Drew & Dylan {Newborn Twins}

At the very end of November, I headed to Cedar Rapids to photograph the newborn duo that is Drew & Dylan.  Seriously, these two melt my heart!  So sweet and tiny!  Their parents are big football fans, so I brought with me a set of football cocoons I had crocheted.  I think the twins look absolutely adorable in them! 

Allie {One Year Old}

A few weeks ago, little Miss Allie once again graced my studio with her adorable-ness.  I last photographed her when she was just a tiny peanut.  Now she's up and moving.  My how she's grown!  I love her big blue eyes and her big smile.  She did such a great job getting her photos taken, quite a little model!  I look forward to the next time she's in the studio, seeing how much she has grown again.

Happy Holidays!

 

Happy holidays from our family to yours!  I would like to thank everyone for making this year another wonderful year for us at Geno Photography.  It has been a year full of beautiful smiles, laughter, love, and beauty.  I have said it time and again, and it still is true today: I am so very blessed to be doing what I do.  I have the opportunity to share in the lives of so many amazing people and love every minute of it.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of your lives!  I cannot wait to see what 2013 holds!

My Girls in the Pompous Grass

 
Ok, so I love, love, love pompous grass in the fall, especially in the evening sun.  This year I finally got my kiddos dressed up and headed out to a spot just outside of Wellman to take some portraits.  I am absolutely in love with the results.  L & G had so much fun dancing in their tutus during the session, so despite the slight chill in the air (don't worry they had coats and a nice warm car to sit in just a few feet away) they had a blast. 

The Nash Family

 In the middle of November, I had the pleasure of meeting up at Wellman's North Park to photograph the Nash family.  The weather was gorgeous, pleasantly warm and sunny.  We started our session down by the willow tree, a spot I love.  The sun was just to the back of it and made the golden leaves simply glow.  I seriously could not have asked for a better spot.  Their vibrant outfit choices look amazing in the setting.  We were able to capture many amazing portraits for them as we walked around the park.  They were such a fun family to work with.

Cassidy's Crochet Creations {Vendor Spotlight}

Adorable.  Simply adorable.  I am loving the items I received in the mail from Cassidy's Crochet Creations.  I recently used them in one of my newborn sessions.  Love!  They are well made items that will keep your baby warm as well as looking fabulous!  She also makes crocheted items for kids of all ages.  I recently received two beautiful items from her for my girls (pictures to come I assure you!), an ear warmer and a hat.  I'm so glad it finally snowed so we can put them to good use.

Cynthia Betts {Vendor Spotlight}

  If you are looking to have an amazing wedding, full of beautiful details and customized to fit your dreams, you should definitely check out the spectacular Cynthia Betts.  Cynthia runs Special Events planning service, UBetts Rentals, and the excellent Weddings In Iowa website.  Her designs are amazing.  I have photographed her tablescapes many times at bridal fairs, in Zephyr Weddings, and at weddings.  To see images from a recent wedding we worked together visit Adrian & Liz's blog post.  Everything was stunning. 

 

The Murrill Family

At the beginning of November, I met at the Wellman park with the Murrill family.  We began the session with some images that included their dogs.  The dogs weren't too interested in hanging out for pictures, so we let them hang out while we finished our session.

Grady {Cake Smash}

Earlier this month, I met with Grady and his parents at the Press Box at Kinnick.  He is truly a Hawkfan in the making.  Every aspect of his first birthday session was set to tones of gold and black.  He even brought along the football I photographed him laying across when he was just mere days old.  My how he's grown since then!  He went from being a tiny little six pound peanut to a very busy one year old running around the press box in what seems like no time.

Dann & Stanzy {Engaged}

 

At the end of October, I met up at the Ped Mall with Dan and Stanzy for their engagement session.  We started our session by stopping by the Yacht Club, where Dan proposed. Then we headed around the alleyways in the Ped Mall.  They lend themselves to portraits so well as amazing backdrops.  

Greg & Tammy

At the very end of October, I met up with Greg from Greg Frieden Photography to photograph some couples' portraits of him and his girlfriend, Tammy.  Finally, after many years of wanting to find the Chemistry building and use it for portraits, I was able to.  Love it!!  What better spot for couples' portraits than right below a sign announcing their "chemistry"! 

The Brenneman Family

Near the end of October, I headed to the country outside of Kalona for the Brenneman's family portrait session.  It was a little crazy with lots of little ones wanting to go all different directions, but it was lots of fun.  This is truly a John Deere family.  All of the kiddos had their own John Deere's just like grandpa's.  So cute!

