Pear Tree Photography by Kelley Wenzel

Getting Back into the Groove

2012-01-20T13:10:00.001-05:00

I flew to Miami a week ago in the hopes of ditching my little bout with bronchitis, finding warmer temps and being inspired. I got the latter of the three and really, I think that was probably the most important and rewarding. For a four day weekend, I was surrounded by five other women just as passionate about their families and photography as I am. I packed light with only one little suitcase and my 50mm lens and started shooting the sunrise over Atlanta.

We were on the go non-stop, carrying heavy bags of gear and step ladders with us.

We were all photographers and the subjects, depending upon the time, location and vantage point. And depending upon the time, location and vantage point, I learned more about how uncomfortable it can be being the primary focus and how to help alleviate that awkwardness.

We photographed sunsets.

And birds.

Architecture and fancy malls adorned with girls in short skirts and furry boots carrying their dogs in purses.

We photographed night and day. Without any flashes (although I had brought mine along).

Did I say we photographed birds?

There was dancing and laughter.

And art in the Fairchild gardens. Chihuly's work makes me swoon. If only because I would love to work on this scale, but my torches limit me to work smaller than a child's fist.

I photographed lunches other than my own.

And was thankful when I returned home and was welcomed by smiling faces belonging to both strangers and my family.

My home is slowly being put back together, floors are getting mopped and my cough is disappearing as Atlanta reaches for the 60s this weekend. A wedding has been added to my schedule. There are some mini-sessions getting planned for this next month.

So far, 2012 is off to a rockin start and I can't wait to see what else is in store!

New Family Album

2012-01-12T13:25:00.000-05:00

Check out my latest family album. I am LOVING this! How I wish I could go back in time and have my own family memories documented in an album like this. But going forward, I will definitely be putting these together for my own family. And looking into Christmas options for the grandparents because I think that capturing these moments in time are so important. At least for me, as my memory is never as strong at holding onto what I want to remember without tangible reminders.

With this album, I used two different images for the front and back of the album and created a solid spine with the family members names down it. For my last wedding album, I used just one image that wrapped around the entire cover from front to back. I like having different options, as well as being able to customize an album to make it completely unique for each family or couple. I also like how neatly wrapped the cover is coming into the interior of the album.

Unlike the photo albums that I grew up with that were restricted to using only the Kodak prints from the local parking lot lab under a sheet of celophane that would ultimately stick to and ruin the photos, I LOVE so many things about these albums and designing them. I can change the size of the photograph to be as little or as large as I want it to be. I can crop it from the original rectangle into a square. I love that I can tell stories with only the photographs I took, making the album a timeless keepsake that won't be dated by fonts or slang. I LOVE that these photographs are printed on thick archival quality paper that guarantees these won't fade or deteriorate in the next century. (What I wouldn't give to see photographs of my parents, grandparents and great grandparents that aren't faded, torn or yellowed!)

I love how flat these albums lay!

And they don't lay flat just when they're opened in the middle, but also when it's on the first or last page. This is a brand new album and I don't have anything touching or holding the edges to keep it flat. It behaves right from the start. I love that I can sit down, put this album on my lap and open it to just stare without having to hold it open.

I love that in designing these albums, I can flip photographs around. Line them up and match their sizes. Create an awesome spread that isn't overwhelming in knowing where to look. The focus is on what's important. The ones who are loved the most by the person holding the album.

I love that photographs can go right off the edge of the page, as well as right through the middle of the album with barely a crease.

Or that one photograph can cover an entire spread. Can you tell I'm excited about these albums and being able to offer them in my product line? I wish you could reach through your monitor and hold and touch this album. The quality is absolutely phenomenal from cover to cover.

And on that note, I am out of here and headed to warmer temps in the Southernmost part of Florida for a photography weekend. Warm temps and ocean breezes are just what I need right now as I kick this little bout with bronchitis. I can't wait to share my photos with you next week of what I see over this long weekend!

Meet Sylvie {Roswell photographer}

2012-01-09T08:56:00.001-05:00

I have known Sylvie for quite a few years. She is a fellow lampworker, but her skills have always amazed me in what she does with glass. Sylvie creates a world of whimsy and wonder with her beads, from mermaids to magical flowers made sparkly with pixie dust.

I had so much fun photographing Sylvie. As I was going through my edits, my husband was looking over my shoulder and kept telling me, "She looks like fun!" And she really is. I love Sylvie's unique perspectives and sense of humor.

Really? How can one with hot pink hair not be super fun?

Here is a shot of some of her latest glass creations. She was kind enough to give me that gorgeous purple and hot pink flower in the lower left. It is now sitting out where I can see it and hold it and love it and call it George. :)

Behind the Scenes {for photographers}

2012-01-04T09:33:00.002-05:00

If shooting at a wide angle (18-35mm), a photograph can capture everything that you see when looking straight ahead. There is so much going on in this scene, the eye doesn't really know where to stop. This makes for a busy snapshot that no one will want to hang on their wall. On this shoot, I asked my family to sit on the steps on the right and then increased my focal length to zoom in on just them.

By shooting closer and with a longer focal length (50-105mm), all the details of the parking lot, factory buildings, train tracks and utility poles are no longer fighting for attention. The family is my focus, because they are what is most important. The cool bricks and crumbling steps are now just charming details drawing the viewer's eye toward the family.

