Laura & Michael | May 24, 2009

I’ve seen many brides give their husbands-to-be gifts on their wedding day. Usually it’s a nice watch or some other manly jewelry. After their “first-sight” moment Laura gave Mike a Mr. Potato Head, which at first puzzled me a little, but then I remembered that Mike does research on spuds at the UW. Then it all made a little more sense.

They had an awesome wedding day. They were married at First United Methodist Church, which is right in downtown Madison, so we walked up to the Capitol for some portraits (and some mosquito swatting), and then we were able to walk right down to Overture Center for their reception. No driving – love it!

An interesting fun fact about Laura and Mike: they met while playing tuba in the UW Band! How cool is that?! So it wasn’t terribly surprising when the tuba section showed up at the reception to serenade them with some UW classics.

It was such a fun day for everyone! Thanks so much Mike and Laura!

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Sweet! The best late night snack I've ever seen at a wedding! Perfect!

Sweet! The best late night snack I've ever seen at a wedding! Perfect!


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Brava Magazine relaunch – congrats Laura!

My roots as a photographer are in the journalism and publishing industry, so it always hurts when I see how so many newspapers and publications are struggling to survive and many are closing their doors. I think the loss is especially painful when it’s a local rag – those are really a dying breed. I was disappointed to hear that Brava magazine closed it’s doors earlier this year, especially because a former client of mine, Laura Houlihan, as well as many others, would be out of a job. Then I got a call from Laura last Friday …

She gave me the news that Brava was being relaunched! The really cool part was that she was going to be the new publisher! Not only was she a beautiful bride, but she’s a very talented and intelligent woman. I think she’ll make an awesome publisher and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for Brava! Congratulations Laura and to everyone else at Brava!

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Michelle Page-Alswager

(608) 235-3857

holdthathought@gmail.com

 

 

BRAVA MAGAZINE AND MADISON WOMEN’S EXPO ANNOUNCE RELAUNCH

Brava magazine confirms release date of August 1, 2009

 

Madison, Wis. — June 4, 2009Brava magazine, the monthly lifestyle publication dedicated to celebrating the lives of women in south central Wisconsin, announces it will re-launch the popular magazine with a brand new look on August 1, 2009. 

 

Erickson Publishing, LLC, former publisher of brava magazine, its sister publication the annual encore edition and producer of the Madison Women’s Expo suspended operations in April.  The fate of the products was unknown. Kristin Erickson, owner of Erickson Publishing, LLC, is happy to have sold the business to a core group of former employees. “I am so proud of the impact brava made to our readers, our advertisers and the community as a whole,” Erickson says.  “It was extremely hard to suspend publication, and I am absolutely thrilled that this team of talented professionals will continue to take the products to new exciting levels. I am delighted to pass the baton to Laura Houlihan.”  Erickson will also remain working with the team as a consultant. 

 

“The team is assembled and has been working behind the scenes for weeks in the hopes the purchase would go through,” says Houlihan, the newly named publisher of the magazine. Houlihan brings to the table her past experience running Skirt Magazine in Jacksonville, Fla., as well as her sales experience at brava. “The outpouring of support from our readership and advertisers has been amazing. We couldn’t let it die,” says Houlihan. “It’s like having our family back together.”

 

The Madison Women’s Expo, a yearly event produced by brava and held the weekend before Thanksgiving will also return for its 11th year. Marketing and Events Director, Michelle Page-Alswager, will remain at the helm.  “What can I say?  Women look forward to this event and exhibitors love the results they get from the thousands of attendees visiting them.   It’s the perfect tie in — the premier women’s magazine in south central Wisconsin, and the best Women’s Expo, I’m lucky to be part of both,” states Page-Alswager.

 

More information to follow.

 

For more information, contact Michelle Page-Alswager at (608) 235-3857 or Laura Houlihan at (608) 609-9149 or holdthathought@gmail.com. 

 

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Busy Times – On the Road

I’ve got some blogging catching up to do! I’ve been busy shooting lately with the wedding season in full swing now and we’ve also been busy at home because we’re getting ready to move in a week or so to our new home in Fort Atkinson. We’re very excited to be in a new house, a new town, and to be much closer to the studio in Lake Mills!

