Spending a little time at the Lake... Sherwood...

... with some awesome folks to celebrate the anniversary of the facility. And I got to take photos of these smiling faces.... Check them all out at http://pictage.com/1427570!

2012 ACCLAIM AWARDS

Louisiana's Forum for Equality's annual awards celebration happened this past Saturday. It was a great event and you can check out all the photos from the evening at:

http://pictage.com/1331899

 

LA FORUM FOR EQUALITY

WHAT A GREAT NIGHT at the JW Marriott last night. I volunteered to photograph the event, LA's Forum for Equality 14th Annual Acclaim Awards, held last night in New Orleans. Check it out: http://forumforequality.org/wordpress/forum-for-equality-la/ The five award winners were: 2012 Forum For Equality Chairs’ Award: Patrick Lee - Civil-rights attorney & award-winning theatrical producer. 2012 Faith and Equality Ward: Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy - President of Interfaith Alliance and author of more than 20 books 2012 Health and Wellness: Ginger Bouvier, M.Ed, RD, LDN - Registered Dietitian and Licensed Nutritionist 2012 Political Leadership: Louisiana State Representative Austin Badon Jr.- native son of New Orleans 2012 Political Activism: Adrienne Pendery Critcher - Houston native, moved to Shreveport and proud parent of her gay son

CELEBRATE YOUR LOVE AND COMMITMENT!!!

Starting June 1, 2011, gay couples will be able to legalize their unions in Illinois. It is a day to celebrate when inclusion is the norm, acceptance is the order of the day... when our differences are less important and where love rules the heart of all of us.

Who doesn't want to find that special someone and spend the rest of their lives together? It is what makes us alike, related... the desire to connect with someone, to build a life together, to be able to live that love out-loud and not in secrecy and shame.

CELEBRATE!
10 a.m., Thursday, June 2 - City of Chicago's Celebration of Civil Unions - Wrigley Square in Millennium Park 

5 p.m., Friday, June 3 - Unite with Pride: A Community Celebration - Uihlein Plaza @ Chicago History Museum (www.jointcra.org)

For more information about Illnois' legalizing of Civil Unions, please visit http://www.eqil.org/civil.html.

MOMMY PHOTO BOOTCAMP

Time to do a little photography education... There's no need to be scared of your camera... I'll show you how to use it and make it easy and give you some tips on getting great pics. You know you need it... two hours of your life and you'll walk away all excited and ready to go. Give me a call and we'll sign you up and get you going. I'm ready to teach the masses!!!

MOMMY PHOTO BOOTCAMP
Want to take better images of your children?
for birthdays, vacations?
at family gatherings, school events?

DO IT NOW! Don’t wait for ‘some day.’ DO IT NOW!
It will make a difference in the memories you capture.
Hey Mom, It’s ok if you can’t come; send Dad instead!

LEARN FROM A PRO:
· Basic photography concepts including when to use and not use flash
· All the buttons on your camera – what do they do AND how they can help you
· Practice shooting what you’ve just learned so you really understand and know what to do
· Have your images critiqued – right then and there, what you’re doing right and key pointers to improve

9-11 A.M.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Winnemac Park @ Daman & Winona
(behind Amundsen High School)
Space is limited. No more than 10 in a class.
Must bring your own camera and camera instruction manual!

CALL TODAY
312.388.8631
ONLY $29
Guarantee better images of your children to cherish a lifetime!

It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see. - Henry David Thoreau

natalie marionneaux
www.nataliephoto.net
natalie@nataliephoto.net
312.388.8631

THROUGH MY EYES

A friend of mine asked me if I'd be interested in showcasing some of my photography in an empty space that lets artists show their stuff month to month. Of course, I said sure. Turns out it is Unity Church on Thome behind Misericordia. I used to go there regularly but must confess that other than weddings, my church going is utterly inconsistent. They have a big room upstairs that they use for many different things. Lots of windows but bare walls too. What a great idea to allow artists to showcase their work in the space.

