Laughter & Love // Elysia + Donny Married

Donny The iPod Guy

It's an honor doing what I do. Photographing my bride and groom is something I never take for granted. Elysia + Donny's wedding was particularly an honor because they are my friends - and they are totally into each other :)

I met Donny back when I was a student at The Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago where we were both Visual Communications (graphic design) majors. Donny was the first person I ever met that owned an iPod - remember how big and monochromatic they used to be? That pretty much made him the coolest person I knew at that point in my life. As time passed I got to know him and had the chance to work on a few jobs together. He's a brilliant person, and both compassionate and crazy talented. Yes, he's one of "those" people, the type that just get things so much quicker than most. Oh, my daughter loves him and he introduce me to Penny's Noodles. What more can I say?

So one day I hear that he and Elysia are getting married! My wife and I flipped (not literally). You see, we had secretly been hoping that they would wed. I totally wanted to shoot their wedding and was so glad that he and Elysia felt the same. They are amazing people, the kind you just want to hang with, chat, laugh, and have meals with.

Awesome Chicago Wedding Vendors

Weddings are all about collaborations. And when each do their part, amazing things happen. These Chicago wedding vendors rock:

• Floral arrangements by the amazing fleur - Kelly and her crew did an amazing job!!! • Elysia's dress was custom made by Dame Couture in Evanston. • Location: Glessner House Museum and Woman's Park and Garden in the South Loop.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from Elysia + Donny's wedding:

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Elysia and Donny: thank you again for having Christina and I be a part of such an amazing day in your lives. Seeing you guys make your vows was so inspiring. I hope that you have amazing futures and that we have many more dinner dates. You guys rock!

My thanks also go to my friend Nick for assisting me. You rock Nick!

Glessner House Museum 1800 S. Prairie Avenue Chicago, IL. 60616 312.326.1480 fax - 312.326.1397

By The Way: I always listen to and enjoy the vows made at the ceremony. This is what the wedding day is really all about! I know as photographers we want to capture those really cool and sexy photos after - but let's enjoy all aspects of the wedding day.

A Wedding with Style // Adler Planetarium Wedding Photography

I had a great time seconding shooting with my friend and fellow wedding photographer Veronica Hinojosa a few weeks back. We had the privilege of documenting Adriana & Steven's wedding. My day started over at Steven's house, over in Alsip, where I met him and his family. What a warm and funny family! I must say, I had a great time being around them. Seeing them work as a family unit was inspiring to say the least. After a few family portraits we headed over to the beautiful St. Mary of Perpetual Help Church.

After the ceremony we went around Chicago for the bridal party photos. We visited the Adler Planetarium first and then went to the Kinzie Street Bridge. The weather was a bit on the gray/gloomy side, but this was a fun group and they didn't care, so neither did we. The rains were held and the Adler Planetarium and Kinzie Street Bridge are great places to photograph, so no worries. Onwards to the reception!

The reception was held at the Chateau Bu-Sche in Alsip, IL. The decor was spot on and the reception was beautiful.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from Adriana + Steven's wedding:

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My many thanks to Adriana & Steven and to their amazing families for being such a joy to be around. And a huge shout-out to V for having her own style and for having me shoot another sweet wedding with her.

            

By The Way: Seconding shooting is a TON of fun. But I never forget that I am there to assist the main shooter - this helps make our days go a lot smoother.

Zion Wedding Photography // Melanie + Ashley Married

I met Melanie and Ashley through my friend Jill, whose wedding I photographed 2 years ago. It's always so cool and encouraging to get a referral from a past bride whose wedding I photographed. It means that they were willing to give my info out without me having to ask. That is good stuff indeed. So thanks Jill for introducing me to this fun and loving couple! It's been really fun getting to know Melanie and Ashley (M+A) - I liked them right away and I could tell that they really cared for each other. What was there not to like? They're both fun and creative, love to laugh (Ashley), mad comm skills (Melanie), and had custom Chuck's made for their wedding. Enough said.

Their wedding took place in Zion, Illinois at the Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center. The coastline of Lake Michigan looked sweet that day - thanks dramatic clouds! It was my first commitment ceremony, so I was very excited. The day started off really rainy and overcast. I was hopeful it would get better. And then it got REALLY cold. I think it got down to like 50 degrees at one point. I was still hopeful it would get better - I had to since the wedding was to be outdoors. The rain was still coming down as M+A walked down the aisle, but I could see that the clouds were going away. It finally stopped raining as the ceremony began (finally!) and then never rained again. Awesome!