Tim & Jessica {Wedding}

On October 20th, I headed to Dubuque to capture the wedding day of Tim & Jessica.  Their ceremony was held at the Bible College there.  The church was large and lovely.  The stained glass windows filled the sanctuary with beautiful natural light.  We began their day with their first look.  It was truly an emotional event for both the bride and groom.  Many happy tears were shed and many tissues were needed.  Beautiful.

Garrett {9 Months Old}

This past October, Garrett came back into the studio for his nine month session.  Along with him, he brought his big brother, Tanner.  Garrett was a super cutie and he and his big brother rocked some Hawkeye gear during the studio portion of his session.

Mitch & Kassi {Wedding}

The first weekend in October, I headed to the Celebration Farms Double Round Barn to capture the celebration of Mitch and Kassi's wedding.  It was a very crisp fall day and it played in perfectly to the autumnal theme they had.  The hall was decorated with leaves and pumpkins, very befitting of an October wedding.

Elle-Mirai {Vendor Spotlight}

 If you've followed my blog, then you already know how much I love the products from Elle-Mirai.  Seriously, their crocheted products are perhaps some of the softest things I've touched and are made brilliantly.  My girls love their Elle-Mirai hats.

Bryan {Williamsburg Senior}

At the beginning of October, Bryan met with me at the studio to begin his senior session.  He's a senior at Williamsburg and plays in several sports there.  His studio session went well.  We even got him to smile for a few.

The Cory Family

At the end of September, I headed to the home of the Cory family for their portrait session.  Their backyard was a perfect setting for the images; gorgeous trees, a nice pond, and some amazing wicker swings (love them!).

Ava {One Year Old}

About a year ago, I had this little peanut in the studio for her newborn session.  My how she has grown and changed!  Still rocking those gorgeous blue eyes and adorable as ever, but this time I really got to see her fun personality.

Zephyr Weddings {Vendor Spotlight}

If you get a chance, check out our wall display at Zephyr Weddings in Coralville.  Zephyr Weddings specializes in custom designed invitations and so much more for weddings, graduations, newborns, anything you can think of.  I had the pleasure of photographing many of their beautiful products over the past few years and working with the amazing women that work there.  If you are in the market for some invitations, announcements, or any custom designed graphics Zephyr is the place for you.

Chris & April {Just Married}

At the end of September, I had the honor of photographing Chris and April's wedding at A Touch of Class in Cedar Rapids.  Their day was absolutely beautiful from start to finish and I am so happy that my assistant and myself were allowed to share in their day. 

The Bontrager Family

I met with the Bontrager family in downtown Wellman for their family session.  I had the pleasure of photographing them last year, and was very happy to see them again this fall.  Their boys have grown so much!

I love the color choices they made for their outfits.  We were able to find some fun and amazing locations that really played into their clothing.  I think my favorite spot was in front of the corrugated metal wall.  Love it!

Claire {18 Months}

 It was so much fun to have this adorable little cutie pie in the studio.  Claire was such a great little model.  Her big blue eyes just melt my heart.  She was fun and playful.  I love the moments we captured while she snuggled and interacted with her mommy.  Simply precious.

Joel & Laura {Day After Session}

On September 23rd, I met with Joel & Laura for their "Day After" session.  In this case it is a misnomer, since it was not in fact the day after their wedding, but it was still tons of fun.  I highly recommend a Day After session to couples who's timelines may not allow for additional portrait locations on the day of their wedding.  This session allows them a more relaxed portrait experience without the worry of getting to the ceremony or reception on time.  Plus, brides are generally a little less worried about some dirt getting on the hem of their dress.

Brian & Lori {Newlyweds}

On September 22, I headed over to the Wooden Wheel Vineyard in Keota to capture the wedding of Brian and Lori.  They had a rustic-vintage theme and the winery was a great setting.  Lori put so much work into crafting and creating the details for the wedding.  I loved their "guestbook."  It was an image of a tree and the guests' thumbprints became the leaves.  So much fun and what a great piece of art for their home.

Carter & Adria {Fun at the Beach}

Last weekend, I met up with the ever-adorable duo that is Carter and his baby sister, Adria.  I swear these two grow by leaps and bounds each time I see them!  It's always so much fun to see how they've grown and changed.

We met for their portrait session at Lake McBride beach.  It was truly a gorgeous backdrop for this little pair, their outfits went so beautifully with the setting.  I think my favorite pictures are the ones on the boat dock.  The colors are so vibrant and the kiddos had great faces.  Love them!

Liz & Jeremiah {Parents to Be}

At the end of August, Liz and Jeremiah were once again in my studio.  The last time they had been in was January of 2010 for their engagement session.  I photographed their September 2010 wedding, and hadn't had the opportunity to see them since.  I was thrilled when I received an email from Liz saying they are expecting their first little one in September. 

