It’s that time again. It’s time to look back at some of the best photos from 2014. Everyday we’ll be taking a look at a new category. Voting is open till midnight and the winners will be announced Monday. The winning entries will each receive a 16×20 print.

Today’s category: Mug Machine

Take a look at the entries then vote at the bottom of this post.

Everybody loves a good photo booth. And these photos are some of my favorites form the past year.

1. Olan: Let’s be honest. Every couple needs a great portrait. And no one rocked those better than the fine folks at Olan Mills.

2. Wine: Because liquid is fun to photograph.

3. Beard: I might be a bit jealous.

4. Hair: One of the perks of being a bride is your friends will do whatever you ask them to do.

5. Sip: Ladies are almost always so much smoother than dudes when it comes to The Mug Machine.

6. Chest: Ain’t no swag like married swag.

7. Disco: Disco balls are fun.

8. Bump: Disco balls are more fun when you pretend they are your baby.

9. Force: All wives have the ability to use the dark side of the force.

10. Family: Every time The Mug Machine is rolling families try to nail that perfect shot. It’s almost impossible with more than 1 tiny human. Only the most talented families can pull it off.

It’s that time again. It’s time to look back at some of the best photos from 2014. Everyday we’ll be taking a look at a new category. Voting is open till midnight and the winners will be announced Monday. The winning entries will each receive a 16×20 print.

Today’s category: Brides

Take a look at the entries then vote at the bottom of this post.

1. Lindsey

2. Chelsie

3. Kathleen

4. Emily

5. Kayla

6. Shelby

7. Jennifer

8. Talia

9. Kaylan

10. Bekah

It’s that time again. It’s time to look back at some of the best photos from 2014. Everyday we’ll be taking a look at a new category. Voting is open till midnight and the winners will be announced Monday. The winning entries will each receive a 16×20 print.

Today’s category: Wedding Rings

Take a look at the entries then vote at the bottom of this post.

1. XY

2. Map

3. Popcorn

4. Cork

5. USA

6. Tweet

7. Burn

8. Rain

9. Whoop!

10. Dart

It’s that time again. It’s time to look back at some of the best photos from 2014. Everyday we’ll be taking a look at a new category. Voting is open till midnight and the winners will be announced Monday. The winning entries will each receive a 16×20 print.

Today’s category: Engagement Sessions

Take a look at the entries then vote at the bottom of this post.

1. Bike: Calley & Will love to bike together.  Calley is faster than Will.

2. Sunset: Nothing beats a sunset together.

3. Cook: Mike is a killer chef. JoDee is a killer wife.

4. Wood: Nothing like making out on the family business.

5. Bridge: You know what’s cool? Bridges. (And Breelyn & Tyson.)

6. Carnival: Who doesn’t like going to the State Fair?

7. Vineyard: Nothing says we are engaged like going to a vineyard.

8. Balance: These two love to slackline together. (Google it. It’s awesome.)

9. Beer: That time your favorite bar put your wedding date up with all their custom beers.

10. Band: Sometimes Drill Team instructors fall in love with Band instructors.

Way back in May of 2007, Katy decided to marry a boy named Jonathan. When I was taking photos of Jonathan and his groomsmen, I had them all posed and ready, and then I heard a rumbling. It sounded cool, and I figured if I waited and timed it right, magic might happen. Sure enough… Click.

Dude on motorcycle rolled by and I got a shot that I love to this day. I was just starting to really gain confidence as a wedding photographer, and that shot opened my eyes to something. That no matter how much you plan and prep for a wedding, sometimes those little unexpected, unplanned moments can be pretty awesome as well.

Fast forward two years to June 2009. Katy’s younger brother, Jacob, is getting married. I know them to be a fun group and I have 2 more years of mojo under my belt. So I snap a few photos of them looking all casual. Then we get brave. We talk about it a bit and decide that it would be fun if the guys jumped over the girls. Megan (the bride) agrees to it, but she does not quite trust her groom to make the leap so she has her brother jump over her. Either way…. BOOM!

How amazing is that? A couple of years ago it even became a bit of a Pinterest sensation. In fact some people on wedding sites and boards would claim the photo was fake and the girls involved in the photo would track them down, comment, and vouch for the authenticity of the image.
(Simmer down ladies. Really. It’s ok.)

Anyway. That’s when I realized something else: every wedding is different. Couples may get married at the same places, but their relationships, their friends, their personalities all get mixed in to make that wedding day unique. The more willing and able I was to just let the day happen, the better my chances would be of capturing something unique.

So when Katy & Jacob’s sister was getting married last week, I knew I could not “plan” a specific shot.

I knew it would need to be unique to them.

I could not expect a dude on a bike or a group of guys jumping that looked photoshopped.

Or could I?

|
|
|
|
|
<Scroll Down>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<Keep Going>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<Almost There>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<BOOM>