Dan & Laurin | Michigan Wedding Photographer

Sometimes, I think my favorite weddings are shot in the rain.  And as I think over the years of the handfull of weddings that I shot in June, August and October where it was almost a complete wash, I still love the images from those weddings as much as the rest.  You see, many people don't realize that rain actually reflects light and adds a certain quality that you just can't get with external flash or natural sunlight.  Laurin and Dan's wedding a few Friday's ago was no exception.  The day started out fairly nice, but within 15 minutes of their First Look, it began to rain, and rain hard.  Buckets and buckets of rain.  Luckily, I had one of my strongest shooters with me, Aubri of Pink Sky who was up for the challenge and didn't even flinch when I asked her to hold my umbrella as we shot and then sent her to a random porch in Downtown Howell to shoot the guys.  

But despite the rain, it was an amazing and beautiful day through and through.  Laurin was absolutely glowing with excitement and looked stunning in every way, thanks to Jen and the fabulous team at Deux Adore.  Her details were simple and classic in every way.

And to Laurin & Dan ... I know you both waited a long time for this day, and I feel so blessed that I was able to capture it for you.  It was nothing short of amazing to see you both surrounded by your friends and family who were as equally excited for you both to start a new chapter in your lives.  It was truly a day that I'll never forget, and I want to thank you for letting Aubri and I be a part of it.

 

Favorite Apps Ever. | Photographers

Let's face it, technology is amazing.  I sometimes sit back and wonder what I did without it.  I think I was lost a lot.  And listened to the radio.  And had post it notes in every nook and cranny in my office.  But now, thanks to the powerful tools created for all of my beloved Macs, I have all of the tools I need to run my business from anywhere in the world at my fingertips.  And yes, I have fully surrendered to all things Mac.  I guess you could say I drank the Kool-Aid by the gallon.  But their products make my job so much easier.  So I thought I would do a little run-down of my favorite apps ever and why I think they're simply awesome.

Evernote - a powerhouse app for housing all of your notes.  Everything from web images, voice notes, e-mail, images.  Synced, organized and ready for you to access across any device.  This is where I house ideas for shoots, personal inspiration, voice notes to remind myself of certain deadlines and projects. Evernote is powerful and a must-have for any busy photographer.

Flipboard - This app just has a certain cool factor.  You can link it to some of your favorite sites, and it reads and displays them like you're flipping through a magazine.  You just "flip" the pages on your iPad and away you go.  Click on embedable links and you're taken straight to the source.  Way cool.

Accuweather - You know you're a natural light photographer when you have 6+ weather apps on your iPhone at any given time.  And I happen to have about 7, but Accuweather seems to be the most accurate for me (Imagine that haha)  and I love it's interface.  It's really easy to use, and detailed enough that I know exactly what's going on with the weather at any minute.  Truly my favorite weather app!

ShootQ - Well, most busy photographers don't have the luxury of having their own secretary, but know they could really use 2 or 3, especially during the busy months.  ShootQ is my studio manager of choice, and I've been using it for about 2 years now.  It does most of my administrative paperwork (yuck) type business stuff. And the best part is their app in which I can pretty much house every phone number, contract, billing info, appointment times, sales projections, bookings and pretty much everything I need to know about every lead and booked client.  It lets me schedule and even book clients right there on the spot.  Could. Not. Live. Without. It.  Or it's app.  And a huge shoutout to ShootQ, and their team for making my job seamless and take the pain out of the endless paperwork. Thank you!

Pandora - Oh, my love affair with Pandora.  Where were you in my former sales life where my office was my car as I covered the corn fields of Northeatern Ohio?!  Seriously.  It is the best app ever.  It allows me to listen to my favorite music and create stations that are exactly what I'm in the mood for.  I listen to it non-stop whether I'm on the road or in my office.  It simply rocks.

TomTom -  the one thing Mac hasn't quite figured out yet with mobile devices is a solid gps system.  Which I use every single day.  And after a bunch of research and test runs with almost every app on the face of the planet, finally decided on TomTom.  It has street level, voice navigation and I've yet to miss a turn while using it. Although not cheap by any means, it's worth it's weight in gold.

SkyClock - And lastly, Sky Clock.  Because every photographer should know precisely down to the second what time will be setting or rising on the day of a shoot, right?  Right.  I love this app and it helps me time my soots so that I can get the best possible light and of course reach for that magical golden hour that we all love so much.

Michael & Michelle | Ann Arbor Wedding Photographer

Sometimes, the best things come in the smallest packages.  Much like Michael and Michelle's intimate wedding of 20 guests held at none other than the incredible Bubble Room at Vinology in beautiful Ann Arbor.  You see, Michael is a wine distributor, and they shared their first date here over a bottle of Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon.  So naturally, when they both came together with their closest family and friends, everyone sipped on this succulent wine and shared tears of happiness for these two.  It was truly an incredible night for everyone. Micheal's daughter Maddie was also a part of the festivities and she was simply adorable in her dress perfect for a little princess.  

To Michael and Michelle, first let me say how honored I was to be a part of a truly intimate and genuine occasion. And thank you for welcoming me and making me feel like family.  I am so happy for you both and in the short time we spent together, am truly happy for you and your families.  

Here's a little peek from their day ... enjoy!

 

Joshua + Jennifer | Michigan Wedding Photographer

A few weeks back, when the trees were in full bloom and the air was crisp, Jenny & Josh came together and exchanged vows as husband and wife.  Everything about their wedding day was beautiful, and their connection is real.  I just adore these two, and feel so lucky that they chose me to capture their big day for them along with the help of my second shooter, Jessica Hanning.  Their ceremony was so beautiful, held in the chapel at St. John, with a reception to follow at the fabulous and decadent Dearborn Inn.  

