Kristina Carter Photography

Our last post as Kristina Carter Photography

2007-12-31T18:19:00.000-08:00

First I want to say happy new year and thank you to all my wonderful couples who have supported me during these early years in business. I have learned enough now to know you have to be yourself to work with the best people and so I decided to make a change.

A fresh start with a new name and new look that captures the bulk of who I am and what I am trying to do.

My new company is Vrai and it means true in french. I am hoping that it will become clear that my goal is to provide true moments, true emotion, memories that are true to life and not contrived. There will be lots of other things to look forward to so please bookmark the new site and the new blog and let us know what you think.

www.vraiphoto.com
www.vraiphoto.blogspot.com

To a new year, and new adventures!

Becky and Jason

2007-12-31T18:18:00.000-08:00

Becky and Jason were married yesterday in Glenview and I was lucky enough to be their photographer. Becky is very talented at picking out the perfect details for any occasion and she has decided to do this full time. What better way to start than your own wedding! She did an amazing job picking out all the details to complete her vision for her wedding. The day was filled with anticipation and emotion and she even got the little bit of snow she wanted! Thank you so much for having us!!

Reception venue: Bristol Court Banquets
The super fun DJ: Greg from Admit One

Becky taking care of the last minute details :)
Becky and her mom sharing a beautiful moment when Becky gave her mom her gift. Jason just couldn't get enough kisses, her dad was the officiant, I just love his face peeking through sharing the fun moment!

Holidays and Vacation!

2007-12-17T23:17:00.000-08:00

I am off to take a few days to spend with the family for the holidays. I will still be available by phone or email for most of the time except 12/24-12/29. Please feel free to leave me a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Until then, I thought I would share some pictures of Pete opening his first presents at Grandma's house. This actually was so cute because when he opened the presents, it seemed like he actually knew what he was getting and was excited to get it. My mom also has a game table that we were playing with and Pete got his first exposure to poker chips...his fascination is one we should watch out for! haha

Have a wonderful holiday and stay tuned for more big news for the New Year!

Greg Christian Catering

2007-12-12T21:06:00.000-08:00

Recently I have had the pleasure of working with Greg Christian, an amazing chef in Chicago who takes great pride in his organic and primarily local food catering company. Greg has a project going on that brings awareness and education to local schools about the importance of healthy and socially responsible diets. I have seen firsthand the pride he takes in making sure all of his waste is recycled while photographing one of his events. I found it particularly interesting that no trash cans are allowed on an event floor so his staff can see to it personally that all trash is recycled whenever possible. Make sure to check him out for your next event. Just one way to reduce the impact on the environment.

Some of these shots may be used for Greg's personal catering service! Everything is delicious, trust me!

Shica and Brian

2007-12-03T16:58:00.000-08:00

Shica and Brian didn't have the best weather but they couldn't have had bigger smiles on their face. This is the kind of thing I just love to be a part of. Happiness and love all day long. Their wedding was at Arrowhead where Shica is the coordinator. The videography was provided by the wonderful Lad4 Creations and the music and light show provided by Sounds Abound. Those green lights were crazy! Felt like a green night sky with tons of tiny stars. Anyway, it was a great celebration, my favorite kind of day!

Retreat!

2007-12-03T16:22:00.000-08:00

So off to KY I went, home away from home and got a real break. I don't think I took any pictures :) But everyone else did lucky for me so I can share. This was one talented bunch of photographers!! That was fun, to get a lot of inspiration from them not only photographically but personally. A diverse and fun group!

Here's the A list of talent

Huy from F8 from Dallas

Becca Spears from Wirken in Kansas City

Henry from Henry Shoots in NY

Gulnara from Gulnara Studio in NY

Laura Olsen from In His Grace Photography in Maryland

Jonathan McBride from Vantage Pictures in Pennsylvania

Matthew Gordon from Matthew Gordon Photography in Indiana

And the pictures....

I stole all of these, this is Henry shooting Ken the innkeeper, he was trying to antagonize the orbs sometimes seen in photos at this very old KY inn. :)

me in my favorite skirt :)

Me by Becca

Gulnara by Becca

Henry by Jonathan

A surprise cake to the face from the Mexican restaurant for Gulnara's bday :)

Becca by Jonathan

me by Jonathan

Laura by Becca

Me by Huy

Henry by Huy

and last but not least, the survivors of the Polar Bear Challenge...yeah, we are crazy like that :)

Good times!

Happy Thanksgiving and other random news...

2007-11-21T21:22:00.000-08:00

I just want to wish all my blog faithfuls a very happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have a wonderful day with whomever you wish to spend it with. I am thankful for so many things and one of them is the time I spend with family....the other is climbing!

I found these pictures of me climbing by some of my friends and I realized I always have fun pictures of my friends climbing but none of me so just for fun, since there isn't much going on around the holidays for me to shoot and post, I thought I would post some climbing pics!

Also, I will be out of town from Friday 11/23-11/30 so if you need to get ahold of me, just call and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

This is me on Creep Show, a 5.10d at Phantasia Wall in the Red River Gorge. It was hard but fun!
These next three are me in a series clipping in, making a high step to a really good foot then taking a nice rest on some big holds. This is Cherrio Bowl, a 5.10a that I onsighted (ie, did on my first try :)) at Jackson Falls, IL

Enjoy! :)

Jackie and Erik

2007-11-16T14:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was cold but we had fun anyway. The colors were beautiful and so are Jackie and Erik! Can't wait for the wedding :)
I thought this was pretty good considering they were balancing on a log!

Jennifer and Jeremy

2007-11-12T13:54:00.000-08:00

Jennifer and Jeremy got married at the James Hotel which was very unique. Everything was so classic, fitting for their personalities. Stylish and classic! Jennifer made her own jewelry for the wedding which she also does professionally. You can find her designs at her shop.

Tying the Knot's Christine and Brooke did an amazing job making sure everything turned out perfectly! Stems topped it off with their amazing floral designs.

Grace and Kent

2007-11-09T14:28:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun getting to know Grace and Kent. They took on a quick tour of their courtship and it was so fun to get to know them so personally in such a short time. I am sooo bummed that I am booked for their May wedding, I was this close to going to Maui :) Seriously though, thank you for sharing so much of yourselves to make such fun photos.

Up to Michigan

2007-11-06T13:38:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was my first with no wedding since Labor Day so instead of catching up on sleep or work, of course we, head off to visit some friends. I have known Mike since UK days and we have been friends about 10 years now. He loves to pick on me like a big brother and now I know what I was not missing growing up ;) Anyway, it was fun to go up to their property and get out into the country and hang out with the kids.

And one last cat picture, I just love cats!

Sarah and Chad

2007-10-28T20:39:00.001-07:00

Sarah and Chad got married at the Metropolitan Club yesterday in what turned out to be a beautiful fall day! It is such a pleasure to work with people so down to earth and fun as Sarah and Chad. They were surrounded by love of friends and family and are truly beautiful from the inside out. We had a great time and are so glad you chose us to capture your day!

Meghann from Blush and Bashful was the extraordinary day of coordinator and make up was provided by the fabulous Sonia Roselli. Alec from DJ Chicago put together a great dance set that I couldn't stop moving to!

