Kelli + Damian - The Wedding

I woke up a little nervous about the weather again because I knew Kelli and Damian's wedding was at Myrick Park Shelter more or less outside. Very brisk in the morning with a bit of a wind and a few rain drops before I showed up to hair and make up at Salon Medusa. Just like every weekend in the summer, all of the bridesmaids welcomed me with excitement, smiles, and a few laughs. I asked Kelli how she was feeling and she said she was ready to go!! I was very excited about Kelli and Damian's big day because they were both very laid back and willing to do pretty much anything for some great shots. As she was getting make up put on I captured this shot of concentration not to blink:

I wanted to capture a few images of the venues and Dan shot this as I was across the street from the Salon trying to find a good angle to photograph Salon Medusa.

Before the ceremony at 2, we had to do all the posed images of the girls and guys seperate because they did a traditional wedding where he wouldn't see her until she walked down the isle. We got a couple minutes to shoot a little private session with just Kelli and Damian seperate just at the shelter before the wedding started:

I had brought along a second shooter, Dan Balfanz, and he so graciously donated a few images of me on the job!

This shot of the ring was photographed at the hair salon

They had a gorgeous spring theme with whites and greens, awesome flowers, and white chair covers with black bows. The La Crosse Center South Ballroom was set up for around 250-300 people.
Time for the ceremony, we got a few laughs, and then some tears of joy as they said their vows.

After the ceremony, we got a couple minutes to photograph the wedding party, again Dan was kind enough to snap a photo of me shooting this one up against the shelter.

I had the wedding party show them some love to try and get a great facial reaction out of Kelli and Damian, so here is their reaction :)

We went to the State Room downtown for a few drinks before dinner was served, so Kelli and Damian agreed to do their private bride and groom session after dinner and speeches from the best man and maid of honor. I stole the bride and groom and we took off after the slideshow for 45 minutes or so to do some shots of just the two of them:

Here is another shot Dan Balfanz snapped of me while shooting this first image of Kelli and Damian.

Dan, my second shooter wanted to get a couple shots of them running up and down the beach, so I wanted to try something different so our shots would differ:






Kelli and Damian were so easy to photograph, I just gave them small instructions and they were naturals! Next up were speeches and every bride always has big smiles and laughs:
I was playing around with different lighting techniques at the reception and here are a couple images of their first dance, father-daughter, and mother-son:

Kelli's Dad, Paul, such a proud moment.

Damian's Mom, Dana.

Kelli and Damian were off to Hawaii today for two weeks, lucky......We'll see you when you get back for TRASH THE DRESS!!! Have fun in Hawaii, drink a Corona for me. CONGRATS from Jared Lee Photography :) All the images from Kelli and Damian will be posted on my website under the "Order Images" tab for family and friends to purchase. www.JaredLeeLLC.com

Julian and Mommy - Mother's day special

I had posted a special for Mother's day on my facebook page the last week or so, just to try and get a couple more shoots a week of families and or siblings to give their mother's for Mother's day.

I've known Cherie for a few years, I think we met through some friends that worked together and she's kept up with my photography on facebook, saw the special and we set up a session to photograph her and Julian, her 4 year old son.

We met at Pettibone just to get Julian comfortable with me in a nuetral place. I had brought Drake with, just because I felt bad he was in his kennel all day, and Julian got to meet Drake, threw a few sticks for him, and put him back in the car so I could start shooting. At first Julian didn't really want his picture taken, and we finally got him to open up and be a little more comfortable with me so he would let me take some pictures of him and Mommy.

They were running around chasing eachother in the grass, picking dandelions, throwing grass at eachother, rolling around, and maybe a little bit of cuddeling once he finally started to settle down since she had just picked him up from daycare. I also had Julian in the gazebo, and finally got him to look at me a few times to capture some of those big pretty eyes.

Mommy said that Jared had a spider on his head... :O

Now we are finally starting to settle down a little bit.

"Show me the airplane ones, can I see the airplane ones?"

The last image, was my all time favorite of the day, so much emotion and love in this photo, I know Cherie and her family will love to hang this one on the wall :) Thanks for asking me to capture little Julian, what a great day for photos.
Mother's day special still going on through Sunday! Shoot me an email/text or give me a call to set something up. 608.780.5834 - jphotograph@yahoo.com - www.JaredLeeLLC.com

Aaron + Delaine - The Wedding

Aaron is my first cousin on my Mom's side and had asked me to photograph his wedding a couple months after they were engaged while they were looking for a photographer, and I told him I'd rather come and relax as family member instead of having the stress of being the photographer, and not really getting to enjoy myself. They obviously completely understood, and they hired a professional photographer (Kristen Anne Photography) out of Minneapolis area.