Albums by Pear Tree Photography

2011-12-30T11:25:00.000-05:00

I have been so excited to share my albums with you, but needed to wait until after Christmas. This one was being given as a surprise present to the bride from my October wedding at Red Top Mountain state park. I was told it was a big hit! And there might have been tears.

I love that I'm not limited to just a leather binding and can use a photograph for the album cover.

Designing albums initially seemed like an overwhelmingly daunting task to me. There are so many different companies to choose from for the printing. There are so many different options to choose from after deciding on a printer like press printed, flush mount or lay flat albums. And there was the matter of actually designing the album and choosing which software to use.

I love how photographs can extend right off the page, filling up every inch of the spread.

I ultimately decided on Adobe's InDesign software as Adobe's support is great (I primarily use Lightroom for editing my photographs, although I also use Photoshop). I had the help of Lauren Lim from Photography Concentrate to make sense of all the bells, whistles, drop down menus and toolbars in Adobe InDesign. I bought her tutorial and feel it was the best money I have ever spent. I received hours upon hours of videos with the most thorough hands-on action and instruction and could not be more impressed.

I love that I can tell a story without words and details of the day will speak volumes in this heirloom album.

Once I designed the album, I uploaded it to my gallery site to share with the bride's family for feedback. If you click here, then you can see a few of the spreads from the album. Double-click on the image and you can see it even larger. Clients can leave comments under each spread stating what they do like or what they would like changed. This makes it super easy for me to understand requested changes and eliminates the need for back/forth emails or references to particular PDF files to tweak the album.


The thickness of the pages and quality of the paper and photos....wow. Just wow!

This is a lay flat album, which means the pages will all open and then lay flat on their own. The bonus to this is that the crease is barely noticeable. Photographs can spread across the middle of the album without losing any impact.

This is still my favorite photograph from this special day.

I am so over-the-moon excited about being able to provide these albums. The quality of them from cover to cover is absolutely phenomenal. I wish you could reach through your monitor and hold it in your hands because it really is amazing!

My album company is based out of Iowa and is filled with good people striving to provide excellent service and products AND in a faster turnaround time than is standard for most printing companies. Do you see me doing the happy dance right now? Amazing quality AND in my clients' hands in no time. Double win!

Behind the Scenes {for photographers}

2011-12-28T09:25:00.002-05:00

Here is a great shady spot with a neutral background that won't distract from my subjects.

That shade looks so dark from far away, but once in it there is plenty of light to illuminate my two cuties. The sky is a natural reflector, as is the white building behind my back.

All the Best!

2011-12-26T11:03:00.000-05:00

My family celebrated Christmas yesterday. We were surrounded by family and my kids were spoiled by many grandparents. The house was filled with laughter, Christmas carols and love.

From my family to yours, wishing you all the best as this year comes to a close and new one begins!

Behind the Scenes {for photographers}

2011-12-21T09:18:00.006-05:00

Getting my feet off the ground helps me out tremendously. We will refrain from short people jokes here, as there are many and I embrace my shortness. By climbing up several feet on my ladder, my composition changes and the background buildings are eliminated. As are possible double chins that so many of us want to avoid because folks won't be looking down. Double-bonus. Ok, no more puns.

See? No buildings puts the focus solely on these two and the moment they are sharing. And a shot that neither will look at and think, "I wish I would have stuck out my chin more."

I'm always looking for ways to show off my clients in their best light. I want to capture images as if they were taken through the eyes of whomever loves the subject the most and share that same love with anyone who looks at my photographs.

Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy.
That is not our business and, in fact, it is nobody's business.
What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy if anything can.

Thomas Merton (1915 - 1968)

Behind the Scenes {for photographers}

2011-12-14T09:20:00.000-05:00

What we see driving by looks like a bunch of old buildings, aging slowly and in various states of disrepair. Crumbling cement steps. Graffiti here and there. But if we look a little closer and into the shade, we can find lovely spots to interact where the sun isn't making us squint and we can just be ourselves.

Standing where the red arrow is pointing above:

Help-Portrait 2011

2011-12-12T12:32:00.000-05:00

My local photography society hosted the Help-Portrait project this year. I was one of several photographers who participated to photograph foster families of Atlanta, as well as the kids individually. Many of the photos will be printed and given to the families in 8x10s and 5x7s, as well as CD's of all the images. I helped set up a background and lights, as well as assisted in posing kids, getting them to smile and a bit with editing as memory cards were shuffled between camera and laptop. There were more photographers than necessary, so I only got to photograph one kid.....my personal assistant!

No, he has not seen Home Alone. He is just good at being extra goofy. And also extra sweet and thoughtful. He asked if he could give out candy canes to each of the kids as a special Merry Christmas offering, so we made sure to bring along dozens. I love that he wanted to do this with me and that he talks about working with me when he is older. Makes me sigh and my heart overflow.

The H Family {Canton photographer}

2011-12-06T12:52:00.000-05:00

This is the lucky family that won a free photo shoot from me at a Fall Festival two months ago. I was so excited when we got a date scheduled to meet up this past weekend!

Is this not the largest lollipop you have ever seen? I brought back two for these kids from my trip to Disney World over Thanksgiving. Thank you Mrs. H for letting me give these massive amounts of sugar to your children!!!