Cory and Jason

2007-10-26T13:51:00.000-07:00

Cory and Jason are a fun mix of love and play. I had fun chasing them around Cantigny where it turns out me and Cory went for the same field trip in high school to Cantigny about 5 years apart. It was funny to discover that while we walked around. I absolutely love fall and the colors were amazing yesterday. A beautiful day for photos!

Jennifer and Jeremy

2007-10-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

I think I have been to the arboretum a hundred times and never saw the installations that are there! I was glad that Jennifer and Jeremy decided they wanted to incorporate them into their pictures and now I know where they are. They are worth checking out. Merging art and nature :)

Landi and Josh

2007-10-22T22:22:00.001-07:00

Landi and Josh had a wedding as unique as they are! It was beautiful, simple and classic...but different all at the same time :) I was so excited to share it with them and be there for all the moments, emotion, and excitement of seeing it all come together.

One thing I remember Landi saying was how she loved that she was getting her makeup done while looking at the Hancock building and I just had to find a way to capture that feeling. Thanks for the inspiration Landi! Perfectly unique A dramatic first meeting on Michigan Ave. A big thanks to Briea for telling Landi and Josh about me. She sang a beautiful song before her toast! Design by Molly Lalley
Everyone did an amazing job for this wedding. The wedding was at the Chicago Illuminating Company with Design by Kehoe. Amazing food by Food for Thought. Entertainment by Music Masters DJ. Makeup provided by Rachel Reiman Connor. Video by RAC.

Have fun in Italy! It was an amazing day :)

Jackson Falls

2007-10-19T15:42:00.000-07:00

Another last minute excursion to Southern Illinois to get some much needed climbing and camping in before it gets too cold. My friend Val is moving to Seattle too soon so we needed one last trip before he goes! It was a blast. Here are a few pics... Mel brought the panda yummies, close second to koala yummies which was a blast from the past! Dana on a 5.12b, much harder than I am climbing right now :) August on his first 5.10a on lead, he did great! That was a fun climb! Unexpected visitors, I am used to hikers coming up and watching but I have never had anyone ride up on horseback. It was a treat. This is a view of the crag we were climbing at on Sat, it was a nice area Can't wait to get out there again!

Jenni and Jared

2007-10-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

Engagement sessions are so fun because I really get to spend some time getting to know my couples and Jenni and Jared were no exception! Just so kind and considerate and fun! They were so sweet together too and it was a great day to walk around.

Amanda's bridal

2007-10-17T15:55:00.001-07:00

Well you only wear it once...unless you do a bridal :) Amanda is an outdoorsy girl like me so we went out to take some pictures in her dress that express the real her...not afraid to get a little dirty, at least now that the wedding is over :)

Niki and Eric

2007-10-16T17:02:00.000-07:00

Fire trucks and police cars showed up at this wedding! But only because Niki works for the Fire Department and Eric works for the police department :) They had a nice sounding of the alarms when they came out of the church. Just one example of the fun we had on Friday.

Niki was so excited and I just loved seeing the range of emotions that she experienced that day! At least she was a good sport :)
Have a wonderful time on your honeymoon!

Peter

2007-10-11T11:06:00.000-07:00

Peter turned 6 months last week and it is just amazing to see how much he has grown! We had a quick session on Monday and I just had to share! :)

Diana and Matt

2007-10-09T21:31:00.000-07:00

Diana and Matt reminded me of the country and how much I miss the country! Sweet and laid back! We had fun just hanging around and enjoying the outdoors. Can't wait for the wedding!

Chandra and Shawn

2007-10-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

I headed off to Savannah, GA this weekend to shoot Chandra and Shawn's wedding. Shawn is my best friends brother and I have known them since I was in 4th grade so it was so exciting for me to be a part of this day! Although everything did not go exactly as they planned it, you can see that they didn't let it ruin their day. There were still an abundance of love and laughter and even a few tears :) The ceremony and reception took place at the Mackey House.

I think by this point, these girls were ready for some champagne! I just love the mix of reactions during this in between moment!

Mia

2007-10-03T18:31:00.000-07:00

Mia turned 1 last month and she is just as sweet as can be! She is walking very well and it has been so fun to watch her grow. Here are some pictures we just took at the Morton Arboretum. Mia's dad played for Penn State so we had to get a little cheer for them in! :)

Leslie and Cory

2007-10-01T12:59:00.000-07:00

Leslie and Cory had a perfect fall weekend for their amazing wedding. They were surrounded by family and friends at the Narnia Estate which was as unique as them! Not to mention fun, they had a great band and tons of great dancers ;)

This room at the Marriott in Burr Ridge is where everyone got ready and Leslie's room provided some great light for fun shots that I was able to capture as she got ready.

There was also a surprise run-in with Jim Thome which was fun for the guys at the same hotel!
Leslie arrived in style in the classic Rolls Royce.

Thank you for including us in your important day!

Nicole and Wes

2007-09-24T16:13:00.000-07:00

Nicole and Wes had a beautiful day on Saturday and celebrated their wedding day at Edgewood Valley Country Club with the fun Connexion band! Although Nicole didn't plan on Wes breaking his ankle days before the wedding, it could not have went smoother. They even made a joke of it when one of the groomsmen went to fix his pant leg during the ceremony since the maid of honor was doing her job fixing the dress :) It was a fun day full of love and laughs.

Why not.... :)
Have a great time on your honeymoon!

Kathy and Kevin

2007-09-24T13:54:00.000-07:00

Kathy and Kevin's wedding was just pure fun. From the teasing of siblings (so near and dear to my heart), to the most excited flower girls I think I have ever encountered, to the obvious love of the two of them. It was just fun, from start to finish! The reception was at Seven Bridges with the fun Show on the Road for entertainment.

Little things like this will make a lasting memory of the brother sister relationship and just make you smile if you have a brother! I have alwasy wanted to go here for a first meeting, I just love these trees :) This little flowergirl was more concerned about the dress than Kathy. She kept saying, "Kathy, don't let that dress touch the ground!" It was so cute This guy saw something worth pointing out! :) And a little tango to finish the evening

Have a great time in Italy! I am jealous!! :)

WPJA...good news and bad news

2007-09-20T21:08:00.000-07:00

Good news...I placed 5th for this moment I caught this moment at Jennifer and Brad's wedding back in May. Bad news...it is a bittersweet victory as this is the last contest I will enter for the WPJA due to the poor handling of the organization that has led to many people forfeiting their membership and the poor treatment to some of the best photojournalists in the country! I am sad to say that I too will not be renewing my membership due to this situation.

But for now, I will be happy to place among so many talented photojournalists!

FIFTH PLACE: Photo by Kristina Carter / Illinois

JUDGES COMMENTS: I like this because it's rare that detail photographs hold any real emotion or meaning for that matter and that's why I like this picture. It's a nice moment between father and son (I presume) and I just love the light and the small hand on the bigger fingers... it's not hokey either, which I hate.

Beth and Jason

2007-09-20T14:54:00.000-07:00

Beth and Jason are the two funnest architects I know :) They look at buildings the way I look at trees, with a little happiness and awe in their eyes. It was fun to watch and I could relate on a little different level...beyond that we just had some fun and goofed around the city. I am sure many people wondered what the heck we were doing...just having fun :)

Can't wait for the wedding!

