The Pres House

The wedding of Josh and Kate Soholt was on an other beautiful day in Madison, Wisconsin.  Kate had hired me without us first meeting because she was living is Idaho but she grew up in the Madison area so the wedding was here.   We first met at their rehearsal at the Pres House which is in the library mall of the University of Wisconsin — Madison.  I found Kate and Josh to be very charming, attractive and grateful for all that was happening. 

We were able to connect personally over the phone.   Much of wedding photography is not just getting great pictures, it’s also having a comfortable experience.  Photographers come with almost every kind of personality imaginable.   I am neither strongly introverted or extroverted according to my Myers-Briggs personality test.   During the ceremony I like to be respectful and photograph the ceremony discretely.  When the bride and her father are coming down the isle I’m upfront, in the isle getting the best photographs possible but when the ceremony is in process I turn off the flash and shoot with “fast” lenses that give me the light I need. 

Kate Josh 3 The Pres House

When the ceremony is over often the best, most creative photographs are taken outside.   The following were taken in the UW library mall area. 

Kate Josh 4 The Pres House

Kate Josh 5 The Pres House

From the UW mall we walked over to Union South to get some pictures by Lake Mendota.  That is where these were taken.

Kate Josh 6 The Pres House

The following video is a highlights of their wedding day.  I hope that you enjoy it.

Allen Centennial Gardens

On August 30, 2009 Xu and Enfu Hui were married at the Allen Centennial Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin. It was a gorgeous day with the temperature in the lower 70s. It was unusual for me but we started photographing the day at the State Capital and then we made our way over to the Monona Terrace.

Xu Enfu 32 Allen Centennial Gardens

Wisconsin State Capital

Capital Allen Centennial Gardens

Walking down the stairs

Xu Enfu 21 Allen Centennial Gardens

Monona Terrace

I really enjoyed working with and photographing Xu (pronounced as shoe) and Enfu. She is naturally beautiful and they were both very easy to work with. Xu had shown a willingness to be adventurous in their engagement shoot so I though she would do this following shot. As I was telling her about what I wanted she was unsure, so I showed her by lifting Enfu up myself. Though Xu was skeptical about whether she could do it she made the effort, had fun and I got some great shots.

Capital 2 Allen Centennial Gardens

Hanging from a tree

The following photographs were taken at the Allen Centennial Gardens which is a beautiful location for an outdoor wedding right in the middle of Madison. It fact for those of you unfamiliar with the Gardens it is located on the University of Wisconsin, Madison campus.

Xu Enfu 51 Allen Centennial Gardens

Relaxed

Xu Enfu 61 Allen Centennial Gardens

Bouquet

Xu Enfu 41 Allen Centennial Gardens

Leaning

Xu Enfu 71 Allen Centennial Gardens

Petals

A Fun Shot

July 11, 2009 Andrew and Anne Naylor were married. It was a busy day at the capital with vendors on every street surrounding us because this weekend held the Art Fair on the Square. It is one of Madison’s premiere annual events. Artisans display their works while prospective customers walk around the square enabling them to very quickly sample some of the areas best artistic works. It is a popular event that brings many thousands of people to the downtown area. It also is very noisy.

This shot was suggested by one of the Bridesmaids (I wanted to include their shoes). The women went back to the Capital and then ran toward me. You never really know what you will get with a set up like this but one of the Bridesmaids was especially animated as was caught in this photograph. Its not just that she was leaping but that her head was turned and her mouth open. Every time I look at this picture it makes me laugh.
So what makes a great photograph? In this case it was the bridesmaids, more than willing to run, and one woman in particular who leaped with joy. It was not planned, she just did it spontaneously and it has become one of my favorite photographs of the year.
Jump1 A Fun Shot

The Capital Jump