These two were a bit shy at first, but by the end I was being asked by them to go on Medium Walks (not short and definitely NOT long walks) and hold hands as we balanced on railroad tracks together. I even got a hug from the littlest!

Both kids were just the sweetest. Throughout the hour we were together, I could not stop thinking how they were both Mini-Me's to their parents.

Thank you to the H Family for coming out on a gorgeous day with no naps. Your children were absolutely wonderful and I had fun with you all!

Christmas Mini-Session - {Woodstock photographer}

2011-12-05T13:09:00.000-05:00

Do you remember these two little girls? They're growing up fast! I loved their Christmas outfits.

I asked if I could borrow her boots and was told no.

I asked if I could borrow her cute shirt and was told no again. Sigh.

Sneak Peek - H Family {Canton photographer}

2011-12-04T10:20:00.000-05:00

Here is a sneak peek from my family session yesterday afternoon. More coming this week. All I can say is, "Wow!" I loved this family and their kids were just THE sweetest!

Senior Shoot with Jessie {Marietta photographer}

2011-11-02T10:07:00.000-04:00

We have been trying to coordinate this shoot for awhile, but wires got crossed and texts didn't flow through. I'm so thankful that it worked out like it did because we got these AMAZING fall leaves for our backdrop!

The river was up a bit, which made for more fun finding a path along the rocks to cross.

We walked through the woods on beautiful paths.

And stood next to the ruins of buildings that were in production from 1850 to 1940 for milling flour and paper and generating power for the surrounding area.

We had so much fun and gorgeous light that we ended up shooting twice as long as normal. Thank you Jessie for making my job so easy and so much fun! Thank you for not being able to keep a straight face for more than half a second because you are absolutely beautiful!!!

And even though it took me hours to sort through the 700+ images I got and it was extremely (EXTREMELY) difficult narrowing down my favorites to just a couple dozen, thank you for that, too.

Sunbrook Academy Fall Festival {Woodstock photographer}

2011-10-28T09:39:00.017-04:00

I was invited to come set up a booth at the annual Sunbrook Academy at Trickum Fall Festival by the owner, Johnny Bowers (he's awesome!). In spite of freezing temperatures on that morning, I had so much fun. So many kids came dressed up in their Halloween costumes. I raffled off a free photo session and also photographed a dozen different kids in front of the school or on the fire truck that was there for the fun.

Are her eyes not the most beautiful eyes ever? I keep this photo up on my desktop just so I can keep looking at them!

Sunny, Six Year Old Extraordinaire {Roswell, GA photographer}

2011-10-26T21:19:00.002-04:00

Sunny is a fabulous kid. He's a ninja and Austin Powers, all in one. Or so he says. And he's only six!

Doesn't he have gorgeous blue eyes?

He was happy to show me his tricks, running down slides and throwing balls up in the air.

This boy hammed it up for the camera non-stop.

He dangled.

He gladly went through multiple clothes changes, shoe changes and even changed out hats. How cute is he?!

Sunny was willing to do and try anything. Including sitting on a basketball ball goal!

Thanks for going to all lengths (including standing on your head) for a super fun shoot, Sunny.

Even with no hands. I think you are one cool kid!

Bethany and Jason's wedding day {Cartersville, GA wedding photographer)

2011-10-24T12:32:00.000-04:00

The weather cooperated after a short cold spell with much rain and gave us sunny skies and warm temps. I was honored to be asked to capture Bethany's wedding day as she got ready before exchanging vows with the love of her life. So much time and attention was put into the little details that came together to make this day extra special.

Thank you Bethany and Jason for letting me share in your special day!

The D Family - {East Cobb Lifestyle Family Photographer}

2011-10-02T19:44:00.000-04:00

I just love this family. It helps that I have known Wendy since I was in high school. We waited tables together at an old grist mill turned restaurant. We hung out during college, although we went to different universities. We play with fire and melt glass together. And we take our kids out to state parks and make the other climb hundreds of stairs to get to the bottom and top of waterfalls. Or maybe it was just me who tricked Wendy into doing those 900+ stairs down and back up.

Thank you, Wendy for letting me photograph you and your family!

Parade of Homes - Twin Cities, MN magazine

2011-09-28T12:51:00.001-04:00

Remember this photoshoot I did earlier this summer just outside of Minneapolis? Two of the photographs I took are now published in the Parade of Homes magazine in the Fall Showcase 2011 issue! Page 38 is the full page photo. Wow!

Pear Tree Photography even got the photo credit on this smaller image on page 18!

I had so much fun photographing these two guys back in June. So fabulous to see my images in print and remember what a great time I had with them. I am really looking forward to seeing them again next summer and their house which is completely finished. It is an absolute dream home and I couldn't be happier for them!

Small Town - Back Alley

2011-09-13T16:39:00.000-04:00

I love historic downtown areas of small towns. Especially along alleys with back porches, welcome signs and phone poles that look like they have been there since the town first came to life.

Shadows

2011-09-12T11:31:00.002-04:00

Utah - Day Two, Part 2

2011-09-03T17:43:00.000-04:00

Once on the road, we drove around to the other side of Lake Jordanelle which we were able to see from the top of the mountain.