Aaron and Delaine's wedding was in Chanhassen Minnesota, just west of Minneapolis at the American Classic Ballroom and Event Center. What a neat place, their ceremony and reception were in the same room. Aaron is a very unique/crafty individual and has always done magic (not the lame thing adults do to kids, "oh I found a quarter behind your ear" ) Aaron has pulled off some amazing tricks that you wouldn't believe. So knowing that about Aaron, I expected nothing less than a super creative/unique wedding, and sure enough they had a Carnival themed wedding. When we walked in the door, there was a Jill in the box, and Ace of hearts on stilts (REAL PEOPLE). They had a candy bar, cotton candy hanging from the pillars like something you'd see at a fair, atleast 100 bags of cotton candy, I dug into the M&M's and the whole jar of gummy bears :)

During the ceremony I sat at my seat which was almost next to Aaron and Delaine when they were up at the alter, shot a couple of them during a slideshow they made, and also snapped a few of my aunt Ann and uncle Bob's reactions to the slideshow.

A few weeks before their wedding I emailed Kristen, their photographer letting her know I was Aaron's cousin, and a professional photographer out of La Crosse coming to his wedding and was going to bring my camera just to goof around and shoot for fun, and she was so nice about it. Super nice lady, met her husband and got to talk a little photography with the two of them, even borrowed my fisheye lens to Kristen to try out and play with a little during the ceremony. As a professional, I didn't want to take any business away from her, so I told her I wouldn't give Aaron and Delaine anything until their order was complete with her.

After the ceremony I asked Kristen if I could take Aaron and Delaine outside next to the building for a 5-10 minute portrait session, and she was cool with it so I grabbed them for literally no more than 10 minutes and got a quick portrait session in.

However, outside all I had to work with was an alley. One side was the hotel, the other, the reception hall. Looking down one way to the alley there was a little driveway type that was more of a hill than anything, in the background of that was my car and others in the parking lot, a light pole, and a strip mall type structure beyond that. So I had to be quick, creative, and efficient with my 10 minutes before food was served, so I kicked it into gear and came up with these images:

It was so nice to see some family that I haven't seen in quite some time, was able to catch up with both aunts, Barb and Ann, and also both uncles, Bob and Kelly. Also got to have a few drinks with my love, Heather and parents. Good trip to Minneapolis last weekend. Congrats Aaron and Delaine, hope to see you soon -Trash the dress maybe??? :)

Brutal - MMA Ultimate fight at Treasure Island Resort and Casino

So I was lifting at the gym last Wednesday and someone asked if I was going to Beck's (Jeremy Beck) fight on Friday night? I didn't even know he was fighting Friday night, but I knew I was going to my cousin Aaron's wedding up in the cities Saturday morning. I found out it was at Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Redwing Minnesota. I got on my phone quick and text Beck to see if he could get me the number of his promoter Nick from Brutal. Got a hold of Nick and asked who I need to speak to for credentials to shoot the fight ringside or above the cage, and he sent me to Cindy who is the HR manager at Treasure Island, super, super nice, and after a short phone call I received a media pass to go wherever I wanted at the fight to shoot. Everyone at Treasure Island was amazing, security staff was friendly to me, had conversations with a couple of members, the people behind stage, lighting techs, the DJ, and videographer that I stood next to the whole fight, everyone was so friendly. What a great venue to shoot at, can't wait to be asked to shoot another fight there for their promotions.

Anyways on to the fight, Jeremy wasn't going to fight until at least 9pm, but since I told Cindy I'd shoot a lot of the fight and donate pictures for their website or whatever other promotions they were going to use them for, I shot the start of the fights until Jeremy was done fighting.

Here are a couple images from the first half of action:

Now on to the time most of us were waiting for....Beck's fight, aka "The New Breed" Since I got a media pass I could pretty much go anywhere, including behind stage in the locker rooms. I got to go back and snap a couple shots of Steve (Jeremy's Dad) and friend Cody Keenan tape up his hands.

It's time.....lights off......music pounding......standing 6 foot 3 inches tall, weighing in at an INCREDIBLE 235 pounds representing "The New Breed" fighting out of La Crosse Wisconsin.......JEREMY BECK

"Let's dance Mase"

Jeremy faught Justin Mase, he wasn't a small individual either, standing 3 inches shorter than jeremy, but 10 pounds heavier.
Start of the fight, Jeremy came out swinging almost right away, missed here with a right hand, but connected below with a left.....

After Jeremy connected with a left Mase stepped back, but tried to shoot right away since he was well known for his wrestling in high school and college, but Beck didn't budge much, he stood his ground.

Beck won the fight in 30 seconds by guillotine choke. Beck told me after the fight, your adrenaline is pumping so much that you don't feel the opponent tap, which is why the ref is there, Jeremy tried to let go immediatly when the ref called the fight when he saw Mase tap, Jeremy couldn't let go, and Mase passed out and was out for a couple of seconds before coming to.
Jeremy and Mase had talked a bit before the fight, they had faught against eachother in February where in La Crosse. They went into the second round and Mase broke Jeremy's nose, and again Jeremy won by guillotine choke.

Jeremy had a crowd, got a lot of support from 2 hours south in La Crosse.

What does a barber say??.............Next please! - Jeremy calling out the Minnesota Heavyweight State Champ. Maybe next fight??