Amanda and Brandon

2007-09-17T16:41:00.001-07:00

This wedding was long awaited for me! I absolutely could not wait for this wedding and not only because Amanda is a great friend of mine but she is a very talented photographer and I knew she would be planning a very beautiful and FUN wedding! She is outdoorsy like me so it was at the Concord Centre in Woodstock and everything was outdoors! She even got dressed outdoors :) Everything was perfect...

I love this early morning moment between mom and daughter :)
Here we go to get dressed! This is the first time I had parents there to see their kids when they first saw each other, it was nice to have them there too! First time grandma saw Amanda, she thought she shouldn't see her before the wedding but she couldn't help herself!

The wedding was absolutely perfect thanks to the great love of Amanda and Brandon. I was so honored to be asked to photograph this day! Congratulations and have fun in Yellowstone!!

Pam and Dave

2007-09-13T15:45:00.001-07:00

Fourth time is a charm for this session! Rescheduled due to a water skiing accident, rain, and a tornado! But it was worth it, we had a great time on the boat and the chilly temperature was a great excuse to get them cuddling...not that they needed any excuse! What a fun couple and from what I hear, an equally fun wedding to follow! And a big thanks to Fred who drove the boat so we could have some fun on the lake and rivers! On our way out of the river, we had a nice (but long!) view of the Fireman's memorial :)
Best,
Kristina

Jenny and Brian

2007-09-12T11:38:00.000-07:00

Jenny and Brian met at high school but not the one they attended...the one where they both work. It was a fun setting for an engagement since it is where they met and fell in love!

Can't wait for the wedding!

Kristina

Missy and AJ

2007-09-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

Missy and her mom went above and beyond to transform their home into the perfect garden wedding. The weather could not have been better and I don't think Missy could even have dreamed the day would turn out as perfectly as it did. The love and support of family and friends was the most obvious theme; however, and Missy and AJ didn't forget why they were there! It was an emotion packed day and we were so privileged to be included in this amazing day. Thanks to Diane Michelles Florals for the beautiful flowers!

Missy and her mom did all of the details themselves (besides the flowers and cake) and did an outstanding job making their home the perfect garden theme Finally a private performance for Missy and a few friends by Matt Byron who also performed their first song! A very nice personal touch by a very talented guy!
Have a great time in Maine! You will love it there!

Best,
Kristina

Emily and Jimmy

2007-09-10T16:30:00.000-07:00

Emily and Jimmy had a fun wedding on Saturday at Salvatore's in Lincoln Park. This place fit them perfectly, fun and laid back! Great entertainment and videography provided by Garrido Productions, Inc.

This was an unexpected guest while we took some portraits Jimmy was about the best groom dancer I have seen. He broke out the moves for Michael Jackson. Then received the praises from the ladies!

Thank you for sharing this day with us! Have a great honeymoon!

Best,
Kristina

Jenny and TJ

2007-09-06T21:06:00.001-07:00

Jenny and TJ are one fun couple! We had a great time laughing and talking and ....oh yeah, taking pictures! :) They are just two people happy to be together and that is what I love to be around. It is sure to be a fun wedding!

I found this cool grass that I hadn't seen before and although we did get busted and asked to exit the grass, we at least got some fun pictures!

Best,
Kristina

Back from Maine

2007-09-04T21:42:00.001-07:00

Well I am back from Maine and officially rested and ready to get back to work! :)

We started off getting a little tour of Portland from my good friends Emilie Sommer and J Sandifer who are two of the nicest people and just plain awesome photographers. If that wasn't enough, Emilie is hosting a workshop featuring top notch photojournalists such as Greg Gibson, Tyler Wirken, and Jennifer Domenick next summer in Cape Cod called Roots. Look for more information coming soon on her blog and the official Roots website. And J is working with Livebooks who are coming up innovative ways for photographers of many backgrounds to promote their work and portfolios easily and effectively. If you are in the market, J is the guy to talk to and Livebooks is a great option!

Here is the group :)

Then on to Acadia National Park...I actually did not take that many pictures on this trip unusually...instead I hiked, biked, canoed, and whale watched and it was a blast but I did end up with a few fun pics :)

Here is a view from the tent as Brian makes us some breakfast because I am too lazy to get out of the tent ;) These are two fin whales which happen to be the second largest animal to ever live! Bigger than dinosaurs, it is just crazy to be so close to something so ginormous! I fell asleep on this rock and woke up to a not so happy herring gull....oops! This is a harbor outside of the Southwest Harbor near our camp site. The next few pics are some views of the Precipice Trail which was my favorite because it was as close to rock climbing as I could get on this trip and on the way back down I found a great place to sit and watch the Peregrine Falcons that nest on that cliff. Climbing and Peregrine's...doesn't get much better for this girl ;) On top of Cadillac Mountain is the first place you can see the sun rise in United States...Brian thought only a couple people would get up...he was wrong! It was packed but it was fun to be there with all those people excited to say that they were the first of about 100 to see the sun rise that day :)
Finally, were duly impressed with the security at Portland, Maine's airport. It was tight! We couldn't even get our unopened cans of soup and peanut butter on the plane!

All in all, I definitely recommend a trip to Maine!

Maine

2007-08-27T18:22:00.000-07:00

I am off to Maine tomorrow for a little getaway during this busy wedding season! Thank you in advance for your patience while I am away. I will be camping and will not have access to my phone and email in most cases. I am looking forward to coming back recharged and refreshed, ready and excited to get back to the work I love! I will be back on September 4th. Happy Labor Day!

I will post some pictures from the trip when I get back :)

Best,
Kristina

Nicole and Ron

2007-08-26T19:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my cousin Nicole got married to a fun-loving (to say the least) guy named Ron! We had so much fun and Nicole was a very trusting bride! :) I was so excited to be behind the scenes all day watching the moments of laughter and tears and more tears and more laughter! These are some of the most genuine, honest, and heartfelt people I know and I am proud to call them my family. I am also so proud of them for having a dollar dance and donating all the proceeds to the American Cancer Society in honor of our loved ones including my Uncle Tom who have past away from Cancer. That was so generous!

The wedding took place at St. Irene's and Drury Lane with the fabulous Vince from A Touch of Music on the mic!

I found this cutout of the engagement annoucement on the dresser and thought that would be a good place for the rings.
Way to go Janet, a bee was coming after her and she held on to that dress! Nicole tried so hard not to cry :) I love the way the light came through the window for this shot to just light up Nicole, she was beeming! This is what I meant by trusting bride :) But it all worked out and this shot is just halarious...this is why I never stop shooting! :) These guys were not waiting to dance with Nicole! Watch out Ron! But at least it was for a good cause :) This is a family tradition also in memory of my Uncle Tom's love of Billy Idol..Rebel Yell! My dad and brother of the bride getting way to excited! :)

Congratulations you two! Have a wonderful honeymoon!

Tag...I'm it!