The dark storm clouds we saw on top of the mountain were gone by the time we drove through the valley.

We stopped in Samak (I think?) to rent a canoe and then got back on the road. It was an eventful ride, as many side-of-the-road stops were made to check the security of the canoe. Apparently it was quite loud inside their car.

When we got to the lake, our attention turned to moose and thoughts of the bridge and groom we were meeting were put on hold.

There were two bulls, a momma and a baby. I think they liked the grass on the bottom of the lake as they were putting their heads all the way under water with only their antlers sticking out.

Once we ~~got yelled at to move our cars off the side of the road~~ finished taking our fill of photos, we pulled over to a real parking lot and unloaded the canoe while waiting on the bride and groom to finish getting ready.

Anna and David had just gotten married three weeks before this shoot and were more than happy to act like newlyweds and smooch for our cameras.

I love that he was carrying her shoes for her!

What a great location for wedding photos, don't you think?

They even danced for us.

I love photographing the love people share. The quiet moments when the eyes close as people are drawn to each other. It makes my heart sigh.

There was no shortage of laughter between these two. Such a special couple!

I have a thing for hands being held.

The sun was starting to get really low and dipping behind the trees, so we pushed them out in the canoe so David could row around while we took photographs from the shoreline. Anna was such a trooper. It was cold out and I'm sure she was covered in goosebumps, even though she looks so relaxed and laid back.

They were winking at each other. I think winks are so great. My husband and I like to wink at each other and now our kids are getting old enough to master this little twitch of the eye. Such a fun way to say, "I think you're so special!"

Swoon. He dipped her and smooched her several times for us.

Thank you to Anna and David for being such fabulous models for us!

Utah - Day Two, Part 1

2011-09-02T22:20:00.000-04:00

Day Two started with an excellent brunch prepared by my girl Crystal. It was so delicious! Then a Q&A session ensued, mostly surrounding how to achieve proper white balance in the camera so post-processing in photo editing applications will be largely unnecessary. In the afternoon, we drove over to one of the many ski resorts in Deer Valley and traveled up TWO ski lifts.

When we got to the top of one and walking to the next lift, I spotted these two holding hands. I love how their love is so quietly apparent.

My favorite shoes ever. They go everywhere with me.

The aspen trees reminded me of a quote from Morgan Freeman to Kevin Costner in Robinhood, "This forest has eyes. I can feel it."

Another ski lift.

And another little hike.

This lookout named all the snow peaks within sight.

We thought these ginormous structures were there to help break up sound waves and decrease avalanches.

Mandy is so fun. I love when I get to photograph the daredevils!

The views on top of the mountain were fabulous and I really loved the line where shadows from the storm clouds met with the sunlight in the valley below. Such a great vantage point to see how clouds cover the earth and block our light.

I stepped back to shoot the group as they photographed Sandi posing on the rocks. The sky was soooo blue.

Heading back down the first ski lift and we had another great view.

I thought it was cool that when there isn't snow, folks are mountain biking down the slopes. The bikes catch a ride on the lift car behind the owner.

Riding down, we could hear the wind rippling through the Aspen leaves. It was such a gorgeous afternoon that I didn't want it to end. I couldn't get enough of the fresh air and the blue skies and the quietness and solitude of the mountain top, even though I was surrounded by over a dozen other people.

Took me awhile to figure out these wires on the rooftops heat up to melt the snow so their roofs don't cave in. No real need for those in Atlanta with our normal half inch of white accumulation each winter.

Once we got to the bottom, we stretched our legs and snacked for a bit before taking off to Kamas. For a bride and groom shoot!

Utah - Day One

2011-08-30T20:48:00.000-04:00

Day one started in Cottonwood Heights.

I lived two blocks from this stretch when I was in the second grade. When I walked to school with my friends.

We drove up through Cottonwood Canyon, stopping well over a dozen times to see the mountain stream, flowers, trees and hike.

There were so many great rock formations and trails to hike just off the road.

Even though the flowers were wilting, I loved them.

I loved listening to the stream as it rushed by. It was loud. I could have sat there all day and not been bored.

There was gorgeousness at every turn in the road.

We saw many motorcyclists without helmets. This was one of the few who did.

Before we even got to the top of the hill to see the other side, we knew we needed to stop here.

Totally worth the stop. The views were phenomenal.

There wasn't any cellular service up there, but landline phone service made it through the mountains.

This was a steep hill, but it felt much steeper climbing up to the trees at the top. We're going to ignore the fact I'm out of shape and just blame the higher elevation and I was on day 2 of antibiotics after running a fever for a week.

A storm started moving in as we hiked to the top.

Loved the contrast of the dark storm clouds and the shadows they cast over the valley and the other mountains when we sat in the sunlight to catch our breath.

At one point, the road turned to dirt and gravel and the drop off was immediate. With no guard rail.

Look at the rain coming down out of the clouds. I LOVE these wide open views!

This was an amazing day with fabulous weather and even better scenery. I was so glad I had company and a willing partner in exploring the mountains on our drive up to Park City.

Hungry Fish

2011-08-19T09:23:00.000-04:00

More fish came than ducks.