Val, Nissa and I are on the road for this weekend’s wedding. We’re lucky enough to be shooting on the beautiful north shore of Lake Superior – one of my favorite places! I love tramping around up here camping, hiking, and shooting, but given our busy summer schedule I’m usually only able visit during the winter. It’s so nice to be here in early summer!

Depsite the very long drive, Nissa did pretty good! She’s a natural road-tripper!

Nissa and Val and I spent some time scouting the shoreline for good photo spots for Saturday.

Nissa and Val and I spent some time scouting the shoreline for good photo spots for Saturday.


I convinced Val to wade out to this rock a few feet off shore. The water was icy cold!

I convinced Val to wade out to this rock a few feet off shore. The water was icy cold!


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Meaghan and Michael | Sneak Peek

What a weekend! Here’s a sneak peek at my Saturday with Meaghan, Mike, and their wonderful family and friends. I’ve got so many great shots it was really tough to just choose a few! Enjoy – more to come soon from Sunday!

Mike, arriving on foot and in style. Definitely the best dressed guy on State Street!

Mike, arrving on foot and in style. Definitely the best dressed guy on State Street!


Meaghan's shoes and flowers.

Meaghan's shoes and flowers.


Promenade Hall at Overture Center looked AMAZING!

Promenade Hall at Overture Center looked AMAZING!


Meaghan's dress was so beautiful!

Meaghan's dress was so beautiful!


Meaghan and her mom share a moment together before the ceremony.

Meaghan and her mom share a moment together before the ceremony.


Meaghan and the girls!

Meaghan and the girls!


Their ceremony was held in the Wisconsin Studio - a really great space for a wedding ceremony.

Their ceremony was held in the Wisconsin Studio - a really great space for a wedding ceremony.


After the ceremony I took them out to shoot on State Street. I couldn't resist having them grab a table at Frieda's. We got some strange looks and a lot of "Congratulations!".
I asked them to be serious for a few shots, but they couldn't hold it very long!

I asked them to be serious for a few shots, but they couldn't hold it very long!

Paul & Rachel | Engagement Portraits

I love these kinds of engagement portrait shoots. We just relaxed, had fun, and hung out on State Street. Oh, and ate some ice cream! Mmmmmm … Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream!

I couldn't resist trying to work this poster at Overture Center into a shot!

I couldn't resist trying to work this poster at Overture Center into a shot!


State Street is just so full of rich textures and colors. I love it!

State Street is just so full of rich textures and colors. I love it!


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Rachel is going to be a stunning bride!

Rachel is going to be a stunning bride!


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We popped into the Sacred Feather to try on some hats! It's such a cool store - go check them out!

We popped into the Sacred Feather to try on some hats! It's such a cool store - go check them out!


... and then we got some ice cream. Cherry Chocolate Chip!

... and then we got some ice cream. Cherry Chocolate Chip!


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Paul and Rachel are such a great couple. September 19th will be here before we know it!

Paul and Rachel are such a great couple. September 19th will be here before we know it!

Jonathan & Betsy | Engagement Portraits

A couple hours before I met Betsy and Jonathan for their shoot, I was pretty worried about rain. The skies looked pretty threatening, as did the radar on my iPhone. I thought that even if it wasn’t raining when we were supposed to shoot, the rain would at least have left everything all wet.

Turns out I was worrying for nothing though because the skies cleared out and we were basking in evening sunshine at Olbrich Gardens. Shooting there is fun because there are so many different environments I find a new look every time I go there! We had a good time just walking around and shooting whatever looked interesting.

Normally I don't enjoy shooting in full sunlight, but I found that I loved most of these shots because of the sunlight. You really have no limits if you can get yourself to see things differently and turn what you think are disadvantages into advantages.

Normally I don't enjoy shooting in full sunlight, but I found that I loved most of these shots because of the sunlight. You really have no limits if you can get yourself to see things differently and turn what you think are disadvantages into advantages.


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I love these shots of them just hanging out on this bench together. Beautiful and natural.

I love these shots of them just hanging out on this bench together. Beautiful and natural.


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Kristine & Brian | May 2, 2009

This wedding was a long time in the planning for Kristine & Brian – they booked us about 18 months before their wedding! Everything turned out spectacular! Their ceremony was in the amazing St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Green Bay, and their reception was at the Lambeau Field Atrium – naturally a great location!

