The Smith Family

On a chilly October evening, I met up with the Smith family at Willow Creek Park in Iowa City.  Despite the cold, the kids all did great.  I love the portraits of them on the rust toned bridge. 

Golden Hour

One of the most key elements in photography is lighting.  The lighting in an image can truly make or break it.  You may or may not have heard the term "golden hour" when talking to your photographer about portrait times.  Golden hour is the hour after the sun rises and the hour before the sun sets.  During golden hour the sun is low in the sky and the light is warm and dreamy.  Even on the harshest, most sunny day; golden hour is a time with beautiful soft light.

Meet the Photographer

I've realized recently that I've introduced you to my beautiful daughters and my family as a whole, but I should properly introduce myself.  I'm the creative soul and owner of Geno Photography.  I am a hopeless romantic, and I love capturing special moments.  Whether they are at a wedding or during a portrait session, I think they are the ultimate things that make life beautiful. This is the best part of my job.  Being creative is wonderful and I am so thankful to be in a career where I can put my creativity to use, but the thing that give me the most satisfaction is creating images that convey the emotion of the moment.  Images of the mother of the groom tearing up as she dances with her son on his wedding day.  Images of first time parents snuggling up with their precious new baby and seeing the absolute joy on their faces.  I love my job!

Around the Studio This Week

I missed my morning blog post, but I haven't forgotten to share with you what's been happening around the studio this week.  This week has a been a little slower around the studio in terms of sessions.  I took off a few days to spend time with family, as my husband just returned home from the Dominican Republic (still a little jealous he got to go in the first place! j/k....maybe not ;) ).  Then today I volunteered at my oldest daughter's school as they took their "trip to Australia."  We were given the opportunity to go to Australia years ago and loved our trip there! It was really fun to talk about the adventures we went on during our short time in Perth.  So, yeah.  Studio remodeling has been at a bit of a standstill this week, but hopefully next week we'll be able to tackle some of these final few projects!  I can't wait!!

AW Welt Ambrisco {Head Shots}

I was recently invited back to AW Welt Ambrisco to photograph some more of their wonderful employees.  I have been capturing their company head shots for a couple years now and have loved working with them.  Not only have I had the pleasure to work with them by taking their head shots, they are also the company through which I insure my business.  Their staff is so knowledgeable, courteous, and helpful.  It has made handling my insurance a wonderful experience. 

Launching Our New Birthday Club!

I'm excited to announce our new birthday club.  For more details, check out our website here!

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.  

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!

The Meyer Family

At the end of October, I met the Meyer family at City Park for their family portraits. Their boys weren't too interested in getting their portraits taken, but with alternating poses and time for them to play we got some great shots. I love the picture of their boys laying in the leaves.

Sam & Bryana {Engaged}

I recently photographed Sam and Bryana's engagement portraits. We met at the Ped Mall and toured the fun and funky alleyways there. Then we headed to City Park to get some great shots with the fall leaves and a more natural setting. They were a pleasure to work with and it was great to get to know them better before their wedding, my favorite part of engagement portraits. I'm very excited to capture their New Year's Eve nuptials!

Quinten & Alisha

On September 10th, I photographed the wedding of Quinten and Alisha at the Marriott in Coralville. Their day was simply stunning. We began the morning as the bride and her maids got their hair and makeup done. Then we did a very special "first look" between Alisha and her father. I have to say, it was an amazing event. There were tears all around as her beaming father laid eyes on her, all grown up, in her wedding gown. Then it was Quinten's turn to see his gorgeous bride.

A Little Behind

I am so far behind on blogging the many beautiful weddings and sessions I've had lately. On the plus side, I was able to spend two amazing weeks with my husband while he was home on leave from Afghanistan. The downside, I've been so busy since that my blog has been totally neglected. I promise there are some gorgeous photos and wonderful stories coming your way in the next week or two as I play catch up.

Josh & Beth {Newlyweds}

On August 13th, I had the pleasure of capturing the beautiful wedding of Josh and Beth. Their ceremony and reception were both held at the Iowa Memorial Union in Iowa City. Honestly, I think it is now one of my favorite venues. There are so many amazing locations within walking distance from it. Thankfully the couple and their wonderful wedding party were up for a little walk. I love, love, love the orange parasols the bride and her maids had. What an amazing pop of color! I think the shots with those are my favorites. So much fun! Their wedding was beautiful and full of emotion. It was amazing to be a part of and capture. Congratulations to the new Mr & Mrs!

Sarah {Trash The Dress}

In August, I had the pleasure of photographing a Trash the Dress session with the beautiful Sarah. It was so much fun! The session took place up around Lake McBride in Solon. We started out with some gorgeous and glamorous photos of Sarah at one of the beaches. Then we headed off to the boat dock, where she jumped off! Amazing!!! She was so willing to have fun with the session and the photos we got are stunning. Thank you to Sarah for being an amazing model!

Nathan & Beth {Engaged}

Sunday evening, I met Nathan and Beth at the Iowa City Public Library for their engagement session. We wandered the amazing alleyways of the Ped Mall and headed up to the Old Capital. They were so much fun to work with! Nathan was far from used to getting his portrait taken, but he did an excellent job.

Adam & Rachel

At the beginning of July, I had the privilege again to assist Greg Frieden of Greg Frieden Photography with the wedding of Adam and Rachel. They had a beautiful ceremony at Kent Park and a fun reception in Amana. They were wonderful to work with and so willing to brave the heat for their formal portraits. Kent Park served as an amazing backdrop for this gorgeous couple.

The Larson Family

On Sunday, I headed over to the home of the Larson family for their family portraits. I think their kids are simply gorgeous! After their solo sessions, the boys insisted on photos with their footballs. They didn't want to relinquish them for any photos after that. :)

Brian & Laura

At the end of June, I had the pleasure of assisting Greg Frieden of Greg Frieden Photography with the wedding of Brian and Laura. It's said that rain on your wedding day is good luck, for Brian and Laura it was. The drizzle that lasted almost all day let up just in time to reveal a beautiful sunset. I have to say though, the couple was amazing. Despite the drizzle, they braved outdoor photos, which yielded some fun shots.

Jessica {Trash the Dress}

Yesterday, I had an amazing session with the beautiful Jessica from Bella Joli. She got married last fall and wanted to do a trash the dress session. So much fun! She was such a trooper to hike around the Ped Mall, train bridge, and Coralville Lake in the heat and humidity yesterday. I'm glad she did though, the photos are so gorgeous! A big thank you to Bella Joli for providing the beautiful jewelry she wore. If you are planning a wedding and are looking for breathtaking jewelry, you should definitely visit them in downtown Iowa City.