Kneeling

2011-08-15T09:51:00.000-04:00

The D Family - {Canton Lifestyle Photographer}

2011-08-08T08:24:00.000-04:00

Maggie is the owner of a local Discovery Point daycare and allowed me to photograph children in her center so I could enlarge the photos and hang on her cafeteria walls. I had so much fun photographing those kids and love seeing the shots up on their walls now. To return the favor of helping promote my photography business, I wanted to photograph her family and am so glad I finally got the opportunity.

These guys were naturals in front of the camera and made my job so easy.

This one had his golf club with him and wanted it in every shot. It made its way into many, but not this one.

I keep marveling that I get THE best families to photograph. Not only are they fun, it's just so obvious that they love each other.

I had asked these two to walk away from me and not only did they help each other maintain balance, they voluntarily took turns with one walking on the rail and the other in the middle of the tracks. How sweet was that?! Mom and Dad are doing something right, I think. :)

See that golf club? I wonder if he sleeps with it under his pillow.

Thank you D family for letting me photograph you all. I had a wonderful evening with you!!!

Henry

2011-07-27T09:30:00.000-04:00

Branching Out

2011-07-26T09:14:00.001-04:00

Lobby Tiles

2011-07-25T08:23:00.002-04:00

Where I Want To Be Right. Now.

2011-07-23T10:09:00.000-04:00

I love this lake. I love the people who live there. I miss them so much.

Got a New Look!

2011-07-19T17:35:00.001-04:00

Did you notice? I have my own logo now for Pear Tree Photography! Take a closer look and you will see I have my very own favicon up there to the left of the web address field. I'm so excited! When we were driving up to Minnesota a few weeks ago for our family summer vacation, I had emailed a friend asking if he knew any graphic designers. And he did! I was so glad my friend referred me to Matt.

Matt was fabulous! Not only did he create an image that I had in the back of my mind, yet struggled to adequately describe what I wanted....he made multiple revisions and never once told me I was high maintenance. I was thrilled when Matt said he was willing to barter for my photography, too. If you are interested in having Matt design a logo for you, please let me know and I will put you in contact with him as he operates solely through referrals.

These are my favorite shots from when we got together. I had so much fun behind my camera on this early evening just outside of Minneapolis. I think we laughed almost the entire time we were together. During the process of sorting through all the photographs and then going through my editing process, I couldn't stop beaming. I had had so much fun with these two guys. I love when someone else's love for life is so infectious that it still makes me smile days/weeks later.

Did you see my new watermark? Matt designed that, too. He rocks!

Lichen

2011-07-05T16:21:00.000-04:00

Who knew it had hairy tips?

Water Works

2011-06-17T09:42:00.000-04:00

Rooftop

2011-06-13T10:15:00.000-04:00

Left

2011-06-10T21:56:00.000-04:00

Cassie and Linda

2011-06-06T20:11:00.000-04:00

Cassie asked me if I would photograph her with her Mom because she has very few pictures of the two together. I was so excited to a Mother/Daughter session!

We had fun together. I might have been a troublemaker when I asked Cassie if she had ever kicked her Mom's bum at anything, so she kicked right then. I love her tongue coming out in concentration and her Mom's totally shocked look. I couldn't stop laughing.

I had climbed up a dozen steps and then stood on a railing to take this shot. I worried Linda a bit with how high I was and that I might have been precariously balanced. I'm not always the poster child for safety. I should start wearing clothes that read "Don't try this on your own. I'm a professional."

I love hands being held. There is something so safe about it, don't you think? Whenever I am out with my husband (without the kids), we always hold hands as we walk to/from the car and wherever else we go. I hold my grandma's hand when we sit next to each other. I love the comfort that hands can bring.

Thanks Cassie for letting me photograph you and your Mom, I had a FABULOUS time! :)

Architecture

2011-06-05T12:57:00.000-04:00

In New England, the churches and universities are built like castles.

Shipyard

2011-06-04T12:50:00.002-04:00

I loved seeing all the ships alongside the highway driving through Providence. It was only after I snapped the shutter that the hot pink building registered that it is a less than reputable first stop for the sailors disembarking.

Leaving Boston - 3

2011-06-03T12:49:00.003-04:00

My view for the 90 minute drive from Boston to Providence.

Leaving Boston - 2

2011-06-02T12:46:00.002-04:00

I was disappointed we landed so late in Boston. Even though this was an unexpected stop on the itinerary due to Philadelphia and Washington DC having major flight delays, it was too dark to see much of the city. We drove from Boston to Providence in the rain.

Leaving Boston - 1

2011-06-01T12:45:00.001-04:00

Sunset Over Pittsburgh

2011-05-30T12:42:00.002-04:00

Yellow

2011-05-28T12:44:00.000-04:00

I love old bridges. Don't see many like this in the South.

Shingles

2011-05-27T12:39:00.000-04:00

Fire Escape

2011-05-26T12:31:00.002-04:00

Abridged

2011-05-25T12:37:00.000-04:00

Empty

2011-05-24T12:30:00.000-04:00

Sunset Over Providence

2011-05-23T12:04:00.001-04:00

Flying home from Providence, Rhode Island last week brought this sunset.

