Copper Photography

JoJo & Elise's senior session

2009-09-21T23:49:00.004-04:00

JoJo and Elise have only been best friends for a few months, but you can't tell. They are hilarious together and obviously have tons of fun whatever they do. I was excited when JoJo first called to ask me if I would drive out to Rockford and photograph both her and Elise at the same time. We had some rain, but nothing that was going to stop our afternoon of photo-madness! They had a whole list of locations picked out, and some of them were really cool. I had a blast with them!

Thanks you two for the honor and fun of being your photographer! I hope you love your photos. =)

Emma & Armando

2009-09-17T21:37:00.002-04:00

Ok- a little preview of the family session I shot for my co-worker and friend Jean. I know she is excited about these because she begged me a million times to put a couple up tonight. =) So Jean, here you go! I've got tons more, but have barely even started editing. More will come someday. And someday will probably come sometime next week. =)

Jake's senior photos

2009-09-14T17:05:00.002-04:00

Jake is my husband's best friend's younger brother. Say that three times fast. Jake showed me some great locations in Joliet, which my hubby and I will be calling home as soon as humanly possible (oh home buying... I've definitely had better times... =) ) and we had a lot of fun! I love being able to find hidden spots that work really well for portraits... so thanks Jake! Here are a couple of my favorites!

I love doing senior portraits, they're one of my favorite types of sessions to do, and this time of year is perfect for senior sessions, so shoot me an email if you're interested! copperphotography@gmail.com

This is my favorite one--

Allison & Dave's Wedding Teasers

2009-08-30T22:46:00.002-04:00

Well- after a hiatus from blog writing spanning too many months, I greet you again with a fresh wedding. Here is a little teaser from Allison & Dave's wedding yesterday. It was really a gorgeous wedding with perfect weather. More to come soon! Have fun on your mini-moon you two!

The happy couple--

The whole party--

Stay tuned for many more photos of Allison & Dave's wedding!

its all in the details

2009-05-16T17:50:00.002-04:00

Life is crazy. Nick and I are looking and looking for our dream home, big changes in our lives as far as relationships and activities go... and blogging has just slipped my mind...

But now that the weather seems to have taken a turn for the better my attentions are more fully back on all things art and photography... and I need to post more photos from the last two weddings! Here's a couple of detail shots from Rachel and Dan's wedding. =)

Rachel and Dan

2009-04-13T17:23:00.001-04:00

So I know I still have to post more of Melissa and Sean's wedding... but life has been crazy and I just can't help posting the only two photos I've edited from Rachel and Dan's wedding to tease you all!

I will tell you their story and share more photos soon! For now, enjoy the teasers!

Melissa & Sean are married now!

2009-03-31T10:55:00.003-04:00

I met Melissa through a really good mutual friend. They were originally supposed to get married in July in New Jersey- where they live and both go to school, but circumstances and fate had other plans for them. Melissa's dad was having some health problems, and since she obviously LOVES her father and dotes on him, she and Sean naturally changed their plans to make the wedding easier on him.

So the wedding went from July in New Jersey to March in Chicago. Everything had to be re-planned. New venue, new church, new florist, new hairstylist, and of course new photographer. When my good friend told me all about their situation I instinctively said "well if they need a photographer..." not realizing that it would be the start of what I think will be a good friendship. We met, fawned over each other's rings, talked for over an hour, and it was all set. Melissa planned her wedding largely in several weekend trips home, which I think is amazing! In one of those trips she asked me to shoot some boudoir photos as a wedding gift for her husband-to-be (I will post those sometime next week), and a "day after" session the day after their wedding (those will be up in the next couple days).

Sean & Melissa's day had a few ups and downs... their spring wedding started off with snowfall, their limo didn't show up, and the guys just couldn't seem to find their pocket-squares... but none of that mattered to the lovebirds. They were getting married, and no bump in the road had or would keep them from each other. Their wedding was beautiful, and they are perfect for each other. And now after everything they have a few good stories to tell, and a lifetime of wedded bliss to look forward to.

Thanks so much for letting me be a part of your day you two! I had so much fun, and am blessed to have made some great new friends too!

Here's just a few from the day... so many more to go through... but there will be more to come this week!

Have an amazing honeymoon You guys!

Chris- Senior Rep

2009-02-26T20:06:00.002-05:00

This is Chris, one of my 2009-20010 senior representatives. Here are just a few of his senior portraits, enjoy!

Love is all you need...

2009-02-16T03:07:00.002-05:00

Which is an appropriate title for this post since that is the song my honey and I walked out to after we said our "I do's." Nick and I have been married a year and a half now, and It's been amazing. He is the sweetest. We both had to work all day long on valentine's day, which was kind of a bummer. I love romance. I love Nick. I love cheesy chick flicks and heart-shaped chocolate boxes. I love LOVE. And I was stuck in my retail prison on the day of love!

; )

So's life I suppose... but Nick made the best of what time we had and took me to see Coraline. What a neat movie. It's all in 3-D, which is actually really cool. Check it out peeps.

Maybe I'll make him breakfast in bed this week since we didn't have the time on V-day... =) Spread the love!

New Toys- yay!

2009-01-29T17:28:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to share my excitement with you all about my new baby- a Nikon D300. It's so funny because, as a photographer you spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on equipment, and there's always something more you need or want... =) But THIS little guy was a NEED... on the want list is the Nikon D700... but at about 3K just for the body... it will have to wait!

Sooo... I'm really looking forward to this next wedding season with my new baby, and don't forget I'm only booking 7 weddings this year! I've got two booked and a couple more potential jobs, so book your date soon!

Have a fabulous day everyone, and I hope you're not all sick like me... =P

Melissa & Sean's engagements

2009-01-26T13:51:00.002-05:00

Melissa and Sean are getting married March 29th, and I couldn't be more excited! Their engagement has followed a little different path than most... they were planning on getting married in July in New Jersey, but because of Melissa's dad's health problems they have had to move the wedding not only up several months, but to an entirely different state! While I definitely feel for the challenges that have faced them in re-planning their wedding at warp-speed, I also feel a bit of guilty pleasure that I now get the honor of being their photographer!

