Who doesn’t love a St. Patrick’s Day wedding? Jen and Jeff had a very intimate wedding and reception at the Gandy Dancer in Ann Arbor. After all the fanfare had ended, we stepped out into the sunshine for some portraits. Don’t let the leaf-less trees fool you – it was a gorgeous spring day!
These images were made under the Broadway bridge, between the Gandy Dancer and the Amtrak station. I was standing in the middle of the train tracks to get some of the shots – fortunately, I had a couple of spotters.
I have no idea what Jen is saying to Jeff here – but it seems to be working!
In order to enjoy a more natural setting, we took a trip down to the Arboretum. For those not familiar with Ann Arbor, the Arb is a gigantic park/nature reserve with grassy fields and trails. The Huron River even meanders along the northern border. This is one of the best spots in Ann Arbor for a morning walk or an afternoon picnic! Since everything snow-and-ice related had just thawed, the ground was kind of squishy, but the sunlight was just beautiful.
Jen and Jeff are sitting at one of my favorite places in the whole Arb – on this particular day, we could see tons of St. Patrick’s Day revelers far down on the fields below this hill.
So beautiful!
I love how Jen opted for a classic bouquet with a St. Patrick’s twist. Bells of Ireland are such an unusual plant – they make a really whimsical green filler for arrangements.
Congratulations, you two! It was a pleasure sharing your wedding day.
I love to shoot headshot sessions for acting students in and around the school, simply because the place is so evocative – comfortable and full of memories. Just about any location can work for portraiture, but a great location happens when you love where you’re at.
I love how relaxed she is in this image! 
These were taken outside the Wayne State theatre scene/costume shop. Anyone who’s been in the theatre department has spent some time here, fabricating scenery, fitting costumes, and selecting props. I love love love Samantha’s eyes, and I wanted to highlight them against the glass fronted building and afternoon sunshine.
This was one of the most beautiful fall days, and it brought out a little Detroit-style excitement. We took a short break during the shoot to speak with the resident of a nearby building who was having plumbing issues in her apartment while trying to prepare for a dinner party.
I have a thing for the BACKS of buildings, I guess. While plenty of Belle Isle is neatly manicured, this ivy is overgrown and turns chartreuse before it explodes in a riot of fall color. This shoot had three distinct phases, and this is the pretty phase (it’s all pretty, but this is the clean/pretty part!).
Beth was NOT tentative about the dress-trashing. She told me that as long as we didn’t spray paint it or set it on fire, we should go wild. Rolling on the ground seemed like a good starting place…I love how her eyes match the gray of the concrete here, and the green of the ivy above.
I love how these images in front of the greenhouses turned out, but I was SO into shooting that I walked straight into a thistle bush (you can see it in the foreground of the image top left) and spent a few minutes tugging burrs out of my sweater. Anything for the shot!
And then it was time to jump in! Beth gave me one last are-you-ready-for-this (YES) glance and waded in! Fortunately, it was a warm-ish evening. Beth was smart and left the cowboy boots on (as any good cowboy would, in this particular situation!). 
So, this is where the shoot got a little dirty/pretty. I am kind of impressed how river silt accentuates the gorgeous applique…
At the end of the shoot, we barricaded ourselves in a restroom on the island in order to rescue Beth from her dress. It was HEAVY! Before we did, though, we took a few images in the restroom stall (the shoot is officially dirty/dirty!).
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