Happiness

2011-05-17T09:09:00.000-04:00

So Much to Say

2011-05-16T08:57:00.000-04:00

Piedmont Park (Atlanta, GA family photographer)

2011-05-11T16:20:00.000-04:00

We left home a little late and I was worried about traffic because of major roadwork happening on the interstate heading downtown. But there were very few cars on the road and we arrived 30 minutes early. Surprise, so did my family I was photographing so we got an early start! After pulling the ladder out of the car, I shooed Todd off with the kids to go play soccer somewhere else while I worked.

We started off with the Atlanta skyline as a backdrop for family shots. When I asked the parents to kiss, the boy child groaned. Apparently, he's not a fan of parents kissing. Which continues to make me laugh. I was glad that he picked his head up from his knees and groans to smile for me.

I LOVE photographing mom with their daughters. I have so few pictures of my Mom and me together and even fewer of me with my daughter. Shots like this make me inexplicably happy.

The eyelashes on this child!

I'm glad nine year olds are not too cool for balloons. This boy loved the balloons.

This one was my honeys' favorite. He loved that the daughter was carrying her stuffed animal puppy along for the photo shoot and how she had it hanging off Dad's shoulder.

We ended up going out to dinner for pizza afterwards. The boy thought he was done with having my camera in his face, but the lighting was just so awesome. I told him it didn't matter if he smiled or not, I had to capture his face in that light. He was so patient with me!

The sun was setting as we left to head home and that light was pretty awesome, too.

May has been a bad month for pollen and allergies here, but the weather has just been phenomenal. Could not ask for better weekends!

Weekend Photoshoot in Piedmont Park

2011-05-09T20:21:00.000-04:00

This is where I met up with another family. I love how big Piedmont Park is and how you can feel so close to downtown Atlanta, but also far removed as you walk into the depths of the magnolia trees and lose the looming skyline.

And this is why ~~you don't~~ I should not bring ~~your~~ my children with ~~you~~ me to photo shoots of other families. God bless my boy. He's so good at being eight!

Playing Catch Up

2011-05-05T13:11:00.000-04:00

I am slowly catching up on all of the areas of my life that fell behind at the beginning of April when I got sick and we went to Florida. So for now, I will just share a few shots from our walk to the creek with friends last weekend. I'll post some of my favorite previous photo shoot pics later.

This was such a fun day with friends and the water felt awesome (after the initial cold shock)!

Duke had a blast and loved chasing his tennis ball through the creek when we threw it for him.

Walking home, my boy said this was one of the best days of his life. Sigh.

Canopy

2011-05-04T15:04:00.000-04:00

Downtown Woodstock (Woodstock Family Photographer)

2011-04-30T12:31:00.000-04:00

This was the first time I had walked around downtown Woodstock to photograph anyone and it was awesome. We started in the gazebo. Look at the youngest just smiling on his parents. I love that!

I love seeing siblings get along with each other, too. I was an only child and growing up, my best friend and her sister were known to chase each other around the house with knives and throw each others' stuff animals out of second story windows.

These two were good kids and walked/sat/stood anywhere I asked and seemed genuinely happy to play along. Hooray for such awesome kids!

This one had fun walking around the top of a fountain (that was not turned on) as we somewhat expected a city official to come yell at us to get down.

This makes me realize it won't be long before mine are just as big as me. Childhood flies by all too fast.

A big thank you to this family for letting me photograph them. I had so much fun with the parents and the boys!

Family Time {Woodstock, GA Family Photographer}

2011-04-26T16:18:00.001-04:00

This shoot was fun, but it started off bumpy for me. I arrived early at the location and found the field covered in hundreds of little people wearing soccer uniforms. They appeared to have no plans on a departure any time soon. I called the family as I was making a mad dash around the property to find other locations that would work. Note-to-self: check soccer schedules for the local teams before scheduling photo shoots on Saturdays.

Who else melts when they see dads totally wrapped up in their kids?

Loved how sweetly they sat for me.

Oh my gosh, I have never loved watching any child blow out dandelions as much as I loved watching this boy. He put everything he had into it!

She acted so grown up and looked at me like she knew so much more than her five years.

I thought the improvised spots worked out well in appearance, but there were so many spiders crawling on the ground that I know I will not try this one again. Big thanks to the parents who made no big deal of spiders, for the kids' sake (and mine!).

I love family shots where no one is really looking at the camera and they're all wrapped up in their own thoughts. I grew up with K-Mart family pics with everyone looking at the camera and cheesy hand poses under the chin (which my daughter has somehow strangely adopted any time the camera points at her), which just make me love taking different family portraits all the more.

Two Little Girls {Woodstock, GA Family Photographer}

2011-04-20T20:31:00.000-04:00

I had this shoot a few weeks ago. We worked around nap times and got the best of mid-day sun.

The older sister was just the sweetest. She was full of smiles for me.

This one was too cute with her little pony tail sticking straight up.

I worked my subject hard and made her run. A lot. :)

She was happy to twirl for me. I love little girls who dream of being ballerinas and princesses when they grow up.

Little Girls!

2011-03-17T21:17:00.000-04:00

My new gallery site is up and running. I am still working on smaller tweaks, but overall I am happy with it. Go take a look --> kelleywenzel.com Although I will be providing full-resolution files to clients for upload after the shoot, this should be a great site for allowing them to share with their friends or family members. There is also the ability to purchase prints and other products (like gallery wrapped canvases or magnets!) if people want. It was a bear to set up, but I think it was well worth the extra effort.