Shooting at Illinois Beach was really cool. The sand and dramatic clouds made for an amazing setting. M+A were totally up for walking around the beach and we all had a blast shooting out there. I was assisted by the talented Suzy Rohan who took some beautiful detail shots and also kept me laughing the entire day.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from M+A's wedding:

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Melanie and Ashley, thank you again for being such a joy to work with. Photographing your commitment ceremony was such an honor and I, too, had a great time. I hope that you have amazing futures, as I am sure that you will. You guys rock! My thanks to my "dos" shooter Suzy again for making that day fun. Your willingness to learn is refreshing.

Illinois Beach Resort & Conference Center 1 Lake Front Drive Zion, IL 60099 (847) 625-7300

            

By The Way: Don't get too discouraged if the weather is nasty. Have a plan B and communicate it with your couple. Setting them at ease is a huge plus and a success to the rest of the day.

It's All About the Details // Grayslake Wedding Photography

I had the privilege to second shoot the wedding of David & Crystal with my good friend Steven of Steven Ryne Photography this past weekend. I met David and the guys over in Vernon Hills at a local bowling alley. Yes - bowling alley. It was so cool hanging out with them and photographing them as they bowled right before the wedding. I could see that these guys really cared for each other, which made my job so much more enjoyable.

The ceremony and reception was at the Byron Colby Barn in Grayslake. That surrounding area was perfect for portraits. I remember driving up to the Barn and thinking "these portraits are going to be AWESOME! Just look at all of this open space." It was almost perfect to shoot in except that it had rained the entire day. No problem! We just made sure that everyone had umbrellas and we were all good to go out for a few portraits.

One thing that really stood out to me were the details. I typically look at the details and shoot away. I might move something to light it better, but that is about all of the interaction that I have with them. But these details stopped me in my tracks and forced me to notice them. I HAD to look at the top of the cake - I HAD to look at the hand written menu board - I HAD to look at the table decoration - I HAD to look and touch the wedding info handout - I HAD to photograph them all. All of these pieces made for a really great experience. I was then blow away to find out that Crystal, the bride, had designed and planned all of these details herself. What a talented bride/designer/wedding planner!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from this wedding:

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I want to thank Steven again for having me shoot this amazing wedding with him. Dude, you rock. I really appreciated your posing ideas. It was also really cool seeing you give and interact with your clients. Way to go!

My thanks to David and Crystal. I hope you guys have an amazing marriage!!!

The Byron Colby Barn 1561 Jones Point Road Grayslake, IL 60030-3536 (847) 543-1202

Rock On! info@ottorascon.com | my portfolio | facebook | twitter | 773.430.4785

By The Way: Shoot at f/1.4 if you need to. I sure did for this wedding. The Byron Colby Barn is a great place to shoot, but it is very dim once the sun sets.

My Wedding Day Memories - A Very Short 8 Years

Today marks the date of my 8th wedding anniversary. I almost cannot believe I just said that... 8th wedding anniversary. Wow, how quickly 8 years can go by without even knowing it. Will you join me as I travel down Memory Lane for a moment? It feels like Christina and I were just married a few years back, certainly not 8 years ago. We dated for about 3.5 years and we knew each other about 2 years prior to our courtship. I am really an awful mathematician (my older brother took all of the math genes), but if you add up all of those years they equal 13.5 years that I have known my wife. That is both a wild and amazing thought, and a very cool one as well.

We are high school sweethearts. We went to all of our proms together. She knew me when I had long hair ( I was trying to be Bono a la The Joshua Tree years). She has been with me through all of the disappointing jobs and through all of the fun jobs. And of course she is with me now as we raise our daughter. As I readied the images I am about to share I realized just how much history we have between us. We are both still very young and I hope that we continue to add to our memories. And I look forward to our love growing and maturing.

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Looking through our wedding photos was such an AMAZING experience. Seriously. Seeing those familiar faces on those 4x6 prints was like stepping into a time machine. Of course now that I am a wedding photographer I see these photos in a different light than I did when we first received them 8 years ago. Certainly I can look at the technical quality of these images and judge them and think about what I would have done differently to achieve a better exposure or pose. I could point out certain things I am not crazy about. Others might see them and find some flaw.

But the thing is that these are MY WEDDING photos and I love them.