Hence, during the month of May I will be hanging my images. Yeah!!! I'm always excited (and nervous) to showcase my work. I've been a framing monster for the last two days. "The Great Frame Up" has always been the place I like to go... best prices, best selection and best employees who are helpful and friendly.
I'm hoping that everyone who sees it enjoys it. Here's the information so you can take a look for yourself...

THROUGH MY EYES
"It's not what you look at that matters; it's what you see." - Thoreau


Sunday, May 2 (runs through the month of May)
Images located upstairs in room next to sanctuary
Images include:
- Tuba players in an Easter procession in Antigua, Guatemala
- Light and shadows down a long hallway in Paris
- An archway with aging details in an old convent in Oaxaca
- Reflecting sunlight on a ceiling at the Louvre
- A golden church dome that seems to rain down glory


UNITY IN CHICAGO
1925 W. Thome Ave.
773.973.0007
Best day for easy access to view images is Sunday

Interest in purchasing images or photography services, please call me at 312.388.8631

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL

There are so many things keeping me busy right now and now that spring is here, it's like all of them have sped up. What has been so nice for so many of us right now is the break in the weather... finally. It's like we all hold out for it to break, hang on until to comes, and then when it arrives, we're giddy with excitement. Every year, every spring, that winter reprieve that frees us from 12 layers of clothes, to come out of hibernation and PLAY. Thank you, God.

And with spring's arrival, so begins the wedding season... full steam ahead. There are a whole lot of love stories to capture and tell. Family and friends celebrating. I can't begin to count how many times I've said I'm so lucky to do what I do... to photograph the love story between two people. And then inevitably, a cynic in the crowd asks, do you really like photographing weddings?

Well, to answer that question... I'm sure each and every one of us wedding photographers must be hopeless romantics. Call it corny or whatever else you want but we love a good love story. And we believe in them. I mean if you can't believe in love, then what can you believe in... that the Cubs will win the World Series?

We celebrate love. If all of us thought about whether (when) a couple might not be together in the future, then why bother getting up in the morning? I mean if people don't believe in the concept of marriage, that's one thing. But I challenge you to not believe in love. We see it time and time again. And it doesn't grow tiresome. It makes us happy. It fills us with hope.

What makes you happy? What makes you smile? Hope springs eternal. Welcome springtime... it's time to celebrate!

MARCH MADNESS

March Madness of another sort... for photographers... it's WPPI's Annual Conference in Las Vegas, baby. In case you don't know, WPPI is an international wedding and portrait association for professional photographers. They publish a couple of trade magazine which are great to get to keep up on the latest trends and products in the business. I usually devour them within a couple hours of them arriving in my mailbox. (Then as the copies accumulate over the months, I send them over Lane Tech for their students.)

The annual conference they produce is HUGE. Probably about 15,000 photographers from around the world attend. Besides having all the top shooters from around the world leading anything from a 2-hour workshop to a 2-day school, the tradeshow blows my mind. Sooooooo many vendors offering e v e r y t h i n g you could possibly think of from camera equipment to albums and specialized products. Whew! Wears me out just thinking about it. Sessions all day, squeezing tradeshow time in between and evening/night events going until 11pm. I'm already tired and I don't get there until Sunday.

So looking forward to it. Getting to be the student, taking in as much as I can, connecting with fellow photogs from all around. A Cirque show. Perhaps a little blackjack. Any bets, anyone? It's gonna be good.

A NEW YEAR...

Ahhhh, 2010! A new year full of promise and possibility and right now, a lot of snow. Right? Complete with resolutions too... like blogging more. Haha!

It was a busy holiday season... moonlighting at my other job - Starbucks (in Andersonville). I've been there for as long as I've been doing photography. I actually consider it social time because I've gotten to know so many of the customers. I worked Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. But it was fun too seeing so many people, enjoying the season.

Now with January, brides begin their planning with vim and vigor. And busy it has been and more busy it will become. But that's a good thing adn I'm looking forward to one hellava busy wedding season with crazy in-love brides and grooms tying the knot and living 'happily ever after.' I know, right, it's a tough job and I love it.