As I move through photosessions and finish editing, I will post some of my favorite pics here in the middle of my daily photos scheduled to publish on most days. I hope you enjoy!

So Sleepy

2011-03-14T09:36:00.000-04:00

Flamingos

2011-03-13T08:32:00.000-04:00

Waiting

2011-03-12T11:31:00.000-05:00

Clyde and Janey

2011-03-11T10:22:00.000-05:00

She Thinks She's a Bird

2011-03-10T15:22:00.000-05:00

Snow

2011-03-09T09:47:00.000-05:00

Dusting

2011-03-07T09:49:00.000-05:00

Iced

2011-03-06T09:45:00.000-05:00

Flight

2011-03-05T09:46:00.000-05:00

Filled

2011-03-04T09:44:00.000-05:00

Snow Drop

2011-03-03T09:42:00.000-05:00

San Diego Zoo and Aquarium

2011-03-01T11:42:00.001-05:00

I had never visited the San Diego Zoo before this trip to San Diego. My good friend Sara made sure I got there. Twice. And also took me to the Scripps Aquarium. I have never been to an aquarium before. I was stoked to see so many cool animals and marine life. And even more stoked that Mellisa was able to come out and join us Sunday afternoon at the zoo. Woot!

Here are my favorite pics from the aquarium and my second trip to the zoo. I hope you enjoy them all :) And I couldn't start off without posting a pic of this sweet chunk of a baby. I held him. A lot. :)

Okay, this isn't the aquarium or the zoo. It is the mooring for boats next to the bridge into Coronado where we went for lunch one day. My friend Sara's mom lives in one of those boats. I can see it on google maps and it makes me smile almost as much as driving by in person.

This guy had the nappiest dreads hanging from his body. I don't recall seeing such a dark brown camel, but he was just gorgeous.

I was initially pretty irritated with the fencing blocking my view of the flamingos, but it turned into bokeh in this pic. So now I'm not irritated any more :)

I really wanted to grab his nubbies and pull on his ears. He might have liked it as much as Little Horse loves for my to grab his snout and pull on his ears. Maybe.

Palm trees make me happy.

We rode in the skybuckets from the back of the zoo to the front. And then walked a ton more.

Mr. and Mrs. Birch were the founders of the Scripps Aquarium. They were friends with Ted Geisel. Dr. Seuss's drawings weren't too far from reality. What a great inspiration for him to see these guys, some of which were kept in the Birch home.

LOVE the combination of the stripes and all the teeny tiny pin dots.

He's waiting to be triggered.

Who knew sardines were such scaredy cats?

This ginormous eel looks quite friendly and inviting, don't you think?

I loved these jelly fish. I think I may need to print this off big. I'm in love with the colors.

Last November, I stood on that far reach of land looking into the cove at the sea lions. It was fun getting the opposite perspective this time.

Lionfish have the coolest fins.

I know my boy child would have loved this fish the best. He is fascinated with mohawks and this looks like the longest one ever.

The sting rays have such happy faces.

This was an awesome room with floor-to-ceiling glass and bleacher-like seating to just sit and watch the many different kinds of fish in this tank. Look near the bottom and you will notice some fish that liked to hang out vertically. Strangeness.

And in the bottom left of this large tank was a little shark parking lot for the ones needing rest...

Octopi must prefer red lighting, because that's what was blasting away in this tank.

That is all for my weekend of photography and friends new and old. I am taking another vacation day today from work and spending much of it at the torch. I already have a couple dozen new beads soaking away in the kiln. We will be back to our regularly scheduled programing of bead pics come tomorrow and a shop update this Saturday afternoon.

San Diego with Blue Lily - Day Two

2011-03-01T10:40:00.000-05:00

Day two started off with discussions on editing techniques in Lightroom and Photoshop. There was a break before lunch to shoot in a studio setting with flash equipment, before going back to more information on editing. I learned so much about Lightroom and now feel comfortable moving around within this program.

Before sunset, we drove out to Carlsbad and met Mandy and Ken on an abandoned bridge.

Mandy was absolutely stunning in a simply gorgeous dress. I also want her beautiful hair and wish mine had looked half as wonderful on my own wedding day.

The light was awesome and I loved the surrounding hills.

Blue Lily definitely knows how to find great locations for shooting. They also find wonderful models to come out and pose for us!

Nikki is checking out one of Cameron's shots. Cam was the only dude in our group.

Did I tell you that Nikki was my girl? I never saw her not smiling. She also had the sweetest hair accessories from Anthropologie.

Although I don't have any interest in wedding photography, I was thankful for this experience and know I will be able to apply so much of it to just shooting families or couples.

I somehow did not get pics of Debbie or Cynthia...I'm sorry ladies.

Being the only guys, Cam and Tyler had to show us just how close they got over the weekend by sharing a scarf.

Tyler has mad balancing skills!

We got a group shot before we left the bridge. Both Blue Lilies have mad balancing skills.

Then we went out for Mexican at a restaurant called Norte. The food was dee-lish-us! On our way, I couldn't resist pulling out my camera for this quiet moment where Tyler reached over to hold onto his wife. It made me a little homesick for my own honeys and realized that I don't take his hand-holding for granted as we walk to/from our car through parking lots when we are together.