Jenny and Josh ... thank you from the bottom of my heart for trusting me with the most important day in your lives thus far.  Everything was just as we had envisioned it back when we sat down for the first time in the spring of 2010.  I am more than thrilled to see the both of you come together and start your life as husband and wife!  I hope Hawaii was all you expected and more, and I can't wait to hear all about it.  Here's a little peek from your day.  Enjoy!

 

Crazy day | Personal

My child is a constant reminder not to take things in life too seriously.  And when life gets a little crazy ... don't fight it.  Instead play with it.  Let the house get dirty, roll up your sleeves, make a mudpie, let the laundry pile up, let the beds go unmade and just have fun.  Today was "crazy hat day" at school for Jillian.  Well, we decided to have our own spin on it and make it crazy day.  

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thursday!

Congratulations! | Michigan Senior Photographer

It's amazing, all that you can do.  It's amazing it makes my heart sing.  And now it's up to you.  ~ Jem

I want to take a moment and say congratulations to all of my seniors and to the entire Class of 2011!  You are simply amazing.  Remember, don't let your dreams be dreams.  I feel blessed to have met each and every one of you.

 Much Love, Mishelle

Style Guide Vol. 7 | Michigan Wedding Photographer

Well, I'm back.  Ok fine, I've been back for a few days now but I still must be in vacation mode because it has taken me forever to do even little things like oh ... unpack, laundry and of course getting a blog post up.  But I did come back from a great, long and refreshing weekend with some of my best friends and our families.  But more on that little trip later.  

For now it's another edition of Style Guide!  This time for Love Shoots, I have a bunch coming up in the next few weeks and can't wait to shoot and spend time with my awesome wedding clients.   And I just can't get enough of this awesome minty green color that I keep seeing in all the stores.  So I thought it would be fun to create a style guide around it.  This color looks so great on so many skin tones, and goes perfectly with this season's return to gold.  Gold just gives a nice, warm touch to it and I love the way it looks, especially in the warm summer months when everyone is looking a little sunkissed.  Enjoy! 

Taking the time ... | Personal

"Taking the time to live your life will only inspire your work."

On that note, I will be away from my desk today, May 27th - Monday, May 30th for a long holiday weekend with family and friends.  

All non-urgent phone calls, e-mails and inquiries will be returned on Tuesday.

On another note, I'm a loyal reader and follower over at The Creative Mama, a collaboration of authors from all walks of life.  Their list of contributors is long and filled with women who continue to inspire me in countless ways.  And I was was thrilled when my image above was chosen for their "Yellow" Photo Challenge! I rarely enter photo contests simply because there are just so many amazing photographers out there.  But this is one of my favorites of Jillian, shot just as the spring weather hit and we got to catch our first few breaths of warmth and sunshine.  I'm really proud of this one and thought it would be a great match for The Creative Mama Photo Challenge.  

Pat & Monica | Michigan Wedding Photographer

Ann Arbor is probably my favorite place to shoot.  I love so much about that city and all of it's character, and one of my favorite spots is in Kerrytown.  A few weeks ago, I met up with some of my favorite clients Pat & Monica right in the heart of Kerrytown for their Love Shoot.  It was a beautiful, sunshiny day and they both showed up ready for a great shoot.  Last time we shot together, it was even before they were engaged.  We shot their last session at The Henry Ford Estate when the trees were in full bloom.  Here's one of my favorite shots from that session. 

At the end of that shoot, I told them to make sure they call me as soon as they got engaged.  You see, here's a little secret ... I knew it was inevitable because these two were clearly crazy about eachother.  And they're two of the sweetest people and simply, put I wanted to shoot their big day.  So sure enough, Monica called me the day after Pat proposed and asked I would shoot their wedding in October. Of course I said yes.

So we knew we wanted this shoot to be a little different and decided on shooting in an urban setting.  So we set out on a sunny Sunday afternoon and here's a little peek from our time together.

 

If you're not doing what you love ... | Personal

... why not?  

If you are a photographer or other creative and you often wonder if you are good enough, you must catch this clip from another photographer who I really admire, Penny De Los Santos.  Penny is a food and travel photographer who has shot for National Geographic, countless food magazines and her message moves me in so many ways. Last weekend, in between shooting my own wedding and hanging out with my little family, I had the chance to catch Penny during her live workshop event for Creative Live.  I was only able to tune in for a few hours of the workshop, but what I caught was exactly as I had expected from following her blog avidly for the past few months.  She's humble, witty, honest and open all while sharing her love of food and travel and the experiences that go along with it.  There's something that has always interested me in food photography, and as of late I find myself even more drawn to the idea of it all.

After the workshop had finished, Penny sent out a few words that came straight from her heart. And if you have 9 little minutes to spare in your busy day and if you are someone that repeatedly questions yourself or have been told no over and over and over, I assure you this will be 9 minutes that just might change the way you see things.  Enjoy, and don't stop dreaming.  And never stop believing what you have to say photographically.

And to her message ... if you aren't doing what you love, why not?  What is it that's stopping you or what is in your way?  Because I'm a firm believer that anything is possible if you want it bad enough.  Anything. Especially when it comes to something that you're passionate about, something that you know in your heart you would be good at and as far as we know, this is the only life we have to make it happen.  

So what's stopping you?  

It's ok if you've been told no repeatedly or been rejected for something that you thought you deserved.  Find a way to work around it, persevere and don't stop believing in yourself.