Two Peas in a Pod
Today we had the very talented Karina Heneghan take some photos for us for our about page on our new website. It was nerve racking to be on the other side of the lens for once! We now understand how our clients feel a little bit more. It's quite a challenge to relax and get into the moment when you have a camera in your face! Karina did a wonderful job putting us at ease. We are pleased as punch with the photos. Seriously, it was fun taking professional photos with my best friend. We highly suggest you do it (and call us to schedule it).
Kimothy + Tess = Love•n•Joy Photography
Kimothy the natural model...lol
Love this angle! And that wall!
This is what you will see....
TRAIN!!?
No, it is not safe to stand on the tracks...
....a long lecture ensued after these photos were taken. Sorry RTD!
She might be small but she is strong....
Flower power!
Thank you so much Karina!! We love the photos. :)
Keep an eye out for our new about us page on www.lovenjoyphotography.com.
There are big ships and small ships. But the best ship of all is friendship. ~Author Unknown
Memories of a "Disney movie" grandmother...
I'd like to share a short story that is very near and dear to my heart...
I am an aunt of 3 nieces, one of which is the boisterous, outspoken, and very clever, 5-year-old Kaitlyn. Her extrovert personality truly reflects that of her late grandmother and my own mother, Merri Piorkowski. Kaitlyn marches to the beat of her own drum, always telling you what's on her mind, always blunt, yet very insightful and gregarious.
[Kaitlyn, below, taken Nov. 2009]
Before I share further, I'll precede with a quick summary of Kaitlyn's relationship with my mother. My mom had struggled with breast cancer beginning the spring of 2004, she then endured chemo/radiation treatments, managed to keep teaching at her high school and carry on with normal life, always making time for her granddaughters, who I am convinced were her favorite people in this world. She radiated with pride when she looked upon them. Her love for them was beyond evident and very magical to observe. Crystal (my sister-in-law and Kaitlyn's mother) always claimed my mom was a grandmother right out of a Disney movie. She continually put her granddaughter's first, sewing them matching Easter dresses each year, visiting them every spring break, sending them gifts, cards, books and toys involving their latest favorite television star, first Dora then on to Hannah Montana. She always made them feel special, included, and consoled them if they were feeling otherwise. No one could keep up with the girls like she could. I'm pretty sure that she ended up tiring them out at the end of days they spent together! (See bottom photo for dance-off example)
So, of course, like every fairy tale, there must be some conflict. My mother's breast cancer reappeared with a vengeance in 2008 and rapidly deteriorated her health. She passed away on June 14, 2009. And a small bright burning candle went out in this world.
We had a beautiful memorial service for my mother in Madison, OH shortly after. The large sanctuary was filled to the maximum as person after person filed into pay their respects; strangers my mom had immediately made into loyal friends at stores, at her work, at church, and anywhere she visited. Her zest for life, strong empathy for others and vibrant personality left an impact on all who crossed her path. Now I could probably create an entirely separate blog to describe this woman I was blessed to call my mother (and I think that I will), but allow me to transition back to the premise of this story (the story that I originally called "short"...sorry!).
At the memorial service, Kaitlyn and Brianna (my other niece) had a special role to play. They each released bunches of balloons into the sky, while all attendees gathered round outside the church, symbolizing the release of my mother's spirit from this earth. This was almost one year ago.
[Kaitlyn & Brianna with their father, Jeremy, June 2009]
Now let's jump forward to present day:
My niece Kaitlyn went to a bday party yesterday. When she left, she took 2 balloons with her. On the way home, she said "Mommy, I'm gonna send these balloons to heaven, one for God and one for Jesus, but I am going to ask them if they will share with Nana". When they got home she ran into the driveway and closed her eyes and prayed "Dear God, these balloons are for you and Jesus, will you please share with my Nana?
Like her mother, I was impressed by Kaitlyn's memory of releasing the balloons at her Nana's service and overwhelmed with how beautiful her small commemoration really was. I hope the memory of her beloved grandmother truly does live on in her forever, just as the memory of my beloved mother will forever live on in me.