I met Melissa for the first time through a mutual friend, and we just hit it off! Not only do we have our great friend Leen in common, but we like the same kind of Jewelry and fawned over each others' rings for a good five minutes. =) They are two of the sweetest people, and it was great to finally meet Sean this past Saturday because I got to witness first hand how in love these two are! I can't wait for March to come because I know their wedding is going to be amazing.

Here's a couple of photographs from their engagement session.

Have you visited www.copperphotography.com yet?

2009-01-19T01:08:00.002-05:00

Because if you haven't... head on over and look around! I've updated some of the galleries, posted the trash the dress gallery, and corrected a few punctuation errors. =) What can I say, I was always excellent at english composition, but maybe not so much at punctuation. We all have our flaws I suppose...

At any rate, I'm really excited about the new site, and this new year. I have some wonderful clients booked, some exciting ideas for photo shoots, and just a renewed passion for what I do! Seriously now, I just can't wait for spring. I have two weddings that I can't wait to shoot, a bunch of senior portraits (and lets be real here... this Chicago winter is kicking my butt! Just the other day I got frost bite on my cheek walking from my car into work... this is just ridiculous!) So come on spring! I'm completely stoked to be shooting the very sweet Melissa and Sean's wedding at the end of march, then my lovely friends Rachel & Dan's wedding in the beginning of April. I love SPRING!

Oh Chicago, why are you a place of endless winter!? ;)

It's ALIVE!!!

2009-01-12T18:22:00.001-05:00

Ok, it's LIVE, not ALIVE.

Check out my new site- Copper Photography Browse around, enjoy the photos, and let me know what you think! There will be one more gallery added in the next two days, so check back then too!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-28T13:36:00.004-05:00

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a phenomenal Christmas, I sure did! Then again, any holiday with my amazing hubby is wonderful. I can't believe this year is almost over already. It seems like it has blown by quicker than ever. Maybe the great years do that more than others, who knows. I am totally excited for this next year. I have decided to limit the number of weddings I shoot this year to make sure I can give an awesome amount of attention to my awesome clients. I will only be taking on up to seven weddings this year. Two slots have already been filled, so that leaves five openings for the rest of the year. I really think that my wedding clients should get the VIP treatment, which is why I've made the decision to do things this way this year. If you've been thinking about booking with me, give me a call... I'd love to make your wedding one of my final five VIP weddings this year.

As far as senior portraits go, spring is one of the prettiest times to take photos. Call Me or email me to book your session in advance, beat the rush, and get a fifty dollar gift card towards your session as a Christmas gift from me to you.

Ok my friends, have an amazing and happy new year!!! Keep checking back for the latest news, photos, and random stories! Happy new year!!!!

More of Katie's bridals...

2008-12-14T21:23:00.002-05:00

Ok- I have so many more than this, and I will definitely try to blog them soon, but these are some of my favorites of Katie's bridals. She is so gorgeous!

Katie & Stephen wedding teaser

2008-12-08T00:51:00.004-05:00

Yesterday (Saturday) I had the pleasure of assisting my talented friend Amy Aiello (Amy Aiello Photography)at the wedding of Katie Saul, who I went to high school with. Katie is two years older than I am, so she and I didn't go to school together for too long, but we did do some plays and musicals together, and one thing she would always say was that she was going to marry an Irishman someday. I believed that she would... so I was not the least bit surprised when Amy told me that Katie was getting married to an Irish lad. Apparently their paths crossed many times in Ireland while Katie was living there for a few years, but they didn't meet until katie moved back to Chicago. One night at a bar... there he was, and by her sister's account, Katie was smitten.

I'm so happy for Katie and Stephen, and I hope they have a wonderful honeymoon! I'm also totally grateful to Amy for letting me tag along and snag some great shots. Be sure to check out her site because I know she'll post some pics on her blog and they will look fab! Here's just one for now... I have so many to go through and it will be so hard to narrow them down because katie looked simply stunning... but I must! So goodnight for now, enjoy the teaser... =)

Something cool to share

2008-12-04T23:24:00.004-05:00

so I came across this company a while back, and I think that what they do is super creative, and since I love innovative companies, I'm going to share it with you. They're called Threadless, and they print t-shirts with designs submitted by every day people. Which is awesome. You can rate people's designs, and if it's a popular one they will print a limited run of them. I've got a bunch, and love that they're so unique and out of the box.

So anywhoo, they're cool you should check it out. Plus, they're having a nice little sale just in time for Christmas, so why not, right? =) I got a few myself.... hehe

Threadless

Happy Thanksgiving and Black Friday!

2008-11-28T15:47:00.002-05:00

Hey people! I hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving... I know that I did. I love getting to spend time with my friends and family. Especially my immediate family because they are hilarious. If you've never met my family, you are missing out on some of the most hysterical dinner (or non-dinner-appropriate) conversations known to man. That is probably due to the fact that my family is a cast of characters... which I love. Funny and genuine people all. So I hope that you had as great of a day as I did, juggling your own families and making your own dinners and memories and traditions.

In fact, I made what may become a new tradition this year. I have never been able to make myself wake up before the sun on black friday and hit the door buster sales. I've always wanted to, but always set my alarm and then sleep right on through it. This year I had my lovely friend Alex spend the night, we woke up a little after 4 am, picked up my youngest sister Devon, and off we went to the mall. We got there a little after five, and people were already leaving with their treasures. Crazy. It really was. Five is as early as I could make myself start though. I know that waking up and being there by four is only an hour difference... but really now. =) Anywhoo, it was really fun and I snagged tons of treasure for my honey as well as other family... and there certainly were deals to be had. If you've never shopped bright and early the day after thanksgiving, you should give it a try next year. It's pretty fun. And you'll save a bunch of money.

well... have a lovely day and have fun shopping!

I can't believe it's already November!!!!