Brandon & Cassie {Wedding}

On August 17th, I spent my day with Brandon and Cassie as they got married.  Their ceremony was held at Brown Deer Golf Course in Coralville.  It was a busy location that day with a golf event going on, but we were still able to have our formal session there.   Their first look was on the deck area just outside of their ceremony location.  It was beautiful and emotional.  I love the moment when a bride and groom see each other for the first time.

Tim & Jessica {Engaged}

On August 13th, I met up with Tim and Jessica at the Iowa City Public Library to begin their engagement session.  Neither are from the are originally but work has brought them to Coralville.  They hadn't spent much time at all in the downtown Iowa City area, so they got a fun tour during photos...well, kind of.  Many of my session in the downtown/Ped Mall area involve a lot of alleyways behind building and most of them are not the cleanest.  But they do make for stunning backdrops.  There is such a variety amongst the walls and many fun stairs to shoot on.  An alleyway I especially love is only about three feet wide and is beside "Which Wich."  In the late afternoon, the sun floods in across the back of the alleyway and makes for some truly stunning light.  Love it!

Adrian & Liz {Wedding}

On August 11, I met up at Hotel Vetro with Liz as she finished getting ready for her wedding.  Once she was in her dress, she had a special reveal for all of the women in her family as they had not seen the dress to that point.  It was a beautiful moment.

Nick & Julie {Wedding}

On August 4th, I headed down to Bloomfield, Iowa for the wedding of Nick and Julie.  The ceremony was held at Nick's family's farm, a simply gorgeous backdrop for both pictures and the ceremony.  After Julie finished getting ready, we began formal pictures with her, her family, and her bridesmaids.  In the pasture next to the ceremony area stood a large tree that made for an amazing location for pictures.  After we finished with the girls we hid Julie away so Nick couldn't see her until the ceremony, then guys came out for their pictures.

Laurelin & Gabrielle {My Little Girls}

Every once and a while, I'm able to convince my girls to do a session.  They have grown up with the camera around and tire of it rather quickly.  But at the end of July, I was able to get them to put on their pretty new dresses and head out to Foster Woods for some portraits.  I am so glad we did!  The photo of them snuggled together laughing absolutely melts my heart.  They did so wonderfully and I am so happy to hang these photos on my wall!

Joel & Laura {Wedding}

In the middle of July, I headed to Heartland Acres in Independence, Iowa to photograph the wedding of Joel  and Laura.  Despite stormy skies in the morning, we had a beautiful day.  The day began at the Best Western as Laura finished getting ready for the day.

Ben & Jess {Wedding}

On July 7th, I headed to Marion to capture Ben & Jess's big day.  We began the day at First United Methodist with formal photos of Ben with his guys and family.  Then we photographed Jess with her girls and family.  They chose not to see each other before the wedding, so to make things run a little smoother following the ceremony we utilized our time by photographing many of the portraits beforehand.

Maryann & Lilly

At the end of June, I met up with two of my favorite little girls, Maryann & Lilly, at City Park in Iowa City. They were very busy little girls, running around and having fun. Our session was fairly short due to the miserable heat, we got some great casual portraits of them. So cute!

John & Natalie {Wedding}

On June 23rd, I captured the wedding of John and Natalie. They are both dental students at the University and are such super fun people. I had a blast working with them and their bridal party. We started off our day with their first look at Hotel Vetro. It was such a perfect location, with them each standing just around the corner from the other. A very special moment.

Evan & Aleasha {Wedding}

In the middle of June, I photographed Evan and Aleasha's wedding. It was a gorgeous day. We began at the Coralville Marriott where Aleasha and her bridesmaids were getting ready for the day. Once she was ready, she met Evan downstairs for their first look. I have said it before and it is still true today, I love doing a first look between the bride and groom. I know tradition denotes that the bride and groom should not see each other before the wedding ceremony, but a first look is something so special. It allows the bride and groom time with just each other before the day is in full swing. They get the surprise of seeing each other for the first time in their wedding finest and gives them time to talk, share kisses, and just be with each other. This is something that is not replicated by seeing each other for the first time at the ceremony. At the ceremony, you have 100+ guests watching you and a ceremony to participate in. There is little room for the hugs and whispered words of love that a first look allows.

Sophie {One Year Old}

Sweet little Sophie graced my studio this June for her first birthday portrait session. She was an absolute doll. I loved working with her. She was definitely a mover though and didn't stay still for very long. Still, I think we ended up with some adorable images!

Brandon & Cassie {Engaged}

In the beginning of June, Brandon and Cassie came out to the studio for their engagement session. We had a quick session in the studio before heading out to North City Park here in Wellman and Foster Woods just outside of town. I love the photos at Foster Woods with the canopy of trees. It is just so tranquil.