I started shooting early in the morning with the girls at the salon. I don’t get to do that much and it’s always interesting – so many little steps and details!
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I love this shot! Kristine was walking to the back of the church for some photos, so I walked parallel with her down the center aisle and snapped off a few with a slow shutter speed. I do this a lot when shooting … sometimes I get lucky and a little magic happens!
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Kristine and her father waiting to walk down the aisle.
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St. Francis Xavier Cathedral – what an amazing space!
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Boogie and the Yo-Yo’s performed at the reception. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a band use so many different instruments. At one point they even worked a flute into the mix! They were awesome!
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Gotta love the colors and motion with Kristine and her flower girl.
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Kristine had an amazing veil, but the wind really whipped it around while we were shooting by the river.
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There’s really no place like Lambeau Field.
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Congratulations Kristine and Brian! Thanks for an awesome day!

Check out their page here.

Nathan & Amy | Engagement Shoot

I met Nathan and Amy early one Saturday morning at the Dane County Farmers Market, which is a very cool, if not unusual, venue for engagement portraits. It’s just got a special energy to it and I love photographing couples amid the crowds. Although in late April the farmers market doesn’t quite have the color and flair that it does in mid-summer when all the produces and flowers are in full swing.

So we shot at the market for a bit and then headed down to Willy Street to shoot by some of the bridges and buildings down there. We kept on shooting through a few raindrops, but when the lightning started we called it a wrap!

Thanks for the great early morning shoot Amy and Nathan!

Above: The steps of the Capitol make a great backdrop.

Above: The steps of the Capitol make a great backdrop.


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Above: Amy and Nathan love to laugh together, but I got them to put the laughs away for a few shots. I just love their expressions here.

Above: Amy and Nathan love to laugh together, but I got them to put the laughs away for a few shots. I just love their expressions here.


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Congratulations guys! Can't wait 'til October!

Congratulations guys! Can't wait 'til October!

Lambeau Field

I’m photographing Kristine and Brian’s wedding tomorrow in Green Bay, and their reception will be held at the Lambeau Field Atrium. I’ve been here a few times before for receptions and not only is the location spectacular, as you would expect, but the staff here does an awesome job too.

I’ll be starting shooting early in the morning with Kristine and the girls at the salon, so I drove up from Madison tonight. It was just after sunset when I drove past the stadium on my way to the hotel and I couldn’t resist whipping a u-turn and going back to shoot a bit. The light and colors were amazing and I knew I would be busy shooting other reception activities Saturday night, so I decided to take advantage of the opportunity.

Have a great weekend!

Here’s a bit of what I shot, straight from the camera.
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Lessons from Nissa

It’s hard to believe that Nissa is already more than four months old. Time flies by and it seems like she’s doing something new and different every day.

One of the things that has amazed and surprised me is just how hard she tries at the new things she’s doing. Whether it’s just trying to stand and push with her legs, or mastering the art of getting her fingers into her mouth, she shows so much determination and effort. So many times Val and I have watched her trying to do something and I’ve said, “Wow, she’s trying so hard!” 

That’s one lesson, or perhaps reminder, that I’ve gotten from Nissa -- that you can accomplish so much if you are determined and show some perseverance. What could we all accomplish if we took that lesson to heart?

We managed to get some video of her second successful attempt at rolling over. Check it out!

Melanie & Greg | Engagement Portraits

What a fun engagement session this was. It was such a nice day outside – one of those “first really nice day’s of spring” where it gets really warm for the first time and everybody can’t help but be in a good mood! And Melanie and Greg are such a great couple. As we walked around downtown, no matter what we were doing they seemed to find the fun in everything!  Their wedding in June should be a great time. 

Here’s a few of my favorites.

Melanie has the best laugh!

Above: Melanie has the best laugh!

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I love catching the moment in-between. It just seems so genuine.

Above: I love catching the moment in-between. It just seems so genuine.

Above: State Street is such a vibrant place, full of energy. It's always been one of my favorite places to shoot.

Above: State Street is such a vibrant place, full of energy. It's always been one of my favorite places to shoot.

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Above: I love all the color and texture in the background. I thought it matched Melanie's personality nicely.

