kickin' around downtown

Last week, Jake and Hannah and I went downtown Louisville and wandered around to take some engagement pictures. We laughed as we realized how hard we were looking for old, grungy alleys. All due respect to the committees committed to updating downtown, but we prefer the falling down part of it! :)

Jake and Hannah have been long time friends of mine and are getting married next month. It was a privilege and of course tons of fun to "have them" for an evening! I look forward to your wedding!!

Just as were finishing up, using the night life of the city as the background, a security guard stopped us and asked what we were taking pictures for. Apparently deciding that engagement pictures were a good cause, he used his keys and passes to get us up onto the roof of a 5-story building. It made for really cool pictures and even better memories!

Tim and Melody

It was a pleasure to photograph Tim and Melody's wedding day. They got married in Wisconsin on what turned out to be a snowy day in April!

The bride was beautiful...
The groom was handsome...
There were plenty of light hearted moments... They were so laid back and easy to work with! What more could you ask for?
A few tears were shed as Melody's dad walked her down the aisle and also officiated the ceremony.
The waiting groom...
Textures are all the rage in photography these days... so I am experiementing with them a little bit. I love the feel of this shot.
Tim will stand by Melody, in sunshine and in snow!
Thank you guys for being so easy! God bless your married life together!

Looking back...

I am home now. From a land of poverty to a land of plenty, from the starving to the overfed. What a contrast! Looking back over my pictures, I knew I had to post one more time about India. It is a special, unforgettable place.
We took a field trip with the younger grades of school to this Tibetan town. The first thing you see as you get near is this towering, gleaming, gold statute. This sign preceding your ascent up several flights of stairs to this idol reads, "This statute of the lord Shakyamuni Buddha has been most graciously consecrated by his holiness, the fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet." A visit to the slums. Girls as small as this precious one are forced into a life of thievery and "garbage-picking" just to survive.After thirty minutes of folding and tucking, I have a whole new appreciation for the women who wear sarees daily!

Our whole "family".

Rishikesh... along the holy Ganges river. The Taj Mahal. Quite impressive, but does not qualify for the most memorable moment in Agra. We had the opportunity to stay with a high caste Hindu family for the weekend. Their hospitality was phenomenal. However, the beds were infested with bed bugs and I left with hundreds of "souvenir" bed-bug bites. The India Gate. On the way home, I had a long lay over in Amsterdam and took the train into the city. It was the first time I have set foot in Europe and I was not dissapointed. It was just as I had imagined! Tall old buildings along the canals, bike propped up in quaint doorways, cafes on the corner... I love this shot of a woman entering her streetside apartment.

I am glad to be back, but will miss much about India. And from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all of your support.