Nolan & Kelly {Wedding}

At the beginning of June, I had the pleasure of capturing Nolan and Kelly's wedding. It was a beautiful day full of wonderful friends and family. We had a great time with lots of laughter. Their ceremony was held at Our Redeemer Lutheran in Iowa City. After the ceremony, we headed to City Park for some fun outdoor pictures. Then it was off to their reception at Lake McBride Golf Club in Solon. At sunset, we went out onto the course for a few pictures with the gorgeous warm light.

Brian & Lori {Engaged}

In May, I photographed Brian and Lori's engagement session. We had a great time out on the train bridge by the Parks & Rec building on Gilbert in Iowa City. It is a beautiful location. The rust colored bridge is a gorgeous contrast against the green foliage. Brian and Lori and a super fun couple, very funny and upbeat. I am really looking forward to their wedding this September. It will be at the Wooden Wheel Vineyard in Keota and I am certain it will be beautiful!

Frances {First Communion}

This past May, Frances celebrated her first communion. It was so much fun photographing her. She is such a gorgeous little girl and was so serene. We took her portraits outside of St. Mary's in Iowa City. It truly was the perfect backdrop for her images. She looks simply angelic in her photos. At the end of the session, her brothers joined in for some portraits together. They are such a fun group, it was a pleasure photographing them!

Greyden {Newborn}

In May, this sweet little guy and his big brother were in my studio. I love newborn sessions. I don't think there is anything on this earth sweeter than a teeny tiny little newborn. They are truly amazing beings. Greyden wasn't your typical sleepy newborn, in fact he was quite alert through the session. I love the photos of him in the cocoon and with his big teddy bear.

Busy Year

If you follow my Facebook, you will have seen that I've been having a wonderfully busy year.  I love it!  The downside though, is that my blog has been neglected.  It is my hope to get everything up to date over then next few weeks and try to keep up for the rest of the year. 

I am so blessed to work with and photograph so many amazing people and I cannot wait to share their photos and stories here.  My husband asked me an interesting question he'd heard asked by a speaker on the radio the other day.  He asked, "If risk of failure were not an issue, what would you be doing with your life?"  I thought to myself for a moment and drew a total blank on anything I'd rather be doing with my life.  I love my job.  I love having a wonderful outlet for my creativity that also allows me to share in and create joy for others.  There is truly nothing else in the world I'd rather be doing.

Thank you to all of my amazing clients for allowing me to share in such momentous occasions in their lives as their weddings, allowing me to capture the faces of their beautiful and precious children, and allowing me to be part of their lives.  As I said before, I am truly blessed!

Jordan & Ashley {Engaged}

In the beginning of May, I had the pleasure of meeting Jordan and Ashley for their engagement session. They are getting married elsewhere but wanted to have their engagement portraits taken in Iowa City, where they met while at the University of Iowa. We met at the public library and headed around the Ped Mall. I love the Ped Mall. It has such a fun variety of urban backdrops in such a compact location. Much of my shooting for this session was in the back alleys. They have such character. After the Ped Mall, we headed down to the Old Capitol and IMU, another few of my fave spots in Iowa City.

Joel & Laura {Engaged}

At the end of April, I headed out to Lack McBride to meet with Joel and Laura for their engagement session.  Despite some chilly wind over the lake, we had a great time.  The over cast skies made for gorgeous, soft light.  They brought out one of Joel's small boats for their pictures.  He is from the Pacific Northwest and boating is a big part of his life.  It was so nice to be able to incorporate that into their engagement session.

Nathan & Beth {Wedding}

At the end of April, I headed to Western Iowa for the wedding of Nathan and Beth.  It was a gorgeous day.  The church had a beautiful floor-to-ceiling stained glass window at the back and was filled with gorgeous natural light.  It was a great group of people to work with, which  made for a wonderful day.

Claire & Max {Cake Smash!}

In April, Claire and Max came into the studio for their first year portraits and cake smash session.  Claire was not so sure about smashing the cake, but Max dove right in.  They were so cute!  I loved the theme of their cakes, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar."  It is one of my fave kids books.  Both the kiddos had a blast during their session.  Max was quite sad when his was over and he had to say good bye to his smashed cake.  Super adorable!

Elle-Mirai Models

 

  At the beginning of April, Michelle from Elle-Mirai and a group of adorable little models joined me in the studio for a session showcasing Elle-Mirai's spring line.  Love them!  I cannot even choose what products I liked best.  The baby sets: hat, diaper cover, and foot adornments were so sweet.  The little guys in their bow ties melt my heart, what dapper little guys they are!  The hats and clips were the perfect touches to complete the girls' outfits.  The kids were great to work with as well.  They all did such a great job.