I look at them and remember. I look at them and see family and friends I no longer see. I look at them and see a very young and naive version of myself and of my wife. I look at them and see just how gorgeous my wife looked. I look at them and see my mom and dad in the same room (they are divorced). I look at them and remember my wedding day. I sure hope that my wedding couples look at the photos I have created for them and remember and love their wedding day memories. Thanks for sharing this special day with me!

Rock On! info@ottorascon.com | my portfolio | facebook | twitter | 773.430.4785

By The Way: I wonder what wedding photographer I would hire were I to get married today? David Ziser, Jasmine Star, or Mike Colon? Hey, it's nice to dream!

Wedding Rings are Beautiful - Chicago Wedding Photography

Wedding rings are truly works of art. I have really come to appreciate my bride and grooms rings this year. I remember going to the jeweler to pick out my wife's ring. I was so nervous and very conscience of aesthetics and price. This was a major purchase for me and I wanted to make sure that I purchased the PERFECT ring. This line of thinking has helped me focus more on the rings, placing them in beautiful backgrounds and giving them the spotlight they deserve. Here are just a few of my favorites for this year. [gallery link="file" columns="1" orderby="title" size="large"]

The Set-Up

Nikon D700

Nikon SB-800 - Triggered via Nikon CLS. There was no light modifier on the flash.

Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 lens

Rock On! info@ottorascon.com | my portfolio | facebook | twitter | 773.430.4785

4 Photographers And A Wedding

I had the privilege to work with Kevin Swan and his crew a few weeks back. Kevin is a wedding photographer out of Indiana, who also happens to be the owner of Kiss Wedding Books. I met Kevin earlier this year at the Dane Sanders Roadshow Workshop. I had a fantastic time shooting with Kevin, Geno (his assistant), and Jason Aten (photographer from Michigan).

The Wedding Day

The day started at the beautiful The Fairmont Chicago. I was able to work alongside Geno as we photographed the groom and groomsmen. We walked around Michigan Avenue and had a blast shooting around the hotel lobby and general area.

After a handful of portraits we all jumped on the trolley and headed towards Old St Patricks Church. This church is gorgeous and is a treat to shoot in, as it allows a lot of natural light in.

After the ceremony, Jason and I headed out to the University Club of Chicago, where the reception was to be held. I must admit that shooting at the University Club is a treat. This place is simply stunning. I do not think that the images you will see below do room any justice.

My many thanks to Kevin for having me shoot with him. I also want to thank Geno and Jason as they were more than willing to help out, teach, and make for a great day. Thanks guys!

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The Fairmont Chicago 200 N Columbus Dr Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 565-8000

Old St Patricks Church 711 W Monroe St Chicago, IL 60661-3501 (312) 648-1021

University Club of Chicago 76 E Monroe St Chicago, IL 60603-2702 (312) 726-2840

Rock On! info@ottorascon.com | my portfolio | facebook | twitter | 773.430.4785

Renaissance Hotel Wedding // Diana & Johnny

I had the pleasure to help photograph the beautiful wedding of Diana and Johnny. The day started at Diana's mothers place, which is near the Cancer Survivors Garden. We were able to spend a few minutes photographing at the Garden, which is a gorgeous setting located south-west of Millennium Park. I will have to go back soon and take some family portraits. The ceremony was at St. George Greek Orthodox Church of Chicago. After the ceremony we all headed to North Avenue Beach for some fun portraits.

The reception was at the amazing Renaissance Chicago Hotel. I love the deck that overlooks the river! This was a very warm and loving wedding. I could see and feel the affection that the bridal party had for Diana and Johnny. It was a pleasure being around this group of people. Thank you guys!

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Cancer Survivors Garden Randolph St. & Harbor Dr. Chicago, IL 60601

Saint George Greek Orthodox Church of Chicago 2701 N. Sheffield Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60614 Phone: 773-525-1793 - Fax: 773-525-2867

North Avenue Beach House 1603 N. Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60614 Phone: 312-742-PLAY

Renaissance Chicago Hotel Renaissance® Chicago Hotel 1 West Wacker Drive Chicago Illinois 60601 USA Phone: 1-312-372-7200 - Fax : 1-312-372-0093

Thanks guys & see you later! - Contact Me | Wedding Portfolio | Little Ones Portfolio | Older Ones Portfolio

InterContinental O'Hare Wedding // Adora & Jerry

The InterContinental Hotel is a really amazing place to photograph a wedding. This hotel stands out from the crowd in that they are not shy to adorn their halls with really amazing art. I have never seen such displays of art at any hotel I have photographed in. There is a Pollock Room! This tells me that they are serious about art. As a wedding photographer I felt like a kid in a candy store as everywhere I looked I saw a photo opportunity. You can read more about the InterContinental Hotel's Art/Museo Collection here. My many thanks to Dan Gin Photography for having me shoot this wedding with him. I had a lot of fun and met some really amazing people that night. As an added bonus I got to use some of Dan's Nikon Lenses. Thanks Dan, you rock!