Spending time with them during this two day workshop only served to reinforce what path I want to follow in my life and that I may do okay with photography. Next steps for me are finding a name to associate with my photography and build up experience (and a portfolio) in photographing families.

I was more than a little bummed to be leaving this beach house and a world of fun so soon after arriving on Sunday morning. But I was also excited to begin using all the new skills I had learned from Wendy and Tyler. They are planning a reunion weekend for all previous workshop attendees in Park City, Utah in August. I'm so there.

Links to the others' posts about our weekend together:
Cameron
Dana
Debbie
Megan
Nikki
Trish

San Diego with Blue Lily - Day One

2011-03-01T09:39:00.000-05:00

The weekend was absolutely phenomenal for me in mind and soul (not necessarily body, as I ate more junk than I would care to recount). I was surrounded by others who love photography and just as filled with an intense desire to learn more about photography and successfully running a photography business.

There was a lot of learning that took place inside the beach house, but we went out Friday afternoon for a family beach shoot. It was a cold and windy day, so I was thankful every member of this family was a great sport at coming out and freezing with us.

There were nine of us in the workshop, so it was a bit crowded at times to get in and take pictures. I'm not very good at being pushy (unless of course I hear one of my friends is going to NYC and then I have no problem inviting myself along) and stayed near the periphery during much of the time. Which was fine, I was more intent on seeing how Blue Lily ran their photo shoot and how they helped arrange their clients.

Amazing people were in this workshop with me, like Crystal B. Everyone was so willing to stand and pose for the others. We all took turns.

Dana was our Northernmost attendee, coming all the way down from Alberta, Canada. She's still stuck here belly flopping on hotel beds while waiting on UPS to deliver her birth certificate. Boo hiss to lost passports.

Over the weekend, I learned how to use Lightroom better for editing (as opposed to iPhoto, which has been my primary editing program for years because I mainly just crop).

I also started shooting in RAW (as opposed to JPEG), which makes for easier editing in Lightroom if my exposure needs tweaking at all. So many good things I learned how to do and am already putting into practice.

This is my girl Nikki. She was the only other Nikon shooter there and we stuck together. It was really cool being able to talk about our likes/dislikes of our cameras (she has the same camera that I started with and wants to upgrade to the camera I have now). Nikki has been a second shooter at weddings and is just now beginning to charge others for photographing their families. She is where I want to be. Seattle is also too far away. I wish I could continue getting to know her better in person.

I want to get a hat for my boy child like this, but I don't think he'd be willing to wear it for me.

Doesn't he have gorgeous brown eyes?

Trish flew out from Michigan to join us. I am loving the photographs she took and has posted to facebook, but am also coveting her paper birthday cakes she sells in her Etsy shop.

I love people who laugh so easily, everything is just so much more fun. Wendy and Tyler are AWESOME and totally wonderful teachers with only positive things to say in encouraging us to look through our viewfinder differently. It was a good first-hand reminder that encouraging my own children to do better is so much more effective than pointing out what went wrong. Hooray for excellent teachers! And don't let Meg's smile fool you, she is a cut throat player when it comes to a game of Spoons. I had never played before and had a blast! I don't remember the last time I laughed so much.

Day one ended with me fighting to stay awake on the couch, but I crawled down to my bedroom by 9pm. My head was spinning with everything we discussed during the day, the fun new people I had only just met and the new techniques I couldn't wait to begin implementing in my own photography.

Winter Sun

2011-02-02T09:22:00.000-05:00

Rusted

2011-02-01T08:20:00.000-05:00

Chained

2011-01-31T09:19:00.002-05:00

Roped In

2011-01-30T09:17:00.000-05:00

Screwed

2011-01-29T10:16:00.000-05:00

Fallen

2011-01-28T13:15:00.000-05:00

Shunks

2011-01-27T17:15:00.000-05:00

Balancing Act

2011-01-25T10:29:00.001-05:00

Morning Snow

2011-01-24T08:45:00.000-05:00

Little Horse is Tired

2011-01-23T08:43:00.000-05:00

Meh

2011-01-22T10:25:00.003-05:00

Flying Pelican

2011-01-21T10:22:00.005-05:00

Where I Want To Live

2011-01-20T10:20:00.002-05:00

Jumper

2011-01-19T10:17:00.004-05:00

Loud Mouth

2011-01-18T10:15:00.003-05:00

Specifically the swimmer in the upper right. His mouth never shut the whole time I watched the sea lions.

Carved

2011-01-17T10:12:00.004-05:00

Lunch

2011-01-16T10:11:00.002-05:00

Arched

2011-01-15T10:08:00.003-05:00

Stamen

2011-01-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

Cathedral

2011-01-13T09:58:00.004-05:00

Flight

2011-01-12T09:55:00.003-05:00

Chase

2011-01-11T09:50:00.005-05:00

Tide Pools

2011-01-10T09:48:00.004-05:00

Ruffled

2011-01-09T09:43:00.000-05:00

Breakfast

2011-01-08T09:46:00.005-05:00

This was breakfast at a delicious dessert shop in San Diego after walking a 5K Susan G Komen walk for the cure.

Meh

2011-01-07T09:41:00.000-05:00

Little Horse

2011-01-06T09:40:00.001-05:00