2008-11-09T15:03:00.001-05:00

Sorry I haven't written anything in a while, guys! I've been a bit pre-occupied working on my new and greatly improved website, which I will hopefully have done within the month, but then again who knows... =) It will be much snazzier and easier on the eyes as well as choc-full of new stuff.

Soooo... I do have a bunch of photos I haven't blogged... so maybe sometime this week I will post some stuff.

Well my friends, have a lovely (and if you live in Chicago) snowy day!

Product spotlight- Gallery wrapped canvases

2008-10-14T16:16:00.005-04:00

I want to start a new feature periodically on my blog where I highlight some of my products and show you examples. This week I want to tell you guys about gallery wrapped canvas prints because I think they are one of the coolest things ever. The reason they are on my mind is because I just got one from my own wedding, and think it is the most beautiful thing in the world and "ooo-ed" and "aww-ed" over it for almost an hour. I still can't stop looking at it.

So- why should you order a gallery-wrap? Here's why--

What is a gallery wrapped canvas?
It is a high quality print on artist canvas.
The canvas is stretched over custom made wood supports.
It is available in any size.
Its depth is 1.25"

What's so cool about gallery-wrapped canvases?
These images stand out boldly without the distraction of a frame
They appear to "float" on your wall.
You don't need a frame for stability; the structure is inside the art.

here's an example of two of my photographs made into a gallery-wrap from Dan & Rachel's engagement session(s).

so- when you book your session, if you pre-order a gallery wrap, you will receive a 10% discount as an incentive to put something amazingly beautiful on your walls at home, and because I am so in love with them that I want you all to be in love with them too! =)

Dan & Rachel's engagement session

2008-10-12T00:17:00.003-04:00

Today was so amazingly beautiful, and I have to admit that I almost forgot that it was fall for the early part of the afternoon! I can't believe that it was 80 degrees today... crazy Chicago weather! At any rate, the climate was PERFECT for Dan and Rachel's engagement session, and we had a ton of fun. Well, Rachel and I did. I think Dan had SOME fun. haha. But then again, Dan is a guy so the whole model-for-a-day thing doesn't hold quite the same amount of appeal as it would for most girls. He was a great sport though... which is sweet because it always says a lot about a man's love for his bride when he will endure an hour of something he wouldn't otherwise do without her... =)

At any rate, they are so cute together and I love them a ton. Dan proposed to Rachel over a period of three days. Every day he took her somewhere different, and gave her something sweet and meaningful. Then on the third day he took her to watch the sunrise, and gave her the ring. Which is gorgeous. Like Rachel! I can't wait to photograph their wedding in April... it is going to be amazing.

fin!

In Honor of my brother who's about to have baby #2

2008-10-10T20:28:00.001-04:00

Here is a picture of my brother Refe when he was a baby. He was such a chubber. That's how he got the nickname Refey Beefy. =) Seriously though, he was such a cute kid... but I was cuter. haha!

oh BABY!

2008-10-09T23:39:00.002-04:00

So it's a really good thing that I got some preggo photos of my sister-in-law Susan when I did because that little girl is just about really to pop out! My brother tells me that Susan is having some minor contractions, and that baby #2 could come just about any time now! I was really looking forward to going with them and my niece to a fall fest this saturday, but hey... I think that canceling due to the probable birth of niece #2 is a pretty gooood reason!!!!!

So what I am saying is that fall fest pics will have to wait... but I could be posting new born photos any day now!!! I'm super stoked, you have no idea. yay!

ok... well coming up in the next week... Rachel and Dan's REAL engagement shoot, possibly some senior portraits of my sisters, and who only knows what else. I'm still sick, but life never ceases to speed up, so I might as well go with the flow. I just keep rubbing vicks all over myself and keep on keepin on. HA. I'm not kidding though, which is why that is hilarious.

ps- is vicks supposed to make your skin hot? Oh please God don't let me have an allergic reaction to one of the two things helping me to breathe!

pray for me.... I don't want to be sick any more!

Oi.

There's still time!

2008-10-08T10:28:00.004-04:00

Hey there are all you Juniors & Seniors. So you want to get your photos done but you are worried that it's too late now? PSH! Not even close. The month of October is one of the prettiest times to take your photos. Cool outfits, changing leaves, edgier looks... but don't wait any longer. Drop me an email at copperphotography@excite.com if you want to book an october session or give me a call at 630.965.3437. We'll set up your session and take advantage of the awesome change in seasons. I should have some fun examples of fall sessions up soon!

Also- as an added incentive- any sessions done in october will get $50 off. October only though!!

chicken soup

2008-10-07T14:20:00.002-04:00

Let me just say that I HATE being sick. YUCK. Seriously. The only thing worse than being sick, is when Nick and I are sick at the same time. Like today. I am a little more sick than he is, but it still stinks because there is no "healthy" spouse to take care of the "sick" spouse. But he's going to stock up on movies, and hopefully soup, and we are going to lounge around all day and hope we're better for work tomorrow. He's such a great hubby! The best any girl could ever ask for. =)

So... if any of you feel pity for us and just can't help but bring us soup, feel free!! =)

Congratulations Rachel & Dan!

2008-10-03T00:56:00.004-04:00

Dan is one of Nick's two best friends. They have known each other forever and have one of those friendships that can survive just about anything. They are completely different, but somehow it works. And they are hilarious together.

Rachel is one of my best friends. We've known each other for a much shorter time than Nick and Dan, but I cherish Rachel's friendship very much. She is beautiful and vibrant and sweeter than anything. Some days I don't know what I would have done if she hadn't been there to listen to me.

Now Rachel and Dan are engaged. I'm so serious when I say that having one of your best friends marrying one of your husband's best friends is the greatest thing ever because it's basically a guarantee that you won't lose touch or grow apart. Also, they are just so stinkin cute together that you can't even believe it. =) We all got to hang out tonight, and of course I couldn't resist snapping off some quick photos. We do have a real engagement session planned for a week from now, but this will have to hold me, and them, over!