Above: I love all the color and texture in the background. I thought it matched Melanie's personality nicely.

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Coming Soon … Portraits Website!

Val and I are really excited for some things that will be coming in the next couple weeks. We’re working hard on a refresh of the website, which will finally include a section for our portrait services. This is something we’ve been planning and brainstorming for months, and it’s finally almost done!

Watch for that and some other cool stuff soon!

A sneak peek at part of the refreshed website.

A sneak peek at part of the refreshed website.

Wesley and Marsha | Family Portraits

Weddings are of course about two people coming together and making a commitment to each other, but weddings are also about families coming together. This is especially true with brides and grooms who already have children. Some of the most moving and special ceremonies I’ve ever seen were ones where the kids were uniting and making a commitment just as much as the parents.

Often times my clients who in that situation ask to have the kids included in the engagement portraits, and I’m more than happy to do it for them. It’s a great shoot because it’s like having engagement and family portraits all wrapped up into one. That was the case on Friday with Wesley and Marsha and Logan. Lots of kids shy away from the camera, but Logan couldn’t get enough. He struck so many poses for me that I’m pretty sure he’s got a modeling career ahead of him!
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Logan seemed to bounce off the walls sometimes, as 7 year-olds will do, but Marsha kept him wrangled up pretty well.

We stopped into the Windsor Bakery for a few shots. Awesome window light and comfy chairs, not to mention fantastic bread!

We stopped into the Windsor Bakery for a few shots. Awesome window light and comfy chairs, not to mention fantastic bread!

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My favorite portraits of parents and kids are ones where they're just cozied up together like they would be at home. It just seems so natural and beautiful to me.

My favorite portraits of parents and kids are ones where they're just cozied up together like they would be at home. It just seems so natural and beautiful to me.

[caption id="attachment_597" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="I couldn\'t resist doing a few couch portraits with them too."]I couldn't resist doing a few couch portraits with them too.[/caption]
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Marsha & Wesley | Engagement Portraits

I had a fun engagement shoot on Friday with Marsha and Wesley, who are getting married on November 7th. Marsha’s son Logan came along for the shoot too, and was quite the model for the camera, but I’m going to save him for another post. This one all for Marsha and Wesley.

They are such a sweet and happy couple. It’s hard to miss that they couldn’t be happier when they’re with one another. We had a great time walking around downtown Lake Mills, finding all sorts of little places to use as backdrops.

It was a fun shoot and I’m looking forward to the wedding in November! Thanks Marsha and Wesley!

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Couch Portraits

Since we have our beautiful new studio to work with now, Val and I are going to be rolling out some very cool new things. One of those things that we’re introducing right now is something we’re calling “couch portraits.” 

Couch portraits are super-simple, quick, and beautiful portraits for families, kids, couples – pretty much anyone! They’re also going to be very affordable. Right now we’re doing them in our studio and we’ll be holding monthly “Couch Portrait Days” when you can have yours created. We’re really excited about these because it makes it easy and comfortable for anyone to have their portrait made, even for those who perhaps aren’t very comfortable in front of a camera. There’s no fussing over posing or formal arrangements – just cozy up on the couch together and be yourselves!  Honest, simple, beautiful.

We’ll be announcing our first Couch Portrait Day soon, so stay tuned for that. If your interested in scheduling a shoot, just shoot me an email – dave@narella-studio.com.

Here’s a few couch portraits we created this weekend with the Crowe and Beckman families. 

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The Crowes & Beckmans Portraits

Val and I had a great portrait session in the studio this morning with Megan and Isaiah Crowe & Chris and Teri Beckman, plus all their kids. Megan and Isaiah’s wedding was one of the first weddings I ever photographed, so it was great to have them into the studio for some family portraits. Chris is Megan’s brother, so Teri and him brought their little guy in for some pictures too. There was a little bit of mayhem, but overall things went great and it was a lot of fun! Here are some of my favorites!

 Lydia has some amazing blue eyes!
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Lydia and big sister Felicity having fun on our giant bean bag!
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Porter … what can I say, he knows how to strike a pose for the camera.
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Love the hair!
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Critique

Last night Valerie and I hosted our first critique for a few other local photographers. It was a great chance to get together, look at some of our images and learn from one another. It was just a small group of us for this first one, but we had a good time and I think it was a valuable experience for us all. Thanks to Jen, Kevin, and Kelsey for making the trip to Lake Mills!

