George

Click click

Bye bye birdie

Love this shirt!!

A barn in Maryland... apparently it is not legal to stop on the side of a freeway to take pictures, who woulda thought?
Read more about our trip and see more pictures on Amy's Blog