CONGRATULATIONS RACHEL AND DAN!!!!

the "i love fall fashion" shoot

2008-09-30T18:09:00.005-04:00

Once again, here's Alex. Because Alex loves to model, and I love to take photographs. And we both love fall. =)

I love Alex. Even though we are years apart, she is one of my truest and bestest friends in the world! =) Sometimes God just likes to mess with your perceptions of what you best friends should be like... age, gender, race... He'll smash those assumptions and give you just what you need! Also- these photos are in memory of Alex's crooked pinkies, which she's getting fixed tomorrow. RIP crooked pinkies!! haha. I love you Alex!

playing around

2008-09-20T09:59:00.002-04:00

so. My blog was boring so I am trying to spice it up a bit. what do you think? It needed some personality!

how are all you lovely people doing these days?

She's so cute...

2008-09-13T22:21:00.004-04:00

Here is my niece now... They sprout up like weeds around this age, don't they? She is beautiful and full of personality. You can tell from the photo below! haha. That photo was from March... she's so big now!

One more on the way....

2008-09-12T07:06:00.005-04:00

Ok. I am being totally unbiased when I say that I have the cutest, funniest, sweetest, most well-behaved niece on the planet. And she is about to become a big sister! My sister in law Susan is also the cutest pregnant woman... and I love taking pictures of both her and my niece Adeia. I think it is so neat to look back on my photos of Addie and see how much she has grown in just 18 months... it's amazing! I can't wait for niece #2!!!!!

New Toys

2008-09-03T17:13:00.002-04:00

Hey guys... I know this won't mean much to all of you, but today I got my new macbook pro in the mail!! I am super stoked, and I'm writing this from my lovely new baby now! It's pretty fun getting a new toy... especially one that will make it faster and easier for me to edit photos, create great products, and post photos up faster! It is going to make my life so much easier, and I couldn't be happier. =)

Happy Labor Day!

2008-09-01T12:22:00.002-04:00

Hey guys! I just wanted to wish you all a happy labor day!! Hopefully you all have the day off and are doing something fun. I'm looking forward to a bbq with my husband and some of our best friends. Nothing like a relaxing day with some of the people who mean the most to you. That and delicious grilled food.

So I realize that I told you all that I was rolling out some news about senior portrait packages. Here they are with no further ado!

First is the Classic Senior Session

$250
- session up to 1 1/2 hours
- one location
- unlimited outfit changes
- personal online gallery of all final images OR at home viewing consultation
- $100 print credit

The new session I want to tell you guys about is more for the girls.

The Trendsetter Session

$350
- Session up to 2 hours
- up to two locations
- unlimited outfit changes
- personal online gallery of all final images OR at home viewing consultation
- $150 print credit

For the Trendsetter session you are encouraged to bring your prom dress for your own mini trash-the-prom-dress session! We can do low-key-trashing, or we can go all out at the end of your session and have you float around in a pool or lake or stream in your dress. How daring you want to get is totally up to you!

Also- I am taking "applications" for senior models that are from the class of '09. If you are chosen you will get a free session. All you will have to pay for are your prints. You will get promo materials with your photograph on them to hand out to friends and kids at school. Your job as a senior model will be to help me spread the word about my senior portraits, and in exchange you will get a free session. Also- for every senior that you refer who books a session with me, you will receive a $10 print credit towards your own session!

If you are interested, please send me an email at Copper_Photography@excite.com. Include your name, email, phone number, graduation year, school name, and tell me a little bit about yourself and why you think you should be a senior model. Tell me about your extra-curricular activities, your high school experience, and what kind of things you are into. I will be choosing only one to two models per school, so get your application in soon, and spread the word to your friends who you think may be interested, and even at other area schools

OK! Well once again, I hope you all have a great day off!!! Yay for a free day!

Mes Souers

2008-08-21T15:50:00.004-04:00

So My sister Carly never got her senior portraits taken. She's going to be a junior in college this year, so I figured it was high time that we got some shots of her before she is forty. Ha! Sooo, while we were at it I figured that I might as well take some of my youngest sister Devon. Devon is such a ham! At any rate, I think they turned out beautifully.

More Trash the Dress Photos

2008-08-19T21:46:00.004-04:00

Ok everyone. I'm sure that you are in anguish at this point as you wait for the rest of the trash the dress photos. Come on now, don't lie. You know you are.

Of course I don't want to cause anyone discomfort or anxiety, so without further delay, here they are!

Who knew trashing your dress could be so hot?

2008-08-17T03:34:00.003-04:00

So. I am going to give you guys a little teaser because I just can't wait. As you can probably see, its two thirty in the morning, and instead of sleeping I'm sitting here editing photos from Melissa and Rachel's trash the dress session. I seriously cannot describe to you all how much fun I had, and I know the girls had fun too! They are both gorgeous and did such a great job modeling for me! I hope you former brides out there feel inspired to book your own trash-the-dress session!

This is Rachel- isn't she stunning?

And this is Melissa. She has the prettiest eyes!

Fun fun fun! More fabulous photographs to come, I promise!

Trash the Dress

2008-08-16T14:24:00.002-04:00

I have so much fun stuff coming up for you guys this week!

This morning I photographed my friend from high school, Melissa and her sister in law Rachel. First of all, I can't believe it's been six years since high school... time flies. Second of all, I had SO MUCH FUN! They showed up at my apartment at eight this morning, changed into their wedding dresses, and we headed out all over the place to do their session. Can I just say that I think that the Trash the Dress sessions have possibly become my favorite? I got some great images, and they were such great models... so I can't wait to post the photos.

I will hopefully have them up sometime in the next week because I think you guys will like them as much as I do. I really encourage all your former brides out there, if you have your dress just hanging around in the closet and want to get one last hurrah out of them, drop me a line and book your own Trash the Dress session. It really is a blast, and you get a couple of hours of just you and your dress that you probably could not fit in on your wedding day. Not only that, but I bet you were worried about getting it dirty!