I'm sure this post will segue into many more related posts that explain why I have chosen to become a photographer and make it my life's work capturing the memories of other's loved ones and the joy in their special moments. It is the most notable expression of my creativity I can think of.
[My mother Merri, taken by me in Feb 2009 in Los Angeles]
Don't cry because it's over,
SMILE because it happened.
-Dr. Seuss
I am an aunt of 3 nieces, one of which is the boisterous, outspoken, and very clever, 5-year-old Kaitlyn. Her extrovert personality truly reflects that of her late grandmother and my own mother, Merri Piorkowski. Kaitlyn marches to the beat of her own drum, always telling you what's on her mind, always blunt, yet very insightful and gregarious.
[Kaitlyn, below, taken Nov. 2009]
Before I share further, I'll precede with a quick summary of Kaitlyn's relationship with my mother. My mom had struggled with breast cancer beginning the spring of 2004, she then endured chemo/radiation treatments, managed to keep teaching at her high school and carry on with normal life, always making time for her granddaughters, who I am convinced were her favorite people in this world. She radiated with pride when she looked upon them. Her love for them was beyond evident and very magical to observe. Crystal (my sister-in-law and Kaitlyn's mother) always claimed my mom was a grandmother right out of a Disney movie. She continually put her granddaughter's first, sewing them matching Easter dresses each year, visiting them every spring break, sending them gifts, cards, books and toys involving their latest favorite television star, first Dora then on to Hannah Montana. She always made them feel special, included, and consoled them if they were feeling otherwise. No one could keep up with the girls like she could. I'm pretty sure that she ended up tiring them out at the end of days they spent together! (See bottom photo for dance-off example)
So, of course, like every fairy tale, there must be some conflict. My mother's breast cancer reappeared with a vengeance in 2008 and rapidly deteriorated her health. She passed away on June 14, 2009. And a small bright burning candle went out in this world.
We had a beautiful memorial service for my mother in Madison, OH shortly after. The large sanctuary was filled to the maximum as person after person filed into pay their respects; strangers my mom had immediately made into loyal friends at stores, at her work, at church, and anywhere she visited. Her zest for life, strong empathy for others and vibrant personality left an impact on all who crossed her path. Now I could probably create an entirely separate blog to describe this woman I was blessed to call my mother (and I think that I will), but allow me to transition back to the premise of this story (the story that I originally called "short"...sorry!).
At the memorial service, Kaitlyn and Brianna (my other niece) had a special role to play. They each released bunches of balloons into the sky, while all attendees gathered round outside the church, symbolizing the release of my mother's spirit from this earth. This was almost one year ago.
[Kaitlyn & Brianna with their father, Jeremy, June 2009]
Now let's jump forward to present day:
My niece Kaitlyn went to a bday party yesterday. When she left, she took 2 balloons with her. On the way home, she said "Mommy, I'm gonna send these balloons to heaven, one for God and one for Jesus, but I am going to ask them if they will share with Nana". When they got home she ran into the driveway and closed her eyes and prayed "Dear God, these balloons are for you and Jesus, will you please share with my Nana?
Like her mother, I was impressed by Kaitlyn's memory of releasing the balloons at her Nana's service and overwhelmed with how beautiful her small commemoration really was. I hope the memory of her beloved grandmother truly does live on in her forever, just as the memory of my beloved mother will forever live on in me.
I'm sure this post will segue into many more related posts that explain why I have chosen to become a photographer and make it my life's work capturing the memories of other's loved ones and the joy in their special moments. It is the most notable expression of my creativity I can think of.
[My mother Merri, taken by me in Feb 2009 in Los Angeles]
Don't cry because it's over,
SMILE because it happened.
-Dr. Seuss
StudioWed comes to Denver
Last night we attended a soirée thrown by StudioWed. StudioWed is a planning studio where the best vendors have joined together to help ease the process of planning a wedding. Being new to the area we figured it was the perfect way to meet the amazing and talented vendors in Denver. We have been working on a preferred vendors list and the soirée helped us meet some of the best in their field. We met great people from makeup artists, to fashion stylists, djs, wedding officiants, bakeries, event coordinators, florists, calligraphists, you name it! (More of those vendors to come in future blog posts).