2007-08-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

I have officially been tagged by my fellow woodsman Eric! So the deal is that I have to share 8 interesting things about myself and tag 8 more people...why not! I can easily share 8 things, hopefully you will find them interesting! :)

1. My FAVORITE thing to do is take a nap on a rock in the sun. I am a lazy hiker in that if I am walking along and see a big rock, I am going to take a nap on that rock! I don't know why, I just love the feeling of the sun on my skin out in the middle of nowhere! My ideal vacation will always be climbing and camping.

2. I am officially an expert on North American deciduous trees and Peregrine Falcon behavior and ecology (here I am hard at work). Although I may be a tad rusty, I was paid to get my Master's by teaching tree identification courses at the University of Kentucky and could easily identify 100 or so species of trees and their Latin names and I can also walk into a forest and know which birds are there by their song...I know, I am a huge bird and tree nerd!

3. I listen to french pod casts hoping one day I will be fluent through the process of osmosis.

4. My new favorite toy is my holga. These are a few snaps from my last few trips to Nevada, Silvercrest (family spot in WI) and San Fransisco.

5. For my high school graduation my mom said she would take us anywhere we want to go, my sister chose Bermuda. I chose middle of nowhere Idaho to chase mountain lions as part of an Earthwatch expedition. The first trip wasn't enough so I went back two years later and collared 2 mountain lions in an effort to help study predator prey relationships in that area of their range.

6. I am training to climb Mt. Rainier next year as hopefully my first in several mountaineering trips.

7. I think I must have been a cat in my past life because I am absolutely fascinated with everything my cat George does. I think I could watch him for hours on end and not get bored but, I also have this thing about watching behavior patterns :)

8. I want to go to France. Bad.

In an effort to not double tag I chose some people that I just love for many reasons and who don't just have picture blogs so hopefully we will get some info out of them!

Amanda Hein I just love this girl!
KMo Who could get enough
Becca Spears my KC girl, share your words with us :)
Tyler Wirken come on, you know you were up next ;)
Ray and Erwin I know you have some interesting things to share!
James Walters This guy is the ....
Anna K needing to be tagged on her new amazing blog!
Jesh We all need something deep to keep us from being too surfacy ;)

I don't know if any of these guys watch my blog but I am always checking them out!

Hopefully this was as fun of a distraction for you as it was for me :)

Heidi and Mike

2007-08-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

Heidi and Mike had a beautiful wedding on Saturday despite the rain! Heidi is very talented doing all of the flowers herself! Mike's family has a rental business that decorated the Evanston Golf Club and it was beautiful! The entertainment was provided by the talented and fun Johnathan of Spinnin' Discs.

Best,
Kristina

Madyson in San Fransisco

2007-08-16T21:09:00.001-07:00

Every year I get to shoot my gorgeous neice Mady and her beautiful mom Andrea. This year they brought me all the way to their home in San Fransisco where I had a whirlwind tour and photoshoot in about 36 hours which is all I had time for! I can't wait to come back, it is such a beautiful city. It was such a blast to grab these pics of their family and add Don to the pics this year!

This is the palace of Fine Arts which was just beautiful all lit up!

Miss you already!

Jenny and Matt

2007-08-16T21:03:00.000-07:00

Jenny and Matt picked a great place to have an engagement shoot...the place where they met and where they were engaged. They surprised me with a vintage car too! It was a lot of fun. These two were hot!

Can't wait for the wedding!
Kristina

Regan

2007-08-16T20:46:00.000-07:00

I have been working with Regan since she was just one year old. It is so fun to be able to see the same kids year after year and watch them grow!

Regan is really tall for her age although she looks so small next to this plant :)

Best,

Kristina

Debbie and Don

2007-08-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

Shooting Don and Debbie's wedding was such fun, not only because they lit up for each other, but also because they got married where I did! It was fun to go back to the Naper Settlement and be on the other side of the altar :) The reception was at the beautiful Meson Sabika complete with Mariachi band! The music was provided by the talented and fun Steve from Sounds Abound.

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love to hang a dress in a tree! :) Thanks for trusting me Debbie!

Debbie's dress turned out to be a little too long, I love how her dad stepped in to help her down the aisle, it was so sweet!

What's a wedding without a conga line ;)

Have a great time on your honeymoon!

Best,
Kristina

LaCour!

2007-08-01T19:56:00.001-07:00

Some of you know that I recently attended the LaCour workshop which I was very excited about since I spent some time with them in Vegas. After only 2 hours of their time, my head was spinning about my new ideas for my business and how I can give even more to my awesome clients so I could only imagine 4 days worth of marketing/storytelling talk from these guys.

I was not disappointed.

They shared everything and beyond the actual learning, the LaCour team is so genuine in their willingness to help others succeed and they attract that kind of bunch. I had so much fun meeting the other students and learning even more from our guest speakers Corey McNabb and Charles Bordner. Check out Corey's new workshop on his blog!

Here are a few pics from the amazing Mark and Erin (one half of the LaCour team) tearing up the dance floor for our lighting demo.

These I got from LaCour's blog since I didn't take any of my own pictures! oops :)

Micheal Hooks took this photo of Jay, Corey, and Nancy Jo

The class.

Another nice surprise was seeing Garrett and Joy Nudd! I love this picture Andrew took of Garrett, Eric and Charles!

Another shot of the class working on our lighting techniques! :)

If anyone is looking into taking this workshop, it was well worth the time and money invested!

Thanks so much to everyone who made it such a special week! And thanks to the LaCour gang who gave me such an awesome book to be inspired by!

Cake Madness!

2007-08-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

I have never seen anything like this!!! It speaks for itself. My friend Huy from F8 studio got this shot at a wedding. That is some groom's cake!

That is actually a mini DVD player on that cake replaying TX victory over USC in the Rose Bowl.

I just had to share!

Courtenay and Joe

2007-07-29T19:46:00.000-07:00

Courtenay and Joe had a beautiful wedding yesterday! There were so many wonderful things to be a part of and witness and most especially is the love that they have for their friends and in return the love of the friends for them. I had so much fun with this group, they provided their own entertainment for the whole day! :)

Look at the air Ali (far right bridesmaid) got on this jump!

This was a fun game instead of clinking, guess who is more...looks like everyone even the maid of honor knew the answer to this one...Joe!

Big props to my assistant Molly for scouting this location so I could get this fun pic!

Have a great time in Hawaii!

Kristina

Off to Georgia...

2007-07-21T23:10:00.000-07:00

I am off to Georgia to learn some new marketing tips for the amazing LaCour team. I am so excited! This is the nicest, most talented group of people who have already helped me focus my business when we have had the chance to talk. So to get 4 days of their time is really going to be an intense and fun time that will no doubt make my business even better!

So thank you in advance for being patient with me this week as it may be hard for me to get to my phone and email as promptly as normal!

Be back soon!
Kristina

Lisa and Will

2007-07-21T23:01:00.000-07:00

Today was the perfect day for a wedding long in the making! Lisa and Will have been together for many years and have two wonderful kids and decided to finally make it official. The day turned out just as good as anyone could ask for.

Congratulations you guys, you deserve it!

Best,
Kristina

Victoria

2007-07-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, my cousin Victoria came to visit because she wants to be a photographer. I was very excited and flattered that she wanted to spend part of her summer break following me around. I gave her a camera and off she went! This girl has some serious talent that deserves to be nurtured and supported! She is only 13! So leave a comment if you think her parents should buy her a lens for the camera I just donated to her and we'll see if we can raise enough support for her potential future career!

