Something new...

I have been wanting to try this for a while... I almost always do an "opposites attract" photo with my engagement and wedding couples. But I wanted to put a spin on it and create an image with multiple exposures...

I like how it turned out....

Engagements and Christmas...

Make sure to schedule your engagement session soon!!! If you are getting married next spring or summer I suggest to have your engagement session done this fall.

Please call me at 920 858 9827 or email me at info@ardentphoto.com to set up your time slot.

*** Christmas Deadline ***
All sessions must be shot by October 27th and ordered by November 15th in order for Christmas delivery. I will be closing the studio mid November to prepare for my business retreat in Hawaii.

Items available for Christmas:

• Custom Fine Art Christmas Cards
• Gallery Wrap Canvas
• Wall Portraits
• "Santa Baby" Boudoir (www.unveiledportraits.com)

Metallic slim Christmas card.

June 20th, 2009 is now OPEN!!!

Anyone looking for the date of June 20th... I've recently had one of my couples switch their Green Bay wedding date. So I now have June 2oth open... Contact me today for your consultation.

Busy, busy, busy...

Hey Readers! I've been really busy here shooting, traveling and processing files. I would have to say I'm at the height of my busy season... so my blog has been slacking a little.

I'm looking forward to a weekend off from shooting a wedding... it is my sister-in-law's wedding this weekend and my photography pal Craig Stodola of CS Photography in Milwaukee will be shooting it.

This week and next week I look forward to getting a little caught up with my processing, proofing and orders...and of course my blog. Thanks for being patient!

A time to reflect...

September 11th has it's place in my heart first off because it is my birthday. And it is because of this connection I feel drawn even more to the tragedy that struck 7 years ago.

I was fortunate to have visited the site of the attacks last Sunday. As we emerged from the subway stairs and saw the construction site to the left I was instantly taken. It took all I could to keep walking and looking... trying to suppress the images in my head from that very day. This is where is all went down.

We spent a lot of time at St. Paul's Chapel directly across the street from Ground Zero. I was not only amazed that the church suffered no damage from the attack, but I was in awe of the generosity and refuge that this establishment supplied in the months after 9/11.

I felt compelled to photograph the things in and around the chapel. Here is a small collection of some of my images.

Boston and NYC!!!

Top ten things I did on my trip out East!

#1 visited NYC
- Saw a show on Broadway Wicked
- visited Times Square
- World Trade Center site
- Walked the Brooklyn Bridge
- Grand Central Station
- B&H Photo
- New York Cheese Cake at Roxy's
- got some amazing shots of the city
- visited Radio City Music Hall
- Saw the Today Show set

#2 hung out with Anne Ruthmann
- along with Rachel and our husbands...

#3 Got a personal tour of MIT and Harvard

#4 Dessert at Mike's Pastry

#5 Fenway Park

#6 Trains, planes and automobiles

#7 Filene's Basement

#8 Breakfast at the Paramount

#9 Got to spend time with my husband

#10 Finished a business book


So my trip to Boston to shoot a wedding turned into a mini-vacation for my husband and I. I was originally hired by Rachel Hadiashar of MERGEweddings as an associate photographer for a wedding in Boston on September 6th. There ended up being a miscommunication and Rachel and I no longer had the gig. I had already booked my tickets and pretty much would loose out on my money so Andy and I decided to make the trip anyway.

I had a second opportunity to shoot with Gwyneth Colleen Photography, a photographer who I last shot with while in Boston earlier this year. That opportunity also fell through last minute as well as a couple of portrait sessions I was to be a part of. Soooo, Andy and I decided to make the best of the situation tour Boston and make a trip to New York City.

We were enthusiastically welcomed to town by Rachel who picked us up at the airport and immediately swooped us into her tour of Boston's MIT and Harvard. It was sooo much fun to hear about the colleges and to think of all the young minds who are being educated there.

The second night in Boston we (Andy, Rachel and Rachel's husband Ali) all traveled to Lowell, MA to meet up with "Rock Star Wedding Photographer" Anne Ruthmann and her husband Alex. We sipped beer and ate great food while talking. After dinner we walked to a gallery showing of a independent film maker and listened to a live jazz band. It was great fun - and sooo incredibly normal to be hanging out with people who have the exact same passions in life as you.