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InterContinental Chicago O'Hare 5300 N. River Road Rosemont, IL 60018 Phone: (847) 544-5300

Thanks guys & see you later! - Contact Me | Wedding Portfolio | Little Ones Portfolio | Older Ones Portfolio

Chicago Trash The Dress Photography Shootout

I had a great time yesterday at the first ever Chicago Trash the Dress shootout. My many thanks to Melissa Diep for setting it up and making it happen. I was able to meet a lot of very amazing photographers and catch up with a few old friends. My many thanks also go out to the three talented models for being such good sports. Having 15 photographers pointing lenses and shouting out commands is not an easy task! Here are a few of my favorites. I was hoping for some major trashing of the dresses (i.e. mud, rips in the dresses, etc.), but I was more than happy with what we were able to capture. So my idea going into this shoot was to use a mixture of available light and strobe light. I also wanted to play around with composition and different points of view. I would love to hear your thoughts about these images so feel free to drop me a line. Thanks guys and Rock On! [gallery size="large" columns="1"] Thanks guys & see you later! - Contact Me | Wedding Portfolio | Little Ones Portfolio | Older Ones Portfolio

Vanessa + Luis // Married // Chicago Wedding Photography

I met Vanessa a few years ago at her parents place, though I wonder if she even remembers meeting me back then. I am friends with Vanessa's brother, Johnel, who is a dear friend of mine. He casually introduced us, we chatted for a second and that was that. Fast forward a few years into the future. I see Vanessa at her sister-in-laws baby shower and she tells me she wants to talk about wedding photography (for her wedding, of course). I feel both excited and honored that she would consider me to photograph her wedding. We then email each other back and forth and set a time for me to meet with her and Luis. We chatted, connected, booked the wedding, and then later had a great engagement session. Awesome!

Vanessa and Luis are the kind of people that you want to be friends with. They are kind and love their friends and their families, which was evident at their wedding. These are just a few of the reasons why I was excited and honored to be there at their wedding. So about the wedding. The ceremony was at the BEAUTIFUL Holy Cross Church. The church was amazing to shoot in. Period. Luis grew up attending this church and knows the Pastor, so there is an emotional tie to this amazing building.

After the ceremony the entire party went out to the Adler Planetarium for a few portraits near the lakefront. The weather was perfect (yay, no rain) and the smiles were genuine. What more could a wedding photographer ask for? There was just enough cloud coverage to provide some texture to our portraits and to block out the sun. We all hung out there for a bit and then started to feel the heat of the sun. It was time to get in the air-conditioned bus and off to the reception.

Vanessa and Luis planned the perfect reception and here is why (IMHO):

1. LOCATION: The reception was held at the beautiful Chateau Del Mar in Hickory Hills. The perfectly mowed grass and trees made for a fantastic view and a perfect setting for wedding photos.
2. MUSIC: A mariachi band played during the cocktail hour. Those guys could SING! Everyone was dancing!
3. PARTICIPATION: Hats, masks, and whistles were given to everyone! People felt like they were a part of this wedding.

My many thanks to the Flores and Mugnaini families for having me be a part of such an important day in their families history. Luis and Vanessa, you guys are amazing and I hope the absolute best for your future. I look forward to hearing your part of your wedding story. I hope that you both had a blast.

I want to thank Gary Middendorf for his assistance and for his amazing shots. Thanks dude, you ROCK!

Holy Cross / IHM 4541 S. Wood St. Chicago IL 60609 773.376.3900

Adler Planetarium 1300 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago IL 60605 312.922.STAR (7827)

Chateau Del Mar 8301 West 95th Street Hickory Hills, Illinois 60457 708.599.3400

Rock On! info@ottorascon.com | my portfolio | facebook | twitter | 773.430.4785

By The Way: Using off-camera flash adds so much dimension to your bride and groom portraits. I love the look and the challenge that off-camera flash brings.