I love this shot, typical Aunt spoiled the nephew while mom wipes the drool!

Our morning at the arboretum, Victoria played with my macro lens.

Kelly and Brian's engagement session was a blast and she got some great shots!

Dave and Sarah's wedding was her first real look into shooting weddings and she got some great shots!

Great moments and keep shooting, of course you need a lens to do that! So everyone tell her what you think? She have a future???

Kelly and Brian

2007-07-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

These two were such a treat to work with! We explored the area close to where they live and got really adventurous which was soo fun! They are having their wedding in Cabo and it sounds like such a good time, I wish I was going!!

Best,
Kristina

Dave and Sarah

2007-07-16T17:27:00.001-07:00

Saturday turned out to be the wedding of Sarah's dreams that she had been patiently waiting for for 2 years. It is no wonder there was an abundance of laughs and tears. The backdrop was the beautiful Danada House in Wheaton. This wedding was particularly special to me because Dave is my cousin so sharing this special day with two of the nicest people I know was just perfect! Congratulations you two and have fun in Hawaii!

This was fun, I got to go to the golf course with the guys in the morning and just when I was leaving, got this shot! I think he just missed :)

Sarah tried to recover after seeing her dad, no crying....then....

she saw Dave....and Dave saw her.

These flowers were perfectly Sarah!

The ceremony.

I love this picture, they look so happy!

Sarah and Dave found a surprise from Sarah's mom.

Shawn and Chandra

2007-07-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was such a nice day, a break finally from this humidity. A great day for an engagement shoot :) Lucky for me, I got to spend some time with a very old friend. I have know Shawn since he was in 3rd grade and his sister is my best friend so naturally I am honored to be a part of their wedding which will take place in Savannah, GA later this fall.

I can't wait!

busted :)

WPJA contest, thank you Corey and Joe!

2007-07-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all the great moments I saw at Corey and Joe's wedding, I was able to capture this image which received 13th place in toasting category of the quarterly WPJA contest. It is a real honor to place among the many talented photojournalists who compete. Including local photograpers David Wittig and Michelle Cabrera of Life on Prints.

JUDGES COMMENTS: Peak moment with the smiling toaster enjoying his roast as the couple and a friend react in the background. This image tells the whole story – which the photographer is commended for pulling off. Low angle was a great idea, enjoy the slightly askew feeling as it adds to the drama of the moment – lots of nice geometry in this image – lighting on the toaster is a bit hot and just a bit more depth of field would have made the picture stronger – great moment, technically a little out of control.

The judges provided some great feedback to help me see how my image stood out among the rest and also how I can improve for the next time. Another great reason to compete in this contest.

I have many friends who placed in this contest and I am happy to be a part of such a great group of photographers! Congratulations to all of you!

Megan and Brian

2007-07-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

This weekend Megan and Brian got married at the Bolingbrook Golf Club on a beautiful sunny day. It was a fun day filled with emotion and partying!

A shy ringbearer makes his way up the aisle...

At this wedding, there was no clinking of glasses, you had to spin the wheel. The mother's had a good time with this!

I think Brian must have looked like he needed an extra push to get that garter :)

This is the first time I saw a toss for the married women, Megan pretending to go after it :)

Have a great time on your honeymoon!

Best,
Kristina

Debbie and Don

2007-07-02T16:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening was an absolutely perfect weather, we are all hoping the same weather carries over for the wedding next month! :) It was a perfect evening for a leisurely tour through the arboretum. One of my favorite places to unwind. Hopefully I was able to get Don and Debbie to get a chance to relax before the wedding!

Don is so laid back, he didn't even notice this spider that joined us during our session!

See you both soon!

Kristina

Track Day

2007-07-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

Recently I was invited to head to the track with some of my climbing friends who also like to race motorcycles. Living on the edge :) Anyway, it was a great time and I am so glad they invited me. Here are some of the guys on their bikes as they raced past me...

Chad

Val

Steve

Jeff

Jay

Talking about the track...

Mark coming in from his wreck, one of many I saw that day! Yikes, dangerous stuff, but he was okay thank goodness :)

Chuck loving me and my mad photo skills ;)

My boys :) Chad, Val, and Steve

Thanks guys!

A trip to the zoo...

2007-06-30T19:45:00.000-07:00

Last week my sister-in-law, niece, and nephew came to visit us sans parents. At first I thought, "oh no, what did I get myself into?" It is June, the busiest month of the year and now we have 3 kids to entertain for 5 days. Well it was busy, but completely worth it! It turned out to be a great time of year for them to visit, I needed the mental break and we had so much fun. I can't believe how much I miss them now that they are gone!!!

These are just a few pictures from our trip to the zoo, one of the many fun things we did while they were here.

Justin has the biggest heart for any species, he tried to save each and every cicada he found still alive, placing each one carefully on a tree :)

We can't wait for next year's trip and we love you soo much!

Tina and Brian

Diana and Drew

2007-06-25T23:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of shooting Diana and Drew's wedding at one of my favorite venues, the Chicago Botanical Gardens. It was a perfect day for an outdoor wedding and it couldn't have happened to a more deserving couple. I had so much fun running around the gardens with these two and was so happy to see their dream day come true.

How could I resist knowing Diana's love of green!

I did not touch these eyes in Photoshop, that is what they really looked like!

This was fun, Diana also loves trees, so why not put her in one ;) At least my climbing skills came in handy!

Here is Molly's shot of me in action :)

Back to touch up before the wedding...

I think Drew about died when he saw Diana the first time!

The gorgeous view of Evening Island from the reception site.

Congratulations!

Kristina

Katie and Dave

2007-06-25T21:46:00.001-07:00

This weekend started off great with Katie and Dave's wedding. These two just seem like 2 of 1 instead of 1 of 2 if that makes sense. Ever since I met them, they just seemed to go together. Everything fell into place and the whole day went perfectly with the help of Sue from A Perfect Plan and the very friendly staff at the Klein Creek Golf Club. The flowers were also stunning, great job Elizabeth Wray!

Even when there was sash emergency, Katie's soon to be sister's stepped in to save the day with the sash repair :)

Tons of killer dancing at this wedding :)

Nice double spin ;)

And the rain stayed away for the sparkler send off!

Have fun on your honeymoon!

Best,
Kristina

Jenny and Mark...and Charlie

2007-06-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

Today I headed downtown to shoot Jenny and Mark and their adorable dog Charlie. It is fun to spice it up a bit by adding a loved one like your dog. After Charlie had his fill of the camera, we strolled around Michigan Ave to get the city feel. Looking forward to the wedding!

Best,
Kristina

Leslie and Cory

2007-06-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had a quick tour of the city with Leslie and Cory ;) We had fun lounging on the beach and hitting some of Chicago's most memorable landmarks. It was a fun night and I am already scheming for more ideas for the wedding! :)

Best,
Kristina

Nicole and Ron

2007-06-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure to shoot my beautiful cousin Nicole and her handsome beau Ron :) We went down to North Ave beach which was packed and kicked around in the sand and the water and then spent some time at the park. It was fun and I am looking forward to more time with them at the wedding!