Soooooo. I will try to post those soon, I'm just super excited about them because I had such a great time! Thanks Melissa and Rachel! You guys were fabulous models. Your husbands are going to be stunned at how gorgeous you look!

Drumroll Please!!!!

2008-08-15T18:30:00.002-04:00

Ok my friends... check back here in a couple of days because I have got a new senior portrait session to unveil for you! I know you all want something really cool for your portraits, so I have something that is just that in store for you!!!

Also- all you sophomores and juniors out there. I would love to hear from you! What do you really want out of your senior portrait session? How do you want your photographs to look? Drop me a note, and give me your input!

One final thing. I'm looking for some senior models that are juniors this school year. I will also post more about that in the next couple of days!

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you don't have to work this weekend so that you can enjoy every moment. =)

adios!!!!

peace, love, and lots of silly costumes

2008-08-12T23:15:00.002-04:00

ok. I'm going backwards here. I should be posting pictures from my two vacations, but I'm not. Out with conventionality (or you could also say, in with procrastination!)... I'm going to post the last group of photos I have taken!

You have all seen Alex on here before. She is my amazingly photogenic wonderful friend, and she just turned 17! Alex never really got a sweet 16 party, so her mom and I decided to throw her a totally cool 17th birthday party. The theme (because I think that a theme is an easy and fun way to make any party great) was the 1960's and the hippie era. Everyone was told to come dressed up like hippies, mods, beatniks, whatever floated their boats. And it was a blast! Of course, how could I resist the urge to snap some great black-mail shots... I mean party shots!? I've got some here for you. Maybe I will post more later.

the other adorable girl in these photos is Alex's friend JoJo! I think we should all dress like hippies again

itunes

2008-07-31T09:52:00.002-04:00

Its been toooo long. Sorry folks! =)

A lot has been going on in my life, some awesome, some not-so-awesome, some unsure... I'll tell you about the awesome stuff. I don't have any photos to post, but I will soon!

Nick, my husband has a new cd out. I wrote about that earlier this month. Well... drumroll please! You can buy his album now on itunes! Just search for Nick Siegel, and click on his album "We Make Our Beds in the Sea". It is really a phenomenal album. He is so incredibly creative and talented, AND I sing on the album with him! So an added bonus for you all, and yet another reason to go buy it!

So yeah! I've been off camping this last week, I'll have some photographs to show of it later. Also, my husband and I are going to Door County Wisconsin in a couple of days for our one year wedding anniversary! I'm totally looking forward to that because I hear that Door County is a beautiful place. So don't dismay, there will be pictures soon, just be patient! =)

Have a lovely day!

Nick Siegel's new musical masterpiece....

2008-07-03T15:49:00.002-04:00

Hey there lovely people! I just wanted to announce something awesome.

My husband Nick has a new cd out called "We Make Our Beds in the Sea." He has just released it and it is so good (of course I am not even remotely biased, either! really, I'm not!). If you like piano-rock, Sufjan Stevens, indie music, and the like, you will love Nick's stuff. The music should be released on itunes the first week of August, so check on that soon.

www.nicksiegelmusic.com is under construction, but in the mean time you can check him out on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nick-Siegel/16277858321 and you can find him on myspace.

So, support my handsome hubby and buy a cd! if you would like a hard copy, you can feel free to leave me a comment with your email and I will let you know how to get your hands on one, they are only $12.

Well.... that's all for now, I will keep you updated about Nick's music as new and amazing things happen!

Babies Babies Babies

2008-06-10T23:42:00.003-04:00

I just had to say Congratulations! to my brother and sister in law who just found out that baby number 2 is a girl!

I can't tell you all how excited I am to have a second niece. When they had my first niece, Adeia, they were in New Mexico so I didn't get to see her until she was four months old when they came back to Chicago for my wedding. I am so excited to be able to be there from day one with this new little princess!

So Congratulations Refe & Susan! Nick and I couldn't be happier for you.

*******interesting side note- Refe is my younger brother. The only boy out of five children. We'll see how far they carry on the "Tuma Tradition" of lots and lots of girls!

And, just so you know what kind of cuteness awaits this world, here is a picture of the new baby's big sister Addie

Last Call!

2008-05-28T10:27:00.002-04:00

Hey kids, don't forget... you only have a few more days before the end of May. You know what that means, right? Book before the end of may and you can still get $50 off your session and 8 free wallets.

Give me a call and book soon!

630.965.3437

Cailin's senior portraits

2008-05-21T21:12:00.005-04:00

Cailin is one of the cutest, sweetest girls that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting! I had so much fun taking her photos and I hope you enjoy her cuteness as much as I did!! =)

Alex part 4

2008-05-17T15:23:00.004-04:00

here's some more for ya!

Alex part 3

2008-05-15T15:20:00.003-04:00

20080512-Alex7, originally uploaded by Copper Siegel.

There's still more...... =)

and again, because it is cut off.

Alex- part 2

2008-05-14T21:39:00.002-04:00

20080512-Alex3 copy, originally uploaded by Copper Siegel.

Ok there will be more and more and more, but here's a few today. lol. I have soo many more.

and here is the top one because it always cuts off my horizontal photographs

Alex's senior portraits--- a teaser

2008-05-13T23:26:00.001-04:00

I have SOOO many great photos of Alex to go through in the next couple of days, but I know that her Mom will want to see at least one.... So here you go Julieann! Alex and I had so much fun. I can't wait to post more, but I have to work early tomorrow morning, so this will have to do for today! Check back tomorrow for more of beautiful Alex. =)

Fabulous Seniors

2008-05-06T15:06:00.004-04:00

Class of 2008---

You are not your average run-of-the-mill senior, right? So why should your senior portraits be!? At Copper Photography I know that you strive to stand out, be unique, and most of all, true to yourself. That’s why your senior portrait session is shot on location (that is to say the location of your choice!) and customized to fit your distinctive personality. Are you an all-natural kind of girl who lives for everything green? We will find the most beautiful garden around. Are you a musician who dreams of the city life? We can meet up downtown and shoot your portraits there. Maybe you are more of the sports-star type… we can always head to your local track or your school’s football field. The possibilities are endless.