So HAPPY HAPPY! Bring on the loving couples, the dancing, celebrating and gift giving. Yippee!

A VISIT HOME

In November, I took a trip "home" to Louisiana to see my family. More than a quick trip, I stayed almost 2 weeks. Spent some really good time with my 2 sisters and their families. You see, right now, my brother-in-law is fighting a brain tumor. And there's no other way to say that cancer is an ugly word. So you fight it, deal with it and just keep living your life and that's what they are doing. We laughed, we cried. We listened to each other a little more attentively than times past.

My brother-in-law was raised on a farm in northern Louisiana. As an adult, he worked for New York Life for almost 40 years before the cancer made him go on disability last year. He is one of the most stand-up men I have ever met. Straight shooter through and through.

He recently had surgery to 'debulk' the tumor but they couldn't get all of it because it has 'fingers'. Now he'll spend some time at a rehab facility. And a new treatment is supposed to cut off blood flow to the remainder of the tumor.

Strong will, fighter that he is, it does become very tiresome for my sister. But she's been there with him all along. One night while I was staying at their house, I heard them laughing and teasing like to youngsters in love... made me smile... seeing how they still love each other like crazy almost 40 years later. Ain't love grand?

ANNOUNCING MR. & MR.

Yeah!!! Congrats to Jack and Tony on their union surrounded by close friends and family. Was great. I met Jack a few years ago... another Starbucks customer. He recommended his friend, Jared, who has his own company, Little Green Cube, to do my new website... yes, the one that linked you to this page. Then I got to meet Tony at their house-warming party. Then Jack and Tony moved to Washington (the state). And I wondered if I'd ever see them again.

And the next thing you know, he is calling me to photograph their wedding. How awesome is that!?!?!?! Now I have 4 connections in the Seattle area... looks like no hotel costs for me when I travel there, right? It was a pleasure for me to capture the special moments for them. I wish them all the happiness.

The funny thing (not ha ha funny) to me about the opposition to gay marriage is not about the differences between 'straight' and 'gay' people but rather, how people miss our similarities... how alike and not different we are... gay people want the same thing straight people want... someone to love and grow old with, build the American dream complete with the white-picketed fence and dog in the yard (1.5 children optional).

I fail to understand why that is so hard to grasp... as well as how religious and morality have been turned into something about legality when first and foremost, GAYness is all about biology.

But I digress, there's no way I couldn't include some images of this wonderful couple in love...

Me and the details; I love them... especially through the eye of my Lensbaby Original....

Does this look like a happy Grandma or what?

VENTI COFFEE SARAH

TK AND SARAH
Ya know what's fun... when ol' friends call you to say that they are getting married. And that you are the only person they could possibly even consider to photograph it for them. How awesome is that?

I've known Sarah for as long as I've been doing photography... because I've also been working at Starbucks for as long as I've been doing photography and she was one of my customers. She was teaching dance at Joel Hall across the street from my Starbucks in Andersonville. Venti coffee. Venti coffee. Venti coffee. Yep, that was her drink, venti coffee.

Then she moved to another part of the city and we hadn't spoken in a while. Next thing you know, I'm meeting her at another Starbucks so we can discuss her wedding plans. I could hardly wait to meet this guy that had captured her heart. And I was looking forward to meeting her family and friends that would help me know her better.

At the reception as I met people, they asked me how it was I was there. I said I was friends with Sarah. And I in turn would ask them. All of TK's friends said they same thing... what a really really awesome guy he was... kind and sincere AND crazy about Sarah. His sister said that the first time he met Sarah, she "knew" because of how TK looked at her.

Isn't that cool? I love hearing those stories. I mean usually, brides gush pretty easily when they are talking about their grooms. And grooms show some emotion but usually, try to be pretty stoic about it.

But this is when I like to start asking questions about his bride, how they met, how he's feeling, how beautiful does she look today. AND then, he can't help himself... he's going to 'gush' even if it's for just a moment... that look on his face says what words cannot express that is just for her.