Best,
Kristina

Teressa and Jim

2007-06-17T21:02:00.000-07:00

Teressa and Jim had a beautiful day filled with many tears and laughs! There was a lot of emotion and even more dancing! Lots of energy which made the day just fly by, with some help of the fabulous Jay as the Emcee!

Zach, the bride's brother, got his own solo to get this party started!

I don't think Teressa stopped dancing the whole night! She was awesome!

A classic swing move, a fun group!

Have fun on your honeymoon you two!

Best,

Kristina

Kathy and Kevin

2007-06-15T20:24:00.001-07:00

Spending the morning with Kathy and Kevin was the great way to end a very busy week! We strolled around Millenium Park which was the location of one of their favorite lazy days together.

If I am going to take a bean picture, I try and make it a little unique :)

busted :)

It was pretty warm this morning and by the end we were all a little hot ;) this fountain was a life saver!

September seems so far away! :)
Kristina

Out on the boat with Chase!

2007-06-14T17:07:00.001-07:00

I had sooo much fun today hanging out with Erin, Bill and Chase on their boat cruising around Lake Michigan and the river on the most perfect boating day! This was such a great idea of theirs, a personal and fun day that captures who they are and what they do! Thank you for thinking of me to be the one to photograph these memories!

Now that's a family picture!

Bill was nice enough to take me out to the lighthouse which I have always wanted to check out :)

Thanks for the ride!
Kristina

Emily and Jimmy

2007-06-13T10:23:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I spent some time with Emily and Jimmy strolling around the city and hanging out on the beach. It was such a beautiful day, perfect for lounging around. Great practice for the wedding day! :)

Can't wait!

Kristina

Landi and Josh

2007-06-11T10:17:00.000-07:00

Landi and Josh were a total blast, we had fun hanging out in Lincoln Park going on the carousel, the paddleboats, eating ice cream, immitating Nacho Libre, then finishing it off with a highjacked ice cream truck!! I can't wait to see what they have planned for me on the wedding day! :)

Best,
Kristina

Heidi and Mike

2007-06-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I headed down to Navy Pier to spend some time with Heidi and Mike. They are the sweetest couple and I really got to know a lot more about them which is why I enjoy doing these sessions! Can't wait for the wedding :)

Best,
Kristina

Jillian and Brendan

2007-06-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the privaledge of photographing the wedding of Jillian and Brendan along with all their family and friends. This was a love that started in 8th grade!! So needless to say it was a long awaited day filled with anticipation, laughter and a few tears! It was truly a celebration! The dance floor was packed from start to finish with the help of David from Sounds Abound at the beautiful Riverside Receptions.

Jillian's long anticipated arrival ;)

party time!

No wedding would be complete without a round of deer hunter!

Jillian and her new father-in-law getting jiggy ;)

Thanks again for the wonderful time! Have fun in Hawaii!!!

Best,
Kristina

Erica and Brian

2007-06-04T17:26:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I headed off to the Patrick Haley Mansion in Joliet to shoot Erica and Brian's beautiful wedding! The rain held off and everything turned out perfect! Great vendors providing all the details and coverage including the Rose Cottage and Lexoria Wedding Films who were great to work with! Lots of pictures to show :)

We started off at Erica's where she had her make-up applied by the talented (and fun!) Sonia Roselli.

Then off to the mansion to get dressed, I love to find quirky moments like this :)

Got all the bridesmaids in this shot, look close and you can see Nancy's eye through Tina's hand :)

The reaction every bride wants...

Finally Brian gets to see his beautiful bride!

The weather for the ceremony turned out perfect despite the looming clouds.

Thank you so much for including me in this all star cast to bring all your hard work together ending in a day we will all remember fondly :)

Best,

Kristina

Oliver

2007-06-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

This week I headed off to Portland, OR to visit Oliver! The three year old son of my best friend Lauren and it was a blast! Oliver showed me all around Portland. We took the train, walked around, had some gelato, and went to the park. All in all, a very good trip! :)

Can't wait to come back!

Oliver trying out his superman capabilities...

Best,
Kristina

kristinacarter.com

2007-05-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have noticed some new changes in the works. They are finally complete so I wanted to take this opportunity to officially announce the launch of my other website at http://kristinacarter.com This is where you can find the latest additions to my personal work and portraits. My personal projects are one way that you can get to know me better. I am always trying to learn as much as I can about you so that I can capture your wedding or family the way you truly are, but this way, you can get to know me and where I am coming from as well :)

I want to dedicate my current site just to weddings so that my clients can find more examples of how I will document their day or how I capture the love and fun between my couples on the wedding day or at their engagement/getting to know you session. Also, there are lots of fun ways to just show off the natural beauty of the bride during a bridal session or wait until after the wedding and we can have fun trashing the dress. There are definitely some fun and dirty pictures of trashing the dress in my new in style gallery :)

So for anything else non-wedding related, check out my new site and see what I am about.

Happy Memorial Day!!!
Kristina

Jennifer and Brad

2007-05-20T17:31:00.000-07:00

Jennifer and Brad had a perfect day for a wedding! Perfect weather for a perfect day! It was a pleasure to share their special day and to capture all the little moments that made up that day. Have a great time in Hawaii you two!!!

Best,

Kristina

Lisa, Will & the gang

2007-05-18T17:15:00.001-07:00

Lisa and Will are getting married in July and I am lucky enough to be a part of this special day as they publicly proclaim their love as a family. Lisa told me at our consultation that Amber made a great observation saying how lucky she was because she actually gets to see her parents get married, that really touched me. I knew it was going to be a great family to work with and I was right! We had a great time running around Grant Park and checking out the new globes that line the dock along Michigan Ave...

Lisa has a great love for life and wonderful laugh :)

we even got a rainbow...

Amber trying to hold the whole world in her hands...

brothers...love to hate 'em :)

Can't wait for the wedding!

Best,

Kristina

Courtenay and Joe

2007-05-14T13:39:00.000-07:00

Wow, these two really gave me a workout. I don't know the last time I laughed that hard ;) We had a blast just hanging around in downtown Hinsdale looking for fun places to goof around. I can only imagine how fun this wedding will be if everyone is as fun as these two!

I can take a picture but I can't make someone look at their fiance they way Joe looks at Courtenay. Gotta love that!

Just hanging out...

What engagement session would be complete without hopping in a fountain ;)

Best,
Kristina

Nicholas and Anneliese

2007-05-13T19:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spent some time with Nicholas and Anneliese. I haven't seen them since last summer so it was fun to spend some time just hanging out again! We explored and chased ducks and spied on a water wheel...all good stuff and all opportunties to capture these kids being themselves.

Best,
Kristina

Titus: The Boxing Champ!

2007-05-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of going to Titus Campbell's boxing match sponsored by Top Notch. Titus is my kickboxing instructor and helps me to stay tough and strong to get through my long wedding days :)

Titus is introduced to a supportive crowd!

Titus wins!

Congrats Titus!!