Rowena + Ephraim // Arlington Heights

I had such a blast second shooting Ephraim and Rowena's wedding with Hinojosa Photography. Veronica had informed me that they were a cool and fun couple, which is always good news to hear about the bride and groom you are about to spend the entire day with. What was extra sweet was that their bridal party (and family) were just as cool and fun. Looking at the photographs above is a testament to that. You can see more of the images on Veronica's website here: Ephraim and Rowena.

Congratulations to a fine couple. My many thanks to Ephraim and Rowena and their families for making this day memorable. And my thanks to Veronica for having me be a part of it. Rock on!

Matt + Jessica // Oak Park - Morton Arboretum Wedding Photos

I was very excited about Matt and Jessica's wedding. I met them a few months back at a local Starbucks here in Chicago. As soon as I met them I knew they were a fun couple, Matt is especially funny and likes to make people laugh (my kind of guy). It felt like we all clicked pretty quickly and had a great meeting as we learned a bit more about each other.

The ceremony took place at the beautiful Grace Episcopal Church in Oak Park. This church is amazing to look at and has plenty of room for a photog to move around. Pretty sweet. The acoustics were also great. We did not have enough time to shoot some alter shots (bummer), but the bride and groom were cool with that. So we took off to the reception.

The reception was held at the Morton Arboretum in beautiful Lisle Illinois. The actual reception took place inside the Ginkgo Room (Ginko trees have really cool looking leaves). This room has a great view of the arboretum, and a very beautiful pond just outside of the room. The sun was setting pretty fast so we made the most of the natural light and took a handful of fun portraits of the bridal party and a few sweet shots of the bride and groom. The grass was a bit mushy, so we worked as fast as we could. I love shooting at the Morton Arboretum

So all in all it was a fun wedding with a fun couple. I really hope the best for Matt and Jessica as they start out their life together. They are moving to a different state soon, so I know that they have a lot on their plates. But I have a good feeling that they will transition very smoothly. Thanks guys!

Thanks guys & see you later! - Contact Me | Wedding Portfolio | Little Ones Portfolio | Older Ones Portfolio

Mario + Liliana // Married // Adler Planetarium Wedding

The Lopez wedding was an absolute party! Mario and I are co-workers, so I knew that his wedding was going to be full of energy. Needless to say, I was very much looking forward to his wedding.

The day seemed to be perfect. The weather was absolutely awesome (look at the sky in the photos... saweeeet). The church was beautiful and the priest allowed me to walk around the entire church. That was cool of him. And all of the family members were present for the family portraits. After the portraits we jumped in the limo and drove over to the Adler Planetarium. Oh, did I mention that there was little to no traffic, on a Friday night!!! That was sweet all on its own.

So we get to the Planetarium and the sky is looking luscious... it was just asking to be photographed. There was also some beautiful light bouncing off of the building right next to the Planetarium, which gave me some amazing fill light on Mario and Liliana. They loved the photos and I was a happy camper. My Nikon and I were best of friends that day. I guess the only negative was that it was pretty darn chilly that evening, so our shoot was crunched down to about 12 minutes (fun).

We then took off to the reception. The music was pretty much blasting from the moment we arrived and it never let off. I think my ears are still ringing from that night. I could not have had a better time with the Lopez and Galarza families. Thank you again Mario and Liliana!!!

Thanks guys & see you later! - Contact Me | Wedding Portfolio | Little Ones Portfolio | Older Ones Portfolio

Chris + Lindsay // Joliet Wedding Photographer

Joliet, Illinois was rockin' on 09.26.08. The Lotysz wedding was a very fun wedding to shoot (man, all of my weddings have been a blast this year. I'm not complaining). I met up with Lindsau and her girls in Flossmoor at the Marc Alan day Spa. These are some pretty awesome girls and you can tell so much from the company that you keep. So I know that Lindsay has some great friends and family.

From there we traveled to The Renaissance Center in Joliet. Let me tell you, the Rennaisance Center's website does it no justice. This place is very nice with plenty of room for great photographs. There is where I met up with Chris and his groomsmen. soon enough the ceremony started and the rest is history.

I am grateful to the Lotysz and Smith family for having me be a part of their special day. I must mention that Chris and Lindsay played "Always With Me, Always With You" at their wedding. This is the first time I have heard this song since MY WEDDING almost 7 years ago. Chris, you are one rockin' dude! Hearing that song made my day. My many, many thanks.