When you book your senior portrait session through Copper Photography we will set up three meetings. The first will be to get to know each other a little bit so that we can discuss the best settings, outfits, props, and atmosphere for your senior photo shoot. At this meeting we will discuss anything and everything to make you as ready as possible for session. We will also book your session date.

The second meeting will be your shoot. Senior photo shoots typically last about an hour and a half, which may seem like a lot of time, but trust me, it goes by so fast! I encourage you to bring several outfit changes, we’ll talk about what works best at our first meeting.

Our third meeting will be about two weeks after your photo shoot. There I will show you all the final photographs from your session, and you and your parents will be able to decide what products, prints, and poses you want. Not too long after that last meeting, you will have your very own brag-worthy photographs to show all your friends!
Make sure you book soon- Senior sessions tend to work best between late April and early October!

Senior Portrait Package & Price List
$250 includes------

• 1 ½ hours of shooting on location
• All final photographs retouched and color corrected
• 50 wallet-sized prints of one pose
• 1 8x10 print

So here is the deal-

To all you class of '08 seniors-to-be, or even you class of '07 procrastinators (don't worry, you won't get any grief from me) if you book your senior portrait session before May 30th, I will give you $50 off your portrait session and 8 free wallet prints. You don't want to procrastinate on this deal though, because once May 30th has come and gone, this deal will be gone too!

So drop me an email if you're interested at copperphotography@excite.com or give me a call at 630.965.3437 and we will set up your portrait session. May is the perfect month to take your pictures because the weather is gorgeous and so are the plants! Besides, you want to have all your awesome prints before your friends, right? =)

More More More

2008-05-02T22:52:00.003-04:00

More Photos of Ricki. She is such a cutie, I just can't resist posting them. I think she could be a little model. America's next top model anyone?

ok here is the top image- I don't know why it keeps cutting off my photos. silly little blog!

Prom!

2008-04-28T05:11:00.009-04:00

Friday my sister Ricki went to her senior prom. Well at least it would have been her senior prom if the smarty-pants didn't graduate early. ;) Her boyfriend Oz however is still a senior, so Ricki didn't have to miss her prom. Ricki is an amazing amazing young woman, and I am so proud of who she has become, and where she is going. I love her to pieces, so how could I resist doing a little pre-prom fashion shoot? I hope they have the coolest pre-prom pics out of all their friends! =)

Another year older....

2008-04-20T21:31:00.000-04:00

Happy 24th birthday to me! haha. =)

Martian Child

2008-04-12T23:14:00.005-04:00

I have to recommend this amazing movie. Its called "Martian Child" silly name, I know... but sometimes names can be deceiving. It's about a man who's wife has recently died (played by John Cusak) and had wanted to adopt. He isn't sure if he can handle parenting a child on his own, but wants to honor his wife. He meets this little boy who has never had a family and has bounced around from foster family to foster family. As a defense mechanism he makes himself believe that he is from mars. Hence the name. =)

I LOVE this movie. I've been thinking about adopting lately. Not something I would do in the next couple of years or anything... but after Nick and I have a couple of kids of our own adopting a child around 5-7 years old who's never had a family to love them. I think its so sad when kids get a little older like that they have a much smaller chance of being adopted and loved. I just think that if Nick and I could even give one of these kids a home... it could have such a lasting and far-reaching affect.

I never thought I would ever want to adopt. I never could imagine loving a child who I didn't give birth to, but I was talking to my sister in law tonight and she told me a great story. Susan, my lovely sister in law, was adopted by her dad when she was 5. He married her mom when she was 3, so he took on the role of her father at that age, but the adoption wasn't finalized until she was 5. One time Susan asked her dad what she was like as a baby, and he told her all these stories... only for Susan to say... "but dad, you weren't there yet." Because he feels like he was always there. Like Susan was always his daughter. When talking about her attributes he will sometime say "you got that from me!" In fact, when Susan's mom one time brought up adopting a child he told her he wasn't sure he could love another child as much as his own flesh, entirely forgetting that Susan is not his biological daughter! I love that. I think it's just absolutely the heart of God.

And you know, when I really think about it, this spirit of adoption has been prevalent in my family for most of my life. My parents' house has always seemed to attract kids that needed to feel like they had a family or parents that would encourage them. These kids (our friends) had families of their own, but sometimes families don't love their kids the way they should, so my parents would treat them like they treated us kids. Essentially our friends became part of the family. My dad and mom have always been great about recognizing this need in our friends and have never shied away from giving them the feeling that they were loved as part of our own family. I guess that it wouldn't be such a departure for me.

So.... these are just my rambling thoughts on something that has recently been on my heart. Who knows what the Lord has in store for Nick and I. I just know that if we did adopt a child, like in this movie, Jesus would absolutely give me the capacity to love that child as my own.

So go rent this movie. It may change your heart too.

Carly and Dan's wedding

2008-04-10T20:16:00.008-04:00

Ok-- Finally! Here are some photos from Carly and Dan's wedding! There are tons more but it takes FOREVER to upload them to my blog! lol. so... I'll keep posting, but here's some for now. =)

Carly & Dan's wedding---teaser

2008-04-04T15:02:00.001-04:00

On Sunday March 30th I helped my friend Amy Aiello shoot a wedding. She and Carly have been friends for a while, and I could see why! Carly was the sweetest, cutest bride! Everything about her wedding was obviously uniquely her... from her black and white wedding dress to the deep purple/black and white Cala Lilies in her bouquet. I love when brides express themselves and their relationships with their fiances so well! She and Dan are plainly very much in love, and it was a joy to be able to share their wedding day with them!

Carly and Dan-- I hope you are having the best honeymoon ever! Thanks so much for letting me in on your big day!

More pictures will follow in the next day or two, but this is all that I have time for a the moment!

Via's Portrait Session

2008-03-31T17:42:00.008-04:00

Via and I have been friends since the end of high school. I think that she is beautiful and sweet and wonderful! We went to Cantigny park to take her photographs...