Kristina

Kelsey's First Communion

2007-05-07T12:38:00.000-07:00

Kelsey celebrated her first communion this weekend. She was surrounded by loving family and friends and it was a privilege to witness this first step in her faith. She is an adorable girl that shines true happiness and it is no surprise with the support group that comes with her :)

Congratulations Kelsey!

Best,
Kristina

Back from Kentucky

2007-05-05T13:14:00.000-07:00

Thank you everyone for your patience while I was off camping in the Red River Gorge, Kentucky and climbing with my friends. It was a great trip and I got to see my old college roomate and great friend Clare and her son Oliver, this was the first time I got to meet Oliver. The last time I saw Clare, I was shooting her maternity pictures so that was very special to me that they drove up from Knoxville, TN.

Clare and Oliver hanging out in his backpack that Clare made along with his shoes! She is so talented and is available for commission if you know someone who would be interested in one of these handmade baby carriers.

A stolen moment :)

One of the reasons I love to climb is to push myself mentally to overcome my fears, this translates into all aspects of my life. If I can overcome fears of falling to my death, I can get over any other mental block that will keep me from acheiving my goals and dreams. So although I didn't redpoint the 5.10d I wanted to get, (technical jargon ;)) I did get up and lead climb some routes that were really hard for me and push past the fear, so mission accomplished!!

This is the only picture of me from the trip on Creep Show 5.10d at Phantasia

Roger on the same route

Roger on To Defy the Laws of Tradition 5.10a, an 80 foot route at Left Flank

Chris on the same climb

Roger smoochin' on Erin :)

A bouldery start for Chad on Pouge Ethics 5.9+ a 90 foot route at Phantasia

August with the cold hard truth :)

This was August's first outdoor climbing trip and here he is on Hello there Fancy Pants 5.10c in Muir Valley...nice job pulling through the first crux!!

Chad on little Viper 5.10b at the same place

Erin's first time climbing, getting on CH4 5.7+, nice job!

Best,
Kristina

Off to Kentucky!

2007-04-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

Well I am off again, this is the one time of year that I get a little bit of extra time for myself so when my friends asked if I could go climbing in the Red River Gorge in Kentucky, I just couldn't say no :) So I am off and I thank you for your patience. I will be camping so I will not have access to my email and very limited phone use so please leave me a message and I will get back to you soon!

I will post pictures when I get back on Saturday so stay tuned...

Best,
Kristina

Nicole and Wes

2007-04-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spent some time with Nicole and Wes. We had a beautiful day, fitting for this beautiful couple! :) They are getting married at the Edgewood Valley Country Club in Willow Springs. Luckily, we had Carole on our side so we had fun riding around in the golf carts and checking out all the places to go. It was a gorgeous course and we got some great shots!

Can't wait for the wedding!

Best,
Kristina

Simple act of kindness

2007-04-24T22:28:00.000-07:00

I just read this story on the LaCour photo blog and I was reminded of how simple it can be to change someone's life just by giving a little bit of yourself. Annette Biggers of Triplecord and Veronica King just started up a business to send used film cameras to Africa after Annette's amazingly coincidental meeting of a man she donated a camera too. She met him in Uganda while she was shooting a wedding for free and saw first hand how her simple gesture changed this man's life and brought much needed income to his family through the business he started up with that camera. This story is really inspiring and I am not going to retell it all, just check the link. :)

I just thought I would share it here because I have seen how the a community can pull together and help out people in need and I am sure many of us have old film cameras that we don't use and would be excited to participate in this new venture called Photographers for Africa. Here is the contact info if anyone is able to give :)

Photographers for Africa
(949) 481-1345
9 Pleasanton Lane
Ladera Ranch, CA 92694
Annette@PhotographersForAfrica.com

It is so inspiring everytime I see how a random or simple act of kindness can start a wave of positive energy that could change someone's life

Best,
Kristina

Lori and Jon

2007-04-22T21:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was lucky enough to be included in the wedding of Lori and Jon, the smallest and most intimate wedding I have photographed to date. It was emotional and personal and I did my best to show that in their photos. I couldn't help but get caught up in the laughs and the tears from behind the lens.

The first time Jon's mother saw Lori...

The beautiful bride!

This look says it all!

At this point only Lori and Merridith knew that there almost was no ring for the ceremony, at the last minute they remembered they forgot it! A fun moment between the best of friends.

hugs and more hugs...

Right after Merridith signed the marriage license, she couldn't wait to hug and congratulate her closest friend, these two are as close as sisters and they were so fun to watch!

And closing with a touching tribute to Lori's father who had past away.

A different look at the guests snapping away at their dinner party.

On a clear night, this city seems to stretch on forever. What a beautiful view for a beautiful night!

Congratulations Lori and Jon!!

Best,
Kristina

Little Pete

2007-04-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

This week I got to take pictures of my nephew Pete for the first time since he left the hospital. He is getting so big and soo cute! I know there are a lot of people anxious to meet this little guy and I hope these pictures come close to showing how special he is to us.

Pete sleeps a lot! So I thought it was so cute when he gave me this giant yawn telling me he is just about done with me and my camera :)

We could not even wake him up for one more family picture!

Night Pete, must be so hard to be a baby...right sis ;)

And just for fun, a nice feline mugshot of the guy who has been feeling a little left out since Pete came home...good old Larry!

Best,

Kristina

Spring!

2007-04-15T18:08:00.000-07:00

After this week's snow it was so nice to feel spring again! I actually had time this weekend to do one of my favorite things, lay in the sun in the grass! We went to the Morton Arboretum and just layed around looking at the sky and thinking about life...and I was fortunate enough this time to have my husband there to daydream with me. Rarely do we both have time to do nothing together so it was a fun day.

I just wanted to post this to encourage everyone to get out and enjoy the fresh air, I guess this is even more on my mind as I think about earth day!

This is my husband Brian, isn't he too cute!!!

Hope you got to enjoy this weather!
Kristina

Earth Day is coming!

2007-04-15T17:10:00.000-07:00

Earth Day is one week away and two things that are very near and dear to my heart, yoga and the environment, are teaming up to provide some great opportunities for the Geneva and St. Charles community and beyond. Prana Yoga Center is where I practice and they are having many scheduled events on earth day from 10 am-5:30 pm including many sponsors talking about how to make your life more green as well as your practice if you are interested in yoga. They are also offering a free yoga class so if you have ever been interested in yoga, this is a great opportunity to try it out and learn a little about how to improve your quality of life through green living and yoga.

I have also had the privilege of shooting many of the instructors who are all amazing people! Head over there to meet them, you won't be disappointed!

I wish I could do this!!!

Hope to see you there!
Kristina

Brides Against Breast Cancer Event

2007-04-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a dress or don't know what to do with your dress once the big day has come and gone consider this...

The "Brides Against Breast Cancer" organization is the number one fund-raising event across the nation. The event in Chicago will enable brides-to-be to find the gown of their dreams (at an incredible savings) while making wishes and dreams come true for women diagnosed with terminal breast cancer.

Donate your dress to the MAKING MEMORIES BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION

They are having a huge sale sponsored by ChicagoStyle Weddings Magazine. The event will take place Friday and Saturday, April 27th and 28th at the Wyndham Chicago Hotel, 633 North St. Clair, Chicago, IL 60611. Doors will open Friday from 10am to 8pm and on Saturday from 10am to 6pm. I believe you can bring the dress to the event to donate or for additional info contact
fran@makingmemories.org or call 503 829 4486.