Thanks guys & see you later! - Contact Me | Wedding Portfolio | Little Ones Portfolio | Older Ones Portfolio

Rob + Jill // Orland Park Wedding Photography

Jill was very excited on her wedding day, as she should be! It has been a while since I have worked with such an excited bride. It was a joy seeing her this happy. I could tell that she was soooo ready to get married. Rob must be a pretty awesome dude for this gal to be so over joyed. Good job Rob!

Thanks again guys for having me be a part of your wedding. You all have such caring and loving family and friends. Rob, your friends are a blast, and boy can they dance.

Thad + Kristin // Naperville Wedding Photography

My many thanks to Thad and Kristin for having me shoot their wedding. I always find it such an honor to spend an entire day with a couple and photographing them in one of the most important days of their lives. That is pretty darn special and amazing to me. There is so much trust in that relationship, one that must not be broken either before or after the wedding.

The ceremony was at the beautiful Koten Chapel. I am also amazed at how quickly the wedding day goes by. All of that planning... all of that worry... all of the anticipation... and then it is done. Then all that is left are the photographs and a few choice mementos of that day. Man, it is so cool to do what I do. We were able to visit the Naperville Riverwalk and take a few portraits. I am so glad that we had great weather that day!

These photographs that I make mean something to my couples, and they mean a whole bunch to me as well. All of the hours and investment in knowledge and photo equipment all makes sense when the couple sees the photos for the first time and are in awe at how amazing they look. That is the moment that I look forward to every time. My thanks again to Thad and Kristin.

Matt + Joy // Lombard Wedding Photography

I have to say that out of all of the weddings I have done this year, Matt and Joy's wedding stands out for a couple of reasons.

First :: Matt and Joy are a very warm and loving couple. I could see and feel this from the moment I met them at my Starbucks studio. They have an innocence that I have never really seen before in a couple. That was very refreshing to see and experience. The ceremony took place at The Lindner Conference Center in Lombard, IL. This was a very cool place to shoot a wedding. The reception was at the Wyndham Drake in Oak Brook.

Second :: This was one of my first weddings to incorporate different lighting techniques during the portrait sessions. Mainly the use of Pocket Wizards to trigger my Nikon SB-800 flash unit. I also used a CTO gel on my flash giving me the beautiful warmth to my images. It was a different approach to the way I normally work, but I think that the results were very satisfying.

So my many thanks to the Ling and Shen families for having me be a part of their wedding day. Thanks Matt and Joy!

Lindner Conference Center 610 E. Butterfield Rd. Lombard, IL 60148 630.705.8400 Brenda Storm, Director

Wyndham Drake 2301 York Road Oak Brook, Illinois 60523

Thanks guys & see you later! - Contact Me | Wedding Portfolio | Little Ones Portfolio | Older Ones Portfolio

Color, Color, Color! // Chicago Indian Wedding Photos

Hello there everyone. Here are a few shots taken at my first Indian wedding earlier this summer. I second shot this wedding with the very talented Veronica Hinojosa. I loved this wedding for many reasons, and the main was for the colors! I have never seen such an explosion of color. It was soooo much fun photographing all of the details of the day. Thanks to Veronica. That girl ROCKS!

Ryan + Yung-Yi // Willis Tower Wedding Photography

Thanks to Ryan and Yung-Yi for having me shoot their awesome wedding. I cannot say enough about how much energy and excitement there was at this wedding. I knew this was going to be a fun wedding as soon as I met all of the bridal party. They were all playing and smiling right from the get go, and they did not stop having fun the entire day. The day started out at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. From there we all went the Adler Planetarium for group photos. we had some great weather that day, though it was a bit hot (low 90's). The humidity and heat did not stop us from having a great time. We got some really fun and exciting images near the lake and on the large cement steps. From there we went to the ceremony, which was held at the Sears Tower (now the Willis Tower). It does not get any cooler than that. I am glad that we were inside for the ceremony becuase the rain came down pretty hard. It is pretty neat seeing rain when you are so high up.

The reception was amazing. That is all I can say. From the first dance to the last, it seemes that not pne person was sitting down. Everyone was dancing, and I mean everyone. From very young to very old, all were moving. Thanks again to the Nindorf's for having me be a part of their great wedding. We will be working on their album soon. I am looking forward to that. The wedding was taped by Matt Buckman of idofilms.net

Hyatt Regency Chicago 151 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois, USA 60601 Tel: +1 312 565 1234    Fax: +1 312 239 4414

Sears Tower (Willis Tower) 233 S Wacker Dr # 3530 Chicago, IL 60606-6437 (312) 875-9696