That's just one of my favorite things about photographing weddings... that soft spot in his heart that he holds for his bride. Gets me every time and to tell you the truth, I think it's a good thing to be gotten by.

So to TK and Sarah, I wish them "Happily Ever After!" It really meant a lot to me to be there. THANKS!!!

LEAPFISH Search Engine

CHEERS!!! I'm celebrating. Check it out: www.leapfish.com. It's great... it's like a mega search engine b/c it will search Google, Yahoo and MSN all at the same time. AND it's really fast too. For example, YouTube videos load faster here that on YouTube. Go figure.

Well, the point is, I've jumped into this digital world with more than just my photography. It's tough on the internet, getting up the list to where people can find you in a search. I've decided to put myself on top of a new search engine that I'm counting on taking me to new heights to reach all those awesome brides and grooms.

I'm just one click away now when a bride and groom search for chicago wedding photographers. It's really a leap of faith and I'm trusting that it is God-sent... that I'll soon be connecting with awesome brides and grooms that want a great photographer who will capture the special moments as they happen on their special day.

Of course, Leapfish is great for other searches too so check it out and see how it works for you!

AUTISM SOCIETY OF AMERICA - SCHAUMBURG CHAPTER

I blogged before about when I had the opportunity to shoot these wonderful kids. The chapter has put together a video and is promoting the sale of their 2010 calendar. Check it out at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dIKuP47Sr0

Please help. Buy the calendar. www.autismillinois.com

HOORAY FOR ANGIE AND KHALID

Wow! You know those brides that look like movie stars... And... she even had an old Hollywood-style dress too... that was Angie. Gorgeous! You know, awesome couples like Angie and Khalid make my "job" so easy. They were really great and it was fun to photograph their special day.
I met Angie only a few months ago and it wasn't to shoot her wedding. We met through Bulldog Bootcamp... a military-style group workout at Grant Park at 6 a.m. M-F. Actually, I am only a "sometimes bootcamper" but it is an awesome workout. Everyone is very supportive and our instructor is pretty low-key compared to what one could be like. Angie, on the other hand, is faithful in her attendance. While she's in the front of the line on all the exercises and drills, I bring up the rear and am usually lagging far behind.

I'll be posting some photos for bootcamp in the next couple weeks. Stay tuned.

CONGRATS TO MISSY AND JON!!!

Sending a shout out to Missy and Jon of congratulations on your wedding at the W Hotel Lakeshore surrounded by friends and family. And to top off the night, viewing the Navy Pier fireworks from the top of the W... awesome. You two are great and wishing you all the happiness.

Weddings Weddings Weddings

Full season ahead and fun fun fun every wedding.

Sometimes when people find out you're a wedding photographer, they ask, "do you really like doing that?" First, I usually think what makes you dislike weddings? Bitter about love?

But then I think, I have a chance to impact their thinking on this with my response. My response usually goes something like this... "Of course. How can I not? It's a party every weekend, right? But... it's really great to be part of such a happy occasion for people. How I experience their wedding day is how they will remember it. I take that role very seriously."

They usually don't quite know what to say and respond something like... I never really thought of it like that. And I feel good about what I do and I want it to be a great day for the bride and groom. And this past Friday was definitely a great day that I feel good about.

Congrats to Lindsey and Josh!!! It was fun - just look at the photo with their bridal party. And Lindsey and Josh's pug, Autumn, was their ring bearer. It was his first birthday. What a cutie pie!

MOTHER'S DAY - WALK TO EMPOWER

Were you there? Did you see the 30,000 people who had come out to walk in support of one common cause? Pretty amazing site. Survivors, friends and family, those walking to remember a loved one. Inspirational! Had to share a few of the images I'd captured but you can see more at http://www.networkofstrength.org/ and http://profile.to/nataliephoto/. Really, I am so glad I could be there. It was a privilege.

HAPPY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MOMS OUT THERE!!! WE LOVE YOU! WE LOVE YOU! WE LOVE YOU!

Also, CONGRATS to Michelle (and Brian), the pregnant lady a few entries down from this one, who last week had a beautiful healthy little girl, Isabella!!!