We’ll be holding these critiques on a monthly basis, so if you’re interested in participating drop me an email!
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Amy & Bobby | March 21, 2009

Photographing weddings in March can be an interesting proposition in Wisconsin. One needs to be prepared for any kind of weather. I watched the forecast a little closer than usual in the days leading up to Saturday. Rain was the word for Saturday … that is until Saturday morning when I saw “Sunny and 58″ were the new words for the day. I still went ready for anything, but it was great to see how the day smiled on Amy and Bobby’s wedding!

Their ceremony was at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Janesville, which is a beautiful old church. Wedding ceremonies are generally rehearsed well in order to avoid mistakes or mishaps when it’s happening for real, but I actually like it when little things go not quite according plan. That happened a couple times during their ceremony. Nothing major went wrong, just little things like Bobby forgetting to repeat certain words, small missteps by the wedding party, etc.  It got a laugh out of everyone and was very cute. I’m not sure why, but it made the whole ceremony seem more real, more genuine, in some way. 

After the ceremony we trekked up to Madison for their reception, which was held in The Great Hall at the Memorial Union. The weather was nice enough that we were able to shoot some portraits down by the water, even though there was still a thin sheet of ice covering the middle of the lake. The Great Hall looked better than I have ever seen it! All the tables were decorated with candles and some amazing flowers. It was all very simple, yet very beautiful.

The whole day was spectacular, and Amy and Bobby were wonderful to work with. They and their families were awesome considering the tight and very full schedule we had. Thank you all so much! Congratulations Amy and Bobby!
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Heidi & Tommy | February 14, 2009

Heidi and Tommy were married in La Crosse on Valentines Day. I hadn’t traveled to La Crosse for a long time, so it was nice to get a chance to drive up there again. Heidi and Tommy are such sweet, down to earth people. It wasn’t surprising at all to see the church overflowing with guests, and it was great to see so many people showing their support and love for them. It was the first time I’ve ever seen a ceremony that was standing-room only! They certainly deserve it!

Something I’ve started seeing more and more at weddings is a groom’s cake, which if you’re not familiar is a separate cake that’s designed just for the groom. I’ve seen footballs, whisky bottles and other great designs, but I think Tommy’s cake … well, takes the cake.

It was a John Deere tractor! Not just a flat cake in the shape of a tractor either. It was a detailed 3D creation! Everyone was amazed by it, and the best part was that it was a complete surprise for Tommy. He’s part of a large farming family, so there was a mini-John Deere theme going on. 

Thanks Tommy and Heidi for asking me to be a part of your day! 

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Finding Inspiration

I love the winter. Not only for the cold weather, snow, and winter camping (sadly I was not able to get into the canvas tent this winter, but I had some very good reasons) but also because it’s my time to recharge my creative batteries and look ahead at the coming year.

With our new studio and gallery we’re planning some really cool stuff for this year. Our biggest endeavor will be officially adding portraits to the services we offer. Although I’ve been shooting portraits for years, I’m really looking forward to doing it on a more regular basis and further developing my creative voice when it comes to portraits. I’m not sure if this is common among photographers, but for me it’s vitally important that I find my own voice for my work. It’s easy to learn the technical skills, follow the trends and churn out some quality photography, but for me that’s not enough.

Whether it’s weddings or portraits or nature, I have to be in love with my images. I have to love them not because I mastered some technical skill or because I think my photos are as good as some other photographer. I have to love them because I’ve created something that I think is beautiful, unique, and says something about my subject. If I don’t have that, then my photos are pixels, and I hate that. 

Since I’m going to be shooting more portraits this year than I have in the past, I went in search of inspiration. I find inspiration in many places, but in this instance it came from the bookstore and a book by Annie Leibovitz. I was fascinated with her descriptions of the various subjects she’s photographed over the years and the back-stories she provided on her images. It really helped me to think through how to refine my approach to portraits. Just thinking about it now makes me want to grab my camera and start shooting. I love that feeling!

I know there are some photogs out there stalking my blog, so I’ll be posting more in the future about my sources of inspiration. Cheers!