Getting to know the vendors we will be working with is important to us. We feel it makes the wedding days go so much smoother and a little more fun. We cannot wait to work with wonderful people we met last night!
Us with Julie from Bliss Elevated. We love her!! Thank you for telling us about the event Julie!
Photo taken by the lovely Lola Mansurov.
Getting to know the vendors we will be working with is important to us. We feel it makes the wedding days go so much smoother and a little more fun. We cannot wait to work with wonderful people we met last night!
Us with Julie from Bliss Elevated. We love her!! Thank you for telling us about the event Julie!
Baby Jake comes home...
My new little nephew Jake has been getting settled in at home with his parents, Ava & Jason, here in Aurora, CO. It has been an exciting couple weeks for the proud parents and now the family is starting to filter into town to meet their new family member. Our sister Kathy and her 4 year old daughter, Mia, were the first to arrive from Albuquerque, NM. Naturally, I had to be there, camera in tow for the little reunion. It was my first time meeting Mia and right away, I wished that I had an ounce of the energy that little girl has! I think the following photographs completely capture her big personality (and I think that was the most still she sat all day :).
I'd like to share a funny Mia story:
* On the flight to Denver with her mom, Mia sat next to an elderly lady who informed them this was her first airplane ride. All of a sudden, as the plane was taking off, Mia sprung back in her seat and yelled "There are too many people on this thing! It's going to crash!" Kathy (Mia's mom) desperately tried to distract Mia as the elderly woman braced herself in her seat.
Mia was instantly obsessed with my husband Jared. He has a way with kids. They immediately believe he is a human jungle gym and enjoy his tried & true knock-knock jokes.
My beautiful sister Kathy & niece Mia
Proud parents with their firstborn! We are so happy for you two!
Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the star of the show...
Pensive Jake contemplating his schedule for the day.... hrmmm.....eat, poop, sleep.... or......sleep, eat, poop? These are tough beginnings, my friend.
I'll be sharing more of the family as they pour in and of Jake as he continues to grow at the speed of lightning. :)
~K
If I have a monument in this world, it is my son.
-Maya Angelou
I'd like to share a funny Mia story:
* On the flight to Denver with her mom, Mia sat next to an elderly lady who informed them this was her first airplane ride. All of a sudden, as the plane was taking off, Mia sprung back in her seat and yelled "There are too many people on this thing! It's going to crash!" Kathy (Mia's mom) desperately tried to distract Mia as the elderly woman braced herself in her seat.
Mia was instantly obsessed with my husband Jared. He has a way with kids. They immediately believe he is a human jungle gym and enjoy his tried & true knock-knock jokes.
My beautiful sister Kathy & niece Mia
Proud parents with their firstborn! We are so happy for you two!
Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the star of the show...
Pensive Jake contemplating his schedule for the day.... hrmmm.....eat, poop, sleep.... or......sleep, eat, poop? These are tough beginnings, my friend.
I'll be sharing more of the family as they pour in and of Jake as he continues to grow at the speed of lightning. :)
~K
If I have a monument in this world, it is my son.
-Maya Angelou
New wedding advertisement...
Yes, wedding planning season is upon us. All you summer/fall bride-to-be's of 2010 are scrambling to book your venue, dj/band, coordinator, florist, photographers, and other wedding industry gurus.
Let us know what you think!
If I could have put it into words, I would have written it down. But I couldn't, so I took a picture.
- Anonymous
I remember my own planning process last year and how stressful it could become at times. I kept daydreaming of a quick elope somewhere exotic and sans stress/guests/family. Who was I kidding? That was the best part; all of our closest friends and family celebrating along with us. So I sucked it up, invested a lot of serious planning time, and the results were pretty unforgettable. Absolutely worth the effort!
I also recall researching various vendors and the ads I would come across in print and online. While employed as a Graphic Designer and Photographer at LCD Photography in Ohio, one of my main responsibilities was focusing on producing creative marketing & advertising that really set us apart from competitiors. Considering that state of mind, I sat down to work on an eye catching ad we could use at Love•n•Joy to quickly relate to the viewer who we are, how we're different, affordable, and that we are passionate (and pretty good) at what we do.