COMING THIS WEEK>>>

2008-03-31T11:02:00.002-04:00

Ok- so I have been a terrible blogger and haven't posted much in a while. Don't worry, that's all about to change!

First of all ----

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY HUSBAND NICK!
He turned 23 yesterday! YAY!

Secondly----

look for a BUNCH of new photographs up this week. I'll be posting pics from a photo-shoot, and a wedding. I promise! I really will!

I hope you all have a wonderful last day of March today!

Photoshoppin'

2008-03-25T19:07:00.003-04:00

So I just wanted to post this picture of Alex. I've been messing around with it, and I just really like it. here you go!

Alexandra's Winter Wonderland Shoot

2008-02-28T16:06:00.008-05:00

I have known Alex since she was 12 years old. She is 16 now, and she is a beautiful young woman inside and out. Its been awesome getting to watch her grow up from an adorable little girl to a confident, intelligent teenager. Alex is like my 4th little sister since I spent so much time at her family's house during my internship at our church. When we hung out the other day we decided to brave the cold and do a shoot since it was so amazingly sunny and pretty. I think she could be a model. What do you think?

Here's a few of my favorites.

Trash the Dress

2008-02-21T09:56:00.002-05:00

It's been a while!

Well I have been thinking about something that is so cool. Its called a "trash the dress" session. Basically what it means is that, after you've gotten married, it really doesn't matter how long after, you get all dressed up in your fabulous dress that you will probably never have an occasion to wear again, and you do a photo-shoot without worrying whether or not you are getting your wedding dress dirty. Trapsing through a field of wild-flowers, a romantic and old looking forest, you wade into the sparkling waters of Lake Michigan, lay sexily along the sandy North-Shore beaches of Chicago... whatever setting you want!

The whole point is to get fabulous photographs that you will love forever, and that are different and full of fashion-flare! Now I know... the idea of ruining that beautiful dress that you spent so much money on is a little bit overwhelming. I got married about six and a half months ago myself, so I can relate. I LOVE my dress! But really... are we ever going to get to wear them again? And if you aren't planning on selling them... why not get one last fabulous Hurah out of them!?

So... the moral of this story is... would you be interested in trashing your dress? It doesn't matter if you've already gotten married and used another photographer, or if you have just gotten engaged and your wedding is a year away... think about it ladies! Let me know if you're interested! =)

I did it!

2008-02-10T00:07:00.000-05:00

Ok, to preface what I am about to write, I do enjoy cooking but approach it with a certain amount of trepidation. Nick and I are almost never home for dinner at the same time, so I rarely feel like cooking an elaborate dinner for myself. It just isn't worth it to me. Too many dishes to clean later. lol

BUT tonight... oh tonight, Nick and I had the Beerys over for dinner. Todd is the pastor at IHOP Chicago, and Julieann is his lovely wife. Nick and I have a special relationship with them. During the internship when Nick and I met, their home was our second home. In fact, I basically lived there for half of each and every week of our internship because the drive was so long for me. And Nick did actually live there for a couple of weeks in between apartments. At any rate, we had them over for dinner, and I wanted to cook something special for them. After all, they have fed Nick and I a bajillion times.

So I cooked steaks! I have never cooked steaks! I was nervous. I wanted everything to be perfect.

I made cheesey scalloped potatoes, asparagus, and steak with a mushroom-red-wine sauce. My heart pitter-pattered within me as I sauteed, baked, and steamed my way through dinner preparation. The first bite would be the moment of truth.

*drumroll please!*

It was PERFECT!!!!!!!

Yay!!! My first real fancy-ish dinner was a total success!

I just had to celebrate and say, if anyone really needs some dinner, let me know. I'll cook for you! lol.

Pretty soon I'll be giving Rachel Ray a run for her money!

Wedding Availability

2008-02-06T20:43:00.000-05:00

If you are a future bride reading this post, CONGRATS!!! Planning a wedding is tons of fun... you finally get to put those girl-hood dreams in motion and marry your prince charming! ok- I'm a cheesy hopeless romantic, I know. I've come to terms with this fact, but it's not all bad... it shapes the way I take photographs. I love LOVE.

At any rate, happy planning, and I hope you'll consider letting me be a part of your big day! Enjoy each moment... they go by too quickly.

Who REALLY made Mike Huckabee? I vote for Conan O'Brian....

2008-02-06T00:09:00.000-05:00

My Husband and I love Mike Huckabee. Mike, if you happen to stumble across my blog, it's not just Chuck that loves Huck! lol.
But seriously, there are some absolutely HILARIOUS videos floating around about which late-night talk show host "created" Huckabee. Jon Steward, Stephen Colbert, or Conan O'Brian all claim to have made Huck who he is. And they are duking it out to prove it. You HAVE to watch this video. It's amazingly funny.

Go Huckabee!!!!

Our Anniversary

2008-02-04T14:55:00.000-05:00

My husband, Nick, and I have been married six months today! I can't believe how quickly it has gone by... I feel like we just got married. Now I know that to most people six months is not a long time, and I would agree. I'm certainly not going to pass up a reason to have a little celebration with my hubby though! I think that six months is a milestone for newlyweds.

These past months have been the best of my life, and I can't even imagine being without Nick. He is such an amazing husband, and I am more in love with him today than I was the day we got married. To all of you out there who have just gotten engaged and are in the planning stages, you have a ton of amazing moments to look forward to! Marriage is amazing, and sharing each moment with your best friend is almost surreal. If God has blessed you with your other half, then you are one of the luckiest people on earth! I know that I am!

I love you Nick! Happy anniversary. =)

WPPI video

2008-02-03T11:36:00.000-05:00

So- any fellow photographers who may read this- if you embed this video in your blog or website, you get free admission to WPPI 2009. Which I think is pretty grand. So, enjoy this video all of you out in blog-land!

Happy Birthdays!