Additional donations can be made to: MAKING MEMORIES BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION 12708 SE Stephens St. Portland, OR 97233

Something to think about :)

Best,
Kristina

Emily and Mike

2007-04-09T22:19:00.000-07:00

Emily and Mike got married just outside Indianapolis, IN and I was so privileged that they were excited enough about me to bring me with them! They selected a beautiful venue which provided me with very unusual but amazing access to the couple from a different viewpoint. I was able to stay behind the altar and get the faces and expressions of the bride and parents which I often do not get to see because of the limited access in most ceremony locations. This was very fun for me and I was able to capture some wonderful emotions that help tell the story of this amazing couple. This led right into the reception which was a really fun party with lots of crazy dancers! I love a good party! :)

Anyway, here are some of my favorite pictures so far...

The guys had a heck of a time with those little kerchiefs...it was fun to watch ;)

A real view of the dresses...

The beautiful Emily...

This is what happens when you make the bride wait for the groom....almost unbearable :)

When you only weigh 90 lbs, you get tossed around a bit.

The ceremony

Mike's brother was my main competition :)

Congratulations Emily and Mike!!

Best,
Kristina

What I did in Vegas...

2007-04-04T18:38:00.000-07:00

I am finally home and getting settled after a long week in Vegas. I had an incredible week getting to meet new people and reaquaint with some friends I don't get to see often. There are too many people to name them all but some of the highlights were getting to network with all the people I met in Texas at the Foundation Workshop and being invited back to participate next year, which was very exciting, as well as meeting the rest of the LaCour photo team. I was fortunate enough to spend some one-on-one time with them and discuss my business and it was definitly one of the biggest highlights of the trip for me and I am looking forward to learning more from them in July. I also got to see many of the people that I met at the Anti-workshop in Texas on the last night of the conference and that was a really fun way to end a long week. I was equally thrilled to see my friend Paul Gero who was one of the first people to help me through this wedding photography journey. Last but not least, I met Jay Premack who was truly a blessing to meet and get to know and I look forward to our continued friendship. I purposely left my camera in the room for this part of the trip so I could really learn and particpate in converstations instead of trying to document them so unfortuantley I have no pictures of this part of the trip BUT I do have pictures of the next part...

On thursday evening, several of the best friends a person could ask for flew from Chicago to Las Vegas to climb with me on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We have a little group we affectionatly refer to as LCO+1 which stands for Lead Climb Only +1 and it helps us to push ourselves and each other to conquer our fears and challenge ourselves by climbing on lead instead of top rope. We had an amazing time pushing the limits of our fears climbing the cliffs of the Red Rocks Recreation Area. I realized how truly addicted to climbing I am, I just can't get enough of the rush that you get from pushing yourself in this way...but I am always safe, can't miss a wedding! :)

I ran ahead to take this picture thinking really it is pretty safe sport but ironically enough while we were there, there was a climbing accident, one of the climbers fell from 50 ft and had to by airlifted out of the canyon...

The approach to the cliffs was almost as fun because there was a lot of scrambling over boulders to try and get where you needed to be for the real climbing. I had to put my camera away for most of it but this was in the beginning where it wasn't as intense and I was able to get around with two limbs instead of four :)

This is Bonnie (the +1 of our group) and she was definitly the strongest climber in the bunch. Here she is onsighting (which means she got to the top on her first try on lead) a 5.10a as her warm-up at the Magic Bus.

This is one time I could keep up with Bonnie and sent this on my first try right after Bonnie, it was a fun climb and a great warm-up for the rest of the day. Also, the picture on the left is me proving I wasn't afraid of heights after discovering that several of the people in my group were afraid of heights and were a little uncomfortable hanging out on the edge of boulders that were a couple hundred feet off the ground. I was shocked by this, after all we are climbers so I was having fun testing them and jumping around within a foot of the edge, it was making them crazy, and it was tons of fun ;)

This next set of pictures are of the whole group all climbing the same route at the Panty Wall (I have no idea why this cliff is named that). I climbed up the route next to it with a backpack with all my gear and anchored myself to the wall so I could get this perspective on the climbs and the climbers.

This is the veiw from the gallery where we climbed on the last day. It was an amazing place!

This is Bonnie rappelling down from a 5.11a she tried as the last climb of the trip. We were beat!

I was excited to eat at the famous In-and-Out burger after climbing, eating greasy food after climbing is so satisfying and this place did not disappoint! :)

Then on the last night, we decided to hit the strip. We had to leave our hotel room at 3:45 am so Mike and I decided it would just be easier to stay up then try and sleep so hung out at the Paris casino and watched the live bands and walked around.

Finally it is off to the airport and good-bye to Vegas, apparently though, Mike didn't get enough of the poker because he spent his last minutes up until we boarded on the video poker, it was a fun trip and I will never forget it!

Thank you guys for coming out to Vegas and climbing with me! Until next time...

LCO+1 for life ;)

Peter David Ashline has arrived!

2007-04-04T12:25:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember the pictures I posted of my sister's maternity session and as a surprise to everyone, the little guy came 2 weeks early yesterday afternoon (only 24 hrs after I returned from Las Vegas, that was close!). The labor was very easy and so fast that I didn't get there until just after he was born. He was 6 lbs and 11 oz, 20 in long. At least I was there to capture some of their first moments as a family.

Congratulations Kelly and Chris!

The first time my sister touched Pete's tiny foot!

And finally me with Pete, my first nephew on my side of the family :)

Best,
Kristina

Vegas baby!!

2007-03-26T07:39:00.000-07:00

I am off to Vegas today to spend some quality time networking with some of the best wedding and portrait photographers in the world at the Digitial Wedding Forum Conference and to check out the WPPI trade show to find new and fun products to offer you guys!

And since I am already out there, I am fortunate enough to have wonderful friends who are going to fly out there and meet me for some rock climbing in the Red Rocks just outside of Vegas. So I will definitely be posting lots of pictures when I get back next week.

I will be back in the office on Tuesday, April 3rd but I will have limited access to email and phone so please leave a message if you call and I will do my best to get back to you promptly!

Best,
Kristina

Rachel and David

2007-03-26T06:44:00.000-07:00

Rachel and David had a fairytale wedding, literally! Rachel always wanted to get married in Cinderella's castle in Disney World, but they decided to stay closer to home to be with their family and friends. However, they did an excellent job bringing that fairytale to Chicago :) It was a beautiful wedding at the Intercontinental Hotel on Michigan Ave with every detail planned to perfection! Here are some of the fun moments of the day!

One of Rachel's favorite characters is Eeyore and he was well represented, even a little Eeyore on the garter which the girls got a good laugh from...

The first time David saw his bride, I think that face says it all!

There was a lot of attention on Rachel and David as we stepped out on to Michigan Ave...

Rachel said no kissing before their official first kiss as man and wife during the ceremony but that didn't stop David from trying!

Rachel's first time entering the Grand Ballroom...

This is the way to serve a drink, chilled through an ice castle!

Congratulations David and Rachel!!