I am very fond of the written word used poetically to illustrate a beautiful story. However, I am even more fond of photographs for this very reason. Hence the opening line, "Let us tell your love story in ways words never could."
Hopefully, the ending bullets (describing why one should NOT call us) are not taken the wrong way. We definitely do not mean to be rude or crass, just playful and candid. We respect every bride, their families, and friends, and expect they do the same for all their hardworking vendors :)
The ad I have been rambling on about: [ click to enlarge ]
If I could have put it into words, I would have written it down. But I couldn't, so I took a picture.
- Anonymous
Who doesn't love posts about babies?
Kimothy's sister, Ava, gave birth to a little bundle of joy, Jake Christopher (with a little help from her husband, Jason). Jake was born on January 28, 2010 and we were there to welcome him to this beautiful, crazy world. Holding a person just a few hours old was such a cool feeling! You can feel all the love, hope, and potential for this new life.
We brought the Flip along with us to document the family meeting the newest addition. I whipped this short video together for Ava and Jason. Congratulations you two! Thank you for allowing me to share your momentous day:)
(And yes, that is Lesley Gore singing "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows." For those of you that don't know who she is click here and you'll see you do know a lot of her songs).
I couldn't decided between two quotes so I'll leave you with both......
A new baby is like the beginning of all things-wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities.Eda J. Le Shan
Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body.Elizabeth Stone
-T
Wedding Coordinator extraordinaire Julie McKenney of Bliss Elevated
We recently had the pleasure of getting together for brunch and delish mimosas with the fabulous Julie McKenney, owner and wedding coordinator of Bliss Elevated here in Denver. As we chatted about all the wonderful services she provides, I realized more and more that it would have been SO worth it to have hired someone like Julie for my day-of-wedding coordination!
As a bride, you initially believe wholeheartedly that you can do everything on your own, whether it be planning with vendors, budgeting, etc. Anything to save money! BUT...when the crazy big day finally arrives, you become overwhelmed with people and vendors bombarding you with questions galore about money, timeline, set up, etc. That is where Julie comes in! She handles everything from reviewing vendor contracts, coordinating & running the rehearsal, set up of ceremony & reception, managing wedding day flow, checklists, vendors & execution, and even the cleanup of the reception. Julie always brings along a huge wedding day emergency kit, prepared for any fiascos that could easily put a damper on your day without a quick fix at hand.
Sure, you can always ask your mother or aunt or sister to supervise the events of your day. But why would you, if you could pay a minimal fee for a professional to handle it, while your close family members get to sit back and enjoy themselves? Julie's experience and expertise make it definitely worth the investment. We all know having a wedding costs a pretty penny. It is wise to ensure that this day in which you've invested all of your time, effort, and resources will be perfectly executed and that you will actually be able to ENJOY it all.
On your wedding day, the last thing you want to think of is where & when you will store your gifts as the night unfolds, or when you need to start cleaning up, or telling the DJ to switch the song to something more upbeat, or why a hired vendor is not doing what they promised and keeps bugging you to pay him more money immediately (yes, this was my limo driver!! Julie, I needed you!). Sit back and relax. Enjoy it all knowing you are completely prepared and nothing has been overlooked.
We obviously recommend you contact Julie. She is so sweet, informative, and professional. You will not regret working with her. As wedding photographers, we are able to do our jobs better with a pro coordinator facilitating the events of your day.
Bliss Elevated website: http://www.blisselevated.com/Welcome.html
Julie also posts a lot of great planning & money saving tips on her blog: http://blisselevated.wordpress.com/
Julie, myself, and Tess having brunch at The Coral Room in the Highlands. Those glasses of mimosa were bottomless and way too tasty! O ya, the food was good too :) This is how real women spend Super Bowl Sunday? lol
My departing words of wisdom (that I've borrowed from someone who is actually wise):
It's better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.
~Jackie Joyner Kersee
As a bride, you initially believe wholeheartedly that you can do everything on your own, whether it be planning with vendors, budgeting, etc. Anything to save money! BUT...when the crazy big day finally arrives, you become overwhelmed with people and vendors bombarding you with questions galore about money, timeline, set up, etc. That is where Julie comes in! She handles everything from reviewing vendor contracts, coordinating & running the rehearsal, set up of ceremony & reception, managing wedding day flow, checklists, vendors & execution, and even the cleanup of the reception. Julie always brings along a huge wedding day emergency kit, prepared for any fiascos that could easily put a damper on your day without a quick fix at hand.