The very next morning we took the Boltbus from Boston to NYC Saturday morning... the bus dropped us right across the street from B&H Photo in downtown Manhattan! More on B&H later... After our 4 hour bus ride (which wasn't that bad because of the power receptacles and wi-fi) we needed to find our hotel to shower and dress for our night on Broadway. We hopped on the subway and made our way to the Hilton. Soon after our arrival the effects of tropical storm Hannah hit. It poured buckets and I mean big huge drops of rain for hours and hours... Our first night in NYC was a washout.

We found our way to a cute little Italian restaurant for our pre-theatre meal. It was awesome and authentic way to fill our bellies for the night ahead. We hopped in a cab after dinner to avoid getting my new Nine West hot pink pumps wet in the huge NYC puddles and made our way to the Gershwin Theatre to see Wicked.

I have to admit... we are very lucky in Wisconsin to have some amazing performing arts venues. I imagined Broadway to have lavish theatres with beautiful articulate details. The Gershwin was kinda ordinary by the looks of it.

When the curtain lifted on the actors I knew we were in for an amazing evening. The stage was awesome! The cast was AMAZING. The costuming, lighting and orchestra really came across as something special. My very first Broadway show was one to remember for a lifetime!!! Now I can check off one of the things I've always, always, always wanted to do. Check.

After the show it finally stopped raining. So we decided to explore the city. I grabbed my camera and we went out of the town. We hit Times Square, Radio City Music Hall, the Ed Sullivan Theatre... I got some pretty cool night shots in Times Square while playing around with slower shutter speeds.

The next morning we were bound and determined to explore the city even more. So we got of early and headed downtown towards the Financial District. Our main goal was to visit Ground Zero. We emerged from the subway and at the top of the stairs there is was. It was a powerful moment for Andy and I. Almost seven years to the date we were there. I plan on doing a separate blog post in dedication of September 11th....

Being in the area and after dedicating much of the morning to the Freedom Tower memorial construction site. We decided to walk the Brooklyn Bridge. I'm sure if you've been to NYC before it is totally the "touristy" thing to do... but as a photographer I knew I could get some neat shots if I was willing to take the hike... it was worth it.

New York City was fascinating to me... it is one of the places I've always wanted to be. Some of the other quick touristy things we did was visit Grand Central Station, Macy's and (my fav) B&H Photo!

The next day back in Boston I was able to shoot a real session... yay! I was just itching to shoot someone other than my unwilling husband :-) It was a high school senior session and it was fun. I was able to shoot a few and assist Rachel. When we returned home we brainstormed ideas - watch out!!! We have some excellent stuff coming down the road...

Now I'm home and with my soon to be two-year-old son. It is good to be back, but I have lots of catching up to do...

Thanks for reading my incredibly long blog post!

Wedding Wire Rated...

Yay! I'm Wedding Wire Rated for 2008! If you would like to see my profile or write a review click here!

This site is well designed and very pretty - a big plus in my book!!! Another great thing is that you can see photos and faq's on the vendor profile page. Make sure to check out my faq section...

Oh - and, I am blogging "on-location" in Boston... So far the trip is great and the company is even better.... more to come!

just let me [b]...

I met Becker last year in Las Vegas. I was able to sit and chat with him one on one about his new project. I have been waiting, and waiting and waiting for the [b] school to launch!!!

This time in my career and in my online networking I could really use something new and something that I don't feel like I have wasting time. Or giving, giving, giving and not really getting much back.

I am so excited I had to paste this link on my blog. If any of you photographers are reading this... stay tuned! It is gonna [b] good!

Start spreading the news...

I'm leaving for NYC and Boston on Thursday... I can't wait to shoot and vacation a bit!!! We were lucky enough to get tickets to see Wicked on Broadway - really good seats too!

While in Boston I will be shooting with and for Rachel Hadiashar of MERGEweddings.com some of you may remember reading about Rachel when she shot for me in June.

Thanks for being patient with me as I travel... I hope to check email often and get back to you as soon as I can.

Thanks!
Amy