2008-02-02T08:31:00.000-05:00

ok, so some very important people in my life have had or are about to have their birthdays. My younger sister, Ricki, just had her birthday on January 28th. I meant to post a happy birthday for her... but time seemed slip by me. So happy belated birthday to Ricki!

Also, tomorrow is my best friend's birthday. She will be 22! Getting old, Lisa! Lisa has been my best friend for years now, and I don't know what I would do without her. She is the sweetest, most selfless woman I know, and she always goes above and beyond for the people that she loves. For example, not only was she my matron of honor and did everything a great matron does, but she also spent tons of time the week before our wedding making amazing looking favor cookies. (lisa is a baker, and she hand-paints sugar cookies. They are beautiful works of art, so they were one of our favors. Everyone LOVED them.)

At any rate, Happy birthday Mrs. Keiler. You are amazing, and I hope every aspect of your birthday is as wonderful as you are!

Adeia Madeline

2008-01-30T17:16:00.000-05:00

I can't resist posting a few more photos of my cutie pie niece, Addie. She's just such a doll! I wish I could snap photos of her every single day. It's pretty fun that I get to photograph this beautiful little person as she grows and grows... all the huge milestones, and hopefully a lot of the small ones. She's not walking quite yet, but I know she's stood up on her own without holding on to anything, so it can't be far away! I can't wait to chase her around... especially once the weather gets nice... if it ever does!

A Chilly Shoot

2008-01-17T01:25:00.000-05:00

Today I hung out with one of my sisters-in-law, Elizabeth. She is my husband Nick's younger sister, and I love her to pieces. Actually, I have been incredibly blessed to have two sisters-in-law who are amazing and who I get along with so well and love so much. God is good!
But today, Elizabeth and I headed off into the cold-blue-yonder to do a rather cold and windy photo shoot. She was so funny... she showed up at our apartment with a suitcase full of fashion possibilities. So we stashed it all in my car and headed out to downtown West Chicago where there are some great urban-looking buildings that make for fantastic backdrops. We shot for well over an hour and Liz wasn't wearing a coat for most of it, so it was an adventure! A worth while adventure for sure. Elizabeth looked amazing, and I managed to snag some really great photos of her... not that it was hard to do with her cuteness!
We took well over a hundred, but here are just a few of my personal favorites. Enjoy!

Senior Portraits

2008-01-15T11:19:00.000-05:00

Spring is the time where senior portrait season kicks into high gear! Whether you choose to book in the summer between your jr and sr year so you have your photos for the whole of senior year, or to book for the spring of your senior year so you have them for the end of the year, now is the time to book your portrait session!

My senior portrait sessions are more like a fashion photo shoot than your traditional sessions. I mean, I liked my senior portraits, but they weren't as edgy as I was in highschool. I think its way more interesting to go to a location that you love... whether its some beautiful garden, or some urban-looking stretch, and capture your personality!

The shoot will most likely last about an hour, and you will end up with between 50-100 photographs, depending on the type of portrait you are looking for.

The package includes:
- an on-location shoot with one location
- one outfit change
- online proofing
- one collage print of your three favorite photographs
- all images color corrected & toned

optional add-ons are:
- additional locations
- additional outfit changes
- bring a friend (this will add an additional 25-50 photographs to your session
- additional time (by the hour)

If you are interested, shoot me an email and we can discuss prices and booking. Also, if you book your senior portraits with me and refer a friend who also books a senior session, you will be credited $50 on your order.

Enjoy the rest of your senior year! Trust me, it goes by too fast. =)

copper_photography@excite.com

Amazing Grace

2008-01-15T00:10:00.000-05:00

About five and a half months ago I married the most amazing man alive. His name is Nick and he is absolutely God's grace for me. He is the best husband in the world and I am so blessed. I cannot imagine my life without him, and I am so glad that I don't have to. He is smart, handsome, loving, incredibly talented, and perfectly romantic. I just thought I would extole his virtues and share a picture of his handsomeness.
oh- and he is the most amazing pianist I have ever personally met, so if you ever need one for some occasion... Nick is your man. =)

Devon

2008-01-12T00:54:00.001-05:00

My youngest sister Devon is a freshman in highschool, although I don't think you could tell by these pictures! (they were her eighth grade graduation photos...to mark the occasion). There is no denying that she is a gorgeous young woman. I think she could be a model!
These are just a sample of senior-picture type photographs, fashion photos, or general portrait session.

Josh & Nonni

2008-01-10T12:24:00.000-05:00

Back in June I shot my Husband's old band-mate's wedding. Josh and Nonni had been in love since they were teenagers... it was great to shoot their wedding, even though there were some difficulties along the way. And by that I mean that some punk stole my equiptment! But my now partner, and then my own wedding photographer, Heather Stone came to my rescue! In the end it was quite a great experience, and a beautiful wedding.

Here are just a few of their photographs for your viewing pleasure!!!

My adorable niece

2008-01-09T19:12:00.000-05:00

So I have the most beautiful, smiley, happy, lovely nieces in the world! Of course I'm not even remotely biased... it's simply fact. =) She is my brother and sister-in-laws' first child... and they are the cutest family. Its so fun to watch your little brother be an incredible daddy. In honor of my niece Addie... here is her cuteness!

Todd & Shaina

2008-01-07T14:20:00.000-05:00

My friends Todd & Shaina got married December 27th, and while not their photographer, who can resist bringing the camera and taking some shots? I didn't want to get in the way, because I know how that is, so most of them are of friends and family...
here are a couple...

Hello!

2008-01-06T16:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Copper Photography blog!

Here you can view my photographs, as well as get to know me a little better. I am a photographer based in the Chicagoland area and I specialize in wedding and lifestyle photography. I shoot senior portraits, families, babies, couples, weddings... generally speaking, I shoot people! I love photographing people more than anything.

If you are a person, I would love to photograph you too!

Feel free to send me a message or check out my website: www.copperphotography.com
It's under construction, but there should be updates and added content periodically! If you have any questions, or need any events photographed, I would be more than happy to send you some information until the site is up and running.