Sure, you can always ask your mother or aunt or sister to supervise the events of your day. But why would you, if you could pay a minimal fee for a professional to handle it, while your close family members get to sit back and enjoy themselves? Julie's experience and expertise make it definitely worth the investment. We all know having a wedding costs a pretty penny. It is wise to ensure that this day in which you've invested all of your time, effort, and resources will be perfectly executed and that you will actually be able to ENJOY it all.
On your wedding day, the last thing you want to think of is where & when you will store your gifts as the night unfolds, or when you need to start cleaning up, or telling the DJ to switch the song to something more upbeat, or why a hired vendor is not doing what they promised and keeps bugging you to pay him more money immediately (yes, this was my limo driver!! Julie, I needed you!). Sit back and relax. Enjoy it all knowing you are completely prepared and nothing has been overlooked.
We obviously recommend you contact Julie. She is so sweet, informative, and professional. You will not regret working with her. As wedding photographers, we are able to do our jobs better with a pro coordinator facilitating the events of your day.
Bliss Elevated website: http://www.blisselevated.com/Welcome.html
Julie also posts a lot of great planning & money saving tips on her blog: http://blisselevated.wordpress.com/
Julie, myself, and Tess having brunch at The Coral Room in the Highlands. Those glasses of mimosa were bottomless and way too tasty! O ya, the food was good too :) This is how real women spend Super Bowl Sunday? lol
My departing words of wisdom (that I've borrowed from someone who is actually wise):
It's better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.
~Jackie Joyner Kersee
Hot Bride in the City...
So, this is probably one of my favorite photo shoots EVER! We had too much fun with Lauren's bridal session, romping around the city and pulling the car over whenever it struck our creative fancy. There a ton of really incredible landmarks to photograph at in Denver. We are so lucky. Not to mention the majestic Rocky Mountains, which we will certainly take advantage of in our upcoming shoots (stay tuned, we have lots of zany ideas brewing... :) ).
Lauren was incredible to work with, up for anything, and never once complained about heaving her huge mesh dress around all over town, or barely being able to fit into the backseat of my car because of it. lol Gotta love her great attitude! We think the photographs turned out pretty awesome. We posted most of them on our new website. More to come ya'll...
She looks stunning...Love the soft, glowy veil shots. (I kind of feel like I'm a fashion show commentator)
These shots were taken at the Dry Ice Factory...and gotta love that crazy black/white wall! I'd like to paint my future house walls in that same pattern...too much?
It's all about the details! As a bride, we know how much time and money you invest in the details (and that is the fun part of planning!) As your photographers, we make sure to pay attention to each unique component of your day, documenting all that hard work and the beautiful results.
Lucky us...this wall is directly beside our townhouse. Tess and I painted this for shoots ourselves.
Just kidding. It is probably the coolest graffiti wall ever though.
I LOVE this running shot. Lauren was a star athlete on her high school track team. She's still got it!~
Lauren was incredible to work with, up for anything, and never once complained about heaving her huge mesh dress around all over town, or barely being able to fit into the backseat of my car because of it. lol Gotta love her great attitude! We think the photographs turned out pretty awesome. We posted most of them on our new website. More to come ya'll...
She looks stunning...Love the soft, glowy veil shots. (I kind of feel like I'm a fashion show commentator)
These shots were taken at the Dry Ice Factory...and gotta love that crazy black/white wall! I'd like to paint my future house walls in that same pattern...too much?
It's all about the details! As a bride, we know how much time and money you invest in the details (and that is the fun part of planning!) As your photographers, we make sure to pay attention to each unique component of your day, documenting all that hard work and the beautiful results.
Lucky us...this wall is directly beside our townhouse. Tess and I painted this for shoots ourselves.
Just kidding. It is probably the coolest graffiti wall ever though.
I LOVE this running shot. Lauren was a star athlete on her high school track team. She's still got it!~
